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Faschingskrapfen, A Tasty Carnival’s Pastry

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rezept-faschingskrapfen-350529_i

It’s Carnival time and one sweet pastry that mustn’t be missing during this particular time is the ” Faschingskrapfen” !

Freshly made Krapfen, a delicacy to die for! That’s what I thought when I was little, and to this day I am keeping my eyes out for them on every visit to Germany, no matter if it’s “Faschings”-time or summertime.

Although considered a carnival specialty, you can find the light and fluffy Krapfen in German/Austrian bakeries most anytime . The only problem I am having with then in Germany these days is that finding the (in my eyes original ) Krapfen filled with apricot jam  is often a challenge! (Raspberry jam just doesn’t work for me.)  Needless to say, it’s even harder to find a decent Krapfen here in California unless you venture off to certain German stores, but even then you might not find what you are looking for.

Therefore, for all our CaliforniaGermans craving some Krapfen, here is a delectable Austrian recipe , the “Sacher-Faschingskrapfen” !

Should you give the recipe a try, let us know how it turned out: Send us some pictures of your Krapfen experiment!

Sacher-Faschingskrapfen

Serves: 16

Ingredients:

  • 330 g flour (fine)
  • 80 ml milk
  • 30 g yeast
  • 1 egg
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 40 g icing sugar
  • 1/2 pkt vanilla sugar
  • 1 lemon (rind)
  • 2 cl rum
  • 80 g butter
  • apricot jam (with a little rum for the filling)
  • flour (for the work surface)
  • vegetable oil (peanut oil, preferred)
  • icing sugar (for dusting)

Preparation:

Warm up about 2 tablespoons of milk to drinking temperature and dissolve the yeast in it. Stir in a little flour to create a thick-pasted pre-dough. Sprinkle with flour, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place (28–30 °C) for about 15 minutes, until the surface begins to show small cracks.

Use the rest of the milk and stir together the egg, egg yolks, salt, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, grated lemon rind and rum. Add the melted butter and beat. Using a blender with a kneading hook, blend the mass with the remaining flour and the yeast dough until smooth.

Cover with a cloth and leave to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour. Knead the dough again and on a floured surface shape into a roll. Cut nut-size pieces about 20 g in weight and, using the palm of your hand, shape into round balls. Dust with flour and press them a little with a baking tray. Place on a baking tray and leave to rise in a warm place.

Heat some oil (160 °C) in a pan for deep-frying or in a saucepan and fry a golden brown on both sides. Scoop out and place on a cake grid to drain. Fill a pastry bag with the rum-jam mix and squeeze into the doughnuts. Dust with icing sugar.

ENJOY!

An alternative Krapfen  recipe can be found here.

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Source: www.Wien.info
Photo: Austrian magazine “Woman”

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German Apple Crumb Cake – A Fruity Summer Cake Apfel-Streuselkuchen – Fruchtiger Sommerkuchen

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ApfelStreusel

Summer is calling, school is out and picnics outside in the garden, on the porch or at the beach are the perfect setting for get-togethers with family and friends.

A German Apple Crumb Cake makes for a delicious dessert. You can enjoy it after a nice meal or with a cup of coffee for a typical afternoon -“Kaffeklatsch” (German afternoon coffee time with friends; also “Kaffeekränzchen”). The cakes slight tartness with crunchy crumbles on top makes it feel light and not heavy.

Apfel-Streuselkuchen was always one of my favorite cakes my aunt had made for us. And even though the recipe calls for apples in the original recipe, we have tried it with pears or peaches.  In fact the photographs here are from a cake we have made with both, apples and peaches.

SAMSUNG

Side note: The cake is best when made and consumed on the same day. The crumbles are nice and crunchy that way. When kept over night or in the fridge for a few days, I recommend to put the cake in the oven for a short while to warm it up and give back some crunchiness to the crumbles.

Apple Crumble Cake /Apfel-Streuselkuchen

Ingredients:

For the Topping:
2 kg apples like Boskop or Fuji, juice of 1 lemon, 50 g Zucker, 1/2tsp cinnamon
 
For the Crumbs/Streusel:
150 g flour, 120 g sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel, 1 pinch of cinnamon, 120 g melted butter, 80 g slivered almonds
 
For the Crust/Cake:
250 g butter, 250 g sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of vanilla mark (or package of Vanillin sugar by Dr. Oetker), 5 eggs, 350 g flour, 1 package baking powder (Dr. Oetker)
.

1. Peel apples, quarter and core them, and cut into discs. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix sugar and cinnamon.

