Heißwecke

AHeißwecke, HICE-veck-ə, (plural:Heißwecken), also called aHeißeweckeorHedewig, is a traditional type ofcurrant bunwithin the German-speaking region of Europe that goes back to at least to theLate Middle Ages. In North and Northwest Germany it is eaten before the beginning of the pre-Easterfasting period known asLent, especially fromRose Monday(Rosenmontag) toAsh Wednesday(Aschermittwoch). It is a sweetbread rollmade with milk andwheat flourthat is eaten hot, hence the name:Heißweckenliterally means "hot rolls".Heißweckenare predominantly eaten in the area influenced by theHanseatic Leaguei.e. most of northern Europe from what is now theNetherlandstoPolandand theBaltic Seacoast. It has numerous dialectical names that are almost all derived from the termHeißwecken. The most common areHedewäggen,Hetwegge,HeiteweggenandHeetwich.
There are several historical descriptions ofHeißwecken, although there were certain variations in the different regions. They were usually round, but other shapes were also used. The sources most frequently state that the rolls were covered with hot milk and melted butter before being eaten. They were not homemade but invariably produced by bakeries. In a 1928Schleswig-Holsteindictionary, the following description is given:
There is a very similar definition in 1781 in a Low German dictionary, thePlattdeutsche Wörterbuch, fromWestern Pomerania, which calls themHeetweggenand says that they are "aFastnacht[carnival] roll, prepared with spice, butter and eggs in hot milk as a titbit ("Löffelspeise")".The 1800Holsteinische Idiotikonalso records that servants in cities likeHamburgwere sent to the baker in the morning in those days with a basket and cushions to keep the fresh rolls warm. Here three different types ofHeetwegenwere distinguished: those made from simple sweet dough with spices, finer milk rolls with additional raisins and thirdly, as the simplest variant, unsweetened rolls (round in shape). In Hamburg and Altona, "whole circles of relatives and acquaintances were invited to this hot breakfast, at which fine wines,spirits, mulled wines or tea were usually served to top it off."
In a 1737 Swedish cookbook, there is a recipe forhedvägg(i.e.hetväggin present Swedish language) in high cuisine. In this version, a hole was made in the soft milk roll, the inside was scooped out with a spoon, cooked in cream and butter and then used to refill the roll, which was then eaten sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
Heißweckenwere regionally known inWestphaliaandNorth Germanyas early as theLate Middle Ages. Evidence from the 16th and 17th centuries shows them being producedinter aliainSoest,Geseke,LübbeckeandMünster. They have been recorded inHamburgsince the 15th century; being mentioned in the cook books of St. George's Hospital in 1447 and 1457.Heetweggeare also described in theIdioticon Hamburgensein 1755: "heisse Wecken: warm white roll, which is kneaded with melted butter or hot milk, and fills the belly during the first week of fasting. In this way, it made all the more holy the old practice of fasting from meat."
The Atlas of the German Peoples (Atlas der deutschen Volkskunde) gives an overview of the distribution ofHeißweckenin 1930. "The southernmost body of evidence inNorthwest Germanyextends from the north of theBergisches LandandCounty of MarktoEast Westphaliaand reaches theWeserat the northern edge of the Lippe region. This diagonal runs from southwest to northeast, grazesDortmund(south) and includesSoest,LippstadtandPaderborn. Further north there is an accumulation of evidence in the area of the formerPrince-Bishopric of Osnabrück."Heißweckenwere known throughoutSchleswig-Holsteinand in Hamburg, and inMecklenburg-Vorpommernup to theZarow, which functions as a geographical cultural border. Beyond this river,pretzelswere traditionally eaten instead of rolls; inFarther Pomerania, inPosen-West Prussia, inBrandenburgand in the north ofSaxony-Anhalt, the usual carnival pastry at that time was theBerliner. InEast Prussia, however, there wereHeißweckenagain, about 320 kilometres away from the rest of its distribution area.
InMecklenburg,Heißweckenwere being eaten atFastnachtas early as the 16th century. Around 1930, in the region ofGreifswald/Wolgastand the County ofDemmin, a  Fastnacht roll known as aBöllerwas known which amounted to the same thing. This region came under Swedish influence after theThirty Years' War, the County of Demmin until 1720, Greifswald-Wolgast until 1815; the wordBölleris a Germanization of the Swedishbullarfor milk roll.
The distribution of the rolls, which is restricted to theLow Germanlanguage region, has led historians to posit thatHeißweckenoriginally came from the region of Westphalia/northernLower Saxonyand then spread further eastward during the Middle Ages in the course of migration and new settlements.
InSwedentoday there arefastlagsbulleorfettisdagsbulle, which means something like "Fastnacht rolls" . They comprise sweet milk rolls with a filling ofmarzipanand whipped cream. This roll was introduced by theconditoreisin the 19th century. However, even before that there were Fastnacht rolls in a much simpler form, which were basically the same as the Lower GermanHeißwecken. In southern Sweden, Shrove Monday is traditionally calledbullamandag("Roll Monday"). In the 18th century they still called themhetväggin Sweden. Historical evidence is the news of the death of the Swedish kingAdolf Frederickin 1771 after a meal consisting ofHeißwecken,sauerkraut, meat, lobster, caviar andbuckling. The oldest known mention of these rolls in Sweden dates to 1698.
Segschneider assumes that the merchants of the Hanseatic League and German settlers broughtHeißweckento Sweden and theBaltic States, as early as the Middle Ages. FromRigathere is a source dating to the 15th century.
In theUnited Kingdom, light-coloured, sweet, milk rolls are calledbunsand there are many varieties.Hot cross bunsare round yeast rolls containing sugar, butter, egg,raisinsand various spices such ascinnamonornutmeg. They are traditionally eaten onGood Fridayand are generally still sold warm, usually also eaten warm. They bear a cross made of lighter dough that is a symbol of theEaster cross. The word 'bun' has been used in English since the 15th century.Seasoned 'spice buns' emerged during theTudorreign in the 15th century. In 1592, anedictwas issued that allowed the sale of these rolls only on special occasions, namely Good Friday, Christmas and at funerals. Today they are sold from as early as January.