Flammkuchen (German Pizza)

Flammkuchen – the German version of pizza. It tastes delicious, is easy to make and is something I highly recommend you try. It’s a good alternative to normal pizza and very easy to make.

What is Flammkuchen?

Flammkuchen is similar to pizza. It was first created in Germany and consists of a thin layer of rectangular shaped dough covered with cream sauce and topped with cooked bacon bits and onion slices. 

Learn more about the history of Flammkuchen here. 

How to make Flammkuchen:

Instead of using typical Flammkuchen/pizza dough, I like to use puff pastry as the base as I find the texture is lighter, airier and crunchier.

In the UK, puff pastry is easier to find in the supermarket than Flammkuchen pastry. Similarly, I also like to use crème fraîche for the creamy sauce, as it is easier to find in UK than Flammkuchen sauce.

I recently found pre-made Flammkuchen sauce in a supermarket in France. It tasted great but it’s not a necessity. Crème fraîche also does the trick.

Alternative ingredients:

As mentioned above, I like to change my recipe from the traditional recipe.

• Instead of Flammkuchen/pizza dough as the base, you can use a puff pastry base instead.
• Instead of Flammkuchen-specific sauce, you can simply use crème fraîche for the sauce. 

You can always choose to make the dough yourself – I personally prefer buying premade flammkuchen dough. As a student, I try and find the most simplest ways to make a dish. If you’re on a low budget, you can even make a variation of this recipe by placing all the ingredients on a french baguette slice instead of the pastry. 

Why I like this dish:

Flammkuchen is such an easy dish to make, you just can’t go wrong with it. It can be eaten at any time in the day. It doesn’t necessarily need to be served at lunch or dinner – it’s also a really good snack.

Why you should try this Flammkuchen:

Honestly, I just really like this recipe – it’s different from the regular pizzas you can get in other countries but tastes just as good, if not better. It’s definitely a dish you want to try making – it’s culturally different but you won’t regret it. 

If you’re hesitant, you could try it at a Christmas market. German Christmas markets have become a lot more popular lately – I know some Christmas markets in the UK definitely sell Flammkuchen as a speciality. You can try it there first before making it at home. 

What to serve with Flammkuchen:

Flammkuchen can be eaten either as a meal or just a quick snack. I often eat it accompanied by vegetable dip or small side salad

How to store Flammkuchen:

Flammkuchen is best served fresh. To store, refrigerate the Flammkuchen in an airtight container for no more than a couple of days. To reheat, bake the Flammkuchen for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. I wouldn’t recommend freezing the Flammkuchen once it’s cooked, however you can freeze the Flammkuchen dough/puff pastry if you haven’t cooked it yet. 

Hints and Tips:

• You don’t have to pre-cook the bacon and onions too long, as the dish will be in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. 

Similar Recipes include:

• Vegetable Puff Pastry Pockets
• Char Siu Sou (Chinese BBQ Pork Puff Pastry Pockets

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