Posted on April 28, 2023 by admin
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The German cake “Granatsplitter” or in English “Chocolate Mountain” is a typical cake specialty, or you could also call it a pastry.
So what is is exactly?
In the bakeries it is made out of the left overs from cakes and a so called “Tortenboden” (layered cake biscuit). The cake left overs are mixed with a buttery cream, rum and almonds and mounted on a shortcrust cookie bottom piece up to a height of 10cm or 4 inches, so it’s shape reminds of a little mountain.
This little mountain will be completely covered with chocolate. Because the ingredients can vary the Granatsplitter is always different and this makes it so unusual. You can be very creative and use all kinds of ingredients.
In Berlin they call them “Hackstockkratze”, in the Eastern regions it is a “Punschberg” (because of the rum). For the glaze you can use dark, medium or even white chocolate. To make the dough you can use all kinds of cake rests like from a coffee cake, cookies that are left over or a biscuit base cake. The recipe below is original and authentic German. Happy Baking!
Ingredients German Cake Granatsplitter
– Makes 8 Granatsplitter –
Dough
1/2 biscuit base cake (Tortenboden) – Already made or make from scratch (500-600 g)
You can use the recipe for an Obstkuchen (fruit cake) – Find it here –
some baking flavor: rum or vanilla (or Whisky, brandy, Amaretto etc)
75 g almonds chopped coarsely (or hazelnuts, walnuts)
Shortcrust cookies
150g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
50g sugar
1 package vanilla sugar 0.3 oz – How to make Vanilla Sugar –
rum flavor
2 tbsp milk
50g butter
Butter Cream
500 ml milk
100 g sugar
250 g butter
1 package Vanilla pudding or Cream pudding, Dr Oetker
Glaze
150 g chocolate glaze or “Kuvertüre” (if you cannot get the Kuvertüre just melt 1 bar of dark chocolate like from Lindt using the double boiler method, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and let it melt)
The German Breakfast Box comes with these Items!
Baking Instructions German Cake Granatsplitter
Make the Cookies
– Mix flour with baking powder, and sieve it on a baking board.
– Make a mold into the flour, into this mold add sugar, vanilla sugar, rum and milk, mix with some flour.
– Add cold butter that is cut in smaller pieces.
– Knead until you get a smooth dough.
– On a floured baking board or smooth surface roll the dough very thin.
– Cut out round cookies (diameter 4-5 cm or 2 inches).
Optional: If you have left over dough, you can create fantasy forms which will be used for the topping.
– Bake cookies and fantasy forms for 10 minutes on 180 C or 350 F.
Make the Butter Cream
– Make the pudding per instructions
– Place plastic foil on top to avoid skin build up.
– Let cool off completely.
– When pudding is cooled off beat briefly, then add the butter.
– Mix well until you get a smooth cream.
Make the Dough
– Crumble the cake that you will use, you need very small pieces.
– Combine crumbles with butter cream, not in one time, bit by bit.
– Add rum flavor and chopped almonds.
– If you use the left over cookie dough, cut it in very small pieces and add to the dough. It adds some crunch to the Granatsplitter.
– Knead well until you get a dough that can be formed with the hands.
– Place in fridge for 10-15 min.
Make the Mountains and Glaze
– With a spoon remove some dough, place it on the cookie and form it into a little mountain.
– Place in fridge for 1 hour.
– Melt chocolate with some coconut oil by using the double boiler method.
– Pour chocolate over the mountain, use a BBQ fork or a spatula that has holes (see video). If you try to dip the mountain into the chocolate it might fall from the cookie.
– Place on parchment paper and let dry.
The video below is in German, but you can follow it quite easily. She shows 2 variations to create the little mountain:
Use a frosting bag or place with hand a small portion of the dough on the cookie and form the mountain.
Related
Category: German Recipes, Granatsplitter, Granatsplitter Tags: chocolate mountain, german baking, german cakes, granatsplitter
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2 Comments on “German Cake: Granatsplitter from Scratch”
Oh, Gabriele wie fein, ich liebte diese Punschberge als Kind. Lecker!
Viele Grüße aus Deutschland 🙂
FAQs
Baumkuchen is not only the king of cakes but also the cake of kings. In 1843, King Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia (see photo) visited the town of Salzwedel in Germany, which is famous for Baumkuchen.
