Habsburg Discussion Network. Aprikosenkuchen. This recipe for apricot cake is plain-Jane in everything but the taste. Many Germans know how to make this by heart; it's as popular as Toll-House cookies in the US. Black Forest Torte. This authentic German cake is made up of a chocolate layer cake with cherries in the middle and whipped cream on top. Kaiserschmarn. Schmarrn comes in several forms, both sweet and savory, and is usually made up of eggs and a starch, cooked in butter and pulled apart to finish browning. This Austrian pancake dessert - Kaiserschmarrn - was first served to Emperor Franz Joseph I around the turn of the century, but there are several legends telling just how it was developed. It is enriched with raisins and sugar, making it a "Süβspeise" (sweet meal) fit for a king. Serves 4 for dessert or 2 for a main dish. See larger image Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 3 T. raisins, soaked in 3 T. rum (or more if you like raisins)4 eggs, separatedPinch of salt1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (omit if you use vanilla sugar)Lemon zest (optional)3 T. sugar or 2 T. regular sugar plus 1 T. vanilla sugar1 5/8 c. milk1 c. cake flour (or regular, all-purpose flour)ButterPowdered sugarApplesauce, current jam, sour cherries or other fruit accompaniment.
Preparation: Kirsch Kaltschale. Fruit soups and "Kaltschalen" like this cherry soup are very popular in Europe.
A "Kaltschale" is a cold soup made from fruit or milk or even beer or wine. It can be eaten as a first course in the summer or as a light dessert. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Refrigerate before serving: 1 hour. Linseneintopf. A cold evening deserves a good, thick soup.
Lentils are quick-cooking beans which do not need to be soaked before cooking. Serves 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes Ingredients: 1 T oil 2 small or 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)1 lb dry brown lentils1 tsp marjoram6 cups water1 leek, cleaned and chopped2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 1/2 cups)2 small carrots, peeled and chopped (3/4 cup)3/4 lb sausage, sliced (good choices are hot dogs, bockwurst and knackwurst, or dried, salami-like Jägerwurst)2 T granulated instant broth, chicken, beef or vegetable flavor1 T balsamic vinegar1 T white vinegarCoarsly ground pepper Preparation: Brown the chopped onion in 1 tablespoon oil. While the lentils are cooking, prepare the other vegetables by washing, peeling and chopping fine (1/2 inch cubes for potatoes, a little smaller for carrots).
Pharisäer Kaffee. This drink was invented for a christening of a baby girl, Johanna Theodora Katharina, on Nordstrand Island on the 29th of February, 1872. Pastor Gustav Beyer was very strict and always berating his flock their for godless drinking. In order to avoid his wrath, the congregation served a drink made with rum and coffee. The whipped cream on top kept the rum aroma from wafting through the air and upsetting the pastor, who received plain coffee with whipped cream. However, at some point, the good man got a whiff of what was going on behind his back and cried out, "Ihr Pharisäer!
" or "You Pharisees! " Serves 1 See larger image. Quark. Quark is a soured-milk, fresh cheese product which is gaining popularity in the US because of its versatility. It is found all over Germany, Poland and Austria. You can eat it straight like cottage cheese, as a spread on bread, for dessert and you can bake with it. Quark requires the same bacteria that is used in making buttermilk. Make sure the buttermilk you buy has live cultures in it, or you will get the wrong kind of bacterial growth. You might also want to buy the freeze dried bacterial culture to make it. For two more off site methods to your own quark from milk, and buttermilk these recipes will work.
Making Späetzle. How to Make Homemade Quark. Quark is a specialty fresh cheese common to Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland and several other European countries.
It is not very common in the US, and purchasing it can be an expensive proposition unless you live near a dairy which makes it. For all that, it is easier to make than yogurt, requiring no special equipment. Makes one cup stiff quark. see larger image Milk can be pasteurized but do not use ultra-pasteurized milk or "H-Milch". Use a large pan with a tight fitting lid. Put the lid on the milk and let the milk cool to room temperature. Using a whisk which is very clean (boil it or take it out of a hot dishwasher), whisk 1/4 teaspoon of the bacterial culture (in powdered form) into the milk until dissolved.
If you are using buttermilk, stir it in instead of the freeze dried culture. Replace the lid and let the milk sit undisturbed at room temperature for at least 6 hours, or follow package directions. Mixed Drinks in Germany. If you are ordering drinks in Germany or need a special mix to wash down that wonderful roast and potatoes, look no further.
Here is a list of the most common mixed drinks served in Germany. These mixed drinks serve to cut down on alcohol content and still thirst. Cocktails made with hard liquor were not popular until recently and follow the American style. Mixed Drinks made with Beer The Radler, an equal mix of lager beer and lemonade. Mixed Wine Drinks A Kir is a white wine cocktail that is made by pouring a small amount of Crème de cassis (blackcurrant liquor) in the bottom of a wine glass and adding wine to the fill mark.
Non-Alcoholic Mixed Drinks. Buying German Bread Outside of Germany. German bread is so addictive that ex-pats and German visitors will go to great lengths to find it abroad. Here we have an (incomplete) list of German bakeries outside of Germany. Let's see if there is one in your area. The German Bread Haus will ship UPS, or you can find their bread in stores around Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They carry breads such as "Four Seed Fruit and Nut Power" "Black Forest Rye" "Wheat and Honey" "Original Six Grain" "German Black Bread" "Bavarian Farmer’s Rye" as well as Stollen in season.