With the arrival of December, among the Swiss-German Christmas traditions stand out the grittibänz, small sweet bread men that are prepared and given for St. Nicholas. These treats are not only nice to look at but also delicious to taste: excellent as they are, plain, or filled with hazelnut cream or a bit of jam for breakfast. I discovered grittibänz thanks to a friend and immediately fell in love with them, and today I can’t wait to share with you this sweet tradition that brings magic, taste, and joy to the table.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Swiss
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 0.4 oz fresh yeast
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 egg
- as needed pumpkin seeds
- as needed sultana raisins
Preparation
To prepare the grittibänz, start by placing the sifted flour in a large bowl. Make a well and place the crumbled yeast along with the sugar in the center. In a small pot, melt the butter, add the milk to warm it, then pour the liquids over the yeast, gently stirring to dissolve it.
Add the salt and knead until you get a smooth and compact dough ball. Cover with a damp cloth to keep the necessary moisture for rising, and let it rest until it doubles in volume, about an hour and a half.
Divide the dough into four equal parts and shape the little men as you wish. Brush with the beaten egg and decorate with pumpkin seeds for eyes, mouth, or other details; alternatively, you can use raisins.
Transfer the little men onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Tips and Storage
They keep well, if covered, for 2 days.
For decoration, you can also use sugar pearls, nuts, or coffee beans.
