LIMONCELLO CHEESECAKE (deutsch)

TORTENBODEN:
227 g Braune Kuchen (Pfefferkuchen oder andere Kekse)
13 g/1 EL Zucker
100 g Butter, geschmolzen

FUELLUNG:
680 g Philadelphia, zimmerwarm (3 Pck.)
173 g Saure Sahne, zimmerwarm
15 g/2 EL Weizenmehl Typ 405
1 Prise Salz
150 g Zucker
1 EL Vanille-Extrakt oder 1 Pck. Vanillezucker
2 EL abgeriebene Zitronenschale (2 Zitronen)
3 EL Limoncello Zitronenliqueur
4 gr. Eier, zimmerwarm

ZUBEREITUNG:
Ofen auf 190 C vorheizen. Kekse in Blitzhacker oder Mixbecher zu feinen Kruemeln mahlen. Rand einer 23 cm Springform mit einem Streifen Backpapier auslegen.
Kekskruemel und Zucker in einer mittelgrossen Schuessel miteinander verruehren, geschmolzene Butter untermischen, bis alles gut durchfeuchtet ist. Mischung in Springform verteilen und gleichmaessig auf Boden und Seiten (5 cm oder so hoch wie moeglich) andruecken. Etwa 9 - 12 Min. lang backen bis Boden leicht dunkler geworden ist. Auf einem Kuchengitter abkuehlen lassen. Ofentemperatur auf 150 C reduzieren.

Mit Handruehrgeraet (oder Kuechenmaschine) Frischkaese, Saure Sahne, Mehl und Salz auf mittlerer Stufe in etwa 5 Min. sehr glatt und schaumig ruehren. Zucker hinzufuegen und weiterschlagen, bis alles gut vermischt und glatt ist.
Vanille-Extrakt (oder Vanillezucker), Zitronenschale und Limoncello hineingeben und ca. 30 Sek. lang unterruehren. Eier einzeln nacheinander hinzufuegen, jeweils nur so lange unterruehren, bis sie sich gerade eben mit der Creme verbunden haben (nach Zufuegen der Eier nicht zu lange mixen!) Fuellung auf abgekuehlten Tortenboden fuellen und glatt streichen.

Kuchen in Ofenmitte bei 150 Grad 55 - 65 min. lang backen, bis die Mitte beim Antippen elastisch wie Wackelpudding reagiert. Kuchenraender werden etwas aufgeblaeht sein, und die Mitte noch feucht aussehen. Kuchen noch 10 Min. lang im ausgeschalteten Ofen lassen, dabei die Tuer einen Spalt oeffnen. Dann auf Kuchengitter vollkommen auskuehlen lassen. Mit Alufolie abdecken and mindestens fuer 8 Std. in den Kuehlschrank stellen.

TIPP:
Kuchen haelt sich bis zu 1 Monat lang im Tiefkuehlfach. Zum Einfrieren abgekuehlten Kuchen (ohne Form) unabgedeckt auf einer Platte ins Tiefkuehlfach stellen, bis die Oberflaeche kalt und fest geworden ist. Dann in 2 Lagen Plastik- und 1 Lage Alufolie einwickeln. Zum Auftauen ueber Nacht in den Kuehlschrank stellen.

Dies Rezept habe ich nach einem "Fine Cooking" Cheesecake-Grundrezept abgewandelt

LIMONCELLO CHEESECAKE

CRUST:
227 g/8 oz Gingersnap cookies (or other cookies)
13 g/1 tbsp. sugar
100 g/7 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:
680 g/24 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (3 packages)
173 g/3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
15 g/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
150 g/3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. lemon zest, grated (2 lemons)
3 tbsp. Limoncello liqueur
4 large eggs, at room temperature

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C (rack in center of oven). Pulse cookies in food processor until crushed to fine crumbs. Line sides of 23 cm/9" springform pan with parchment paper strip.
In a medium bowl, stir cookie crumbs and sugar, add melted butter and mix until crumbs are evenly moist. Transfer mixture to springform pan and press evenly onto bottom and up the sides of pan (5 cm/2" or as high as possible). Bake until crust is slightly darkened, 9 - 12 min. Let cool on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F/150 C.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sour cream, flour and salt on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl and paddle as needed, until very smooth and fluffy, ca. 5 min. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.
Add vanilla, lemon zest and Limoncello and beat until blended, ca. 30 sec. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended (don't overmix after eggs are added!) Pour filling into cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake cake at 300 F/150 C until center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 - 65 min. Cake will be slightly puffed around edges, and center still look moist. Let cake for 10 min. in turned-off oven (with door slightly ajar). Then remove from oven and let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hrs.

