Chinese Donuts and Pancakes for a New Year's Brunch

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I are having guests for brunch on Saturday. In keeping with my plan to serve Chinese food for the duration of the Spring Festival, I've put together a menu that I think our guests will enjoy. I'll be serving congee, noodles, shrimp omelets, dumplings, and creamed bok choy as well as Chinese donuts and pancakes. The recipes for these dishes have been featured on One Perfect Bite in the past, but I came across new recipes for the donuts and pancakes that I wanted to try and share with you. They are easy to make and I think your family and friends will enjoy them. Here is how they both are made.

A Simple Swiss Onion Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first featured this recipe in 2009 and I thought it was time to share it with those of you who did not follow us back then. It certainly is worthy of an encore performance. I've made this tart for close to for 50 years and while I've tried others - including my beloved Julia's quiche Lorraine - this one always calls me home. It's simple to make and as close to fool-proof as a custard can be. The original recipe, which first appeared in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, appealed to me because it used a crumb crust. At some point I substituted a buttery pie crust for the crumbs and that added another dimension to an already delicious entree. We like this so well that I've developed another version of the pie that uses smoked salmon instead of bacon and over the years I've experimented with various types of cheese, including some combinations that make a lovely Southwestern-style tart. This makes a great entree for lunch or a light supper. It can also be cut into squares and served with cocktails. I hope you'll try this.

Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These simple muffins will make a wonderful addition to your breakfast or brunch table. They can be made without special equipment and if you have a large bowl and a wooden spoon you can serve your family fresh strawberry muffins within 30 minutes. Early strawberries are already available in supermarkets, but they lack the flavor of those that are harvested in June. These muffins are a perfect way to use early berries. The chocolate chips are a nice, but not necessary addition. I think you are going to love the muffins. Here is how they are made.

Tomato and Spinach Strata

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This dish made it to my table because I was looking for a more substantial strata to serve for a holiday brunch. As it happens, I actually found the dish to be too flavorful for the first meal of the day, but I do think that it might work for those of you who like to do breakfast for dinner or are in the market for a substantial lunch dish. I found the recipe for the strata in Eating Well magazine, and, as you'll see as you skim through the ingredient list, the strata tracks closely to most recipes for lasagna. Very closely. Only the addition of milk and the substitution of bread for noodles set it apart from the standard dish. There is nothing wrong with this dish and the recipe is easy to follow, but it is so much like the lasagna of memory, that you might want to stick to the real thing. If you decide to give this recipe a try, you'll want to use a sturdy bread, a well-flavored marinara sauce and let the dish sit overnight before baking it off. Here is how the strata is made.

For the Breakfast or Brunch Bunch - Low-Calorie Calico Scrambled Eggs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every Fat Tuesday, I spend some time pulling out meatless recipes to use during Lent. This simple dish is one I go back to year after year because it is so flavorful and easy to prepare. The recipe was originally meant for a frittata but that did not go as planned. My first effort was an abject failure and I could not get the eggs out of the pan. Once my wounded pride had healed, I decided to take the basic recipe ingredients and use them to make a really special batch of scrambled eggs. Voila! Since then I've made these eggs at least once a week during the lenten season. The eggs are simple to make, and while I like to cook them over low heat until they are set but still glistening, the Silver Fox prefers his to be cooked a bit longer. Soft or hard, I think you'll enjoy these flavorful low-calorie eggs for breakfast or a light supper. Here is how they are made.

Low-Calorie Calico Scrambled Eggs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 eggs
1-1/4 cups egg substitute
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet until it shimmers. Add peppers, onions and garlic and saute until crisp tender.
2) Meanwhile, whisk eggs, egg substitute, sour cream, cheese, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Pour over mixture in the skillet.
3) Cook and stir gently over medium heat until eggs are set. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

                    

                                                    Older Posts

                 One Year Ago Today:                                                     Two Years Ago Today:

        New Orleans Red Beans and Rice                                      County Derry Gilroy Porter Cake

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                  Four Years Ago Today: 

    Albondigas - Pork Meatballs with Chipotle Sauce                           Key West Lime Bars

Cream-Filled Cinnamon Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made this coffee cake for a realtors' open house and I was so pleased with the results that I wanted to share the recipe with you. The cake received rave reviews and the house sold, so I must have been on the right track when I selected it. It's an easy cake to make if you prepare it in stages, and it's a perfect choice for those of you who regularly bring baked goods to meetings or afternoon tea. While the cake tastes best when served at room temperature, it should be sliced when cold and refrigerated until an hour or so before you plan to serve it. I suspect that leftovers won't be a problem, but should there be any, return the cake to the fridge for storage. Now all I need to do is find a cake that makes packing easier. We have found a new home and will be moving at the end of this month. Hopefully, the stitches in my eye, which by the way is doing well, can be removed by that time and I can go back to being a regular person. I am a lucky lady and thank God and my surgeon in equal measure. I do hope you'll give this cake a try. We have some holidays coming up and it would be a stand-out on your brunch table. Here is how the cake is made.

