I am back with both feet on solid ground. After 20 hours of travel time from my doorstep in Freiburg to my doorstep in Bellingham, I am happily exhausted. Was my time in Germany all a dream?? Did that quarter of a year, really fly by that fast?? My neighborhood still looks the same, the town still looks the same, yet I have come back a little different. My european outfit, looks out of place in this town. What was casual and comfortable in Germany, seems too well dressed for Bellingham standards-tight black pants, with a thin golden belt, a small pink cardigan, leather shoes, and a bright lip stick to match. Double takes and nice bright smiles where greeting me everywhere as my mother and I walked the Boulevard promenade in the evening sun. It has only been four hours since I have been home, and the celebratory "welcome back" beer at good ol' Boundary Bay, is bringing my wired mind, down to the level of my tired body. Lets call it a day, and let these tired muscles and tired eyes rest until tomorrows light.
Nectarines and Apples, Oh My!
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However now my time is coming to an end. Tomorrow I leave on a bus to Freiburg, and then Thursday I take off in a jet plane from Frankfurt to once again return home to my beloved Pacific Northwest. I am sad to say that today I ate my very last fresh baked Metzler pretzel, the best pretzel baker in all of Germany. Yet I am excited to say that soon I will be home in Bellingham to see the best of the Northwest during the summer. I missed you Bellingham. I missed you my friends. And I miss you still Dane.
With all this bounty of fresh fruit from around Langenargen, I decided to bake my last goodbye to Germany and those with whom I spent so much of my time, my grandparents. Right now, the nectarines are perfect, sun-ripened, and juicy. Their flesh is a deep orange like the color of a sunset lit sky-great for some all natural eye candy.
Nectarines characteristic sunset colored hue is due to the large amounts of beta-carotene and lutein. Our bodies use beta-carotene to produce vitamin A, which plays a large role in eye and bone health as well as in reproductive health. Lutein acts as an important antioxidant helping to rid the body of free radicals and may help as preventative medicine against chronic diseases. Not to mention nectarines are stocked full of vitamin c and carry a good punch of fiber. Now who can resist grabbing a nectarine instead of a cookie for dessert? Not me!
Yet if you are looking to make something more along the lines of a traditional dessert, I recommend this vegan nectarine and apple cake. It is very moist, lightly sweet, and full of hearty spelt flour. Nobody will miss the eggs and butter, trust me.
Vegan Nectarine and Apple Cake
Makes a 21 cm spring form cake
Ingredients:
1 cup unrefined flour
1 cup spelt flour
2/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (coconut, canola, sunflower)
2/3 cup almond milk (or any other nut/grain milk)
1 apple ( I used pink lady)
2 nectarines
1 lemon
2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch sea salt
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
4 drops rum essence
1 Tbsp unrefined sugar (topping)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Oil the spring form pan and dust the bottom and sides with flour. If you have quick oats on hand, a quick sprinkle over the flour dusting is a good addition. Set spring form pan aside.
3. Mix together the two flours, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon.
4. Grate the apple and zest the lemon into the large bowl.
5. In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, rum essence drops, and vanilla bean.
6. Pour the liquid mixture into the large bowl with the flour. Mix well.
7. Depending on the juiciness of the grated apple you may not need all of the almond milk. Slowly pour in the almond milk until the mixture resembles a thick pancake batter. You don't want the batter to be too wet.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared spring form pan.
9. Top with sliced nectarines and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar.
10. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
Now invite some friends over for cake and coffee and ENJOY :)
For Wendelin...
In Germany, being a vegetarian is much harder than in Bellingham, especially if you are looking for fresh healthy options. However, being a vegan is almost unthinkable. Eating out in traditional German restaurants is not even an option. I am no longer a vegan, nor a vegetarian, and I have grown to love the German cuisine, might I add, the Schwaebische kitchen. There is a huge difference between the north and the south cooking culture in Germany, just like there are huge differences all throughout the USA. Personally, the southern kitchen, also known as Schwaebisch, is the best. Fresh ingredients, locally raised meats, and traditional recipes that have French flairs, round the flavor of the southern German cook. Not to mention, the Germans also have a fantastic wine country all along the Bodensee and in the Kaiserstuhl. Across the world people think the Germans only eat sausage and sauerkraut, but I am sorry to say, this is not true. The southern German kitchen has so much to offer, that anyone, from light to decadent in nature, can find a meal that will please. One of my favorite traditional meals are maultaschen. They are similar to ravioli but bigger, usually filled with a spinach and lamb mixture, and topped with sautéed onions. They are full of flavor and satisfy any hidden craving. Usually, they are accompanied by a large mixed salad, where you will find a little bit of everything; cucumber salad, potato salad, daikon radish salad, coleslaw, carrot salad, and on and on and on. One can also find these delicious maultaschen cut up in a broth, or baked in a tomato sauce. I find them perfect with just the sautéed onions. In the restaurants they usually offer a vegetarian option, but not vegan.
