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Magenbrot
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Magenbrot

Spiced gingerbread bites

The smell of Magenbrot drifts over every Volksfest, Kirchweih and Christmas market in Bavaria, Baden and Swabia, where it is sold warm in paper cones. The name means stomach bread, because the spices were once thought to help digestion. Small diamonds of honey-spiced cake with cocoa are dipped in a shiny chocolate glaze that sets with a slight crunch. They keep for weeks in a tin, so they are made in big batches. The common mistake is overbaking, which makes the pieces hard instead of soft and chewy. Chef's tip: cut the cake while it is still warm, then glaze the pieces once they are cool so the glaze stays glossy.

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