In the historic rock cellars under the Plassenburg in Kulmbach, very special Christmas biscuits are currently stored: Master baker Holger Griesenbrock lets his stollen mature here. The tunnels remain deep under the imposing castle complex for three to four weeks to get particularly juicy. “The tunnel really pulls through,” says Griesenbrock. The temperature of 7 to 9 degrees and the humidity in the castle cellar are perfect for baking. He came across the unusual storage location a few years ago during a guided tour through the cellars, some of which date back to the 14th century: Beer used to be kept cool here – why not store pastries here now? “People like it”, advertises Griesenbrock. The aroma of the tunnel from the cellar is completely different. When baking, he uses a recipe from his father. The dough has to rest for a long time, and then storage is very important. For Bavarian bakers, the stollen plays a major role in the run-up to Christmas, says state guild master Heinrich Traublinger. Baking is usually done traditionally from the All Saints weekend at the beginning of November.
Underground tunnels – Bavaria
