Jam |

Buchteln are Bavarian/Austrian sweet rolls or dumplings usually filled with jam. I’ve seen them served with warm vanilla sauce poured on the top of them. They are also popular in other regions of Europe, including my homeland, Bosnia. They are very simple to make. I love how they snugly fit together in the pan and how easily they come apart when you need one. They are great for breakfast or any other time of the day. My Grandma often used to make them filled with rosehip jam.

This cold winter morning seemed perfect for Buchteln, so I made them for breakfast filled with homemade plum jam and nutella.

Buchteln Printable recipe

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp active dry yeast (or 40 g fresh yeast)
½ cup (100 g) sugar
1 vanilla sugar (1 tsp vanilla extract)
Zest of one small lemon
7 tbsp (100 g) butter (soft)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup (250 ml) warm milk

For filling: Your favorite jam, nutella, sweetened cream cheese and raisins, etc.

For brushing: 1 tbsp melted butter

For dusting: Powder sugar

Combine flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and mix well for few minutes.
Add half of the milk and start mixing.
Add egg, egg yolk and butter and remaining milk, continuing mixing for another 3-4 minutes or until the dough stops sticking to the walls of the mixing bowl.
Knead the dough by hand for few minutes, form it into a ball, cover with kitchen towel and let it rise for about 1 to 1 ½ hours or until double in volume.
Now roll it into a 1/3 in (about 8 mm) thick rectangle and with a pizza cutter, cut into smaller squares (about 3 x 3 in, 8 x 8 cm)
Place a tbsp of jam on each square and close by bringing together opposite corners, pinching them tightly and making a small ball.
Place formed buchteln into a round spring form lined with parchment paper. Melt 1 tbsp of butter and brush over buchteln, cover with kitchen towel and let rise until double in volume.
Bake at 380 F (190 C) about 30 minutes. Cool down slightly, dust with powder sugar and serve warm.

Enjoy!

I love going to the Farmer’s Market this time of the year. I love the colors, variety of goods and just the whole atmosphere and busyness of the place. This time I bought some baby potatoes, blueberries, kale and and a huge basket of peaches. I decided to use some peaches to make jam, the way my Grandma used to make it. The rest we will eat and I might just make a peach tart or a cake.

So, here’s the recipe for Peach Jam:

Peaches for jam should be ripe and somewhat soft, but not too soft. This is an old fashioned way of preparing jam and doesn’t require pectin.

Ingredients:

8.8 lbs (4 kg) peaches (peeled and pitted)
3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) sugar
2 lemons (juice)
1 tbsp vanilla (optional)

Also needed:

small jars (about 12)
a large roasting dish with lid (something like this)
a stock pot
a colander
canning utensils

1. Fill a stock pot with water and let it boil. Cut a small cross on the top and bottom of each peach and immerse them into boiling water for about 30-45 seconds. Take them out and place in colander. This hot water ‘bath’ will really help with peeling!

2. Peel each peach and cut into quarters and place them into the roasting dish. Mash peaches with a potatoe masher (I always leave some bigger pieces in too), add sugar, vanilla and mix well.

3. Pre-heat oven to 400 F (200 C) and place the roaster with the lid onto the 2nd lowest rack in the oven.

4. After 30 minutes steer well and uncover. Leave it uncovered and steer a little every 30 minutes.

5. Cook for another 1.5 to 2 hours. When you notice that jam is getting thicker, add juice of two lemons. Mix well and cook for another 15 minutes.

6. Now use your usual canning procedure.

Note: I don’t have a canner, so I improvise with what I have in my kitchen and my jam always turns out perfect. So if you’re just a beginner and don’t can a lot or don’t want to spend a lot of money on canning supplies, here you can find some helpful tips.

ENJOY!

See how it turned out for me: