Elisen Gingerbread Bites – assorted

Elisen Lebkuchen Confectionery in bite-sized pieces

Six small pieces of handmade Elisenlebkuchen, coated in milk chocolate and dark chocolate couverture. Not a separate recipe, but the same nutty dough as the large Lebkuchen, just scaled down to praline size.

Elisen Lebkuchen Confectionery from Hatzel comes in a 100-gram bag containing six pieces, making it the smallest format from their own bakery. Each piece is completely coated in chocolate: one half in fine milk chocolate, the other in dark couverture. It is baked just like its larger counterparts, spread by hand onto baking wafers.

Because the pieces are so small, there is much more chocolate for the amount of dough than usual. This makes the confectionery sweeter, meltier, and significantly more chocolatey than a whole Lebkuchen. Small, dense, chocolatey.

What fits in the cookie tin and what goes on the plate

A whole Elisenlebkuchen is a commitment, whereas this confectionery is something you grab on the go.

That is precisely its purpose, as it fills the gap on the advent plate where store-bought chocolates would otherwise be. It holds its own well next to vanilla crescents and cinnamon stars because it speaks the same language of spices, just more concentrated. When guests arrive, a small bowl of them next to the coffee cups is perfectly sufficient.

And because the bag is small and light, it also travels well in a coat pocket as a small gift when you are already on your way to see someone.

An infusion from our tea assortment goes well with it in the afternoon, and those who want to continue snacking in the Rhineland style should reach for the Aachen Printen from Printenbäckerei Klein. Stored sealed and in a cool place, the confectionery will keep for weeks.

"Noble kernels" is what Hatzel calls the main ingredients

Hazelnuts and almonds are known in the bakery by the old confectioner's term "noble kernels," and in this confectionery, they are at the very top of the ingredient list.

Added to this is marzipan—that is, more almonds, this time ground with sugar. Together, the two result in that dense, moist mass that defines an Elisenlebkuchen and distinguishes it from lighter Lebkuchen. Flour is only present in small amounts and holds together what the kernels already support. Underneath every piece is a baking wafer, that thin sheet of flour, water, and starch that makes the sticky dough manageable in the first place.

Citron and orange peel provide the bright specks and a resinous freshness that stands up to the sweetness of the chocolate. Without them, the confectionery would be a purely nutty affair and would quickly feel heavy.

Confectionery here doesn't mean praline

When people hear "confectionery," they first think of pralines with a soft filling, and that is exactly what this is not.

Under the chocolate, there is no ganache or cream, but rather baked Lebkuchen dough on a wafer, just cut into smaller portions. This is why the bite remains firm rather than melting, and why the confectionery lasts longer than a true praline, which has passed its peak after a few weeks. A bag you buy during Advent will still be in good shape between the years.

If you prefer whole Lebkuchen, you can find the varieties individually and in mixed bags in the Hatzel assortment.