TFL Coffee Cake

TFL used blueberry jam and cream cheese

Makes 1 braid

Sponge
1.5 tsp instant yeast
1.5 tsp sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough
1 egg
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1.25 to 1.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Blueberry Filling
1 cup blueberries
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice

Egg Glaze
1 egg (should actually be 1/2 egg ;))
1.5 tsp milk

Cream Cheese Filling
3/8 cup cream cheese (3 oz)
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp egg glaze

DIRECTIONS:

For the sponge: mix the sugar, yeast, and flour together in bowl. Pour in the warm milk. Beat until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1/2 hour.

Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and one cup of the flour to the sponge. Beat until smooth. Then add the butter in small chunks and beat well. Add the remaining flour a handful at a time and mix in until a soft but kneadable dough is achieved and the butter thoroughly incorporated.

Knead the dough by hand or with a mixer until it is smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise and room temperature until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Deflate the dough, recover the bowl, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, make the fillings before shaping the loaves.

Blueberry Filling: combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
Egg Glaze: combine the egg and milk in a bowl and beat until combined.
Cream Cheese Filling: combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined

Once your filling has cooled off, take the dough out of the refrigerator and gently deflate it. Divide it into two pieces. Use a rolling pin to shape each piece into a thin (1 cm.) rectangle.

Spread your fillings in the center of the dough.

At an angle, slice the sides of the dough into tabs approximately 1 inch wide.

Alternating from side to side, fold the pieces in over the filling. When possible, gentle press on the tabs to seal the folds.

After it has been fully folded, glaze the braid with egg wash. Cover loosely with plastic (I place the entire baking pan in a clean kitchen garbage bag). Set aside to rise until doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350.

Just before placing the braid in the oven, glaze it again with any remaining egg wash. Bake on the center rack of the oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes, rotating it once after 20 minutes so that it bakes evenly. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for at least half an hour before slicing.

 

Plum Jam

Adapted from: Kraft Surejell

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups prepared fruit (buy about 4 lb. fully ripe plums)
1/2 cup water
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
6 cups sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
2. Pit plums. Do not peel. Finely chop or grind fruit; place in saucepan. Add water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 min. Measure exactly 6 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
3. Stir pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
4. Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if needed.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Emeril’s NEW Jelly Donuts

For some reason, Food Network and Emerils.com have different recipes for Emeril’s Jelly Donuts. I’m including both. This one if from Emeril’s own website.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (1/4 ounce) package of active dry yeast
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water (110 deg F)
6 eggs
6 cups flour
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
1 1/2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1 1/2 cups vanilla pastry cream
1 1/2 cups raspberry filling
Shaker of powdered sugar
1 cup chocolate glaze
1 cup powdered sugar glaze

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 cup of the warm water. Stir to dissolve and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and remaining 3/4 sugar until thick and pale yellow in color.
2. Change the mixer attachment to a dough hook. With the machine running slowly add the yeast mixture, melted butter, milk, half and half and salt.
3. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time.
4. Mix until the mixture forms a soft ball, leaves the sides of the bowl, and climbs up the dough hook. Remove the dough and turn into a lightly oiled bowl.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the bowl in a warm, draft free space. LET THE DOUGH RISE until double in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and dust the surface of the dough with flour. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough, about 1/4 inch thick, in the shape of a rectangle. Using a 3 inch round cutter, cut the dough into circles. Place the rounds on a baking sheet.
7. Cover the dough with a greased piece of plastic wrap (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the wrap) and LET THE DOUGH RISE until double in size, about 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the fryer to 350 degrees.
9. Gently fry a couple of the circles at a time, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping occasionally for overall browning. Remove the doughnuts from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
10. Fit each pastry bag with small round tips. Fill each bag with a different filling. Pipe the donuts, alternately with the different fillings. Sprinkle some of the filled donuts with powdered sugar. Glaze the remaining donuts with the two different glazes. Place on a serving platter and serve.

POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE:

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and the milk and whisk until smooth.

RASPBERRY FILLING

4 cups raspberries
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a saucepan, combine the raspberries, 3/4 cup of water and the sugar. Bring to boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the raspberries have broken down. Remove the mixture from the heat and strain in a fine-mesh sieve. Return the strained mixture to the heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk the slurry into the raspberry mixture. Bring the mixture back to a boil and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

 

 

Emeril’s Jelly Donuts

Link here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jelly-filled-donuts-3644849

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup whole milk
3/4 ounce (4 1/2 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon mace
2 tablespoons nonfat powdered milk
1 large egg
3/4 c milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour

1 1/2 cups raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or your favorite jelly for filling doughnut
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

