Krampus made out of prunes, nuts and figs.

Man made out of nuts, prunes and figs
and then dressed.

Cooking at school
For the classroom, here is a simple recipe that is easy to prepare with the children.   They enjoy watching the teacher prepare the dough and then each child can be given a piece of dough to pat flat and cut out.

Before the session starts, it is wise to have the area where the dough is being prepared covered with paper.    In addition the tables where the children work from need to be covered.

The utensils required are as follows:-   mixing bowl,  beater,   wooden spoon,   grater,  cup for milk,   brush,  scales to measure, 2 - 3 baking trays, cookie cutters.

Here is the recipe for Ausstecherle - kindly provided by Doris Frank from Bayswater Primary.

Ausstecherle (Swabian for cutting outs) (Recipe from Doris Frank)

250g. flour (250g. plain and 250g. self raising)
250g. butter (or margarine)
200-250g. sugar
2 large eggs
small amount of lemon peel
100ml of milk
packets of hundred and thousands (or sprinkles)

Place flour in bowl,  add sugar and then eggs to centre and the butter in small pieces to the outside.
Rub in butter and make up the dough to a smooth mass.   Ideally the dough should be put into the fridge for an hour and then rolled out.   However, the children are not as fussy.
Sift some flour onto the work surface so that mixture does not stick.
Give each child a small amount of dough and let them pat it out so it is the thickness of their finger.   Let the children cut out a shape.    Then brush with milk, so it is wet and then sprinkle the hundred and thousands over it and place on greased baking tray.
Bake in moderate oven until golden (approx. 20 mins).
* Note for a grade of about 30 children, it is wise to double the quantity

Gingerbread hearts

Prepare tables as for "Ausstecherle" above.
You need bowl, sieve, pot, wooden spoon, scales, butter kvives for shaping hearts and forks to use for decorating, baking trays.

125 g. butter
185g. sugar
1 egg
315g. self raising flour
approximate 2 teaspoon of ground ginger
3 tablespoons of warmed golden syrup.

Cream the butter and sugar together and then add the remaing ingredients.   Mix until you have a  smooth dough.     Give each child a small amount.   The children now pat it flat and then use
the butter knife to shape the heart.
Bake in a moderate oven for approximately 15 - 20 minutes.
Glaze (Optional)
150g. icing sugar
1 egg white
1 teespoon lemon juice.
Put this mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto hearts

Lebkuchen -  These are associated with the city of Nuremberg (Nuernberg) and can be bought, some are coated in chocolate.   This is a traditional recipe.    It is worthwhile to remember that Lebkuchen tend to improve the longer they are kept.

These are very simple ones you can make for a grade of 30 - Recipe from Dorothea Franz
500g. honey
125g self raising flour
375g plain flour
3 eggs
125g sugar
125g mixed nuts
125g mixed peel finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
1/2 cup oil

Place honey into bowl add sugar, beaten eggs, nuts mixed peel, oil then all dry ingredients and work into a smooth dough.  Spread evenly over a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes in oven in moderate oven (200 degress centigrade),    Once cool, ice with icing sugar mixture and then cut into small pieces.

Alternativeley, special shapes can be made with a biscuit cutter and then iced in the same way as the gingerbread above.
 
 

Gingerbread House
The Gingerbread House owes its origin to the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel", as is now linked with the traditional German Christmas baking.   Making a gingerbread house is a lot of fun, however, it requires the assistance of parents.   Doris Frank on her "fairy tale road" has a simple example of a Gingerbread house.

At our school, children in grades five and six have a clubs program and the parents bake the gingerbread and then the children have the great task of decorating the house.

Here is the recipe used by Shirley Turnbull

125g. butter
half a cup of brown sugar (firmly packed)
1 egg yolk
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 and a half tablespoons golden syrup
3 teaspoons ground ginger

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade.
2.  Cream butter & sugar until light and fluffy.
3.  Add egg yolks and beat well.
4.  Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and syrup.
5.  Mix well and knead lightly and roll out.
6.  Use paper pattern to cut out shape.
7.  Bake for 10 mins in oven (set a 180 degrees centigrade)
8.  Cover a board approximately 20cm x 20 cm with silver foil.
 
 

*note - piece 3 & half x 9cm x 7 & half is front or back piece
         - piece 3 & half x 9 cm is side piece
         - piece 11 & half x 9 cm is roof piece
Decorate with lollies, smarties, and of course icing sugar.

Here is the recipe for the icing sugar mixture.
1.    Beat egg white.
2.    Add PURE icing sugar until icing stands in stiff peaks.
3.    Put icing mixture into a piping bag.
4.    Pipe icing around bottom and side of one side piece.
5.    Pipe icing around bottom and side of front piece.
6.    Place on board and hold gently until they can stand.
7.    Repeat for the other side piece and the the back piece.
8.    Let it all stand for approximately 10 minutes before piping icing on the gable to put on the      roof.
9.    Decorate with lollies.