Dessert: Pear Küchen

Kuchen, a German yeast cake, acts as a golden pillow for ripe pears and a cinnamon, sugar, and hazelnut topping.

Ingredients

1/3 cup warm milk (105-115 °F) 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
1 whole large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

Instructions

Stir together milk and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar in bowl of mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Add 1/4 cup flour, beating at medium speed until combined. Add whole egg, yolk, vanilla, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup sugar and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in 1 1/4 cups remaining flour. Increase speed to medium and add butter, then continue beating, stopping and scraping down side of bowl once or twice, until dough is shiny and forms strands from paddle to bowl, about 3 minutes. (Dough will be very soft and sticky.)
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

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