MY MOTHER’S RECIPE #5 – Bette Frisch’s Famous Kuchen

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‘Love goes through the stomach’ German Idiom

Hi there,

Do you remember preparing something for the PTA bake sale? I am not much of a baker and always contemplated going to the bakery and buying something and donating it to the bake sale. There always was one superb baker and everyone wanted to buy their creations. In my PTA days that was always my friend, Margie, who made the very best cookies. Darlene’s story about her mother took me back to those days.

This is the story that was given to me by Darlene Foster who is the author of a wonderful series of girl’s adventure books. More information about Darlene can be found at: www.darlenefoster.cahttps://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/. Here is a picture of Darlene and her mother and an apple Kuchen.

My mom was famous. At least in our little farming community in southern Alberta, Canada. She was a great cook and baker, her specialty was fruit kuchen. In our mostly German community many people made it, but like trifle and tiramisu, each family had their own “secret” recipe. Everyone loved moms. At the church bake sale, people would line up to buy her kuchen and she always sold out first. So you can see why, as a child, I figured she was famous. 

Once I had a home of my own in the city, she would often bring one for me when she came to town. I served some to friends who raved about it and asked for the recipe. Well, mom didn’t really use a recipe, but she wrote something down and gave it to me. I decided to make my own but noticed it required 4 eggs for the crust and 16 eggs for the custard. I called her and said twenty eggs for one kuchen was a lot of eggs. Mom sighed and said, “The recipe is for a dozen.” I said, “But, I only wanted to make one.” She laughed and replied, “No one makes only one kuchen. That would be as silly as making one loaf of bread!”

I didn’t tell her that I often made just one loaf of bread. 

This recipe makes 6 but you can cut it in half easily. You will find one is not nearly enough! Mom won’t mind that I shared. 

Ingredients:

Sweet Dough
2 cups scalded milk
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 packages of yeast
2 teaspoons salt
6 cups (approximately) flour

Custard Filling
8 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt

Topping
Fruit of choice or cottage cheese
Cinnamon

Method:

• Make the sweet dough by adding sugar, butter and salt to milk.
• When lukewarm, add 2 cups of flour and beat smooth
• Add the yeast, eggs and remaining flour
• Mix well until smooth adding more flour if necessary being careful not to make it stiff (it should still stick to your hands)
• Let dough rise until double in bulk
• Roll out quite thin to fit in greased pie pans
• Place fruit and/or cottage cheese on top of dough
• Beat custard ingredients together and pour over fruit
• Sprinkle with cinnamon
• Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until custard is set and crust is brown.
• Remove from pans to cool

Makes about 6 kuchen

I hope you enjoyed reading this story and recipe as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you.

Talk soon,❤️💕 Bernadette

53 responses to “MY MOTHER’S RECIPE #5 – Bette Frisch’s Famous Kuchen”

  1. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    Thanks for sharing mom´s kuchen. She would like that we shared it. Have a great weekend.

  2. You are so welcome Dorothy. My grandmother was Pennsylvania Dutch and this reminded me of something she would make. A very happy memory for me.

  3. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    Reblogged this on Darlene Foster's Blog and commented:
    Bernadette has posted my mom´s wonderful kuchen recipe on her My Mother´s Recipe feature. Mom would be delighted that we´ve shared her recipe. Although kuchen means cake in German, this is more of a pie with a sweet bread dough base. Enjoy this kuchen and think of my mom when you do. Check out the other wonderful recipes on the blog.

  4. Mary Smith – Scotland – Freelance journalist and author of No More Mulberries (fiction) Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni: Real Stories of Afghan Women (memoir) and local history books. I also write poetry and I blog – and of course I love chocolate, cheese & wine (not always all together)
    Mary Smith says:

    Sounds good! The 20 eggs for one kuchen story made me laugh 🙂

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      I can still visualize my mom rolling her eyes and thinking, “Where did I go wrong?”

  5. It sounds delicious, Darlene! So cool that your mom’s always sold out first. I remember bake sales from middle school and always getting excited for the pinwheels my friend’s mom made.

  6. Marje @ Kyrosmagica – Hi. Welcome to my blog: M J Mallon – Kyrosmagica Publishing. A blog about magic, books, writing, laughter, and much more! I'm a YA fantasy author, poet and reviewer. My first YA fantasy novel The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone is set in Cambridge and Book 2 – Golden Healer is now out too. As well as this, I have contributed to several anthologies, created my own with some amazing international writers, bloggers and creatives during the pandemic: This Is Lockdown and written two poetry collections: Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity & Mr. Sagittarius Poetry and Prose. I write book reviews on my blog and on Goodreads, book bub and on my bookstagram. I have a penchant for travel and have relatives in far flung places, Australia, Malaysia, and Singapore, (my birthplace.) I grew up in in Bonnie Scotland, in Edinburgh, and now live in Cambridge. I love sunny, hot places, particularly Rome, Venice, Portugal, Barcelona, and I forgot to mention the sun drenched beaches of the Caribbean, how could I? I am lucky to have been blessed with two lovely daughters and a husband who I fondly refer to in this blog as my black sheep. Family joke! With my passion for travel, culture, beautiful beaches, good food, books, theatre, writing, and humour, I hope to keep you entertained. I'm loving every minute of this creative journey, please join me.
    Marje @ Kyrosmagica says:

    A wonderful recipe from Darlene’s mum. <3 x

  7. Jacqui Murray – Laguna Hills, CA. – Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also the author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Savage Land.
    Jacqui Murray says:

    That sounds really good. I need a slice.

      • Jacqui Murray – Laguna Hills, CA. – Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also the author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Savage Land.
        Jacqui Murray says:

        Thanks, Bernadette. I have to confess, I don’t bake much anymore because all the kids have moved on. I used to love doing it.

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      Give it a try and surprise your family!

  8. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen – I'm a writer, cook, gardener, photographer, poet, quilter, and accomplished daydreamer. I'm also a wife, mother, grandmother, sister. cousin, aunt, and friend, no particular order on any given day. I've been a writer all my life, newspaper reporter and columnist, radio news writer, and magazine contributor, and poet and short-story writer as the spirit moves. Now, I turn my attention to my cookbook, the blog, and a cooking column "Memorable Meals," which runs in our county newspaper. Besides my family, I love dogs, cats, good coffee, chocolate, and my never-dwindling pile of books I intend to read. Our family ran a small Vermont Inn for 18 years, with our focus on local, organic ingredients. I cook from scratch, and try not to use anything that has ingredients I cannot pronounce! After many years of daily serving up local delicacies, cooking classes, and catering, we are now only open for special events, and the odd cooking class. We also host musicians and artists, having helped produce a musical festival and other musical events for nearly 20 years. Many incredible artists have found a place at our table. Wonderful experiences, we will treasure always. My family and friends are my practice subjects. With a family that includes nut, peanut, tree fruit, and vegetable allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, heart conscious, and a couple of picky eaters, there has to be a few quick tricks in the book to keep everyone fed and happy! Personally, I do not eat red meat or most full-fat dairy (usually) for health reasons, making the occasional exception at Thanksgiving and Christmas or our anniversary if the duck is locally raised. I do eat fish and seafood, so I try to come up with alternatives and substitutions when available. I serve local organic eggs and cheeses to my family who can tolerate dairy (My husband recently had a heart attack, and I need to watch my own cholesterol so I am careful, but have been known to let a little piece of really good cheese accidentally fall on my plate!). I believe strongly that eating in a way that is good for our planet is also good for our bodies, and I try to educated myself about our food sources! I cook by the seasons and draw on inspiration from the strong and talented women in my family who came before me, as well as the youth in the family who look at the world with fresh eyes. Food links us all, whether sharing a meal, cooking it together, or writing about it for others to enjoy. I love taking an old recipe and giving it a modern spin, especially if I can make it a littler healthier and use foods that are kinder to the Earth and to our bodies. I believe strongly in sustainable, delicious eating of whole foods, and the wonderful flavors we have at our fingertips! And finally, I love conversing with all the talented cooks and chefs out there who dot the globe! It's a wonderful, world full of culinary pen pals, and I cherish them all! XXXOOO Dorothy
    Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen says:

    Love the story Bernadette! The recipe sounds wonderful, no matter the proportions!

  9. That sounds soooo good. And any recipe from our mom’s kitchen is full of love. xo

    • Hello, so good to see you again. I don’t know if. you will remember but I am Bernadette from Haddon Musings. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  10. Tanooki – On her way to home cooking culinary journey. When there is a yummy homemade food, there is a smile:) & food coma;)
    Tanooki says:

    Wow, in my home country we don’t have a bake sale culture, but sounds so interesting! If I could get that yummy pastry I’d hope it is everyday thing🤣 👍

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      Bake-sales were great fundraisers when I was growing up. I hope you try the recipe.

  11. That does look good! I got a kick out of Darlene’s mother’s comment that making only one kuchen is as silly as making one loaf of bread. 🙂

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      It was a different world back then. My brothers would eat one kuchen each!

  12. This is a great recipe. Six won’t go amiss in my house. Thanks for sharing.

      • Hi Bernadette, that is wonderful. Lovely to find you through Darlene.

      • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
        Darlene says:

        It is so great that we have all connected again.

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      If your boys are anything like my brothers, they will eat one each!