TIP:
Cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze place unmolded, cooled, cake on baking sheet in freezer, uncovered, until top is cold and firm. Then wrap in 2 layers of plastic and 1 layer of foil. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.

I adapted this recipe from a "Fine Cooking" cheese cake master recipe

What To Do With Leftover Cookies - Was kann man mit Keksresten anfangen?

In Germany there's no such thing as a cookie crumb crust. German cheesecake fillings traditionally rest on short crusts, and stale cookies are either eaten by undiscerning kids and dogs, or - illegally - fed to (equally undiscerning) ducks.
Some years ago, trying out a Martha Stewart coconut bar recipe (I wish I could find that somewhere) I was introduced to the best possible use for cookie leftovers. What an ingenious idea, turning bone-hard or uncrisp cookies into a delicious cake or pie crust. Just with the help of melted butter and a little sugar. And easy, too - the crust for Dummies!

In Deutschland gibt es keinen Kekskruemel-Tortenboden. Deutsche Kaesekuchenfuellungen ruhen traditionsgemaess auf Muerbeteig, und altbackene Kekse werden entweder von wenig waehlerischen Kindern und Hunden vertilgt, oder - verbotenerweise - an (ebenso wenig waehlerische) Enten verfuettert.
Als ich vor ein paar Jahren ein Martha Stewart Kokosriegel-Rezept ausprobierte (ich wuenschte, ich koennte das wiederfinden) lernte ich die bestmoegliche Keksreste-Verwertung kennen.
Was fuer eine geniale Idee, beinharte oder unkrosse Kekse in einen leckeren Torten- oder Pieboden zu verwandeln. Nur mit Hilfe von geschmolzener Butter und ein bisschen Zucker. Und dabei ganz einfach - der Kuchenboden fuer Dummies!

TEBIRKES - DANISH POPPY SEED ROLLS

Hier geht's zur deutschen Version dieses Posts (folgt noch)
















When I baked Danish Tebirkes for the first time, I revisited my childhood. For many years my grandmother, aunt, two younger cousins and I would spend our summer holidays in Denmark. Every morning before breakfast, my cousin Thomas or I would bike to the little grocery store to pick up our order of freshly baked rolls.

The one (and only) time little Stefan was sent to the Købmand, he cunningly disqualified himself by leaving a Hänsel-and-Gretel trail of lost groceries on his way home - Thomas and I had to go back and retrieve them.

Summer vacations with my Omi, and my cousins  in Blaavand, Denmark

Though I liked crusty Rundstykker, the regular rolls, my favorites were buttery Tebirkes, croissant-like rolls sprinkled with poppy seeds.

Those, of course, were more expensive than Rundstykker, so we didn't get them very often.

Then one day my uncle Alfried came visiting. The next morning he drove to the grocery store to pick up the rolls.

When he came home with the bags, I was the only one up, everybody else was still getting ready upstairs. I laid the table and emptied the contents of the bags in a basket.

And there I saw a Tebirke in all its poppy seed glory. Figuring it got in between the other rolls by mistake, I thought nobody would miss it. After I had eaten it, I saw another one - and since they tasted so good and nobody would know, I ate it, too.

Strangely, I found a third Tebirke in the bag. Why stop now, it wouldn't make sense to leave this lonely roll among its common Rundstykker cousins...

When everybody sat around the breakfast table, my uncle looked at the basket, turning the rolls over - and over - "Where are my poppy seed rolls? I bought three of them, and I don't see them in here! Does anybody know where they are?"

Tebirkes resemble croissants with their buttery, flaky crumb

TEBIRKES - DANISH POPPY SEED ROLLS (adapted from Petra Holzapfel)
(14 - 16 )

DOUGH
540 g bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
10 g salt
12 g/1 tbsp. sugar
8 g/ 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
240 ml/1 cup milk, cold
120 ml/1/2 cup water, cool (65ºF/18ºC)
1 egg
113 g/1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

BUTTER LAYER
113 g/1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
5 g bread flour (or all purpose flour)

TOPPING
1 egg white, mixed with 1 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. poppy seeds


DAY 1
In mixer bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar and instant yeast to combine.

