Viennese Cheesecake (Topfen Schnitten)

Crust
2 generous cups flour
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon rum
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Work flour, butter, egg, rum, sour cream and sugar to a dough.
Let stand for 30 minutes.
Roll into two rectangles 1/8-inch thick.
Bake one rectangle on an ungreased baking sheet at 300 degrees F
for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly brown.
Cover with Cheese
Filling.

Cheese Filling
3 tablespoons butter
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup vanilla sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind
11 2/3 ounces cream cheese,
rubbed through a strainer
1/4 cup sour cream
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Cream butter.
Add yolks, vanilla sugar, raisins, lemon rind,
cheese and sour cream.
Fold in egg whites.
Top cheesecake with
second rectangle; brush with 1 beaten egg.
Bake at 325 degrees F
until light brown on top (about 15 minutes).
Cool; cut into
rectangles about 3 x 1 1/2 inches.
Sprinkle with sugar.

Vanilla Sugar
Cut one vanilla bean and put it with 1 cup of sugar into a jar.
Seal tightly and let set about a week before removing the vanilla
bean and using the sugar.

Viennese Pot Roast

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chuck roast, 1 1/2 inches thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 cup catsup
1 tablespoon vinegar

Brown meat in electric skillet.
Combine remaining ingredients to
make a sauce.
Spoon half the sauce under roast and remaining sauce
on top.
Roast at 325 degrees F for 2 hours or until tender.
(Foil-wrapped roast may be baked in outdoor electric barbecue with
lid.)

Rumtopf

Rum is used for traditional German and Austrian Rumtopf.
The
French use bourbon, but you can choose the spirit that best suits
your tastes.
The recipe should be made at least a month before
giving as a gift.
Fruit should be in perfect condition without any
blemishes and just ripe.
Don’t use over ripe fruits.
It is okay to
use fruit you have frozen earlier in the season.

Depending on the fruit you use they should be prepared according
to their type.
Apples, pears, peaches and nectarines should be
peeled, cored, and sliced.
Then drop them into a water and lemon
juice bath to keep them from discoloring.

Citrus fruits should be peeled, segmented and skinned.

Remove stalks from currants and blueberries, and the top and
bottom points from gooseberries.
Hull strawberries and
raspberries.

When washing the soft fruits gently spray them with a fine mist
of water but don’t soak them.

Choose decorative glass jars that have tight fitting lids.
Wash
and sterilize all the containers in a boiling water bath for 10
minutes.
Let the jars cool before you begin adding the fruit.
The
different fruits should be layered in any combination that is
pleasing to the eye.
Begin by putting the first layer of fruit in
the bottom of the container.
Then sprinkle with granulated sugar.
The amount of sugar you use for each layer depends on the sweetness
of the fruit but a good rule of thumb is 6 ounces of sugar for each
pound of fruit.
Continue layering each variety of fruit and
sprinkle with the sugar.
When you have filled the jar to the top
pour your choice of liqueur into the jar so the fruit is completely
covered.
Close the lid tightly and place in a cool dark location
until you are ready to present the gift.

When presenting the Rumtopf, add a hand decorated tag to the jar
with some serving suggestions such as the ones below.

A traditional Christmas morning celebration starts with a
Rumtopf cocktail.
Combine some Rumtopf with champagne and a few
fruits and toast to family and friends.

Serve Rumtopf and cream in wine glasses.

Pour Rumtopf over ice cream or frozen yogurt and serve with
toasted waffles.

Ladle some Rumtopf over lemon pound cake topped with fresh
whipped cream.

Schmarren (Scrambled Pancakes)

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
Pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk or cream
2 tablespoons butter

Cream butter until frothy, then add, one after another, sugar,
egg yolks, salt, flour and milk.
Beat egg whites until stiff and
carefully fold in.

Melt remaining butter in a in a cast iron skillet, and pour in
batter.
Fry on each side until golden brown.
With 2 forks, chop the
resulting pancake.

Serve on a hot platter sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and
garnished with pieces of apple, cherry, seedless raisins or other
fruit, sautéed in butter.

Serves 4.

Wienerschnitzel

4 (1/4-inch) thick veal cutlets or steak
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoon milk
4 slices lemon

Cut meat into serving pieces; pound until very thin.

Mix flour, salt and pepper; dredge meat in flour.

Stir egg and milk together.
Dip meat in egg mixture, then in
bread crumbs.
Brown on both sides; put a slice of lemon on each
piece of meat and cover, cooking slowly for 15 minutes.

Vienna Schnitzel

Makes: 6 servings

1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying
6 (6 ounce) filets pork sirloin or veal
1 cup cake flour
2 cups dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place meat on a solid, level surface and pound with a mallet
until it is 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.

Place the flour and bread crumbs in separate bowls.

In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs and add the milk.
Lightly
season with salt and pepper.

Coat the meat in flour, patting lightly by hand.
Using a fork to
hold the meat, dip into the egg mixture and drain slightly.
Next,
coat with the breadcrumbs by lightly pressing the crumbs into the
meat.
When each piece of meat has been prepared, deep fry until
golden brown.