Husaren Cookies

Husaren Cookies

 (Husarenkrapferl, Thumbprint Cookies, Shortcrust cookies)

 

Ingredients:

 2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

½ cup sugar
½ lb butter
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz blanched grated almonds or hazelnuts

 

Directions:

 Cut the butter into the flour/sugar mixture.  Form well, add yolks, and gather into a ball.  Roll on wax paper.  Form small balls, make thumbprint in center.  Fill with jelly.  Bake at 325 F.

 

Note:  Here's another one I found in Gertrude's handwriting. 

 

Mürbeteig

Mürbeteig (Basic)

Ingredients:

 2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour

½ cup sugar
½ lb butter
3 egg yolks
Grated rind of one lemon

 

Directions:

Cut the butter into the flour/sugar mixture.  Add lemon peel.  Form well, add yolks, and gather into a ball.  Roll on wax paper.  Place in desired pan.  Bake at 350 F, 30-40 minutes.

 

 Note:  this dough (short crust) is used as the base for a number of German cakes and cookies.  This is another one of Gertrude’s handwritten recipes that I was able to find. She had some variations, such as the addition of rum, milk, chocolate, and ground almonds. In summer, she often baked a fruit tart (Obst Torte) using a round fluted tart pan (tin) for the crust.  I do not have the recipe for the fruit portion of it.

Biskuit Torte

8 eggs separated

1 cup fine sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup flour (sifted)
2/3 cup cornstarch  (sifted)

Beat eggwhite until very stiff.  Beat in half the sugar until glossy and when cut with a knife, cut remains.  Beat eggyolks in other bowl with rest of sugar and vanilla until light and foamy.  Add about 4-5 T. eggwhites to lighten the yolks.  Pour yellow mixture on top of white.  Sift flour and cornstarch on top.  With wooden spoon fold lightly (don’t stir) until no eggwhite or flour is seen.  Put into greased and floured springform pan.  Bake at 300 degrees F, 30 to 40 minutes.  Dough is very sensitive.  Don’t hit bowl, pan, or stove or tumble on the floor while cake is baking.

 

Chocolate Pudding (Buttercream frosting):

2/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp. cocoa
¼ cup cornstarch
2 ½ cup milk
Add 1 tsp. vanilla when cooking
(Or use 1 box pudding mix and add 1T. cornstarch to it.)

 

Let cool to room temperature.  Have 2 sticks butter at room temperature.  Beat the butter until very light and foamy.  Beat the pudding in 1 tsp. at a time.  If you do it too fast, the buttercream will curdle.  It is important to have both the butter and the pudding at room temperature for several hours.  When buttercream is ready and cake is cold, cut cake in 3 pieces for layers. The bottom layer is filled with current or other good jelly.  The second and top layer and sides are frosted with the chocolate buttercream.  Put shaved sweet or semi sweet chocolate at top for decoration.

 

G

 

Notes from Helga:  this is a recipe written out in Mom’s own handwriting that I recently found stuffed in the back of a Land O’Lakes recipe box.  Sometimes it pays to be a pack-rat.  I firmly believe the admonishment about tumbling on the floor was directed at Dennis Beck :>).  Biskuit Torte is the “boden” or base of many different kinds of cakes.

Broccoli Salad

 

Ingredients:

3 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets

½ small red onion, finely chopped
8 slices of turkey bacon, fried and crumbled
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 12-15 oz jar poppyseed salad dressing (Marzetti’s is good)
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (optional)

 

Directions:

 Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Refrigerate.  Serve chilled.

 

Notes:  This salad makes a good side dish for a picnic or a BBQ.  You can substitute chopped green onion instead of red onion and different cheeses according to your preference.

This is one of my own recipes, and I have made it many times.

 

 

Homemade White Bread

Pour 8 C. hot water into mixing bowl with "heaping" 1/2 C. honey & 1/2 C. oil.

In separate large bowl,  1/2 C. luke warm water (heavy on the warm,
but not hot) add 2 Tbs yeast & 1 tsp. sugar.  Mix well and set aside
while yeast grows.

Add 1 2/3 C. powdered milk, 10 C. flour  & 1 heaping T. salt to
water, honey & oil mixture,  mix well.
Add yeast mixture, mix for 10 min.  Dough will be sticky.  Slowly add
1/4 C. flour at a time until dough is soft & doesn't stick to finger
when you dip finger in just a "little" bit of flour & touch.  (Too
much flour makes bread tough and not enough flour makes bread too soft
to work with and doesn't hold shape).

Place dough in large oily tub, cover with towel,  and set in warm area
for dough to rise double in size.  About an hour.
Grease pans with shortening, then put some shortening on hands to
handle loaves while dividing dough into equal parts and shaping into
loaves.  Try to pop bubbles as they form.