Chilaquiles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our fall rains have started a bit early this year. Today was cold and wet enough to chill those of us who were outside when the deluge began. Once home, we set the first fire of the season and it quickly warmed these old bones that seem to be growing more cold sensitive every year. With the fire blazing and snug in a Northwood's fleece and wool socks, I set about making a lunch that would that would add some fire to our bellies as well. I decided to make chilaquiles (chee-lay-KEE-less) which is a traditional Mexican dish that is made with strips of fried corn tortillas, salsa and cheese. In some parts of Mexico, the tortilla strips are cooked in salsa until they start to soften, but there are exceptions to the rule, and in other areas of the country your plate will contain crisp tortilla strips that are topped with chicken, salsa, eggs and cheese. We first had chilaquiles while whale watching in Baja, and our introduction to them was the crisp fully loaded version. I still make the fully loaded variety, though I suspect the simpler version is more authentic. This is an extremely easy dish to make if you have the ingredients on hand. You'll need corn tortillas, salsa verde, chicken, eggs and cheese. Now, while you didn't hear it from me, rotisserie chicken and corn tortilla chips can make this dish even easier to prepare and just about as good to eat as the from-scratch variety. Refried beans are often served as an accompaniment to the chilaquiles and they add substance that will please those with large appetites.You can serve the chilaquiles with the same topping as you would use for enchiladas. The dish is quite filling and perfect for a fall brunch or lunch. Here is how they are made.

Chilaquiles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup canola oil
8 corn tortillas, cut into 3/4-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 tsp salt
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup salsa verde
Optional:
Shredded queso fresco, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 350 degrees to 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry tortilla strips in 3 batches until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes each, gently moving around in oil with a slotted spoon. Remove with spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season strips with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2) Carefully discard all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add eggs and cook over medium heat until scrambled, about 2 minutes. Season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Meanwhile, heat chicken and salsa verde in a medium pan.
3) Arrange tortilla strips on a large platter. Spoon chicken mixture on top, then scatter eggs on top of chicken. Garnish with shredded queso fresco, sliced scallions and chopped cilantro, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Arroz Brasileiro - Brazilian Tomato Rice

Two Years Ago Today: Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Three Years Ago Today: Pickled Plums

Four Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Frosting

Colomba Pasquale - Italian Easter Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our plans for the Easter holiday are falling into place. We'll be having friends for a traditional dinner on Saturday night and on Sunday, if the good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll be enjoying a potluck brunch on the shores of Loon Lake. After sifting through a maze of possibilities, I decided to make an Italian Easter cake, called Colomba Pasquale, as my contribution to the communal feast. I did a test run of the recipe today and I'm really pleased with the results. The cake is made with a sweet dough, similar to the one that is used for panettone, and it is usually baked in a dove-shaped mold. I've reached an age where the chances of any new pots, pans or molds coming into my kitchen are mighty slim, so the idea of a dove-shaped cake, no matter how lovely the symbolism, was immediately sacrificed on the altar of  practicality. I was tempted to try a freeform version of the dove, but the dough used to make the cake is so soft I was afraid it would sprawl and look like an amoeba by the time it finished baking. I decided to use a large springform pan instead and it worked really well. I put a collar on the pan, so the dough was free to rise and my finished cake was a bit over 3 inches high. The dough used to make the Easter cake is easy enough to prepare, but because it begins with a sponge and rises several times, it is time consuming and shouldn't be attempted when you are short of time. The dough is sticky, but if you use too much flour to remedy that, your finished cake will be dry. While it is counterintuitive, wet hands will make working the dough easier. You could also use an electric mixer that has a dough hook and be done with it.  The best part of the colomba is the almond topping which adds texture, flavor and eye appeal to the bread. The finished cake is really pretty and I know you will enjoy it. Here is how it is made.

