I bet you have not heard of this German treat! It is delicious, sweet shortbread filled with marzipan, but it was not always like that…

So, before 1876, the Leipziger Lerche was a popular specialty enjoyed all over the world – from Spanien (Spain) to Russland (Russia). It was a Lerche (lark), which was filled with all kinds of Gewürze (spices) and Kräuter (herbs). These were roasted and eaten, and also baked into savory pastries. They were exported on a large scale and Handelsmänner (traders) from Leipzig made a fortune.

Then, in 1876, a ban on hunting Lerchen was put in place. Quickly, the Konditoren (confectioners, pastry chefs) of Leipzig came up with a solution: replace the meat filling with a sweet one: with Marzipan (marzipan). This also became a huge international success. And that is how the modern Leipziger Lerche was born: a delicious, sweet delicacy that’s best enjoyed with some Kaffee (coffee)!

The shortbread with marzipan filling reminds a little of a Vogelbalg (bird skin) – the two dough stripes on top look a bit like the strings that the birds were tied up with back in the days.

It is only one of two foods from Leipzig that made it to international fame. The other is Leipziger Allerlei, which I will cover in a different post.

Have you ever tried the Leipziger Lerche? How did you like it? Do you have a similar specialty in your country? Or one with a similar story? Let me know in the comments below!