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  2. Meanwhile, heat the oven at the top and bottom. Grease the base of the springform tin.

  3. To make the filling, coarsely chop the walnuts. Dissolve the sugar in a pan over medium heat and caramelise (only start stirring with a wooden or metal spoon once the sugar has begun to melt). Continue stirring until the sugar turns light brown. Stir in the walnuts and cream and bring to the boil. Add the honey and let the mixture cool a little. Then stir in the egg white.

  4. Roll out half the dough and line the base of the springform tin. Put the ring back round the base. Roll out two-thirds of the remaining dough between clingfilm or cut-open freezer bags. Use the base of the springform tin as a template for the pie lid, placing it on the rolled out dough and cutting it out with a fluted pastry cutting wheel or knife. Roll the rest of the dough into a long cylinder, place it round the base and press against the ring to form an edge about 2 cm/3⁄4 in high.

  5. Spread the filling evenly on the pastry base and cover with the pastry lid using the clingfilm to help transfer it, then peel off the clingfilm. Press the lid lightly round the edges and prick here and there with a fork. Beat the egg yolk with the water and coat the pie lid with it. Put the springform tin on a shelf in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Baking time: about 45 minutes.

  6. Release the springform ring and remove it. Loosen the pie from the springform base and put it on a rack to cool down, still on the springform base. Let the torte stand for at least 1 day.

  7. Serve the torte dusted with icing sugar.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  49 | Schlesische Mohntorte (Silesian poppy tart)

  Classic (about 16 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 45 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 60 minutes

  For a springform tin (diameter 28 cm/11 in):

  some fat

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  2 level teaspoons baking powder, 125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch salt, 1 medium egg

  4 teaspoons cold water

  125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the topping:

  1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) milk

  150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) butter

  200 g/7 oz semolina flour

  200 g/7 oz freshly ground poppy seeds

  200 g/7 oz (1 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  100 g/31⁄2 oz curd cheese (low fat)

  2 medium eggs

  50 g/2 oz blanched ground almonds

  50 g/2 oz raisins

  4 teaspoons rum, 1 pear

  icing (confectioner’s) sugar

  Per piece:

  P: 10 g, F: 25 g, C: 49 g, kJ: 1939, kcal: 463

  1. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands.

  2. To make the topping, bring the milk to the boil in a pan with the butter. Mix together the semolina and poppy seeds, sprinkle them into the milk and butter mixture, while stirring, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool down for about 10 minutes.

  3. Preheat the oven at the top and bottom and grease the base of the springform tin.

  4. Roll out half the dough and line the greased base of the spring-form tin. Roll the rest of the dough into a long cylinder and place it round the dough base, pressing lightly against the springform tin ring to form an edge 3 cm/11⁄4 in high.

  5. Stir the sugar, vanilla sugar, curd cheese, eggs, almonds, raisins and rum into the poppy seed and semolina mixture. Wash the pear, peel, cut into quarters, remove the core, grate and stir into the mixture. Pour this mixture into the dough base and smooth the surface flat. Put the springform tin on a shelf in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Baking time: about 60 minutes.

  6. Put the cake still in the springform tin on a rack to cool down. Loosen the edge of the torte with a knife and remove the ring. Dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar before serving.

  Tip: The torte is also delicious served slightly warm.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  50 | Russischer Zupfkuchen

  Popular (about 16 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 90 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 65 minutes

  For a springform tin (diameter 28 cm/11 in):

  some fat

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  375 g/131⁄2 oz (33⁄4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  40 g/11⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) cocoa powder

  3 level teaspoons baking powder

  200 g/7 oz (1 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 medium egg

  200 g/7 oz (1 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the filling:

  250 g/9 oz butter or margarine

  500 g/18 oz curd cheese (low fat)

  200 g/7 oz (1 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  3 medium eggs

  40 g/11⁄2 oz (41⁄2 tablespoons) custard powder, vanilla flavour

  Per piece:

  P: 9 g, F: 26 g, C: 46 g, kJ: 1910, kcal: 456

  1. To make the dough, mix together the flour with the cocoa powder and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients for the dough. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile start making the filling by melting the butter or margarine in a pan, then leave it to cool. Heat the oven at the top and bottom and grease the base of the springform tin.

