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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 5 Issue 114 - December 4, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, I know that you are enjoying this week of great Holiday dessert recipes, because so many of you have written to tell me so. Before Chef June shares her coffee cake recipes with you today I want to tell you about a Culinary Adventure that Chef June will be hosting in March. She'll be off to Cajun Country with meals in the finest restaurants, tours, cooking classes and so much more. -------------------------------------------------- Today we're featuring three fabulous coffee cakes any one of which would be so delicious for breakfast on Christmas morning. You can even treat the grown-ups to a slice with coffee while the kids are tearing through their presents. All three can (read "should") be made ahead so you'll have little to do but sit back and take in the compliments (and an extra piece for the baker). -------------------------------------------------- Got a Passion for Cooking or know someone who does? Make it your Career! Shop and compare TOP US Culinary Institutes that offer Financial Aid and Job Placement. Request Information today and get your Career cooking in just 15 months! Chef2Chef.Net/Culinary-Institute -------------------------------------------------- Almond-Raspberry Coffee Cake Yeast pastries are among the foods I like to make best, and this Almond-Raspberry Braid is truly fabulous! Once you have mastered this recipe, you will think of other fillings for the coffee cake, but none will top this combo of homemade Almond Paste (so easy in your Cuisinart) and the very best Raspberry Preserves you can find. Makes 1 large braid 4 cups unbleached flour 1 cup unsalted butter 1 tablespoon dry yeast 1 cup whole milk 3 tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar 3 extra large eggs, beaten 1/8 teaspoon sea salt All ingredients are used cold. 1. In your food processor fitted with the metal blade, mix flour and butter together until the mixture resembles coarse gravel. Use a cup measure to dissolve yeast in a small amount of the milk, then add remainder of milk and the other ingredients. With the food processor running, pour this mixture gradually into the flour and butter mixture. Remove dough to a bowl, cover tightly with oiled plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in refrigerator overnight. For the Raspberry-Almond Filling 1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds 2 tablespoons superfine sugar (see Pantry) 1/2 cup homemade Almond Paste 8 tablespoons top quality raspberry preserves, seeded (preferably homemade) 1 large egg 1 tablespoon heavy cream 1. Toss the slivered almonds and superfine sugar together in a small bowl and set aside. 2. Blend the seeded preserves with the room temperature Almond Paste. Set aside. 3. Divide pastry into 3 equal parts and roll each piece into an 18 x 3 1/2-inch rectangle. Put a strip of the almond-raspberry mixture down the length of each piece of dough. Bring the edges of each piece together and pinch tightly to seal. 4. Place the strips of pastry side by side (with the seams down) on an oiled 18 x 14-inch piece of parchment. Braid the 3 strips, taking care not to stretch them, and keeping the seam sides down. Pinch the ends together and tuck them under. 5. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise until double in bulk (about 2 hours). 6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the egg with the cream, and use a pastry brush to spread the mixture evenly over the top of the braid. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds and sugar. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Homemade Almond Paste Makes 1 1/4 cups 1 1/2 cups cold water 1 cup blanched almonds 1/2 cup sugar 1 large egg white 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature 1 teaspoon almond extract 1. In a small (1 quart) saucepan, bring the water quickly to a boil. Add the almonds. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 8 minutes. Drain and cool for 15 minutes. In your food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the almonds and sugar until smooth (about 1-1/2 minutes) stopping frequently to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the egg white and butter and process for one more minute. Refrigerate until needed. Teacher's Tip: Well wrapped, this Almond Paste will keep in your refrigerator for up to a month. -------------------------------------------------- Recipe Club, Get your own Holiday Presents at Chef2Chef.net GatewayGourmet, we would like to offer you the opportunity to win 6 pucks (1.5 oz containers) of More Than Gourmet's Classic Stock Reductions. Demi-Glace, Chicken Sock, Venison Stock, Veggie Stock and more: http://www.gatewaygourmet.com/chef2chef_special.htm Win a 6-month Salsa Kiss Club of the Month Membership valued at $150! That's one specially selected free salsa and one free gourmet hot sauce every month for 6 months delivered to your door. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=374 Register to a copy of the Chef of the Month, Jerry Traunfeld's cookbook, The Herbfarm Cookbook. A must have for your cookbook collection http://marketplace.chef2chef.net/sweep/ What's new at Chef Revival? They have got a new handy and cleanable First Aid Kit, A New Drizzler Kit, The Famous CutRuler, A beautiful new Line Spoon and the "Got to Have" Bonetector! !0 winner's will each receive a set of all of these new items. Register http://ads.chef2Chef.net/goto.php?id=36 Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- Mom's Sour Cream Cake My mother loved to bake, and continued to serve delectable cakes, pies and cookies to my Dad and their family and friends until she was about 90. This cake was almost everyone's favorite coffee cake that she made. It never lasted very long. Some of us even stuck candles in it for a birthday cake. Makes one (small) 10-inch tube pan 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons) 1 cup granulated cane sugar Pinch of sea salt 2 large eggs 1 cup sour cream (buttermilk) 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 full cups unbleached all-purpose flour Filling and Topping: 3 tablespoons granulated cane sugar 2 tablespoons ground sweet chocolate 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a small 10-inch tube pan. 2. Mix above cake ingredients. Pour half the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the Filling and Topping mixture on the batter. Pour remaining batter over the sprinkles. Top with the remaining crunchies. 3. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Cake is done when tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto cooling rack. Serve with the crumbed side up. -------------------------------------------------- The Great Gourmet Savor the sweet, succulent taste of fresh and frozen seafood shipped straight from the boat to you next day. From Surf & Turf, Maryland Crabs, Chowders, Breaded Seafood and Fish caught straight out of the ocean only hours before we ship, you won't find any seafood fresher. With over 275 items available on TheGreatGourmet.com you won't need to go any further to find the product that you are looking for. If we don't carry an item you want, we will find it for you. The Great Gourmet sells both direct to the customer's door and wholesale. With the growing cost of seafood we want our customers across the nation to be able to afford the wonderful products that we sell and the only way to do that is by giving the best price that we can. For the seafood lover - we want your business but more than that, we want your friendship. Consider giving Gift Certificates or Gift Baskets to those you love for the holidays you may reach us at 1-877-600-FISH. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=371 -------------------------------------------------- Jülekaker (Norwegian Christmas Coffee Breads) Because the neighborhood where I grew up was predominantly Scandinavian, many Swedish and Norwegian recipes became adopted in our family. This delicious holiday bread is typical of those my friends' moms would serve us for after school treats, and would give my folks for a Christmas remembrance. The cardamom is essential to the character of the bread. When you've finished making this recipe, you'll have a loaf for your Christmas breakfast, as well as two to share! Makes 3 loaves, 9 x 5 x 3 inches each Two 1/4-oz envelopes (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast 2 1/2 cups milk 10 to 11 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups cane sugar 2 teaspoons ground cardamom Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs, beaten lightly 1 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup candied orange and/or lemon peels soaked in rum Egg wash (1 egg yolk/1 tablespoon water) 1. In a small bowl, proof the yeast in 1 cup of the milk (that has been heated to lukewarm) for 5 minutes or until foamy. In a large bowl combine 10 cups of flour with the cardamom, sugar and salt and lemon zest, and blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the yeast mixture, the remaining milk, the drained fruit, the eggs and vanilla and stir the mixture until it forms a sticky dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, kneading in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft but slightly sticky dough (8-10 minutes) or until it is smooth and elastic. 2. Form the dough into a ball, put it into a large buttered bowl and turn it to coat evenly. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it is double in bulk. Divide the dough into thirds, form each into a loaf and fit into a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan. Let the loaves rise, covered lightly with kitchen towels, in a warm place for 45 minutes or until they are double in bulk. 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush them with the egg wash and bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the loaves are golden, and tap hollow. 4. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool on racks before wrapping for storage. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |