Today’s special: „Zelten“ from Mrs. Esther Mutschlechner-Seeber from Haus Hedoné.

Would you like to take a piece of South Tyrol on your Christmas arrangements? You should try your own Zelten. Esther revealed the family recipe.

No food is so essential, so easy and at the same time object of many stories and legends like bread. Every culture has its own recipe, its own style and of course way to consume it; to serve it with the main course, eat it with fork and knife, as a sandwich, with butter, with sauces and spices.

Still today, in times with a permanent availability of all kind of foods, bread is indispensable for everyone.

But it wasn’t always like this: Around the turn of the century South Tyrol was a poor region, characterized by agriculture with meager land, a little cattle breeding and some trading across numerous mountain passes. Only the merchants were wealthy. The farmers lived a simple live and where actually happy to have some bread now and then.
Around Christmastime they allowed themselves the luxury to sweeten the bread and added some dried pears to the dough – and the Zelten was born.
Over time the prosperity grew, and thanks to the increasing import, raisins, apricots, date, figs and other dried fruit were added.
In South Tyrol still today it is custom to put this delightfulness on the table for presents. This tradition reflects the Tyrolean character: down-home grain and water from the region, fruits from the south and spices from the distance.
In the Hedoné house there are aware of this custom. Every year they prepare the Zelten for guests and family by hand. It is appreciated like the cordiality and kindness, and where guests become friends.
Would you like to take a piece of South Tyrol on your Christmas arrangements? You should try your own Zelten. Esther revealed the family recipe.

Ingredients:
250g dried apples or pears
500g raisins
500g figs
350g hazelnuts
350g walnuts
250g almonds
350g grapes
70g grated lemon zest
70g grated orange zest
Some coriander, cumin and aniseed
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 tsp of clove powder
1/8 l rum
50g candied lemon peel
50g candied orange peel
A pinch of salt
500g rye dough (from the bakery)

Preparation:

Cut the dried fruit and the figs, add the rest of the ingredients, put it in a bowl a let it rest over night.

Cut the dough in small pieces an form it to a biscuit, distribute it under the fruits and knead it uniformly.

Form the dough into round or elongated cakes and decorate with walnuts and almonds.

Place cakes on a baking sheet and let rest for 20 minutes.

Bake in preheated oven, brushing frequently with honey or sugar syrup, until they take on a rich brown colour.

Let cool. Decorate with candied cherries then cover in plastic wrap.