Speckendicken

Traditional German New Year Cakes, a beloved annual treat in my family. The recipe comes from my great-great-grandmother Christina Janssen Baumann, most likely adapted from a lost recipe from her grandmother; a taste of the valleys of Ostfriesland.

Prep it up!

2 cups dark syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup raisins (or more)
1½ cup currants
1¼ oz. anise seeds
2 cups graham flour
1 cups white flour
Milk (as much as desired for consistency)
Bacon, cut into 1 inch squares
Sausage, cut into thin rounds

Let's do it

Mix all ingredients except milk. Add milk, stirring slowly, until desired consistency (think pancake batter). Place a square of bacon on the pan, pour batter on top, set a round of sausage on top. Cook like a pancake until browned, flipping when bubbles appear. Alternatively, serve with sausage and bacon on the side, or without the meat altogether if that's more your speed. They're just as good either way, and nobody will say anything. However you do it, make plenty.