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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.

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 ›

Make Your Own Flavored Coffee Creamer

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Aside from being very expensive, flavored coffee creamers tend to have a lot of unpronounceable ingredients. For Coffeesome, this time of year is a fine time to flavor one’s coffee. It can be comforting on a cold day, or festive with friends and family over a holiday celebration. So what to do? Make your own! It is very easy, and one batch will last about two weeks in the refrigerator.

You will need:

  • 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups cold skim milk

Now, to make your flavoring. These are suggestions, but feel free to experiment with your own flavor combinations, or adjust the amounts to suit your taste.

  • Chocolate Almond: 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Pumpkin Spice: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • Vanilla: 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Amaretto: 3 teaspoons almond extract, 1 teaspoon cherry extract
  • Cappuccino: 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • Strudel: 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract.
  • Chocolate Raspberry: 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons raspberry syrup

Place all of your ingredients in a container with a tight lid and shake vigorously. If you prefer, you can put everything into a blender and pulse to blend it. Then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Be sure to give it a shake every time you use it, in case anything has settled. Last but not least, enjoy your coffee!

Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt. 3

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This is the final installation of our Rumtopf series. The recipe is very easy, it’s the wait that is difficult!

Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes.
Total Time: 42 days
Portions: 10.

Ingredients:Rumtopf

  • 2 lbs fruit (strawberries, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, currants, blueberries, gooseberries, …)
  • 1 lb sugar
  • 3 cups rum

Read more Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt. 3 ›

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 ›

Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt.1

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Rumtopf is a longstanding German tradition in which various fruits are collected and preserved in rum for months. As is the case with wines, this gets better with age if done properly. There are special pots that one can purchase to preserve and maintain the necessary conditions. Imagine my giddiness when I saw that one of my favorite “go to” German shops began carrying them.

The Rumtopf at the German Deli is not only visually appealing, but also the perfect size to make a batch big enough to share over the holidays with friends and family. This is an item that can be passed down to your kids to keep your German traditions alive. That’s why I have already ordered mine.

In Pt. 2, we will look into how to prepare our Rumtopf.

See also:

Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt.2

Rumtopf – Preserving Seasonal Fruits Pt. 3

German Traditions

Faschings-Pfannkuchen – Carnival Jelly Donuts Recipe

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Also called Berliner in Northern Germany, these are tasty jelly-filled doughnuts or rounds, that are not only a staple of Faschings (Carneval), but also Silvester (New Years Eve).  While many Germans will pop into their local bakery for a fresh batch the morning of the festive day, these can also be made by hand within a few hours.

Difficulty: Moderate.
Preparation Time: 2 hours.
Portions: 2.5 dozen.

Ingredients:Berliner Doughnut

  • 4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 package fresh yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 3 Tbs. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3 1/2 Tbs. butter, softened
  • 4 egg yolks (reserve whites, see Step 8 )
  • canola oil for frying

Read more Faschings-Pfannkuchen – Carnival Jelly Donuts Recipe ›