Kuchen is not exactly a cake nor a pastry, it is
something in between. In German bakeries, you often see square pastries for
sale. These come from large sheet cakes [Blechkuchen] and the varieties are
endless. I had different kuchens before, my favourite coffee shop The Crazy and
the German sells peach and blueberry kuchens with crumb crust toppings.
I already had a wonderful cherry pie squares and a cherry cake bars recipe. This cherry kuchen is a little different. Aside from being pretty, the kuchen doesn't get soggy from cooked fruit. I rarely see Jim
getting seconds, but these kuchens got the better of him.
CHERRY KUCHEN BARS
1 cup soft butter
1-3/4 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups + 1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup of homemade cherry pie filling
or 1 can of cherry pie filling- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Fully line a rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and the sugar until fluffy.
- Add the baking powder and salt and combine.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and beat only to combine.
- Reserve 1-1/2 cups of the dough and set it aside.
- Press the remaining dough into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and spread the pie filling over the crust.
- Using a tablespoon, drop the remaining dough at intervals over the pie filling.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Cool in the kuchen to room temperature. The kuchen has to settle before slicing.
