Puhoi Egerländer Dialect
Puhoi Kochen / Kouch'n / Käsekuchen Recipes
The name traditionally used in Puhoi for this delicious dessert is kochen. (Although Joe Tolophf spelt it kochng.) This is an interesting word. According to my research, kochen means "cook" in both German and Egerländer dialect (see Paul KRETSCH's Egerländer dictionary). When I search the Internet, I find there is a similar dessert that goes under the name Käsekuchen - (German) cheesecake. Are the words kochen and kochng related to the word, kuchen, the german word for "cake"? (Unfortunately, Paul KRETSCH's Egerländer dictionary doesn't include the word for "cake".)
According to Robert (Bob) Paulson of the German-Bohemian Heritage Society, the Bohemians in New Ulm (USA) the German-Bohemian cheese cake is called schmierkuchen (ie schmier kuchen).
I'd be interested in hearing what other Puhoi/Ohaupo families called this dessert - email me, my address is given on the Contacts page.
The recipes below are traditional Puhoi/Ohaupo recipes.
1. Isabel Straka's Kochen / Kouch'n
This is based on a traditional recipe brought out by the Puhoi people in the 1860s. It was originally made with curds.
Base
Some of the old people used a scone base but you can use a commercial short (sweet) pastry.
- Roll or press it into a greased, baking-dish e.g. a 24 X 24 cm baking dish.
- Do not forget to press the mixture up the sides of the tin.
- DO NOT COOK YET.
Now preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC) and make this filling.
Filling
| 2 eggs | 500 gm cottage cheese (drained) | 1 rounded dstsp cornflour |
| ½ cup sugar (about 50 gm) | 2 tbsps melted butter | About 1 tbsp currants |
If you are using a “soft butter” that has been softened with oil, reduce the quantity of butter.
To make the filling:
- Beat sugar and eggs and then add all the other ingredients and mix together.
- Pour into the uncooked base.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF (160—170ºC) and place in oven.
- While cooking you can make this topping.
Topping
| (Optional)1/2 cup cream OR thickened cream | Plum jam (or similar) | Mixed spice (optional) |
To make the topping:
- Clot the cream, by bringing it to boil and then simmering it for a few minutes until thick. As a modern variation you might try thickened cream instead of clotted cream. (If you use thickened cream, there is no need to boil it.)
- When the Kochen is about three-quarters cooked (about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the dish), take out of oven and put a few dabs of jam here-and-there on the surface and also a few dabs of the clotted cream.
- Sprinkle with mixed spice.
- Put back into oven to finish cooking and to set the jam and the cream BUT DO NOT OVERCOOK. It’s not nice if it’s overcooked.
Best eaten when cold and preferably next day.
Has a habit of mysteriously disappearing from the fridge!
Additional notes
Try creaming the sugar, eggs and cornflour.
Also, I prefer to blind bake the pastry.
Note for slimmers
You can also make Isabel's Kochen without the pastry base! It holds together well. Also, you can reduce the sugar a little.
2. Joe Tolophf's Kochen / Kouch'n
I haven't made this version but from what I hear, it is very nice.
| 3 * 500gm tubs cottage cheese | 4 cups self-raising flour |
| 4 tsp baking powder | 125 gm butter |
| 250ml cream | 2 cups sugar |
| Plum jam | 1 egg |
| Mixed spice | 1 cup water |
- Preheat oven to 180 C.
- Rub butter well into the flour and baking powder.
- Add water and mix.
- Let dough stand while doing the next step.
- In another bowl, add 1 cup of sugar to the cottage cheese.
- Add mixed spice (to taste) and mix well.
- Roll the dough out into (lightly greased) baking dish/dishes.
- Spread the dough with jam.
- Add the cottage cheese mixture to the baking dishes but don't overfill (as the mixture will rise slightly).
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Topping
- In a separate bowl, add 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp of jam and rest of the sugar.
- Whip (but not too thickly, just until it stays where you want it).
- Take the tart out of the oven and let cool.
- Spread the baked tart with the topping.
- Decorate with jam.
- Sprinkle with mixed spice.
- Enjoy.
3. May Kernohan's Kochen / Kouch'n
May Kernohan, daughter and granddaughter of Joseph and Margaret Schischka and Lorenz and Rosalie Schischka. With permission from Lawrence and Rosalie Schischka, a Short History of their Descendants, compiled by Judith Williams.
Base
| 2 cups flour | 2 tbspn butter |
| About ½ cup milk | 1 tspn baking powder |
| 1 egg slightly beaten | pinch salt |
- Melt butter.
- Pour into beaten eggs and milk.
- Stir into sifted flour and baking powder.
- Roll out lightly into a circle to about ½ inch thickness.
Topping
| 500 gram carton cottage cheese | Plum jam |
| 1 tbspn sugar | 2 eggs slightly beaten |
| A few sultanas | 1 tspn melted butter |
| 1 tbspn flour | pinch salt |
- Mix ingredients.
- Spread on base.
- Place liberal teaspoons of plum jam on top.
- Bake in moderate oven about ½ hour.
- While still hot pour fresh Irish cream slowly on top and allow to set. (Before pouring on cream I make small hollows on topping so cream doesn't run off.)
What if you don't want to use Cottage Cheese?
Making Curds the old fashioned way
From Alma Schischka, probably given to her by May Kernohan, nee Schischka. (Judith William's Collection.)
500 grams of curd are necessary. About ¾ bucket or 1 ½ gallons of skim milk (5 ½ litres) from a cow will produce sufficient curd.
- Put in the hot water cupboard for two to three days until it thickens, helping it along by heating to blood temperature on stove. Don't let it get too hot or you will get tough curds.
- Strain through butter muslin tied up with string.
- Hang to drain for several days.
The Puhoi 150th Anniversary challenge...
To remember the simple Bohemian dialect greetings and to use them with your family.