Alsatian Lammele Recipe

The Lammele - or Lamala in Alsatian, literally "little lamb" - is one of the most endearing treats in the Alsatian festive calendar. This soft lamb-shaped biscuit, baked in its Soufflenheim pottery mould, dusted with icing sugar and decorated with a small pennant in Alsace's red and white colours, is inseparable from Easter morning. In Alsatian families, it is enjoyed at breakfast after church, with a glass of crémant or a coffee - a shared moment of sweetness passed down from generation to generation.

History and symbolism

The lamb is a very ancient Christian symbol - it represents the risen Christ, the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God. In Alsace, the tradition of baking a lamb-shaped cake for Easter dates back at least to the 17th century. Alsatian bakers and pastry chefs use Soufflenheim terracotta moulds for this purpose - two-part moulds held together with a clip, which give the Lammele its characteristic shape.

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Pascal Lammele Lamb Mould 18 cm

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Alsatian Lamala preparation kit

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Alsatian Lamala preparation kit with Pascal Lamb Mold 18cm

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Ingredients

• 100 g sugar
• 100 g very soft butter (creamed)
• 60 g flour
• 60 g cornflour
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 pinch of salt
• Icing sugar for finishing

Optional flavourings : lemon zest, vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon rum - to taste.

Preparation time : 15 min - Cooking time : 40 min

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 6).
2. Generously brush the entire interior of the Easter lamb mould with soft butter using a pastry brush - pay particular attention to all the recesses to prevent sticking. Flour the mould and tap out the excess. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the sugar, vanilla sugar and creamed butter until smooth and homogeneous.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Incorporate the chosen flavourings (vanilla extract, rum, lemon zest).
5. Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder together. Gradually add to the butter-egg mixture. Add the pinch of salt. Mix until you have a smooth, thick batter.
6. Close the mould with the clip provided. Using a spoon, fill the mould with the batter, starting from the back (the lamb's tail) - the batter will slowly spread and fill the cavity.
7. Place the mould on the baking tray on the lower shelf of the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes. The Lammele is done when a skewer inserted into the batter comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and wait 5 minutes before carefully unmoulding. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
9. Dust generously with icing sugar. Decorate with a small pennant in Alsatian red and white.

Enjoy! Happy Easter!

Tips and variations

• Greasing the mould : this is the most important step - a poorly greased mould means the Lammele won't come out cleanly. Use a fine brush to reach all the cavities.
• The thick batter : the very thick consistency is normal - it is what allows the Lammele to hold its shape during baking without collapsing.
• Oven shelf position : baking on the lower shelf prevents the surface from browning too quickly before the inside is cooked through.
• The lemon version : untreated lemon zest gives a very pleasant freshness - the most popular variation after vanilla.
• Storage : the Lammele keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight tin at room temperature. Dust with icing sugar at the last moment.
• The simplified version : opt for our Easter Lamb Preparation Kit - everything included!

Find our Soufflenheim pottery Easter lamb moulds and all our Alsatian Easter specialities on decoalsace.fr - delivery across Europe.