Updated 28 Dec 2009

"At Christmas Time" continued......

We were taught that our gifts came from Khristkind (Christ Child) from whom all gifts come.

The older folks would have kuchen and coffee while we children examined our gifts and checked to see our goodies in the second brown [page 145] bags.

Then off to bed because on Christkindtag (Christ Child's Day; Weihnachstag, or Christmas Day) we had to rise early and do our chores before going to church.

[Christmas Day]

After church services, Father would usually invite guests for dinner which he loved to do.

Dinner usually consisted of chicken noodle soup, stuffed fowl, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, a salad, a variety of breads and deserts.

After dinner dishes were done, we'd play with our new toys or go out and play in the snow. We always celebrated Christkindtag for three days, at least so it seemed, as we always had lots of company and we never took down our Christmas trimmings until the sixth of January.

Most of our elders have passed on but they left us with a legacy of memories that are precious to the heart.

The following recipe is based on my Mother's kaffee kuchen [coffee cake].

[p. 147]

 COFFEE CAKE

(KAFFEE KUCHEN)

Any rich dough can be used, however, here is my favorite:

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 package dry yeast

1 1/4 cup canned milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

4 1/2 cups flour

Add yeast to lukewarm water and set aside. Now heat over low heat milk, butter, sugar, and salt until butter is melted, stirring to mix ingredients. Cool to luke-warm. Add yeast and eggs.

Using paddle (not dough hook) b eat the above ingredients on low speed until well mixed and add flour. Continue beating on low speed for another five minutes. Dough will be very moist. This is as it should be.

Put dough into large greased bowl and cover tightly. Place in refrigerator and allow to remain there for at least twenty four hours. Cut cross-wise after twelve hours to release gas and recover tightly and return to refrigerator.

Forty five minutes before baking time remove the dough from refrigerator and immediately make up into coffee cake. Grease six nine inch pie pans.

Pans and Recipe

Divide dough into six equal segments. Roll out dough until circle is slightly lager then base of pie pan.

..

Place in greased pie pan and press dough against sides so it's slightly higher then center.

With dinner fork poke dough full of holes (keep air bubbles from forming) and set in warm place to rise for thirty minutes. Dough is very moist so extra flour may be used when rolling out dough.

PREPARE AHEAD

If using dried fruits such as apricots or prunes be sure to steam them ahead of time so they can be cooled and drained of all liquid before using. Twelve ounce of dried apricots or prunes will cover three nine inch coffee cake. You can use sliced bananas (Judy's favorite) or freshly sliced apples. Be sure to leave the bright red skins on the apples and place in a wheel pattern as they will look beautiful as well as be delicious.

Getting rid of as much as the juice from the canned fruit as you can by placing it for a time on paper towels

SOUR CREAM TOPPING

1 cup sour cream

4 whole eggs

Beat together with fork, do not use blender or mixer and set aside.

Mixing whole eggs with sour cream

..

[p. 148]

CRUMB TOPPING

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter

Mix until fine grains and set aside. If you have more crumbs then you need place remaining crumbs into a freezer container and freeze for later use.

Butter Crumbs

Just before baking you do as follows:

1) preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Put a thin layer (about 2 tablespoons) of sour cream mixture over coffee cake

Egg and Sourcream Mixture

3) Now a layer of fruit

Apricots .  Spread them out  more than you see in this photo.  They  should reach all the edges of the coffee cake

Bananas.  You can see that the bananas are placed to the edges so every mouth full  a person eats will give the person who is eating some fruit.

4) Sprinkle generously with butter crumbs

5) Sprinkle on or two tablespoons sugar over the butter crumbs

6) Sprinkle generously with cinnamon

7 Lastly dribble about two tablespoons of cream mixture over top

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until bottoms of bread is a light golden brown and the topping is set.

These freeze well.

Happy baking.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

EVERYONE!

Signature

of  

Lillian  Hein  Remmick

NOTE #!

Katie Hubert is the great granddaughter of Lillian, nee Hein, Remmick

NOTE #2:

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