In 1532, Christoph Scheurl, a Nurnberg jurist and diplomat, wrote in his yearly account book that for New Years he received lebkuchen from his two aunts who were nuns in different cloisters. His Aunt Apollonia’s were thin and delicate like “sparkling gold leaves“ His Aunt Barbara’s were “thicker and heavy“.
For the 2008 Persona Pentathlon, I decided to recreate, as best I could, the three period recipes for Lebkuchen from Sabina Welserin’s cookbook and see if any of them resulted in a thin kind and a thick kind.
Social Context of Lebkuchen
Lebkuchen was an important part of celebrations for holidays, marriages and baptisms in Southern Germany in the middle 1500’s. It is listed as one of the legally allowed foods in Nuremberg civil law that can be served at an engagement party, along with elaborate confections and sweet wine trifles1
In 1549, for a baptism feast for Paul Behaim II, the father served 36 pints of mead, 48 pastries, 10 pints of new wine, as well as 7 of dark Rivoli, and there were also pastries, Lebkuchen and dates.2 In 1532, Christoph Scheurl, a Nurnberg jurist and diplomat, wrote in his yearly account book that for New Years he received lebkuchen from his two aunts who were nuns in different cloisters. His Aunt Apollonia’s were thin and delicate like “sparkling gold leaves” His Aunt Barbara’s were “thicker and heavy“.3 Later in the year, the “sparkling gold leaf” type of Lebkuchen was a Christmas gift to Christoph’s 8 month old son, Georg, from his Great-Aunt Apollonia.4
This reference to two different types of Lebkuchen, a thin, “sparkling gold leaves” kind and a “thick heavy” kind, was intrigueing. I decided to recreate, as best I could, the three period recipes for Lebkuchen from Sabina Welserin’s cookbook and see if any of them resulted in a thin kind and a thick kind.
Period Recipes for Lebkuchen
There are three recipes for Lebkuchen in Sabina Welserin’s cookbook c. 1553.
1. 151 To bake good Lebkuchen
2. 163 To make Nürnberger Lebkuchen
3. 164 To make a large Nürnberger Lebkuchen
The actual word for Lebkuchen in Middle High German, the original language that the recipes were written in, is “lezelten”. In the Mittelhochdeutsches Handwörterbuch von Matthias Lexer, we find that “lezelten” is a synonym for lëbezelte, both of which are old Middle High German words for lebkuchen.5
I started my experiments by attempting to follow the English translation prepared by Valoise Armstrong in 1998.6 I attempted the recipe for 163, To make Nürnberger Lebkuchen. This resulted in a puddle of spicy bubbling goo when I baked it, not the nice molded cookie that should have resulted based on the text’s instructions on molding the dough.
I then decided that I would go back to the Middle High German (MHG) original text7 and translate the ingredient amounts from that. This resulted in quite a bit of research on my part as to my knowledge; no one had yet done this. I have included my table of period weights and measures used in Augsburg during this time, and their conversions to metric in Appendix 3. I have used Armstrong’s translation for the mixing and baking instructions.
I have included each section of the recipe in my recreations, the MHG original amounts, my English translation, my conversions of those amounts to metric and US amounts, and Armstrong’s translation of the mixing and baking section.
Words Used in Translation
|
Words from Sabina Welserin’s cookbook |
Modern German Word |
English Translation |
Source and keyword of entry |
|
Honig |
Honig |
Honey |
|
|
Zúcker |
Zucker |
Sugar |
|
|
Mell |
Mehl |
Flour |
Modern German Translation of Sabina |
|
Rerlen |
Zimtstangen |
Cinnamon |
Modern German Translation of Sabina |
|
Rerlach |
Zimtstangen |
Cinnamon |
Modern German translation of Sabina |
|
Negellen |
gewürznelke |
clove |
M. Lexer, negellîn |
|
Negellach |
gewürznelke |
clove |
M. Lexer, negellîn |
|
kerner/ gestossen |
|
cardamom |
Modern German translation of Sabina |
|
Múscat |
muscatnuss |
nutmeg |
M.Lexer, muscât-tatel |
|
Jmber |
ingwer |
ginger |
M. Lexer, Imber |
|
Múscatblie |
Muscatenblute |
mace |
Modern German translation of Sabina |
|
Vierdung |
|
1/4 pound |
M. Lexer, vierdunc G.F.Benecke, vierdunc |
Augsburg Weights and Measures with their Modern Equivalents
I developed this table of weights and measures using resources from the 1800’s, shortly before and after metrification in Europe.
