[mod.recipes] RECIPE: Zwetschgendatschi -- Plum cake

kent@decwrl.DEC.COM (Christopher A. Kent) (08/29/86)

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.RH MOD.RECIPES-SOURCE ZWETSCHGEND D "21 May 86" 1986
.RZ "ZWETSCHGENDATSCHI" "A Bavarian plum delicacy for dessert"
My mother and grandmother make this Bavarian specialty without a recipe;
this recipe is from my mother, after I pressed her to write it down so I
could make my own.
It also includes variations from a few other folks that you
might like to try.
Roughly translated from Bavarian to German, this is
\fIPflaumenkuchen\fR,
which, roughly translated from German to to English is
\fIPlum cake\fR.
However, \fIZwetschgen\fR aren't ordinary plums,
a \fIDatschi\fR isn't really a \fIKuchen\fR,
and a \fIKuchen\fR is most definitely \fBnot\fR a cake!
.PP
This dessert is made of the slightly tart Italian plums, which are
unfortunately only
available at certain times of the year. 
Don't try to make it with ordinary plums; they're too sweet and too juicy.
.IH "Fills one round cake pan"
.IG "\(14 lb" "butter" "120g"
.IG "1/3 cup" "sugar" "60g"
.IG "\(12 tsp" "vanilla" "2.5 ml"
(or use vanilla sugar)
.IG "1" "egg"
.IG "1 pinch" "salt" "0.5 ml"
(only if you use unsalted butter)
.IG "1 tsp" "lemon peel" "5 ml"
.IG "1 Tbsp" "sour cream" "15 ml"
.IG "1\(34 cup" "flour" "200 g"
.IG "1 tsp" "baking powder" "5 ml"
.IG "2 cups" "Italian plums" "500 g"
.SH		OPTIONAL STREUSEL TOPPING
.IG "6 Tbsp" "butter" "90 g"
.IG "\(34 cup" "flour" "75 g"
.IG "1/3 cup" "sugar" "70 g"
.IG "\(12 tsp" "cinammon" "2.5 ml"
.PH
.SK 1
In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar (and vanilla), add the
egg, (salt,) lemon peel, and sour cream.
Mix the flour and baking powder, and add that.
.SK 2
Pit the plums, splitting them into halves or thirds.
Grease the pan and spread the dough.
Liberally spread plums over the dough, meat side up.
If the plums are sour (as opposed to just tart), sprinkle them lightly
with sugar.
.SK 3
To make the optional
\fIStreusel\fR topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and
cinammon. Sprinkle over the plums.
.SK 4
Bake for 30\-45 minutes in the middle rack at
.TE 375 190 .
Be careful not to let the bottom burn!
.SK 5
Serve liberally topped with freshly-made whipping cream.
.NX
A \fIDatschi\fR may actually be made with any fruit; I happen to love it
with \fIZwetschgen\fR the best.
.PP
I don't know this with \fIStreusel\fR on top, and never prepare it that
way, but several of my acquaintances swear by it.
Made with other fruit, I would be more likely to accept the \fIStreusel\fR.
.PP
If you like, you may sprinkle rum or cinammon over the fruit before baking.
Also, you might try substituting rum for the sour cream in the dough, or
just adding both.
.PP
If you want to make a cookie-sheet-sized \fIDatschi\fR, simply double the
recipe.
.SH RATING
.I Difficulty:
moderate.
.I Time:
20 minutes preparation, 20 minutes baking.
.I Precision:
approximate measurement OK.
.WR
Chris Kent
DEC Western Research Lab, Palo Alto, California
kent@decwrl.DEC.COM	{ihnp4,ucbvax,decvax}!decwrl!kent