Perhaps you didn't know that Hildegard of Bingen was also fond of spiced cookies? Well, it's true. And today's post is dedicated to her recipe as well as her extraordinary life (for a 12th century nun).
The German abbess, visionary & polymath was born in 1098. Being of fragile health, she was entrusted by her parents to a monastery, where she passed nearly all her life. (In fact, she moved twice, to Rupertsburg and Eibingen.) She was renowned for her vast knowledge and corresponded with famous people of her time, including educated members of her own sex. A theologian, musician, naturalist, and physician, she was the author of many books and songs and even constructed a language that she used for mystical purposes. She died in 1179, having founded two monasteries. She was venerated as St. Hildegard even before her canonization, which took place in 2012. Her feast day is on 17 September.
More than anyone else, Hildegard enjoyed a reputation for her 'visions', which she had had since 3 years old. Modern scholars identify her condition with migraine but the impact of her symptoms was tremendous because she would extract religious meaning from those incidents so everyone was convinced that she was blessed. She later recorded her visions in a book named Scivias. Much of their content was obscure and thought to be prophetic. Scholarly research recently concluded that Hildegard's poetry and music were also based on those visions. Another part of her writings, however, dwelt on natural science alone. In Causae et Curiae, she explored the methods for treating various ailments -depending on their cause. Her views were based on ancient knowledge, such as the humoral theory (in which sickness results from imbalance in the body's humors), combined with popular beliefs about natural remedies. She gave accurate descriptions of the human body and its functions -including sexuality- and noted the link between physical health and spiritual wellness.
SPICED COOKIES
The German abbess, visionary & polymath was born in 1098. Being of fragile health, she was entrusted by her parents to a monastery, where she passed nearly all her life. (In fact, she moved twice, to Rupertsburg and Eibingen.) She was renowned for her vast knowledge and corresponded with famous people of her time, including educated members of her own sex. A theologian, musician, naturalist, and physician, she was the author of many books and songs and even constructed a language that she used for mystical purposes. She died in 1179, having founded two monasteries. She was venerated as St. Hildegard even before her canonization, which took place in 2012. Her feast day is on 17 September.
More than anyone else, Hildegard enjoyed a reputation for her 'visions', which she had had since 3 years old. Modern scholars identify her condition with migraine but the impact of her symptoms was tremendous because she would extract religious meaning from those incidents so everyone was convinced that she was blessed. She later recorded her visions in a book named Scivias. Much of their content was obscure and thought to be prophetic. Scholarly research recently concluded that Hildegard's poetry and music were also based on those visions. Another part of her writings, however, dwelt on natural science alone. In Causae et Curiae, she explored the methods for treating various ailments -depending on their cause. Her views were based on ancient knowledge, such as the humoral theory (in which sickness results from imbalance in the body's humors), combined with popular beliefs about natural remedies. She gave accurate descriptions of the human body and its functions -including sexuality- and noted the link between physical health and spiritual wellness.
In another work, named Physica, Hildegard described the medicinal properties of elements, trees, animals, metals, and stones. In the fourth book of this series, she gave detailed information on the nutritional value of edibles and, more importantly, the combinations that prevent, alleviate, or remove the symptoms of disease -in body or soul. In the past couple of decades, the followers of St. Hildegard who also like baking have copied & pasted from the chapters on spelt, honey, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, in order to revamp her cookies that would 'disperse bitterness from the heart'. While Hildegard used nothing more than flour (no type is mentioned), water & cinnamon, the modern version is loaded with butter, yolks, sugar, and honey; it also uses spelt flour, which is a popular option for re-creating ancient & medieval breads.
SPICED COOKIES
This is a simple version of Hildegard's recipe. I thought honey and butter were necessary as they really improve the cookie's texture. Baking soda could be omitted but it guarantees the dough will rise evenly.
I n g r e d i e n t s
2tbsp honey
70g butter
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp grated nutmeg
1/2tsp ground cloves
250g flour
1/4tsp baking soda (optional)
M e t h o d
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Warm the honey, butter and spices in a pot. Sift the flour and baking soda (if using) in a bowl. Combine all the ingredients and knead, adding 1-2tbsp of water to form a manageable dough. 3. Transfer onto a hard surface, cover with parchment paper and roll out thin. Cut out biscuits and place them on the baking sheet. 4. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
70g butter
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp grated nutmeg
1/2tsp ground cloves
250g flour
1/4tsp baking soda (optional)
M e t h o d
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Warm the honey, butter and spices in a pot. Sift the flour and baking soda (if using) in a bowl. Combine all the ingredients and knead, adding 1-2tbsp of water to form a manageable dough. 3. Transfer onto a hard surface, cover with parchment paper and roll out thin. Cut out biscuits and place them on the baking sheet. 4. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
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