RECIPES

Baden Plum Cake
(Taken from Modern German Food by Roz Denny and CMA UK)

Serves 6-8

200g plain flour, sifted with a pinch of salt
1 sachet dried fast action yeast
40g butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons caster sugar
1 small free-range egg, beaten
100 ml milk, lukewarm
About 750g plums, stoned and quartered
25g flaked almonds
Grated zest of 1 lemon

1. Mix the flour with the yeast, rub in the butter then mix in 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Make a well in the centre then beat in the egg and milk until you have a soft, smooth dough. Mix well in the bowl and kneed for about 4 minutes.
2. Grease a 25 cm (10 inch) shallow, round springform cake tin. Roll or pat out the dough to fit the tin. Dip your fingers in flour if the dough sticks. Press it in lightly, taking it right to the edge. Cover and leave it to rise until doubled in size, about ½ to 1 hour.
3. Arrange the plum quarters skin-side-down in circles on top. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar.
4. Heat the oven to gas mark 4/180C/350F and bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes until it has risen and the plums are soft.
5. Cool in the tin and scatter over the almonds and lemon zest. Remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack. 

Serve with custard or whipped cream

Recommended wine:  2002 Riesling Auslese Ayler Kupp, Weingut Geschwister Simon from the Mosel Saar Ruwer  RRP £9.50, www.telegraphwines.co.uk

Blue Cheese tarts

These make a light simple lunch with a mixed salad, or an unusual starter.  Use blue-veined soft cheese such as blue brie.  Ideal for vegetarians

Makes 6 tartlets

500g ready-made shortcrust pastry, thawed if frozen
2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
Half a jar of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
250g (9oz) Bavarian blue brie, crumbled or diced
A scant teaspoon of caraway or cumin seeds
1 large free range egg
2 free range egg yolks
250ml (9fl oz) milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin.  Cut out six 12cm rounds and fit into 6 10cm tartlet tins of Yorkshire pudding tins.  Press the dough rounds well into the sides to make sure they come up beyond the tin edges to allow for shrinkage
2. Line the tart cases with foil and baking beans and chill for 20 minutes
3. Sautee the leeks in the oil for five minutes until softened.  Season and cool.  Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6/200°C/ 400°F
4. Bake the tart cases for 10 minutes then remove the foil and beans and bake for another five minutes.  Reduce the oven to Gas mark 4/ 180°C/ 350°F
5. Divide the leeks between the tartlet cases and spoon in the Sauerkraut.  Drop in the crumbled or diced cheese.  Sprinkle over the cumin or caraway seeds
6. Beat the egg, yolks, milk and seasoning and slowly pour into the four tarts, forking the mixtures together.  Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.  Cool before removing from the tins. 

Serve warm with a crisp green salad

Recommended wine match – 2004 Rieslng Trocken, Weingut Franzen.  RRP £8.99 at The Winery, London W9.  Tel: 020 7286 6475

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