BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Recipe Discussions => Non-Smoked Recipes => Topic started by: seemore on January 01, 2010, 03:48:31 PM

Title: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 01, 2010, 03:48:31 PM
My grandmother used to make these for New Years.
I got the Mrs to try her hand at them today.
Here is the pan:
(http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq101/seemorephoto/100_1160.jpg)
Here are the furtens, cooked and out of the pan:
(http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq101/seemorephoto/100_1161.jpg)
Here is how you eat them - dipped in sugar:
(http://i438.photobucket.com/albums/qq101/seemorephoto/100_1162.jpg)
seemore
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: deb415611 on January 01, 2010, 03:52:42 PM
Details!  what is inside them?

They look awesome.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Quarlow on January 01, 2010, 03:53:18 PM
MMM those look delicious.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: HawkeyeSmokes on January 01, 2010, 04:06:30 PM
I would agree, those look great Seemore!
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Quarlow on January 01, 2010, 04:07:54 PM
They look like they have cinnamon in them.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: ArnieM on January 01, 2010, 04:40:44 PM
OK, so what's in there?  Us Germans like our dough and sugar and, well, other stuff.  So c'mon, fess up.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: pensrock on January 01, 2010, 04:54:58 PM
Looks fantastic.  :)
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 01, 2010, 05:46:18 PM
Scott said it was a family secret, but I pummeled him into submission.  ;)
Here is the recipe:

Yeast mixture:
2 t flour
2 t sugar
2 pkg dry yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
Put this mixture in a large bowl, and set aside

Combine these ingredients in a bowl, then add to the yeast mixture:
2 C warm milk
4 egg yokes, beaten - save those egg whites & beat them until they are stiff
1 t vanilla
1 T sugar
1 T butter - no instructions on this, so I melted it
1 t salt

Finally, add:
3 heaping C flour
1 C raisins
Beat this well, then fold in the egg whites

Cover this, and let it raise for about one hour.

I don't know where you can find furten pans.  This was Scott's grandmother's, and it is at least 70 years old.  I am sure they are still out there somewhere...........
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: KevinG on January 01, 2010, 05:49:12 PM
Shouldn't there be some cooking after the rise?
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 01, 2010, 05:55:37 PM
My bad, Kevin, my bad....... :-[
And it's not even New Year's Eve!!!   
I put the pan on the stove and put about 1/2 teaspoon of Crisco shortening in each cup.
I let that get hot, and then I filled each cup with the batter.
I let them cook, checking them getting a fork behind the batter and tipping them over in the cup. 
The batter was a lot like pancake batter, and it produced lots of small bubbles as it was cooking.
I cut the recipe in half, as there was only Scott and I here, and they turned out pretty good!
Mrs
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: KevinG on January 01, 2010, 05:59:24 PM
No problem Mrs, idle curiosity since I probably wouldn't be able to get one of those pan thingies.
That's interesting - I would have thought is was more like bread or buns and you stick that thing in the oven.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: NePaSmoKer on January 01, 2010, 07:51:15 PM
MMMMMMM

Seemore them look good  ;D  and ya know i think we have one of them pans, we got it at an estate sale in Amish town
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 01, 2010, 08:17:23 PM
Ya know, Nepas, I forgot about the Amish communities....I bet you would find furten pans there!
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Tenpoint5 on January 01, 2010, 09:05:24 PM
Scott was supposed to send me some of them when he was telling me about them. You know for proper trial and evaluation.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: 3rensho on January 01, 2010, 10:29:16 PM
Those are delicious.  In northern Germany they go by the less PC name of Nonnenfurz (Nun's fart)
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 02, 2010, 02:02:25 AM
Thanks for this post I just got one of these types of pans as a gift; but by the looks, yours is far superior. When I use it I'll make sure the recipe you posted is the first one I try out.

My pan has less of an exotic :) name. It's just called Pancake Puffs.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Pachanga on January 02, 2010, 05:47:23 AM
Quote from: seemore on January 01, 2010, 05:46:18 PM
Scott said it was a family secret, but I pummeled him into submission.  ;)

Mrs.,

Way to go on the pummeling.  This needed to be published, otherwise your post would have just been a tease.  I enjoy regional cooking methods and the Germans have unique foods.  There were once a lot of small German communities in Texas (still are but diluted).  One of my Uncles was full German from a little community named New Brandenburg, Texas. In 1917, as anti German sentiment rose and as a statement of U. S. loyalty, it was renamed Old Glory, Texas.   My Uncle was one of the finest men I ever knew and a fantastic Uncle.

