Stille Nacht Kapelle Window, Oberndorf

One of the few carols some English speakers know at least part of in a foreign language is Stille Nacht, Silent Night.

The carol was created in Austria in 1818, when the words by Joseph Franz Mohr, a pastor from Oberndorf, were set to music by his friend Franz Xaver Gruber, a school teacher and choirmaster, to be sung at the Christmas Eve Service. As the Oberndorf Nicola-Kirche (St. Nicholas Church) organ was unavailable due to recent flooding the original arrangement was made for guitar.

Flooding continued through the years, undermining the church foundations. It had to be demolished early in the 20^th Century, in fact the whole of Oberndorf was moved to a site nearby. Today the Stille-Nacht Gedächtniskapelle, Silent Night Memorial Chapel, stands on the site of the old Nichola-Kirche.

STILLE NACHT Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute heilige Paar. Holder Knab im lockigten Haar, Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh! Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!	SILENT NIGHT Silent night! Holy night! All are sleeping, alone and awake Only the intimate holy pair, Lovely boy with curly hair, Sleep in heavenly peace! Sleep in heavenly peace!
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Gottes Sohn! O wie lacht Lieb´ aus deinem göttlichen Mund, Da schlägt uns die rettende Stund´. Jesus in deiner Geburt! Jesus in deiner Geburt!	Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, O how he laughs Love from your divine mouth, Then it hits us - the hour of salvation. Jesus at your birth! Jesus at your birth!
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Die der Welt Heil gebracht, Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt seh´n Jesum in Menschengestalt, Jesum in Menschengestalt	Silent night! Holy night! Which brought salvation to the world, From Heaven's golden heights, Mercy's abundance was made visible to us: Jesus in human form, Jesus in human form.
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Wo sich heut alle Macht Väterlicher Liebe ergoß Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß Jesus die Völker der Welt, Jesus die Völker der Welt.	Silent night! Holy night! Where on this day all power of fatherly love poured forth And like a brother lovingly embraced Jesus the peoples of the world, Jesus the peoples of the world.
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Lange schon uns bedacht, Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit, In der Väter urgrauer Zeit Aller Welt Schonung verhieß, Aller Welt Schonung verhieß.	Silent night! Holy night! Already long ago planned for us, When the Lord frees from wrath Since the beginning of ancient times A salvation promised for the whole world. A salvation promised for the whole world.
Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Alleluja, Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah: Jesus der Retter ist da! Jesus der Retter ist da!	Silent night! Holy night! To shepherds it was first made known By the angel, Alleluia; Sounding forth loudly far and near: Jesus the Savior is here! Jesus the Savior is here!

tr. Stille Nacht Gesellschaft

The most common English version is based on verses 1, 6 and 2, but there are several different variants and the music has changed a little since Gruber’s original. In Austria this carol is treated as a national treasure and is never used commercially or sung before Christmas Eve. There is even a society to “further the research into all aspects of the history surrounding the Christmas carol ‘Silent Night! Holy Night!’, as well as to promote the awareness and use of authentic versions of the song”.

The Austrians also love their cakes and sweets. Christmas means kletzenbrot -fruitcake, lebkuchen - gingerbread, pfeffernüsse - peppernut cookies, stollen - fruit loaf, Christmas coffee cake, strudels and topfenpalatschinken - sweet cheese crepes.

Topfenpalatschinken: Austrian Sweet Cheese Crepes Baked in Custard

Crepes (makes about 24)

2 cups plain flour

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

1 1/2 cups soda water or seltzer (from a new bottle)

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

In a bowl mix together flour, sugar, and salt.

In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and soda water and add to flour mixture in a stream, whisking.

Whisk batter until smooth and chill, covered, 1 hour.

Stir batter well. Heat a non-stick frying pan measuring 20cm/8” across bottom over moderate heat until hot.

Brush pan lightly with melted butter, remove from heat.

Fill a 1/4-cup measure three fourths full with batter and pour into pan, tilting and rotating quickly to cover bottom.

Return to heat and cook crêpe until underside is golden, 15 to 30 seconds.

Slide crêpe onto a kitchen towel to cool.

Make more crêpes in same manner with remaining batter, brushing pan lightly with butter for each and stacking cooked crêpes on another kitchen towel as they cool.

Crêpes can be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, stacked and wrapped well in plastic wrap.

Filling

1/2 cup dried currants

1 cup boiling-hot water

500g/1lb cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup apricot jam

2 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup castor sugar

24 crepes

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup milk

Icing (confectioners') sugar for dusting

In a small bowl plump currants in boiling-hot water for 15 minutes and drain.

Pat currants dry between paper towels.

In a food processor or in a bowl with an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese, jam, yolks, zest and vanilla.

Whisk whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.

Add sugar to whites and beat meringue until soft peaks form.

Fold cheese mixture into meringue gently but thoroughly, then fold in currants.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F and lightly butter a 35cm/14” long oval gratin dish or other shallow baking dish.

Working with 1 crêpe at a time, spread 2 generous tablespoons filling on each crêpe, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around, and roll up crêpes in a jam-roll fashion. With a sharp knife, halve crêpes on a diagonal and arrange, overlapping slightly, in layers in baking dish.

Crêpes may be prepared up to this point 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring crêpes to room temperature before proceeding.

In a small bowl whisk together eggs, granulated sugar and milk, and pour over crêpes, letting custard seep between layers. Bake crêpes in middle of oven 30-35 min, or until puffed and custard is set.

Remove and allow to cool a little.

Dust crêpes with icing sugar and serve with apricot caramel sauce, 2 per person. (Serves 12)

Apricot Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

4 cups water

1 cup firmly packed dried apricots

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

In a large dry heavy saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork until melted and then swirling pan until sugar is a golden caramel.

Remove pan from heat and carefully add 3 cups water down side of pan (it will bubble up and steam).

Return pan to heat and simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.

Add apricots and simmer, covered, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Cool mixture for 10 minutes then in a blender purée with remaining 1 cup of water and vanilla until very smooth.

Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, sealed.

Reheat sauce to warm. Makes about 5 cups.

Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr!