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Sauerbraten
2 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 cups red-wine vinegar
4 yellow onions
Leaves from 1 bunch of celery
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
10 cloves
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
4 sprigs of parsley
2 bay leaves
1 (4-pound) rump roast, tied
2 tablespoons clarified butter
1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps
In a large bowl stir together well the wine, vinegar, 1 cup water, 3 of the onions, quartered, celery leaves, salt, sugar, mustard seeds, nutmeg, cloves, peppercorns, parsley, and bay leaves. Add the meat and let it marinate, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, for 3 to 4 days.

Remove the meat from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a heavy kettle heat the clarified butter over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Add the reserved marinade and gently simmer the mixture, covered, for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid and skim off the fat. Transfer 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to a saucepan, bring to a boil, and stir in the gingersnaps and the remaining liquid, a little at a time, stirring. Boil the sauce, stirring, until it is thickened and add salt and pepper to taste. Slice the meat and serve it with the sauce and potato dumplings.

Spaetzle
Literally translated from German as "little sparrow," spaetzle (spets-lah) is a dish of tiny noodles or dumplings.
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 large eggs
4 tablespoons water, or as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and nutmeg, and make a well in the center.  Whisk the eggs with the water and pour them into the well.  By hand or with a wooden spoon, begin whisking the egg mixture, drawing in a little flour each time you whisk, until you have a thick, wet doughy mixture.  Continue working the dough, picking it up as you whisk to incorporate air into the mixture and make it a little bubbly.  The consistency should be quite thick.

There are several ways to form the spaetzle.  My grandma used the old-fashioned German way: Spread the dough flat on a cutting board, then with a flat spatula, cut little ribbons off the edge and push them into rapidly boiling salted water.  Or, use a spatzle press.  Or, use a colander with large holes (about 3/8 inch), pushing the dough with a large metal spoon through the holes into the boiling water.  When the spaetzle rise to the surface of the boiling water, give them a gentle stir and cook for about 20 seconds more, then drain briefly in a clean colander before tossing with butter, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)
This is the old-fashioned, labor intensive way to make strudel.  It was traditionally made by two women working together.  Today, most folks use phyllo dough available in the frozen food section of most supermarkets.
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons shortening
2 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup water, warm
5 cups sliced apples
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Grated rind of one lemon

Sift the flour and salt together.  Cut in shortening and add the eggs and water.  Knead well, then throw or beat dough against board until it blisters.  Let sit in a warm place under a cloth for 20 minutes.  Cover the kitchen table with a small white cloth and flour it.  Put dough on it.  Pull out with hands very carefully to thickness of tissue paper.  Spread with mixture made of the sliced apples, melted butter, raisins, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and grated lemon rind.  Fold in outer edges and roll about 4 inches wide.  Bake at 450-F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 400-F and continue to bake about 20 minutes.  Let cool.  Cut in slices about 2 inches wide.

Bienenstich (bee sting) Coffee Cake (Kuchen)
Coffee Kuchens are classic in Germany (and Wisconsin) 

Dough:
6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 Tablespoons milk (whole or low-fat)
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 envelope ( 1/4 ounce) quick-acting dry yeast
3 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Topping:
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons honey
2 ounces ( 2/3 cup) sliced almonds 

Filling:
1 cup milk (whole or low-fat)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
3 large egg yolks
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon dark rum
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped 

Technique: Dough: In a small saucepan heat the butter and milk just until the butter is melted. Set aside and cool to 125 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Pulse the machine just to blend the ingredients together.

Then, with the processor running, add the warm liquid to the flour mixture, pouring only as fast as it can be absorbed. Add the eggs with the vanilla in the same manner. Process until the dough forms a smooth ball. 

Place the dough in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. Gently punch dough down (it's OK if the dough has not risen to double in volume). Dough may be prepared up to this point one day ahead; press plastic wrap on dough's surface, cover tightly with more plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator overnight. 

If the dough has been refrigerated, punch it down again, then stretch and press it evenly into a greased 10-inch round baking pan. Cover baking pan tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise 2 hours. If dough is freshly made, follow the same procedure but let it rise only 1 hour. 

Adjust rack in lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Topping: In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, butter and honey over medium heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes, remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Stir mixture, pour over dough and sprinkle almonds over top. (If topping has thickened from cooling, spread evenly over dough's surface.) 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and nuts are pale golden. Cool cake in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a small table knife around the cake in its pan to loosen, then invert cake onto a wire rack. Cover with another rack and invert cake, topping side up. Allow cake to cool to room temperature. 

If you plan to use the cake within 24 hours, wrap in plastic wrap, then cover the plastic-wrapped layer with aluminum foil and store at room temperature. To freeze, label package, indicating contents, and date. 

Freeze for no longer than 1 week. 

Custard filling: Rest a sieve on top of a 1-quart mixing bowl to strain the custard after it has been cooked. Pour the milk and half the sugar into a 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Split the vanilla bean with a small knife, scrape the seeds from the bean into the milk; add the bean. 

Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the remaining sugar and whisk to combine. Then stir in the flour and set aside. 

Bring the milk mixture just to a boil over medium heat. Turn off heat and pour about half the milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking until combined. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan; whisk to combine. Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 1 to 2 minutes). At this time it will thicken. Continue to stir and simmer until it is smooth and thick (about 1 minute). 

Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until melted and incorporated, then pour the cream through the sieve into the mixing bowl.  Cover the surface of the pastry cream with plastic wrap, and poke 6 to 8 slits in it with the tip of a knife to allow steam to escape. (The custard may be refrigerated for up to 3 days.) 

When ready to assemble the dessert, stir the vanilla and rum into the cold custard until smooth. Fold the whipped cream into custard. 

To assemble: Cut cake horizontally in half. Spread the filling evenly over the bottom cake layer on a serving plate. Center the other layer, topping-side up, on top. Cover the cake with foil and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. 

Remove cake from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. To avoid pushing out the filling from the layers, carefully cut cake into "pie-shaped" wedges with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion. 

Serves 16.

Pfeffernusse (Peppernuts)
Here's another German delight often served in Wisconsin.

3/4 c molasses
3/4 c honey
3/4 c shortening
4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp anise seeds, crushed
1 beaten egg
sifted powdered sugar

Combine molasses and honey in a medium saucepan.  Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.  Add shortening and stir until well blended.  Remove from heat.  Set aside to cool.  Combine flour, soda, salt, allspice, mace, pepper and anise in a large mixing bowl.  Stir well.  Add egg to cooled molasses mixture, stirring until well blended.  Gradually pour into flour mixture.  Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Rremove from sheets and roll in powdered sugar.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes 9 1/2 dozen.

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This page last updated on 07/06/2003