Name: Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian plum tray bake) with Butter Streusel
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Bavarian
Ingredients: 350 g plain flour (type 550) (3 tbsp of it for the starter); 60 g caster sugar (1 tsp of it for the starter); 1 pinch vanilla seeds or vanilla sugar; 180 ml milk, lukewarm (scant measure, half of it for the starter); 1 egg; 30 g fresh yeast; 1 pinch salt; 60 g butter, melted; grated lemon zest (to taste); fat for the tray; 1500 g damson plums (Zwetschgen), stoned; 1 tsp cinnamon (for dusting); 300 g plain flour; 280 g caster sugar; 1 tbsp vanilla sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 200 g butter, cold, in pieces

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, the yeast and half of the lukewarm milk into a starter, cover and leave in a warm place to rise.
Wash the plums, drain, stone them and halve or quarter them depending on size.
Knead the remaining flour, sugar, vanilla, egg, salt, melted butter, lemon zest and the rest of the milk with the starter in a mixing bowl until the dough forms light bubbles. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume; this takes about half an hour or a little longer.
Preheat the oven to 190 °C (conventional). For the streusel, quickly work the flour, cold butter pieces, sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon together and crumble into clumps.
Grease the baking tray, roll the dough out on it and arrange the plums closely in overlapping rows. Dust with a little cinnamon and scatter the streusel evenly over the top.
Bake in the hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown. Let it cool a little on the tray and cut into about 20 pieces.

Drink with it

Fruit brandy · excellent match
Zwetschgenwasser (plum brandy), neat, at room temperature in a tulip glass
The brandy brings the same fruit in a clear form, and its dry sip sets a counterpoint to the sugar and butter streusel.
What is Calvados? Apple brandy with origin
Fortified wine · good match
Tawny Port, lightly chilled
Nutty, dried-fruit notes meet the baked plum, and the sweetness keeps pace with the streusel.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Sweet wine · good match
Riesling Auslese, well chilled
Fruity sweetness suits the plum, and the Riesling's acidity cuts the butter fat of the streusel.
Which wine goes with dessert? Comparing sweetness deliberately
Dark beer · good match
Dark Doppelbock, cool
Caramel and roasted malt accompany the cinnamon and streusel, and a light bitterness checks the sweetness.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue

Why it pairs well

Beer with cake is unusual; a dark Doppelbock with its roasted malt works much like coffee with a streusel cake.

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, the yeast and half of the lukewarm milk into a starter, cover and leave in a warm place to rise.
Wash the plums, drain, stone them and halve or quarter them depending on size.
Knead the remaining flour, sugar, vanilla, egg, salt, melted butter, lemon zest and the rest of the milk with the starter in a mixing bowl until the dough forms light bubbles. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in volume; this takes about half an hour or a little longer.
Preheat the oven to 190 °C (conventional). For the streusel, quickly work the flour, cold butter pieces, sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon together and crumble into clumps.
Grease the baking tray, roll the dough out on it and arrange the plums closely in overlapping rows. Dust with a little cinnamon and scatter the streusel evenly over the top.
Bake in the hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown. Let it cool a little on the tray and cut into about 20 pieces.

Drink with it

Fruit brandy · excellent match
Zwetschgenwasser (plum brandy), neat, at room temperature in a tulip glass
The brandy brings the same fruit in a clear form, and its dry sip sets a counterpoint to the sugar and butter streusel.
What is Calvados? Apple brandy with origin
Fortified wine · good match
Tawny Port, lightly chilled
Nutty, dried-fruit notes meet the baked plum, and the sweetness keeps pace with the streusel.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Sweet wine · good match
Riesling Auslese, well chilled
Fruity sweetness suits the plum, and the Riesling's acidity cuts the butter fat of the streusel.
Which wine goes with dessert? Comparing sweetness deliberately
Dark beer · good match
Dark Doppelbock, cool
Caramel and roasted malt accompany the cinnamon and streusel, and a light bitterness checks the sweetness.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue

Why it pairs well

Beer with cake is unusual; a dark Doppelbock with its roasted malt works much like coffee with a streusel cake.

Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian plum tray bake) with Butter Streusel

Preparation

Drink with it

Zwetschgenwasser (plum brandy), neat, at room temperature in a tulip glass

Tawny Port, lightly chilled

Riesling Auslese, well chilled

Dark Doppelbock, cool

This pairs well too.

American Apple Pie with Shortcrust Lid

Apfelküchle (Swabian apple fritters)

Apple Crumble

Baked Apple in a Nut Coating (Bratapfel)

Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian plum tray bake) with Butter Streusel

Preparation

Drink with it

Zwetschgenwasser (plum brandy), neat, at room temperature in a tulip glass

Tawny Port, lightly chilled

Riesling Auslese, well chilled

Dark Doppelbock, cool

This pairs well too.

American Apple Pie with Shortcrust Lid

Apfelküchle (Swabian apple fritters)

Apple Crumble

Baked Apple in a Nut Coating (Bratapfel)