Colomba Pasquale - Italian Easter Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Italian Connection and Emanuele's Kitchen

Ingredients:
Sponge
3/4 cup milk
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
Dough
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk (set aside the white)
1 stick (4-oz.) butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 small orange
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup golden raisins
Almond Glaze
1/3 cup almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 egg white
1/3 cup whole almonds
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1) To make the sponge: Heat milk to 105 degrees F. and pour into a medium size bowl. Mix in 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup flour and mix thoroughly with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 30-45 minutes.
2) To make dough: Melt butter in a saucepan and let cool. In a large bowl, beat 3 whole eggs and 1 yolk with a fork. Mix in sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon and orange rinds. Stir in butter. Stir in risen sponge. Mix energetically until well combined. Gradually mix in the 3 cups of flour.
    Turn dough out onto a well-floured board and knead until smooth, adding additional flour only if needed to keep dough from sticking. Knead in raisins. Place dough in a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
   When dough has risen, fold it over itself in the bowl several times, then shape as desired, either as one large round cake, 2 smaller round cakes, or 2 colombe-dove shapes. I made one large cake in an 10” springform pan. Butter bottom of the pan, then line inside ring with parchment paper so that it is above rim of the pan by several inches, and secure with a metal paper clip. Place dough in pan, and flatten so that it is even and touches side of the pan. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes.
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3) To make almond glaze: In a food processor, grind almonds and sugar by pulsing, until they are finely chopped. Add cornstarch and egg white and blend well. Carefully spoon glaze over cake dough,- do not push down on dough, which will deflate it and ruin your efforts! Scatter whole almonds over surface of glaze and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
4) To bake: Place cake pan on bottom rack of oven, and bake for 20 minutes, then lower temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for another 20-40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If top starts to darken too much, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning. Cool on a rack. If made a day ahead, cover well in plastic wrap to keep fresh. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

Cook's Note: While the traditional shape of this cake is a colomba – the dove that is the symbol of peace - the dove shape is a bit awkward without a special pan, so I make one large round cake which gives spectacular results.





One Year Ago Today: Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

















Two Years Ago Today: Peanut Butter Fudge














Three Years Ago Today: Zeppole for the Feast of St. Joseph













Four Years Ago Today: Cinnamon Rolls and the Junction City Daffodil Festival

Coffee Crumb Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The coffee cake we know today was not a unique creation.  It evolved in progressions that began with ancient honey cakes and galettes and  morphed into the yeasty sweet rolls, crisp Danish and quick breads that we've come to associate with our breakfast and morning coffee today.  The concept of a coffee cake, or sweet cake that is served with coffee, probably originated in Europe during the 17th century. We have the Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians to thank for them and immigrants from those countries brought their cakes with them to the new world.  The Scandinavians, however, were the group most responsible for making American's a nation of coffee drinkers and coming up with the kind of food that goes well with pots of the steaming brew. While German women brought the Kaffeeklatcsh, an occasion that combined gossip and coffee drinking to the new world, the pot of coffee brewing on the back of stoves in Scandinavian kitchens became synonymous with hospitality and became America's version of England's tea. Despite waves of immigration the term coffee cake  was not used until 1879 when it began to appear now historic cookbooks. Following World War II, promotional campaigns sponsored by organizations representing coffee importers highlighted coffee breaks and the assortment of plain cakes served during those breaks were renamed coffee cakes and  recipes for them became popular in home kitchens.  The recipe I'm featuring today is one of those recipes. It was developed by Nick Malgieri for Saveur magazine. It is a lovely cake and very easy to make.The cake layer is topped by a thick, almost obscene, layer of crumb topping that I think you will love. The crumb layer is so thick that it is hard to tell when the cake is done and I let mine bake for an additional 10 minutes. The next time I make this cake I plan to use a larger pan and cut back on the amount of streusel I place on top of it.  There is such a thing as wretched excess. Having said that, I must again say this cake is delicious and I think those of you try this recipe will be more than happy with the results. Easter is coming and this would be  a great addition to your breakfast or brunch table. Here is how the cake is made. 