Thank you for the post and photos.  This is moving directly into my recipe files before the pummeling is forgotten and the delete button is pushed by Mr.  Now comes the pan search.  It would not surprise me if my aunt has one that no one wants.

Good luck and fine baking,

Pachanga
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: aha638 on January 02, 2010, 07:27:41 AM
The pans are also known as Aebleskiver.  They can be found under cast iron cookware.

Al
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: ArnieM on January 02, 2010, 07:35:43 AM
Quote from: aha638 on January 02, 2010, 07:27:41 AM
The pans are also known as Aebleskiver.  They can be found under cast iron cookware.

Al

Thanks for the info.  Amazon has them:  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_3_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=aebleskiver+pan+cast+iron&sprefix=Aebleskiver
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Pachanga on January 02, 2010, 07:41:05 AM
Quote from: aha638 on January 02, 2010, 07:27:41 AM
The pans are also known as Aebleskiver.  They can be found under cast iron cookware.

Al

Thanks Al and Arnie,

Found it.  http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-Cast-Iron-Aebleskiver-Pan/dp/B00063RXQA

I have over thirty cast iron pieces.  It is my cooking utensil 98 % of the time.   Lodge is my favorite cast iron by far and is worth the difference in price but here is another source.  Notice that the Lodge has free shipping.  

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-Cast-Iron-Aebleskiver-Pan/dp/B00063RXQA

And thanks again to Mrs Seemore for pummeling and posting.

Pachanga
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 02, 2010, 09:11:37 AM
Wow - I remember having aebleskiver in college at a Renaissance Faire.  Danish for apple cake, I believe.
I am sure they are pretty much made in every country in Europe, and have a unique name for them.
Although, I have to tell ya, Nun's Farts is by far the CUTEST.....  ;)
Habs, Scott's sister told us about the pancake puff pan, and that brought out the old cast iron furten pan.

So, Rensho, I have to ask - as I only took one semester of German in college - does furten mean what I think it means in German?????

Mrs
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: 3rensho on January 02, 2010, 09:36:48 AM
Hi Seemore Mrs.,

No, unfortunately Furten means nothing in German (probably a mangled translation somewhere along the line).  If you go into a bakery  (Bäckerei here) and ask for "Furten" they will stare at you and not know what you want.  In north Germany these delicious morsels are Nonenfurzen, Nuns farts.  In southern Germany the dialect changes and they add a diminutive ending so they become Nonnenfürtzle.  Some places Nonnenfürtzchen.  They are light, sweet and delicious no matter what one calls them.  Thanks for the post.  I'm gonna give your recipe a whirl as I haven't had these since our last trip to nordrhein westfalen.   
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 03, 2010, 02:15:43 PM
After further reading my instructions that came with my pan, it is also call an Ebleskiver pan; that is another Danish version of this; but I'm going to call it a Furten.

I hope to try that recipe in a couple of days.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: NePaSmoKer on January 03, 2010, 04:14:10 PM
Futzinheimers  :D
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Tiny Tim on January 07, 2010, 03:23:56 PM
Wasn't really missing them until I saw this post....haven't had any for about 10 years.  Grandma always made them starting in November and we had them for their anniversary, Christmas, New Years, and any other time we gathered at their house during that time period.  She passed away in 2002 (October), and not sure if we had them for the 2001 season or not.

Around here, they're cooked in a pot of oil rather than a pan like that.  I always used them as a "sugar delivery device".
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 08, 2010, 02:08:52 AM
I will finally get around to making some today. I'm going to cut the recipe in half. Since I use skim milk I have to run out and get some whole milk (skim milk tends to give baked goods a bluish tint). I'm not a raisin person so I may leave them out.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Tenpoint5 on January 08, 2010, 05:17:43 AM
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on January 08, 2010, 02:08:52 AM
I will finally get around to making some today. I'm going to cut the recipe in half. Since I use skim milk I have to run out and get some whole milk (skim milk tends to give baked goods a bluish tint). I'm not a raisin person so I may leave them out.
Habs,
Try substituting Craisins for regular raisins. I prefer the dried cranberries to grapes you may enjoy them as well
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: squirtthecat on January 08, 2010, 05:22:09 AM

Golden raisins are quite good as well.  Very different taste vs the regular ones..
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: 3rensho on January 08, 2010, 05:59:34 AM

QuoteAround here, they're cooked in a pot of oil rather than a pan like that.

