Flammkuchen
Flammkuchen is a foolproof German flatbread pizza ready in only 30 minutes.
The base of a Flammkuchen (flame cake) is wafer-thin dough. And the secret to this recipe is that we use puff pastry to create the dough!
Maybe not as popular as Schnitzel or German Potato Salad, you will still find this recipe on many restaurant menus. Germans also like to serve as a brunch option.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
It’s quick, and it’s foolproof. Just roll out the puff pastry to be super thin and crispy. Pinch it at the ends to make the crispy rolled crust.
Then, cover the dough with a light layer of cream. Add some thinly sliced onions and then some bacon. I like to add parsley.
PUFF PASTRY – instead of making a classic thin-crust pizza dough, use puff pastry. This puff pastry is one of the crispiest Flammkuchen you’ll ever taste.
CREME FRAICHE or SOUR CREAM – Crème Fraîche is a dairy product similar to full-fat sour cream. It is popular in European cooking, and you can find it in the dairy aisle in most larger American supermarkets. But sour cream will also work great if you can’t find it.
TOPPINGS – Onions, Bacon, Parsley
How To Make German Flatbread Pizza
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Roll out the puff pastry until it is wafer-thin. Use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough onto the parchment paper and the baking sheet.
- Cut a large onion into very thin slices. Use one package of bacon and cut it into thin strips. Mince fresh parsley.
- Mix 1 cup of creme fraiche (or ¾ cup sour cream + 3 tablespoons of heavy cream) with the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper
- Spread the cream onto the dough. Top with thinly sliced onions and sliced bacon strips.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 450° Fahrenheit. Slice and serve immediately.
Recipe Success Tips
Another delicious variation of this recipe is using a good quality blue cheese like a Roquefort cheese and substituting red onions for the yellow ones.
Pair this Flammkuchen with a nice Riesling, and enjoy!
Food Culture
Originally from the Alsace region (known as a tarte flambée in French), it was very popular in the German regions bordering France (Rheinland-Pfalz and Baden-Würtenberg). Today, this recipe has become a staple in Germany.
Flammkuchen – German Lesson
Like so many German nouns, ‘Flammkuchen’ is a compound noun.
“Flamm” means “flame” and “Kuchen” means “cake”. So it’s a cake cooked over a flame, hence the close relationship to pizzas and flatbreads.
Like always, I’ll try to pick English sounds to describe their pronunciation. Please remember this is for fun.
This time, I think it should sound like ‘Flamm-coo-chen’ the
More Easy and Delicous German Recipes
Flammkuchen
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 cup creme fraiche or sour creme
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- 1 large onion yellow or red
- 5 strips bacon
Instructions
- Defrost the puff pastry. Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly smaller than the baking sheet.
- Roll out the dough onto the piece of parchment paper to form a wafer-thin base. Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled out puff pastry onto the baking sheet.
Preparing the Toppings
- Use a large onion and cut it into very thin slices. Mince fresh parsley. Use 6 strips of bacon and cut into ⅛ inch strips.
- Use a medium bowl and combine creme fraiche (or sour creme) and freshly minced parsley. Whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper
Making Flammkuchen
- Spread the cream cheese parsley mixture over the puff pastry. Top with the thinly sliced onions, and strips of bacon. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 450°.
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.
Great recipe. Everybody loved it!