Coffee Crumb Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nick Malgieri and Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
Crumb Topping
1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Cake
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 cups flour, plus more for pan
1 tablespoon  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4  cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

Directions:
1) To make  crumb topping: Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Add butter, and rub into flour mixture with your fingers until large clumps form. Stir in walnuts, and refrigerate until ready to use.
2) To make cake layer:  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla in another  bowl on medium-high speed with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat until smooth. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk in 3 batches, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating after each addition until just  combined. Scrape batter into pan. Smooth top. Break topping up into large clumps and sprinkle  evenly over batter. Bake until topping is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in  middle comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Yield: 10 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Irish Cream Pudding Parfait













Two Years Ago Today: Chicken Picadillo in Tortilla Cups with Chili Lime Sauce














Three Years Ago Today: Thai Tuna Salad














Four Years Ago Today: Sticky Rice and Alms Giving in Luang Prabang

David Eyre's Baked Pancake + Our Orphan of the Storm

 

Our youngest grandson doesn't understand what all the fuss is about.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Remember General MacArthur's, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away"? Well, there are also recipes that refuse to die, but unlike the general, they ebb and flow, rather than fade away. David Eyre's famous recipe for baked pancakes can be counted in their number. Craig Claiborne first wrote about the pancake in 1966 following a brunch he enjoyed in the home of Eyre while vacationing in Hawaii. The pancake looks a bit like a Dutch Baby but it is more delicate in flavor and can best be described as a cross between a pancake and a crepe. A simple batter is poured into a sizzling butter bath and baked. While in the oven it poofs to perfection before sinking under its own weight into a thin layer of eggy goodness. This effortless confection has never lost its popularity with those who have tasted it. It is a classic case of once bitten. If you have never made it, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. You, too, will become a convert at first bite. As an aside, David Eyre died in 2008 at the age of 96. His daughter told Amanda Hesser that his last supper was the pancake. I thought his signature pancake would be a perfect feature for Shrove Tuesday.

David Eyre's Baked Pancakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of The Essential New York Times Cookbook, Martha Stewart and Food52

Ingredients:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Pinch of nutmeg
4 tablespoons (one half stick) of unsalted butter
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Juice of half a lemon

Directions:
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine flour, milk, eggs, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat lightly. Leave batter a little lumpy. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle. When it is very hot, pour in batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and return briefly to oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve with jelly, jam, or marmalade. Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Lemon Shortbread Cookies for Valentine's Day

Two Years Ago Today: Lamb Shreds withVermicelli

Three Years Ago Today: Eggs Smothered in Spoonbread

Ferran Adrià's Tortilla Española (Spanish Potato Frittata)

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...In an earlier post, I mentioned that the recipes I'd be featuring for the week would be very simple. I neglected to mention that one of them was developed by a man who is an undisputed master in the culinary world. Tonight's recipe is the creation of Ferran Adrià who made the now defunct el Bulli a culinary mecca. Everyone who loves Spanish cooking is familiar with the lusty Spanish potato frittata, or Tortilla Española. It's an omelet that is made with layers of thinly sliced and fried potatoes, so there is a lot of work involved in its preparation. Adrià wanted to simplify the procedure and began to experiment. In one of those Eureka moments he seems to have more often than the rest of us, he decided to use store-bought thick-cut potato chips instead of the older peel, cut and fry variety dictated by tradition. In order to produce potatoes that would have the proper consistency, he hydrated them in the omelet mixture before cooking the frittata and his version of Tortilla Española was born . I love the simplicity of this recipe and I make it often for breakfast, brunch or dinner. This recipe is a real time saver and the only caution I have to share with you regards its cooking time. Please follow the times suggested in the recipe. If the frittata overcooks it will be dry and you'll wonder what the fuss is about. Despite the warning, I really hope you'll try the Tortilla Española. It is delicious. Here's how it is made.

Tortilla Española (Spanish Potato Frittata)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ferran Adrià and Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
4 ounces (about 2-1/4 cups) crushed thick-cut potato chips, like Cape Cod brand
2 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto
1/4 cup finely chopped canned piquillo peppers or pimentos
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dry
8 eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
1) Heat broiler to high.
2) Combine potato chips, ham, peppers, thyme, eggs, and salt and black pepper in a bowl and let sit to allow chips to soften in eggs, about 5 minutes.
3) Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add egg mixture and cook, without stirring, until bottom begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to broiler, and broil until set and golden on top, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Tortellini with Garlic and Sage Butter

