Hickory Nut Pie
Pecan pie is delicious; hickory nut pie is heavenly.  Go find someone who has the patience to crack those super hard nuts and pick the meats out, and try this recipe.

3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 heaping cup coarsely chopped hickory nuts
9 inch unbaked pie crust

Heat oven to 350.  Beat eggs slightly.  Add corn syrup and melted butter.  Beat well until smooth.  Stir in brown sugar, maple syrup and nuts.  Pour filling into pie shell and bake 45 to 55 minutes until the middle is set.   Cool and serve with whipped cream.

Apple Kuchen
Every Wisconsin/German/American Grandma made this.

Crust (see recipe)
Streusel (see recipe)
4 cups peeled and sliced all-purpose apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Make crust and streusel and set aside.

Crust:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in shortening using two knives or pastry blender, until mixture resembles small peas. Pat in 7-by-11-inch coffeecake pan. Set aside.

Streusel:
1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature

Mix all until ingredients are combined and crumbly.

To prepare filling, combine apples, sugar and cinnamon. Add more sugar, as needed, if apples are tart. Mix well.  Spread filling into prepared crust and top with streusel. Bake in preheated oven 45 to 50 minutes or until done. 10 to 12 servings.

Schaum Torte
This meringue-like German classic is filled with fresh berries, ice cream and whipped cream.

6 egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar (divided)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ice cream
Sliced fresh berries
Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour 2 large cookie sheets.  Beat egg whites in glass bowl until they form soft peaks when beater is lifted from whites.  Beat in 6 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until thoroughly incorporated.  Add vanilla, vinegar, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar, beating constantly.  Drop 12 spoonfuls of mixture on prepared sheets, 3 inches apart and forming each into a mound 3 inches in diameter.  Bake in 35 to 40 minutes or until dry to the touch.  The meringue should be firm when touched with your finger.  Turn off oven, keeping door closed, and let cool completely.  When cool, remove tops by slicing horizontally with a serrated knife.  Fill bottoms with ice cream, cover with fruit and top with whipped cream. Replace tops.

Cream Puffs
These are favorites at county fairs and the Wisconsin State Fair.  Thousands and thousands are sold.

1 cup water
1 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour, sifted
4 eggs
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons milk
2 cups whipped cream filling
Sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place water in a heavy pan.  Cut butter into small pieces and add to water along with the salt.  Add salt.  Heat over medium low heat so butter melts before water boils.  Bring water to a boil.  When water comes to a boil, immediately remove pan from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms into a ball (bottom of pan will still have a film of flour).  Let dough rest 10 minutes.  Beat in the 4 eggs, one at a time. Dough should be stiff but smooth.  Immediately drop 1/4 cupfuls of dough 3 inches apart on greased and floured baking sheet.  Combine egg yolk and milk in small bowl. Brush each puff with the egg yolk mixture.  Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes until puffed, golden brown and firm.  Cool puffs on wire racks, pricking each with toothpick to allow steam to escape; or leave them in turned-off oven with door slightly ajar for 1 hour.  Baked puffs should have hollow, moist interiors and crisp outer shells that are lightly browned.  The puffs must be cool and firm before you fill them with whipped cream mixture.

Cut off tops and fill bottom of puffs with whipped cream mixture.  Replace tops of puffs and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 10 to 12 cream puffs.

Whipped cream mixture:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar

Chill bowl and beaters. Beat cream in bowl, adding vanilla and sugar when soft peaks begin to form.  Stop beating just before cream gets stiff.

Kringle (Danish Pastry)
Racine, in the southeastern part of the state on Lake Michigan, has a large population of Danish descent.  Kringle is without a doubt their crowning achievement.

3/4 cup butter
1 large egg
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1/4 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 package or cake yeast

Divide butter in half and spread each half on waxed paper to an 8x8 inch square. Chill. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, lemon extract, and egg. Mix well. Add flour and mix until smooth. Roll dough on well floured board to an 8x12 inch rectangle. Place one piece of chilled butter onto two thirds of the dough. Fold uncovered third of dough over the middle third, then fold the remaining third over the top. Again, fold one end over middle third, and fold the remaining third over top, making a square of nine layers. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove dough from refrigerator and again roll to an 8x12 inch rectangle. Add chilled butter and fold the same way. This will make a total of 18 layers. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Cut dough into 2 equal squares. Lightly roll one piece at a time, until each piece is about 20x6 inches. Spread center third of dough with butterscotch filling (see following recipe), then add fruit, nuts, raisins, and so on as you like. You can also fill pastry with jam. Fold one of the long edges to the middle, moisten other edge and fold over the top to cover filling. Seal well. Put kringle on greased baking sheet and form into oval shape, pressing ends of kringle together to form a continuous circle. Flatten dough with hands. Cover kringle for one hour at 70 degrees (room temperature). Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, then ice with mixture of powdered sugar and water.

Maple Baked Apples
Wisconsin's fall bounty includes apples, walnuts, and maple syrup.  All three come together in this super-fragrant dessert.

4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into halves

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

4 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 c. maple syrup

1 c. walnuts

Combine the flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl. Roll the apple halves in mixture until well coated. Place apples in a 9x13 pan. Pour syrup over the apples, and top with walnuts. Bake at 325 for 25 - 30 minutes. Top with ice cream and serve warm.

Butterhorns
One of my fondest memories of childhood is my mother's butterhorns.

2 packages dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
4 cups flour (about)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
3 egg yolks
Powdered sugar frosting

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Set aside.

Combine 4 cups flour, salt, and sugar in bowl.  Cut in butter.  Make a nest in the flour mixture.  Scald milk, then cool slightly.  Beat egg yolks and add to milk.  Add reserved yeast to yolk-milk mixture.  Pour the liquid mixture into nest in flour mixture and mix.  Sift flour additional over dough and knead until batter no longer sticks to hands.  Put into a arge,
greased bowl and cover with a towel.  Let rise to double in bulk (about 1 hour) in slightly warm place, away from drafts. Punch down, then refrigerate overnight.  In morning, divide dough into 3 parts.  Roll each part out to 1/3-inch thickness on lightly floured board.  Cut into 2-inch squares and roll up, corner-to-corner.  Place on greased and floured cookie sheets. Leave room between butterhorns, as they will spread. Cover lightly with wax paper and tea towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk, 45 to 60 minutes, in warm, draft-free area.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 15 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly, then frost.. Makes about 2 dozen.

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
Enough milk or half-and-half cream to make a glaze
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients until smooth.
 

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