I first discovered apfelstreuselkuchen (apple crumble cake) in Borough market. I think I have probably had some version of this crumble cake before but would never have associated with German baking. Anyway, while in Berlin last year I tried the plum version, pflaumen streuselkuchen (plum crumble cake) in Balzac Coffee, a German coffee house chain. I have adapted the recipe in this post from one on All Recipes Deutschland.

Ingredients

For the base:

• 50g butter, softened
• 50g sugar
• 1 egg
• 250g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 125ml milk (I used soya milk)

Fruit layer:

• 500g plums
• 1 tbsp sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• Crumble Mixture
• 150 g plain flour
• 100g sugar (caster or golden caster)
• 100g butter

Method

1. Line a 25x25cm cake tin and preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the butter and sugar together for the base until smooth.
3. Beat in the egg.
4. Alternate adding a bit of the flour and baking powder with a bit of the milk until all has been mixed in.
5. Spread the mixture to cover the cake tin.
6. Chop the plums into small pieces and scatter over the base mixture.
7. For the topping mix the sugar and flour in a bowl and then rub in the butter with your fingers until it makes a crumble mixture. Sprinkle on top of the plum layer. Sprinkle
8. Bake for 25 minutes.

So, that’s the first German recipe for this year.