Categories: Desserts, Bavarian, Usenet 
      Yield: 1 batch 
  
    1/4 lb Butter 
    1/3 c  Sugar 
    1/2 t  Vanilla (or use 
           -vanilla sugar) 
      1    Egg 
      1 T  Sour cream 
      1 pn Salt (only if you 
           -use unsalted butter) 
      1 t  Lemon peel 
  1 3/4 c  Flour 
      1 t  Baking powder 
      2 c  Italian plums 
 
-------------------------OPTIONAL STREUSEL TOPPING------------------------- 
      6 T  Butter 
    3/4 c  Flour 
    1/3 c  Sugar 
    1/2 t  Cinnamon 
  
  In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar (and vanilla), add the 
  egg, (salt,) lemon peel and sour cream. Mix the flour and baking powder and 
  add that. 
   
  Pit the plums, splitting them into halves or thirds.  Grease the pan and 
  spread the dough.  Liberally spread plums over the dough, meat side up.  If 
  the plums are sour (as opposed to just tart), sprinkle them lightly with 
  sugar. 
   
  To make the optional Streusel topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar 
  and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the plums. Bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle 
  rack at 375 degrees F. Be careful not to let the bottom burn! 
   
  Serve liberally topped with freshly-made whipping cream. 
   
  NOTES: 
   
  *  A Bavarian plum delicacy for dessert -- My mother and grandmother make 
  this Bavarian specialty without a recipe; this recipe is from my mother, 
  after I pressed her to write it down so I could make my own. It also 
  includes variations from a few other folks that you might like to try. 
  Roughly translated from Bavarian to German, this is Pflaumenkuchen, which, 
  roughly translated from German to to English is Plum cake. However, 
  Zwetschgen aren't ordinary plums, a Datschi isn't really a Kuchen, and a 
  Kuchen is most definitely NOT a cake! 
   
  This dessert is made of the slightly tart Italian plums, which are 
  unfortunately only available at certain times of the year.  Don't try to 
  make it with ordinary plums; they're too sweet and too juicy. Yield: Fills 
  one round cake pan. 
   
  *  A Datschi may actually be made with any fruit; I happen to love it with 
  Zwetschgen the best. 
   
  *  I don't know this with Streusel on top, and never prepare it that way, 
  but several of my acquaintances swear by it. Made with other fruit, I would 
  be more likely to accept the Streusel. 
   
  *  If you like, you may sprinkle rum or cinnamon over the fruit before 
  baking. Also, you might try substituting rum for the sour cream in the 
  dough, or just adding both. 
   
  *  If you want to make a cookie-sheet-sized Datschi, simply double the 
  recipe. 
   
  : Difficulty:  moderate. 
  : Time:  20 minutes preparation, 20 minutes baking. 
  : Precision:  approximate measurement OK. 
   
  : Chris Kent 
  : DEC Western Research Lab, Palo Alto, California 
   
  : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust 
  : kent@decwrl.DEC.COM    {ihnp4,ucbvax,decvax}!decwrl!kent