Orange, Toasted Almonds and Chocolate Meringue Filled Yeast Coffee Cake - Daring Bakers

I call this Coffee Cake my "Deal Breaker". Ever since the first of the year (over 3 months), I've been in a deal with myself and food. I've been eating in moderation, counting calories and exercising more, using the Weight Watcher's point system and monitoring to make sure I get plenty of water and NOT plenty of chocolate. Until now. Until this month's Daring Bakers Challenge. Until this...

... Orange, Toasted Almond and Chocolate
Meringue Filled Yeast Coffee Cake.

This spongy bread roll of sweet meringue, Belgium Chocolate, toasted almonds and orange zest is a ring of break-apart, pull-apart handfuls of chewable irresistible temptation. Not to mention, it's hard to type with melted chocolate on your fingers.


The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.
See this plate with a sensible serving size of Coffee Cake sitting so pretty on it? That was not the problem. The problem was the pan in the background, the one with only HALF of the whole circle left because the rest of it is on my thighs!


Okay, back to reality tomorrow. I'll be giving the rest of this away. I can't even express how good this Coffee Cake is, but it's a heart breaking deal breaking yeast-beast. It can take an adult female down a chocolate-induced coma alley and make her literally eat off the serving platter because getting another plate would just take too long.
If you dare -- bake this. If you have people who can help you eat it before you eat it all -- bake this.

I'm not sorry I baked it. I'm not sorry I ate it. I will get back to sanity within 24 hours, and I will remember that the next time... the next time... I want to really go nuts on a sweet addictive Coffee Cake -- I will bake this, AGAIN!RECIPE: (as given to us by Daring Bakers)

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE [MY ALTERATIONS ARE IN BRACKETS]

Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter

[I cut this recipe in half and made one]

Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough:
4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour 1
⁄4 cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon (5 g / 1⁄4 oz.) salt
1 package (2 1⁄4 teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
3⁄4 cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
1⁄4 cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz. water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
1⁄2 cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature

[I used half of the above ingredients and added 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg, and zest of one orange]

For the meringue:
3 large egg whites at room temperature
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
1⁄2 cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar
For the filling:

[I used 2 egg whites, pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar]

Filling:

1 cup (110 g / 4 oz.) chopped pecans or walnuts
2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate

[I used toasted almonds, and belgium chocolate disks the cinnamon, sugar and a pinch of dried orange zest]

Directions:

Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1⁄2 cups (230 g) of the flour [3/4 cup], the sugar, salt and yeast.
In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.

With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour [ 1/2 cup] and beat for 2 more minutes.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Prepare your filling. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts and the chocolate separately.

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue: In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the 1⁄2 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.Assemble the Coffee Cakes: Line 2 baking/cookie sheets [I used 1] with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time, roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 1⁄2 cm) rectangle. Spread meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle your filling of choice evenly over the meringue.Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal. [I used a mold to keep the center in a circle].Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 1⁄2 cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.

Cover the coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.

Cinnamon Thyme Macarons w/ Orange Buttercream

Making Macarons are easy (after the one hundredth time you make them.)
Last year I took a wonderful Macaron workshop which gave me the technique and confidence to constantly experiment with these previously precarious palate-teasers. Now, I just have pure fun with the flavor combinations and themes, like these Cinnamon Thyme Macarons with Orange Buttercream filling.It started with a Cuban theme for a catering event over the weekend. I wanted to make something that was a light pastry with cinnamon, and maybe some citrus to pick up the orange, lime and lemon I was using in a Pork Marinade for Cuban Sliders. I wanted it to have a little elegance to it, without needing a plate, no sauce and not chocolate. I read several articles about the use of thyme and oregano in Cuban cooking and it clicked for me. Sometimes, I literally push my tongue around my mouth as I try to taste combinations in my head using my imagination, first - like putting colors together in your mind's eye. Does that sound strange? You can tell me.

Everyone has their own way of creating, and the right way is the process that works for you. After years of writing, teaching theatre, acting, etc... I've experienced watching all kinds of artist go about their crafts in many different ways. Some writers, for instance, will never put a single word onto the paper or screen until the entire story has been created in their heads first. They watch the scenes, the movie, the story unfold like a tiny film playing out in their minds. Then, the writing it down is the easy part. Others toil with page after page of brainstorming, false starts, whole drafts of a completely different story only to rewrite it into the one they meant to tell in the first place. Both, and all, are correct - for the artist. The same goes for actors and painters and song writers and designers and builders and... cooks. The important part, I think, is that we give ourselves the freedom to play, experiment, fail, re-do, burn, under-cook, over-whip and every now and then spray the walls because of a forgotten blender lid. We are "culinary artists" and our kitchens are our canvas and sometimes we create a great tasting macaron.

RECIPE: Cinnamon Thyme Macaron
(adapted recipe from the expert: Tartelette)

100 g. Egg Whites (from about 3 eggs)
25 g. granulated sugar
190 g. powdered sugar
100 g. almond meal (or ground almonds to flour)
1 tsp. powdered cinnamon
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Sift the Powdered Sugar, Almond Meal/Flour, salt, cinnamon and dried thyme together.

