Description
Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI is a traditional cake which is consumed during the feasts produced with butter, flour, wheat flour, wheat or maize starch, eggs and sugar covered with white, milk or dark chocolate icing.
Production Area
The production area of Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI covers the municipal area of Salzwedel, in the Federal State of Sachsen-Anhalt (Saxony- Anhalt).
Production Method
The production of this cake is rather complex. After having obtained dough with the right consistency - which has to be rather liquid - it is poured with the help of a wooden spoon or a pole or split which revolving on itself goes closer to the source of heat for cooking. The very thin layers are obtained thanks to this special technique which includes the addition of new dough when a layer is cooked well.
Appearance and Flavour
Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI has an irregular shape, with a hollow centre, while the surface is lightly toothed. It consists of a range of irregular layers and can achieve a height of 90 cm and a diameter of 40 cm, whilst the weight spans from 2 to 5 kg. The Baumkuchenspitzen type - with a smooth surface covered with chocolate - is small with trapezoidal slices of about 4 cm (1 cm thickness).
History
The recipe and preparation of Baumkuchen were written for the first time in 1807 by confectioner Johann Andreas Schernikow, but an official mention can be found only in some registers of 1843. This cake became famous in the second half of the 19th century both in Germany and abroad, with high amounts which registered only temporary drops due to the wars, which were not ideal, due to the high prices of its ingredients. Evidence of the national importance of Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI can be found in many written documents such as the Bilder au der Altmark, of 1883, written by Dietrichs and Parisius or the more recent Deutschland Spezialitätenküche (specialities of the German cuisine), published by Christine Metzger in 1999. Plus, it is mentioned in tourist guides and commercials where it is presented as a traditional speciality of the city of Salzwedel. Since 2004 there has been a dedicated festival with the election of the queen of Baumkuchen.
Gastronomy
Being a fresh pie, without the addition of preservatives, Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI has to be consumed as soon as possible. This product is one of the protagonists in the culinary tradition of Christmas feasts, but also for Eastern or simply to celebrate anniversaries. It is generally sliced in rings with a weight of about 300-500 gr.
Marketing
The product is sold as Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI with sugar or chocolate icing - milk, white or dark - and as Baumkuchenspitzen, covered with chocolate and with a smaller size. It is sold in suitable protective cases.
Distinctive Features
The reputation of Salzwedeler Baumkuchen PGI is mostly due to its traditional production which has been passed on over years and made it a regional speciality.