True, a lot I've had in Germany were deep fried.  Either way spells delicious.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Caneyscud on January 08, 2010, 07:41:15 AM
God made fried dough and aebleskivers.  My Mom's maiden name is Voges, lived in Seguin - one of those Texas German settlements, not far from New Braunfels - another German settlement so quite familiar with them.  My Mom's mom didn't make them much - she preferred making fried pies (yowzers - fried in lard), but I was able to find them lots of places.  Wursfest used to have booths you could buy them.  A Pancake House in Aggieland used to fix them - and were a staple late night snack - they're not bad with a longneck!  at least not when I was 19.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: oakville smoker on January 08, 2010, 08:15:18 AM
I always thought a "fart" was gaseous
I guess its different for a nun and maybe thats why they need the habit !
Could not resist....  never really wanted to eat a fart but there is always a first time
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 08, 2010, 02:06:15 PM
Well I did make these, and decided to go with the raisins, but craisins sound good for next time. I was surprised that I liked the raisin that were in them. Here are a couple of pictures.

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Formatted/Misc/IMG_0971.jpg)
I got the pan as a gift, and I don't know where it was purchased from. The pan I got came with skewers (or turning sticks), and injector to inject jelly, pot holder and canister to dust powdered sugar, and a brush. The brush is used to reapply oil the wells. I liked the jelly filled ones, but the injector was almost worthless. The top would come off every time you used the plunger. I had to hold on to the base and top when I depressed the plunger.

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Formatted/Misc/IMG_0972.jpg)
The ones on the plate indicate my learning curve. The first ones on the left I didn't use enough batter or cook them long enough, the center ones are more like what they should be like, the ones on the right are injected with apricot jelly. The large one in the lower left I call Saturn, is one I purposely overfilled the well to see what would happen. Also there is a learning curve on flipping them. First I tried a fork, then I tried the turning sticks, but the best method for me was using both the fork and turning stick.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Quarlow on January 08, 2010, 02:14:41 PM
That is very cool Habs thanks for being the pioneer on this. Definately something worth trying.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: ArnieM on January 08, 2010, 03:01:10 PM
They look good Habs, especially the apricot filled one.  Maybe some raspberry jam would go good too.  Maybe a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar?

I've been getting fatter and broker since I found this forum.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Quarlow on January 08, 2010, 03:29:35 PM
How about a dip or roll in sugar and cinnamon?
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Tenpoint5 on January 08, 2010, 07:11:55 PM
Them sure look like I could a couple dozen in a sitting! good thing I am loosing some weight and I can hold myself back probably only eat 1-2
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 09, 2010, 01:34:16 AM
I have to thank the Seemores. If they didn't start this post, that pan probably would have never been used.

I only had apricot jam, but a lot of types of fillings can be used such chocolate syrup, marshmallow fluff etc. Sugar & cinnamon or confectioner's sugar toppings also sound good. In the recipe book that came with the pan, they had chocolate topping with sprinkles. Then there are recipes that contain cheese or meat, but I want to start off the pan with this recipe.

I finished the plate by pouring syrup on them. Half a recipe made about 35, but I'm not sure if my pan wells were as large as the one the Seemores have.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 09, 2010, 08:02:34 AM
Habs, those look amazing!  And the one you called "Saturn" is actually how they are supposed to look when using our pan.
I think you did a much better job at turning them than I did!
I might have to find some kind of stick to use for turning them in addition to the fork.
I love the addition of the jam to the furten too.........I may have to get the pan out again and soon!
Mrs
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 09, 2010, 01:31:06 PM
The sticks are nothing more the 10" bamboo skewers. Thanks again for the recipe, now I know I will be using that pan more often.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: seemore on January 09, 2010, 05:44:41 PM
When did you inject the fillings?  After you flipped them in the cooker, or immediately after removing them from the pan?
mrs
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Habanero Smoker on January 10, 2010, 02:05:26 AM
I injected them after they fully cooled down. The apricot preserves was a little thick so I microwave a small amount for about 10 seconds to make it more fluid. Next time I'm going to use my pastry bag to inject, that injector that came with the pan is useless. Also I replace the brush that came with it, with a silicone pastry brush.
Title: Re: German Furtens
Post by: Caneyscud on January 11, 2010, 06:12:00 AM
Habs, those look tasty.  Might fine eats.  One other way I've had them served is dipped in honey  and dipped in honey and rolled in ground pecans and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Sinfully decadent!!