Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake

If you have some brunches with family and friends coming up on your horizon, this is a very easy little brunch cake that will serve 8.  This cake is light, very tender and presents a nice layer of tart raspberries for a bright splash of both flavor and color.  The almonds are a perfect garnish, adding just enough texture and nuttiness to the mix.

The raspberries are macerated in some sugar to sweeten them up and a bit of lemon juice to boost their flavor.  There's buttermilk and melted butter in the cake for extra tenderness.  Along with the jammy fruit, each bite sort of melts in your mouth.

What I like about this cake is it's not heavy or too sweet, so it doesn't ruin your appetite for a full day of festivities.  Add it to your Christmas morning table along with steaming hot coffee and tea and enjoy the start of your holiday.  Cheers!

Bench notes:
- Most commercial cartons of raspberries are equal to 6 oz.
- The raspberries should macerate for about 10 minutes or the time it takes to assemble and mix the remaining ingredients.
- There isn't a lot of batter but you will get two thin layers out of it.
- Be careful when removing the cake from the pan.  It's tender and a bit fragile while still warm.



Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
Serves 8

6 oz fresh raspberries
2 T sugar
1 t lemon juice

1 C flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 egg @ room temperature
1/2 C + 2 T sugar
1/2 C buttermilk @ room temperature
3 oz (6 T) butter, melted
1 t vanilla
1/4 C sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8" cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.

Combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice and set aside to macerate.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In another bowl, whisk the egg, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.  Use a fork to stir in the flour mixture and mix until moistened and there are no streaks of flour.

Spoon a little over half of the batter into the prepared pan, making sure to cover the entire bottom surface.  Top with the raspberry mixture.  Dollop the remaining batter over the raspberries and spread out in an even layer.  There will be some raspberries exposed and that's fine.  Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a thin knife around the edges and gently turn out the cake.  Invert again onto a platter.  Cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Honey Spice Loaf

It's been quite a long time since I've had Pain d'Epices, a French spice bread typically made with rye flour, honey and spices with origins that date back to the Napoleonic era.  When I worked in a French bakery, we produced it every week.  The texture is usually dense and it's often served as an accompaniment to savory food at holidays.

This loaf cake is different but somewhat in the same vein, although it has the texture of cake rather than bread.  The focus is really on the interplay between the raisins and the anise seeds, which I think are well matched.  There's a touch of whole wheat flour to keep the taste fairly rustic.  It's plain in nature and would pair well with a smear of soft cream cheese.

In this season of strong flavors and textures, I like the subtle flavor and the soft crumb of this cake.  So while it's a fairly simple and understated composition, I think it's still worthy of a holiday brunch table or afternoon tea or coffee affair when you feel a momentary urge to stray away from the usual seasonal loaf cakes and breads.

Bench notes:
- Plump the raisins by pouring hot simmering water over them and letting them stand for 1/2 hour.  Then place in a strainer and drain for 5 minutes.
- As with most spice cakes and cookies, this tastes better the next day.  The cake will keep for a few days wrapped and placed in an airtight container.

Honey Spice Loaf
Makes 1 loaf

1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
1/2 t anise seeds, crushed
1/8 t allspice
1/8 t cloves
pinch nutmeg
1/2 C canola oil
2 eggs @ room temperature
1/3 C honey
1/2 C dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 t vanilla
zest of 1/2 orange
1/2 C buttermilk @ room temperature
1/2 C raisins, plumped and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/12" loaf pan and line with a piece of parchment paper large enough to form an overhang on both sides along the length of the pan.

Sift together the flours, baking soda, salt and all the spices.

In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, honey and sugars until smooth.  Add the vanilla and orange zest.  Alternately add a third of the flour mixture and half the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix just until the batter is blended and has no streaks of flour.  Stir in plumped and drained raisins.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched and a tester comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.  Remove from pan and peel off the parchment.

Pear Cranberry Cobbler

This chilly wet weather seems to be inviting thoughts of comfort food.  And among the most satisfying of comfort foods in the realm of pastry is fruit cobbler, a good old-fashioned spoon dessert.  This is a winterized version with a pear and cranberry filling.  The fruit is tart and spiced with a touch of cardamom.  The biscuit topping is tender and perfect for soaking up the juices.  And it's a welcome dose of bright color in a season of spice cakes and chocolate.

The cobbler is easily tossed together, something you can appreciate if you're beginning to feel the stress of many, many errands.  The fruit is first baked in the oven to soften and release the juices.  Then the biscuits are spun together and placed on top of the bubbling filling and baked until they're golden brown.  Easy, familiar and of the season.  Serve warm for a nice dose of simple comfort in the midst of the rain and all the holiday preparations.

Bench notes:
- Pears should be ripening but firm.  I used D'Anjous.
- I love tart desserts but you may want to sample the fruit halfway through cooking to see if you'd like it sweeter.  Then add sugar accordingly and continue to bake.
- Stir the sour cream before measuring to integrate all the liquids.  You can substitute heavy cream or buttermilk for the sour cream.
- Place the baking dish on top of a baking sheet to catch any potential spillover as the fruit cooks.
- Gild the lily with a scoop of ice cream!



