I am a huge fan of this quick and easy sunflower bread – or to be more precise – of this rye and whole wheat sunflower seed bread. In Austria, we eat this kind of bread a lot. It usually comes loaf-shaped and consists of a mixture of white and whole wheat flour. I also added rye flour to my recipe. Some varieties are dense and packed with seeds,… continue reading »
This braided sweet yeast bread with raisins is by far on of my favorite breakfasts (except for this super-easy sunflower bread). It’s super moist, it’s fluffy and it has a subtle sweet taste (note that it only contains 3 ½ tablespoons sugar). Told you: The perfect breakfast! I also love it as a snack in the afternoon, together with a cup of coffee. I usually eat it plain when it… continue reading »
Goulash is one of the well known dishes from Austria. This is a recipe for Austrian-style potato goulash. I am well aware that goulash originally was a Hungarian dish, but – and there is always a but – in every country around Hungary, people have made it their own by altering the original recipe. So the Czech goulash differs from the Austrian and again from the Hungarian style in taste and… continue reading »
Buchteln or Wuchteln – you will hear both expressions in Austria – are a relatively unknown treasure. They are pull-apart style yeasted sweet rolls, filled with apricot jam. The buns are not overly sweet, since the recipe only calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar. The dough itself is very fluffy and airy, surrounded by a crispy, nicely browned crust, which will get soft when cooled. You will often see them served, sitting… continue reading »
In monarchy days, while grand nations invested in armies and glory, Austrian aristocrats focused mostly on shiny buildings and imperial coffee houses. Known as a stiff aristocrat, and bureaucrat for that matter, Kaiser Franz Josef was also known for his love towards Austrian sweets and baked goods. And not without reason. While pastries like apple strudel and vanilla crescents are well known and marketed, not to mention raved about in… continue reading »
Sourdough bread simply tastes great. In Austria there are numerous (mostly small) bakeries, which are selling real sourdough bread. My parents would always buy such bread, believing that there is not only a difference in taste compared to conventional bread, but also in moisture and increased shelf-life. So when David and I moved to Boston last summer, something was missing. Li’l Vienna, you got it! No, but seriously, we missed… continue reading »
These famous soup dumplings (Griessnockerl-Suppe: Griess = semolina, Nockerl = dumpling and Suppe = soup) are served in most traditional Austrian Gasthäuser (restaurants) and are also very common in Bavaria, the southern end of Germany. Barely without exception, they are floating in a bowl of homemade clear beef stock. Austrians usually enjoy soups as first course, with only a few high-calorie exceptions. Therefore, your semolina dumpling soup would be followed… continue reading »
Everyone knows the delicious French crepes, but in Austria, we have our own kind. The Austrian type is closer to the French crepes than the thick American Pancakes and yet a little thicker than the French version. At home, this is is a dish, traditionally served for lunch – not for breakfast, not for dinner. But honestly: They make a great breakfast too. They are either eaten for dessert or main dish…. continue reading »
Right now, it’s cold here in Boston. To be precise: 0 °F ( -18 °C), with a RealFeel temperature of -22 °F (-30 °C). Pretty bad, hmm. So what could you possibly do to withstand the cold weather, except of wearing warm clothing and imagining yourself on a nice beach? I would suggest eating a pile of carbs with melted cheese, sprinkled with caramelized onions. Why else would Käsespätzle be the typical… continue reading »
I guess this one is the simplest cookie recipes I know. And the cookies always turn out great, no matter what. I prefer them crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. If you have two leftover egg whites – after baking Vanillekipferl for example – macroons are one of the best and easiest ways to get rid of them. Sure, there are other recipes calling for egg whites, like Pavlova, but… continue reading »
Austria is a nation of Kipfeln. Yes, and especially the citizens of Li’l Vienna. So what’s all that about? First of all I’m delighted with every kind of Kipferl. I myself am definitely a Kipferl person and David is too – maybe more in the second sense I’ll explain hereafter. The expression Kipfe(r)l refers to anything crescent-shaped, but only in terms of pastry and baking. In most of the many… continue reading »
Many European recipes call for vanilla sugar. This kind of sugar is available in every supermarket and is as popular as vanilla extract in other countries like the US. Usually, it’s not a problem to substitute vanilla extract for vanilla sugar – in cakes, cookies or custards for instance. But sometimes it’s not possible to replace vanilla sugar. One of this kind is the recipe for vanilla crescents (Austrian Vanillekipferl). For… continue reading »