Recipe: Bachlkoch

A traditional Christmas dish from the Pinzgau region

On Christmas Eve, many families have their very own culinary traditions. Some celebrate the 24th of December with a four-course meal or have a snooze after a delicious raclette meal. In Pinzgau, many households have a simple Bachlkoch for lunch before they indulge in the more modern traditions in the evening.

Bachlkoch is a straightforward, authentic dish which dates back to a time when the region of Pinzgau was still far from being known as a tourist destination. People at that time barely dared think about lavish meals in their simple, rural circumstances. Family time was even more important, and this is how the Bachlkoch tradition came about.

What is behind this?

The simple sweet dish is much more than just a food - it is a traditional dish that is steeped in myth. For example, it was once believed that if someone entered the room during the meal, a family member would die the next year. So, it was even more important to know that all the relatives were already gathered at the table. Whether this story was just a pretext to make sure the youngest members of the family came in from a snowball fight outside remains to be seen ;)

The recipe

In the past, it took a lot of effort to obtain the ingredients for the Bachlkoch. Today, the ingredients can be found in any household. A liter of milk is mixed with 80 g of flour, seasoned with a pinch of salt and brought to a boil. Then mix four tablespoons of honey and butter together and wait until the ingredients melt before pouring over the thick mass.

Traditionally, the sweet dish is served in a large pan from which the whole family took individual spoons. In these times, however, it is better to serve individual portions.