Soon my time in Germany will come to an end, and my beloved brother’s will start. Knowing that the traditional, savory, delicious, German kitchen will be off limits for him during his stay, I decided to give it a whirl and make him some vegan maultaschen, so he can have a little bit of the good stuff too. Instead of just making them vegan, I also added a little more wholesome grain, which lacks in the traditional version. I hope he enjoys them as much as I do mine.
These do take their time to prepare and therefore I made a large batch at once. You can easily freeze them for easy dinners later on. Since this recipe takes a little bit of day before preparation, I recommend reading through the whole recipe to make sure a simple step does not hinder you from continuing on.
Vegan Maultaschen with Oat Groats
Makes about 20 large maultaschen (serving size: two per person)
Ingredients:
For the Noodle Dough:
200 grams unbleached flour
200 grams spelt flour
½ Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
5 Tbsp olive oil
130 ml lukewarm water (plus extra if needed)
For later…
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
For the Filling:
125 grams oat groats (soaked overnight)
400 grams cooked spinach (packaged organic frozen spinach, reheated, is a quick option)
1 day old roll (or 2 slices day old bread)
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp sugar
fresh grated nutmeg and pepper
chili flakes (optional)
sea salt
Directions for the noodle dough:
Combine the ingredients in a bowl and begin to knead the dough until smooth. This may take some time and patience. If you feel you need a bit more water sprinkle some over the dough with your hand and then knead some more. Spelt flour needs more water than white flour, and more patience when kneading. Once well combined (can still be somewhat dry in the middle) and smooth on the outside, cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow it to sit overnight in a warm spot. This helps the water to evenly diffuse through the dough, giving you a nice smooth dough to work with the following day.
Directions for the oat groats:
Strain the oat groats from soaking water and place into a saucepan. For every one part oat groats add about 3 parts water. Add a vegetable bouillon cube and garlic clove and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and cook slowly until the groats have become creamy. This will take about an hour with a saucepan, and less with a pressure cooker. Stirring the groats every once in a while makes them creamier. Once groats are fully cooked and creamy, with no liquid remaining, use an emersion blender and blend the groats until most groats are pureed, and some whole. You are trying to imitate a texture of ground beef. Once cooked and pureed the total mass of the mixture should come to about 400 grams.
Directions for the remaining of the filling:
Sautee the onions in the oil until browned. Meanwhile, soak day old bread in lukewarm water. In a large bowl add sautéed onions, cooked spinach, and fresh parsley. Squeeze out day old bread and add to the large bowl. Stir the mixture well and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chili flakes. Add the oat groat mixture and mix well. Add more salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
Phew!! Now the mixture is all said and done…now comes the fun part....making the delicious maultaschen!
How to make the maultaschen:
Separate the dough in half. It is easier to do the batch in two sections than in one. Sprinkle flour on your working surface and roll out the dough until very thin. Try to keep the dough in a rectangular shape. Make sure as you roll out the dough that you flip it every so often and dust with flour. You do not want the dough to be sticky. Once rolled out cut into rectangles that are about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. You don’t need to measure them exactly, just estimate. Mix together the cornstarch and water in a little bowl and set it near your working station-this is the glue for the maultaschen.
Take one rectangle and dust the top with flour. Roll the rectangle out a bit more to get a nice thin rectangle. Flip and dust with flour again. Using your finger, line the edges of the noodle rectangle with the cornstarch and water mixture. Then place about 2 Tbsp of the filling onto the rectangle and spread it out 2/3 of the length-always leaving the edge free. From left to right flip the dough three times and press the edges with a fork. Repeat with all the dough and all of the filling. Set finished maultaschen aside.
