Sweet Woodruff Jelly

Sweet Woodruff Jelly Recipe

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Sweet Woodruff Jelly – Wackelpudding Waldmeister

Sweet Woodruff jelly is called Waldmeisterpudding or Wackelpudding in Germany.

Ingredients for Sweet Woodruff Jelly:

  • 1 l (33.81 oz) of bottled water
  • 200 ml (6.76 oz) of sweet woodruff syrup OR raspberry syrup OR strawberry syrup OR blueberry syrup
  • 2 ½ pouches OR 2 ½ tablespoons of Knox Gelatin
  • 4–6 drops of natural green food coloring (available at Whole Foods)
  • ½ cup of water for gelatin

Preparation:

Pour half a cup of water in a metal bowl or glass bowl. Sprinkle in the Knox Gelatin in the water and stir with a fork. Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes.

Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat and place the bowl with gelatin in the saucepan with water (bain-marie) . Stir with a fork until the gelatin is liquid and dissolved. Do not let the gelatin boil. Remove the gelatin from your stove top. 

Mix in the bottled water, food coloring, and syrup together. Add the liquid slowly to the gelatin while stirring with a whisk.

The easiest way is to present your jelly is a nice glass bowl or dish, where you can leave it to stiffen in the refrigerator and serve when needed. Another fun and interesting option is to pour the jelly into silicon ice cube molds. Allow the jelly 4 6 hours in the refrigerator to chill and harden prior to serving.

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To easily remove the jelly from the mold, fill a larger container with warm water and dip the mold in the water a few seconds. This will help loosen your shaped jelly from the mold. Do not let it sit for too lang in the warm water as it will liquefy.

You can serve the Jelly with my vanilla sauce or vanilla pudding. Alternatively serve with whipped cream. Enjoy!

                     sweet woodruff jelly

 

 

 

Vanilla Pudding Recipe

Vanilla Pudding Recipe

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German Vanilla Pudding Recipe

Vanilla pudding can be made from scratch or with either Dr. Oetker’s Vanilla Pudding Powder or with more readily available products from Jell-O. Either way, I’m sure you’ll find it all delicious. …Oma

Ingredients for pudding from scratch:

  • 600 ml (1.26 pt) of milk
  • 4 tablespoons of corn starch OR food starch of your choice
  • 4 tablespoons of sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • pinch of salt

Preparation for pudding from scratch:

Separate the eggs using an egg divider. Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together with 150 ml of milk and set aside.

Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape the seeds out. Add the bean, seeds, sugar, and salt into a saucepan with the rest of the milk and heat up  until it starts to boil. Pull the saucepan from the stove and remove the vanilla bean.

Slowly add the egg/starch mixture to the heated milk using a whisk. Bring the saucepan back to the heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the pudding thickens while stirring.

Remove from the stove and pour the pudding into a ceramic or glass bowl. Rinse cellophane wrap under water and cover the pudding with it to avoid the building of a skin on top. Chill the pudding in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for Dr. Oetker Pudding:

  • 2 packages of Dr. Oetker Vanilla Pudding
  • 6 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1000 l (1.05 qt)) of whole milk
  • 2 egg yolks, XL
  • 2 egg whites, XL

Ingredients for Jell-O:

  • 2 packages (85 g – 3 oz) of Jell-O Vanilla Pudding and Pie Filling
  • 940 ml (31.78 oz) of whole milk
  • 2 egg yolks, XL
  • 2 egg whites, XL

Preparation of Vanilla Pudding:

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites with an egg separator. Beat the egg whites with a handheld electric mixer until stiff. Rinse out the pan you’re using. (This helps keep the pudding from sticking.) Prepare the vanilla pudding as described on the packages, while continuously stirring. With the pudding still is on the stove top, add in the two egg yolks while stirring.

 Preparation of German Vanilla Pudding Recipe IMG_8701   IMG_8704

Remove the pudding from heat, pour it in a bowl. Add in the stiff egg whites. Mix it together with an electric handheld mixer until it is thoroughly worked into the pudding. The eggs will make the texture of the pudding lighter, almost like a mousse.

Fill the pudding in a ceramic or glass bowl and cover it with a cellophane wrap that has been rinsed under cold water. This will help eliminate the skin that can develop on the pudding’s surface. After the pudding has chilled in your refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap.

IMG_8707                     Cooling of the German Vanilla Pudding Recipe

If you wish to give your pudding a decorative shape, try using a silicon fluted baking pan. (See below.) Wash it out with cold water and don’t dry it. Fill it with the pudding. Rinse your cellophane wrap with water and add it on top. After the pudding has had time to chill, take off the wrap. The pudding can now be easily removed from the mold and place on a plate.

You can serve your pudding with fresh strawberries or try it with Oma’s homemade Sweet Woodruff Jelly. A delicious combination! If you want to make the Vanilla Pudding from scratch click here.

Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake

Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake

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Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake – Waldmeistertorte

This Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake is a sponge cake with a layer of strawberries and a mixture of a flavored cheese cream. Decorated with whipped cream on top. 

