In Alsatian homes, the run-up to Christmas is not only about Bredele. There is another Advent treasure, even more rustic and older still: Beerawecka, a dense, fragrant bread made almost entirely of dried fruit, nuts and spices, bound with a little bread dough and lifted with a dash of kirsch.
What is Beerawecka?
The name comes from the Alsatian dialect: Beera means pears and Wecka a small loaf. Beerawecka is therefore literally a pear bread. Depending on the village, it is also spelled Bierewecke or Birewecka. Dried pears are the historic main ingredient: in the past, orchard fruit was dried in autumn to keep through the winter, and this bread gave it pride of place during the festive season.
Close relatives exist across the Rhine and in the Alpine region, such as Swabian Hutzelbrot or Tyrolean Zelten, but Beerawecka remains a signature of the Alsatian Christmas table.
An Advent tradition
Baked at the start of Advent, Beerawecka keeps for several weeks and gains flavour over time. According to an old custom, a young woman would give her fiancé the end piece of the loaf, the Scherz, as a token of affection. Today it is shared with family over the holidays, in thin slices, often with a glass of wine.
The Beerawecka recipe
Ingredients for 2 loaves
For the fruit:
- 250 g dried pears
- 200 g pitted prunes
- 150 g dried figs
- 150 g raisins
- 100 g walnut halves
- 100 g almonds or hazelnuts
- 50 g candied orange peel
- 50 g candied lemon peel
- 100 g sugar
- 10 cl kirsch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground aniseed, 1 pinch ground cloves
For the dough:
- 250 g flour
- 10 g fresh yeast
- 15 cl lukewarm water
- 1 pinch of salt
- A few whole almonds for decoration
Made in France
Alsace spices
Already 22 sale this month
🔥 2 people recently added this item to their cart , join them!
🔥 2 people recently added this item to their cart , join them!
Stock < 6 items
Made in France
Recipe Books
Already 6 sale this month
Low stock
Method
- The day before, simmer the dried pears for 20 minutes to soften them. Drain, keeping the cooking liquid.
- Dice the pears, prunes, figs and candied peel. Roughly chop the walnuts and almonds.
- Combine the fruit, raisins, nuts, sugar and spices in a large bowl. Pour over the kirsch, stir, cover and leave to macerate overnight.
- The next day, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water, add the flour and salt, and knead for 5 minutes into a supple dough. Leave to rise for 1 hour.
- Work the dough into the macerated fruit by hand. The mixture should be very rich in fruit: the dough only acts as a binder.
- With wet hands, shape two elongated loaves. Place them on a lined baking tray, decorate with whole almonds and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
- Bake at 180 °C for 50 minutes to 1 hour. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush the loaves with the reduced pear cooking liquid to give them a shine.
Storage
Once cooled, wrap each loaf in a tea towel or baking paper and store in a cool, dry place. Beerawecka keeps for two to three weeks and becomes moister and more fragrant after a few days of resting. This is why it is traditionally baked on the first Sundays of Advent.
How to enjoy Beerawecka
Cut it into thin slices with a sharp knife. Enjoy it plain or lightly buttered, at breakfast, with an afternoon coffee or at the end of a meal alongside Bredele. For a wine pairing, a Gewurztraminer Vendanges Tardives is a perfect match for its candied fruit and spice notes, while a Pinot Gris brings a more understated roundness. As a digestif, a gingerbread liqueur extends the Christmas mood.
Made in France
Made in France
Made in France
Alsace liqueurs
Already 7 sale this month
🔥 1 person recently added this item to their cart, join them!
🔥 1 person recently added this item to their cart, join them!
Stock < 6 items
A delicious gift for the holidays
Wrapped in a pretty tea towel and tied with a ribbon, a homemade Beerawecka is always a welcome gift. For an even more generous present, pair it with other Alsatian treats: gingerbread, nonnettes or a gift basket put together to your liking.
New
Made in France
Gb
Français
Deutsch
Nederlands
Your opinions View all