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. We were given two recipes to choose from, and here’s the one I chose:
Jamie’s Coffee Cake
Dough Ingredients:
4 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 package active dried yeast
¾ cup whole milk
¼ cup water
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature
Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1½ cups of flour remaining) 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. (P.S. This is what the original recipe said, “sexy dough!” I did my best…)
Filling Ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate
* Note- I also added 1 cup cinnamon chips because I find them DELICIOUS.
Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling. 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. Also, I chopped my pecans, and chocolate and cinnamon chips in my food processor for uniform size.
Directions:
Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue. In a clean mixing bowl, 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 ½ 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 with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (ex: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts and half of the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate).
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.
Using a sharp knife, make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch intervals. Don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.
Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings. Cover the coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Egg wash:
1 beaten egg (I used the left-over egg yolks from the meringue)
Cocoa powder (optional) &
Powdered sugar for dusting cakes (also optional- I sprinkled mine with cinnamon and sugar, and crystallized date bits.
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.
Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper (or Silpat mats) off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes onto cooling racks.
The only draw back (for me) with this recipe, was length of time. I can’t imagine what hour I would need to wake up to have these ready for breakfast- only because I have a “slow-rising dough” curse over me. Even though I used “rapid-rise” dried yeast, it still took my dough almost two hours to double in size (and that was sitting on top of my warm oven!) When I use regular yeast, my dough rises in about 4-5 hours!! So the Mister and I enjoyed this coffee cake around 3:00pm yesterday afternoon- which is not a bad time of day for coffee cake… but it’s not a breakfast hour by any means. Regardless, it was VERY tasty and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to try this recipe! Thanks again Daring Bakers!
Your coffee cake looks so very tasty. My kitchen was so cold that I made the dough on Saturday evening and just left it to rise on the counter over night. It had doubled by morning. If your kitchen is a bit warmer just stick your dough in the fridge over night. If you are lucky and are on the second rise, then you can just pop it in the oven when you get up in the morning.
Roxanne
Thanks for the tip Roxanne! I’ll try that next time
xoxox
These cakes are gorgeous. They look so incredible too. How are you this magical in the kitchen? Intimidating!
I saw a performance art festival in Glasgow once. One woman came on stage, dumped a huge lump of dough out of her purse and began to kneed it with increasing vigor. Within 2 minutes she had thrown her body in it, the lights went out and you heard a -thud…thud. When they went back on she was gone but there were two body sized dough marks left on the walls flanking the table. I say yes to sexy dough.
just discovered your cute blog and i LOVE it.
i’d love it if you stopped by via :
http://alwaysamrsforeverakidd.blogspot.com
happy monday !
Why do you do this to me? My fat fat belly can’t handle it! It looks SO good. I’m with the neighbor kid, go for the nutella!
Also, the only way 3pm is an acceptable breakfast hour is if you are in college or over 80 years old.
xoxo
J
yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com
Sara!! Intimidating?!? Honey, no! I’ve seen you make amazing creations in the kitchen! Silly goose.
Holly thank you for your tale of truly sexy dough!! 😀 I love it!!
Molly Beth- Thank you!
Janee A.) I doubt your fat belly exists! If I make the Nutella version, I’m hand-delivering it to YOU! 😀
xoxo
Thanks everyone!
Oh my goodness, I started following you about a month ago and every morning while I’m getting ready I drool over your latest creation in the kitchen! I made some bagels from your recipe the other day and they were fantastic. I’m actually trying this recipe right now. I adore this blog, I adore you, and I can’t wait to see what you’re going to make next! Have a great day! -Ellen
Ellen! That completely brightens my day! Thank you so much for following my blog and trying these recipes. It means so much to me that you are drooling every morning! Haha! Thanks so much for reading. I’m really glad you’re here
xoxo
radmegan
don’t you love Daring Kitchen I do. Your bread looks really great
Oh I sure do!! Thanks Peta!