2. For the crumbs mix flour, sugar, lemon peel and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix with your fingers until you have a crumbly mixture. Lightly mix in almond slivers. Put into fridge to get cold.

3. Preheat oven to 180 C / 356 F . Using a mixer beat softened butter with sugar, salt and vanilla mark unitl you have a creamy consistency. Adding eggs one by one beat with a hand mixer until mixture is thick and creamy. Add flour with the baking powder.

4. Prepare a baking tray by lining it with some baking paper. SAMSUNGSpread the dough on it evenly and arrange apples slices over the dough leaving as little spaces as possible. At the end cover with the crumble dough. You might have to take little SAMSUNGpieces of the cold dough and crumbled it up between your fingers while spreading it over the cake. Bake on the middle rack on the oven for  about 40-45 minutes until golden brown and crunchy.

5. Take cake out of the oven, let it cool down a bit, then dust with powdered sugar and cut into pieces.

Zutaten:

Für den Belag:
2 kg aromatische Äpfel (z.B.Boskop), Saft von 1 Zitrone, 50 g Zucker, 1/2 TL Zimt
 
Für die Streusel:
150 g Mehl, 120 g Zucker, 1 Prise Salz, 1/2 TL abgeriebene Zitronenschale, 1 Msp Zimt, 120 g flüssige Butter, 80 g Mandelstifte
 
Für den Rührteig:
250 g weiche Butter, 250 g Zucker, 1 Prise Salz, 1 Msp Vanillemark (or 1 Päckchen Vanillinzucker), 5 Eier, 350 g Mehl, 1 Päckchen Backpulver
.

1. Die Äpfel schälen, vierteln, entkernen und in Scheiben schneiden. Mit Zitronensaft beträufeln. Zucker und Zimt vermischen.

2. Für die Streusel Mehl, Zucker, Zitronenschale und Zimt vermischen. Die flüssige Butter dazugeben und zwischen den Fingern alles krümelig verreiben. Die Mandelstifte locker untermischen. Kalt stellen.

3. Den Backofen auf 180 C/356 F vorheizen. Die weiche Butter mit Zucker , Salz und Vanillemark cremig rühren. Nach und nach die Eier dazugeben und so lange mit den Rührhaken eines Handgerätes schlagen, bis die Masse dickschaumig ist. Mehl und Backpulver darübersieben und untermischen.

4. SAMSUNGEin Backblech mit Butter ausfetten und den Rührteig darauf verteilen. Glattstreichen und die Äpfel gleichmässig darüber verteilen. Zum Schluss mit den Streuseln belegen und auf der mittleren Schiene des Backofens in etwa 40 bis 45 Minuten goldbraun und knusprig backen.

5. Mit Puderzucker bestäuben und in Stücke schneiden.

Bon Appétit !

Elli Quark To Bring German-Style Quark Cheese To US Stores This Spring

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Elli-Quark

If you’ve wanted to make an authentic German cheesecake in America, the main ingredient has been almost impossible to find without getting a special order of it online.  Quark (pronounced “kvark”) is a German staple that not only makes for a delicious cheesecake but is a healthier snack alternative to cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.  Germans who have made their new home in the US have craved the taste of this homeland treat, and starting this spring, a new startup company in Southern California is going to put an end to their wait.

Elli Quark showed off their German-style Quark cheese during the Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim last month after the founder set out to find a healthy snack that wasn’t filled with salt or sugar.  Founder Preya Patel Bhakta had a nutritionist recommend cottage cheese, but was put off by the excessive amounts of salt and did not care for the texture.  Greek yogurt has also been a favorite among people looking to eat healthier, but uses a large amount of sugar to enhance the flavor.

After making some modifications to cottage cheese, Preya thought that there had to be something similar to what she made already on the market.  It turns out that what she had created was very close to the popular German Quark cheese.  Since there are not many options for getting this cheese in the US, she headed out to Germany to sample the variety and get a better idea on how the cheese is made.

Due to the differences in the cows milk between the two countries, the manufacturing process of Elli Quark cheese had to be modified slightly.  But after hearing the response from Germans visiting their booth at last month’s Expo, it seems that the difference is unnoticeable.

Starting this month, Elli Quark will be rolling out to stores selling natural products around the country.  The 80-90 calorie snack will initially be available in five different flavors (plain, strawberry, lemon, red velvet, and pineapple) and will be found next to the cottage cheese section in the diary aisle.  While this isn’t the first attempt to bring German Quark cheese to market in the US, some good marketing and product placement on the shelf can make a difference.

