German Weckmänner (Bread Men) for St. Martin’s Day

Pastries just might be a universal love when it comes to treats: think chouquettes in France, empanadas in Argentina, or cinnamon rolls in North America. For Germans (especially kids), a beloved pastry is the weckmänner or “bun men.” Shaped out of a sweet brioche dough (a yeasty bread with butter, eggs, milk and sugar) they come bare-handed or with a clay pipe or lollipop (or both!). While a pipe might seem random, weckmänner are enjoyed around St. Martin's Day (a Christian feast to commemorate the death and burial of the 4th century St Martin of Tours) or St. Nicholas' Day (a 4th-century bishop of Myra, and the patron saint of Russia and Greece), and it symbolises the bishop's crosier, or staff. Many children walk in parades, carrying homemade lanterns and singing carols, and those bun men – along with candy, tangerines and nuts – are given out as treats.

Here, Germany-based chef and recipe developer Jelena Lozo created a recipe for weckmänner that’s easy to handle and wonderfully fluffy, making it a great recipe to try out with kids, especially when it’s time to decorate. The dough is glazed with an egg wash, and raisins or blanched almonds are used for the faces and buttons, with a pipe or lollipop as a finishing touch. Baked in your pizza oven, they’re best enjoyed fresh – no lanterns or singing required!


Difficulty

Servings

Makes 6 cookies

Prep Time

2 hours

Cook Time

20 minutes

By Jelena Lozo

German Weckmänner (Bread Men) for St. Martin’s Day

Note

While not required, if you want to go the more traditional route, add a clay pipe or mini lollipop to your weckmänner. You can also fashion a pipe out of liquorice or rope candy. 



For the dough

1. Mix yeast, milk and 14 grams of sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer until the yeast is completely dissolved.

Let stand for 5 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface. Add the flour, egg, vanilla extract, remaining sugar and sea salt. Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes. Add the butter and mix for another 10 minutes.

2. Place the dough into a dry bowl and let it rise, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. After one hour, divide the dough on a floured work surface into 6 equal pieces and shape into small oval loaves.

Let rest under a cloth for 10 minutes.

4. On a lightly floured work surface, use your hands to roll each dough piece into about an 8-inch (20-centimetre) long cone – the wider end will be shaped into the head.

5. Using a dough scraper, divide about 2 inches (5 centimetres) at the pointed end in half and pull the dough apart to make the legs.

 

German Weckmänner (Bread Men) for St. Martin’s Day

6. Form the head at the thicker end of the cone by separating the "head" with the edge of your hand and shaping it into a round.

Form the head at the thicker end of the cone by separating the "head" with the edge of your hand and shaping it into a round. Flatten the rest of the body slightly with the palm of your hand. 

7. For the arms, use the dough scraper to cut about 2 inches (5 centimetres) into the cone at shoulder height on each side.


For the glaze and decoration

1. Preheat your oven to 250 °C (482 °F) and use the infrared thermometer to quickly and accurately check the temperature of the pizza stone.

Once the oven has come to temperature, reduce the flame to the minimum.

2. Meanwhile, if using a pipe, place one on the chest of each weckmänner.

Meanwhile, if using a pipe, place one on the chest of each weckmänner. Place the right arm over it and press down lightly. Add raisins or blanched almonds for the face and buttons into the weckmänner, and press down gently but firmly. Let rise under a cloth for another 10 to 15 minutes. 

3. For the glaze, whisk together the egg and milk.

Brush each weckmänner with the mix, using the pastry brush.

Tip: Apply the glaze very carefully. If you put too much egg wash on the dough, it may run off the sides and mix with the flour, causing the dough to stick to the peel. 



4. Place 2 weckmänner on a lightly-floured pizza peel and launch them into the oven.

Place 2 weckmänner on a lightly-floured pizza peel and launch them into the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every five minutes or so for an even bake. 

German Weckmänner (Bread Men) for St. Martin’s Day

5. Remove from the pizza oven and let cool.

If you like, stick a lollipop into the cooled weckmänner and enjoy!

6. Repeat the steps for the remaining weckmänner.

Jelena Lozo

Self-taught chef Jelena Lozo has a passion for gastronomy, top-notch ingredients, true craftsmanship and a slight obsession with dough and fermentation. Whether it's breaking down a wild boar from scratch, fermenting kimchi by the gallon, inventing the perfect pizza dough recipe or picking grapes in the Moselle valley, Jelena loves food and shares her enthusiasm online 

For the dough:

  • Ooni Cast Iron Sizzler Pan - Ooni United Kingdom
    10 grams fresh yeast, or 4 grams active dry yeast, or 3 grams instant dried yeast
  • 285 grams whole milk, lukewarm
  • 100 grams granulated sugar
  • 500 grams plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 5 grams vanilla extract
  • 5 grams fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 80 grams butter, cut into small pieces

For the glaze and decoration:

  • 1 egg
  • 14 grams whole milk
  • 30 raisins or blanched almonds (for the faces and buttons)
  • 6 clay pipes (optional)
  • 6 lollipops (optional)

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