German Dominosteine Chocolates

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The scent of roasted chestnuts is in the air, and the shops are filling up with tinsel and ornaments. It can only mean the Christmas season is on the way. Here in Germany, one of the tastiest Christmas treats is Dominosteine chocolates.

While they are not so well known outside Germany, these delicious sweets are made from gingerbread, fruit jelly and a layer of marzipan coated in rich, dark chocolate. They are perfect for chocolate lovers and so good that one is never enough!

Table of Contents

Two dishes of German Dominosteine chocolates seen from above.

About Dominosteine

Dominosteine (domino stones) were invented in Dresden in 1936 by the chocolatier Herbert Wendler. Made from simple ingredients, these were a more affordable option than the other luxury pralines he sold in his shop.

Fast forward nearly 100 years, and you’ll find Dominosteine in every household come Christmas time, and for a good reason – they are delicious!

Ingredients

To make Traditional German Dominosteine, you’ll need the following main ingredients:

Honey: Gingerbread of Lebkuchen is traditionally sweetened with honey. I use a squeezy jar of runny honey to make baking easier.
Sugar: I use plain white sugar in this recipe, though you could swap it out for brown sugar if you wanted a more pronounced caramel flavour.
Butter: I always use unsalted butter in baking recipes to control the amount of salt in the final product.
Flour: In Germany, we use soft cake flour for baking (405 flour), though in this recipe, you can use plain, all-purpose or Tipo 00 flour.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This gives the gingerbread a lovely colour and a hint of bitterness. Try to get Dutch Processed cocoa powder if you can; it tastes and looks better in baking.
Mixed Spice: We use Lebkuchengewurz, a gingerbread spice mix in Germany. In the US, you can use Gingerbread or pumpkin spice; in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, you can use mixed spice.
Jam / Jelly: You’ll need a jar of fruit jam or jelly for the fruit layer. I like to use apricot or plum as they have a natural tartness that offsets the sweetness of the rest of the recipe.
Gelatine: To stabilise the fruit layer. Gold-strength sheet gelatine is the simplest and most reliable to work with.
Marzipan: Marzipan forms the top layer of Dominosteine. I like to make my own marzipan (recipe coming soon) as it is easy and tastes way better than store-bought.
Chocolate: Dominosteine are coated in dark chocolate couverture. I’ve given a method for simple tempering of chocolate in the recipe, but if you’re new to working with chocolate, I’d suggest investing in some coating chocolate (link in the recipe card). It makes dipping pralines, truffles or fruit super easy.

The complete ingredient list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Chocolate coated Dominosteine on a silicone baking mat.

Instructions

Dominosteine are simple to make, but as you work in layers, there are a few steps.

First, make the gingerbread by melting the butter with honey and sugar. Mix the dry ingredients, add the warm honey mixture and egg yolk, then knead briefly to a soft dough. Line an approximately 20x30cm (8x12in) tray with baking parchment paper, roll the gingerbread to fit, then bake for 15 minutes at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.
While the gingerbread is baking, soften the gelatine sheets in cold water and heat the jam to make it pourable. Stir through the squeezed out gelatine and set aside.
When the gingerbread and the jelly have cooled a little, pour the jelly over the gingerbread and transfer to the fridge to set. Roll out the marzipan to fit and place on top when the jelly is set and tacky to the touch. Press down gently, then chill for one hour.
Invert the large Dominostein onto a cutting board, and cut into squares approximately 2cm (just under 1 in.) with a sharp knife. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then use a toothpick to dip each Dominostein in the chocolate. Shake off any excess, then place on a tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat to set.

German Dominosteine chocolates in a dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if the chocolate doesn’t set or is too soft?

Tempering chocolate is a real science and can be a little finicky. If your chocolates aren’t setting, transfer to the refrigerator. You’ll need to store them in the refrigerator, but they will still be perfectly delicious. See the tips about using coating chocolate.