Sources: Food Navigator-USA, Elli Quark
Article Source: German Pulse

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   German Pulse is a new online magazine for the German-American community where you can  find the latest news, reviews, events, businesses, and so much more.
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Kräutlsuppe zum Gründonnerstag

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sh_Kraeutersuppe_mit_Ei_800x462-530x306

Ostern ist am kommenden Sonntag und die Karwoche geht mit Gründonnerstag, Karfreitag und Karsamstag  langsam dem Ende zu.

In vielen Gegenden, vor allem im Süden Deutschlands, ist es oft Brauch in der Karwoche spezielle Gerichte zuzubereiten. So sind am Gründonnerstag  grüne Speisen angesagt. Das sind dann z. B. Spinat mit Kartoffeln, oder so extravagente Gerichte wie  Bärlauch-Pesto Pasta. In Bayern findet man zu Gründonnerstag häufig auch eine Kräutlsuppe.

Hier ein Rezept zum Ausprobieren:

Gründonnerstags-Kräutersuppe mit Ei

Zutaten

  • 300 g Wildkräuter(gemischt, z.B. Bärlauch, junge Brennesseln, Sauerampfer oder Brunnenkresse)
  • 1 Becher Kresse(Gartenkresse)
  • 1 Handvoll Kerbel
  • 1 Handvoll Spinat(frisch, zarter Babyspinat)
  • 1 Bund Petersilie
  • 3 Frühlingszwiebel(n)
  • 2 EL Butter
  • 1250 ml Gemüsebrühe
  • 100 g Crème fraîche, saure oder süsse Sahne
  • Salz
  • Pfeffer
  • Muskat (frisch gerieben)
Zubereitung Gründonnerstags-Kräutersuppe mit Ei
  1. Alle Kräuter verlesen, kurz in einem Sieb abwaschen, gut abtropfen lassen und fein schneiden. Die Frühlingszwiebeln putzen, waschen und in dünne Scheiben schneiden.
  2. Butter in einem Topf zerlassen, die Frühlingszwiebeln darin andünsten. Die Kräuter unterrühren und die Brühe zugießen. Einmal aufkochen lassen und mit Salz, Pfeffer und Muskat abschmecken.
  3. Die Eier pellen und fein hacken. Die Sahne unter die Suppe rühren, kurz erwärmen und auf  Teller verteilen. Die gehackten Eier zum Schluss dazu geben.

Rezept -Quelle: Mens Health

 NOTE: Translation will follow soon!

 

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Happy New Year with a ‘Feuerzangenbowle’ – German Party Punch with Sugar Hat

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Heinz Rühmann and the Feuerzangenbowle – do you remember this classic?

Die Feuerzangenbowle
Die Feuerzangenbowle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For New Year’s Eve or “Silvester” as we call it in Germany almost every family has a unique culinary tradition to ring in the new year.  For many it is serving a zesty Gulasch at the Silvester Party while counting the hours to midnight, for others it is inviting family and friends to a delicious and fun Raclette evening or Fondue. One of these many traditions is the “Feuerzangenbowle”.

Perhaps this delicious party punch finds its way to become also one of your traditions in the years to come. For the preparation just follow the recipe below that our guest author Gabriele Utz is sharing with us, … and for everyone who hasn’t seen or wants to see Heinz Rühmann in his famous role again, enjoy the whole movie “Die Feuerzangenbowle” below at the end of the post.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Feuerzangenbowle – German Party Punch with Sugar Hat (by Gabriele Utz, MyBestGermanRecipes.com)

Feuerzangenbowle is a special German party attraction especially for New Years Eve or in the winter time before Christmas (Adventszeit). You can find the hot spiced wine on German Christmas markets. The biggest Feuerzangenbowle was served in 2005 in Munich. 9.000 liter punch had been mixed and heated in a huge copper kettle with a diameter of 2.5 meter and served to the visitors of the market. Near the Nuernberg Christmas Market you can find a similar kettle. The hot party drink became popular in the German movie “Die Feuerzangenbowle” with Heinz Ruehmann from 1944.

