Ask about the most traditional Christmas baking in Liechtenstein and the answer is not a cookie but a loaf: Birnbrot, called Birabrot or Birazelta in local dialect. Dried pears, cooked soft and ground, are mixed with figs, raisins, nuts and spices, then wrapped in plain bread dough and baked. Farm households made it in quantity before Christmas, the whole house filling with its smell, and served it to visitors through the holidays and into the New Year, traditionally alongside a small glass of something strong.

It is one of those clever farmhouse inventions that turns the autumn's stored fruit into something festive and long keeping. The filling does most of the work: dense, dark and sweet without much added sugar, with a gentle hum of cinnamon and cloves. The bread casing is thin, just enough to hold it all together. Sliced thinly and spread with butter, it keeps for a couple of weeks, which is longer than most New Year resolutions.

The pear filling

Ingredients

• 9 oz (250 g) dried pears
• 4 cups (960 ml) water
• 4 oz (115 g) dried figs
• 4 oz (115 g) pitted prunes
• 3/4 cup (110 g) raisins
• 3/4 cup (85 g) walnuts
• 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar
• 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed

Method

1. Put the dried pears in the medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain, keeping 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cooking water, and let the pears cool for 10 minutes.
2. Put the cooled pears, figs and prunes in the food processor and pulse 15 to 20 times, scraping down the sides once, until finely chopped. Add a spoonful of the reserved pear water if the mixture is too stiff to move.
3. Scrape the paste into a large bowl and add the raisins, walnuts, brown sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and anise. Mix well with the wooden spoon.

The bread dough

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
• 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Method

1. Warm the milk and butter in the small saucepan over low heat until the butter just melts, about 3 minutes. Let it cool until lukewarm.
2. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the second large bowl. Pour in the warm milk mixture and stir until it comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8 minutes, pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand, folding it back and turning it a quarter turn each time.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour.

Shaping and baking

Ingredients

• 1 large egg

Method

1. Punch down the risen dough and cut off one third of it. Tear that third into small pieces and knead them into the fruit filling with your hands until evenly mixed. Divide the filling in half and shape each half into a log about 9 inches (23 cm) long.
2. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the middle.
3. Divide the remaining dough in half. On a floured counter, roll each half into a rectangle about 11 by 9 inches (28 by 23 cm) and 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Brush the edges with a little egg. Lay a filling log along the long middle, fold the long sides over it so they overlap by about 1 inch (2.5 cm), and press to seal. Fold the ends under. Place both loaves seam side down on the baking sheet.
4. Brush the loaves all over with the egg glaze. Prick each loaf deeply with the fork about 10 times along the top so steam can escape. Let them rest for 30 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. If the tops darken too quickly after 25 minutes, lay a sheet of foil loosely over them.
6. Move the loaves to the wire rack and let them cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

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