Pflaumenkuchen 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.

FRESH PLUM KUCHEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Combine flour and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest. Pour into a greased 10-in. springform pan. Arrange plums on top; gently press into batter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. , Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan; remove sides. Cool on a wire rack.

PLUM KüCHEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Sift flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and salt into small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 6 tablespoons butter with 2/3 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then extracts. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with sour cream in 2 additions. Spread batter in pan.
• Arrange plum wedges on their sides in 4 long rows atop batter. Mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle over plums. Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Drizzle over kuchen.
• Bake kuchen until tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool until just warm, about 30 minutes, or to room temperature. Cut into 4 lengthwise strips. Cut each strip crosswise into thirds.

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.

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.

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.