Pear Cranberry Cobbler
Makes 6 servings

3 fresh pears
1 1/2 C fresh cranberries
1/2 C sugar
heaping 1/4 t cardamom
zest of 1/2 orange
1/4 C water

1 C flour
2 T sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/8 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 oz (4 T) cold butter
1/2 C sour cream

1/2 T butter, melted
sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter a deep 9" pie or square baking dish.

For the filling, peel and core the pears and slice into 1/4" wedges.  Place them in the baking dish and toss with the cranberries, sugar, cardamom, orange zest and water.  Cover the dish tightly with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

While the fruit is baking, prepare the cobbler biscuits.  Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour mixture, tossing to coat each piece.  Using your fingers or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse meal.   Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the sour cream into the well.  Using a fork, fluff the flour into the center and gently stir and turn the ingredients.  It will look lumpy and clumpy.

Turn out the dough onto a work surface.  Give it a very gentle kneading.  About 3 - 4 turns should be enough to consolidate it.  Pat into a round about 7 1/2" in diameter and nearly 1 1/2" thick.  Use a 2" or 2 1/2" cutter to form the biscuits.  Gather the scraps and gently press and pat them into an additional biscuit.

When fruit is ready, place the biscuits on top.  Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.  Bake until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown, about 25 - 30 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate Cherry Cakes

It's at this time of year as the rains roll in and the wind picks up that I go to my cupboard to assess my supply of dried fruit.  In order to get through the winter months, I have tucked away dried apricots, figs, dates, cranberries and cherries.  And while they aren't nearly as pleasing as fresh fruit, they still work their own magic in various pastries and desserts.

For these little cakes, I soaked some dried cherries in port to soften them up.  Then I plopped them into a very moist and simple chocolate cake that is a basic canvas for lots of things.  In this case, I also added some ground nuts and dribbled some chocolate glaze on top to make them more festive.  But they'd be just as good if you served them with a dollop of brandied whipped cream or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.  A very quick and easy dessert to lend warmth to a chilly night.  Cheers!

Bench notes:
- Soak the dried cherries in the port until they are softened, about 1/2 hour or so.
- If you use almonds, the sliced variety are easier to get to a finer grind.
- I baked these in 6 oz (3.75" diameter) tapered ramekins for 18 minutes.  You can also use Pyrex custard cups or a standard cupcake pan.
- For the chocolate glaze, chop the chocolate into fairly small bits to help it melt evenly and efficiently.
- Extra cakes can be stored in an airtight container and will stay moist for a couple of days.



Chocolate Cherry Cakes
Makes 8 cakes

1/2 C dried cherries
1/3 C port
1 C flour
1/4 C toasted walnuts or almonds
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1/4 C + 2 T natural cocoa powder
1/4 C + 2 T warm water
1/4 C + 2 T canola oil
1/2 C + 2 T granulated sugar
1/2 C dark brown sugar, packed
1 egg @ room temperature
1/4 C milk @ room temperature
1 t vanilla

Chocolate Glaze
3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1/2 C heavy cream
1 T corn syrup
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease eight 6 oz ramekins or 8 wells in a standard cupcake pan.

Roughly chop the dried cherries and plump them in the port until they are soft.

Place the flour, nuts, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until the nuts are finely ground.

Stir the cocoa and warm water together until thoroughly blended.  In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars and egg and blend well.  Add the cocoa mixture.

Combine the milk and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients to the sugar-egg-cocoa mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Stir in the cherries and port.  Pour into prepared ramekins, filling each about 3/4 full.

Bake until a tester comes out clean with just a couple of moist crumbs attached, about 18 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Run a thin bladed knife around the edges to loosen and turn out the cakes.

For the chocolate glaze, finely chop the chocolate.  Heat the cream and corn syrup on low heat until it reaches a good simmer.  Remove from heat, add vanilla and pour into a large measuring cup.  Add the chopped chocolate and let it sit for about a minute.  Stir slowly until fully combined.  Let it cool for a few minutes to thicken.

Plate the cakes and pour some chocolate glaze over the top of each.

Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies

The popularity of Nutella is pretty staggering.  But I have to confess, for someone who loves the combination of hazelnuts and chocolate - giandiua in Italian - I'd never tasted Nutella.  In order to remedy that, I set off to make a cookie that incorporates it.

Nutella was created in Italy in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, a confectioner who also later developed the tremendously popular Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolates.  Since chocolate was in short supply at the time due to rationing, Nutella spread was made with cocoa rather than chocolate and that's how it's made today.  Nutella was introduced to a broader market in the early 60s and the rest, as they say, is history.

I've gotten into the habit of making cookies in my food processor, so this recipe is pretty quick to produce. The cookies are crunchy, crumbly and nutty.  For a simple Hazelnut Sandie tea cookie, they're good served plain.  But for something more adventurous, make them into sandwich cookies with a dollop of Nutella.