What makes a German Chocolate Cake German? ›
A common misconception is that German Chocolate Cake comes from Germany. In fact, the name comes from American baker, Samuel German, who developed a type of dark baking chocolate in 1852. The baking chocolate was then named Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate in honor of German.
Who made the first German Chocolate Cake? ›
It was created by Mrs. George Clay, a homemaker from Dallas, Texas, and used the "German's Sweet Chocolate" baking chocolate introduced in 1853 by American baker Samuel German for the Baker's Chocolate Company.
Where did Baumkuchen originate? ›
The first Baumkuchen are attributed by some historians to the Hungarians, and by others to the Greeks. The first known preserved recipe in the world comes from an Italian cookbook from the year 1426.
What is the most famous cake in German? ›
Bienenstich is one of the most beloved German cakes that evokes childhood memories for many people. True, this German classic is neither a quick nor super easy cake to bake with its yeasted dough base, topped with a caramelized almond crust, and filled with creamy pudding made from scratch.
What do Germans call cake? ›
Learn the origins of this traditional German dessert and how to make it! Kuchen (pronounced “koo-ken”) is the German word for “cake,” but a real kuchen is so much more than that!
What is a rich German cake called? ›
The shortest crossword solution for Rich German cake is 5 letters long and is called TORTE.
Do they eat German chocolate cake in Germany? ›
Hence the name German chocolate cake, right? However, the popular dessert isn't from Germany at all. Instead, it originated in the country that loves it the most: America.
Should German chocolate cake be refrigerated? ›
German Chocolate Cake will keep at room temperature (granted you are not in a particularly hot/humid climate) in an airtight container for up to three days. It may also be refrigerated (in an airtight container) for up to a week. German Chocolate Cake may be frozen, wrap well and freeze for up to several months.
Which cake did not originate in Germany? ›
German chocolate cake, trimmed with coconut and pecan icing, does not originate from Germany. The rich dessert is credited to a Texas homemaker who sent her recipe to a Dallas newspaper in 1957.
German chocolate cake uses a particular kind of baking chocolate as its base, one which has a milder, sweeter profile thanks in part to lecithin, a fatty substance derived from egg yolks. In contrast, classic chocolate cake recipes often use cocoa powder or darker chocolate for a richer, more intense flavor.
Did black forest cake come from Germany? ›
Origins of the Black Forest cake
The Black Forest cake originated in the Black Forest region of Germany, hence its name. This picturesque region is known for its dense forests, charming villages, and delicious culinary traditions.
What is a German baker called? ›
Becoming a “Bäckermeister” is a big deal in Germany. It takes years of tough, formal training before a German baker is allowed to call himself "Meister" and sell bread to the public.
What does "spit cake" mean? ›
A spit cake is a European-styled cake made with layers of dough or batter deposited, one at a time, onto a tapered cylindrical rotating spit. The dough is baked by an open fire or a special oven, rotisserie-style. Generally, spit cakes are associated with celebrations such as weddings and Christmas.
What is a German cake shop called? ›
Konditorei is the German word for a pâtisserie or confectionery shop. In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the term konditori is used and the term konditor for a confectioner has been used since the beginning of the 18th century.
What is the significance of the king cake? ›
King cake is first served on King's Day (January 6) and lasts through the eve of Mardi Gras to celebrate the three kings' coming and honor them with a delicious homage to their jeweled crowns. Hidden in the cake's interior, or under a slice, is a small plastic baby.
What is the king cake in Europe? ›
'king cake') is a traditional Portuguese cake eaten from the beginning of December until Epiphany. The recipe is derived from the Southern French gâteau des rois which found its way to Portugal during the 1800s when Confeitaria Nacional opened as the Portuguese monarchy's official bakery in 1829.
What's the difference between Rosca de Reyes and king cake? ›
One other key difference between Rosca de Reyes and Mardi Gras Cake is how they are decorated. The Reyes cake has no green, white, or yellow icing, but actually is decorated with candied fruit to resemble a king's crown. With Mardi Gras King Cake, if you find the baby you have to buy the next cake.
Which cake is known as King of cakes? ›
1. “Rosca de Reyes”: Served in Spain and Latin America, it is a ring-shaped sweet bread that can also be topped with candied fruit and a light layer of icing. 2. “Bolo Rei”: The Portuguese version of King Cake, it is also ring-shaped and is filled with candied fruit and sometimes nuts.