Let rise until double in size.  Bake at 375 for 15 min, then reduce
heat to 350 for 30 min or until done. (Normally it takes me about 25
minutes in my oven. If you tap the loaf and it sounds hollow it is
done.)  Butter tops and remove from pans to cool on wire racks or
towels.

This recipe makes about 6 loaves.  I usually freeze 3 loaves.  When
thawing, just set out for about 2 hours, then put in hot oven
(300-350) for about 5 min, it taste like you just made it!!!
This recipe also halves very well.  So if you don't want to make six
loaves you can make a smaller batch.

Note from Helga:  Thanks to Mary Beck Vansyoc for sharing this recipe.  It is a traditional recipe from her friend's great grandma.  I posted a picture of Mary's bread loaves earlier in this blog.

Rum Cake

 

1 yellow cake mix, with “pudding in the mix”

½ cup Captain Morgan’s spiced rum

½ cup water
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs, slightly beaten

Mix all ingredients together and beat with electric mixer for two minutes. Pour into greased 13 x 9 baking pan (you can make this with a bundt pan if you want).  Bake at 350°F until done (approximately 35 minutes).  Remove from oven and let stand about five minutes.  Pour hot rum glaze (following) over cake.  It takes about 45 minutes for the glaze to fully absorb into the cake (just let it sit).

 

Hot Rum Glaze

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter
¼ cup water
½ cup rum

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute.  Enjoy.

Note:  No, this is not one of Gertrude's recipes.  I have been making this one myself for about 10 years.  It has a very moist texture.  I have brought it to parties and people love it.

Rohkost (Apple-Carrot Salad)

Ingredients

• 1 cup carrots, coarsely grated
• 3/4 cup apples, grated
• 3 tablespoons nuts (roughly chopped, toasted if desired)
• 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon honey (or sugar)
• 1 -2 teaspoon lemon juice (depending on desired sweetness)
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except nuts together, sprinkle with nuts.
2. Serve immediately, because it turns brown within an hour.

 

Notes:  “Rohkost” translates to “raw food.”  Mom and Dad called it “Rohkost” or “Apfelkost.”

Baked Cauliflower with Bread Crumb Topping

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
Oregano
Garlic salt

Steam or cook cauliflower until tender - about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat

Mix breadcrumbs, melted butter, cheese, oregano and garlic salt

Place breadcrumb mixture on cauliflower

Bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes


This recipe is pretty close to Omi Beck's.  Very delicious.

Honey Oatmeal Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup butter
5 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
2 eggs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water

Place water, honey, and butter in small saucepan.  Heat over low heat until mixture is very warm (120 - 130f).  Mix 5 cups flour and remaining dry ingredients.  Gradually add liquid mixture and eggs.  Slowly add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time until dough is right consistency.

Let rise about an hour.

Punch down, form loaves, let rise about one more hour.  Brush loaves with mixture of water and egg white, sprinkle with oatmeal.  Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes.

Mary (Beck) Vansyoc's homemade bread

Blueberry Sheet Cake

Blueberry (Blaubeeren) Streusel Kuchen

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 pkg. active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water
2 egg yolks
1whole egg
¼ cup sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup butter
3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground mace
Grated rind of one lemon

Filling:

1 quart blueberries

Streusel topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar
½ cup ground almonds (optional)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
½ cup butter

Directions:

Cake: 

Sprinkle yeast into warm water.  Let stand for a few minutes, then stir until dissolved.  Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and whole egg until thick and lemon colored.  Gradually beat in the sugar.  Scald the milk and melt the butter in it and cool to luke warm.  Add 1 cup of flour and yeast to the egg mixture and beat well.  Add the milk, salt, mace, lemon rind, and remaining flour and beat for 5 minutes.  Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk.  Punch down.  Place on a lightly floured board and roll out lightly and quickly to about ¼ inch thickness.  Place on floured or greased baking sheet.  Cover and let rise again until ½ inch thick.   Spread blueberries over top of dough.

Topping:

Sift together all dry ingredients.  Work in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle over cake.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

Variations:

Use other fruits such as sliced apples or cherries

Apfel Streuselkuchen

Apfel Streuselkuchen (Apple Crumb Cake)

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 ½ cups flour

¾ cups sugar
½ cup milk
1 ½ sticks butter
3 eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. baking powder

 

Filling:

1 20 oz. jar chunky applesauce

1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)

Streusel topping:

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups flour
2 tsp. vanilla

 

Directions:

Cake:  Beat butter until foamy and add sugar, eggs, and lemon extract.  Combine flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture.  Beat well and add just enough milk so dough drops heavy from spoon.  Spread dough into a buttered glass 9” x 11” baking dish and top with applesauce.  Sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Topping:  Combine butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla, working with hands or two forks.  Mix until ingredients transform into loose crumbs.  Sprinkle streusel over cake until covered.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 75 minutes or until edges of cake are golden brown.  Remove and allow to cool before serving.

