German Peach Kuchen
A classic German peach kuchen with a pressed shortbread crust, spiced peach slices, and a silky sour cream custard that sets firm enough to slice cleanly.
Equipment
- 9-inch (23 cm) square or round baking pan - Light-colored metal recommended for even browning
- Large mixing bowl - For the crust
- Medium bowl - For the custard
- Wire whisk - For blending yolks and sour cream
- Pastry blender or fork - For cutting butter into flour
- Sharp paring knife - For peeling and slicing peaches
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour - 190 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar - 100 g
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter - 113 g, cold and cut into cubes
For the Peach Layer
- 4 to 5 medium ripe peaches - about 1½ pounds / 680 g, peeled and sliced; or 2½ cups (400 g) drained canned or thawed frozen peach slices
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Custard
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream - 240 g
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar - 67 g
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) square or round baking pan, or line the bottom with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold cubed butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse sandy crumbs.
- Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly across the bottom with your fingers or the flat base of a measuring cup. Prick the crust a few times with a fork.
- Peel and slice fresh peaches into ½-inch (1 cm) slices, or drain canned and pat dry thawed frozen peaches. Arrange the slices over the crust in an even, slightly overlapping layer.
- Stir together 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the arranged peaches.
- Whisk the egg yolks until smooth, then add sour cream, sugar, flour, vanilla, and almond extract if using. Whisk until completely smooth with no streaks.
- Pour the custard slowly and evenly over the peaches, letting it settle into the gaps around the fruit. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden and the center jiggles only slightly.
- Move the pan to a wire rack and let the kuchen cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing, as the custard firms up considerably as it cools. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Drain your fruit well. Excess water is the number one cause of a runny custard, so pat canned or thawed peaches dry and let very juicy fresh ones sit on a paper towel for a few minutes.
- Use ripe but firm peaches. Overly soft fruit collapses into mush during baking, while firm-ripe slices hold their shape and give you distinct layers.
- Don't skip the tablespoon of flour. It stabilizes the egg yolks so the custard sets rather than weeps, and leaving it out is the most common reason a kuchen turns out loose.
- Judge doneness by the jiggle. The center should wobble slightly, not slosh, when you shake the pan, because it continues to set as it cools.
- Cool completely for neat slices. Slicing too early gives you a loose center, so patience here pays off.
- Bring cold ingredients closer to room temperature. Room-temperature yolks and sour cream blend into a smoother custard than fridge-cold ones straight from the carton.
- Tent the crust if it browns early. A loose sheet of foil protects the edges while the custard finishes setting in the center.
- Storage: Refrigerate covered within two hours of baking. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the crust softens slightly over time.
- Make-ahead: Bake a day in advance, cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Bring slices to room temperature or gently rewarm before serving.
- Variations: Swap peaches for plums, apples, apricots, nectarines, or berries. Replace sour cream with heavy cream for a richer custard, or use 1½ teaspoons cornstarch in place of flour for a gluten-free custard.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 295kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 110mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 22g
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