Ingredients for the Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake:

  • 2 eggs, XL OR Jumbo
  • 2–3 tablespoons of hot water
  • 100 g (3.52 oz) of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of grated lemon peel
  • 75 g (2.64 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 50 g (1.76 oz) of Gustin OR corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder

Preparation of the batter:

Separate the egg yolks with an egg separator. Use a handheld mixer to beat the egg yolks and hot water until frothy. Add in the sugar and grated lemon peel. Mix until creamy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, corn starch, and baking powder. Sift it over the egg cream.

Beat the egg whites with the handheld mixer until stiff. Add it to the top of the other ingredients. Use a wired pastry blender to mix while lifting the ingredients up from the outside of the bowl towards the center. Do not stir!

Fill the batter in a buttered springform pan, 11 inches in diameter. Preheat your oven to 180°C–190°C (350°F–375°F) and place the springform on the middle rack. Bake for about 25–30 minutes. Take the cake out and place it upside down on a cooling rack to let it cool. 

IMG_8340   baking of the sweet woodruff cheesecake   IMG_8346

Ingredients for the filling of the Cheesecake:

  • 200 g (7.05 oz) of cream cheese (Philadelphia)
  • 200 g (7.05 oz) of whole milk yogurt
  • 300 ml (10.14 oz) of sweet woodruff syrup (to make sweet woodruff syrup click here)
  • 400 ml (13.52 oz) of whipping cream
  • 50 g (1.76 oz) of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 2 pouches of Knox Gelatin, unflavored
  • 500 g (1.1 lb.) of strawberries

Preparation of the filling for the Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake:

Use a handheld mixer and beat the cheese with the yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly add in the syrup and mix. Beat the whipping cream in a different bowl until stiff. When done, add it on top of the cream mix and beat again until smooth.

preparation of the Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake   IMG_8363   preparation of the filling for the sweet woodruff cheesecake

Fill a metal or glass bowl with ½ cup of water and sprinkle in the gelatin. Mix well with a fork and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes. Heat up some water in a saucepan and place the bowl with the gelatin in it. Slowly let it dissolve while stirring with a fork. Do not let it boil! Once dissolved, let it cool down a little before adding to the filling— while mixing with your handheld mixer.

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Finishing the Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake:

Place the cake on a turntable. Wrap the cake with an adjustable cake decorating ring and close the ring. Cut the washed strawberries in slices and place them on the cake. Evenly spread the filling over the strawberries using the back of an angled spatula. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 4–6 hours to harden.

IMG_8351   decoration of the sweet woodruff cheesecake   IMG_8371

Decoration:

  • 250 ml (8.45 oz) of whipping cream
  • 1 package Dr. Oetker Whip it (stabilizer for whipping cream)
  • Green candy shreds
  • about 12 strawberries

Carefully loosen the cake ring while using a straight spatula. Mark the top of the cake with a cake divider (10 or 12 slices).

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With a handheld mixer beat the whipping cream and add Dr. Oetker Whip it to stabilize the cream. Fill a decoration bag with the cream and add a coupler and different decoration tips. Start decorating the bottom outer edge of the cake.

IMG_8384   IMG_8392   finishing of the sweet woodruff cheesecake

With the help of a cake lifter, place the cake onto your serving plate and continue decorating your way to the top of the cake. Decorate your cake any way you wish. You are done and can enjoy your Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake! To make the Dresdner Eierschecke Recipe click here, the Traditional Black Forest Cake click here, the Sunny Side Up Cake click here. To find the Sweet Woodruff Plants click here.

Sweet Woodruff Cheesecake

 

 

 

Red Berry Compote

Red Berry Compote and Vanilla Sauce

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Red Berry Compote and Vanilla Sauce – Rote Grütze

Red Berry Compote is called Rote Grütze in Germany. You can use any combination of berries or just use the below combination.

Ingredients for Red Berry Compote:

  • 550 g (1.2 lb.) of red raspberries
  • 380 g (13.4 oz) of blueberries
  • 310 g (11 oz) of black berries
  • 750 g (1.65 lb.) of strawberries
  • 340 g (12 oz) of Bing cherries in a jar
  • 170 g (6 0z) of seeds from a pomegranate
  • 350 ml of cherry juice (12 oz)
  • 4–6 tablespoons of sugar
  • ½ cup of cherry juice
  • 6–8 tablespoons of corn starch for thickening  OR 4-6 envelopes of Knox gelatin dissolved in 1 cup of juice or water (the amount of gelatin and starch is depending on the kind of fruit used and how much juice the fruit has)
  • 3 tablespoons of Cherry Brandy OR Kirschwasser (optional)

Total weight of fresh fruit is 2515 g (5.5 lbs) makes about 2250 ml (2.6 qt) of compote.

Note: Ingredients for this recipe is for a double portion, which can easily be divided in two or four.

