Krampus bread (Parkeljni)

Saint Nicholas Day is observed on 5 December or on 6 December and in many countries in central Europe this is the day when Saint Nicholas, a Santa-looking figure, appears alongside the more sinister krampus or parkelj in Slovenian.

Krampus or parkelj is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as `half-goat, half-demon’, who punishes children who have misbehaved during the Christmas season. This contrasts with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts.

When I was little, I was terrified of parkeljni who banded us kids together after the Sunday mass and made us pray on our knees. At the same time, I would also get the nicest gifts for Saint Nicholas Day (not Christmas!), so despite fearing parkeljni, I have very fond memories of those days.

In early December I would start seeing krampus-shaped sweetbread in our local store and bakery and it has since been associated in my mind with the Christmas season.

Recipe

Dough

• 400 g flour

• 7 g instant yeast

• 80 g butter

• 60 g sugar

• 2 egg yolks

• 170 ml warm milk

• 1 tbsp rum

• zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp vanilla paste (can be substituted with vanilla essence)

• a pinch of salt

• 1 egg for the egg wash

• raisins, red paper

Instructions:

Dough

1. In a bowl, combine flour and yeast.

2. Heat the milk, sugar, and butter in a sauce pan until butter is melted.

3. Add lemon zest, rum and vanilla to the milk mixture and stir well.

4. Once the milk mixture is sufficiently cool, add the egg yolks and mix.

5. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and knead by hand or using a mixer until the dough is soft and elastic. It should not stick to your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (about 60 minutes).

Making Parkeljni

1. Heat the oven to 180 C (360 F).

2. Divide the dough into 5-6 pieces depending on how big you want the parkeljni to be.

3. Take one piece, divide it into two, and shape each into a strand.

4. Twist a few times and shape two ends into legs and two ends into horns.

Shape each piece of dough into two strands.

Twist the strands a few times and shape two ends into legs and two ends into horns.

Decorate with raisins.

Place parkeljni on a baking sheet and let rest in a warm place.

Brush the parkeljni with egg wash.

Cut the sweet bread where the mouth should be and insert the triangular cardboard- or red paper-tongue.

5. Press two raisins into the face, creating the eyes for the parkelj.
6. Repeat 2-4 until you have used all the dough.
7. Let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
8. Gently brush the parkeljni with an egg wash.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes.
10. Cut the sweet bread where the mouth should be and insert the triangular cardboard- or red paper-tongue for each parkelj.