In your mixing bowl, whip the room temperature egg whites til foamy, then add the granulated sugar and continue whipping til the whites are full, doubled and hold their peaks.
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites all at once. Turning it over and over and through for about 50 strokes (according to Tartelette).

When the mass is like thick lava, pour it into a large tipped pastry bag. Holding the bag at about 45 degree angle, pipe out small round coin shaped circles (about 1.5 inches) onto a parchment lined baking sheet, or silpat covered baking pan.

Allow the pans to sit still for about an hour so the macarons can dry out on top a little.

Put into a 300F oven for about 12-15 minutes, til set.

Cool for a few moments, then carefully remove the macarons to a rack for cooling.

Using a pastry bag, pipe the buttercream into every other macaron and sandwich.

RECIPE: Orange Buttercream

57 g. (2 oz.) egg white (about 1 egg)
113 g. (4 oz.) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. orange extract
1 Tbls. orange blossom water (if not available, use 2 tsp. orange extract)
170 g. (6 oz.) butter
** Orange Coloring - optional**

In a metal bowl, over a pot of simmering water, whip the egg whites and sugar until glossy and thickened (about 8 minutes)

In your mixing bowl, pour in the egg mixture and whip, adding the orange extract and blossom water, until light and fluffy.

Change to a paddle attachment and continue to beat, adding the butter in gradually until all the butter has been added, and the coloring if using.
I'd love to hear about your latest "culinary creation".

I Cara Cara for You - Miniature Orange Tians for Daring Bakers 3/10

Orange you glad you stopped by? Ok, no more puns...for now. Spring citrus makes me giddy. It makes me think of sunshine and kid's soccer games. It reminds me of how my mom would cut a hole through each orange and hand them out to me, my brother and my cousins to squeeze and suck dry, then tear open to eat the left over fruit. It was a snack that kept us busy for a long time, and left us with sticky arms from the juice running down them, which meant another giggling run through the sprinklers. The only thing that could make citrus even better, would be to add whipped cream and a cookie!

Cara Cara Orange Tian Tinies

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.
Because I'm always looking for ideas to add to my Artisanal Catering services, I decided to make these in small 3inch servings. I used a wonderful pan from Chicago Metalics that is made for individual cheese cakes and has removable bottoms. It worked out fantastic, plus I can keep these frozen and just pop one out as needed for my family (okay, who am I kidding - mostly for me!)

Here's the process, then the recipe from the Daring Bakers will follow (along with red highlights of my tweaks.)First I cut the orange peels off, then into circles and soaked them in the simple syrup. I made the cookies and the marmalade a day ahead. Our challenge including making our own marmalade, not a hard thing and I hope you'll try it. It was just an easy refrigerator version and made enough to use on morning scones later. Mmmm.
I placed an orange slice in the bottom of the pan. Filled with the whipped cream that had been chilled (recipe below), spread some marmalade on the small Pate Sable cookies and turned it upside down on the whipped cream. After chilling for about 20 minutes, I could push each one out and set it up straight so the golden orange was on top. Then, using some of the juice and syrup that was left over, heated it into a caramel. I topped a few with the caramel sauce, dropped some zest into some of it, and then made some of it into pulled sugar disks. Experiment with it, you'll find your favorite.


RECIPES:

For the Pate Sablee:

2 medium-sized egg yolks at room temperature
granulated sugar 6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons ice cold, cubed
Salt 1/3 teaspoon
All-purpose flour 1.5 cup + 2 tablespoons
baking powder 1 teaspoon

Directions:
Put the flour, baking powder, ice cold cubed butter and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

In a separate bowl, add the eggs yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and beat with a whisk until the mixture is pale. Pour the egg mixture in the food processor.

Process until the dough just comes together. If you find that the dough is still a little too crumbly to come together, add a couple drops of water and process again to form a rough ball of dough. Form into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until you obtain a ¼ inch thick circle.

Using your cookie cutter, cut out circles of dough and place on a parchment (or silicone) lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the circles of dough are just golden.

For the Marmalade:

Ingredients
Freshly pressed orange juice ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons
1 large orange used to make orange slices
cold water to cook the orange slices
pectin 5 grams
granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked

Finely slice the orange. Place the orange slices in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.

Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.

Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.

Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).

Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar . If you don’t have a scale, you can place the slices in a cup measurer and use the same amount of sugar.

In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).

** add 2Tbls of brandy and reheat to boiling, stirring for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.

For the Orange Segments:

For this step you will need 8 oranges.

Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.

**Cut the rind off oranges and slice into rounds

For the Caramel:
granulated sugar 1 cup
orange juice 1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons

Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.

Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.

Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.

[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]

For the Whipped Cream:
heavy whipping cream 1 cup
3 tablespoons of hot water
1 tsp Gelatine
1 tablespoon of confectioner's sugar
orange marmalade (see recipe above) 1 tablespoon

In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Add the confectioner sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly while beating continuously. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.
[Tip: Use an ice cold bowl to make the whipped cream in. You can do this by putting your mixing bowl, cream and beater in the fridge for 20 minutes prior to whipping the cream.]

Assembling the Dessert:

**I used a mini-cheese cake pan by Chicago Metalica, with removable bottoms.

Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.

Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.

Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.

Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.

Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.

Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.

Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.

Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.

Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.

Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.