Recipe Sifter

Peanut butter filled fudge cupcakes hide a cream cheese and peanut butter core inside rich cocoa cupcakes. Bake reveals a fudgy exterior with a soft, cheesecake-like peanut butter center.

Classic German sauerbraten braises rump roast in a 4-day vinegar marinade, then simmers in gravy thickened with crushed gingersnaps and sour cream. Tangy, rich, fall-apart tender.

German sauerbraten marinated four days in spiced vinegar, then slow-braised fork-tender in a sweet-sour gravy thickened with crushed gingersnaps. The classic sweet-and-sour pot roast, here with a lean bison twist.

Three-layer chocolate cake with cocoa, buttermilk, and a rich cocoa icing made with melted unsweetened chocolate. A towering, old-fashioned celebration cake.

Raisin oatmeal brownies blend melted chocolate chips with brown sugar, oats, and raisins for a chewy bar with nutty texture and pockets of fruity sweetness.

Homemade puff pastry from scratch using a classic six-fold lamination of dough and butter. The base for croissants, palmiers, vol-au-vents, and proper buttery turnovers.

German potato salad with a warm beer dressing made from a butter-flour roux, dry mustard, and a touch of hot sauce, tossed with crispy bacon. Kartoffelsalat at its best.

Apple cheddar turnovers: whole baked apples stuffed with brown sugar and cinnamon, wrapped in a sharp cheddar pastry. A New England classic riff on apple-and-cheese.

German lentil soup with frankfurters, bacon, and vegetables thickened with a browned flour roux and brightened with vinegar. A hearty, old-world one-pot meal.

English-cut short ribs braised low and slow in a tangy sweet sour sauce of brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar and garlic. Fall-off-the-bone Sunday supper.

Erbsenpuree, a traditional German yellow split-pea puree with carrot, turnip, marjoram, and thyme, thickened with a butter-flour roux and beaten until fluffy.

Bread machine sourdough pumpernickel with rye flour, whole wheat, molasses, and real sourdough starter. Dense, tangy, and earthy. Load the machine, press start, and walk away.

Lemon anise biscotti with fresh lemon zest and star anise, twice-baked until crisp and golden. A crunchy Italian cookie that stores for a month and pairs beautifully with espresso.

Pepsi-Cola cake with broiled peanut butter frosting: a Southern sheet cake made with a cup of Pepsi and melted marshmallows in the batter, topped with a bubbling brown sugar peanut butter frosting toasted under the broiler. Retro comfort baking at its most over-the-top.

Whole wheat pasta dough: a simple eggless pasta made with whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour, water, and a touch of olive oil. The base for handmade fettuccine, lasagna sheets, or ravioli.

Classic New England cornmeal and molasses bread with raisins, no kneading required. Thick batter rises in the pan for a rustic, hearty loaf.