Pflaumenkuchen German Plum Cake Food

GERMAN PLUM CAKE (PFLAUMENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Lightly butter an 8x8 inch (20x20cm) baking dish or tin. Mix together the dry ingredients for the base - flour, sugar, yeast and salt - in a medium bowl.
• Put the butter and milk into a small microwavable dish and warm in 15 second intervals to gently warm the milk and melt the butter. The butter should be just melting and the milk lukewarm. Add this mixture (left to cool first, if too warm), the egg yolk and the vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix all together.
• Knead the dough gently for a minute or two - it should be soft but not wet so add a little more flour if too wet, or milk if it seems to crumble from being dry. Then, press the dough into the buttered baking dish. Press it right to the corners, flat across the bottom then slightly up at the edges.
• Cut the plums in half, along the bit that looks like a seam, then remove the stone. Cut each plum half in half. Arrange the plum quarters over the base as tightly as you can, ideally in rows, cut side up. Leave the dish at warm room temperature to let the dough rise slightly for approximately 1 hour (don't worry if it doesn't obviously change much).
• As the rest time is about done, preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Sprinkle the 1/2tbsp of sugar over the plums, if using.
• Rub together the flour, cinnamon, butter and sugar for the streusel then sprinkle it evenly over the plums.
• Bake the cake for approximately 30 -35 minutes, until the top is gently starting to brown and you can see the plums have softened underneath. Let the cake rest for around 10 minutes before cutting into slices. Works well as it is, both warm or at room temperature, as well as with cream.

PFLAUMENKUCHEN (GERMAN PLUM CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Quarter each plum so that all four quarters remain clinging together by their skin, forming a row.
• In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter together by cutting the butter in with a fork.
• In a measuring cup, combine the beaten egg and almond extract, then add enough milk to make 3/8 of a cup (aka 3 oz) total. (It may seem strange that there isn't an exact amount of milk to add, but I promise this method works. You'll likely use under 2 oz of milk, considering that a large egg is usually around 1.5 oz or so.).
• Add this to the dry ingredients and mix them together with your hands, forming a dough.
• If the dough is too sticky, add a touch more flour.
• Spread the dough thinly over a 13x9 inch jelly roll pan and cover it with overlapping rows of plums. (It may seem like the dough will never stretch to fit the entire pan, but be patient! Use the heel of your hand to gently spread the dough out evenly to each corner of the pan, the crust is supposed to be on the thinner side anyway.).
• Bake the tart for 1 hour and let it cool slightly before sprinkling with sugar for extra sweetness (or skip the sugar if you like it sweet-tart like I do).
• The plums will change color from green to a deep magenta as they bake, and will ooze lots of sticky purple juice that stains the crust beneath. Be careful not to overbake, this crust should be on the softer side.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN PLUM CAKE (ZWETSCHGENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Sift flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle.
• Crumble yeast into well and mix it with 1 tablespoon of sugar, milk and some flour. This first yeast-mixture should be still fluid. Cover and let rise in warm place for 20 minutes.
• Add remaining sugar, melted butter, egg and a good pinch of salt and mix with yeast mixture and flour. Knead with floured hands until dough is peeling away from the side of the bowl and blistering. This step may take 10 minutes (or more). Use some additional flour, if dough is too sticky. At the end you should have a smooth dough.
• Cover and let rise in warm place for about 25 to 30 minutes or until dough has doubled.
• Meanwhile prepare the plums. Cut lengthwise and pit them. Cut the still connected plum halves once again lengthwise, but do not cut through. You should have a depitted plum which you can easily flatten.
• Grease backing tray. Dough is calculated for a baking tray of 11 3/4 x 15 inches.
• Remove yeast dough from bowl, knead once or twice and roll out on baking tray using a floured rolling pin. Along the sides of the baking tray form a border with yeast dough.
• Place plums on yeast dough in closely rows and press slightly into dough. Let rise again for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven (425 F, 220 C).
• Bake the plum cake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix sugar and ground cinnamon for topping.
• Remove plum cake from oven and sprinkle with sugar-cinnamon mixture. Cut into 20 pieces and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
• NOTE on Baker's yeast: If possible use fresh baker's yeast. But you can replace it by 1 1/2 packages dry yeast.
• NOTE on Damson Plums: a traditional German Plum Cake is made with the slightly tart and not too juicy Damson Plums. You can also use other plum varieties, but the plums shouldn't be over-ripped or too juicy. I have tried it with other plum varieties and have reduced amount of sugar in topping.
• NOTE on traditional German Plum Cake: in my opinion this cake has to be made with yeast dough. It takes more time to make than other doughs, but it is worthwhile. Don't be afraid of the juices. This cake has to be juicy!
• There are existing several names for this type of frutit cake in Germany: Zwetschgenkuchen, Pflaumenkuchen and in Bavaria Zwetschgendatschi. Zwetschgen is the German name for Damson plums.

GERMAN PLUM CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon peel, sour cream and salt (if desired).
• Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
• Grease the base of a round baking pan and spread the dough over the pan.
• Liberally spread plums over the dough.
• To make the optional topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.
• Be careful not to let the bottom burn!
• Serve with lots of freshly-made whipped cream.
• If you like, you may also sprinkle rum or cinnamon over the fruit before baking.

PFLAUMENKUCHEN (GERMAN PLUM TART)

Steps:

• In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Cut in cold butter and and work with the fingers for the pie crust until the butter is the size of peas.
• Stir in sugar and the beaten egg.
• Stir with a fork until mixture gathers together. Chill 15 minutes in the freezer.
• Using a piece of wax paper to prevent the dough from sticking to the hands, press onto the bottom and sides of a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
• Wash, dry, halve lengthwise, and stone the plums. Stand them on edge in rows very close together on the pastry.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool, then cover with sifted powdered sugar.

GERMAN PLUM COFFEE CAKE WITH ALMONDS (PFLAUMENKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Cream together the butter and the sugar until smooth.
• Add eggs,one at a time,blending well after each addition.
• Mix together the flour, baking powder,and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
• Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in small batches, just enough to moisten all of the dry ingredients (do this with a whisk or wooden spoon, not with an electric mixer).
• Add the lemon juice.
• Grease a jelly roll pan (or large rimmed cookie sheet) and press batter into the pan, spreading evenly over entire surface.
• Sprinkle the plums over the batter.
• Bake in a preheated 175 C oven for 50 minutes or until tests done.
• Sprinkle with toasted almonds slices and dust heavily with powdered sugar.
• Cool and cut into squares to serve.

PFLAUMENKUCHEN

Steps:

• Mix the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
• Add the butter and blend it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry blender to form a mixture with an oatmeal-like texture.
• Beat the egg and milk together. Stir into the flour mixture with a fork until the dough comes together.
• Remove to a clean, floured surface and knead gently just until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
• Roll the dough out to about the size of the pan. Place the dough in the pan and press it to cover the bottom, creating a lightly raised edge. Prick the dough lightly all over with a fork.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the dough. Arrange the fruit neatly on top of the dough, cut side up.
• Bake in the preheated oven 35-45 minutes, or until the edges of the pastry are golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkly liberally with the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Serve hot or at room temperature.