Bench notes:
- Toasting nuts brings out their oils and heightens their flavor.  Toast hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 8 - 10 minutes.  Watch them closely as they will taste bitter if they are left too long.
- I'm kind of a freak about chilling cookie dough to be sure the cookies hold their shape when baked.
- If you prefer, roll the dough into logs.  Chill until firm.  Slice about 1/4" thick and bake.  You'll get more cookies that are smaller in diameter.
- Add an extra pinch of salt if you enjoy a salty nut cookie.
- Although I didn't have any on hand, I was tempted to add a small dab of natural raspberry jam as well.  Or, if you prefer, simply fill the cookies with about 4 oz chocolate melted with 2 oz of butter.



Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies
Makes 32 cookies; 16 sandwich cookies

2 C flour
1 1/4 C powdered sugar
3/4 C (about 3 1/2 oz) toasted hazelnuts
1/4 t salt
8 oz (16T) cold butter
1 egg
1 t vanilla

Nutella

Place flour, powdered sugar, toasted hazelnuts and salt in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until the nuts are finely ground.

Cut the cold butter into small 1/2" cubes and add to the flour and nut mixture.  Process until the mixture looks like coarse meal, about 10 seconds.  Combine the egg and vanilla and add.  Process until the dough starts to form clumps around the center of the machine and holds together when pinched.

Divide the dough in half and place each portion on a piece of plastic wrap.  Put another piece of plastic wrap over the top of each portion of dough and flatten into discs.  Using a rolling pin, roll out each disc of dough between the two sheets of plastic wrap to a circle about 10" in diameter.  Slide onto a baking sheet or pizza pan and chill thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Cut out cookies using a 2 1/2" cookie cutter.  Gently re-roll scraps for additional cookies.  Place 12 cookies per baking sheet.  Press a whole hazelnut into half of the cookies.  Bake until just lightly browned around the edges, 10 - 12 minutes.  Place the pans on a wire rack to cool completely.

Spread a dollop of Nutella on the underside of half the cookies.  Top with remaining halves.

Orange & Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons are an old standby, the gold standard sought out by coconut aficionados and found in countless bakeries just about anywhere.  They are more than satisfying to those who love their chewy richness.

This is a basic recipe for coconut macaroons with just a little bit more.  To add a note of citrus, I tossed in some orange zest along with lemon zest for backup.  I also spiced it up ever so slightly with a smidgeon of cardamom.  As the macaroons bake, the exterior gets toasty and caramelized and the interior remains moist and chewy.  And then to give it a necessary dose of luxury that serves the season, I dipped the bottoms in chocolate.

There are a few different methods to produce macaroons but I like to stick with the easiest.  Simply combine all the ingredients together in one heatproof bowl.  Then place the bowl on top of a pan of some barely simmering water.  The mixture is cooked for about 5 minutes or so until it's thickened and dried out a bit.  This cooking is to prevent the batter from slumping and forming puddles of liquid on the baking sheet, which burns and ruins the whole thing.

If you're a coconut lover or happen to know one who might enjoy this cookie, this is one of those pastries you can whip up in very short order without a lot of muss or fuss or lots of equipment and dirty dishes.  Although they're also good without the chocolate garnish, it balances the flavors and textures in an important and delicious way.

Bench notes:
- For this recipe, I use sweetened coconut because it's very easy for most people to find in their local grocery store.
- To measure the coconut, I scoop it into the cup without packing it.
- The standard weight for egg whites is 1 oz.  If you have a stash in your refrigerator, weigh out 4 oz for this recipe.
- I added just a pinch of cardamom, probably a very scant 1/8 teaspoon.  You want just a hint of spice.
- I used a small #40 cookie scoop to portion the batter.
- These cookies are gluten free.
- Also try  Pineapple Coconut Macaroons from David Lebovitz.



Orange & Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
Makes 2 dozen cookies

1/2 C + 2 T sugar
zest of 2 medium oranges
zest of 1 lemon
4 egg whites
3 C sweetened shredded coconut
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt
pinch of cardamom

3 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 oz (3 T) butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats.

Place the sugar, orange and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor.  Process until the zest is finely ground and releases its oils into the sugar.  It will look orange in color and smell like citrus.

Whisk together the sugar and citrus, egg whites, coconut, vanilla, salt and cardamom in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan with a couple of inches of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn't touching the water.  Stir the mixture with a spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the entire bowl to prevent scorching.  Cook until thickened and the liquid has mostly been consolidated, about 5 - 6 minutes.  The goal is to dry it out so it will hold its shape without slumping or making a puddle of liquid on the baking sheet.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons into a ball and place 12 per cookie sheet.  Bake until the edges and bottoms are golden brown, 13 - 15 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.  You may need a small spatula to assist in removing them if they stick.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces.  Place the butter in a heatproof bowl and add the chocolate on top.  Melt the butter and chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn't touching the water.   Whisk to thoroughly combine.  Remove from heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes.

Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate, scraping the excess off the bottom against the side of the bowl.  Set the macaroon on its side on a piece of parchment or a silpat to dry.  Store in an airtight container between sheets of parchment or wax paper.