German HEFETEIG: BUCHTELN: PFLAUMENKUCHEN: ZIMTKUCHEN: STREUSELKUCHEN: APFELKUCHEN

Grossmutter turned even her leanest dough into marvels of goodness for breakfast-time and lunch. There would be a big batch of this thrifty dough—and from it would emerge half a dozen kinds of wonderful breads, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, or topped with juicy apple wedges or luscious plums; buns with fruit in their tender hearts; buns with frosting—there was nothing “Grossmutter” couldn’t make from her dough, and all of it smelled tantalizing and tasted marvellous, especially when eaten piping hot and dripping with butter!

BASIC YEAST DOUGH: (Hefeteig)

2 cups milk, scalded
2 pkgs. Active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water, 110 F to 115 F (OR if using compressed yeast, soften 2 cakes in 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 80 F to 85 F).

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
9 to 10 cups sifted all purpose flour (about)
4 eggs, well beaten

Soften yeast with the warm water and set aside to soften and bubble. If yeast does not have little bubbles on surface the yeast is old. Throw it out and and start again with fresh package of yeast.

Scald 2 cups of the milk until boiling. Put into a large bowl the butter, sugar, salt and grated lemon peel, immediately pour scalded milk over ingredients in bowl and stir mixture until butter is completely melted. When this mixture has cooled to LUKEWARM, blend in, beating until smooth 2 cups of the flour. Stir in softened yeast mixing well.

Add about one-half of the remaining flour to the dough and beat until very smooth. Add in thirds, beating well after each addition the eggs.

Then beat in enough of the remaining flour to make a SOFT dough. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and allow it to rest 5 to 10 minutes.

Knead dough by folding opposite side over toward you. Using heels of hands, gently push dough away. Give it one-quarter turn. Repeat process rhythmically until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes, using as little additional flour as possible. Always turn the dough in the same direction.

Form dough into a large smooth ball and place it in a lightly greased, deep bowl. Turn dough to bring greased surface to top*. Cover with waxed paper and towel; let stand in warm place (about 80 F) until dough is doubled (about 1 1/2 hrs). I like to put my dough in the oven with the pilot light on for warmth.

Punch down dough with fist and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Allow dough to rest 10 min. before shaping.

Complete as directed in any of the following variations. Enough dough for 4 coffee cakes or 4 doz. Rolls.

*This dough may be kept about 3 days in the refrigerator. Make sure dough is greased and well-covered to keep surface of dough moist and elastic. Punch down dough occasionally as it rises. Remove amount of dough needed for a single baking and immediately return remainder to refrigerator. Proceed as directed in the desired variation.

NOTE: For bread, shape dough into 3 loaves. Place in 9 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 2 2/3 loaf pans, lightly greased. When dough is light, bake at 400 F. about 50 minutes.

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SWEET ROLLS (BUCHTELN)

To prepare 2 doz. rolls, use one-half of dough in the above recipe. Butter two
11 x 7 x 1 1/2 inch pans. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into twenty-four 3 x 2-inch rectangles. Spread rectangles almost to edges with fruit preserves. Starting with the shorter side, roll up rectangles of dough. Arrange twelve rolls in each pan. Brush generously with melted butter.
Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place (80 F) until almost doubled.

Bake at 350 F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, prepare a glaze by thoroughly blending together 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon milk or cream. Remove rolls from pans to cooling racks; Cool slightly. Using a spoon, drizzle glaze over rolls.

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PLUM COFFEE CAKE (PFLAUMENKUCHEN)

To prepare 2 rich coffee cakes, decrease ingredients to 1/2 amounts in the Basic Yeast Dough (Hefeteig) except for the Milk from 2 cups to 1/4 cup, Salt from 2 tsp. to 1/2 tsp, and Flour from 9 to 10 cups to 3 cups. I have done that for you below just follow the recipe. Proceed with instructions as directed for Basic Yeast Dough.

1/4 cup milk scalded
1 pkgs. Active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 cups flour
2 eggs. well beaten.

Lightly grease TWO - 9-inch round layer cake pans (bottoms only). Rinse and remove pits from 25 (about 1 1/4 lbs.) small Italian plums. Divide dough into halves; press evenly into pans. Brush with melted butter. Arrange plums cut side up on dough to 1-inch from edge of pan. Sprinkle with a mixture of about 1 1/2 cups sugar (depending on tartness of fruit), 2 Tablespoons flour and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Dot with 1/4 cup butter. Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 F. for 15 minutes. Then pour a mixture of 4 egg yolks, beaten with 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 cup cream over plums. Continue baking 12 to 20 minutes, or until custard topping is set.
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APPLE COFFE CAKE (APFELKUCHEN)

Follow recipe for PLUM COFFE CAKE: substitute 2 medium-size firm cooking apples for Italian plums. Wash, quarter, core, pare and slice the apples; arrange on dough. Reduce cinnamon to 1 teaspoon; add 1/4 teaspoon EACH nutmeg and cloves.
OMIT egg cream mixture. Bake 35 min.

Any desired fresh fruit, such as cherries or peaches, may be substituted for the apples. The amount of sugar sprinkled over fruit will vary with the tartness of the fruit.
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CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE (ZIMTKUCHEN)

To prepare coffee cakes, use one-half of the recipe for Basic Yeast Dough (Hefeteig). Lightly grease the bottoms of two 11 x 7 x 1 1/2 inch pans or two 10 inch round layer cake pans. Divide dough into halves and roll out to fit the pans. Fit into pans. Brush dough with 1/4 cup melted butter; sprinkle with a mixture of 2/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled. Bake at 375 F. for about 20 minutes.
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CRUMB COFFEE CAKE (STREUSELKUCHEN)

Follow recipe for Cinnamon Coffee Cake; omit sugar-cinnamon mixture. Prepare and top with Streusel.

STREUSEL;

1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 to 4 Tablespoons firm butter

Cut in firm butter with a pasty blender or two knives until mixture is the size of small peas.

From Olga