It Was My Mom-in-Law Who Showed Me
You know how a lot of appliances you buy come with attachments. For example, my mixer came with a meat-grinder, a juicer, two different shredders, etc. Well, after I got married, I found out that husbands come with attachments.
My husband came with a number of usual and unusual attachments. A daughter - not so unusual. A set of ex-in-laws with whom he is still close - unusual. A wonderful mother - very unusual (at least, that's what I hear from others whose husbands came with attachments). Anyway, that's how I found myself married to a marvelous mom-in-law.
I call her "Mutti". Some of you may know what a Mutti is. You may have one of your own. If you don't know what a Mutti is, it's time you learned. Mutti is the diminutive of Mutter (Mother in German).
You see, my husband is half-Czech and half-German. Mutti contributed the German half. She was born there, she was raised there, she was married there, she bore children there, she was trapped there (in East Berlin after W.W.II) and she escaped with her family from there. She is a delight and I treasure her for her love of life, gardening tips, and her wonderful recipes. I guess I should also mention that I thank her for giving birth to my husband.
Having that out of the way, what did she show me? TASTEBUD HEAVEN! Mutti and my husband call it kuchen or streusel. It's a cake that combines a ton of butter with lots of fresh fruit. I joking call it "heartattack on a plate" because of all the butter. I feel bad about calling it that and feel guilty (at least for a couple of seconds) after I eat it.
But wait, I think there is some "diet logic" that we can apply to this situation. If all green foods have the same number of calories as lettuce and broken cookies don't have calories because the calories fell through the cracks, why can't the fresh fruit mitigate the affects of the butter. Sure, makes sense to me. So, without further ado, I withdraw my slanderous nickname. Henceforth, this cake shall be referred to as "maybe not nutritious, but at least not deadly cake on a plate".
You will note in the following recipes that you have some choices of ingredients. That's because Mutti is from Germany and her recipes are in German. Big deal, you think. Well, translating the language is easy. The problem comes in translating the measurements and some of the ingredients. I have been able to get close approximations for the measurements. I figured out that 60 grams of butter is more than 1/4 cup, but less than 1/3. However, the ingredients are problematic. Mutti uses a brand of products called Oetker for some of the flavorings and leavening. While they may be difficult to find, it is worth the search. If you can't find them, use have provided substitutions.
So, gutes essen!
Mutti's Streusel
Serves 12.
CAKE:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks butter -- salted
2 eggs
1/2 packet Oekter baking powder or 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 packet Oekter vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 plums
TOPPING:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 stick butter
1/2 packet Oekter vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE:
Place flour, sugar and baking powder (and Oekter vanilla sugar,
if appropriate) on a flat surface. Make a well and pour in eggs
(and vanilla extract, if appropriate). Cut butter into 1/8th inch
slices and place in well. With hands, work mixture into a thick
dough. Press dough into a 9 inch springform pan. Halve plums and
arrange on top of dough.
TOPPING:
Place flour and sugar on a flat surface. Sprinkle with Oekter
vanilla sugar or vanilla extract. Cut butter into 1/8th inch slices
and place on flour/sugar. With hands, work ingredients into a
crumbly dough. Sprinkle over plums.
Bake 1 hour in a preheated 350 degree oven.
Peach and Blueberry Streusel
Serves 12.
CAKE:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 sticks butter -- softened
2 eggs -- beaten
1/2 packet Oekter baking powder or 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 packet Oekter vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 peaches
1 cup blueberries
TOPPING:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter -- softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE:
Cream butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and mix.
Mix flour, sugar and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients
to mixture in bowl. Work into a thick dough. Press dough into
a 9 inch springform pan. Peal and slice the peaches. Arrange peaches
and blueberries on top of dough.
TOPPING:
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. With a pastry blender or fork, gradually mix in flour to form a crumbly dough. Sprinkle over fruit.
Bake 1 hour in a preheated 350 degree oven.