German Baking Today - German Baking Today
Page 18
This torte tastes best when eaten fresh.
ADVICE
Strudel
Strudel is a very elastic pastry which is rolled out very thinly and stretched. It is often filled with fruit or a savoury filling. It is a crisp pastry and is made with plain (all-purpose) flour, water, egg and oil.
Sifting the flour
Sift the flour in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. If using wholemeal flour do not sift it because its coarse texture makes sifting impossible.
Adding the other ingredients
Add the other ingredients such as salt, water and sometimes egg and oil and stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is smooth. It should be elastic but not too soft or sticky. If necessary, add a little more flour. When the dough has been sufficiently kneaded, shape it into a ball.
Leaving the dough to stand
Boil some water in a small pan so that the pan absorbs the heat. Then pour out the water and dry the pan. Place the dough in the pan, lined with baking parchment. Put the lid back on and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Preparing the baking sheet
While the dough is standing, grease the baking sheet or line with baking parchment, depending on the recipe.
Preheating the oven
The oven should also be preheated while the dough is standing. In the case of an oven with top and bottom heat, the oven must be heated thoroughly. If the baking time is 30 minutes or less, even fan ovens and gas ovens must be preheated. If the baking time is over 30 minutes, preheating will not be necessary in the case of fan and gas ovens.
Rolling out and stretching the dough
Roll out the dough on a large floured tea towel. Coat it thinly with a little melted fat, and stretch it very carefully with the hands, or rather with the knuckles, to make a rectangle, following the instructions in the recipe, until it is transparent (the pattern of the tea-towel should be visible through the cloth). Trim the edges if they are thicker than the rest. Continue brushing with melted fat before and during the baking. This makes the strudel even more succulent. Fill and bake as described in the recipe.
Baking the strudel
Depending on the recipe, the strudel is brushed again with melted fat while baking. When cooked, remove the strudel with the baking parchment from the baking sheet and slide onto a rack to cool down. It can also be served warm.
Storing
Strudel tastes best when eaten fresh. If served the following day, crisp it up briefly in the oven. Baked strudel can easily be frozen and should be defrosted at room temperature in its wrapping and crisped up again in the oven.
Basic recipe
See the recipe for Viennese apple strudel.
STRUDEL
95 | Cheese strudel
Sophisticated–suitable for freezing (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding resting time
Baking time: about 45 minutes
For the strudel:
125 g/41⁄2 oz (11⁄4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch salt, 1 medium egg
4 teaspoons lukewarm water
3–4 teaspoons cooking oil
For the filling:
40 g/11⁄2 oz (3 tablespoons) soft margarine or butter
40 g/11⁄2 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar
1 medium egg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
250 g/9 oz curd cheese (low fat)
4 teaspoons vanilla flavoured custard powder
4 teaspoons whipping cream
1 cans apricot halves (drained weight 240 g/81⁄2 oz)
For the coating and topping:
40 g/11⁄2 oz (3 tablespoons) butter
50 g/2 oz raisins
For dusting:
some icing (confectioner’s) sugar
Per piece:
P: 5 g, F: 9 g, C: 19 g, kJ: 747, kcal: 178
1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until a smooth dough is formed. Boil some water in a small pan, pour out the water and wipe dry. Put the dough in the hot pan lined with baking parchment, cover with the lid and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line the baking sheet with baking parchment and preheat the oven top and bottom.
2. For the filling, stir the softened margarine or butter until smooth and supple. Stir in the sugar, egg, lemon juice, curd cheese, custard powder and cream. Drain the apricot halves thoroughly in a sieve and cut into small pieces. Cut the dough in half and roll out on a floured tea towel to make rectangle measuring 40 x 30 cm/16 x 12 in.
3. Melt the butter. Brush the dough halves with some of this melted butter. Spread half the filling over two-thirds of each dough half, leaving about 3 cm/11⁄4 in uncovered along the edges, and sprinkle half the raisins and apricot pieces on top. Fold the uncovered part along the long sides onto the filling. Using the tea towel to help the process, roll up the dough halves starting from the short side and press the ends together. Put the strudel on the baking sheet, brush with a little butter and put in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),
Baking time: about 45 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes in the oven, brush the strudel with the rest of the melted butter. After removing from the oven, put the strudel (without taking it off the baking sheet) on a rack to cool down. Alternatively, serve it hot and dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar if desired.
Tip: The strudel may also be served with hot vanilla sauce. When crisping up defrosted strudel, brush with melted butter and bake for 10 minutes at the temperature recommended in the recipe.
