Kuchen

Jan 13, 2008
Kuchen for Liz

Here is my mom's recipie for Kuchen (pronounced kugen). The name just means cake, but in our family it always means this coffee cake. It's been handed down for generations, spanning the last few hundred years. Hence it is not a terribly sweet cake.

The Crust
1 pkg. dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup milk 1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon salt 1 egg
1/2 cup water 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional but yummy) 4 cups flour or more

Dissolve the package of yeast in the 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. Set aside in a warm place. Put 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup shortening, and 1 tablespoon salt in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Let cool to lukewarm and add 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add yeast mixture and flour to make a soft dough, just so you can knead it. Put in a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let rise for about 1 hour, until it doubles. Knead down and let rise again. Separate into three parts and roll a 10 inch circle from 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and place in a greased 9 inch cake pan, (remember the recipie makes three). Let the dough rise in the pan for 15 minutes.
Add a layer of fruit such as raisins, prunes, fresh apples, rhubarb...etc if you wish. The pour on the Filling.

The Filling
2 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp flour 1 egg
I use Wondra Quick Flour
Mix milk and flour well and boil until it thickens. Stir constantly.
Remove from heat and add 1 egg adn 1/2 cup sugar. Pour about 1/4 cup of the filling mixture into each crust. Sprinkle cinammon on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set