South Dakota adopted Kuchen as the state dessert to celebrate the rich cultural heritage and traditional foods of their German ancestors. Kuchen, (pronounced ”koo-kin) is derived from an Old German word for “cake”. The word originated in the 1800s, and it describes various types of coffee cakes made from a sweet dough and a wide variety of fillings.
The idea of a state dessert began when the ECDC president (who is also superintendent of Eureka Public School) saw a school daily trivia question. It asked for the state dessert of Massachusetts. Further research showed that, although South Dakota has many official symbols, dessert was not one of them.
Since kuchen was a favored dessert all across the state, and since it was a state designation that was being sought, it only seemed right that all of South Dakota should have the chance to be involved. Letters were sent to every town in the state asking if they wished to support the bill naming kuchen as the state dessert. Seventeen towns, in addition to Eureka, gave written support for the bill.
It was a sweet Valentine”s Day when the bill passed the Senate State Affairs Committee by a vote of 8-1. The following day, it passed the Senate by a vote of 19-11. Following a long wait of over a month, supporters of the bill statewide were happy and relieved when the governor signed the bill on March 11.
Apple Kuchen
South Dakota State Dessert
Cooking and Preparation Time: 1 hour
Servings: 20 – 24 pieces
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
Ingredients For the filling:
- 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg, at room temperature
Ingredients For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, if desired, cored, and thinly sliced
Directions for Apple Kuchen
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Lightly grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.
- Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or food processor fitted with a steel blade and mix to combine.
- Add the vanilla and butter, a little at a time.
- Press into the baking pan and bake in oven until slightly golden but not brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Directions on how to make the filling:
- Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in mixer (preferably with a paddle) and beat until creamy.
- Add the egg, mix to combine, an pour over the cooled crust
- Place the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Place the apples on top of the filling in two or three columns.
- Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and transfer to the oven.
- Bake until firm and a rich brown, about 20 minutes. Cut into 20 to 24 pieces.
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