STRUDEL
96 | Cherry cakes
For guests (12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding resting time
Baking time: about 20 minutes
For the baking sheet:
baking parchment
For the strudel dough:
250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch salt
100 ml/31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) lukewarm water
1 medium egg
2 teaspoons cooking oil
For the filling:
60 g/2 oz (5 tablespoons) margarine or butter
yolks of 2 medium eggs
100 g/31⁄2 oz marzipan
1 can or jar sour cherries (drained weight 350 g/12 oz)
30 g/1 oz sponge fingers 50 g/2 oz unblanched ground, almonds
In addition:
30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter
ome icing (confectioner’s) sugar
Per piece:
P: 6 g, F: 14 g, C: 26 g, kJ: 1073, kcal: 256
1. To make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until it forms a smooth dough. Boil some water in a small pan, pour out the water and wipe dry. Put the dough in the hot pan lined with baking parchment, cover with the lid and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line the baking sheet with baking parchment and preheat the oven.
2. For the filling, melt the butter or margarine, leave to cool a little and stir in the egg yolk. Finely chop the marzipan. Drain the sour cherries thoroughly in a sieve. Put the sponge fingers in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling-pin to make fine crumbs. Mix the almonds and the crumbs together.
3. Cut the dough in half and roll out each half on a floured tea towel to make rectangles (of about 45 x 30 cm/18 x 12 in). Trim the edges if they are thicker than the rest of the rectangles. Cut the 2 rectangles into 12 squares (15 x 15 cm/6 x 6 in) and brush the squares with the butter or margarine and egg yolk mixture, sprinkle with the almonds and biscuit crumbs and put the cherries and choppe
d marzipan in the middle (4–5 cherries per square).
4. Fold the dough over the filling to make small pouches. Put the pouches on the baking sheet, melt the butter and brush the pouches with some of the melted butter. Put the baking sheet in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),
Baking time: about 20 minutes.
5. Brush the pouches with the rest of the melted butter while baking. After removing them from the oven, dust with icing sugar and serve warm or cold.
Tip: Serve with vanilla sauce.
STRUDEL
97 | Wiener Apfelstrudel (Viennese apple strudel)
Classic–popular (about 12 pieces)
Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding resting time
Baking time: about 50 minutes
For the baking sheet:
some fat
For the strudel dough:
200 g/7 oz (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch salt
75 ml/3 fl oz lukewarm water
50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) melted margarine or butter or 4 tablespoons cooking oil
For the filling:
1– 1.5 kg/21⁄4–31⁄4 lb apples, such as Cox Orange, Elstar
2–3 drops rum essence
1–2 drops lemon essence
75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) margarine or butter
50 g/2 oz breadcrumbs
50 g/2 oz raisins
100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar
3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar
50 g/2 oz chopped blanched almonds
Per piece:
P: 2 g, F: 11 g, C: 37 g, kJ: 1096, kcal: 262
1. To make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients for the dough and stir with a hand mixer with a kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting, to make a smooth dough. Boil some water in a small pan, pour out the water and wipe dry. Put the dough in the hot pan lined with baking parchment, cover with the lid and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease the baking sheet and preheat the oven at the top and bottom.
2. For the filling, wash, peel, quarter, core and cut the apples into small pieces. Stir in the rum and lemon essence. Melt the margarine or butter. Roll out the dough on a large floured tea towel, brush lightly with a little melted butter or margarine, then stretch using your hands to make a rectangle (of 70 x 50 cm/ 271⁄2 in x 20 in). Trim the edges if they are thicker than the rest of the rectangle. Brush the dough with two-thirds of the melted butter or margarine and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top, leaving about 3 cm/11⁄4 in uncovered.
3. Sprinkle the apple pieces, raisins, sugar, vanilla sugar and almonds on top. Fold the edges of the short sides that have been left uncovered over the filling. Using the cloth to help you, roll the dough, starting from the longer side, and press the ends together tightly. Put the strudel on the prepared baking sheet, brush with a little fat and put the baking sheet in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),
Baking time: about 50 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes baking time, brush the strudel with the rest of the melted butter or margarine. After removing the strudel from the oven leave it cool down on the baking sheet placed on a rack. The strudel can be served hot or cold.
Tip: This can be served with vanilla sauce, flavoured with cinnamon.
You could also make 2 small strudels instead of 1 large one.
