My German friends always had a Kuchen ready when you came by for coffee.
It's an everyday coffee cake that's easy to prepare, stays fresh and is
versatile.
In North American we typically experience this dough as risen pastry;
coffee cakes and cinnamon buns being the standard presentations.
This is a quick recipe, meant to be made the same day and which only
requires one rising.
It's tasty; and not as much work as the fine pastry dough.
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter or shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons traditional yeast
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
3 3/4 cups flour
In a bowl mix water, milk, salt, shortening sugar until you feel the
sugar is dissolved completely. Add yeast and let sit on the counter for
about an hour. Add 2 well beaten eggs and 3 3/4 cups flour.
Mix well and cover until risen to 2 -3 times original size.
Push down and place on a lightly floured surface.
Now you have your dough, there are many ways of preparing it: This
recipe will make 2 cakes and is a very versatile dough. You can add
whatever leftover fruit or nuts you have handy. Some preparation
examples are:
Fancy Coffee Cake
In a deep cake or Bundt pan cut and roll the dough into small balls. Dip
in melted butter or shortening. Roll balls in sugar mixed with cinnamon.
Layer in pan as above and sprinkle raisins, nuts, etc between the balls and
let rise and hour. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes and let cool before
serving.
Traditional
Add
some cinnamon to the dough if to your taste. In a flat cake pan press
peeled and uncooked fruit (apples, peaches, pears, plums) into the batter.
Let rise and bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Let cool and dust with
confectioners sugar.
Cinnamon Rolls
THIS small amount of pastry becomes:
after an hour or so...
Mix raisins and cinnamon into the dough. Roll into a tube about 1 " in
diameter. Roll as illustrated above. It will look pretty small in the pan,
like a little worm. But give it and hour or 2 and it will rise and fill the
pan completely. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes. Brush with confectioners
sugar and let cool before serving.
Tray of Cinnamon Rolls.
This is similar to the recipe above; but you make many little rolls which
turn into larger ones once risen. Brush with shortening 2 minutes before
removing from oven then brush with confectioners sugar while still warm for
a glossy finish.
