In the realm of delectable desserts, the plum kuchen reigns supreme, its aroma tantalizing taste buds and its delectable flavors leaving a lasting impression. This classic German pastry, often referred to as Zwetschgendatschi, is characterized by a sweet yeast dough base, a layer of juicy plums, and a crumbly streusel topping, creating a symphony of textures that will delight the senses and add joy to any occasion. As you embark on your culinary journey to create this iconic dish, let us guide you through the essential steps and introduce you to the secrets that will elevate your plum kuchen to a masterpiece.
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FRESH PLUM KUCHEN
In late summer when plums are in season, this tender fruit-topped cake is delectable! The plum slices look so appealing arranged in circles on top. For variety, I sometimes substitute fresh pear or apple slices instead. -Anna Daley, Montague, Prince Edward Island
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 1h
Yield 12 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 185 calories, Fat 5g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 46mg cholesterol, Sodium 89mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (24g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.
PLUM KUCHEN
Moist plum coffee cake with sugar and cinnamon crumble topping.
Provided by Amy
Categories Desserts Cakes Coffee Cake Recipes
Time 50m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 7x11-inch baking dish.
- Beat 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons margarine together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Mix eggs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt into creamed margarine mixture; stir in vanilla. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Arrange plums, skin side-down, atop batter.
- Mix 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 3 tablespoons margarine, and cinnamon together in a bowl until crumbly; spoon over batter and plums.
- Bake in the preheated oven until plums are softened, about 35 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 231.7 calories, Carbohydrate 43.5 g, Cholesterol 31 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 3.1 g, SaturatedFat 1.1 g, Sodium 152.8 mg, Sugar 30.6 g
PFLAUMENKUCHEN (GERMAN PLUM CAKE)
One of my all-time favorite things to eat in life, this plum cake couldn't be more sentimental. It's a classic German recipe that my grandmother made at the end of every summer during the brief window when the Italian prune plums are in season. Today, my mom and I both carry on that tradition, and I can still eat an entire tray by myself if left to my own devices. Pro-tip: Don't use anything but a 9x13 jelly roll pan for this. Anything larger and the dough won't fill the pan, any smaller and the dough will be too thick.
Provided by Amanda Gryphon
Categories Dessert
Time 1h20m
Yield 1 pan, 12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
PLUM KUCHEN
Provided by Ruth Cousineau
Categories Cake Mixer Brunch Dessert Bake Plum Summer Butter Gourmet Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Stir together yeast and warm water in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
- Add 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, salt, yogurt, egg, zest, and vanilla to yeast mixture and mix at medium-low speed 1 minute. Beat in 1 stick butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until dough is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Scrape down side of bowl and sprinkle dough with remaining 2 tablespoons flour. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter in bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Cut each plum half into 5 or 6 slices and arrange in 1 layer pan.
- Stir dough until flour is incorporated, then spread evenly over plums. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
- Bake until kuchen is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert and unmold onto a rack to cool completely.
GERMAN PLUM CAKE
This cake is actually known as Zwetschgendatschi in Bavaria, where it is most popular. Roughly translated from Bavarian to German, it would be called Pflaumenkuchen or plum cake in English. BUT Zwetschgen aren't ordinary plums, a Datschi isn't really a Kuchen, and a Kuchen is most definitely not a cake! Or at least not a tall, spongy cake -- it's flatter. Ideally, for this dessert you want the slightly tart Italian plums. If you do have to use another type of plum, be careful the variety you choose isn't too juicy.
Provided by Sackville
Categories Breads
Time 1h5m
Yield 1 cake
Number Of Ingredients 14
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.
PLUM STREUSEL KUCHEN
This recipe is actually called "platz" in German (meaning "flat") and has been in my family since before I was born. The fresh fruits of summer make it a favorite, and it's simply wonderful warm out of the oven. We enjoy this German plum cake with ice cream or whipped cream, too. -Lisa Warkentin, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h
Yield 15 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles fine crumbs. In another bowl, whisk egg and cream; add to crumb mixture, tossing gently with a fork until mixture forms a ball. , Press dough into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Arrange plums over crust., For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add cream, mixing gently with a fork until moist crumbs form. Sprinkle over plums. , Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 235 calories, Fat 10g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 37mg cholesterol, Sodium 126mg sodium, Carbohydrate 33g carbohydrate (15g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 3g protein.
PLUM KüCHEN
Categories Cake Mixer Fruit Dessert Bake Plum Fall Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Serves 12
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
ZWETSCHEKUCHEN (GERMAN PLUM TART)
This is the plum cake or tart that my Grossmutter made. It is delicious, and any fruit can be substituted for the plums. Therefore it is a seasonally great! It's a Southern German dessert from the Zweibrucken area. My daughter requested this for her 'birthday cake' when she turned 7; it was a hit at her party! Top with whipped cream. My personal favorite version is to alternate plum and nectarine slices.
Provided by Shanda
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 5h15m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place the flour, 1 1/3 cup of sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and butter into the work bowl of a food processor, and process until the mixture turns grainy. Stop the machine, add eggs and egg yolks, and process in the machine until the mixture gathers itself up into one dough ball. If the dough doesn't ball up, stop the machine, sprinkle several drops of water onto the dough, and process again. Place the dough into a covered container and refrigerate at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
- The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to warm up.
- Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to make a 9 1/2-inch circle. Dough will be rich and sticky. Scrape up the dough circle, and press into a 9-inch pie dish. Quarter and slice the plums, and place skin sides down onto the dough in a neat ring, starting at the outer edge and working in a neat row towards the center.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the plums are bubbling hot and the crust starts to brown, about 45 minutes.
- Allow the tart to cool, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 450.6 calories, Carbohydrate 68.3 g, Cholesterol 105.8 mg, Fat 17.6 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 6.8 g, SaturatedFat 10.3 g, Sodium 122.8 mg, Sugar 34.7 g
Tips:
- Choose ripe, flavorful plums: The quality of your plums will greatly impact the taste of your kuchen. Look for plums that are deep in color and slightly soft to the touch.
- Use a combination of plums: This will give your kuchen a more complex flavor and texture. Try using a mix of sweet and tart plums.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing can make the batter tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Bake the kuchen until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean: This usually takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Let the kuchen cool slightly before serving: This will help the kuchen hold together when you cut it.
- Serve the kuchen with whipped cream, ice cream, or your favorite topping: This will make the kuchen even more delicious.
Conclusion:
Plum kuchen is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is a great way to use up fresh plums and is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So next time you have a few ripe plums on hand, give this recipe a try.
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