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A dessert that really tastes like Sunday. Plettenpudding is a kind of trifle with vanilla pudding and raspberries. This dessert is featured in one of Germany’s most popular novels, the family epic The Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann. The Lübeck-born author won the Nobel Prize for literature for his first novel which he wrote in his mid-twenties.

Ingredients:

250 g fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

8 ladyfingers
1/4 cup sherry
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
100 g sugar
1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean
1-1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
6 macaroons

Preparation:

1. Sprinkle the raspberries with the powdered sugar and drizzle with 2 tablespoons sherry. Set aside.
   
2. Cut the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the pith with the back of the knife. Place the milk with the vanilla pulp and the vanilla pod on the stove, stir in the gelatin and bring everything to a boil. Set aside.
3. In the meantime beat the egg yolk with the sugar until creamy white. Put the still warm vanilla milk in a large metal bowl and continue to heat in a water bath. Slowly stir in the egg yolk cream and stir vigorously with the whisk or, better still, with the electric mixer until frothy. It should be a thick cream. Refrigerate until semi-solid.
4. Place the ladyfingers in a large glass bowl or four dessert bowls and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sherry. Spread the raspberries on it, set aside a few raspberries for decoration.
5. Beat the heavy cream until stiff. Stir again the semi-firm cream with the whisk and then fold in the heavy cream evenly. Spread the cream on the raspberries.
6. Decorate the dessert with the macaroons, crumble a few of them and sprinkle on the cream. Finally, decorate the pudding with the remaining raspberries.

Quark is a traditional, creamy, unripened cheese tracing its origin to German-speaking and eastern European countries. Quark is said to be a cross between yogurt and cottage cheese.

This fresh, soft, white cheese is prepared from pasteurised cow’s milk with a small amount of acid added to achieve a good, firm curd. However, traditional quark is a purely fresh dairy product and does not make use of acid.

It is moist, snowy white in color with a subtle taste and smooth and soft texture. Its texture is similar to that of cream cheese, pot cheese or ricotta with a fat content ranging from low to medium. Quark is usually sold in plastic tubs with most or all of the whey. The flavor is reminiscent of sour cream with the seasonings of herbs, spices or fruits. The cheese makes a great base for many recipes such as cheesecake, pastas, creamy sauces, sandwiches, salads and desserts.

Ingredients:

2 liters milk
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Fill the milk into a bowl, stir in the lemon juice and let stand on the kitchen counter overnight, about 16 hours.
2. After 16 hours, it should have turned into soured milk.
3. Slowly heat the soured milk to no more than 122° F (50° C) until the whey starts to separate from the solids.
4. Let cool and pour into a sieve lined with a cheesecloth.
5. Let drip for 12 hours, then press out any remaining liquid and strain the quark through a sieve (it get smoother then).

This refreshing summer dessert takes advantage of the cherry and berry season. Rote Grütze is a popular specialty from Northern Germany and has a lovely tart flavor. Serve with vanilla custard, cream or vanilla ice-cream.

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh or frozen, unsweetened berries (raspberries, strawberries, red currants, or a combination of these)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. For fresh berries: stem, wash and dry in a colander.  For frozen berries: thaw before using.
2. For a smooth pudding, process berries in a blender, 2 cups at a time, until pureed.
3. For a chunkier texture, process 4 cups, and chop the rest, blending with puree.
4. Stir cornstarch in cold water until smooth.
5. Combine berries and sugar in non-stick saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Stir cornstarch mixture again, then add into the berry mixture gradually, while still stirring.
6. Reduce heat and let simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken.
7. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.
8. Pour into a serving bowl, or individual dessert bowls.
9. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
10. This is traditionally garnished with a Vanilla Custard Sauce, but you may also use whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or heavy cream.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour, sifted
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons soft butter

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F  (200°C).
2. Butter two cake pans well.
3. Beat eggs until light yellow in color. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly.
4. Pour into prepared pans and bake 20 minutes; then reduce heat to 350°F  (175°C) and bake 10 minutes.
5. Slide onto hot plates. Serve with lemon slices, powdered sugar and butter – or raspberry syrup, maple syrup, fresh berries, whatever you like.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. gelatin (unflavored)
1/2 cup cold water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup cream
fresh fruit for decoration (peach, cherry, apple, orange, apricot, black/red currants)

Directions:

1. Slice strawberries and mix with the sugar. Set aside until sugar dissolves.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then heat a little bit until gelatin dissolves completely.
3. Add gelatin and lemon juice to sliced berries.
4. Add in the whipped cream. Pour into a fancy mold or serving dish.
5. Chill in the fridge until set. Carefully unmold and serve.
6. Decorate your Strawberry Cream with the slices of lemon and/or orange (optional).

Ingredients:
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– 4 cups apple juice (the lighter, the better)
– 2 cups cranberry juice
– 2 cups white grape juice
– 1 bottle champagne (or for non-alcoholic use ginger ale)
– 1 cup sliced ripe peaches (fresh, not canned!)
– 1 cup vodka
– 1 lemon (thinly sliced)
– 1 orange (thinly sliced)
– 1 cup sugar
– 3 large carnations and mint sprigs
– fresh cranberries, cherries, strawberries to taste

Method:
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1. Fill ice cube trays 1/3 full with white grape juice.

2. When ice is hardened, place one cranberry in each of the cubes and fill the remainder of the cube with more grape juice. Freeze.

3. In a large jar (sun tea jar is perfect), combine vodka with other fruit and sugar and place in refrigerator. Chill all other ingredients.

4. The day of the event, fill the punch bowl with the cranberry and apple juice. Slowly add the vodka and fruit mix followed by the champagne.

5. For presentation, tear the petals off the carnations and sprinkle atop the punch. Carnations are edible.