German X Mas Rum Crowns Recipes

GERMAN X-MAS RUM CROWNS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, chocolate, salt and confectioners' sugar. Mix in butter until the mixture appears crumbly. Add rum and egg, and mix until a smooth dough forms. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• Roll dough out into thin 6 inch long ropes. Twist two ropes together, and put the ends together to form a crown. Mix together the egg yolk and water, brush over each crown, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
• Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Cool cookies on wire racks.

GERMAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

Steps:

• Place the raisins and currants in a bowl. Sprinkle the fruit with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the rum, if used. Covered the bowl and let stand for 24 hours.
• Stir the compressed or dry yeast into the lukewarm milk. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well and stir a little of the surrounding flour into the liquid. Cover with a cloth and let stand in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Measure the butter and let stand at room temperature.
• Sprinkle the remaining sugar, the nutmeg, ginger and grated lemon and orange rind over the flour. Mix the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and beat in the softened, but not melted, butter. Knead the dough well on a floured board until no longer sticky. Place in a bowl, cover with a cloth and let stand in a warm place for several hours until doubled in bulk. Sprinkle the raisins and currants with the 1 tablespoon of flour and knead into the dough on a floured board with the almonds and candied peel. Shape the dough into an oval. Cover with a cloth and let rise on the board, in a warm place, for 30 minutes.
• Using a rolling pin, make a deep depression lengthwise along the center of the oval and fold one half down over the other. Place the dough on a warm baking sheet lined with waxed paper or parchment paper. Once more cover the dough with a cloth and let rise for a further 30 minutes.
• Bake in the center of a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and, while still warm, spread liberally with the butter. Then coat thickly with the confectioners' sugar.
• NOTE: Since Christmas bread matures and improves in flavor on keeping, it is advisable to make it at least 1 month before it is required, and keep in an airtight container or wrap in aluminum foil.

GERMAN FRANKFURT CROWN CAKE

Steps:

• To prepare cake, cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.
• Mix in lemon rind and 2 tablespoons rum.
• Sift baking powder and flour together.
• Gently mix into butter mixture.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
• Pour into a well-greased 10 inch tube pan.
• Bake in a preheated 325°F oven about 60 minutes, until cake tests done.
• Cool cake in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely.
• Slice cake crosswise into 3 layers.
• Pour about 2 tablespoons rum over EACH layer.
• For butter-cream filling, boil sugar and water to 238°F (soft ball stage).
• Beat egg yolks until very light and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• While still beating the egg yolks, add the sugar syrup in a THIN STREAM.
• Beat 5 minutes more, until very thick and doubled in bulk.
• Slowly beat in rum.
• Beat the butter in a small bowl until soft and light.
• Beat butter into the egg mixture a little at a time.
• Continue beating until thick.
• Chill until mixture can be spread.
• If mixture is too soft, beat in additional butter.
• While butter cream is cooling, spread 2 tablespoons butter thickly in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan for praline topping.
• Then, in a 1-quart saucepan boil sugar and water to 239°F (soft ball stage).
• Stir in almonds; cook until mixture reaches 310°F or until syrup caramelizes.
• Pour syrup into prepared baking pan.
• When cool, break up praline and grind it in a blender for a few seconds.
• Finally, heat jam with sugar and press through a strainer or sieve to make apricot glaze.
• To assemble cake, place bottom layer of cake on a cake plate and spread with half of the butter cream.
• Repeat with second layer.
• Place third layer on top.
• Spread tops and sides of cake with apricot glaze.
• Press praline powder into glaze.
• Any remaining butter cream can be used to decorate top of cake.