|
Divisions |
Augsburg Amounts |
Metric |
|
1 Viertlein |
|
0.200674715 liter |
|
4 Viertlein = 1 Ecklein |
|
0.80269886 liter |
|
8 Ecklein = 1 Vierling |
||
|
4 Vierling = 1 Simri |
|
25.68636352 liter |
|
8 Simri = 1 Scheffel |
|
205.49090816 liter |
Old measures of Capacity for Liquids11
|
Divisions |
Augsburg Amounts |
Metric |
|
1 Quart or Schoppen |
|
0.35696335 liter |
|
4 Quarts or Schoppen = 1 Maass |
||
|
10 Maass = 1 Imi |
|
14.278534 liters |
|
16 Imi = 1 Eimer |
|
228.456544 liters |
|
6 Eimer = 1 Fuder |
|
1370.739264 liters |
|
Divisions |
Augsburg Amounts |
Metric |
|
1 Pfenning |
|
0.9220625 g |
|
|
3.68825 g |
|
|
4 Quentchen = 1 Loth |
14.753 g |
|
|
32 Loth = 1 Pfund |
|
472.096g (0.472096 kg) |
|
100 Pfund = 1 Centner |
|
47.2096 kg |
|
Divisions |
Augsburg Amounts |
Metric |
|
1 Pfenning |
|
1g (actually 0.9375 g) |
|
|
3.75g |
|
|
4 Quentchen = 1 Loth |
|
15g |
|
2 Loth = 1 Unze |
|
30g |
|
|
90g |
|
|
12 Unzen = 1 Pfund |
360g |
|
|
|
|
|
Notes on Lott, Lot and Loth: Sabina uses two different weights in her recipes, lot and lott. From 151, “5 lot rerlen, 3 lott negellen,4 lott kerner/ gestossen“. At first, I translated both lot and lott as as loth. After trying the recipe with a “lott” = loth of cloves, and it resulting in a unediable cookie, I reviewed the measurements. I was unable to find the word “lott” in any of the MHG dictionaries that I have access to. In the tables above you can see the various breakdowns of a loth; 4 quentchen = 1 loth; 16 Pfenning = 1 loth.
At first I thought that “lott” might equal a quentchen, but as 4 of those equal one loth, why would Sabina write “4 lott kerner/getossen” instead of “1 lot”? This leads me to believe that “lott” must be shorthand for a smaller amount than a “lot”, similar to T and t in modern American recipes. So, I assumed that pfennig = lott as an experiment in recipe 151, and the resulting Lebkuchen is quite ediable. Therefore, in the following recipes, 1 lott = 1 pfenning, or 1g.
Which Weights: Standard or Apothecary?
At the time of this cookbook, the Apothecary shop was where one bought spices and sugar. Looking at the Apothecary shop, Book of Trades, Jost Amman 1568, in it you can see the jars of spices on the wall, cones of sugar on a shelf by the ceiling. After purchase, the spices would have been kept in a spice box, such as this one, Painted wood box, with chip and trace work decoration, with inner compartments for spices or confections, 1501-1515, GNM HG 334, Nurnberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum
For the recipes, I have used apothecary weights for the sugar and spice measurements.
Cookie Molds
Due to time limitations, I was not able to carve my own molds. I used Ryecraft clay molds to stamp the cookies. Here are some examples of extant baking moldes from the German National Museum in Nurnberg, Germany, the molds made from Apple wood, Pear wood, Tin, and unidentified wood.
Baking mold with Heraldry of Kurfursten vonBrandenburg, 1501/1600, Wood, GNM 1235 Nurnberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Baking mold with Heraldic Crest of Marschall von Ebner, 1501, Pear Wood, GNM HG 1211, Nurnberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Two sided baking mold with combined heraldry on one side and Imperial eagle on the other side. 1501/1600, Wood, GNM HG 1236 Nurnberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Materials Used
In recreating these recipes, I tested and proofed the recipes first with commercially available pre-ground spices and then for the final result I used whole spices that I ground or grated by hand. I ordered the whole spices from The Spice House . I used a wild, raw honey for the honey, and regular white sugar for the sugar. Since I have celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and cannot handle wheat flour or wheat products without breaking out in a horrible rash, I used a gluten-free flour blend (2 parts rice flour, 2/3 parts potato starch and 1/3 part tapioca starch) for the flour, as well as a small amount of xanthum gum. I have not been able to test these recipes with wheat flour due to health concerns.
