Plum Kuchen/Apple Kuchen

It seems like forever since I made a recipe post. Despite that fact, I have been cooking. I've just been lazy in the blogging department :)

Ever since I was a little girl plum and apple kuchen have been high on my list of all time favorites. What can be better than a sweet yeasty dough topped with apples or plums in season? The small Italian plums that are in the grocery stores right now made me make these kuchen for my family.

I make the dough in my bread machine and I used 2- 7"x11" pans. I have enough dough in my refrigerator to make 2 more pans. The dough keeps about 3 days. You can use round cake pans or a larger high sided cookie sheet but it will only be enough dough for 2 in that case.

Here's the recipe for the dough in the bread machine:

1 cup milk (warm -microwave 1 min)
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp. or 1 pkg. yeast

When the dough is ready, divide in to 4 pieces. Use what you want and store the rest in an oiled bowl tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Roll out dough to fill pan. This is a very sticky dough. You might have to let it rest a bit in order to get it to fit the pan.

Melt about 2 tbs. (1 tablespoon butter for each pan). Brush top of dough with butter. For the plum kuchen wash and pit, but do not peel about 12 or more small Italian plums. Place on dough cut side up. Mix about a 1/4 of a cup of sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon(double the amount for two pans). Sprinkle generously and drizzle the remaining melted butter on top. For the apple kuchen peel and cut up about 3 apples, quarter and the cut each quarter in half. Arrange on top of the buttered dough then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture and the remaining melted butter. Optional add a few raisins. Cover with waxed paper and a towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 min until doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 25 min. Cool and enjoy :)

Nanie's Apple Bread

This is my mother-in-law's recipe for Apple Bread. I have tried many apple bread recipes in the past but none compare to Nanie's. This easy recipe makes two loaves. The resulting bread is moist, sweet and the crust on the first day is a cross between crunchy and chewy.

3 cups all-purpose flour*
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups sugar
2 cups shredded peeled apple (2 large)
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped walnuts


Preheat oven to 350º. Grease two, 8x4x2 inch loaf pans ( I line mine with wax paper and grease again). In a large bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl combine sugar, apples, oil, and egg. Mix well. Add apple mixture to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fold in nuts.

Spoon batter into the two prepared pans. Bake in a 350º oven 55 - 60 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan (and remove wax paper). Continue to cool on wire rack. Wrap and store overnight.

* ( I use 1 1/2 c of all purpose + 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat white)

Enjoy :)