To make the hot beverage you need to have a special Feuerzangenbowle set – Find it here: http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?gdcom+cbJvSj+feuerzangeset.html

Ingredients for ‘Feuerzangenbowle’ – serves 8

3 bottles red wine
1 small sugar hat – Find it here: http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?gdcom+cbJvSj+norzuc.html
1 piece orange peel
1 bottle golden rum
1 piece lemon peel
at least 108 proof
5 cloves
 
Directions Feuerzangenbowle
  1. Put orange peel, lemon peel and cloves into a tea filter bag, tie shut with white yarn. Hang into a copper kettle, pour in wine.
  2. Heat up close to boiling point, but make sure it never gets to boil. Put the kettle in the middle of your table so all your guests can watch the ceremony.
  3. You normally use a “Feuerzange”, but as I suspect this might be hard to get, you can also use a grid from your barbecue set – especially the ones you normally use to barbecue herrings in should work pretty well. The point is that you should be able to put the sugar hat on it (lying on its side) and place the whole thing safely over the kettle.
  4. Once you’ve got that far, you’re ready for the ceremony.First, dim your lights. Then pour some rum onto the sugar hat, best using a ladle, and light it (this is why the rum has to be at least 108 proof). Keep the flames burning by ladling more rum on the sugar hat, until the sugar has completely melted and dripped into the wine.
  5. Remove the “Feuerzange” and the bag with the spices. Serve in heat-proof glasses.
  6. Variation: Many people like to add sugar and/or a little orange juice (preferably freshly pressed).
Article Source: MyBestGermanRecipes
Photo credit: Wikipedia

—————————————————————————————————————–        ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes.comMyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes.

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THE 4TH ADVENT IS HERE AND CHRISTMAS EVE IS NEAR!

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Christmas is near – How about a special cookie treat for Santa  !

cookies-210718_1920Have you started your Christmas Bakery yet? If not, here is a great recipe to delight your family and friends with some German Hazelnut Macaroons. They are easy to make and taste  heavenly delicious !

German Christmas Cookies: Hazelnut Macaroons

(Recipe by our guest author Gabriele Utz)

German Christmas Cookies: Hazelnut Macaroons

German Christmas cookies Hazelnut Macaroons (in German Haselnussmakronen) is a classic German recipe for the Holiday season and for Christmas. Germany is known for its unique and delicious Christmas Bakery. If you have not made any German Christmas cookies before, this is a good starter cookie as it is very easy to make. Happy Baking!

Ingredients German Christmas Cookies
4 egg white
200 g sugar
200 g ground hazelnuts or hazelnut flour
hazelnuts cut in half for decoration
1 hint of cinnamon
2 tbsp flour for dusting
30 wafers( very thin round piece of unleavened bread) Purchase the wafers online

Baking Instructions German Christmas Cookies
– Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
– Beat egg white with pinch of salt very firm (so firm that if you cut it with the knife you would see the cut!)
– Add sugar; sieve it over the firm egg white and carefully mix it.
– Then add the hazelnuts and cinnamon and mix it carefully. If you cannot get ground hazelnuts or hazelnut flour, you can use a coffee grinder to grind them.
– Dust a baking tray with flour.
– Place on each wafer with 2 teaspoons a small amount of hazelnut batter and place in the middle one half of a hazelnut.
– Bake them for 10-15 minutes depending on the oven. Check frequently, you don’t want the wafers become brown.

Tip
If you want you can bake them without the wafers too. Instead using wafers for the bottom you can use melted chocolate and dip the bottoms of the baked macaroons in it briefly.

Article Source: MyBestGermanRecipes.com

—————————————————————————————————————–        ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes.comMyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes.
website | Twitter | Facebook

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Gluehwein – Mulled Wine : A Christkindl Market Tradition

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gluehwein

Did our previous post showcasing German Christkindel Markets get you in the mood of some real traditional ‘Glühwein’ (mulled red wine)?

Then check out our new recipe for this Christkindel Market tradition, by our guest writer GabrieleUtz . Just imagine walking through the fresh snow with a nice hot cup of ‘Glühwein’  and a handful of warm chestnuts! Those are some delicious winter holiday memories…

Happy Third of Advent!

gluehwein-1

Authentic German ‘Gluehwein’ or Mulled Wine

Ingredients

2 liter red wine
3/4 l brown rum, 40% –  optional
sugar as needed
1-2 orange, organic, blood oranges are good too
1-2 lemons, organic
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
5 cloves and 1 star anise

Cooking Instructions
– Heat the wine in a big pot but don’t bring it to a boil; heat it on low temperature.
– Remove seeds from lemons and oranges.
– Cut the orange and lemon with the peel in slices or quarters, add them to the wine with the cloves. Keep it on low temperature and let it simmer.
– Cut vanilla bean open and add the seeds to the wine.
– Add 2/3 of the rum – the rum adds a  nice taste to the wine but also makes it stronger, so you can add just a little bit or don’t add it at all.
– Let it simmer until the oranges and lemons are getting very soft- for about 1-1.5 hours; take out a piece of lemon and check if you can take it off the peel. The wine should color it red until to the peel.
– Stir frequently.
– Wash some bottles with hot water.
– Take out the fruit and cloves or pour it through a strainer.
– Press remaining juice out of the fruit and add it to the wine. If you like your can puree the fruit without the peel and add it to the wine aswell, that makes it thicker.
– Heat it again and add remaining rum and sugar – don’t bring it to a boil!
– Fill it hot in bottles and close it right away, or keep it warm for your guests.
The wine can be kept for several months in the bottles if well closed.