For the period whole spices I used
- Whole soft stick Ceylon True Cinnamon
- Whole Nutmeg
- Whole Green Cardamom seeds
- Whole Cloves
- Mace Blades
- Dried Ginger
The Results: 151 resulted in a thin, crispy cookie, 163 resulted in a thick, heavy cookie that didn’t mold well and 164 resulted in a thick, heavy cookie that molded well
My Entry, with the three different types of Lebkuchen, and examples of the spices I used.
Notes
1 Ozment, Steven E. Flesh and Spirit: Private Life in Early Modern Germany. New York: Viking, 1999. p 44
5 Mittelhochdeutsches Handwörterbuch von Matthias Lexer
6 Valoise Armstrong’s translation of Sabina’s cookbook found online at here.
7 Thomas Glonig’s transcription of the Middle High German text is available online at Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin c.1553
8 William Alfred Browne, The Merchants’ Handbook of Money, Weights and Measures, with Their British Equivalents. London: Edward Stanford, 1879. 187
9 John Henry Alexander, Universal Dictionary of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern, Reduced to the Standards of the United States of America. Baltimore: W. Minifie and Co, 1850. 140
10 Calculated using a US Bushel = 35.237 liters, Brown, 313
13 Calculated using a liquid US Gallon = 3.785, Brown, 313
15 Brown, 189. I’ve used the breakdown from Hess-Darmstadt since the Wurtemberg and Bavaria tables stop at loth.
18 Brown, 189. I’ve used the breakdown from Hess-Darmstadt since the Wurtemberg and Bavaria tables stop at loth.
19 I’ve added this to the table for a complete list of measurements. See Appendix 1 for translation source
Bibliography
Alexander, J. H. Universal Dictionary of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern, Reduced to the Standards of the United States of America. Baltimore: W. Minifie and Co, 1850.
Browne, William Alfred. The Merchants’ Handbook of Money, Weights and Measures, with Their British Equivalents. London: Edward Stanford, 1879.
Thomas Glonig’s transcription of the Middle High German text of Sabina Welserin’s cookbook is available online at Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin c.1553 http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/sawe.htm
Modern German Translation of Sabina: Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin – Edition der Handschrift von 1553 mit einer Übersetzung von Ulrike Gießmann, herausgegeben von Hugo Stopp Aus der Reihe: German. Bibl. NF 4 5
Valoise Armstrong’s translation of Sabina’s cookbook, online here.
Mittelhochdeutsches Handwörterbuch von Matthias Lexer. Zugleich als Supplement und alphabetischer Index zum Mittelhochdeutschen Wörterbuche von Benecke-Müller-Zarncke. Nachdruck der Ausg. Leipzig 1872-1878 mit einer Einleitung von Kurt Gärtner. 3 Bde. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel 1992. Found online at http://germazope.uni-trier.de/Projects/WBB/woerterbuecher/lexer/wbgui?lemid=LA00001
Mittelhochdeutsches Wörterbuch. Mit Benutzung des Nachlasses von Georg Friedrich Benecke ausgearbeitet von Wilhelm Müller und Friedrich Zarncke. Nachdruck der Ausgabe Leipzig 1854-1866 mit einem Vorwort und einem zusammengefaßten Quellenverzeichnis von Eberhard Nellmann sowie einem alphabetischen Index von Erwin Koller, Werner Wegstein und Norbert Richard Wolf. 4 Bde. u. Indexbd. Stuttgart: S. Hirzel 1990. Found online at http://germazope.uni-trier.de/Projects/WBB/woerterbuecher/bmz/wbgui?lemid=BA00001
Ozment, Steven E. Flesh and Spirit: Private Life in Early Modern Germany. New York: Viking, 1999
Appendix 1: The Recipes, Middle High German, Modern German, Armstrong’s translation
Appendix 1: The Recipes, Middle High German, Modern German, Armstrong’s translation
Recipe 151
Middle High German Original
<<151>> Gút lezelten zú bachen
Nim am ersten ain pfúnd zúcker, ain qúertlin geleúterts
honig, nit gar ain fiertellin mell/ nim 5 lot rerlen, 3 lott negellen,
4 lott kerner/ gestossen, die andere wirtz schneid
aúffs klainest, die rerlen aúfs grebest gestosen, thú jmber
aúch darein/ vnnd thú zúcker in das honig, lasß es mitainander
sieden, thús mell jn ain múolter, geúsß die kerner am
ersten ein, darnach den jmber vnnd dan die andern wirtzen.
