Rumkugeln are some of my absolute favorite German sweets. German bakeries often have large versions throughout the year - a way to use leftover cakes and turning them into something different rather than throwing them away. These are made from scratch though and should look like the chocolate-covered little ball in the upper left.


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AUSTRIAN PALATSCHINKEN

5 1/3ozs flour
2 eggs
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 squares baking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Mix flour, eggs, water, salt and sugar. Beat until very fluffy. Melt butter in a skillet, drop in dough by the tablespoonful and spread out thinly. Make the pancakes small and fry until ( Read more... )

ITALIAN ZABAIONE WITH BAROLO
Zabaione al Barolo

This variation employs Piedmont's famous Barolo or Barbaresco wine. It really pays to use the real thing, as the flavour of the wine does shine through. Serves 6-8.

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup Barolo or Barbaresco wine
6 tablespoons superfine sugar

Place egg yolks, wine and sugar in the top of a double boiler ( Read more... )

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKES WITH RASPBERRIES AND NUTELLA MOUSSE
Schokoladentörtchen mit Himbeeren und Nutella-Mousse

Serves 4

2 1/2 pints fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 cup Nutella
1 cup very cold heavy cream
Pinch of salt
4 mini chocolate cake shells (about 3.5 inches in diameter)

In a medium bowl, combine 2/3 of the ( Read more... )

FRENCH PARIS-BREST DESSERT
Makes 8

A delightful French dessert said to have been created by a pastry chef in honor of a bicycle race between the French cities of Paris and Brest. It consists of a baked almond-topped choux pastry ring, patterned after a bicycle tire, that is split and filled with a praline-flavored buttercream, or a chocolate flavored ( Read more... )

SPANISH ALMOND SNAPS
Makes about 2 pounds

These thin biscuits are usually served with coffee at the end of a meal but not as a dessert in their own right. The secret to perfect snaps is to spread the mixture very thinly so that, as it cooks, it takes on a lacelike appearance. As soon as they came out of the oven, they must be lifted off the baking ( Read more... )

JEWISH/MOROCCAN SUGAR COOKIES
Ghouribi

Makes 30

1 cup vegetable oil or butter
1 cup sugar
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely ground walnuts or almonds
Cinnamon to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly flour an ungreased cookie sheet. Place oil and sugar in a large bowl, mix well. Gradually add flour, a cup at a time, and knead well. Blend ( Read more... )

SIERRA LEONIAN BANANA PANCAKES
Serves 4

3 ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 medium egg, beaten
Water

Mix banana with dry ingredients in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients using enough water to make a thick pancake batter. Fry on griddle and ( Read more... )

SOUTHERN CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE
10 servings

"I know a number of people who are pecan pie freaks. There must be more ways to make this than you can shake a stick at, but most recipes (like this one) hinge on pecans and a "custard" made of eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and not too much else. This pie has more pecans than most, and it has cocoa and ( Read more... )

TIBETAN YOGURT-PISTACHIO DESSERT
Sikarni

4 cups regular yogurt
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup double cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon saffron
1 cup unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts, cut into thin slices

In a large bowl, mix yogurt and sour cream. Pour into a large colander ( Read more... )