Kuchen, the German word for "cake," is used as the name for several different types of sweet desserts, pastries, and gateaux. The term itself may cover as many distinct desserts as its English counterpart "cake."
Kuchen desserts are presumably handed down (流傳下來) from people of German heritage and as such are often popular in many areas of German settlement in the United States, particularly North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, and Minnesota. Kuchen was introduced into the Chilean cuisine (智利料理) when German immigrants settled southern Chile in the 1850s. Kuchens in Chile do always have fruits, such as apples, strawberries or murtas. Now kuchens are found in nearly every Chilean supermarket. In Brazil, it is called "cuca" and it is found in areas of German settlement, like Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina states.
Known forms of Kuchen
- A pie-like pastry, with a thick, "cakey" crust and a sweet custard based filling.
- A rolled-pastry, with a long spiral of dough filled, rolled, baked and then sliced to serve. (Sometimes known as a nut roll).
- A coffee cake-like pastry, with veins and pockets of cinnamon and sugar baked throughout. (Most popular in Southern Indiana.)
- A cheese cake-like pastry, with a yeast raised crust, filled with fruit (cherry is most popular) and a creamy custard.
( above info from Wikipedia)