When the first batch is finished. Bring to boil a large saucepan filled with 1/3 water and a bouillon cube. Reduce heat to a low medium and add only enough maultaschen that they do not lay on top of each other. Do not let the water boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes. With an slotted spoon place them individually on a large baking sheet or wire rack to cool. DO NOT STACK ON ONE ANOTHER- THEY WILL STICK AND RIP.
Once they are cool, you can then freeze them, refrigerate them, sauté them, or bake them. If you choose to refrigerate or freeze them, you must reheat them in a broth for 10 minutes. I usually serve them with a large salad and sautéed onions on top. After warming in the broth, I place them in the oiled pan with the onions and allow them to crisp up a bit. Enjoy!
Optional: If you are not vegan you can replace the 400 grams of cooked oat groats with ground beef, lamb, pork, or quark.
Elderflower Power
It was a sunny warm day at the Bodensee and the town of Langenargen was bustling with people. The Match Race attracts people from all over the world to watch sport sailors race across the lake in high-class sailboats. Every year the event takes place along the promenade, with beer gardens, music, food, and fancy cars. It is an event that attracts the locals, the posh, and the sailing folk alike.
I have zero clue about sailboats, nor do I care much for the race, but still it was interesting to see how it was done. Spinnakers billowed from the sailboats to carry them across the lake and back, and agile sailing brought winners to the shore. I lazily sat in the sun with a nice cool beer, and took some photos in remembrance.
After a few hours of sitting in the sun, I decided to venture away from the crowds and from the town Langenargen itself. Today would be the perfect day to harvest elderflower for some elderflower syrup. I grabbed my bike, a canvas bag, and a scissor, and off I was. I stopped at every elderflower bush I saw and picked the five most beautiful clusters. I made sure to take only side roads and trails with little to no traffic to insure that my flowers were clean of toxins and dirt. My canvas bag was filled within an hour with beautiful fragrant flowers. Now off to the kitchen!!
Here in Germany, elderflower syrup, also known as holunderblütensirup, has made its way into fancy cocktails, drinks, and desserts. Its floral aroma is very unique and pleasant on a hot summer day. The typical way the syrup is used is in a drink called Hugo. It is a mixture of elder blossom syrup, prosecco, and a splash of sparkling water with fresh mint leaves and ice. Absolutely refreshing and delicious…
I have also used it in fresh berry tarts. For example, in the strawberry tart, you can substitute the syrup for the sugar in either the custard or in the clear glaze. Also, you can add it in a simple yogurt dessert to add a floral note. It is versatile, unique, and elderflowers have some wonderful health benefits to boost.
Many people may have noticed elderflowers or berries in herbal immune boosting teas. This is because elderflowers can help reduce mucous due to seasonal colds, allergies and hay fever, as well as keep the immune system stimulated. Elderflowers also have known benefits in digestive irregularities, may it be diarrhea or constipation and can help detoxify the blood. The flowers and leaves themselves can also be used to soothe burns or dry skin.
If you want to get creative with this wonderful flower please try this delicious elixir, I promise you will not be disappointed! It makes a great gift too.
Elderflower Syrup
Makes about 2.5 liters
Ingredients:
50 Elderflower Bulbs (rinsed)
1.5 L filtered water
1.5 Kilo Organic Sugar
2 Organic Lemons
2 Organic Oranges
30 gram Citric Acid
Directions:
1. Heat water and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2. Meanwhile rinse the flowers to remove bugs and dust, and clip away the branches and leaves. You only want the flowers and the tiny stems they are on. Put the cleaned flowers into a large pot
3. Zest and slice both the lemon and oranges and put into the pot with elderflowers.
4. Pour the warmed sugar water over the flowers and citrus.
5. Sprinkle in the citric acid and stir well until all flowers and citrus are under the level of the sugar water.
6. Cover and stir occasionally. Allow the mixture to sit a minimum of 24 hours and a max of 48 hours.
7. Strain mixture through a muslin cloth and then through fine sieves to remove any zest or flower particles.
8. Pour into clean, boiled canning jars or bottles. Seal and keep refrigerated.
Optional: Fresh ginger root is also a nice addition in place of the orange. Also, you can keep the orange and lemon slices for dessert garnishes later.
Bright Red And Sexy
The first glimpses of summer are making their way to Germany. In and around the area of Langenargen many farmers plant small strawberry fields and the first batch is now being sold. You can usually find them in little fruit stands with bright red umbrellas and an elderly gentleman reading a newspaper. For 2,80 Euros a pound, these small, sweet, and bright red strawberries are a steal. I picked out two baskets, and smiled as I handed the old man the necessary change. I could smell the sweet sun-filled strawberries as I placed them into my canvas bag and couldn’t resist a taste- pure heavenly goodness, the way strawberries are supposed to taste. The inside was through and through red, no white or light pink to be found- the color of a true strawberry, bright red and sexy.
Besides eating strawberries fresh out of the basket, I love them with cream, and with rhubarb. What about a sweet threesome, cream, rhubarb, and strawberries all in one? I think so. I love strawberries fresh, not cooked, baked, or frozen- the texture changes too much. Therefore, I made this elegant tart filled with vanilla cream custard, rhubarb compote, and topped with fresh strawberries. Of course all ingredients are organic to boot and the crust is made with 2/3 part spelt flour. What else could be better on a warm, sunny day, than sitting on the porch, with friends and family enjoying a fresh cup of café and a slice of the strawberry tart? Hmmm….I can only think of one thing, but that will have to wait.
Strawberries not only taste wonderful, but they of course carry along healthy benefits. They are stock full of antioxidants with 1 cup containing 148% of your daily vitamin C. Strawberries also rank as the best fruit source of manganese, which is a key cofactor for antioxidant activity. For those wanting to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, or for those with type 2 diabetes, strawberries contain polyphenols, which help reduce blood sugar elevations when simultaneously consumed with other foods. Now you can thoroughly enjoy this lovely summer dessert without guilt or hindsight!
Strawberry Rhubarb Summer Tart
Makes a 20 cm tart
For the Crust
Makes two small (20 cm) or 1 large (26 cm)
Ingredients:
150 grams spelt flour
100 grams flour
125 gram butter, sliced thin
1 egg
70 grams sugar
1 sprinkle salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
1. Add the about ingredients into a bowl and knead by hand until a smooth ball is formed. Allow the dough to rest a minimum of 1 hour in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a 20 cm tart pan. Roll out half of the dough on a floured surface and put the dough into the tart pan. With a fork poke holes along the bottom and the sides of the crust. (Optional) Add pie weights to bake the crust uniformly.
3. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let the crust sit for 5 minutes and carefully remove the crust from the pan. I quickly turn the crust upside down on my hand, remove the tart pan, and place the rack on top. Then I flip the crust right side up. Allow the crust to cool on a wire rack.
For the Rhubarb Compote
For a 20 cm tart
Ingredients:
2 large sticks rhubarb (about 42 cm long)
½ cup water
70 grams sugar
½ vanilla bean, scraped
juice of ½ lemon
1 shot fruit schnapps, I used raspberry (optional)
Directions:
1. Dice the fresh rhubarb into small pieces and add to a small saucepan with water. 2. Add the sugar, vanilla bean, and lemon and allow the mixture to slowly simmer. Cook down until it is thick.
3. Add the schnapps and allow the compote to boil up once more and remove from heat. Allow the compote to cool completely.
For the Vanilla Cream
Filling for a 20 cm tart
Ingredients:
200 ml whole milk
110 ml cream
50 grams sugar
3 egg yolks
1 Tblsp cornstarch
1 Tblsp flour
½ vanilla bean, scraped
Directions:
1. Pour the milk and cream into a small saucepan.
2. Cut the vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the seeds into a saucepan. Add the whole bean as well. Heat bean, milk, and cream, slowly until it begins to boil.
3. Meanwhile, in separate bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 2 Tbsp of hot milk. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. While whisking, slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the hot milk. Allow the cream to come up to a boil and quickly remove from heat. Do not stop stirring until you have removed it from the heat, otherwise it will burn on the bottom.
5. Allow the cream to cool to room temperature.
Fresh & Sweet Strawberries
1 lb. washed and dried, enough for 20 cm tart and a little snacking
Assembly of Tart:
1. Spread the creamy custard on the bottom. Allow for enough room for the compote and single layer of strawberries.
2. Spread the rhubarb compote on top of the cream until 1 mm or so from the top of tart.
3. Slice each strawberry individually while laying them on top of the tart in a circle. Start on the outer edge and work your way towards the middle. Overlap each circle a little bit and finish the center with a whole strawberry. Refrigerate until serving time.
Optional: I finished the tart with a clear cake glaze by Dr. Oetker. I don’t know if you can find this pre-made package in America. If you can find it, follow the directions on the package. It keeps the strawberries fresh for a longer period of time and gives it a professional finish. However, if you are serving the tart immediately you do not need to cover it with a glaze.
