German cuisine is popular for its desserts and sweet treats, which are delicious as well as hearty. Although most of these are cakes and puddings, other desserts can also be found in the country. If you are a fan of sugar, you cannot miss these desserts while on a trip to Germany.
13 Best Desserts You Must Try Out in Germany
1. Zwetschgenkuchen
This is a traditional German sheet cake or pie, which has plum as the main ingredient. Depending on the region, it has several other names such as Quetschekuche, Pflaumenkuchen or Zwetschgendatschi. It can be served plain. However, it can also be served with streusel, which consists of butter, flour, and sugar. In some regions of Germany, it is served with potato, vegetable or bean soup and eaten for lunch.
To make this cake, yeast or shortcrust dough is used. A thin layer of this is covered on a baking sheet and pitted plums are spread on top of it. Ripe and juicy plums such as Italian or European plums are used most frequently. After this, it is baked until golden, cut into squares and served.
2. Bienenstich
Another traditional cake from Germany, this one translates into “bee sting cake”. The name is derived from the honey used in this cake. However, there are several origin stories behind the name as well. According to one such story, a bee was attracted to the cake and stung the baker. It has a soft base as well as a rich, gooey filling and crunchy toppings. This variation in texture makes it quite delicious.
It is made from yeast dough, vanilla custard, almonds, and cream. Buttercream can also be used in place of cream. A layer of cake is topped with custard, which is followed by a second layer of cake. Then, almonds are caramelized in honey and placed on top of the second layer.
3. Dampfnudel
Although the name translates into the steamed noodle, this is a type of sweet bread roll or dumpling. It is quite popular in the Southern region of Germany. It is usually served as dessert. However, it can also be eaten as a meal. When eaten as a dessert, it is served with vanilla sauce, custard, jam or fruits which are boiled.
Dampfnudel is made from dough that contains flour, water, yeast, sugar, and butter. Margarine can also be used instead of butter. This dough is rolled into balls which are then cooked with milk and butter until a golden crust is formed at the bottom. One side remains white in color.
4. Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Although Black Forest cake is popular all over the world, it has its origins in Germany. The English version is quite delicious. However, it doesn’t compare to the original which is rich, creamy and quite filling. It is infused with alcohol which also gives it a unique flavor.
It consists of several layers of chocolate sponge cake, as well as whipped cream and cherries. A layer of whipped cream covers the whole cake, and more cherries are placed as toppings. Chocolate shavings are also sprinkled on top of it. The traditional recipe uses a lot of Kirsch liquor which is made from cherries. However, in some regions, rum is used in place of this.
5. Spaghettieis
If you are a fan of both Spaghetti and ice cream, this is a dish you must try. It consists of ice cream which is made to look like a plate of Spaghetti Bolognese. It is popular with children as well as adults. For a long time, this innovative dessert was served only in a few specialty places. However, these days, it has become quite popular all over Germany.
It is made from vanilla ice cream, which is worked through a potato ricer so that it looks like noodles. It is topped with strawberry sauce which resembles tomato sauce. Either Grated coconut, white chocolate shavings or grated almonds are added on top which resembles parmesan cheese.
6. Käsekuchen
Käsekuchen refers to German cheesecake. This creamy dessert is a classic, which can be found all over the world. However, the German version is very different from the New York Cheesecake. It is sold in bakeries in Germany, in the form of dense squares. However, it tastes better when eaten in a restaurant or café, as it is softer and fluffier.
Instead of cookies or Graham crackers, the crust of this cheesecake contains dough. Some versions do not have a crust. Cream cheese is also not used. Instead of that, quark (a curdled product made from sour milk) is used for making the cheesecake. It can either be baked or unbaked.
7. Stollen
This is a type of fruit cake or bread. The dried fruits, nuts and spices present in it add to the flavor. It is traditionally eaten during Christmas, and it is also known as Christstollen or Weihnachtsstollen in this case. If you are looking for a dessert that is not very sweet, this is the ideal choice.
The dough is made from flour, which also contains yeast and water. To this, a lot of other ingredients can be added. These include candied orange and lemon peels, nuts such as raisins and almonds, and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Vanilla, rum, other fruits, etc. can also be added to enhance the flavor. The dough contains very little sugar. Thus, after baking, the bread is sprinkled with powdered sugar.
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8. Tollatsch
This dessert is a specialty of the Pomeranian region in Germany. However, it has become quite widespread lately. Those of you who are adventurous and do not mind trying food that contains a few uncommon ingredients, this is a good choice. It has a lot of contrasting flavors also, which make it quite unique.
The dough used for this contains flour, sugar, spices, dried fruits, and bread crumbs. Pork blood is also added to the dough. Besides this, it also contains Griebenschmalz which is rendered chicken or goose fat, along with crisp cracklings. This dough is then cooked in a broth made from meat.
9. Rumtopf
Another dessert on the list which is a holiday specialty, rumtopf translates to rum pot and is usually served during Christmas. The pot used for preparing this dessert is made from stone and is quite elaborately decorated. This dessert is commonly made at home and served with ice cream, or as a topping over waffles, baked apples or cake.
Fruits such as cherries, berries, plums, and apricots are stored in this pot and high-strength rum along with sugar is added to it. This pot is stored in a cool and dark place, and maturation takes place for several months. The fruit becomes soft and completely saturated with rum. After maturation, it is preserved till winter.
10. Puddingbrezel
If having dessert for breakfast sounds like a tempting idea, you must try the puddingbrezel or pudding pretzel. Originally from Rhineland-Palatinate, these knotted desserts are now widely consumed all over Germany. Although it can be eaten on its own, this dessert is often paired with iced coffee.
It is a type of pastry which has a rich golden hue. The outer portion consists of puff pastry in the form of pretzels. The filling consists of soft pudding. Although the pudding is traditionally vanilla flavored, some other flavors such as berry and chocolate can also be found these days.
11. Rote Grütze
If you are feeling full after all the rich and hearty desserts mentioned so far, this is a good option. Rote Grütze is a vegan dessert that originated in Northern Germany. It is berry pudding which can be found in restaurants and cafes all over the country. It can also be picked up in jars at grocery stores.
This dessert was originally made by using grit, or groats. However, these days, starch or semolina is usually added to the recipe. It is made by reducing red berries such as raspberries, strawberries, currants, cherries, and blackberries. Sugar is added to it and the dessert is cooked until it becomes gelatinized. It can be served alone or topped with vanilla sauce, ice cream or custard.
12. Schneeball
This is a pastry whose name translates to Snowball in English. It is also known as Storchennest or stork’s nest. As the name suggests, this is both round in shape, and white in color. It is quite popular in the Rothenburg ob der Tauber area of Germany. Although it was initially served only on special occasions such as weddings, these days it can be found commonly.
The main ingredients for making the pastry include flour, eggs, cream, sugar, and butter. Plum schnapps are also added to provide flavor. The dough is rolled out and cut into strips, which are then arranged in the shape of a ball. This is then deep fried and dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
13. Lebkuchenherz
If the idea of taking dessert home as a souvenir sounds interesting to you, lebkuchenherz is a perfect choice. These are heart-shaped gingerbread cookies which can be found everywhere during the Holiday season, particularly during Christmas and Oktoberfest. A ribbon is attached to each cookie so that they can be worn around the neck. They are elaborately decorated and messages are also written on the cookies in German.
These are made from honey, nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, as well as spices which include ginger, cardamom, aniseed, and cloves. Cocoa powder is also added to these. The cookies are hard and crunchy and last for a long time. They can be eaten even after a month of buying.
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