Spritzgebäck

Spritzgebäck

Ingredients:

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large egg yolks(32 grams)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter two baking sheets and place them in the refrigerator to chill while you make the batter.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy (2-3 minutes).

Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the flour and salt and beat until you have a well-mixed dough.

To Pipe Cookies: Have ready a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) diameter open star tip. Fill the pastry bag about half full, twist the end of the bag to close, and pipe  rosettes or stars by holding the pastry bag perpendicular to your baking sheet, with the tip almost touching the sheet. Squeeze the pastry bag firmly and evenly without moving it until the shape is the desired size. Stop squeezing and push the pastry bag down a little and then lift the pastry bag straight up. Continue to pipe cookies, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.

Or: Use a cookie cutter to create the shape you would like

Bake cookies for about 11 - 14 minutes or just until the edges of the cookies are barely tinged with brown. Remove from oven and gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. In a covered container, these cookies will keep at room temperature for about 10 days or they can be frozen for several months.

Makes about 30-35 cookies.

German Soft Pretzels

German Soft pretzels

Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/8 cup warm water 105 degrees F
• 1-1/3 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 cups flour
• Water, baking soda
• sea salt
• 5 oz crème fraiche
• 3 tablespoons German honey
• 2 tablespoons German mustard
• Salt and sugar to taste

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in 1/8 cup warm water. Stir in 1 1/3 cups warm water, 1/3 cup brown sugar and flour. Beat until smooth. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Heat oven to 475 degrees F. In a saucepan, measure 2 teaspoons baking soda to each cup of water. Place enough to fill the saucepan. Boil soda and water.
2. Tear off some dough and roll a pencil shape with your hands. Pick up both ends, cross to form rabbit ears and then twist the ends and pull them back to the rest of the loop.
3. Place twisted pretzels in water/baking soda mixture for 15 seconds until the pretzel dough is golden or yellow in color. Then remove the pretzels from boiling water and place onto a salted cookie sheet.
4. Salt the top of pretzels with course ground sea salt. Place cookie sheet with pretzels into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until pretzel is golden brown.
5. For the dip, stir Crème Fraiche, honey and mustard until creamy. Add sugar and salt to taste.

German Meatballs

German Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup milk

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 can (27 ounces) sauerkraut, undrained

1/3 to 1/2 cup water, optional

Additional snipped parsley

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine first 10 ingredients; shape into 18 meatballs, 2 in. each. Heat the oil in a skillet; brown the meatballs. 

Remove meatballs and drain fat. Spoon sauerkraut into skillet; top with meatballs. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through, adding water if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley. 

Traditional Viennese schnitzel with Kartoffelpuffer and Salatsauce

Prep/Total Time for schnitzel: 30 min.                   Prep/Total Time for Kartoffelpuffer: 30 min.

Ingredients:

• 6 veal schnitzel (small)
• 3 eggs
• Approx. 150 g plain flour
• Approx. 150 g breadcrumbs
• Salt, pepper
• Butter for pan
• Slices of lemon to garnish
• 6 small potatoes, peeled
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Canola oil

Instructions:

1. Lay out the schnitzel, remove any skin and beat until thin. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour and breadcrumbs into separate flat plates, beat the eggs together on a further plate using a fork.

2. Coat each schnitzel firstly on both sides in flour, then draw through the beaten eggs, ensuring that no part of the schnitzel remains dry. Lastly, coat in the breadcrumbs and carefully press down the crumbs using the reverse side of the fork (this causes the crumb coating to “fluff up” better during cooking). 

3. In a large pan (or 2 medium-sized pans), melt sufficient clarified butter for the schnitzel to be able to swim freely in the oil (or heat up the plant oil with 1 – 2 tbsp of clarified butter or butter). 

4. Only place the Schnitzel in the pan when the fat is so hot that it hisses and bubbles up if some breadcrumbs or a small piece of butter is introduced to it.

5. Depending on the thickness and the type of meat, fry for between 2 minutes and 4 minutes until golden brown. Turn using a spatula (do not pierce the coating!) and fry on the other side until similarly golden brown. 

6. Remove the crispy schnitzel and place on kitchen paper to dry off. Dab carefully to dry the schnitzel. Arrange on the plate and garnish with slices of lemon before serving. 

7. Finely grate potatoes; drain any liquid. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Add egg, onion, flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder; mix well. 

8. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 in. of oil over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupful’s; press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately.