Fall

Tante Behrends Apple Stuten

by:
September 15, 2016
0
0 Ratings
Photo by sarah
  • Makes 10-15 pieces
Author Notes

This recipes was given to me by our late neighbour, Tante (aunt) Behrends when I was about six years old. She was like a grandmother to me, and every year, when our apples are ripe, I make it in her memory.
Notes:
Quark may be hard to come by, you could try substituting low fat yogurt or thinned cream cheese. The result should have about 0,3% fat. If using e.g. Greek yogurt, reduce the oil.

The original recipe doesn't list a amount of sugar. I use 10-50grams, 10 for mum and myself, who like it less sweet, and 50 for my boyfriend, who has quite a sweet tooth. Any amount you like is fine.

The recipe calls for a plate of diced apples. I usually use about 5-7, depending on size.

Since the elderberries in our garden are ripe at the same time as our apples are, I like to throw in a handful as a homage to a traditional dish. If you can't get any, just skip them. —sarah

Ingredients
  • 250 grams quark (Magerquark)
  • 6 tablespoons Oil
  • salt
  • 2 eggs
  • sugar
  • 300 grams flour
  • 10 grams baking powder
  • 1 plate of diced apples
  • 1 handful elderberries (optional)
  • heavy cream
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 200-220°C. Do not use convection, if possible. if not, lower temperature to about 190°C
  2. Mix ingredients quark through baking powder
  3. Fold in apples and berries
  4. Dollop a few tablespoons each on baking sheets lined with parchment, about six per sheet
  5. Brush with cream
  6. Serve warm. Leftovers can be frozen and reheated.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

4 Reviews

Maedl September 16, 2016
Sarah,

Your recipe intrigues me. Where I live, in Bavaria, a Stute means a breeding mare, so you had me at the title! I did a bit of googling and think this recipe must come from up north--way north, as in Schleswig-Holstein.

I loved the old, hand-written recipe, and, of course, had a closer look. I came up with a slightly different interpretation than you did. Did you mean to leave out the eggs? And I think the original recipe calls for soda--that’s Selters in German. Since it calls for two tablespoons, it must mean something like spritzy water or seltzer.

Anyway, here’s what I came up with when I translated it:
½ pound quark
6 Tbl. oil
salt
sugar
2 eggs
300 g.flour
½ ? baking powder
2 T. Selters (I think this means soda--something like seltzer water)
1 dinner plate of apples cut into small chunks

Bake at 200-220 degrees C. for about 30 minutes--before baking brush with cream
sarah September 18, 2016
Thank you for your comment!
Actually I live in Schleswig-Holstein :) and the recipe in the photo was written by 6-year-old me (the recipe isn't even 15 years old.. just used many, many times).
I conversed the measurements into grams for easier use, since everyone uses a scale nowadays (unlike Tante Behrends back then).
I left out the Selters/soda because it made the dough spread more and the pieces of fruit sticking out and getting burned while baking. Tante Behrends used it as an additional leavener, which I didn't find necessary.
And as for the eggs- I forgot to add them ;)
Oh, and about the name, my mum (who was born in the Ruhrgebiet) told me it is because it's related to the 'Stutenkerle' a traditional yeasted pastry. This dough, a 'Quark-Ölteig' is a quick alternative to a yeasted dough, similar in taste and texture and also best served fresh from the oven. Hence the name Stuten.
Maedl September 18, 2016
Sarah,

Your hand-written note from when you were six reminds me of one that I wrote out on a scrap of blue paper when I was about that age--and my grandmother saved it. I think it’s still around . . . somewhere.

What is the ‘Selters’? Is it Seltzer water or is it baking soda (Natrium)? I asked a German friend yesterday and she had never heard of it, but thought it might be Seltzer as well. Also, I haven’t tried it, but wonder if smooth cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese could be substituted for quark. One of these days, I’ll give it a try.

I enjoyed your background info and checked out the Stutenkerle--and I don’t think I have ever seen them in the south, which once again underscores how regional German food is.
sarah September 18, 2016
Selters is the same as Seltzer water, sorry about the confusion.

I think cottage cheese (about 4% fat) should work if you reduce the oil a little.
The low fat content of the Magerquark keeps the stuten from being too greasy, so anything cultured, without much fat and liquid should work.

The rationality of (german) food is very interesting, I think. My grandparents up here were really poor and the cooking my dad learned from them is very different from that my mum learned in her wealthy family in the Ruhrgebiet.
Alas I don't know much about the bavarian cuisine (it is over 1000km away from us!)
Have you ever had Fliederbeersuppe mit Äpfeln und Grießnocken (elderberry soup with apples and semolina dumplings)? It is a typical winter food here (very cheap) and I stole the flavour profile from it for this recipe.