Best Nanas Yeast Dough Kuchen Recipes

NANA'S FASTNACHTS

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, proof the yeast by adding the warm water to the yeast. Let stand 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl mix together the teaspoon of sugar and 3 cups of the flour. Stir in milk until smooth. Add proofed yeast and mix well. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
• Stir in beaten eggs, melted butter or margarine, one cup of sugar, salt, and enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Cover and let rise for a second time until doubled.
• Punch down dough and divide into 2 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with a biscuit cutter. Make 2 slits with a sharp knife in the middle of each doughnut. Cover and let rise a third time until doubled in size.
• Deep fat fry in oil or lard for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Rotate to ensure even cooking. Drain on brown paper bags. Toss in confectioners sugar while still warm.

DAKOTA STYLE PLUM CAKES (KUCHENS)

Steps:

• For the dough: Warm the milk until just warm to the touch (90 to 100 degrees F). Stir in the yeast and a pinch of the granulated sugar and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine the flour, remaining granulated sugar and the kosher salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to combine. Separate 1 of the eggs and set aside the white for the egg wash. Whisk the egg yolk and remaining whole egg into the yeast mixture. Add the yeast mixture to the flour, then mix on low speed to make a smooth, thick dough. Increase the speed to medium and add the butter a piece at a time. Once all of the butter has been added, beat on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough until it forms a smooth, springy ball on the hook, 4 to 5 minutes (add a little more flour, if needed, if the dough doesn't form a ball). Grease a large bowl and turn the dough in the bowl to coat. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
• For the custard: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the cream, granulated sugar, cornstarch, kosher salt, egg and yolk. Whisk it together and heat over medium heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and extract; stir until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap. Let cool at room temp.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the dough in half, then cut each half into 6 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, form the dough into balls by folding the dough under itself and pinching to seal underneath. Set the ball, smooth-side up, on a floured surface, and turn in your hand to form a tight round shape. Divide the 12 buns among the lined baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Once the buns have risen, gently press down on each to make indentations that will make space for the custard. Fill the indentations with the custard. Top with the plums. Brush the buns with the reserved egg white mixed with a splash of water and sprinkle with demerera sugar, a pinch of cinnamon and flakey salt. Bake, rotating the trays from top to bottom halfway through, until the buns are risen and golden and the custard is set, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

APFELKUCHEN (APPLE CAKE)

Steps:

• Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish or a 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat 2 1/4 cup flour, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, yeast, 6 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes; spread into baking dish and press dough up the sides. Press apple slices into dough.
• Mix 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup flour, candied lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1 pinch salt in a bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup butter with a knife or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle over apples. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven until cake is golden brown and apples are tender, about 35 minutes.

KUCHEN

Steps:

• 1. Soak the yeast in the 2/3 cup water with the one tablespoon sugar. Let set 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the shortening, sugar and eggs with a mixer. Add in the salt and scalded milk. Add in the yeast mixture.
• 2. Mix in 3 cups flour. Add remaining flour a little at a time to make a soft dough. Grease a large bowl as you usually do for rising dough and place dough in bowl, flip the dough over to grease the top. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled--at least 1-2 hours.
• 3. While dough is rising, combine all ingredients for custard topping in 2 quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Be sure to stir it constantly as it will burn. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• 4. Once dough has risen, punch down dough and make into kuchens. I divide the dough in half and then divide each half into fourths. Grease 8 9-inch pie pans. I use non-stick spray. Form each piece of dough into ball and then press dough out and up sides of greased pans.
• 5. Add fruit filling to each kuchen. I use any of the following: cherry pie filling, cooked prunes, fresh sliced peaches or peach pie filling as well as cottage cheese filling. Top each kuchen with a few spoons full of the now cooled custard filling and spread across fruit. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Let kuchen rise 10 minutes.
• 6. Bake about 20 minutes at 350 or until edges are a light golden brown. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. As soon as you remove the kuchen from the oven, brush the edges with melted butter to keep them soft. You can leave them in the pans to cool. If I bake these in foil pans, then I just let them cool in the pan. Cover and store in refrigerator or place in ziplock bag and freeze. These freeze well and will taste great reheated in the oven or microwave.

