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Silvesterbowle – New Year’s Eve Punch with Fruit

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This is a simpler version of the New Year’s Eve punch and my personal favorite. It is lower in alcoholic content than the Silvesterpunsch (avoid those hangovers!) and very pleasant to drink.

Difficulty: Easy.

Preparation Time: Very little, but best started one day in advance.

Portions: About 10 as specified, can be adjusted.

 Ingredients:

  • One 24 oz can or two smaller cans of canned fruit (strawberries, sliced peaches or pineapple chunks).
  • 750 ml bottle of white wine (preferably Riesling).
  • 750 ml bottle of champagne (not too dry).
  • Sugar.

Preparation:

  1. One day in advance: Put the canned fruit and the white wine into a large punch bowl. Keep in refrigerator until shortly before serving.
  2. When ready to serve, add chilled champagne to punch bowl.
  3. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to taste.
  4. Ladle into punch glasses including pieces of fruit. Serve chilled and provide cocktail spears for the fruit pieces.

The quantities given above will be appropriate for about 3 to 4 persons. Multiply for larger parties.

Apfel Maultaschen – Apple Turnovers Recipe

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These are yummy! I have had a lot of people ask for recipes for these, and here it is finally! Enjoy!

Difficulty: Moderate.

Preparation Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Ingredients:Apfel Maultaschen

  • 8-10 apples
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Crisco
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3-cup milk
  • Cinnamon & sugar
  • Melted butter
  • Topping
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • ½ cups sugar

Kartoffelkroketten – Potato Croquettes Recipe

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This is a great accompaniment for many things. It is fancier than mashed potatoes and french fries, but satisfies the need for a potato side. Try serving with cod in a wine and mustard sauce!

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 35 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 kg / 1.6 lbs potatoes (mealy or mashing type like Russet)
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 1 small egg
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pinch of nutmeg (optional)
  • pinch of pepper, preferably white ground
  • oil for frying, canola

Read more Kartoffelkroketten – Potato Croquettes Recipe ›

Streuselkuchen – Streusel (Crumb) Cake Recipe

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This is a wonderful, easy to make crumb cake, in which you can prepare your own fruit for a filling, or use canned pie filling. Filling the cake with apple or cherry are my two favorite options, but I have also used peaches. This is as close to pie as Germans get, and honestly, this is much better with a strong cup of coffee than American pie. Enjoy!

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 70 minutes.
Portions: 10 slices.

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour (400 grams)
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
  • 1/4 tsp. double acting baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 14 Tbsp. butter or margarine (250 grams)
  • one can of pie filling, or prepared fruit as for a pie

Read more Streuselkuchen – Streusel (Crumb) Cake Recipe ›

Silvesterpunsch – New Year’s Eve Punch Bowl Recipe

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New Year’s Eve in Germany wouldn’t be the same without a large bowl of this, for even a meager gathering of 4 people. Very easy to make, and delicious.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes.
Portions: 11 cups, approximate.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 750 ml bottle of dry white wine
  • 750 ml bottle of dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup dark Jamaican rum

Preparation:

  1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pot, while stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
  2. Add the wines and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the rum and lemon juice.
  3. Ladle the punch into cups and serve warm.

Pfeffernüsse I – Pepper Nut Cookie Recipe I

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These are traditional German Christmas cookies, but are wonderful anytime. The nice thing about these is that they are so well-known, you can find them sold through many brands right in your local grocery store. Of course, homemade is always nice – especially when giving the gift of cookies to family and friends.

Difficulty: Moderate.
Preparation Time: *See recipe.
Portions: 3 – 4 dozen.

Ingredients:

  • 1 2/3 c. blanched almonds or hazelnuts (about 1/2 pound)
  • 4 c. unbleached flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. finely ground black or white pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. dry powdered mustard
  • 1/4 tsp. ground mace
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 2 1/2 sticks butter (10 ounces), softened
  • 1 1/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 c. honey
  • 1/3 c. warm water
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Read more Pfeffernüsse I – Pepper Nut Cookie Recipe I ›

Buttergebäck – German Butter Cookie Recipe

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One thing you will always find at any German bakery are butter cookies. Kids love them, and Omas always have a stash for the kiddies. They are a great staple for sweet trays around the holidays too, and can be cut into any shape you like. They are definitely one of my guilty pleasures this time of year! 🙂

Difficulty: Moderate.
Preparation Time: *See recipe.
Portions: 3 + dozen.

Ingredients:

  • 6 c. flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 pound butter, softened
  • 2 1/4 c. sugar
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 c. fruity wine, such as Riesling

Read more Buttergebäck – German Butter Cookie Recipe ›

Glühwein – German Spiced Wine Recipe

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Christmas is upon us! For anyone closely linked to German culture, that means many things, but one of the top of that list is Glühwein. If you visit Germany around the holidays, everyone knows that you MUST go to at least one Weihnachtsmarkt, and have at least one hot, beautiful, soulful cup of Glühwein. Here in the states it is very hard to find premade. If you are lucky enough to have an Aldi’s that sells liquor near by, you can usually find it there. However, some of us are not that lucky. For us, there is this recipe. I hope it warms your holidays, the way it always warms mine. Enjoy!

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes.
Portions: 6.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 orange
  • 10 whole cloves
  • Optional – 1/2 cup rum

Read more Glühwein – German Spiced Wine Recipe ›

Erdbeertorte – German Strawberry Tart Cake Recipe

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This is a very common cake served at coffee time in Germany. You can be sure that you will always find this type of cake at any bakery, especially in the Spring or Summer, and it’s perfect for even the most laissez faire cake eater. Not too sweet, not too creamy or rich – just the perfect blend of light and sweet.

This is a very easy shortcut version.  If you would like a more authentic torte, try the Himbeertorte – German Raspberry Cake Recipe and replace the raspberries with strawberries. You will require a special flan pan to make your own cake shell.

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 1 – 3 hours.
Portions: 8.

Ingredients:

  • Prepared sponge cake shell (can often be found in the produce section of the grocer)
  • 1 container, ripe strawberries
  • sugar

Glaze

  • 2/3 c. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 c. water
  • 1 (3 oz) pkg Strawberry Gelatin (sugar free if you want less sweet)

Read more Erdbeertorte – German Strawberry Tart Cake Recipe ›

Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt.2

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So today we are going to discuss exactly what you can place in your Rumtopf. This is a very easy lesson.  You can place many fruits in there.

These are the best candidates for a good Rumtopf (make sure fruits are pitted, cored, and with stems/leaves removed, if applicable):

  • Pineapple (cut into large chunks)Rumtopf
  • Cherries (any variety)
  • Peaches (cut in halves, quarters, or slices)
  • Apricots (halves)
  • Nectarines (halves)
  • Plums (half or quarter)
  • Pears (peeled and sliced)
  • Grapes (sweet seedless red or green grapes are ideal)
  • Strawberries (don’t wash, just remove stem & leaves).
  • Raspberries (don’t wash).
  • Red currants
  • Gooseberries

Read more Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt.2 ›