The German Heritage Museum was the destination for our brunch with Acadia Parish Tourism and it was delight to attend and visit the museum. This time of year it is beautifully decorated and welcoming to see the décor and exhibits on display.
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If you're from Acadia Parish you may be familiar with the museum in located in Robert's Cove, most well-known for hosting the annual Germanfest in October. The museum offers a wealth of information about the German families who settled in Acadia, their culture and traditions, and how their lives in the Cove were affected by historic events, such as World War II.
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Having learned many years ago I had German ancestors in my own family, I enjoyed speaking with one of the museum directors about the how they may have come to Louisiana! The museum also provides a wonderful resource for anyone seeking information on the area’s early settlers. In fact, they have a directory of photos and archives which they may be able to help you find more information from your German ancestry and create an album for you.
During our visit we were treated to a live demonstration on how the original German sugar cookies known as "Zucker Platzchen" were made and were given samples to try! These are a little different from the typical sugar cookie you've probably had. We've got the recipe (see below) for you if you'd like to try to make these at home!
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The museum is open every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10am to 12pm, or by appointment! Contact the museum for more information on scheduling a visit at 337-334-8354.
"Zucker Platzchen"
German Sugar Cookie
Ingredients:
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Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Blend milk, eggs, and vanilla together then mix with creamed butter mixture. In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder together. Gradually add to your creamed mixture until all is well combined. Separate dough into 4 sections.
Use equal parts sugar-flour (recommended 1 1/2 cups each) to dust your surface and rolling pin for rolling out the dough. Roll dough out very thin. Cut into circles using the mouth of a glass. You may also use cookie-cutters if you wish.
Tip: When cutting out the shapes, try to cut as close as possible to minimize excess dough. (This particular dough is only meant to be rolled out once - if you try to combine the excess pieces of dough and roll out again it will not be the same consistency)
Bake at 350-degreesF for 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Oven temps may vary so watch closely to prevent burning. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container.
When stored properly these cookies can keep for at least a couple of weeks at room temperature, but we doubt they will last that long!
Tip for Decorating: Due to the composition of these particular sugar cookies they are not suitable for decorating with icing. If you wish to decorate your cookies, you can use colored sugar to sprinkle on top once they've been cut, before baking.