  3. Roll out half the dough and line the greased base of the spring-form tin. Roll the rest of the dough into a long cylinder and place it round the dough base, pressing lightly against the springform tin ring to form an edge 2 cm/3⁄4 in high.

  4. Continue making the filling by whisking together the curd cheese, sugar, vanilla sugar, eggs, custard powder and melted butter or margarine until a smooth homogenous mixture is obtained. Pour this mixture into the springform tin and smooth the surface flat. Next tear the rest of the dough into small pieces and scatter over the filling. Put the springform tin on a shelf in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Baking time: about 65 minutes.

  5. Leave the cake to cool in the mould placed on a rack.

  Variation: For a "lighter" version, make the dough with 250 g/9 oz plain (all-purpose) flour, 30 g/1 oz (1⁄3 cup) cocoa powder, 2 level teaspoons baking powder, 125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) sugar, 3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 medium egg and 125 g/41⁄2 oz (5⁄8 cup) softened butter or margarine. Proceed as described in the recipe and transfer the dough into a springform tin (diameter 26 cm/10 in) as described in the recipe. Make the filling with 150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) butter or margarine, 500 g/18 oz low fat curd cheese, 150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) sugar, 3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 medium eggs and 40 g/11⁄2 oz (41⁄2 tablespoons) custard powder as described in the recipe. Pour over the base, tear the rest of the dough into small pieces, scatter over the filling and bake following the instructions in the recipe but for 55 minutes.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

/>   51 | Friesische Streuseltorte (Friesian crumble torte)

  For guests (about 12 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: 15 minutes per layer

  For a springform tin (diameter 28 cm/11 in):

  some fat

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  250 g/9 oz (21⁄2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 pinch baking powder

  6 drops vanilla essence in 3 tablespoons sugar

  150 g/5 oz crème fraîche

  175 g/6 oz (7⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the crumble:

  150 g/5 oz (11⁄3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch ground cinnamon

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the filling:

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) chilled whipping cream

  25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  450 g/16 oz plum purée

  icing (confectioner’s) sugar

  Per piece:

  P: 5 g, F: 36 g, C: 55 g, kJ: 2336, kcal: 558

  1. Prepare the oven and grease the base of the springform tin.

  2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl, add the other ingredients for the dough. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then divide the dough into 4 equal portions and shape into balls using your hands. Roll out one portion evenly and line the base of the springform tin, prick several times with a fork and put the ring of the springform tin back round the base.

  3. To make the crumble, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Add the softened butter and stir with a hand mixer with whisk to make a crumble. Sprinkle a quarter of the crumble on the dough base and put the springform tin in the oven. Make the other three layers in the same way and bake.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 15 minutes per layer.

  4. Remove the cake layers immediately from the springform tin, cut one of the layers into 12 slices while still warm and leave the layers to cool on a rack, not stacked on each other.

  5. To make the filling, beat the whipping cream with the sugar and vanilla sugar until stiff. Put a small amount at a time into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle (diameter 8 mm/1⁄3 in). Cover each of the 3 unsliced layers with one-third of the plum purée, pipe one-third of the whipped cream around it and assemble to make the torte, placing the sliced layer on top. Refrigerate the torte for about 1 hour and dust with icing sugar just before serving if desired.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  52 | Buttermilk slices with cherries

  Refreshing (about 12 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 45 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 15 minutes

  For the baking sheet:

  some fat, 1 baking frame

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  200 g/7 oz (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 level teaspoon baking powder

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 medium egg

  yolk of 1 medium egg

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the topping:

  12 sheets gelatine

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) buttermilk

  150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) sugar

  4 tablespoons grated lemon zest

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) chilled whipping cream

  For the cherry compote:

  1 can or jar sour cherries (drained weight 350 g/12 oz)

  100 ml/31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) cherry juice (from the can or jar),

  10 g/1⁄3 oz (1 tablespoon) cornflour (cornstarch)

  25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) sugar

  Per piece:

  P: 7 g, F: 21 g, C: 47 g, kJ: 1693, kcal: 404

  1. Preheat the oven and grease the baking sheet.

  2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a cylinder using your hands.

  3. Roll out the dough on the greased baking sheet to make a square (25 x 25 cm/10 x 10 in), prick several times with a fork and put the baking frame (25 x 25 cm/10 x 10 in) round it. Put the baking sheet in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Baking time: about 15 minutes.

