Black Forest Cake

The secret to a great Black Forest cake is that you make a dark chocolate cake, preferably from scratch. Since the boxed cakes have a weird color they are to purplish looking and to sweet. The next thing is to use only whip cream made from real cream.My mom always used to put in one or two tablespoon of sour cream when she whipped the cream, it gives it a fresher taste. You still can use sugar to sweeten it to your liking. Then to top it all off, use the dark cherries from a jar, drain them. Not the ones with the glaze mixed in and surely not the cherry pie filling. German cakes and confections are not as sweet as in the USA . It took me quite a while to get used to it.

Cake made from scratch
whipping cream
dark cherries in a jar
shaved chocolate
Cherry liquor

Amount depends on the size of cake

How to assemble the cake.....
Cut at least 3 layers, get some cherry liquor and put some in a cup. Dip your fingers in it and moisten your layers with it. Than spread on the whip cream and sprinkle the cherries over the whip cream. You just need a few for the inside of the layers. Lay the next cake layer on top and repeat until you come to the last layer. Cover your cake with the whip cream, smooth it out, pipe a row of whip cream around the edge of the cake,followed by a row of cherries. Put chocolate shavings(a potato peeler works well) all around the side of cake and a few in the very middle. Enjoy this is a great cake!

Donated by Einzi

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Ferdin

I finally have time to get back to you… I'll send the recipe for Nana Goetsch's Ferdin and a photo. The Goetsches were from Schleswig-Holstein , GER.

1 quart milk

1 pkg. yeast

1 C. peanut oil

1 tsp. salt

¼ cup sugar

6 eggs, separated

flour

fillings: chocolate chips, raisins, jam

Mix together, milk, yeast, oil, salt and sugar. Add egg yolks. Add enough flour to make a batter. (The consistency of pancake batter) Let sit, covered with a dishtowel for an hour or two until the dough rises. When ready to bake, fold in egg whites, beaten stiff. Bake on the stove in a ferdin pan, add your favorite fillings and turn with a wooden skewer. Place on paper towel and dust with powdered sugar.

From Heidi

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Herring Salad

My father always made one also at New Years as her letter stated. I found the above link very much like the one he made.
However, Through the years, I have done away with "Authenticity" and developed a very simple, but just as pleasing flavor wise and appearance recipe. Trust me! it's good.
You won't find "Milter Herring" at WalMart, but you will find a jar of VITA Herring in wine sauce. For milter herring look for a fish monger. You'll have to open the fish, take out the milt sac and squeeze out the "milt" , Yuk! Etc.

Here is what I have developed and am about to make a batch. Don't freak out when you see the first ingredient

1 cup cool whip
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups diced cooked potato
1 apple diced
1 16 0z can sliced pickled beets
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup herring in wine sauce
1/4 cup diced dill pickle
1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper

All ingredients must be drained and diced no larger than 1/4 inch. Mix well, add the cool whip and toss gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours for flavors to meld.
Ach das schmeckt!

Donated by Sailor Rood as seen below with his other passion

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HERRINGS SALAT

1 large jar pickled herring, drained
1 cup diced cooked or canned beets
2 large apples, cored and diced
4 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
1 medium onion, minced
2/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
12 small canned whole beets, drained
sugar to taste

Combine herring with beets, apples, potatoes, onion and nuts. Toss with sour cream, mayonnaise and sugar. Arrange on a serving platter, place egg slices over top and whole beets around the edges for garnish.The beets could also be mixed in. Yield 6 servings

donated by Einzi

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Herring with Beef

3 Tsp mustard (Dijon)
1/2 Tsp sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup sour cream
5 red beets
3 apples (sour like Granny Smith)
1 pound Matjes herring
1 pound Beef(cooked)
3 large potatoes (cooked)
2 large pickles
3 eggs (hard boiled)
salt
pepper

Cut the beets,apples,herrings,beef,potatoes.eggs and pickles in small cubes and put it all in a large bowl.In a another bowl add the mustard,sugar,cream and sour cream, nix well and pour over the cubes .Taste and see if more salt or sugar is needed.Put in refrigerator and let permeate. It serves 4

Donated by Einzi

Pignoli Cookie

I make a cookie call pignoli cookie. It is Italian recipe you can buy in certain stores for 15.99 or so a pound. But is far cheaper to make. Plus everyone raves about them.

8 oz. pignoli (pine nuts) - Costco sells a large bag cheap
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
dash of salt
1 (8 ounce) cab almond paste
2 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoons almond extract
confectioners sugar for dusting

Good luck Marjorie

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Oxtail Soup

This is the one that Trudy Maynard uses and likes;

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds oxtail, cut in 1 to 1-1/2-inch chunks and trimmed of excess fat
• 1/2 cup unsifted flour plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 Tablespoons beef drippings or cooking oil
• 2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and minced
• 2 quarts water, or 6 cups water and 1 pint beef broth or bouillon
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 3 cloves
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 2 medium-size carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/3 cup dry sherry or port wine (optional)
Preparation:
Dredge oxtails in 1/2 cup flour, then brown in drippings in a large, heavy kettle over high heat; drain on paper toweling.

Turn heat to moderate and stir-fry onions 8 to 10 minutes until golden; sprinkle in remaining flour, mix well, and brown lightly.

Slowly add water, stir in tomato paste, salt, and pepper, also bay leaf tied in cheesecloth with thyme, cloves, and parsley. Return oxtail to kettle, cover, and simmer 3 hours until meat is fork tender; cool and skim off fat; remove cheesecloth bag.

Separate meat from bones, cut in bite-size pieces, and return to kettle along with carrots and celery. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until carrots are tender. If you like, mix in sherry or port wine.

Serve as is or strain kettle liquid, serve as a first course, and follow with oxtail and vegetables.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe Source: The New Doubleday Cookbook by Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna (Doubleday)
Reprinted with permission.

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German Crullers

1 cup sour cream
1 cup warm water
4 eggs
6 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar

Mix all ingredients and chill. Roll out and cut in pieces about the size of an index card, slit twice and twist, fry (as you would donuts). Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Syrups Kuchen
We call them Christmas biscuits and love them to bits.

a recipe I inherited from my grandma Herrmann,
By Ingrid Herbst

1Kg Golden Syrup
500g Sugar
250g Butter
125g Schmaltz - Lard

Bring together to the boil and then add the following:

15ml ground cloves
15ml ground allspice
15ml ground cinnamon
15ml ground mixed spice
15ml bicarbonate of soda
250ml water
juice and zest of 1 lemon

Mix well and allow to cool before adding:

1.5 - 2Kg Flour

Mix well and set aside overnight.
The following day roll out the dough quite thinly and cut out into various Christmas shapes. Decorate with almond slithers, cherries or pecan nuts and bake in a 200C oven for about 7min or 180C fan. Grease your baking trays before placing the biscuits on. Guten Appetit!

Oh - It makes tons

Frohe Weinachten und grusse
von Sud Afrika
Ingrid Herbst

Some of my Favorite German Christmas songs,,

Click on to only one video at a time...

ENJOY!

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