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1
Make the dough: Warm milk to 110 degrees (or until warm to the touch), sprinkle with yeast, stir and let stand for 5 minutes until dissolved.
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2
Add butter and stir until mostly melted.
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3
Butter or oil a large bowl.
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4
In a second large bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and egg yolk.
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5
Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
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6
Add warm milk mixture and stir until combined and dough comes together in a smooth, sticky ball, about 2 minutes.
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7
Transfer to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 2 to 3 hours.
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8
(Alternatively, dough can rise in refrigerator overnight.)
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9
Meanwhile, make the pastry cream: Place a fine-mesh sieve on the rim of a medium bowl.
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10
In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
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11
Whisk in flour, egg, milk, salt, cardamom pods and anise seed.
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12
Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture starts to thicken, then whisk constantly until it starts to boil.
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13
Continue cooking, whisking constantly, for 2 more minutes, then immediately pour mixture into fine-mesh sieve.
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14
Use a spatula to push it through sieve and into bowl.
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15
Let cool, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then stir in butter and vanilla.
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16
Press plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream and refrigerate until ready to use.
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17
Make the streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
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18
Add butter pieces and toss to coat.
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19
Use fingertips to rub butter into dry ingredients until pea-size lumps form.
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20
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
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21
Roll out dough: Butter two 9-inch pie plates.
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22
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and with floured hands gently knead it into a log.
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23
Divide log in half and flatten into discs.
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24
With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each disc into an 8-inch round.
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25
Transfer rounds to pie plates, pressing dough to edges of pan and just slightly up sides.
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26
Let rise for about 20 minutes while you prep fruit.
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27
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.
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28
Peel and core pears, then slice them lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in a medium bowl.
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29
Sprinkle with sugar and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and toss to coat.
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30
Assemble the kuchens: Spread about 1/4 cup pastry cream on bottom of each kuchen, stopping 1/2 inch from edge of dough, then arrange pear slices in an overlapping circular pattern on top.
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31
Divide remaining pastry cream between kuchens and carefully spread it evenly over pears.
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32
Sprinkle streusel over both and bake in center of oven until dough is light golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
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33
(If your oven cant accommodate both kuchens, refrigerate one while the other bakes.)
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34
Serve warm or at room temperature.
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35
Baked kuchens can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and frozen up to 1 month.
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36
Rewarm before serving.