Modern German Translation
151. Gute Lebkuchen backen
Nimm zuerst 1 Pfund Zucker, 1 Quart geläuterten Honig, nicht ganz ¼ Mehl, nimm 5 Lot Zimtstangen, 3 Lot Nelken, 4 Lot gestossenes Kardamon. Die anderen Gewürze schneide so klein wie möglich, die Zimtstangen so grob wie möglich gestrossen. Tu auch Ingwer hinein und tu Zucker in den Honig, lass es miteinander kochen, tu das Mehl in einen Trog, schütte das Kardanom zuerst hinein, danach den Ingwer und dann die anderen Gewürze.
Armstrong’s Translation
151 To bake good Lebkuchen
Take first a pound of sugar, a quart of clear honey, not quite a third quart of flour, take two and a half ounces of cinnamon, one and a half ounces of cloves, two ounces of cardamom. Cut the other spices as small as possible, the cinnamon sticks are ground as coarsely as possible. Also put ginger therein and put the sugar into the honey, let it cook together, put the flour in a trough, pour the cardamom into it first, afterwards the ginger and the other spices.
Recipe 163
Middle High German Original
<<163>> Niernberger lezeltlach zú machen
Nim ain masß honig/ thús jn ain grosse pfanen, verfoms
woll vnnd lasß ain gúte weil sieden, thú 1_1/2 pfúnd zúcker
daran, riers fúr vnd fúr mit ainer hiltznie spatel vnnd lasß
also lang sieden/ als lang man ain bar air seúdt, schits also
hais jn ain vierling mell, riers gemach vmb vnnd thú das
geschriben gewirtz jn taig, riers gemach vnnd nit lang, nim 1
lott rerlen, 3 lot múscat, 1_1/2 lot negellen, 6 lot jmber, ain
qúintlin múscatblie, vnnd ain yedes besonder geschniten
oder gestossen, das es nit klain seý, grosß gespalten besondern
an den rerlen, vnnd wan du das gewirtz jn taig gethan hast,
so lasß als lang den taig stan, als man ain hert bar air
seúdt, dúnck die hend jn ain mell vnnd nim feine heúflen
aús dem taig, mach kigellen daraús, wigs ab, das ains soúil
hab als das ander, braits aús mit ainem walgelholtz, streichs
glat mit der hand, ýe gleter ýe hibscher/ dúnck darnach den
model jn ain rossenwasser vnnd drúcks daraúff, nim 8 lot
taig zú ainem zeltlin/ hiet dich, thú kain mell darein, dan sý
wúrden nit gút, aber aúfs bret magst woll mell thon/ das sý
nit aúffhafften, lasß jber nacht ligen/ vnnd wan dú es zom
becken tregst, so lúg, das dú ain ander bret habest, das besee
gantz woll mit mell, das gantz dick beseet seý, thú das bret
mit dem besetten mell jn bachoffen, das das bret gantz haiß
werd, ýe haiser ye pesser/ thús darnach heraús, leg die lezelten
darauff, das kains das ander anrier, thús jn offen, lasß
bachen vnnd sich offt darzú, am ersten werden sý lind als ain
schmaltz, wan dú daraúffgreifst, so entpfindsts woll/ vnnd
wen sý gantz drúcken werden, so thús heraús vnnd ker das
bret vmb, das das forderthail hinden jn offenn kom, lasß ain
klaine weil stan/ darnach thús heraús, nim ain kerwischlin,
ker das mell saúber am boden herab vnnd leg die lezelten
dieweil aúff ain ander pret, bis dú ain lezelten nach dem andern
abkert hast/ das kain mel am boden seý/ darnach ker
das mel am boden gantz sauber herab, leg die lezelten wider
daraúff, das der boden an den lezelten jbersich kert werd,
nim ain badtschwam, stos jn jn ain rossenwasser, drúck jn wider
aús, wesch das mell ab dem boden/ aúff dem pret, lúg,
das dir kain wasser aúff das pret kum, dan sý wúrden anhafften,
thú darnach das bret mit den lezelten wider in bachoffen,
die poden fein aúfgond vnnd hert werden, so thú das
bret wider heraús, lúg, das 2 oder dreý beim bret seyen, die
behend die lezelten vmbkeren, wan sý wúrden sonst anhaften,
darnach nim ain rossenwasser vnnd wesch oben mit ab,
wie dú vnnden am boden gethan hast, thús wider jn offen,
lasß drúcken werden, trags haim, riers am bret, das nit anhefften,
vnnd wann sý woll erkalten seind, so leg 8 oder zechnen
aúfainander, winds jn ain bapir, behalts sý an drúcknen
orten, das kain lúfft daran kan, so bleiben sý resch.
