The Salzkammergut, a region shared by Upper Austria and Salzburg, is one of the main summer destinations in Austria. It offers lakes, mountains and several beautiful little towns, one of which is Bad Ischl, a sanatorium since 1823. It became the summer residence of the Austrian Emperor family – attracting a lot of nobility and artists during the 19th century – and its importance as such peaked between 1849 and 1914. This is visible even today in the cityscape (architecture of the “Gründerzeit”), and the special charm from that period has been kept alive.

The “Konditorei Zauner” (founded in 1821), a former confectioner to the imperial court, is one of the businesses that carry on the royal flair. The family Zauner owns two cafés in Bad Ischl where they cultivate the Austrian coffee tradition and serve their famous cakes and pastries.

The “Zaunerstollen”, signature confectionary of “Konditorei Zauner”, was originally made from broken wafers – which would have otherwise been thrown away – mixed with a hazelnut and chocolate mass. In the shape of macaroons it was intended to be a cheap treat for children, but against all expectations adults also loved it and it sold extremely well to locals and foreign guests alike. In 1905 the shape was changed from macaroons to “Stollen” and a chocolate glaze was added – the “Zaunerstollen” as we know it had been created. Since then it has become a worldwide symbol for Austrian confectionary art.

More information at www.zauner.at