Pour in milk and water, then add egg and melted butter. Mix on lowest speed (paddle attachment) for 1 minute, then on medium-high for 10 -15 seconds more.

Turn dough out onto a floured workspace, gather to a ball (with floured hands), and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Mist with spray oil, cover and refrigerate overnight.


DAY 2
(The butter layer is very thin, it can't be rolled out to form a brick, it has to be spread over the dough) For the butter layer, place butter pieces in a mixer bowl, add 5 g flour and mix with paddle attachment on lowest speed to break down butter into smaller pieces, until mixture is no longer lumpy. Increase speed to medium-high and continue mixing until mixture is smooth.

Roll out dough on a floured work surface to a 40 x 40 cm (16 x 16 inch) square. Using a spatula spread creamed butter over half of the square as evenly as possible, leaving a 1-cm/1/4-inch rim on three sides.*

Fold unbuttered half of dough over buttered half and press down to make it stick. Then fold dough over once again from the long side. (The result should be a ca. 50 cm x 10 cm (20" x 4") log.

Preheat oven to 400ºF/205ºC. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Cut dough block across the middle in halves. Brush top with egg white and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Cut each dough half in 7 - 8 triangles (I found a sharp chef's knife worked better than my bench scraper - the dough is sticky).

Transfer triangles to prepared sheet pans. Mist with spray oil, cover and let rise at room temperature for 30 - 40 minutes, until they have grown to nearly double their original size.

Bake rolls for 15 - 20 minutes (I used convection mode, rotating the sheet pans 180 degrees after 9 minutes, and continued baking for another 9 minutes), until Tebirkes are are a rich golden brown.

Cool Tebirkes on a wire rack.

WEIZENBRÖTCHEN - GERMAN EVERYDAY ROLLS

Nobody in Germany thinks of baking regular, plain white rolls at home. You get them freshly baked everywhere, in bakeries, supermarkets, and even in gas stations.

Every German region has them, called "Rundstück" in Hamburg, "Schrippe" in Berlin, "Semmel" in Munich, or simply "Brötchen" (= little bread).

The typical Brötchen has a crackly crisp crust and a fluffy, soft, easy to pull out crumb. It has nothing in common with its soft, sweet and chewy US cousin, the dinner roll. And American Kaiser Rolls are just Kaisersemmel wannabes, they share only the pretty star cut with their Bavarian or Austrian ancestors.

Brötchen crumb should be soft, fluffy, and easy to pull out

One of the greatest woes of German expats is the total lack of this everyday staple in the US.

No Brötchen to be found anywhere - perhaps bad imitations, but never the real thing.

And worse: no cookbook would even list a recipe!

In those days I had no clue about the differences between European and American flours.

I only knew they were categorized in a different way, European flours by their ash content (meaning what is left if you burn it) and American ones by their protein level.

One day we were shopping at our favorite Italian grocery, Micucci, in Portland. I saw Italian flour Tipo 00 on their shelves, and bought it, more out of curiosity then anything else. I remembered it listed as an ingredient in one of my most favorite bread baking books from a bakery in South Tyrol, Italy.

Different toppings to choose from

In Ploner's "Brot aus Südtirol" I had finally found a recipe for Brötchen. I tried them several times, just assuming "Tipo 00" would be the same as all-purpose flour.

Frustratingly, every time the rolls turned out lean and chewy, more reminiscent of French bread.

But when I used the Italian flour, I finally nailed it: my rolls had the soft, fluffy, "pull-out" crumb typical for Brötchen.

Wikipedia told me why: US wheat has much more protein compared with European wheat.

Protein rich flour develops a strong gluten structure, so that the crumb is airy and chewy. Soft, low protein flours, like German Typ 405, or Italian Tipo 00, have much less gluten and bake into breads with a denser, fluffier crumb.

For an American/European flour "translation", click here.

I like a crunchy seed topping (as shown in the photos), but you can also give your rolls or a simple shiny, crackly glaze, so that they look like Rundstücke.



