Ludwigs-Kuchen (Ludwig Cake) [*]
6 whole eggs
7 tablespoons of sweet cream
7 tablespoons of dense yeast
1 1/2 lbs. of spelt flour
1/2 lb. of washed butter
1/4 pound of sweet almonds
pulverized with rose water
a bit of citron and sugar
Beat the eggs vigorously until they run off the spoon easily; then add the almonds, mix with the eggs until small, then pour the cream along with a bit of sugar and mace into the dough and mix together, then immediately also mix in the yeast and flour. When everything is thoroughly mixed, lay the dough out on the table and press it out; afterward lay on it slices of the butter washed with salt and roll it in as with butter dough; then put it on a platter, let rise, then bake in the oven until done, brush with butter and sprinkle on sugar and cinnamon.
N.B. As soon as the cake has risen, it must immediately be put into the oven, otherwise it will fall and not rise again.
Notes
[*] Vollständiges hannöverisches Kochbuch, oder neueste practische Erfahrungen einer Hausmutter im Kochen, Backwerkmachen und Einkochen der Früchte, nebst einer Erklärung aller in der Kochkunst vorkommenden Kunstwörter (Hannover 1808), 179–80 (note: the weight of a “pound” could vary widely, e.g., a Württemberg pound = 467728 mg, a Polish pound = 405504 mg [Therese Huber Briefe 1:463]. Illustration from Der Freund des schönen Geschlechts: ein angenehm und nützlicher Taschenkalender für das Jahr 1808. Back.
Translation © 2011 Doug Stott