STRUDEL
98 | Strudel pasties
Savoury - for guests (18 pieces)
Preparation time: about 45 minutes, excluding resting time
Baking time: about 20 minutes
For the baking sheet:
some fat
For the strudel:
250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch salt
100 ml/31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) lukewarm water
1 medium egg
2 teaspoons cooking oil
For the filling:
500 g/18 oz aubergines
2 tablespoons cooking oil
60 g/2 oz salami
2 cloves garlic
salt
freshly ground black pepper
For coating:
50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter
Per piece:
P: 3 g, F: 6 g, C: 11 g, kJ: 456, kcal: 109
1. To make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients for the dough and stir with a hand mixer with a kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting, to make a smooth dough. Boil some water in a small pan, pour out the water and wipe dry. Put the dough in the hot pan lined with baking parchment, cover with the lid and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease the baking sheet and preheat the oven.
2. For the filling, wash the aubergines and wipe dry. Cut off the ends and finely chop the aubergines. Heat the oil, add the aubergines and fry briefly. Finely chop the salami. Peel and crush the garlic. Add these two ingredients to the aubergines, season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.
3. Roll out the dough on a large floured tea towel to make a rectangle (of 60 x 30 cm/24 x 12 in) and cut into 18 squares (10 x 10 cm/4 x 4 in). Put some filling on half of each square, then fold the other half on top and press the edges together. Melt the butter, put the pasties on the baking sheet and brush with some of the melted butter. Put the baking sheet in the oven.
Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),
Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),
Baking time: about 50 minutes.
4. Brush the pasties with the rest of the butter while they are baking. Serve the strudel pasties warm.
ADVICE
Puff pastry
Puff pastry is a very rich pastry consisting of many layers which is made without sugar. It is made with plain (all-purpose) flour, fat, a little salt and water. Making puff pastry requires time because the dough must be rolled many times. The resulting layers are bound together by thin layers of butter. This makes the pastry light and flaky. You can also buy frozen puff pastry which is ready to cook. This is very useful if you are in a rush.
Preparing the pastry
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add fat, salt, water and sometimes vinegar. Mix the ingredients with a hand mixer with a kneading hook, first at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting, to make a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with clingfilm and let stand for 30 minutes.
Preparing the butter
Cut the cold butter into thin, even slices.
Rolling out the dough
Roll out the dough into a rectangle (25 x 12 cm/10 x 41⁄2 in). Place the slices of butter on one half of the rectangle, leaving the edges uncovered. Fold the other half on top and press the edges together.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick, fold into three lengthways and rotate the dough 90 degrees (a quarter turn). Roll out again into a rectangle 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick, fold into four lengthways, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to prevent the butter from becoming too soft.
Then roll out the dough again into a rectangle 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick, fold into three lengthways and again rotate the dough 90 degrees (a quarter turn).
Roll out the dough into a rectangle 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick, again fold into four lengthways, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Defrosting puff pastry
When using deep-frozen puff pastry instead of home-made, it must be defrosted properly. This means putting the layers of dough next to each other to defrost and covering them with a tea towel.
Preheating the oven
Preheat the oven thoroughly at the top and bottom. If the baking time is 30 minutes or less, even fan ovens and gas ovens must be preheated. If the baking time
is over 30 minutes, preheating will not be necessary in the case of fan and gas ovens.
Preparing the baking sheet
Grease the baking sheet with butter or margarine (do not use oil) and then sprinkle with cold water so that there is enough steam in the oven to form the layers while baking. Some recipes recommend lining the baking sheet with baking parchment.
Further preparation of the dough
Prepare the dough as instructed in the recipe and bake. It is important only to roll out the dough and to cut it vertically (do not knead it!) so as not to destroy the layers.
Baking puff pastry
The air which is present in the dough expands in the oven under the effect of the heat, while the water contained in the dough is converted into steam and melts the butter. This causes the layers to lift and create the characteristic layers. After removing from the oven, take the pastry off the baking sheet and put on a rack to cool.
Storing
Puff pastry tastes best when fresh. Filled puff pastry goes soggy very quickly and should therefore be eaten on the day it is made. Unfilled puff pastry will keep for several days if stored in cool, dry conditions.
Cooked puff pastry can also be frozen and defrosted in its wrapping at room temperature and then crisped (unfilled) at the recommended baking temperature.
PUFF PASTRY
99 | Puff pastry basic recipe
For the baking sheet:
some fat
some water
For the puff pastry:
170 g/6 oz (7⁄8 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
20 g/3⁄4 oz (11⁄2 tablespoons) butter
1 pinch salt
90 ml/3 fl oz (1⁄3 cup) lukewarm water
170 g/6 oz (7⁄8 cup) cold butter
1. Sift the flour in a mixing bowl. Add 20 g/3⁄4 oz (11⁄2 tablespoons) butter, salt and lukewarm water. Mix all the ingredients with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting to make a smooth dough. Cover with clingfilm and let stand for 30 minutes.