WEIZENBRÖTCHEN    (adapted from Richard Ploner: "Brot aus Südtirol")
 (12 rolls):

Dough
500 g/17.6 oz Italian Tipo 00 or pastry flour
8 g/0.3 oz instant yeast
4 g/1 tsp. sugar
270 g/9.1 oz water, lukewarm
40 g/1.4 oz olive oil
10 g/0.4 oz salt

Seed Topping
1 egg, slightly beaten, for brushing
sesame, poppy or sunflower seeds, for topping

OR

Shiny, Crackly Glaze
 2 g cornstarch, boiled in
100 g water, and cooled to room temperature 

DAY 1
In the evening, stir yeast into lukewarm water until dissolved. Mix all ingredients for 1 minute at lowest speed (mixer or wooden spoon). Let dough sit for 5 minutes.

Knead on medium-low speed (or with hands) for 2 minutes. Dough should be supple and still a little bit sticky (adjust with water if needed). Continue kneading for 4 more minutes, increasing speed to medium-high for last 30 sec. Dough should be very tacky, bordering on sticky.

Fold the dough like a business letter in thirds

Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. With wet or oiled hands, stretch and fold dough like a business envelope in thirds, then turn it around 90 degrees, and fold from short sides the same way.

Gather dough ball, sides tucked underneath, and place it in lightly oiled bowl. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat these stretches and folds 3 more times, every 10 minutes (40 min. total time)*.

Place dough in oiled bowl or container with lid (I divide it at this point in halves, and use 1-qt plastic containers). Roll dough around to coat all over with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or lid, and place in the fridge overnight.

*This technique is described in detail in Peter Reinhart's "Artisan Bread Every Day".

The dough is full of gas bubbles and has doubled

DAY 2:
Remove dough from refrigerator 3 hours before baking, to de-chill and double their original size. Prepare egg wash and three bowls with sesame, poppy and sunflower seeds for topping. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shape dough into 12 little rolls.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces, and shape them into rolls. Brush each with egg wash, then dip in seeds. If you prefer a shiny, crackly crust, skip egg wash (apply cornstarch glaze after proofing.)

Place dough balls seam side down on baking sheet. Let rolls rise ca 2 - 2 1/4 hours, or until grown 2 times their original size (remember to preheat oven after 1 3/4 hours.)

Ready for the oven

Preheat oven to 428º F/220º C, including steam pan.

Brush proofed rolls with cornstarch glaze (if using). Place rolls in oven, pouring 1 cup boiling water in steam pan.

Bake for 9 minutes, then re-brush with cornstarch glaze (if using), rotate baking sheet 180 degrees for even browning, and continue baking for another 9 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown (internal temperature at least 200º F/92º C).

Leave rolls in switched off oven for 10 minutes more (leave door a crack open), before taking them out to cool on a rack.

BreadStorm users (also the free version) can download the formula:

Freerk of BreadLab made a very nice video clip of how to make these rolls - view it at YouTube.

And check out Joanna's Brötchen post at Zeb Bakes, one of my favorite blogs with great breads and lovely photos. 

Ian, from Mookie Loves Bread made the rolls with fruit yeast water and a toasted onion, black sesame, Asiago cheese and flaxseed topping.
 

VINSCHGER PAARLEN

MASH
50 g rye meal
100 g water, at 122 F/50 C

SOAKER
77 g all-purpose flour
100 g rye flour
2 g salt
108 g water

FINAL DOUGH
284 g all-purpose flour
5 g sugar
1 g/1 tsp. blue fenugreek (Brotklee, Schabziger Klee), ground *
2 g/1 sp. caraway, ground
3 g/1 tsp. anise seeds, ground
8 g salt
6 g instant yeast
170 g water

* substitute: 1 tbsp. dried, ground nettle leaves + 1/2 tsp. of curry. Don't use regular brown fenugreek! (It's bitter and much sourer)

DAY 1

For the mash: stir together rye meal and hot water. Let sit at room temperature (up to 24 hrs).

DAY 2

In the morning, add soaker ingredients to mash and stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature.

In the evening, stir yeast into lukewarm water until dissolved. Mix all ingredients with soaker, stirring for ca. 1 minute at lowest speed. Let dough sit for 5 min.

