Zwetschkenkuchen – The German Bakery Delight
Germany is a land of culinary delights. With myriad social events taking place all over the year, Germany specializes in celebratory gatherings with food and beverages which are the essence of Gemuetlichkeit. A wide range of desserts is served throughout the country. Fruits are a major ingredient in most of the cakes and tarts. A well-known cake, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte or Black Forest cake as it is more commonly recognized as originates from Germany. Made with cherries, it is perhaps amongst the most well-known tortes of Germany. Another popular dessert Rote Grütze is made of black and red currants, raspberries and strawberries. Zwetschkenkuchen is yet another German cake in which fruits are a major part of the dish. The scrumptious and nutritious
Taste of the native plums lends a unique flavor to this dessert.
Zwetschkenkuchen also known by the names of Pflaumenkuchen or Quetschekuche owes its name to the local plum tree of Germany zwetschge which is the German term for damson plums. Native to Germany this delicacy is a type of Blechkuchen or sheet cake made from yeast dough wrapped with Zwetschgen baked in a sheet pan. It is the most popular treat of summer when plum trees are filled with fruits.
Zwetschkenkuchen is a signature dish of Augsburg from where it is considered to have originated. This unique pie is served in various ways. It is most commonly served with Streusel which is a mixture of butter, sugar, and flour. It may be served without any extra added toppings. It may also be eaten with potato or vegetable soup. In some cities, it is also eaten with bean soup.
A traditional German Plum Cake is made from damson plums that are not overripe. The plums should be tart and firm. Wash the fruits before cooking. This removes the white layer of the plum which prevents drying. A sharp knife should be used to remove the stone. Plums do not lose much juice upon baking and so they remain crunchy throughout. Other plum varieties can also be used but they should not be too juicy. Plums also go well with other fruits like figs. Zwetschkenkuchen acquires an excellent taste when combined with quark.
There are different names attributed to this cake such as Zwetschgendatschi in Bavaria, Quetschekuche in Hessen and Saarland, Prummetaat in Rhineland and Eifel and Bibbelschesbohnesup un Quetschekuche in Palatinate.
Recipe:
The recipe serves 20 people. Preparation time is about 40 minutes. The dish will take up to 1 hour 25 minutes to make.
Ingredients:
For the dough
- 4 cups of wheat flour
- 1 ounce of baker’s yeast
- Four tablespoons of sugar
- 1 cup of milk
- 1/3 cup of unsalted and melted butter
- 1 egg
- One pinch of salt
For the filling
- 3 and ½ lbs of damson plums
- For the topping
- sugar -4 tablespoons sugar
- grounded cinnamon -1 tablespoon of
Preparation:
- To begin, prepare the batter first. For this, take a large sized bowl and sift the flour in it. Make a well in the middle. Crumble the yeast into the well and add one tablespoon of sugar, milk and some wheat flour. Mix well, cover the bowl and place it in a warm place for about 20 minutes. This allows the fermentation process aided by the yeast to occur.
- Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, egg and a pinch of salt and blend them with the yeast and flour mixture. Knead the dough with floured hands. The dough should be smooth enough so that it does not stick to the sides of the bowl and starts blistering. Some more flour can be added if the dough is not soft and is sticky. This process may take around 10 minutes.
- Cover and bowl and leave it in a warm place allowing the dough to rise. After standing time of 25 to 30 minutes, the dough will double in size.
- In the meantime, turn to the plums. Cut them lengthwise and pit them. If the halves of the plums are still connected cut them once again but make sure you do not cut them through. The desired result should be a pitted plum which can be easily flattened.
- The next step is to grease the baking tray. The quantity of dough is appropriate for a backing tray of 11 3/4 x 15 inches.
- Remove the yeast dough from the bowl. Knead it a few times before rolling the dough on the baking tray. Use a rolling pin to spread it out on the tray. Sprinkle flour on the pin to prevent stickiness. Make a border along the sides of the tray with the yeast dough.
- Place the plums on the yeast dough closely along rows. Press the plums slightly into the dough so that the plums are standing with their stem side up. Leave it for 15 minutes again to rise.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 degrees Centigrade.
- Keep the tray in the oven for around 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the topping, mix the sugar and grounded cinnamon.
- After you have baked the cake for enough time, remove the cake from the oven, cut it into 20 pieces and serve warm or cold. You may add a dollop of whipped cream to the slices.
And your lip-smacking summer treat is ready. You can add this recipe to your menu the next time you throw a family get together or a birthday party. All your guests will love this treat!