German Kipfels Food

HUNGARIAN KIFFLES

Steps:

• Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups flour to butter mixture until the dough is too thick for the mixer. Stir remaining 2 cups flour into the butter mixture by hand and knead until dough falls off hands easily. Roll dough into a ball, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir walnuts and sugar together in a bowl. Pour milk into walnut mixture and stir to form a paste.
• Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll to desired thickness. Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon walnut filling in the center of each square. Roll the dough from 1 corner to the other corner around the walnut filling and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

GERMAN TEA KIPFEL

Steps:

• Soften the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl.
• Mixing until smooth, blend in the scalded lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, egg yolks, butter, and half of the flour. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, using additional flour if necessary. Put into a greased deep bowl; turn dough to bring greased surface to top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down; roll out dough into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Beat egg whites until stiff, not dry, peaks are formed. Spread HALF OF THE EGG WHITES on dough surface (reserve remaining half for topping). Sprinkle with a mixture of the raisins, 1/2 cup of the almonds, and the pineapple. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares, then cut each square diagonally in half. Bring triangle corners to center; pinch to seal and place on greased baking sheets.
• Top with a mixture of the reserved egg white and almonds, Cover; let rise again until very light, about 45 minutes.
• Bake at 375°F 10 minutes or until lightly browned. About 4 dozen Kipfel.
• TEA CREASCENTS: Follow recipe for Tea Kipfel. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out each piece into an 8 - inch round. Spread with a portion of the beaten egg white and filling mixture. Cut round into 12 wedges. Starting at wider edge, roll up and place with pointed edge down, 2 inches apart, on a greased baking sheet. Top and bake as directed. If desired, spread with a confectioners' sugar glaze. About 3 dozen Crescents.
• CAI The Canadian Family Cookbook.

KIPFEL

Steps:

• In a medium mixing bowl cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the 1/4 cup sugar.
• Make a well in the center.
• Combine egg yolks and sour cream; add to flour mixture and stir until mixture forms a ball.
• Divide dough in half, and keep one half of the dough tightly covered.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the other half of dough to 1/16" thickness, and cut into 4" rounds.
• For filling, beat egg whites slightly.
• Add ground nuts, the 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice& the 3/4 tsp cinnamon.
• Spread a rounded teaspoon of filling onto each round to within 1/4" of edge.
• Roll up jelly-roll style; with seam sides down, press ends with tines of a fork to seal.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheets with seam sides down.
• Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
• Sprinkle with a mixture of powdered sugar& cinnamon.

HOLIDAY KIPFERL COOKIE

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, granulated sugar and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and water. Add to almond butter mixture, and pulse until dough forms. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 325°. Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an 8-in. circle. Sprinkle with pecans and cranberries; lightly press into dough. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end; place point side down 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents., Bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.

NUSSKIPFERL (NUT CRESCENTS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix yeast, flour, butter, sour cream and egg yolks thoroughly until dough is formed.
• Cover and let dough rest 1 hour.
• For filling beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Fold in nuts, sugar, and vanilla.
• Roll dough 1/8-inch thick.
• Cut out rectangles about 2 X 3-inches.
• Spread with 1 t of filling.
• Roll up jelly roll fashion.
• Place on greased baking sheets and curve to form crescents.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Cool on wire racks and store in airtight tins.

GERMAN DUMPLINGS (SPAETZLE OR KNIFFLES) FOR SOUP OR SAUTE

Steps:

• Mix these together until sticky.
• Drop into bubbling soup or stew, broth or water. (see below for ideas).
• Dumplings will rise to the surface as they cook; remove from liquid with a slotted spoon (if sautéing in another pan); set aside in a bowl (keep warm).
• MAKE THE DUMPLINGS #1: This method results in very small, stringy-ish dumplings and is great for soups or stews. Spoon several tablespoons of batter into a colander, then with the back of the spoon--press the batter through the holes into the bubbling liquid.
• METHOD #2: This method forms larger dumpling pieces (dime & quarter size) and is great for soups or stews, too -- but especially good if you want to saute the dumplings afterwards (more on that in a minute). Using a teaspoon and butter knife, scoop up a spoonful of batter, then use the knife to cut off little dibs and dabs, using the knife to also push the dibs into the hot liquid. If the knife or spoon gets messy, just dip into the hot liquid.
• SERVING IDEAS: We love these in chicken-dumpling soup (use your regular chicken soup recipe -- skip the egg noodles and make these dumplings instead). OR scoop out the larger dumplings (Method #2), and saute in butter or olive oil along with kielbasa or other sausage and LOTS of onion ring slices. OR saute some fresh veggies, then add the dumplings -- heaven!
• VARIATIONS: Add several pinches of your favorite herbs along with the flour to enhance the soup, stew or saute dish.
• Chef's Note: Altho' this is kind of putzy, it is well worth the effort and SO different from regular pasta-noodles.

BAUERNBROT (GERMAN FARMER BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water.
• Knead flour and salt into water mixture creating a smooth dough (Optimal when dough easily comes out of the mixing bowl).
• Let rise in a warm place for 20 min in a covered, greased bowl.
• Place a baking pan in bottom of oven and preheat to 480 Deg F.
• Reknead the dough for a short time and form into a loaf. (or 2, a shorter baking time will result).
• Place on a greased baking sheet (baking stone). Cover with damp cloth and let the dough rest until doubled in height (aprox 30-60 min) Tip: for a nicer crust brush the loaf with buttermilk, yogurt or coffee periodically. Do not let the surface of the dough dry out.
• Place the dough and with its baking sheet in the oven. Then pour some boiling water into the baking sheet that is already in the bottom of the oven. (to quickly create steam in the oven)
• Lower the oven temperature to 430 Deg F.
• Bake the loaf until desired brownness (40-60 min).
• To test for doneness, knock on bottom of loaf. If it produces a hollow sound it is ready to remove from oven and place on cooling rack until cool.

VANILLE KIPFERL II

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the butter until the size of small peas and mix in with your hands.
• Mix 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, the egg, 3 teaspoons of vanilla sugar, and ground almonds into the flour mixture. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Divide the dough into several parts. Roll each section of dough into logs approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut the logs into 1-inch pieces, and bend the pieces into a crescent shape (just like a croissant). Place the kipferl on the baking sheet and chill them for 15 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Combine 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla sugar and toss to mix.
• While still warm, carefully remove kipferl from the baking sheet and dip them in sugar to coat.