Schwäbisch Confidential
The Swabian Classics - Ofenschlupfer
The kitchen is "the best place in the world" according to 44-year-old Rainer Klutsch, who discovered his passion for cooking as a child. "I picked up a lot just watching my mum or nan all the time when they would cook," he explains. After taking a brief detour through a stint as a law student and an insurance salesman in training, Rainer (then in his late twenties) decided to take the plunge and turn his passion into a profession.
Recently, Rainer was kind enough to run circles around his stove to show us the finer points of the Swabian culinary arts. True to his personal motto, Kitchen on Fire, we delved into the following regional specialities: Ofenschlupfer.
SERVES SIX
80 g raisins
(soaked in rum overnight if desired)
3 day-old rolls (or baguette)
3 large apples
200 g heavy cream
400 ml milk
5 egg yolks
75 g sugar
2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
Powdered sugar
Butter
For the vanilla sauce
500 ml heavy cream
70 g sugar
2 vanilla pods
10 egg yolks
STEP ONE
If they have been soaked in rum, allow the raisins to drain. Cut the rolls or baguette into thin slices. Wash, pat dry, peel (if desired), and core the apples before cutting them into thin wegdes. Blend the cream, milk, egg yolks, and sugar together. Alternating between the two, layer the bread slices and apple wedges at an angle into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with raisins. Pour the milk and egg mixture over the top, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and briefly press down the contents of the dish. In a preheated oven (electric: 150 °C / convection: 125 °C / gas: mark 1), bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
STEP TWO
For the vanilla sauce, bring the heavy cream to a boil and add the egg yolks, sugar, and slightly open vanilla pods, stirring all the while. Bring everything to a brief boil once more, then remove from stove. After allowing it to cool for a moment, serve the Ofenschlupfer, sprinkle with a bit of powdered sugar, and drizzle with vanilla sauce as desired.
