4 recipes of German desserts you must try and share

What sets German desserts apart from the rest of the world, is their perfect balance of indulgence and restraint. Unlike some overly sweet confections, German desserts tend to favor a more nuanced approach, that brings out the ingredients’ natural flavors. From the Black Forest's iconic cherry-chocolate cake to the crisp, apple-filled strudels of Bavaria, these treats showcase the diversity of Germany's regional specialties. We bring you the simpler ones, some baked, and some cooked that are easy to make. 

1. German Fruit Pudding

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp cornstarch 
• 240 ml red juice (cherries+strawberry)
• 70 gm granulated sugar, adjust to taste 
• 600 gm fresh berries (use a mixture of strawberries, blueberries, cherries, or cranberries) 

Instructions

1. Mix cornstarch with the juice in a saucepan, then add the sugar and mix again. 
2. Add the mix of fresh berries and stir to coat them.
3. Put the pan on medium-low heat and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally to keep the berries from burning. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the fruit softens. 
4. Remove from the heat and let it cool. The concoction will thicken as it cools.
5. Enjoy warm or chilled. You can serve the pudding with fresh whipped cream, yogurt, custard, or vanilla ice cream. 

2. Bavarian Cream

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 vanilla bean pod 
• 250 ml milk
• 2 ½ tsp gelatin powder
• 3 egg yolks
• 75 gm sugar
• 250 ml whipping cream

Instructions 

1. Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and take out the seeds, don’t discard them. 
2. Put the vanilla beans and the seeds along with milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
3. Take a little cold water in a small bowl, add the gelatin powder, and mix, set aside to let it bloom, for 15 minutes.
4. Take a heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks with the sugar, then strain a bit of the hot milk through a sieve. Mix to combine, then slowly strain the rest of the milk into the bowl. 
5. Put this bowl in a saucepan, with water on low heat, making sure the bowl covers the surface of the pan. Let the concoction cook via the steam generated. Keep stirring as it thickens.
6. Add the gelatin once the bowl’s liquid thickens and mix until all of it is combined. 
7. Remove from heat, and let the mixture cool, while stirring occasionally. Once the mixture is cohesive, set aside.
8. Take a metal bowl, add whipping cream, and beat until soft peaks form. Then fold it into the vanilla concoction.
9. Take 4 ramekins of pudding molds and rinse with cold water, then divide the vanilla cream mixture equally between them.
10. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight for best results for them to set. 
11. Serve with berry coulis or fresh berries of your choice. 

3. Apfelkuchen

(Serves 12)

Ingredients

• 270 gm all-purpose flour
• 270 ml warm milk
• 50 gm white sugar
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 85 g butter, softened
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

For the Topping

• 3 big apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
• 200 gm white sugar
• 90 gm all-purpose flour
• 60 gm candied lemon peel, chopped (optional)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• 115 gm butter, cold

Instructions

1. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 9-inch springform pan generously with butter, covering the tops and sides. 
2. Tag a big mixing bowl, and use an electric mixer to beat flour, milk, sugar, yeast, butter, vanilla extract, and salt, on high speed until a dough comes together. This takes 5 minutes.
3. Once the dough is smooth, transfer it to the baking dish and pull it up, pressing it on the sides of the pan, forming a crust. Press the apple slices into the bottom of the dough.
4. Take a bowl and mix sugar, flour, candied lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cut the butter with a knife into the bowl and mix with your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs.
5. Sprinkle this spice mixture over the apples in the baking dish. Cover the dish with a cloth and set aside for 30 minutes, for the dough to rise.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 
7. Once 30 minutes are over, and the oven is done preheating, bake for 35 minutes until the Apfelkuchen is golden brown and the apples are tender. 

4. Grießbrei

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 liter milk
• 135 gm semolina

Toppings

• 50 gm granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 50 gm walnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 125 gm strawberries, diced

Instructions

1. Take a saucepan and boil milk on medium heat. Keep stirring often to prevent it from burning. 
2. As you keep stirring, add the semolina to it. 
3. Bring down the heat and keep cooking, until it reaches the desired thickness while stirring constantly. Don’t cook more than 5-7 minutes. 
4. Pour it into 4 serving bowls and top with the sugar, cinnamon, a bit of heavy cream, chopped walnuts then the diced strawberries.