I come from a long line of incredible home cooks. In fact, my family published cookbook! “Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family” was written by a relative of mine (Judy Kancigor, a.k.a. Cousin Judy) and has sold thousands of copies. It features recipes from my mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother and is peppered with stories of our family history.
My great-grandmother Herta (Nana) lived to be 98 years old, and she was still putting herself to work in the kitchen well into her nineties. Her fabulous bakes were always a centerpiece at our Rosh Hashanah and Passover celebrations. She learned to bake from her mother-in-law (my great-great-grandmother) when she was in her twenties, so her recipes have been in my family for at least five generations!
When I got my own copy of the book, my Nana’s zwetschgenkuchen was the first recipe on my to-make list. Zwetschgenkuchen is a mouthful, but in German it translates simply to “plum cake.” My great-grandmother’s version of this recipe is more like a tart with shortbread dough as the base. She actually used the same dough recipe to make her beloved shortbread cookies.
While I come from German roots, I had never attempted to cook German food before, mostly because the heavy, meaty dishes like stuffed cabbage and schnitzel just didn’t seem up my alley. But I couldn’t resist this recipe. After all, who can say no to a buttery cookie topped with fresh summer fruit?
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman
A Tip for Serving This Plum Tart
After this tart comes out of the oven, you sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar on top. This step is what makes this dessert especially delicious, but it also turns it into a ticking time bomb!
The sugar will bring out the juice in the plums. After about 30 minutes, the juice may start to seep into the crust and make it soggy. If you plan on having leftovers, I would recommend slicing the tart, then sprinkling the sugar only on the slices you are going to eat.
How To Make This Recipe Your Own
My Nana made her zwetschgenkuchen with fresh Italian plums, but those can be hard to come by, so any plums you can get your hands on will do. This recipe is also great with peaches or nectarines.
I like to arrange the plum slices in a spiral, but you can get creative here and arrange them however you’d like. Don’t worry about getting them too neat—the final product will taste great no matter what.
Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman
Easy Summer Sweets
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