Knead on medium-low speed for 2 min. Dough should be supple and slightly sticky (adjust with water if needed). Continue kneading for 4 more min. increasing speed to medium-high for last 30 sec. Dough will be still somewhat sticky.

Stretch and fold dough 4 times, every 10 min. (40 min total time). Refrigerate overnight.

DAY 3

3 hrs. before baking, remove dough from refrigerator. Divide cold dough into 16 equal pieces and shape into rolls. Place in pairs, each pair touching each other, seam side down on parchment lined baking sheet. Dust with flour. Let breads rise ca 2 - 2 1/4 hrs., or until grown ca. 2 times their original size.

Preheat oven to 446 F/230 C, with steam pan. Place breads in oven, pouring 1/2 cup boiling water in steam pan. Bake for 10 min., rotate sheet and continue baking for another 10 min. (Internal temperature at least 200 F/392 C).

*if using convection (preferable) adjust temperature accordingly

Vinschgauer Bread - Vinschgauer Brot

On a trip to South Tyrol (a border area between Austria and Italy) as a student, I first tasted a sample of the spicy rye breads typical for the region. Hiking up the mountains to a "Huette" (a small rustic inn) we were served Vinschgauer Paarlen with homemade butter and smoked ham (Suedtiroler Speck). The flat bread was quite spicy. I didn't know what herb was in it, but it smelled and tasted wonderful.

Later I found out that there were more than one type of rye bread from Vinschgau. Vinschgauer, Vinschger Paarlen, Vinschgerlen or Vintschgauer comes in different variations, some with, some without sourdough, some flat, some rolls, and also with different seasonings, but all of them spicy and delicious.

A typical, very unique spice in some Vinschgauer breads is blue fenugreek (Brotklee, Schabziger Klee), it develops its special aroma from growing in the mountains with lots of sunshine. When I baked a batch of Vinschgerlen some days ago, the whole house was filled with the smell of Brotklee.

Unfortunately I couldn't find a source for Brotklee/blue fenugreek in the US - I bought several boxes in a health store during my last trip to Germany. But the German Wikipedia had at least a suggestion for a substitute: dried nettle (burning nettle) with "a good pinch of curry". The other possibility would be using regular fenugreek instead. I haven't tried either, yet, but I plan to make two batches using those substitutes, and compare their taste to the original.

Waehrend eines Urlaubs als Studentin in Suedtirol habe ich das erste Mal eins der wuerzigen Roggenbrote probiert, die so typisch fuer diese Gegend sind. Auf einer Bergwanderung servierte man uns in einer Huette Vinschgauer Paarlen mit frischer Butter und Suedtiroler Speck. Das Fladenbrot war sehr kraeftig gewuerzt. Ich kannte das Gewuerz nicht, aber es roch und schmeckte wunderbar.

Spaeter erfuhr ich, dass es mehr als eine Sorte Roggenbrot aus dem Vinschgau gibt. Vinschgauer, Vinschger Paarlen, Vinschgerlen oder Vintschgauer kommt in verschienen Variationen vor, einige mit, einige ohne Sauerteig, einige als Fladen, andere als Broetchen, und auch mit verschiedenen Gewuerzen, aber alle lecker und herzhaft.

Ein typisches, sehr einzigartiges Gewuerz in manchen Vinschgauer Broten ist Brotklee (Schabziger Klee). Er entwickelt sein besonderes Aroma dadurch, dass er in den Bergen mit viel Sonnenschein waechst. Als ich vor ein paar Tagen ein Blech mit Vinschgerlen gebacken habe, war das ganze Haus von Brotkleeduft erfuellt.

Leider habe ich in den USA bisher keine Bezugsquelle fuer Brotklee finden koennen - ich habe waehrend meiner letzten Deutschlandreise mehrere Dosen davon im Reformhaus gekauft. Aber das deutsche Wikipedia schlug wenigstens einen Ersatz vor: getrocknete, geriebene Brennesselblaetter mit "einer guten Prise Curry". Eine andere Moeglichkeit waere Bockshornklee. Ich habe bisher weder das eine noch das andere ausprobiert, aber ich will zwei Partien mit diesen beiden Ersatzgewuerzen backen und ihren Geschmack mit dem Original vergleichen.