Dominosteine: A simple but perfect pastry for Christmas

To start off this article, here are a few questions for you to ponder:

1. Looking at this photo and the word Dominosteine, what comes to mind? What is it made of, in your opinion?
2. Do you know that there is a day named after the pastry?
3. Do you know it was the cheapest version of any German prailine sweet when it was introduced?
4. Do you know that it was invented during the Third Reich (1933-45)?

Think about this as you watch this video:

Now that you have seen the recipe on video, here are some facts about this pastry to mention.

The idea of the chocolate covered cubes was invented by Herbert Wendler (1912- 1998) in 1936. Mr. Wendler had a chocolate shop in Dresden during the time of the Third Reich and wanted to invent a chocolate praline that was affordable for everyone, for pralines during that time were expensive and Germany, like the rest of the world, was in a Great Depression and recovering from the after-effects of the Great Crash seven years earlier. Mr Wendler created a recipe where it featured a pan of Lebkuchen (gingerbread), covered in chocolate but with a fruit filling inside- either apricot or cherry. Fancier versions included marzipan or a persipan spread on top of the fruit filling, creating a sandwich-cube covered in chocolate, like this:

Source: Warp5, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dominosteine became the lifeline for Germany during World War II due to the shortage of food supplies for much of the ingredients were cheaper and available for use. During the Cold War, when Germany was divided up into the eastern and western halves, the tradition of the chocolate covered cubes lived on but with two different recipes- one with the persipan or marzipan and one without and with just the fruit filling, the latter having existed in the east, yet Dr. Quendt used a similar recipe for the original version and continued to produce the Dresden style Dominosteine to be marketed to the west and other parts of the world until 1990. Afterwards it was also sold in the former east. The company patented Wendler’s recipe upon his death in 1998 and has continued his tradition ever since.

Dominosteine is still common to this day, with several different recipes that exist. The most common with the marzipan or persipan come from Dresden, Aachen and Lübeck, that without the spread come from Erfurt and Magdeburg. Yet some recipes have featured the hearty kind that can be served as hors d’oeuvres. This recipe belongs to that list:

Ingredients:

100 grams smoked salmon (chopped)

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

150 grams cream cheese

2 Tbsp. quark or sour cream

1 Tbsp. chopped dill

Salt and pepper

3 slices whole grain bread

In a mixing bowl, add first the chopped smoked salmon and the lemon juice. Then mix until the salmon is soaked in lemon juice. Afterwards, add the cream cheese, quark, and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.

On a slice of bread smear one layer of the mix on. Then add another slice bread on top of the spread. On that slice, add another coating of the mix. Then add the third slice on top. Let it sit in the refridgerator for 30 minutes. Then slice into fours before serving. Serves 2 persons.

Translated into English from this source: here.

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Nevertheless, making Dominosteine is easy and there are enough recipes out there to try. By clicking onto this recipe here, you will find the classic version with marzipan or perispan. You can subtract that ingredient if you wish to have the East German taste.

Once deemed a Notration or Notprailine (Emergency ration ot Emergency candy), the Dominosteine has become a favorite treat among Germans and those who have adopted the German recipe for their own. Sometimes they call the name in English Domino Cubes, named after the thin pieces with dots, used for games and for setting records. Yet because of the potential for the mix-up, the German name has been retained so make a clear difference. Because of its popularity in culture and as a holiday tradition, the Dominosteine has been declared a special day since 2017, being assigned the date of December 3rd.

But even with that Day of the Dominosteine, one can enjoy this cube-shaped specialty everyday during the holiday season. They are tasty, yet they can be very addicting, regardless of what type you try. While some from Aachen and Lübeck have a real sweet taste, the Erfurt version with just a spread of fruit filling best fits the original- a gingerbread sandwich with jam that is simplistic but tastes really delicious. Regardless of preference, the Dominosteine is one of the pastries that a person must try at Christmas time. It was a simple recipe but it has become a popular fixture of German culture, especially as you will find them first upon entering a Christmas market or a German household.

Happy Holidays!

Advent Calendar: December 19

The 19th of December and in our Advent Calendar series, we go to Lübeck, in the northeastern corner of Schleswig-Holstein. The city is the second largest in the state behind Kiel but it has played a very important role as a hanseatic city. Much of the city center, featuring the Holstentor, the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, the Cathedral and hundreds of houses dating back to the Middle Ages have remained largely in tact and have attracted thousands of visitors each year. The Lübecker Marzipan, made with almond extract, originated from the city. And the Lübeck Christmas market is one of the most attractive markets in northern Germany, competing with the likes of Hamburg, Rostock, Wismar and other communities, large and small. The market is spread out in several different locations, including a tree display at Holstentor (seen above) and the Market Square in the Old Town seen below.

Both these pics were taken by Sandra Rohloff and features the market in its beauty, even without the huts, the stage and the people. Even without the markets this year, having displays like this has provided a sense of Christmas feeling, for Christmas is a season of perpetual hope, even in dark times like we’re facing right now. With medical personal working around the clock to help patients through the Corona epidemic, they are working to provide hope, to ensure that the patients and their families can celebrate the next Christmas and beyond. We have to work with them to provide that hope while we make the best with what we have. Having something like this is a sign of hope that there will be better times ahead. We just have to live with Christmas con tree sans market- just this year. ❤

And while we’re talking Marzipan, we have a small surprise for you that deals with this delicious ingredient, and it’s something that you can make- and bake- at home. Click here to view….

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Pexels.com