Modern German Translation
163. Nürnberger Lebkuchen machen
Nimm 1 Maß Honig, tu ihn in eine große Pfanne, schäume ihn gut ab und lass ihn eine gute Weile kochen. Tu 1 ½ Pfund Zucker daran, rühre es fortwährend mit einem hölzernen Spatel um und lass es so lange kochen, wie man Eier kocht, schütte es so heiß in einen Vierling Mehl, rühre es langsam um und tu das genannte Gewürz in den Teig, rühre ihn langsam und nicht lange um, nimm 1 Lot Zimtstangen, 3 Lot Muskat, 1 ½ Lot Nelken, 6 Lot Ingwer, 1 Quentchen Muskatblüte, und jedes einzeln geschnitten oder gestoßen, so dass es nicht zu klein ist, insbesondere die Zimtstangen grob gespalten. Und wenn du das Gewürz in den Teig getan hast, dann lass den Teig so lange stehen, wie man braucht, um Eier hart zu kochen.
Tauche die Hände in Mehl und nimm kleine Häufchen von dem Teig, mache Kügelchen daraus, wiege sie ab, damit eins so schwer ist wie das andere, rolle sie mit einem Wälgerholz aus und streiche sie mit der Hand glatt, je glatter desto schöner. Tauche danach den Model in Rosenwasser und drücke ihn darauf.
Nimm 8 Lot Teig für einen Lebkuchen. Sieh dich vor und tu kein Mehl daran, sonst würden sie nicht gut, aber auf das Brett kannst du schon Mehl tun, damit sie nicht fest kleben. Lass sie über Nacht liegen.
Und wenn du es zum Bäcker trägst, dann achte darauf, dass du ein zweites Brett hast, dass bestreue ordentlich mit Mehl, so dass es ganz dick mit Mehl bestreut ist. Tu das Brett mit dem draufgestreuten Mehl in den Backofen, so dass das Brett ganz heiß wird, je heißer desto besser. Tu es danach heraus, leg die Lebkuchen darauf, so dass keiner den anderen berührt, tu sie in den Ofen, lass sie backen und schaue oft danach. Zuerst werden sie weich wie Schmalz. Wenn du sie anfasst, kannst du gut fühlen. Und wenn sie ganz trocken werden, dann nimm sie heraus und drehe das Brett um, so dass das Vorderteil nach hinten in den Ofen kommt. Lass es kurze Zeit so stehen , danach nimm es heraus.
Nimm einen kleinen Kehrbesen, kehre das Mehl sauber von der Unterseite der Lebkuchen herunter und lege die Lebkuchen unterdessen auf ein anderes Brett, bis du einen Lebkuchen nach dem anderen abgekehrt hast, so dass kein Mehl mehr auf der Unterseite ist. Danach kehre das Mehl sehr sauber vom Brett herunter. Lege die Lebkuchen wieder darauf, so dass die Unterseite der Lebkuchen nach oben gekehrt ist. Nimm einen Badeschwamm, tauche ihn in Rosenwasser, drücke ihn wieder aus, wasche auf dem Brett das Mehl von der Unterseite der Lebkuchen ab. Achte darauf, dass dir kein Wasser auf das Brett kommt, dann würden sie festkleben. Tu danach das Brett wieder in den Backofen, bis die Böden schön aufgehen und hart werden, dann tu das Brett wieder heraus. Achte darauf, dass zwei oder drei Personen bei dem Brett sind, die die Lebkuchen schnell umdrehen, denn sonst würden sie festkleben. Danach nimm Rosenwasser und wasche sie damit oben ab, wie du es an der Unterseite getan hast. Tu sie wieder in den Ofen, lass sie trocken werden, trage sie nach Hause und bewege sie auf dem Brett, damit sie nicht festkleben.
Und wenn sie gut ausgekühlt sind, dann lege 8 oder 10 aufeinander, wickle sie in Papier und bewahre sie an trockenen Orten auf, so dass keine Luft daran kommen kann, dann bleiben sie frisch.
