Braised Stuffed Beef Rolls (Rinderrouladen)
1 (2 pound) beef boneless round steak, 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
3 slices bacon, cut into halves
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup snipped parsley
3 dill pickles, cut into halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Pound beef until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 7 x 4-inch pieces. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread each piece with 1 teaspoon mustard. Place 1/2 strip bacon down center of each piece. Sprinkle with onion and snipped parsley. Place pickle half on narrow end of each; roll up. Fasten with wooden picks.
Heat oil in 10-inch skillet until hot. Cook rolls over medium heat until brown. Add 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
Remove rolls to warm platter; keep warm. Add enough water to liquid in skillet if necessary to measure 1 cup. Shake 2 tablespoons water and the flour in tightly covered container; stir gradually into cooking liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute, adding water if necessary.
Serve gravy with rolls.
Yields 6 servings.
Blueberry Kuchen
2 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
2 cups blueberries
Streusel Topping
Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl. Beat in egg until blended. Add flour mixture and milk; stir just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Turn into a buttered and floured 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle with Streusel Topping. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes. If top begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil.
Streusel Topping
1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Stir together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with pastry blender. Stir in walnuts.
Esses
3/4 pound butter
3/4 pound granulated sugar
1 1/4 pounds flour
9 egg yolks, beaten
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar together well. Add beaten eggs and lemon rind, mix well together. Add flour and mix till smooth; chill the dough for an hour.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured bread board and make into "S" shapes by pinching off a piece of dough, rolling it quickly between your hands, and shaping it on a cookie sheet; continue until all dough is made up. These are best when put in a cool place overnight and baked the next day, but chilling them in the freezer for a while should work. Bake in moderate oven for just a few minutes, until baked but only slightly browned.
Berlin Croncler
This is a favorite Christmas cookie.
1 pound butter
4 cups flour, sifted after measuring
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 egg yolks, beaten
Yolks of 4 hardboiled eggs, mashed
1 egg white
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Cut together butter and flour as for pie crust. Add 2 cups sugar and both raw and cooked egg yolks and mix, kneading thoroughly. Form into a long roll and cut into lengthwise strips. Cut strips into small squares of equal size. Roll squares with hands into thin strips 4 or 5 inches long. Cross ends firmly, making a shape like a circle with the ends overlapping and extending downward. Dip one side of the cookie into unbeaten egg white. Then dip into a mixture of pecans and 1/4 cup sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until light brown. Keeps well in a cookie tin.
Makes 12 dozen cookies.
Bee Sting Cake
This is a favorite in pastry shops all over Germany.
Cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cream butter until light and fluffy and gradually add sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, add milk and flour, alternating between the two. Use enough milk to bring mixture to thick dropping consistency. Grease and flour a springform pan and spoon in the cake mixture.
Topping
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Combine ingredients and heat long enough to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the top of the cake mixture lightly with flour and pour on the topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The topping will caramelize slightly as the cake bakes. Meanwhile, prepare the Filling.
Filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Combine sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until light. Pour on milk gently and gradually whisk into egg yolk mixture. Strain the mixture into a heavy-based saucepan and cook over very gentle heat until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add vanilla or almond extract and allow to cool. Place a sheet of damp wax paper or plastic wrap directly over the top of the custard as it cools. When the custard is completely cool, lightly whip the cream and fold it in.
To assemble the cake, loosen it from the sides of the pan. Turn the lock of the pan and push the cake out. Use a spatula to lift the cake off the base of the pan and cut the cake in half, horizontally through the middle with thread. Fill the cake and sandwich the layers together with the almond topping uppermost. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Cut the cake in wedges to serve.
Bayerische Leberkloese (Bavarian Liver Dumpling Soup)
1 pound calves or chicken liver
2 eggs
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
2 slices stale bread, moistened in water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups beef broth
Remove any skin or connective tissue from the livers. Put into blender or processor and puree the livers with all the remaining ingredients except the beef broth. Chill the mixture in a plastic bag. When it is cold, roll into balls the size of walnuts. Heat broth to a simmer and poach the dumplings in the broth for 5 to 8 minutes.
Makes about 12 dumplings to serve 4.
Bavarian Sauerkraut
1 apple
1 large carrot
2 ounces butter
1 can sauerkraut
1 teaspoon caraway seed
4 slices bacon
4 knockwurst
Salt and pepper
Grate apple and carrot. Melt butter in a casserole. Stir in sauerkraut, apple, carrot, caraway seed and seasonings. Top with bacon slices and bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes, covered.
Remove lid and arrange knockwurst on top. Return to oven and bake another 15 minutes.
Almond Strudel
Strudel Dough
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 pound almonds, blanched, dried and ground
1/2 cup melted butter
Heat eggs, sugar and cinnamon until light; add lemon zest, juice and almonds. Spread evenly over 3/4 of the buttered, stretched dough. Drip 1/2 of the melted butter over the filling. Roll, trim and bake, brushing top with the remaining butter.