Preparation:

Wash all the fruits and place them in a pot. Take ½ cup of the cherry juice and put it aside. Add the rest of the juice to the fruits and add the sugar to it. Mix and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring from time to time. Remove from stovetop.

preparation of the red berry compote                    cooking of the red berry compote

Pass the fruit through a sieve or use a food mill. Add cherry brandy to it and bring it to a boil again. Add corn starch to the ½ cup of cherry juice you put aside and mix with a fork until it is dissolved.  While stirring the berry compote pour the corn starch into the compote to thicken it. If you would like to make the compote thicker, mix in 1 -2 tablespoons of orange juice along with one or two more tablespoons of corn starch until you have reached your desired consistency.

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If you use gelatin instead of the corn starch, sprinkle the gelatin into a bowl with juice or water and let it soak for about 5 minutes. Add some of the hot passed berries to the bowl to dissolve the gelatin and add it then to the berry compote and stir.

Pour the compote in a bowl, cover, and let it chill in the refrigerator. You can serve it either with whipped cream or, as I prefer, with Vanilla Sauce. To try the Homemade Applesauce click here, the German Apple Dessert click here, and the Sweet Woodruff Jelly click here.

Serving Red Berry Compote

Ingredients for Vanilla Sauce:

  • 1 package of Dr. Oetker Pudding Powder Vanilla OR 1 package of Vanilla Jell-o-brand Cook & Serve Pudding
  • 4 cups of milk
  • 4 heaping tablespoons of sugar (only used in combination with Dr. Oetker Pudding)

Preparation of Vanilla Sauce:

Pour 2 cups of milk in a saucepan at medium heat. Add one package of vanilla pudding powder and sugar (sugar only, if Dr. Oetker Pudding is used) and mix. Bring contents to a full boil while stirring continually. Remove saucepan from heat. While stirring, add two cups of cold milk. Pour the vanilla sauce in a pitcher and chill in the refrigerator.

 

serving vanilla sauce to red berry compote

German May Wine Punch

May Wine Punch – Maibowle

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May Wine Punch – Maibowle

May Wine Punch is called Maibowle in Germany. The May Punch is a traditional German favorite to celebrate May Day. May Wine Punch is made with Sweet Woodruff flavor, (Waldmeister or Maikraut) known, loved, and celebrated in Germany. The punch can be made with or without alcohol, so that children and adults may enjoy this flavorful drink while dancing into the bliss of May. Scroll down and you will find both alcoholic and non-alcoholic recipes. They are easy to make.

Ingredients for May Wine Punch:

  • 2 bottles of Chardonnay or Riesling
  • 1 bottle of dry Champagne
  • 5–6 tablespoons of brown sugar
  • 2 bunches of sweet woodruff
  • 1 stem of lemon mint with about 4 or 5 leaves
  • natural green food coloring (available at Whole Foods)
  • 2 lemons for garnishing
  • ice cubes for cooling

Preparation of the May Wine Punch:

Harvest the sweet woodruff before its flowers starts to bloom. Wash woodruff and lemon mint and dry them with a paper kitchen towel. Bind it in two bunches and let it dry overnight, but no longer than 3 days. The longer you dry the woodruff, the more intense the flavor will get. Pour 1 bottle of wine into a bowl and add sugar, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place a cooking spoon across the top of the bowl. Attach a string to the cooking spoon and hang the woodruff upside down into the wine. Ensure the roots and lower end of the stems are not in the wine. Let the woodruff hang into the wine for at least 35 minutes, but no longer than 45 minutes.

Preparation of the sweet woodruff for the May Wine Punch                     IMG_8603

Take the woodruff out and add in the second bottle of wine. The natural color of the punch should be the same as the color of the wine you are using. Adding a few drops of natural green food coloring will give your punch the green color this May Wine Punch is known for. Before serving, add the champagne and finish off with slices of lemon as garnish. Keep the punch chilled.

Serving May Wine Punch

Ingredients for May Punch without alcohol:

  • 1 l (1.05 qt) of lemonade OR Pompelmo grapefruit beverage (Sanpellegrino)
  • 1 l (1.05 qt) of sparkling water
  • 1 l (1.05 qt) of spring water
  • 200 ml (6.76 oz) of sweet woodruff syrup
  • 445 g (16 oz) of canned pineapple chunks OR fresh-cut pineapple in chunks
  • 4–6 drops of natural green food coloring (optional)

Preparation of non-alcoholic May Punch:

If you are using canned pineapples, place them in a sieve to drain. Using a whisk, mix the woodruff syrup with the  spring water. Add in the sparkling water and the lemonade (or grapefruit beverage) and stir. Add the food coloring until the punch has reached your desired shade of green. Fill a nice glass pitcher with the punch and add in the pineapple chunks. Serve chilled.

preparation of alcohol free May Wine Punch

To keep your punch chilled, add in some ice cubes or make it extra special create your own flavored ice cubes as follows:

Ingredients for flavored ice cubes:

  • 1 l (1.05 qt) of sparkling water
  • 3–4 stems of lemon mint
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons of sweet woodruff syrup (optional)
  • ice cube trays—either in cubes OR shaped (best is silicon)

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Preparation:

Mix the water with the syrup and lemon juice. Wash the lemon mint and cut it with either a knife or use a food chopper. Add to the liquid. Mix with a fork and fill your tray. Place it in the freezer until frozen.

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