—————————————————————————————————————–        ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes.comMyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes.
website | Twitter | Facebook

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The best German Christmas Markets on Video

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English: Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) in...
English: Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) in Jena, Thuringia, Germany (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(Article by our Guest Author Gabriele Utz)

Germany has the most beautiful Christmas Markets. I put together a little collection of German Christmas Markets Videos that you will love. Find out about how Germany really is. It is not what you might think. It can be very modern but also very traditional. It is a combination of both and this makes it unique. Old World charm combined with contemporary features. German Christmas Markets are in almost every big or smaller city of Germany. There are markets in Castles like the famous one at the Hohenzollern Castle in Hechingen or the castle Thurn and Taxis.

Find hand crafted Christmas ornaments like the Erzgebirge pyramid or the Herrenhuter Star. Find different kinds of Lebkuchen and home made cookies; honey candles and Gluehwein mugs.
Enjoy the good German food like Bratwurst, local specialties and Gluehwein or Feuerzangen Bowle. That’s how Germany is – More than what you might think. Enjoy!

The best German Christmas Markets Videos

German Christmas Markets: Berlin

German Christmas Markets: Heidelberg


German Christmas Markets: Siegen

German Christmas Markets: Nuernberg

 

Article Source: MyBestGermanRecipes

—————————————————————————————————-         ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes.comMyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes.
website | Twitter | Facebook

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Christmas Bakery – Peffernüsse, a German Christmas Recipe

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English: Christmas cookies and decoration.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The First Advent Sunday is today and Christmas season has officially started. Traditionally the four weeks of Advent are represented by four candles on an Advent wreath. The first one will get lit today and then it’s only four more weeks until Christmas eve is here!

Christmas cookies are a must for this festive holiday season. So we thought of starting you out with a scrumptious recipe for traditional “Peffernüsse” by our guest author Gabriele Utz of MyBestGermanRecipes. She  will share with us one of her favorite recipes on each of the four Advent Sundays plus a special one for New Year‘s Eve. Give it a try and fill your home with the sweet scents of gingerbread spices!

Happy First of Advent!

GERMAN PFEFFERNÜSSE 

(by Gabriele Utz, MyBestGermanRecipes.com)
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This is an authentic German Pfeffernusse recipe as you would find in Germany. German Pfeffernusse are traditional Christmas cookies and very popular. You can find them in any bakery or supermarket in Germany. Get some German tradition into your home with this recipe. The ingredient Hirschhornsalz, in English Hartshorn or Ammonium Carbonate, is a traditional Gingerbread (Lebkuchen) ingredient since hundreds of years and was originally taken from deer’s antlers. It makes the dough raise but not in height, it makes it wider. Happy Baking!

Pfeffernuesse

Ingredients (20 pieces) German Pfeffernusse
125 honey
50 g sugar
2 tbsp butter
250 g flour (whole grain if you like)
1/2 tsp Hirschhornsalz (Ammonium Carbonate) – Find here the German original or an American product:
Ammonium Carbonate (Baker’s Ammonia) 2.7 oz
1 egg
2 tsp ginger bread spice – Edora Lebkuchen Gewurz (Gingerbread Spices) 1 – .05oz Package
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 pinch salt
125 g powdered sugar
1 tbsp rum

Baking Instructions German Pfeffernusse 
– Heat butter, honey and sugar and melt it.
– Mix flour, egg, Hirschhornsalz and spices, add honey dough and knead it  thoroughly with knead hooks.
– Form balls out of the dough and bake them on 190 C or 375 F for 12 minutes; bake the next portion only for 10 minutes.
– Make the glaze out of powdered sugar and rum and a bit of water.
– Spread glaze over the cooled off cookies and let them dry.
– Keep them at least 2 days in a tin box with a piece of bread or a piece of apple, so they get soft.
If you like you can make  a dark chocolate glaze and spread it on half of the cookies, and have the other half white.

Recipe Article Source:
 
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ABOUT

MyBestGermanRecipes.comMyBestGermanRecipes is the creation of Gabriele Utz. Interested in cooking and baking ever since she can think of she now has turned her passion into reality, and has started an online cookbook with authentic German recipes in 2010. The website offers more than 300 original German recipes. 
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