German Fruit Square Pastry Recipes

MAMA'S SWEET GERMAN PASTRY (SHORTCRUST FOR FRUIT PIES OR TARTS) RECIPE

Steps:

• Make a mound of the flour with a well (as you would with pasta). put sugar and salt in center. Break egg into the center. cut butter into pieces and place around outside. Mix egg in center with finger then quickly pull together all ingredients to form a dough. Do not over knead, but dough should be smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours before rolling out. Use for fruit pies. Should be enough for a top & bottom crust.

GERMAN AUTUMN FRUIT KUCHEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Butter and flour an 11-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom or a 9-inch square cake pan.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar until smooth; beat in the eggs until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the vanilla, flour, and salt.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Press your choice of fruit evenly into the batter, sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.
• Serve with a topping of slightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
• The kuchen can also be frozen, well wrapped.
• Thaw and reheat in a 300 F.
• oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Makes 12 servings.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.

HUNGARIAN FRUIT SQUARES

Steps:

• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut in butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix dough well.
• Separate out 1/4 of the dough and chill in the refrigerator. Press remaining dough into the bottom and sides of an ungreased 15 1/2x10 1/2-inch jelly roll pan. Spread apricot preserves on 1/2 the mixture and raspberry preserves on the remaining 1/2.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll out onto a lightly floured board. Cut into 1/2-inch strips and place diagonally across the preserves to form a lattice; press around edges to seal.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Allow to cool and cut into squares. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar; this keeps cookies from sticking and looks nice, too.

RICH FRUIT KUCHENS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, salt, oil, egg and 2-1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Do not knead. Cover and refrigerate overnight., The next day, for custard, whisk the eggs, cream and sugar in a large bowl until combined; set aside. Divide dough into 4 portions. , On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 10-in. circle. Press each circle onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Arrange 2 to 2-1/2 cups of fruit in each crust. Pour 1 cup custard over fruit., For topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1/3 cup over each coffee cake. Cover edges of dough with foil. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and custard reaches 160°.

QUARK-TASCHE ( GERMAN CHEESE PASTRY )

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine quark, lemon juice and 3-4 tsp sugar. Taste and adjust juice and sugar to taste if necessary.
• Add egg and stir to combine.
• Unroll crescents and separate into large (roughly) squares (two per package of dough). Pinch together seams as much as possible.
• Measure out about 2 Tablespoons of cheese mixture and place in center of square.
• Take hold of two opposite corners of dough and bring to a point in the center, bringing the other two corners in to meet them, so that you are left with roughly a square filled pastry.
• Sprinkle squares with about 1/2 tsp sugar each and bake for about 14 minutes or until browned and puffed.
• Allow to cool and enjoy at room temperature.
• Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

GERMAN FRUIT SQUARE PASTRY

Steps:

• Prepare yeast with the warm water and sugar as directed on yeast package. Rub margarine and flour as for pie. Mix together beaten egg yolks, milk, sugar and yeast mixture. Add to flour mixture. Mix well. Gather into a ball and divide into two. Roll out one part and put into a greased cookie sheet, letting it hang over the edges a bit, as for making a pie. Put in any desired fruit pie filling. Roll out the other half and put on top of filling, pinching the edges all around. Let rise for one hour in a warm sunny spot. Poke holes with a fork all over the top to allow steam to escape while baking. Option: sprinkle with sugar just before baking. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool, then cut into large serving squares.