Once upon a time … that’s how the story about the Meissen Fummel begins. You soon find out exactly what it’s all about when you’re out and about in the Saxon city.
A legend about the Meissen Fummel
There was a time when the Saxon Elector sent his messengers across the country with numerous orders. They rode on their horses with messages also to other states and federal provinces, naturally stopping off for a break in an inn from time to time. The messengers also liked to stop off in Meissen. But they not only fortified themselves, they also got drunk too often. In this condition, they were unable to continue riding and the messages arrived at the recipient with great delays.
A courier regularly travelled between Dresden and Meissen who had nothing against drinking Meissen wine. He must not have done his job particularly well, because the Elector was so dissatisfied that he thought of a way to stop the messenger from drinking and riding while drunk.
He ordered the bakers in Meissen to create a very fragile pastry. Each messenger was given this pastry during his break at the inn, with the order to deliver it intact to the Elector.
The bakers created the Meissen Fummel, a pastry that breaks very quickly if held too roughly. The Elector hoped that his couriers would now do their work soberly, as they would never manage to deliver the fummels to him in one piece while drunk.
But whether this story is true …
More stories about the creation
A historian published the following in 1891: In January 1747, the Saxon princess Maria Josepha travelled through Meissen on her way to her wedding. The Meissen council donated the pastries and wine to the princess. The pastry was called “Fommel” or “Fummel”, which is perhaps derived from the French fumèe – smoke, fume. French was spoken at the Saxon court at that time.
The pastry could also have originated in the Orient, where a balloon-like bread existed. In the 18th century, the Saxon court was enthusiastic about the Orient’s way of life. Hookahs, Turkish coffee, leather goods, perfume and Turkish dishes delighted the court.
But whether these stories are true ….
What is the Meissen Fummel?
The first documented mention of Fummel dates back to 1747, when the pastry was still called Fommel.
The fummel is a hollow body that resembles an irregularly shaped balloon. The dough is very – very thin and brittle. Even the slightest pressure on the pastry causes the fummel to break.
The dough is made from flour, sugar, salt and a little butter, similar to a simple pasta dough. The dough is then rolled out wafer-thin. After cutting individual sheets of dough of the same size, brush one sheet with egg yolk. Place another sheet of dough on top of the egg yolk layer and seal the edges well. Then blow some air between the pastry sheets so that the mould puffs up slightly. So the dough blank goes into the oven and is baked at medium heat.
When the Meissen Fummel is lightly browned, it comes out of the oven and gets a little more icing sugar on top.
Where do you get the biscuits and how do they taste?
We bought the fummels at the Zieger bakery in the old town below Albrechtsburg Castle. We didn’t discover another seller during our time in the city.
I carefully carried it out of the bakery in the bag and then we broke it and tasted it. It tastes – like nothing! You only taste the icing sugar, the dough is tasteless, dry and uninteresting.
You can, but you don’t have to buy the Meissen fummels for their taste. But there is a nice idea in the region how to use the fummels:
Those who get married in Meissen are given a fummery as a symbol of the fragility of love.
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