Paper Lantern
November 11 is Martinstag in Germany, commemorating St. Martin Bishop of Tours, who, while still a soldier, cut his military cloak in half to share it with a beggar. Falling on the same day as Veteran’s Day in the US (St. Martin is the patron saint of soldiers), Martinstag on November 11 is a religious holiday in Catholic regions of Germany. After dark on Martinstag, the streets in German neighborhoods will be lit with lanterns during the traditional Laterneumzug(lantern procession). The custom has children carrying a paper lantern with a candle inside, singing songs such as Ich geh mit meiner Laterne(I walk with my lantern).
Here’s the first verse.
| Ich geh’ mit meiner Laterne | I go with my lantern |
| Und meine Laterne mit mir. | And my lantern goes with me. |
| Dort oben leuchten die Sterne, | Up above the stars are shining, |
| Hier unten, da leuchten wir. | Down here we’re shining. |
| Der Hahn, der kräht, die Katz miaut. | The rooster, he crows; the cat meows. |
| Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum. | Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum. |
| Der Hahn, der kräht, die Katz miaut. | The rooster, he crows; the cat meows. |
| Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum. | Rabimmel, rabammel, rabum. |
The Weckmann, a traditional Martinsgebäck made of glazed yeast dough, is shaped like a man, wearing a coat with 3 buttons made of almonds or raisins.
Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
For the dough: 1 cup milk, 1/3 cup butter, 3 tablespoons shortening, 1 cup sugar (can be reduced to ¾ cup) 3 tablespoons vanilla extract, 1 grated lemon peel, ¼ ounce fast rising yeast, 3 tablespoons warm water, 4 eggs, 6 2/3 cups of flour
For the glaze: 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
For the eyes and buttons: raisins or almond slices
Directions:
Mix yeast with warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Combine milk, butter, shortening and sugar in a saucepan and heat slowly. Set aside to cool. Put flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture. Cover for at least 20 minutes to let the dough rise. Add milk mixture and knead dough into a ball. Dust with flour. Let rise for an additional 45 minutes. Roll dough and divide into 10 pieces to form gingerbread man formed Weckmänner. Place them on a large baking sheet leaving space in between to allow them to rise/grow. Covered with wax paper, let them sit to rise another 30 to 45 minutes. Brush with egg and water mixture, decorate with raising/carnberries or al ond slices for eyes, nose and buttons. Bake at 325 to 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Enjoy!