 

Variations:  can use apple pie filling instead of applesauce, or other fruits such as cherries or peaches.

 

Note: this is a recipe similar to Mom’s.  She used applesauce that she canned from apples on the farm.

Spitzbuben

Spitzbuben (German jam cookies)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cups butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg white
• 3 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fruit preserves, any flavor
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions:

1.                    [Vanilla sugar can be purchased commercially in packets.  To make your own vanilla sugar, combine 1 1/2 to 2 cups sugar with a rinsed and dried vanilla bean in a pint jar. Cover and shake well. Shake occasionally for 2 -3 days. Use flavored sugar, replenishing with fresh sugar, as needed. ]
2.                    Beat butter until soft and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt until mass has a lighter color.
3.                    Beat the egg white into the creamed mixture, making sure to incorporate fully. Add in the flour and mix. Cover the dough, and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
4.                    Take the dough out of the refrigerator, and roll it out until it is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 2 or 3 inch circles with fluted cookie cutters. Cut smaller circles into the middle of half of the circles.  Avoid rerolling the trimmings more than once, the cookie gets tough if the dough is overworked.
5.                    Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
6.                    Warm up strawberry, apricot, or raspberry jam. Put some jam on the cookies without the holes in the middle. Then put the cookies with the holes on top of the ones with jam. Sprinkle a bit of confectioners' sugar on top to make them look nice.

 

Notes:  An approximate translation of “Spitzbuben” is “Little Rascals.”  The cookies are also called Swiss sandwich cookies.  Some recipes also call for ground almond in the dough.  Instead of confectioners sugar, you can use fine granulated sugar in the dough.  Another substitution would be vanilla extract instead of the vanilla sugar.  Mom made these cookies at Christmastime.  She usually used strawberry jam.

Potato Dumplings

Kartoffelklöβe (Potato Dumplings)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour ( or more)
• 1/8 cup cornstarch (or potato starch, much preferred, if you can get it)
• 1 large eggs
• 2 slices sourdough bread or 2 slices white bread (good quality, dense bread not supermarket foamy stuff)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon corn oil or 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Trim crusts off bread and save them for another use.
2. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes and fry in butter and oil mixture until golden brown, transfer to paper towel to dry.
3. Cook scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Drain.
5. Cool slightly.
6. Peel.
7. Cut potatoes into large pieces.
8. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
9. Mash potatoes with fork or run through ricer into large bowl.
10. Mix in salt and nutmeg.
11. Add 1/2 cup flour and cornstarch.
12. Using hands, knead mixture in bowl until smooth dough forms, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky.
13. Mix in egg.
14. Form dough into balls, using 1/4 cupful for each.
15. Insert bread cube into center of each dumpling; roll dumpling between palms to enclose bread cube completely and form smooth balls.
16. Working in batches, cook dumplings in large pot of nearly boiling salted water 10-15 minutes (or until dumplings rise to top).
17. Using slotted spoon, transfer dumplings to large bowl.
18. Keep covered with a damp kitchen towel as remaining dumplings are cooked.
19. You should place no more than 4-5 dumplings in your pot at any one time in order to prevent them from sticking together or touching during cooking, which will cause them to fall apart.
20. Serves: 6, Yield: 12 dumplings

About This Recipe

These are German-style potato dumplings, very popular in the South of Germany. They are traditionally served with any roast with gravy and red cabbage.  Second-day leftovers can be sliced into slabs and fried in butter.   Mom only made them on special occasions.

Milk Rice

Rice Porridge  (Milch Reis)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup converted rice
1 quart milk
1 pinch salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup raisins, optional

Directions:
Cook rice in milk with salt and butter, very slowly until kernels are tender but have not lost their shape. If you have patience, do this in the top of a double broiler. It will take 1 1/2 to 2 hours but will be worth it.

The mixture should be very thick and can be stirred several times during cooking. When done, flavor with sugar, cinnamon and add raisins--if you are using them. This may be served hot or cold.

Note:  This is a recipe that is similar to the “milk rice” that Mom used to make.  I believe the texture was a little thinner.  She did not use the raisins and served it hot, as a meal.  Dad loved this stuff, but Mom and we kids thought it was bland and boring.

Potato Salad (hot)

Hot German Potato Salad (Warmer Kartoffelsalat)

 Ingredients:

9 potatoes, peeled

      6 slices bacon
      3/4 cup chopped onions
      2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
      2 tablespoons white sugar
      2 teaspoons salt
      1/2 teaspoon celery seed
      1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
      3/4 cup water
      1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool and slice thin.

  Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.   Drain, crumble and set aside, reserving drippings.

Sauté onions in bacon drippings until they are golden-brown.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Add to the sautéed onions and cook and stir until bubbly, then remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar, then return to the stove and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute. Carefully stir bacon and sliced potatoes into the vinegar/water mixture, stirring gently until potatoes are heated through.

 Note:  Again, this is not Mom’s exact recipe, but I checked a number of sources and most hot potato salads are made with these ingredients.

Potato Salad (cold)

Cold Potato Salad (Kalter Kartoffelsalat)

Ingredients:

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,171,148184-246204,00.html
Content Copyright © 2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 qt. water
8 med. russet potatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sweet pickle juice
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. minced onion
1 c. finely chopped sweet pickles

 

Directions:

Cook unpeeled potatoes in boiling salted water.  Do not over cook, or they will fall apart in salad.  Peel while still hot and cut into ¾ inch cubes.

In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, pickle juice, pepper and dash of salt. Add potatoes, eggs and chopped pickles. Toss lightly to mix. Season to taste. Serve cold.

Garnish: Line bowl with lettuce leaves and top the salad with hard cooked egg slices.

Note:  I don’t have an exact recipe from Mom for potato salad.  This one has the same basic ingredients.  I would go less on the pickle, but just personal preference.  For seasoning, it would be typical of Mom to add fresh chopped chives and parsley from the garden.

German Marble cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons dark rum

Directions

1.                    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.

2.                    In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the milk and almond extract.

3.                    In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Turn half of the batter into another bowl and stir in the cocoa and rum.

4.                    Layer the light and dark batters by large spoonfuls and then swirl slightly with a knife.

5.                    Bake the cake in at 350 degree F (175 degree C) for about 70 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. Transfer to a rack to cool. Makes about 14 to 16 servings.

 

Note:  it would be worth buying a tube pan if you don’t have one, since that provides the ideal presentation.

Potato Pancakes

Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes)

 

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 large onion, quartered
1/2 cup milk
1/2 - 1 cup flour (use 1/2 cup flour with drier
potatoes; up to 1 cup with more watery potatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
Vegetable oil

 

Directions:

Grate potatoes and onion into a bowl. Add milk, then stir in flour, salt, and eggs. Mix well.

In a large, heavy skillet heat 1/2 inch frying oil until hot. Drop potato batter (1/4 cup per pancake) into skillet and fry until golden brown and crisp on both sides.

Drain on a paper towel.

 

Notes:  Batter must be fried immediately, or it will turn brown.   They could be made without onions.   Serve with applesauce or Pflaummuβ.   Of course, we kids liked them with ketchup.  Mom stood in the kitchen and fried pancakes while we ate.  This was always served in the evening as the only entrée.  When I was a student at IPFW, my German professor, Christiane Seiler, used to come for dinner at our house, and loved these potato pancakes.  She was from Bochum, and called them “Reibeplätzchen.”

 

Covered Apple Cake

Make crust:     3 cups flour

                        3 tsp. baking powder

                        3 T. sugar

                        ½ tsp. vanilla

                        1 egg

                        6 T. milk

                        1 stick margarine

 

Sift dry ingredients; make a “well” with spoon, and fill with egg, milk, and vanilla.  Mix gradually from the inside out until all flour is moistened.  Add the refrigerated margarine with pastry blender.  Knead until smooth.  Refrigerate for easier handling.

 

Filling:            3 lb. tart apples

                        2-5 T. sugar

                        1 cup raisins

                        1 T. butter

                        Few drops of rum or rum flavoring

 

Steam peeled apples in tightly covered skillet over very low heat.  Use 1 T. butter to keep from sticking.  Cook apples just until heated through, not soft and mushy; turn off heat, add raisins, and replace lid until raisins are plumped.  Then add rum flavoring.  Cool the filling while rolling out the crust.

Cut dough in half.  Roll out onto a 15 x 10” cookie sheet, making as for pizza, with a 1/2  to 1” rim all around to hold apple filling.  Roll out top crust and to “join” crusts, use an egg yolk with 1 T. milk.  The remainder can be used on the top crust for a glaze, after pricking with a fork (as for pie crust, to allow steam to escape).

 

Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes.  As an alternative glaze, use powdered sugar and lemon juice as soon as the cake is taken from the oven.

 

Note from Helga:  I don’t really remember this dish, but Mrs. Deimling gave me this recipe, which she got from Mom.  The ingredients are similar to Apple Strudel, but it is not shaped in to a roll.

 

 

 

G