  13. CarolCooks2 – Udon Thani – Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them. I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling. Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing. This is now taking me into other areas like deforestation, chemicals and preservatives in the food chain. Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
    CarolCooks2 says:

    Haha, great story and one loaf..oops that’s me…That kuchen looks delicious 🙂 x

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      I make one loaf of bread all the time but when mom made bread it was like a bread-making factory at our house. Of course, she would freeze the loaves in the enormous freezer we had and take out a loaf whenever one was needed.

      • CarolCooks2 – Udon Thani – Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them. I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling. Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing. This is now taking me into other areas like deforestation, chemicals and preservatives in the food chain. Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
        CarolCooks2 says:

        I used to do that when all the kids were at home.. scaled down now and its too hot sometimes.. 😀 x

  14. CarolCooks2 – Udon Thani – Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them. I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling. Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing. This is now taking me into other areas like deforestation, chemicals and preservatives in the food chain. Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
    CarolCooks2 says:

    Trust me its hot!

  15. Maria – I am a German expat and I have been working in England for more than 30 years. Ich bin eine Auslandsdeutsche und arbeite schon seit 30 Jahren in England.
    Maria says:

    I used to make my German apple sponge cake for the PTA events such as the Xmas fayre and the summer fête. Everybody loved it. Soon my other European friends joined in. Our cake stall became a magnet for the visitors. Soon I was asked to contribute to an international cook book, that was published by the local primary school.

    I can understand your mum. Why tomake just one cake? Share it with the whole community.

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      That apple sponge cake sounds great! I´m sure your stall was very popular. Mom would make many kuchens and freeze them. Then when guests would pop in she would warm one up and serve it with tea or coffee. It was like she had just made it!

      • Maria – I am a German expat and I have been working in England for more than 30 years. Ich bin eine Auslandsdeutsche und arbeite schon seit 30 Jahren in England.
        Maria says:

        Your mum sounds wonderful.

      • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
        Darlene says:

        She was and I really miss her. Eating food she used to make brings back great memories.

  16. the Painted Apron – Life is all about creativity for me, as long as I'm creating something I am happy! I hope I will inspire your daily life and give you ideas for your own wonderful creations!
    the Painted Apron says:

    What a sweet story Bernadette, I smiled all the way through!

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      I´m glad my story made you smile. It made me smile remembering my mom too. Thanks to Bernadette for having me as a guest.

      • Darlene,it was completely my pleasure. Jenna, I would very much like to have a contribution from you. Are you interested?

  17. Time Traveler of Life – Where my Motor Home is! – Biography Creating worlds, characters, and wielding power like a madwoman, making my characters happy, sad, angry, and some of them with no redeeming qualities. I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I sometimes laugh out loud when I am writing a scene, and I have been known to cry when one of my favorites has to die. I am a left-handed Gemini, what do you expect? Reading bedtime stories to my two children until they fell asleep or until they just told me to go away, was fun. Making up wild stories for my grandchild, and creating Halloween costumes from Cowboys to a Dragon, was another favorite thing to do. I missed that so much when they were grown, that I started writing. My yearly newsletters frequently were drafted third-person by my Love Birds, Miranda our motorhome, and by Sir Fit the White Knight, our faithful Honda. Throughout the years, some of my creative talents centered around writing letters of complaint expressing my displeasure with services or products. One crucial, at least to my Son, was a note to our local school bus driver petitioning her to allow him back on the bus. He was kicked off for making an obscene gesture at his buddy. I reminded her that it was not directed at her, and that “obscenity can be in the eye of the beholder,” kids use that gesture as a greeting. He rode the bus until he graduated. I loved driving my English teacher crazy. Leaving a “continued next week” at the end of my five handwritten pages required each week. He was one of many people that suggested I “do something about my writing.” I graduated from the School of Hard Knocks at the top of my class. After 30 years, in the trenches as a Real Estate Professional, I have found that truth is stranger than fiction. My books are filled with characters I met in that profession. Their names were changed to protect the guilty. Others were from people we met traveling around the country in Miranda, our Motorhome. I am married nearly 60 years to the love of my life, Shirl, and partner-produced two exceptionally talented children, and one grandchild who is our pride and joy.
    Time Traveler of Life says:

    Thanks for the like on The jobs I’ve loved and hated. There are more, but I like to keep my blogs medium length.

  18. Karen – New England – I travel the back roads of the world, sharing great food and interesting places and enjoyable pastimes.
    Karen says:

    Darlene’s story about her mom´s kuchen give me a chuckle. The kuchen sounds like a great snack with a cup of tea. Thanks to both of you for sharing the story.

    • Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
      Darlene says:

      Perfect with a cup of tea. I just had some with a slice. xo

  19. What a nice story Bernadette. This sounds like another delicious recipe.

  20. Darlene did share a delightful story and recipe. Do you have a story and a recipe you would like to share on the My Mother’s Recipe feature?

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