Recipe: Pauline'S Kuchen

Rhonda,
I found a creamy kuchen recipe in a cookbook called named "The Farm House
Cookbook" by Susan Herrmann Loomis, who also wrote the "Great American
Seafood Cookbook." Here goes.
PAULINE'S KUCHEN
FOR THE DOUGH
1 package dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 to 3 and 1/4 cups flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons unslated butter or lard, melted and cooled.
FOR THE CUSTARD
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon flour
FOR THE TOPPING
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
7 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 cups fresh or 3 cups dried fruit, such as grapes, cherries, plums, appricots, raisins, figs, or prunes
Prepare the dough: Combine the yeast, milk, and sugar in a large mixing bowl
or in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir to dissolve the yeast. When
there are some bubbles on top of the liquid, after about 2 minutes, add the salt and mix well. Add 1 cup of the flour, then the egg and the melted butter, and mix thoroughly. Continue adding the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addtion. When the dough is too stiff to mix, turn it out onto a
well-floured surface and knead in enough flour so the dough doesn't stick
(it should still be soft.) Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm spot (68 to 70 degrees) until doubled
in bulk. (If you are preparing the dough the night before, place it in the bowl, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.)
Prepare the custard: Whisk the sour cream and the eggs together in a medium-size bowl until combined. Then add the milk, sugar, and the vanilla if you are using it, and mix well. Whisk in the flour, and set aside. ( If you are making this the night before, refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.)
In a small bowl, mix together the butter sugar, and flour for the topping until combined. (The mixture will be crumbly.) Set aside. (If you are making this the night before, refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter a 10 x 15-inch baking
pan.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll it out to form a rectangle slightly larger than the baking pan, and then transfer it to the pan. Using your fingers, crimp the edges to make a border 1/2-inch higher than the bottom of the dough.

Pour the fruit into the pan, and then pour the custard over the fruit. Crumble the topping over all.
Bake in the center of the oven until the dough is puffed and golden around the edges and the custard is lightly set, 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Note: Cut fresh fruit, such as plums and apricots, in quarters. If you are using dried fruit, such as figs or prunes, coarsely chop them.
Rhonda, this doesn't call for apples, but I think you could use thinly sliced or coarsely chopped apples. It doesn't hurt to try. If it turns out too sloppy, you could always use a fork!! Serve it warm with ice-cream, all the better!!! I have another recipe that I'll post separately. Margie