Desserts and baked goods are an important part of German everyday life. And not as one may assume. While some people may order a dessert after the main meal, if eaten out, this is not the norm as it is in the U.S.. Germans have coffee time each day between 4 and 4:30 PM. No matter what they are doing, Germans will flock to cafes, bakeries, and restaurants for a cup of good German coffee (strong) and a sweet – usually some sort of baked good. And when having people over to the home, they are often invited for coffee and cake in the afternoon. Even employers allow employee breaks over the usual coffee times, showing just how important this guilty pleasure is to Germans.
This is a great comfort food for breakfast or dessert. You will find this on German menus quite often, and kids love it. There are many slight variations, but this recipe is a good start.
Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation Time: 45 minutes.
Portions: 4.
Ingredients:
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:
Read more Faschings-Pfannkuchen – Carnival Jelly Donuts Recipe
A typical cake served for German coffee time. It is best to use a special pan, that when flipped, leaves a recess in the cake, much like shortcake cups, but any 11″ pan should work.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Preparation Time: 2 hours.
Portions: 4 – 6. 12 pieces.
Ingredients:
Cake Batter
Topping
Jelly
A yummy, basic, rum cake recipe. This is especially good as a cold weather dessert. Serve with cherries over the cake for extra yum factor.
Difficulty: easy.
Preparation Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes.
Portions: 6.
Ingredients:
This is a wonderful garnish for Rote Grütze.
Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation time: 2 hours
Servings: 2-1/4 cups of sauce, 4 – 6 servings.
Ingredients:
This is a Summer time staple dessert in Germany, and takes advantage of the fresh berries of the season. Served with a vanilla sauce, this is a wonderful dessert, and lovely change from the usual.
Difficulty: Easy.
Preparation time: Make 24 hours in advance.
Servings: 4 – 6.
Ingredients:
Read more Rote Grütze – German Red Fruit Pudding Recipe (Red Grits)
While traditional Baumkuchen would be impossible to create in a home kitchen, it is possible to make a mock version which is almost as good. This recipe requires some work, but will go well with coffee, especially around the holidays.
Difficulty: normal.
Preparation Time: 45 min.
Portions: 8.
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