Heathen Cakes
Heathen Cakes (Heidenisse küchen) are a 14th-century German recipe from the Buch von guter Spise, made of thin pastry filled with boiled beef, bacon, apple, egg, and pepper, then baked until golden. Adapted into mini hand-pies, they’re hearty, slightly sweet, and offer a taste of what Teutonic Knights might have eaten inside their fortress halls.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet pastry dough puff pastry or shortcrust
- 200 g 7 oz boiled beef, finely chopped
- 3 strips smoked bacon fried and chopped
- 1 medium apple peeled and diced
- 2 eggs beaten (for binding)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water for egg wash
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 6-cup muffin tin.
- Roll out the pastry and cut into 6 circles large enough to line each muffin tin well. Press pastry circles into the cups.
- In a bowl, mix chopped boiled beef, bacon, diced apple, beaten egg, pepper, and salt until well combined.
- Spoon filling evenly into the pastry cups.
- Cut small pastry crosses and place one on top of each mini pie. Brush tops with egg wash.
- Bake for 18–25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from tin and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Pastry Choice – Puff pastry makes a quick, flaky version, but for more authenticity, try a simple lard- or butter-based shortcrust.
- Meat Prep – The recipe calls for “boiled meat,” which in the medieval context often meant using leftover roast or boiled cuts. Don’t over-salt during boiling since the bacon adds saltiness.
- Apple Flavor – Tart apples (like Granny Smith or Braeburn) balance the fat and pepper best, giving a more medieval flavor than sweeter modern varieties.