  4. When the base is cooked, put it on a rack without removing it from the baking sheet or taking away the baking frame.

  5. To make the topping, soak the gelatine following the instructions on the packet, then squeeze lightly and dissolve. Stir together the buttermilk, sugar and lemon zest. First, stir about 4 tablespoons of the buttermilk into the dissolved gelatine, using a whisk, then stir in the rest of the buttermilk. Whip the cream stiff. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken, fold in the whipped cream. Spread the buttermilk and cream mixture on the cooled base and smooth the surface flat. Using a pastry comb, decorate the surface with a wavy pattern, then refrigerate for about 2 hours.

  6. To make the stewed cherries, drain the cherries thoroughly in a colander, collect the juice and reserve 100 ml/31⁄2 fl oz (1⁄2 cup). Whisk together the cornflour with 4 tablespoons of this juice. Bring the rest of the juice to the boil, stir in the juice and cornflour mixture and bring briefly to the boil. Stir in the drained cherries, add sugar to sweeten and leave to cool down.

  7. Carefully loosen the baking frame using a knife and remove. Cut the cake into slices, put some stewed cherries on each slice and leave to cool down a little before serving.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  53 | Poppy seed cheesecake

  Popular (about 20 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 40 minutes

  Baking time: about 50 minutes

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  375 g/131⁄2 oz (33⁄4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 level teaspoon baking powder, 2 medium eggs

  75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  175 g/6 oz (7⁄8 cup) soft butter or margarine

  For the curd cheese filling:

  75 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) butter

  whites of 3 medium eggs

  750 g/11⁄2 lb curd cheese (low fat)

  150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) sugar

  yolks of 3 medium eggs

  1 pinch salt, grated zest of 1⁄2 untreated lemon

  40 g/11⁄2 oz (41⁄2 tablespoons) custard powder

  For the poppy seed topping:

  250 g/9 oz ground poppy seeds

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1⁄2 cup) sugar

  4 teaspoons runny honey

  2 medium eggs

  100 g/31⁄2 oz sultanas

  For the apricot glaze:

  5–6 heaped tablespoons apricot preserve

  2 tablespoons water

  Per piece:

  P: 10 g, F: 16 g, C: 41 g, kJ: 1386, kcal: 331

  1. Preheat the oven at the top and bottom and grease the baking sheet (40 x 30 cm/16 x 12 in) with fat.

  2. To make the dough, mix together the flour and baking powder, sift into a mixing bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir with a hand mixer with kneading hook, first briefly at the lowest setting, then at the highest setting until the dough is formed. Then roll it into a ball using your hands.

  3. To make the curd cheese filling, melt
the butter and leave it to cool down. Beat the egg white until stiff. Mix together the curd cheese, egg yolk, salt, grated lemon peel, melted butter and cheesecake mix. Fold in the beaten egg white.

  4. To make the poppy seed topping, stir together the poppy seeds, sugar, honey, eggs and sultanas. Roll out the dough, line the greased baking sheet and spread the curd cheese filling on top. Then cover with the poppy seed topping. Roll out the rest of the dough thinly, cut into strips about 1 cm/3⁄8 in wide with a pastry cutting wheel and arrange the strips in a lattice pattern over the cake. Put the baking sheet in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (not preheated), Gas mark 4 (not preheated),

  Baking time: about 50 minutes.

  5. To make the apricot glaze, rub the apricot jam through a sieve, boil with water in a pan to thicken and brush it over the strips of dough. Place the baking sheet on a rack and leave the cake to cool down on it.

  SHORTCRUST PASTRY

  54 | Covered apple pie

  Popular (about 20 pieces)

  Preparation time: about 50 minutes, excluding cooling time

  Baking time: about 25 minutes

  For a baking sheet (40 x 30 cm/ 16 x 12 in):

  some fat

  For the filling:

  1.5 kg/31⁄4 lb apples

  50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  1 pinch ground cinnamon

  30 g/1 oz raisins

  50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) butter

  about 50 g/13⁄4 oz (4 tablespoons) sugar

  For the shortcrust pastry:

  400 g/14 oz (4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

  4 level teaspoons baking powder

  70 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar

  3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar

  2 medium eggs

  3 tablespoons milk

  150 g/5 oz (3⁄4 cup) soft butter or margarine