Red Clover, Red Clover
I love going on long walks. In Germany I tend to walk everywhere. Everything is so close that a little shopping trip turns into a nice excuse to walk through the orchards, along the lake, or through the nature reserves. Along the way there are many meadows filled with beautiful colors of yellow, white, purple, and green. The lovely red clover is everywhere. Lucky for me I can readily harvest these powerful beauties without bothering anyone or anything.
Red clover is a common perennial plant found most often in wild meadows all over the world. Its beautiful deep purple flowers and characteristic lucky charm leaves, make it easily identifiable. As a little girl I even remember sucking the sweet juice from the petal ends.
However, that is not all they are good for. The flowering heads are harvested at their peak for medicinal use in tinctures and teas. Once dried red clover flowers can quickly lose their potency, and therefore it is good to know the source from which you are purchasing the herb. Better yet, harvest them yourself! Also, might I mention, organic/wild grown, and most definitely NOT picked along the sidewalk or road, is the only way in which to harvest these powerful beauties. If you have the time, then please find yourself a beautiful meadow and pick them yourself. I certainly do!
Popular amongst the Native Americans, and even with European herbalist Hildegard von Bingen, this little herb has won a very strong reputation as a powerful healing alternative. Traditionally it first began as a herbal remedy against muscle spasms and respiratory problems, such as asthma, whooping cough, and pneumonia.
Today, it is more often used to cleanse and purify the blood and the liver, to treat hormonal imbalances in women, and in cancer treatment. Its rich profile of vitamins B3, B1, C and minerals calcium, chromium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium, make it nutritionally very valuable. However, the most interesting nutritional compound is its high content of isoflavones, a phyto-chemical very similar to estrogen. Unlike chemically altered phyto-chemicals found in soy, those found in the whole form from the red clover are very much beneficial to the women hormonal system. The isoflavones of red clover help women with cramping, moodiness, breast tenderness, and hot flashes associated with PMS and menopause. It also helps induce periods that are scant or light and reduce the heavy.
With its dense and unique nutritional and healing profile, red clover has been used in Europe, Asia, and the Americas in the treatment of ovarian cysts and cancer. Most commonly red clover is found in an herbal tea blend called Essiac Tea which has been used for many years. A nurse named Rene Caisse, successfully treated many individuals with this blend for various types of cancer and blood disorders.
Although it is an herb, it still must be treated with respect. Please make sure is it of the highest quality and that you speak to your naturopath prior to extensive use. For a simple seasonal detox or to relieve hormonal symptoms, it can be used lightly without prior advice.
It is easy to dry your own flowers. Pick the flowers by the stem, quickly rinse them under lightly running water, shake off excess water, and tie them into a bouquet with hemp string or yarn. Then hang them upside down and in a few days you will have beautifully dried red clover flowers. Store the flowers in an airtight glass jar away from sunlight.
Red Clover Infusion
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients:
1 oz dried red clover flowers
1 quart pure filtered water
Directions:
1. Bring water to boil and remove from heat.
2. Add the dried red clover flowers and allow to steep minimum 2 hours. (I sometimes let it steep overnight)
3. Strain out the flowers and store tea in an airtight glass quart jar. The infusion keeps for a few days when refrigerated.
A Classic German Cheesecake With a Hint of Lavender
Saturday morning I awoke tired and grumpy to a gray rainy day. My right cheek was still swollen from earlier wisdom tooth extractions, and my body was frustrated with the lack of activity. The dentist said I had to slow things down for at least three whole days, and today was day number three. Mentally and physically I was annoyed, ready to get this last day over with. I am not the kind of person that can easily kick back and relax, especially for three whole days, and grumpy was written all over my face.
After an oatmeal breakfast and luke warm coffee (dentist's orders), the fog layer cleared in my head. I decided I would make one of my favorite desserts, something light, something soft, something perfect for a girl with a sore right cheek- a German cheesecake. Not only could I eat it, but it gave me a rainy day goal!
