Easter in Alsace – Lamala recipe (with or without gluten)
Easter in Alsace is synonymous with Easter lamb. Like everywhere else in France, you might say... Yes, but here the lamb is in sponge cake! Here's the recipe to celebrate Easter the Alsatian way.
What is a lammele?
Lamala (the name given to this cake in Haut-Rhin, lamele or lammele in Bas-Rhin) is a sponge cake made in a lamb-shaped mold and eaten at Easter.
This is by no means an ancient tradition on the verge of extinction… Not only are lamala flourishing on bakery stalls, but mussels are also out in force in families.
It’s out of the question to celebrate Easter without lamala, an unmissable Alsatian speciality! You can find and cook them all Easter long, not just on Sundays.
Choice of mold
The mold used is traditionally a terracotta mold (see here, for example), which can be opened in half to remove the beautiful lamb from the mold. And since we’re in Alsace, you can buy one from one of the Soufflenheim potteries, for example. That’s the choice I made!
Alternatively, they are also available in metal. Cheaper, but so much less traditional…
Recipe with or without gluten
I made my lamala following a recipe from my friend Céline of the blog L’heure du Cream, who is reputed to be a lammele pro! Verdict: Easy to make (the only tricky part is unmolding, so be careful) and delicious.
Good to know for people with intolerances, this recipe is naturally lactose-free and can also be made gluten-free (I tested it and there’s no difference!).
A few more tips…
I asked a few of my foodie blogger friends for their tips on how to make a successful lamala every time…
- Elodie, from the blog Elo en fait tout un plat – Forget the metal mould, which makes drier cakes, and get a terracotta mould!
- Manue from the blog Hum ça sent bon! – Beat the egg and sugar mixture for a long time!
- Marine from the blog Miss Crumble – Be sure to butter and flour the pan very well.
- Sandra from the blog Cuisine Addict – Do not open the oven door during baking, the cake will be less airy!
- Adeline, from the blog La cuisine d’Adeline – Do not unmould straight from the oven, but wait until the tin is lukewarm.
Our recipe
Le lamala
Ustensiles
- 1 moule à lamala (idéalement en terre cuite)
- 1 ruban (pour la décoration)
Ingredients
- 3 oeufs
- 1 sachet de sucre vanillé
- 65 g de sucre
- 60 g de farine de blé (ou mélange de farines "Mix Pâtisserie" de Ma Vie Sans gluten pour une version sans gluten)
- 30 g de fécule de maïs (maïzena)
- 1 cuillère à café rase de levure chimique
- En option: le jus d'1/2 citron
- Pour la décoration: sucre glace
Instructions
- Préchauffer le four à 180°C.
- Séparer les jaunes des blancs d'oeufs. Battre les oeufs avec le sucre et le sucre vanillé jusqu'à ce que le mélange blanchisse (bien battre!). Si vous souhaitez mettre du jus de citron, c'est le moment!
- Ajouter ensuite progressivement la farine, la fécule de maïs et la levure.
- Battre les blancs en neige ferme. Les incorporer doucement au reste de la pâte.
- Beurrer (avec de la margarine végétale pour une version sans lactose) et fariner le moule en insistant bien dans les recoins (pour éviter de perdre une oreille d'agneau lors du démoulage!). Remplir le moule aux 3/4 avec la pâte (pas plus, cela va gonfler).
- Cuire au four à 180°C environ 40-45 minutes. A la sortie du four, attendre que le moule soit tiède puis démouler précautionneusement. Saupoudrer de sucre glace et nouer un ruban autour du cou de l'agneau. Déguster assez rapidement (le jour même idéalement), le lamala se dessèche vite!