NANA'S CINNAMON ROLLS

Steps:

• Spray a large mixing bowl with nonstick spray.
• Dissolve yeast in water in a bowl of a standing mixer with dough hook. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• In a large measuring cup beat together eggs, sugar and salt. Whisk in egg mixture to the bowl of yeast. Add 1 cup flour and mix until smooth. Add melted butter and mix well. Add remaining 4 cups of flour in stages and mix until stiff dough is formed. Add dough to greased bowl. Place bowl in a warm area with a towel on top. Let rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan
• On a cutting board, sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour. Punch down and roll out dough to approximately 12 by 15-inch rectangle. Spread with butter. Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins. Roll dough into a large pin wheel cylinder and cut ends off the roll. Cut into 8 portions. Put in greased pan, pin wheel side down and let rise to double in size. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until browned evenly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
• Mix in medium size bowl with whisk until smooth.
• Drizzle glaze over on top of the cooled rolls.

STREUSELKUCHEN (CLASSIC GERMAN CRUMB CAKE)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove. It needs to be warm but not hot or boiling.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and the instant dry yeast (check the instructions on the package to be sure it doesn't have to be dissolved in water or milk first). Add the sugar, and then the lukewarm milk. Knead the contents of the bowl together using the spiral dough hooks of your hand mixer until everything is mixed together.
• Then add the vanilla extract, soft butter, egg, and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Keep kneading the dough for another 5 minutes until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Use your hands to form it into a nice ball. If your dough is too sticky, you can add a bit more flour. If the dough is a little too dry and crumbly, add a little more milk to the mix.
• Take a towel or a lid and place it over the bowl with the dough inside. Set the bowl in a warm place without a draft to allow the dough to rise. This should take approximately one hour.
• Around the 55 minute mark of the dough rise timeline, get your baking pan ready by lining it with parchment paper or by greasing it.
• Once the hour is up and the ball of dough has increased in size noticeably, remove it from the bowl. Sprinkle your countertop with flour and give the dough a quick knead with your hands. Then roll out the dough using a rolling pin to fit your baking sheet/pan. We typically use a baking pan that is around 13.5 x 9.5 inches. Once the dough is rolled to size, place the dough onto the baking sheet. Let it rest for another 15 minutes.
• In the meantime preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare the streusel for the topping. For this, place butter, sugar, and flour into a bowl. Using the spiral dough hooks or your hands, quickly knead the ingredients until small crumbs form. Press them together lightly with your hands, then set them aside.
• Once the 15 minutes of rest are up, lightly brush the dough with some water or milk. This will allow the streusel to stick better.
• Then evenly place the streusel on top of the dough.
• Bake the cake on the middle rack of your oven for around 25-30 minutes until the crumbs are lightly golden brown.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool. You can dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.

NANA'S YEAST DOUGH (KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Yeast Dough: Combine flour, soda, salt and yeast in bowl. Cut in oleo. Stir in egg yolks and softened sour cream. Turn out on floured board and knead into dough. Refrigerate dough overnight in a covered bowl.
• Next Day - Prepare Filling: Melt oleo, add in remaining filling ingredients. Egg whites and additional milk are optional.
• Assemble Nut Roll: Grease Jelly Roll pans (3) Cut dough into 3 pieces. Roll each dough piece out flat on a powdered sugared cloth ~ 18". Spread melted Crisco on dough. Top dough with 1/3 nut filling mixture.
• Roll up lengthwise and seal ends and seam with the melted Crisco. Place roll on greased pan, seam side down. Let raise in a warm place (covered) for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes....check crust after 20 minutes. Freeze after baking.

GERMAN KUCHEN

Steps:

• 1. Dough- Scald milk and add butter, sugar, and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water in seperate bowl and then add to milk mixture. Beat in eggs and then flour. Cover and let rise until doubled. About an hour. Punch down and divide into 5 pieces. Roll out into desired shape and let rise 30 minutes. Then choose your topping. I used a 9" round cake pan for mine.
• 2. Cinnamon Topping: Use a pastry blender to mix butter and brown sugar and flour. Add cinnamon and sprinkle over dough after it rises the second time. Dot with Butter if desired. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.
• 3. Cherry Topping: Heat can of dark cherry pie filling and spread on crust after it rises second time. Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
• 4. Cheese Topping; Mix cottage cheese, egg and sugar in blender intil creamy. Heat slowly until warm on stove. Pour on dough after rises second time. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
• 5. Butter Topping: Beat together sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly beat in oil. Add oil too fast and it will curdle. Heat on top of stove until hot and pour on crust after second rising. Bake 25 minutes at 375.
• 6. Apple Topping: Peel and slice thinly 3 apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and nutmeg to taste. Roll this dough out in a rectangle. Fill the center with apples and dot with butter. Bake 20 minutes at 375.

NAAN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
• Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
• At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.