Description
Bremer Klaben PGI is a rich yeast cake which contains a lot of fruit composed of flour, butter or margarine, yeast, sugar, sultanas, candied lemon peel, candied orange peel, almonds, vanilla, lemon zest and cardamom. These ingredients make up about 95 % of the total weight of the product. Rum and/or rose oil can be added without exceeding 5 % of the total weight.
Production Area
Bremer Klaben PGI is produced in the city of Bremen and the surrounding area, as well as Bremerhaven and Verden in the federal state of Bremen.
Production Method
The first phase of production is to make a leaven (yeast dough) which takes a precise period of time to rise. The dough itself has to be kneaded with particular care because of the many substances it contains; after leaving the dough to stand, the fruit mixture is added. Shortly before baking, the surface is treated with flour and water to produce a continuous film-like base for the glaze from the egg coating after baking. The moist nature of the Bremer Klaben PGI is determined by the oven temperature and baking time. The temperature must be decreased (e.g. from 222°C to 170°C at the end). Baking time is around 55-65 minutes. After baking, the moulds are emptied immediately to allow the cakes to subside and cool down slowly and gently.
Appearance and Flavour
Bremer Klaben PGI is a large cake, weighing one or more kilograms, and is characterised by its long, flat form and almost rectangular cross-section. The dough required for each cake mould weighs 5 or 6 kg depending on the size of the mould. It is light brown in colour and the surface is shiny as it has an egg-white glaze. It is moist and slightly fatty in consistency. The product is aromatic, fruity, spicy, sweet and full-bodied in taste; its special, unmistakable aroma is achieved by adding cardamom.
History
Bremer Klaben PGI is a bakery speciality with a long tradition in Bremen and the surrounding area, where it is very popular, particularly at Christmas time. Bremer Klaben is closely linked to the history of the Hanseatic City of Bremen and of trade in colonial goods, because not until the foreign raw materials arrived at the port did this speciality become possible. Sailors liked to take Bremer Klaben with them on voyages because it kept for a long time. Reference of a Klaben baker's trade can be found in 1593, and a true guild was formed in 1637. The Bremer Klaben is a Christmas baking speciality, but some firms bake it all year round. The "Klaben season" in Bremen traditionally begins with a ceremony on the City's market square during which the mayor officially cuts the first slice showing the importance of this product.
Gastronomy
Bremer Klaben PGI is a cake baked usually before Christmas and can keep up to a few months. Bremer Klaben PGI is best consumed cut into pieces with a slight layer of butter or Cornish Clotted Cream PDO and goes splendidly with coffee or tea.
Marketing
The product is sold as Bremer Klaben PGI in carton or plastic packaging in quantities from 1 kg to 2 kg.
Distinctive Features
Bremer Klaben PGI is a rich yeast cake containing a lot of fruit, and is distinguished by another cake of the same type the Stollen, because of its high fruit and fat content.