1. Microwave 1/4 c milk at 15 sec intervals until it is warm BUT NOT HOT. Place the yeast in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and pour the heated milk over the yeast. Stir the milk into the yeast and allow it to bloom for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, butter, salt, mace, and powdered milk and mix until just well combined. Do not overmix. Add the egg and mix gently. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of milk and mix briefly. Add the flours and yeast mixture and mix to form a smooth dough, about 6 to 8 minutes at second speed.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set aside to rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
4. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough lightly with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Let dough sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the dough to relax. Using a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, cut doughnuts into rounds about 3 inches in diameter.
5. Add enough oil (or vegetable shortening) to a large saucepan or deep-fryer to come halfway up the sides of the pan when melted. Heat over medium heat to a temperature of 350 degrees F. Fry the donuts, a few at a time so as to not overcrowd, turning once midway through the cooking, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
6. While donuts are still warm, place them in a paper bag with some sugar and shake to coat. Transfer the cooked doughnuts to a cookie rack set over a sheet pan to cool.
7. When donuts are cool, place the jelly in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip and, using the tip, poke a small hole in the side of the doughnuts and fill the centers with 2 tablespoons of the jam.
8. Enjoy!

Rose Pistacio Doughnuts

Recipe from Extra Crispy.

Yields: 12 doughnuts
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the doughnuts:

½ cup raw pistachios
1 ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon rosewater
3 tablespoons pistachio oil
2 drops green food coloring (optional)

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon rosewater
Red food coloring (optional)
Fresh edible rose petals, for garnish
Pistachios, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Pulse pistachios in a food processor until chopped, about 1 minute. Process in 30-second intervals until finely ground resembling a dry, gritty flour. Reserve 1 tablespoon for sprinkling over the icing.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ground pistachio, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer on low speed, cream the brown and granulated sugars with the egg. Add the Greek yogurt and mix some more.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Slowly add rosewater, while stirring on a low speed and drizzle in the oil. Optional: Deepen the batter’s color by adding a drop or two of green food coloring.
6. Spray a 12-cavity doughnut pan with cooking oil. Scoop the batter into a large sealable plastic bag and cut a hole on one of the bottom corners to form a makeshift “piping bag.” Fill each mold three-quarters of the way.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven. Place the doughnuts on a wire rack and let them cool completely.
9. To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and rosewater in a small bowl. Add a drop or two of red food coloring for a baby pink shade.
10. Dunk each doughnut down into the bowl of icing, twisting and turning to form a thick, even layer. Sprinkle with reserved ground pistachios and fresh rose petals. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

P.S. These cake doughnuts taste much, much better a day later once the icing has seeped into the dough.

P.S.S. If you leave the doughnuts out to sit overnight, the rose petals will dry out and look even prettier than before.

Fruit Scones

Recipe by Steve Smith, Head Chef at Michelin Starred Bohemia Bar & Restaurant in Jersey

Fruit Scones Recipe:

Ingredients (to make 40 scones)

1200g Plain Flour
125g Caster Sugar
70g Baking Powder
175g Unsalted Butter
1 Litre Milk
550g Sultanas
1 Egg
Method

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter until the butter has crumbled.
2. Add the sultanas and milk.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, cut to the desired shape and size, egg wash (1 egg and a splash of milk), and leave to prove for 15 minutes.
4. Bake at 180°c for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
5. Enjoy!

Swedish Kringle

From Chicago Tribune. Recipe by Sue Nordin.
Prep: 30 min
Bake: 45 min
Makes: 2 kringles

Pastry A:

1 c flour
1 pinch salt
1 stick (1/2 c) cold unsalted butter, cut up
2-3 tbsp ice cold water

Pastry B:

4 oz almond paste
1 c water
1 stick (1/2 c) unsalted butter, curt up
1 c flour
3 eggs
1 tsp almond extract

Icing:

1 1/2 c confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tbsp milk or cream
2 tbsp toasted almond slices

DIRECTIONS:

1. PULSE: For Pastry A, drop flour, salt, and butter into food processor. Pulse until crumbly. Pour in 2-3 tbsp water. Pulse until clumpy.
2. FLATTEN: Tour out pastry clumps onto a sheet of parchment paper. Divide in half. Shape into 2 logs. Roll or pat each log into a thin rectangle, each about 14 in long and 4.5 in wide.Slide parchment onto baking sheet.
3. SOFTEN: For Pastry B, swirl almond paste in the food processor, about 1 min. Set aside.
4. BOIL: In medium saucepan, heat water and butter to a boil. Pull pan off heat. Immediately drop in flour. Use an electric mixer to beat smooth. Beat in almond paste, then eggs – one at a time! – then extract.
5. BAKE: Spread half of Pastry B over one rectangle of Pastry A, completely covering A. Repeat with second triangle. Bake at 350 F until puffed and golden, about 45 min. Cool completely.
6. ICE: For icing, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter and both extracts together. Add enough milk to achieve a spreadable icing. Spread half the icing over each cooled kringle. Sprinkle on almonds. Slice crosswise on the diagonal into 1 in thick strips.
7. ENJOY!!

NOTE: This tasted great, but don’t make again.

