Blue cake facts for kids
| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Switzerland |
| Main ingredients | Puff pastry |
Blue cake (called Blauer Kuchen in German) is a special kind of flaky pastry. It comes from the beautiful Frutig valley in Switzerland. This valley is in the Bernese Oberland region. The cake is made only from puff pastry, which is a light, airy dough. It doesn't have any filling inside. Even though it's called "Blue cake," it's actually not blue at all!
Contents
History of the Blue Cake
Blue cake has been made by bakeries in the Frutig valley for a long time. People have been enjoying it since at least the early 1900s. Back then, until about the 1950s, bakers mostly sold it in colder months. This was because it was easier to keep butter cold during winter. They also sold it around big holidays.
Today, you can find Blue cake in most bakeries in the Frutig valley. It's usually available on weekends all year round. It has become one of the most popular weekend treats there.
Why is it Called "Blue Cake"?
It's a bit of a mystery why this cake is called "Blue cake" since it's not blue. Swiss food historians talked to bakers in the Frutig valley to find out. The bakers had different ideas about the name.
One idea is that in the local language, "to make blue" (blau machen) means to take a day off or a holiday. So, maybe it's a cake for special days off! Other bakers think the name comes from the dough itself. They say the uncooked dough might have a very faint blue tint. Another idea is that the buttery steam coming from the oven when the cake bakes looks a bit bluish.
How Blue Cake is Made
Blue cake is only made by professional bakers. They use a simple dough with flour, butter, water, and salt. The special part is how the butter is added.
The Dough Process
Bakers roll several layers of butter into the dough. They use a special machine called a tourage machine for this. This process creates many thin layers, which makes the pastry flaky. After rolling, the dough is cut into round shapes. These pieces are about 6 cm thick and 25 cm or more wide.
Baking the Cake
The bakers then cut pretty patterns into the round pastry pieces. They brush the tops with egg, which helps them turn golden brown. Finally, the cakes are baked in a hot oven at 220 °C (about 428 °F) for about 20 minutes.
The recipes for Blue cake are often passed down through families. Many bakers today are the third or fourth generation making it. Each baker might have slightly different ways of doing things. For example, the amount of butter they use can vary. The dough might rest for up to two days before baking. Even the baking temperature and how hot the oven is can be different.
How People Enjoy Blue Cake
Blue cake has a light and buttery taste. People in the Frutig Valley enjoy it in different ways.
Some eat it as a snack with cheese and meat. Others like it for breakfast with coffee, butter, and jam. It's a very popular treat for locals. However, it's not very well known outside of the Frutig valley. Most visitors to the area don't even know about it.