Armstrong’s Translation
163 To make Nürnberger Lebkuchen
Take one quart of honey, put it into a large pan, skim it well and let it boil a good while. Put one and a half pounds of sugar into it and stir it continually with a wooden spatula and let it cook for a while, as long as one cooks an egg, pour it hot into a quarter pound of flour, stir it around slowly and put the described spices in the dough, stir it around slowly and not too long; take one and a half ounces of cinnamon sticks, one and a half ounces of nutmeg, three fourths of an ounce of cloves, three ounces of ginger, a pinch of mace, and chop or grind each one separately so that they are not too small, the cinnamon sticks, especially, should be coarsely ground. And when you have put the spices in the dough, then let the dough set for as long as one needs to hard boil eggs. Dip the hands in flour and take a small heap of dough, make balls out of it, weigh them so that one is as heavy as the others, roll them out with a rolling pin, and spread them out smoothly by hand, the smoother the prettier. After that dip the mold in rose water and open it up. Take four ounces of dough for one Lebkuchen. Be careful and get no flour in the molds or else they will be no good, but on the board you can put flour so that they do not stick to it. Let them set overnight. And when you take them to the baker, then see to it that you have another board that is thoroughly sprinkled with flour, so that it is very thickly covered. Put the board with its covering of flour into the oven so that the board is completely heated, the hotter the better. Take it out afterwards and lay the Lebkuchen on top, so that none touches the other, put them in the oven, let them bake and look after them frequently. At first they will become soft as fat. If you take hold of them you can feel it well. And when they become entirely dry, then take them out and turn the board around, so that the front part goes into the back of the oven. Let it remain a short while, then take it out. Take a small broom, brush the flour cleanly away from the underside of the Lebkuchen and lay the Lebkuchen, in the mean time, on the other board, until you have brushed off the Lebkuchen, one after the other, so that there is no more flour on the bottoms. Afterwards sweep the flour very cleanly from off the board. Lay the Lebkuchen on top of it again, so that the bottom is turned to the top. Take a bath sponge, dip it in rose water, squeeze it out again, wash the flour from the bottoms of the Lebkuchen. Be careful that you do not leave any water on the board, then they would stick to it. Afterwards put the board with the Lebkuchen again in the oven, until the bottoms rise nicely and become hard, then take the board out again. See to it that two or three [people] are by the board, who can quickly turn the Lebkuchen over, or else they will stick. Afterwards take rose water and wash them on top with it as you have done on the underside. Put them in the oven again, let them become dry, carry them home and move them around on the board, so that they do not stick. And when they have completely cooled, then lay them eight or ten, one upon the other, wrap them in paper and store them in a dry place, see that no draft comes therein, then they remain crisp.
Recipe 164
Middle High German Original
<<164>> Ain grossen nierenberger lezelten zú machenn
Nim ain masß honig vnnd aúch ain halben vierdúng
zúcker, thú jm wie mit den klainen lezelten, nim ain 1/2 fierling
mell vnnd dan gewirtz wie nachfolgt, 1 lot rerlach, 2 lott
negellach, 3_1/2 lot múscat, 8 lot jmber, 1/2 lot múscatblie, rúrs
gemach vmb, darnach well jn ain wenig aúsß, bach jn wie
die klainen lezelten.
Modern German Translation
164. Einen großen Nürnberger Lebkuchen machen
Nimm 1 Maß Honig und ½ Vierdung Zucker, mache es wie bei den kleinen Lebkuchen, nimm ½ Vierling Mehl und dann Gewürz, wie folgt, 1 Lot Zimtstangen, 2 Lot Nelken, 3 ½ Lot Muskat, 8 Lot Ingwer, ½ Lot Muskatblüte. Rühre es vorsichtig um, danach rolle den Teig etwas aus. Backe ihn wie die kleinen Lebkuchen.
Armstrong’s Translation
164 To make a large Nürnberger Lebkuchen
Take a quart of honey and a quarter pound of sugar, prepare it as for the smaller Lebkuchen, take one quarter pound of flour and then the spices as follows: one half ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves, one and three fourths ounces of nutmeg, four ounces of ginger, one fourth ounce of mace. Stir it carefully around, afterwards roll the dough out somewhat. Bake it as for the smaller Lebkuchen.
Thomas Glonig’s transcription of the Middle High German text is available online at Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin c.1553 http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/sawe.htm
Modern German Translation of Sabina: Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin – Edition der Handschrift von 1553 mit einer Übersetzung von Ulrike Gießmann, herausgegeben von Hugo Stopp Aus der Reihe: German. Bibl. NF 4 5
Valoise Armstrong’s translation of Sabina’s cookbook found online at http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Sabrina_Welserin.html
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