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
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 is the king of cakes in Germany? ›
King cakes across Europe
Switzerland and southern Germany, for example, have dreikönigskuchen. It's a fluffy, brioche-like cake made of separate rolls arranged in the shape of a crown and sometimes adorned with rum-soaked raisins or chocolate chips.
What are baumkuchenspitzen? ›
Baumkuchenspitzen, German for "Tree Cake Peaks," are miniature versions of Baumkuchen; for these, the slices of the whole cake are cut into small pieces that are then typically coated in chocolate and packaged.
Who invented Baumkuchen? ›
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 famous cake in Bavaria? ›
Prinzregententorte (German: [ˈpʁɪnts. ʁeˌɡɛntənˌtɔʁtə]) is a Bavarian torte consisting of at least six, usually seven, thin layers of sponge cake interlaid with chocolate buttercream. The exterior is covered in a dark chocolate glaze.
What do Germans call cake? ›
Kuchen (pronounced “koo-ken”) is the German word for “cake,” but a real kuchen is so much more than that! Traditional kuchen is like a delicious mash-up of cake and pie, topped with creamy custard.
Who invented German 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.
What is the difference between king cake and Rosca de Reyes? ›
One of the key differences between Rosca de Reyes and a traditional King Cake is the type of pastry used. Rosca de Reyes is made with a sweet, buttery dough that is similar to brioche, while King Cake is made with a denser, richer dough that is more similar to a pastry.
What is a German baker called? ›
A local baker „Meister“ fills up a shelf with fresh bread from the morning baking. There are about 300 different types of bread produced in Germany.
Why is Baumkuchen so expensive? ›
The high price is mainly due to the way the cake is made – it really is an elaborate craft. This is another reason why Baumkuchen is served as the “king of all cakes” on special occasions such as at Christmas.
As it is not overly sweet, baumkuchen boasts a broad appeal that extends even to those who generally avoid sugary foods. Free of unnecessary additives, it offers a subdued all-natural sweetness that has been cherished for nearly one hundred years in Japan.
What is the Japanese German dessert? ›
Baumkuchen in Japan
In 1919, the German baker Carl Juchheim moved from Germany to China and from China to Japan and baked a Baumkuchen there. Since then, the cake, also called “Baumkuchen” in Japan, has begun its success story and is now almost ubiquitous.
What does Baumkuchen cake taste like? ›
Classic Baumkuchen has a mildly sweet taste with a vanilla aftertaste, but either batter or filling can be additionally flavored with ground nuts, honey, brandy, rum, or chocolate. Some varieties are covered with sugar glaze or chocolate ganache from the outside.
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 most popular dessert in German? ›
The Apfelstrudel is the most popular pastry in Germany. Germans often top Apfelstrudel with vanilla cream and whipped cream. What is Germany's most famous dessert? Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is Germany's most famous dessert.
What is the world's most famous cake? ›
The world's most famous cake, the Original Sacher-Torte, is the consequence of several lucky twists of fate. The first was in 1832, when the Austrian State Chancellor, Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, tasked his kitchen staff with concocting an extraordinary dessert to impress his special guests.
Is Germany known for cake? ›
Germany is known for making the best cakes, fine pastries, and desserts in terms of taste.
What is a rich German cake called? ›
The shortest crossword solution for Rich German cake is 5 letters long and is called TORTE.