South Indian Breakfast Rice Noodles

From here. Rice noodles from scratch here.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups lightly crushed idiyappam or sevai / rice noodles
1 tsp tamarind soaked in ½ cup warm water (or a pea sized amount of tamarind paste)(or a can of tamarind juice)
2 tsp oil (corn, sesame, coconut, canola)
¼ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp split urad dal (skinned black gram)
2 tbsp broken cashew nuts or peanuts
½ cup finely chopped onions
A few curry leaves
3-4 dry red chillies, torn into halves (or to taste)
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
½ tsp brown sugar or jaggery
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the tamarind in warm water. Extract the juice and discard pulp and seeds.
2. Heat oil and add the black mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal.
3. When the dal turns golden brown, add the cashew nuts or peanuts.
4. Roast until golden brown.
5. Then add the onions, curry leaves, red chillies, and hing.
6. Mix well and saute until the onions turn translucent.
7. Now add the tamarind water.
8. Also add the brown sugar and jaggery at this time.
9. Cook on low flame until the mixture thickens, about 4-5 mins.
10. Then add the rice noodles and salt.
11. Mix well and cook for another minute until the moisture is absorbed almost entirely.
12. Serve hot as is or with red coconut chutney.

Apple Dutch Baby

From: Epicurious

BATTER:

3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

APPLES:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Pink Lady apple, peeled, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Whisk batter ingredients in mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Make apples: heat 2 tbsp butter in cast iron, add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until apple is soft, around 4 min. Transfer to another bowl, set aside. Wipe down cast iron.
4. Heat cast iron in hot oven for 8 to 10 min. Add 2 tbsp butter, coating bottom and sides of cast iron. Add apples. Pour batter on top.
5. Bake until pancake is puffy and golden brown at the edges and the center is set but still custardy, 12-15 min.
6. Serve with maple syrup or apple cider syrup.

APPLE CIDER SYRUP:

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups apple cider
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix well. Let boil over medium heat in large saucepan for 30-40 min, until reduced and syrupy. Let cool, cover and chill.
2. Syrup can be made up to one week ahead. Let warm to room temperature before serving.

Shredded Apple Jam

Apple Chhundo / Shredded Apple Jam

This recipe makes enough for four people to enjoy with dinner. About a quarter cup? A lot depends on the type and size of apples you use. This lasts in the fridge for months (the same way a normal jam or jelly you buy would last), or at room temperature for around a week (in Chicago!!! That would be around 70 degrees F!).

If you have ever had mango (keri) chhundo, you will love this recipe. The proper type of mango (kachi keri) to make a pickle (athana/achar) is not frequently available in the US. However, apples are plentiful all year round.

This recipe taste great with naan, rice, bread (toasted), roti, paratha, poori, veggies, or really anything. I personally enjoy eating spoonfuls by itself, the way a normal person would eat Nutella. YMMV.

Note: Sugar and salt amounts depend on the type of apple you use and how sweet or tart it is. A Granny Smith apple would require more sugar than a Macintosh, for example. Start at the bottom of the scale and work your way up, tasting the jam along the way. (You can add more sugar and salt than I’ve suggested, as I said, it depends on your taste :)) (If you want to be super fancy, you can add some ghol/jaggery in addition to the sugar — just a few tsp will make a huge difference in taste. If you don’t have ghol, you can use brown sugar. Whatever you like. If you are partial to molasses cookies, you will like the recipe with brown sugar or ghol. If you are partial to sugar cookies, you will like it with plain sugar. Experiment to find what you like best).

Note: This recipe is pretty mild, but full of spices. It is not hot the way most people think of Indian food as being. My family and I are from Chicago, and do not eat spicy food. If you want to increase the heat quotient, increase the amount of paprika, or add a red chili pepper (dried) to the vaghar. Most Indian people in India add chili peppers to vaghar, that is why the food is so darn spicy. My family and I do not do this. It is horrible, like cooking with chili oil. However, if that is your thing, go for it! If you absolutely (for health reasons or whatever) cannot tolerate hot food, omit the paprika. If you cannot tolerate spicy food, omit the cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and paprika. Don’t worry, it will still taste good without it 😉

Ingredients:

1 apple, shredded (use a hard apple, like Macintosh, Granny Smith, Red Delicious)
1/4 tsp mustard seeds (rye)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
1/2 tsp turmeric (haldar)
1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing)
3 whole black pepper
1 in cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt (depending on taste)
2-3 tbsp sugar (depending on taste)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 bay leaves

Directions:

1. Vaghar – put oil on heated pot until oil is hot. Add mustard seeds (they will splatter). Add fenugreek seeds. Add cumin. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, black pepper. Add turmeric and asafoetida. Add paprika.
2. Add shredded apple. Let cook until all moisture is gone.
3. Add paprika, salt and sugar.
4. Let cook until all moisture is gone. Sugar will lose water and then thicken into jam consistency.
5. It takes a few minutes after you add the sugar until the sugar comes together in a thick syrup.
6. Remove from stove.
7. Enjoy!

NOTE: I usually enjoy with with poori and a nice hot cup of Indian tea.

NOTE: Most people can’t taste the difference between this apple chhundo and a normal gujarati keri chhundo. 😉