Leipziger Lerchen: A traditional pastry from Leipzig

Leipziger Lerchen are a well-known and traditional pastry from Leipzig. A visit to Leipzig without having tried a Lerche is actually an incomplete visit.

How the people of Leipzig got their larks

The history of Leipzig’s larks dates back to the 18th century, when skylarks were a culinary specialty in Leipzig. Back then, Leipzig was a center of the lark trade and the songbirds were often caught and eaten.

In 1876, however, hunting larks was banned, which prompted Leipzig’s bakers to create a sweet alternative. A clever confectioner replaced the roasted bird with a shortcrust pastry filled with marzipan and jam.

Today, Leipziger Lerchen are one of Leipzig’s most popular specialties and are available in most bakeries as well as in many cafés and restaurants in the city. The name “Leipziger Lerche” is protected and may only be used by authorized companies. The pastry is often enjoyed with coffee or cocoa and is a welcome addition to any coffee table.

There are different types of Leipziger Lerchen

Leipziger Lerchen are small shortcrust pastries traditionally filled with marzipan and jam. The filling can vary depending on the recipe. A special variant is the Leipziger Lerche with almond filling, which is known for its intense almond flavor. In addition to the almonds, this version also has an apricot jam filling. I really like the mixture of fruity and nutty flavors.

Some Leipziger Lerchen contain bitter almond flavoring or are completely filled with marzipan. These varieties are particularly popular with lovers of intense almond flavors. The pure marzipan filling was definitely my favorite version.

For several years now, some bakeries have been developing new variations, including the pistachio or “gaffer” lark. These creative interpretations show the versatility of the pastry and its adaptability to modern tastes. The Gaffee lark tastes like coffee. For us, this was the version we liked the least. However, coffee lovers will get their money’s worth.

A tip from us: We were “brave” enough to buy 4 different Leipziger Lerchen. The pastries taste great, but are also incredibly filling. We ate half of them a day later. Next time we will buy fewer and prefer to enjoy freshly baked Lerchen the next day.

Recipe for Leipziger Lerchen

For all those who like to bake their own larks and don’t have time to buy them in Leipzig, here is a recipe:

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 200 g flour
• 75 g sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 120 g butter (room temperature)
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp brandy

For the filling:

• 180 g marzipan paste
• 120 g butter (room temperature)
• 70 g flour
• 1 level tablespoon of cornflour
• 1 egg yolk (size L)
• 2 drops of bitter almond flavoring
• 3 egg whites (size L)
• 6 tsp apricot jam

Preparation

Step 1: Prepare the shortcrust pastry

• Place the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt in a bowl and mix together.
• Add the butter in small pieces and knead into a smooth dough using your hands or a hand mixer.
• Add the egg yolk and brandy and continue kneading until a firm dough forms.
• Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes

Step 2: Prepare the filling

• Coarsely grate the marzipan and place in a bowl with the butter, flour, cornflour, egg yolk and bitter almond flavoring.
• Mix the ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the marzipan mixture.

Step 3: Roll out and shape the dough

• Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about 3 mm.
• Cut out circles with a diameter of about 11 cm and place in greased tins.
• Spoon a teaspoon of apricot jam onto the dough in each tin.

Step 4: Pour in the filling and bake

• Pour the marzipan filling into a piping bag and fill the tins up to approx. 1 cm above the rim.
• Cut strips from the leftover pastry and place them crosswise over the filling.
• Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Decoration and serving

• Remove the Leipziger Lerchen from the oven, leave to cool briefly and turn out of the tins.
• Dust with powdered sugar or spread with boiled apricot jam to keep them fresh for longer.
• Enjoy your meal!