Yeast Crumb Cake (Streuselkuchen)
A soft yeast dough topped with a generous layer of large streusel — buttery, sugary, cinnamon-scented crumb topping. Golden from the oven, dusted with powdered sugar: the quintessential Sunday afternoon cake.
A soft yeast dough topped with a generous layer of large streusel — buttery, sugary, cinnamon-scented crumb topping. Golden from the oven, dusted with powdered sugar: the quintessential Sunday afternoon cake.
On Sunday, after church and the meal, came the hour of coffee — a moment I would not miss for anything. We placed on the table this cake covered with crunchy crumbs, and lingered in conversation, sometimes until the piano. I have always thought that these small, regular habits, modest but faithful, sustain a man far better than great outbursts. A slice of Streuselkuchen, a cup of coffee, and the world seemed, for an hour, perfectly ordered.
- •Wheat flour — a lot (dough and streusel)
- •Baker's yeast — a piece (leavening)
- •Milk — a warm bowl (dough)
- •Butter — a generous knob (streusel)
- •Sugar — as desired (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (flavour)
Yeast Crumb Cake (Streuselkuchen)
A soft yeast dough topped with a generous layer of large streusel — buttery, sugary, cinnamon-scented crumb topping. Golden from the oven, dusted with powdered sugar: the quintessential Sunday afternoon cake.
Why this dish? The German ritual of Kaffee und Kuchen structured afternoons and Sundays with family. For Planck, a music lover who played piano after meals, this sweet pause with coffee was the gentle breath in a life of discipline.
On Sunday, after church and the meal, came the hour of coffee — a moment I would not miss for anything. We placed on the table this cake covered with crunchy crumbs, and lingered in conversation, sometimes until the piano. I have always thought that these small, regular habits, modest but faithful, sustain a man far better than great outbursts. A slice of Streuselkuchen, a cup of coffee, and the world seemed, for an hour, perfectly ordered.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wheat flour — a lot (dough and streusel)
- Baker's yeast — a piece (leavening)
- Milk — a warm bowl (dough)
- Butter — a generous knob (streusel)
- Sugar — as desired (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (flavour)
Ingredients
- Flour — 250 g (dough) + 200 g (streusel) (dough and streusel)
- Fresh baker's yeast — 20 g (leavening)
- Warm milk — 120 ml (dough)
- Butter — 60 g (dough) + 125 g (streusel) (softness and streusel)
- Sugar — 50 g (dough) + 100 g (streusel) (sweetness)
- Egg — 1 (dough)
- Cinnamon + powdered sugar — 1 tsp + for dusting (flavour and finish)
Method
- Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar, let foam for 10 min.
- Knead flour, sugar, egg, melted butter and milk into a soft dough; let rise for 1 hour under a cloth.
- Prepare the streusel: rub together flour, sugar, cinnamon and cold butter with fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
- Roll out the dough in a buttered baking pan, cover entirely with streusel.
- Let rest for 20 min, then bake at 180°C for about 25-30 min until golden.
- Let cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar before serving with coffee.
How it was made : Streuselkuchen, born in Silesia, spread throughout Germany in the 19th century. Baked on large trays, it was the family Sunday cake and for neighbourhood festivities, inexpensive and easy to share.
The contemporary twist : Slide a thin layer of plums (Pflaumen) or apples under the streusel for a fruity version, and serve with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
Max Planck · Charactorium
