german kuchen
When I worked at the bank I had a customer who used to always come to my window to make his deposits for his business. He owned a bakery. He always smelled like doughnuts! I asked him one day if he would give me his recipe for the kuchen he sold. He wouldn't do it till the week he decided to close his bakery and retire. This recipe makes enough for 5 kuchens. You will put a little time into this recipe till you get used to handling the dough and knowing the toppings. It's worth all your troubles. My favorite is the cinnamon or butter kuchen.
Blue Ribbon Recipe
All cultures have some type of sweet dough and this German Kuchen is a great example. Kuchen is the German word for cake. The dough is slightly sweet and fluffy. Tasty on its own. But the toppings are where this recipe gets fun. The cinnamon topping is classic and almost like a cinnamon streusel. If you love cherries, try the cherry toppings. It's a wonderful complement to the bread. We'll admit, that the butter topping had us confused. There's no butter! Once baked, it sinks to the bottom creating a buttery custard. Simple and so good, the apple is a great topping for fall. The apples bake perfectly and are filled with cinnamon spice. The cheese topping is similar to the butter version where it sinks to the bottom while baking. If you asked us which is our favorite, we wouldn't be able to single one out. They're all good in their own way. Each recipe makes one Kuchen, so keep one or two for yourselves and give another to a neighbor or family. Whichever Kuchen you choose to make, you'll enjoy a bakery-quality treat.
Ingredients
- SWEET DOUGH
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 - eggs
- 5 cups bread flour
- CINNAMON TOPPNG
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- CHERRY TOPPING
- 1 can dark cherry pie filling
- CHEESE TOPPING
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1 - egg
- 1/2 cup sugar
- BUTTER TOPPING
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 - eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canola oil
- APPLE TOPPING
- 3 - apples, thinly sliced and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to taste
How To Make german kuchen
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Step 1Dough: Scald milk and add butter, sugar, and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a separate bowl and then add to milk mixture. Beat in eggs. -
Step 2Then add flour.
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Step 3Cover and let rise until doubled. About an hour.
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Step 4Punch down and divide into 5 pieces.
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Step 5Roll out into the desired shape and let rise 30 minutes. Then choose your topping. I used a 9" round cake pan for mine.
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Step 6Cinnamon Topping: Use a pastry blender to mix butter and brown sugar and flour. Add cinnamon and sprinkle over dough after it rises the second time.
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Step 7Dot with butter if desired.
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Step 8Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
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Step 9Cherry Topping: Heat can of dark cherry pie filling.
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Step 10Spread on the crust after it rises a second time.
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Step 11Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
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Step 12Cheese Topping; Mix cottage cheese, egg, and sugar in a blender or bowl until creamy. Heat slowly until warm on the stove.
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Step 13Pour on the dough after rises a second time.
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Step 14Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
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Step 15Butter Topping: Beat together sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly beat in oil. Add oil too fast and it will curdle. Heat on top of stove until hot.
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Step 16Pour on the crust after the second rising.
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Step 17Bake 25 minutes at 375.
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Step 18Apple Topping: Roll this dough out in a rectangle.
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Step 19Peel and slice thinly 3 apples. Fill the center with apples and dot with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and nutmeg to taste.
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Step 20Bake 20 minutes at 375.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
