German Fresh Peach Kuchen

Olha's Note:

One of the delights of summer in Germany is fruit kuchen, an open face fresh fruit pie served warm from the oven. It's made with pastry crust or raised yeast dough crust; a custard mixture is poured over the fruit before baking. In this recipe fresh ripe peaches is used, plus a crispy, rich biscuit crust, somewhat like shortcake. Kuchen can also be made with canned or frozen fruit. Fragrant peach kuchen is especially delicious with whipped cream or a la mode. Time the kuchen to bake during dinner so that it will be at just the right temperature to serve for dessert. The batter may be mixed ahead of time, turned into a baking pan and refrigerated for as long as 3 hours. At brunch, serve kuchen instead of coffeecake.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• boiling water
• 2 lbs ripe peaches, peeled and sliced (about 6) or 2 (12 1/2 ounce) packages frozen sliced peaches, drained
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

KUCHEN BATTER

• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemons, rind of
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup regular margarine, melted

TOPPING ONE

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

TOPPING TWO

• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• sweetened whipped cream or soft vanilla ice cream

Directions:

1. Pour enough boiling water over peaches in large bowl to cover.
2. Let stand 1 minute to loosen skins; then drain, and plunge into cold water for a few seconds to prevent softening of fruit.
3. With paring knife, pare peaches; place in a large bowl.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F.
5. Sprinkle peaches with lemon juice to prevent darkening.
6. Slice into the bowl; toss to coat with lemon juice; set aside.
7. Onto sheet of waxed paper, sift flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt.
8. In large mixing bowl, using fork, beat eggs with milk and lemon peel.
9. Add flour mixture and melted butter, mixing with fork until smooth—1 minute.
10. Do not over-mix.
11. Butter a 9-inch Springform pan, or 9-inch round layer-cake pan.
12. (If cake pan is used, kuchen must be served from pan.).
13. Turn batter into pan; spread evenly over bottom.
14. (At this point, kuchen may be refrigerated several hour, or until about 12 hour before baking.).
15. Combine sugar and cinnamon; mix well.
16. DRAIN peach slices; arrange on batter, around edge of pan; fill in center with 5 peach slices.
17. Sprinkle evenly with sugar-cinnamon mixture.
18. Bake 25 minutes.
19. Remove kuchen from oven.
20. With a fork, beat egg yolk with cream.
21. Pour over peaches.
22. Bake 10 minutes longer.
23. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
24. To serve, remove side of springform pan.
25. Serve kuchen warm, cut into wedges, with sweetened whipped cream or soft vanilla ice cream.
26. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
27. McCalls Cooking School.

Reviews

[Patti McD]

I adore this from a local bakery and found this recipe to be very close to what I enjoy. I used the frozen peaches and substituted 1/4 cup splenda blend for the sugar in recipe. Also used half and half for the heavy cream. To lighten up the recipe. next I have to purchase a leak proof springform pan!

[*Pixie*]

Delicious and looks impressive for something so simple. What a great way to use up a tin of peaches! I'm guilty of using my electric mixer to make this and I also added the left over egg white to the batter just to use it up. We really enjoyed this, thanks Olga.