I put on my boots, grabbed an umbrella and a canvas bag and took the very long round about way to the local grocery store. Instead of a 5 minute walk, I managed to make my shopping trip an hour long walk. With fresh organic eggs, schichtkase, quark, and some powdered sugar I topped out at a total of 6 euros. It is cheap to bake here in Germany! I arrived at home with a grin on my face, excited to start my fusion of classic German tradition and a sprinkle of the Pacific Northwest. The grumpy swollen Selva had turned into a motivated baker! The sunshine even made its way through the clouds to offer up a beautiful outdoor setting to the traditional 3 pm coffee and cake.
The traditional German cheesecake is much different than the traditional American version. It is light and fluffy, delicately sweet, with a mild cheese flavor. It is one of the most popular cakes here in southern Germany, made with fresh quark and schichtkase (similar to a creamed cottage cheese), served sometimes with a crust, and sometimes without. Often times you will find seasonal fruit jams between the crust and quark layer, or even a sprinkle of raisins and nuts. However you like it, you will find it.
Since I brought some organically grown lavender from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, I decided to create a flavor fusion of old world Germany and the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Lemon Lavender German Käsekuchen
Makes a 28 cm width cake
Ingredients:
Sweet Cookie Crust
100 g softened sweet cream butter
50 g sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1 dash sea salt
1 pinch lemon zest
100 grams whole-wheat flour
60 grams unbleached flour
1 pinch baking powder
Quark Cheese Mass
8 egg white
8 egg yolk
250 g sugar
500 g Schichtkase
500 g Quark
1 vanilla bean
1 ½ tsp dried lavender flowers
80 g cornstarch
1 generous pinch lemon zest
450 ml milk
2. Mix soft butter, sugar, milk, and lemon zest with hand held blender. Sift together the two flours in a separate bowl. Add the baking powder and lemon zest to the flour and stir. Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture and stir with spoon until combined. Then knead with hands until the dough is smooth. Lay flat and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be done the night before)
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Roll out the dough in a circle with about a 3mm thickness on a floured surface. If you have an adjustable torte ring fit the ring to the size of of the rolled out dough (about 28 cm width), and press down to cut the dough like a large cookie cutter. Place the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and poke holes with a fork evenly throughout. Bake for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven. The crust should have grown slightly. Place torte ring onto the crust and press down making sure the entire bottom is filled with the prebaked crust. Any crust found on the outside of the ring can now be a tasty little cookie snack! DO NOT remove the torte ring from the crust. The form is now ready to be filled with the quark filling. The crust now fits perfectly inside the torte form and will ensure that no filling will flow out under the ring. Allow to cool.
6. Meanwhile, if you are using schichtkase, strain any fluid in the package and then continue to press the cheese through a fine sieve into a very large bowl. (The quark mass grows quickly later when you add the egg whites.) Add the strained quark to the schichtkase and mix well. Set aside.
7. Beat egg whites until stiff while slowly adding the 250 grams sugar to the egg white mass. Egg whites should form peaks that remain stiff. A great way to test is by pulling the beater out of the egg white mass to see the strength of the peak it forms. Set aside.
8. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Add egg yolks to the quark mass and mix well with a long wooden spoon. Slowly add the cornstarch and then the cooled herb infused milk. Sprinkle in the lemon zest. Gently fold in the egg white mass, mix very well with the wooden spoon. You want to make sure that everything is evenly mixed, otherwise you will find egg white pockets in the cake. Once thoroughly mixed add the mass to the torte form (with crust in bottom).
9. Bake for 25 minutes and remove from oven. Cut along the upper inside edge of the torte ring to allow the cake to grow with out tearing along the sides. Allow to cake to set for about 5 minutes. Put the cake back into the oven for another 25 minutes. The cake will continue to grow upward. Cut the inside edge. If the cake grows quickly it is okay to take it out earlier than 25 minutes (1-2 times) to cut the edge, set for 5 minutes and return to the oven. Just make sure to allow the cake to bake for a total of about 50 minutes.
10. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool. Carefully cut along the inside of the torte ring (to cut the cake loose) and slowly unhinge the side. Dust the edge of the cake with powdered sugar prior to serving.
Optional: Prepare a large cooling rack. When the cake is finished baking immediately place the cake upside down onto the rack. The best way to do this is to place the rack on top of the cake. Hold one hand on top of the rack and the other on the bottom of cookie sheet. In one movement flip the cake upside down onto rack and set on counter. Allow to cool upside down. Carefully cut the cake along the inside of the torte ring, and remove the ring. Flip right side up onto cake stand or plate. This gives the cake the professional lined appearance. Dust the edge with powdered sugar prior to serving.