Right, so Chris here, and what a brilliant livestream we had this week! If you missed it, don’t worry – I’m breaking down everything we covered about making those gorgeous traditional German Christmas treats: Studentenkarl (those adorable little Christmas men made from yeast dough) and homemade Mozartkugeln that’ll knock your socks off.
Trust me, there were plenty of laughs, a few sticky situations (literally!), and some proper festive magic happening in the Thermomix. Let’s dive in!
What Are Studentenkerl and Mozartkugeln?
Before we get our hands floury, let’s chat about what we’re actually making here. Studentenkerl are these lovely little yeast dough figures – think gingerbread men but made from enriched bread dough instead. They’re traditionally enjoyed around St. Martin’s Day (November 11th) in Germany, which has this beautiful story about sharing and kindness.
The legend goes that St. Martin, a Roman soldier, cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar on a cold night. These little dough men remind us of that spirit of giving – perfect for Christmas, really! Kids absolutely love them, and they make fantastic gifts when you pop them in a nice little bag.
Mozartkugeln, on the other hand, are those famous Austrian chocolate balls filled with marzipan and nougat. Named after Mozart (obviously!), they’re usually bought from fancy chocolate shops, but honestly? Making them at home with your Thermomix is so much more satisfying – and way cheaper!
The Studentenkerl Adventure: Yeast Dough Magic
Let’s start with our Christmas men, shall we? The beauty of using the Thermomix for yeast dough is that kneading function – it does all the hard work for you. No more sore arms from ten minutes of hand kneading!
The Sticky Situation (And How to Handle It!)
Now, here’s where things got interesting in the livestream. Yeast dough can be proper sticky, especially when you’re trying to shape little men. About halfway through shaping, my hands looked like I’d been wrestling with a glue pot!
Top tip from the trenches: Keep a bowl of lukewarm water next to your workspace. When your hands get all gunked up with dough, dip them in the water – don’t use flour! Flour will make your dough tough, but water? Water is your friend. It cleans your hands without affecting the dough’s texture.
I also learned (the hard way!) that you want to work quickly once your dough is ready. Yeast doesn’t wait around, and if you’re faffing about trying to make perfect little arms and legs, your dough will start rising before you’re ready.
Shaping Your Little Christmas Men
The trick to good Studentenkerl is getting the proportions right. You want about two-thirds of your dough portion for the body, then divide the remaining third between head, arms, and legs. And don’t worry about making them perfect – wonky little Christmas men have way more character!
During the livestream, I had one that looked more like a starfish than a person, and you know what? The kids would probably love that one most!
Mozartkugeln: The Sweet Science
Right, onto the Mozartkugeln – this is where the Thermomix really shines. Making proper marzipan from scratch is usually a right faff, but not with our trusty machine.
Homemade Marzipan: The Game Changer
Store-bought marzipan is fine, but homemade? It’s on another level entirely. We’re talking about grinding almonds to the perfect consistency, getting that ideal balance of sweet and nutty. The Thermomix handles this beautifully – just almonds, icing sugar, and here’s the secret ingredient: water.
Why water instead of egg white? I know, I know, traditional recipes call for egg white, but here’s the thing – marzipan made with water keeps better. It doesn’t dry out as quickly, and you don’t have to worry about using raw eggs. Plus, it’s actually easier to work with!
The Nougat Situation
Now, proper nougat for Mozartkugeln can be a bit tricky to source, so here’s a cheeky little shortcut that works brilliantly: good quality Nutella! I know purists might throw their hands up in horror, but honestly, it tastes fantastic and gives you that lovely nutty, sweet center.
If you want to be a bit more traditional, you can make a simple praline paste by caramelizing some sugar and mixing in chopped hazelnuts. The Thermomix makes quick work of both the caramel and grinding the nuts.
Pistachio Magic
Here’s where we get fancy – rolling some of our Mozartkugeln in chopped pistachios before the final chocolate coating. It adds this gorgeous green color and a lovely crunch. The Thermomix chops pistachios perfectly – just a few pulses and you’ve got the ideal size.
The Fails and Fixes
Let’s be honest, not everything went smoothly in the livestream! I had a few proper disasters that actually turned into great learning moments.
The Great Chocolate Seizing Incident
About halfway through coating the Mozartkugeln, my chocolate decided to go all grainy and horrible. Classic chocolate seizing – probably got a tiny bit of water in there somewhere. But here’s the fix: add a tablespoon of neutral oil (like sunflower oil) and mix it through. It won’t be as glossy as perfect tempered chocolate, but it’ll taste just as good and look perfectly presentable.
Dough That Wouldn’t Rise
One viewer had their Studentenkarl dough sitting there like a brick, refusing to budge. Nine times out of ten, this is because your yeast is either too old or you’ve killed it with water that was too hot. Yeast is fussier than a cat about temperature – lukewarm is what you want, about body temperature.
Pro tip: Test your water on your wrist, like you would for a baby’s bottle. If it feels comfortable, your yeast will be happy.
Cultural Connections and Family Fun
What I love most about these recipes is how they bring families together. In the livestream chat, we had people sharing stories about making similar treats with their grandmothers, kids getting involved (and incredibly messy!), and folks planning to gift these homemade goodies.
The St. Martin’s Day connection is particularly lovely. It’s this beautiful reminder that the best gifts aren’t always the most expensive ones – sometimes it’s the time and love you put into making something by hand.
Perfect for Gift-Giving
Both Studentenkerl and Mozartkugeln make absolutely brilliant homemade gifts. The Christmas men keep well in an airtight container for several days (if they last that long!), and the Mozartkugeln actually improve after a day or two – the flavors meld together beautifully.
Pop them in some nice cellophane bags with a ribbon, or arrange them in a lovely tin. Your recipients will be chuffed to bits, and you’ll have spent a fraction of what you’d pay for fancy shop-bought equivalents.
Thermomix Accessories That Make the Difference
Speaking of making your life easier, let me give a shout-out to some brilliant Thermomix accessories that really come in handy for this kind of baking. The spatula that comes with your machine is good, but having a few extra silicone spatulas makes transferring sticky dough so much simpler.
And if you’re planning to do lots of chocolate work, those silicone molds are worth their weight in gold. Perfect for shaping your Mozartkugeln uniformly.
You can check out all our Thermomix accessories over at Sparkles Kitchen World – we’ve got everything you need to make your Christmas baking adventures even more successful!
Storage and Keeping Tips
The marzipan for your Mozartkugeln will keep beautifully in the fridge for up to a week, wrapped in cling film. This actually makes it easier to work with – slightly chilled marzipan holds its shape better when you’re rolling it into balls.
Your finished Mozartkugeln should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container, with layers separated by parchment paper. They’ll keep for up to two weeks, though I doubt they’ll last that long!
The Studentenkerl are best enjoyed within a day or two of baking, but they freeze brilliantly. Just pop them in freezer bags and they’ll keep for up to three months.
Next Week’s Adventure
Right, that’s a wrap on our German Christmas baking adventure! If you enjoyed following along with this week’s Studentenkarl and Mozartkugeln chaos, make sure you join us for next week’s livestream. We’re diving into some proper British Christmas pudding territory – and yes, I’ll be using the Thermomix to make it absolutely foolproof.
Until then, get those ovens warmed up, dust off your Thermomix, and let’s get baking! Christmas is coming, and homemade always tastes better.
Happy baking, everyone! 🎄
