This small batch peach kuchen recipe makes 4 individual peach and custard pies. Perfect for breakfast or as a dessert, these mini fresh peach Kuchen are made with an enriched soft dough filled with creamy vanilla custard and finished with fresh peach slices.
What Is Kuchen
Kuchen is the German word for cake. And the term cake isn’t often literal as it is used to describe any sweet dessert. Traditional Kuchen is a cake and pie hybrid with a custard and fruit filling. It is popular among German communities in the mid-northern states – especially in North and South Dakota (where it happens to be the state dessert!)
Kuchen is humble, with no fancy decorations or ingredients, and is easily prepared. The pie part of the dessert typically involves an enriched, yeasted dough – like my chocolate strawberry cinnamon rolls. Meaning the dough includes sugar, fat, and dairy. And the cake component is a simple vanilla custard with fruit – with peach being a favorite.
Small Batch Fresh Peach Kuchen
My experience with Kuchen comes from the desserts that my Grandmother made. Which makes sense. Grandma was a North Dakotan, a German through and through, and an excellent maker of dough.
Grandma’s Kuchen was always in the form of a pie, with a super soft dough, creamy custard filling, and whatever fruit was in season. More often than not I got to choose from peach, rhubarb or plum. Peach was my favorite, and still is. This recipe for peach Kuchen is a tribute to my Grandmother. And while it will never hold a candle to the original (because Grandma’s are always better bakers!), I am delighted that I now have my own small batch recipe!
Peach Kuchen Ingredients
- Fresh Peaches
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch
- Instant Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Eggs
- Heavy Cream
- Vanilla Extract
- Unsalted Butter
- Ground Cinnamon
- Turbinado Sugar
- Honey
Helpful Tips
- Add the yeast opposite the salt – Because we add the yeast directly to the dry ingredients, we still want to be careful that it works. If you add the salt directly on top of the yeast, it will likely kill it.
- Use room temperature butter for the dough – We want the butter to mix into the dough evenly. If it is too cold, it will be hard to mix in. Room temperature butter registers at 68F – 70F degrees, and will be slightly ‘cool’ to the touch.
- Use a stand mixer – Let the mixer do all of the work to mix the sticky, enriched peach Kuchen dough. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix the dough by hand. It will take double the time.
- Reserve the egg white – Use the egg yolk for the custard and use the egg white to brush over the dough before baking. The egg white gives the dough a shiny golden crust when baked.
- Strain the custard – This will ensure a smooth and creamy custard in the small batch peach Kuchen.
Recipe FAQ’s
That should be fine. The dough may not be as rich and I recommend 2% or whole milk.
I like to knead by hand because it gives me control of the dough and I can feel as soon as it is smooth. However, if you want to keep it in the mixer, just keep an eye on it and remove it as soon as it feels smooth.
A few things could have happened: 1. Salt was added directly on the yeast, and killed it. 2. The yeast was old or expired. 3. The dough was set in a cool place and it will take longer to rise. 4. The dough just needs more time to sit and rise.
More Small Batch Peach Dessert Recipes
- Peaches and Cream Mini Pies
- Peach and Cream Cheese Mini Tarts
- Gluten Free White Peach Cobbler
- Gluten Free Peach Cupcakes For Two
- Mini Peach Clafoutis
- Peach Mousse Trifle
Small Batch Peach Kuchen Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook Attachment
Ingredients
- 2 fresh peaches, sliced
Dough
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
Vanilla Custard
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 large egg yolk (reserve egg white for egg wash to brush on the dough)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- turbinado sugar (optional to sprinkle on the dough)
- ground cinnamon (optional to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Slice the peaches about 1/4 inch thick.2 fresh peaches, sliced
Dough
- In a liquid measuring cup, measure out the cream. Add the egg and whisk until thoroughly combined.6 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 large egg
- In the work bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, yeast, and sugar. Add the salt opposite the yeast – adding salt directly on yeast may hinder its effectiveness. Stir with the dough hook attachment.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Attach the dough hook attachment, and on low speed, add the cream mixture and mix until a dough starts to form. Increase the speed to medium and add the room temperature butter cubes, one at a time. Allow to butter to mix into the dough before adding the next cube.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
- Continue to mix the dough on medium speed until it forms a spongy ball on the dough hook – about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the dough has come together on the dough hook, pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes until smooth.
- Lightly grease the mixing bowl you used to mix the dough (with cooking spray, neutral oil, or softened butter). Put the dough into the bowl and flip around to coat, cover lightly with a piece of plastic wrap then a dish towel. Set in a warm place in your kitchen to proof and rise until it has doubled in size – about 1 to 2 hours.
Vanilla Custard
- While the dough is proofing, make the custard. In a medium saucepan, add the cream, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolk. Whisk together until combined. Turn on the heat to medium and heat the custard until it starts to thicken and bubble – about 3 to 5 minutes.3/4 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 large egg yolk
- Removed the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter until incorporated.1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Cover the custard with a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the custard – this prevents a skin from forming. Let cool and sit at room temperature until ready to use.
- Shape the Dough – After the dough has doubled in size, cut into 4 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tight ball by gathering the edges and pinching together to seal. Gently form into a ball with your hands, and place the seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Loosely cover the baking sheet with a piece of plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof and rise again, for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- After Second Rise – Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, gently press down on the center of each dough ball to form a well to hold the custard. Leave yourself enough of an edge to make sure the custard stays inside the pies.
- Mix a splash of water with the reserved egg white to make the egg wash. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash. Optional – Sprinkle Turbinado sugar onto the edges of the dough.1 large egg yolk, turbinado sugar
- Fill the wells of the dough with the custard, then top with peach slices. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown and the custard has set.
- Transfer the mini pies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. The Kuchen are best enjoyed the day they are baked.ground cinnamon
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe. You may be able to double it with success. Use 1 packet, or 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of yeast.
- Yield – As written, the recipe will yield 4 mini Kuchen about 4-inches in diameter.
- Yeast – I like to use instant yeast because it doesn’t need to bloom like active yeast does. Because the only liquid in the dough is cream, I recommend staying with instant yeast. I don’t think yeast will bloom properly in cream.
- Shiny Crust – Brush a little warmed honey over the dough after it is baked for a shiny appearance. This is optional.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!