Two Years Ago Today: Sonoran Hot Dogs

Three Years Ago Today: Mexican Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...On the off chance that your holiday menu is not yet set in stone, and you are still looking for a coffee cake to start the day, I'd like to recommend this sinfully rich concoction that comes from the recipe developers at Martha Stewart Living. This cake is as sweet as it is rich, so if you have a more European sensibility and prefer barely sweet treats, you might want to bypass this recipe. IT IS SWEET. The cake is not difficult to make if you divide it construction into workable segments. The only problem you might have in making it, is deciding when it is actually done. As is the case with many filled cakes, a toothpick or cake tester will probably fail you miserably. You'll get crumbs even when the cake is done. I've found that a thump in the center of the cake is a better predictor of doneness than a toothpick. Time-wise, I've found 60 minutes works well for me and my oven. Please keep in mind that ovens are calibrated differently and what works for me may not work for you. I'd also like to recommend lining the the bottom of the tube pan with parchment paper. This cake wants to stick and your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to prevent that from happening. If your pan is well-greased, lined and floured, you won't have any problems when you unmold it, especially if you swear. I hope those of you who really enjoy sweet things will give this recipe a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Here's how the cake is made.

Pecan Streusel Coffee Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
Streusel Topping
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Streusel Filling
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Cake
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch tube pan with removable bottom with butter or coat with a nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
2) To make streusel topping: Mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Mix in 1/2 cup pecans. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3) To make streusel filling: Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Set aside.
4) To make cake: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined. Spoon half of batter into pan. Sprinkle streusel filling mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter, and spread evenly using an offset spatula. Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.
Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Remove cake from pan, and transfer to parchment.
4) To make glaze: Mix together confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle over cake, and let drip down sides. Let set for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Cook's Note: Coffee cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

One Year Ago Today: Muhammara

Two Years Ago Today: Lemon-Mint Snap Peas with Lima Beans or Edamame

Three Years Ago Today: Savory Mushroom Puff

Almond Kringler for St. Lucia day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...St. Lucia Day's is nearly here and because I've exhausted the recipes usually associated with the holiday, I've decided to feature a few other Scandinavian treats that would be perfect for her feast day. The reasons that might explain why the world's only practicing Catholic, Quaker, Buddhist celebrates a Swedish holiday are many, but their roots can be found in a childhood friendship and adventures shared with Claire, whose story can be found here. Claire, loved crisp, crumbly pastries and she'd be an enormous fan of the almond kringler that I'm featuring today. Its origins are fuzzy. Some insist the cake is a Danish creation while others contend it's Swedish through and through. I strongly suspect the real truth can be found in the test kitchens of Betty Crocker, but more of that later. We do know that in the late 1800's a group of Danish immigrants settled in Wisconsin and brought with them a filled pastry they called a kringle. Their kringle was originally pretzel-shaped, but over time it morphed into a circular or rectangular form. It's country of origin also became cloudy, with some boldly attributing creation of the crisp and buttery pastry to the Swedish. The impass might never have ended had Betty Crocker not introduced American homemakers to her "Danish Puff" cake in the late 1960's. The original recipe, found here, immediately became popular and it is still treasured by many who consider it to be a family heirloom. The cake, which is buttery and flakes like a true Danish, is incredibly easy to make and looks like it was made by a pastry chef. The kringler is delicious and I highly recommend this recipe to all of you who have not yet made it. I used the version developed for the King Arthur website. It adds a layer of jam to the cake that was not part of the original recipe. It is also less sweet because it uses less glaze. I really hope you will give the almond kringler a try. You won't regret it and it would be perfect way to start to your Christmas morning. Here's how is made.

Almond Kringler...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:
First Layer
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*, cut into pats or 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
*If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Second Layer
1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temperature; warm them, in the shell, in hot tap water for 10 minutes if they're cold from the fridge
1 teaspoon almond extract
*If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Topping
2/3 cup jam or preserves
1/2 to 2/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree F oven for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they're a light, golden brown
Icing
1/2 cup confectioners' or glazing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 teaspoons milk or water (approximately)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large cookie sheet.
2) To make first layer: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine butter, flour, and salt (if you're using it), working butter into flour with a pastry blender or fork, your fingers, or a mixer. Mix until everything is crumbly, then stir in water. Dough will become cohesive, though not smooth. Divide dough in half; if you're using a scale, each half will weigh about 4-5/8 ounces. Wet your hands, and shape each piece of this wet dough into a rough log. Pat logs into 10 x 3-inch rectangles on sheet, leaving at least 4-inches (but preferably 6") between them, and 2" on each side. These puff up in oven and you need to leave them room for expansion.
3) To make second layer: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Stir until butter melts, then add flour (and salt, if you're using it) all at once. Stir mixture with a spoon till it thickens, begins to steam, and leaves sides of pan; this will happen very quickly.
    Transfer dough to a mixing bowl, or bowl of an electric mixer. Beat it at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just to cool it down a bit. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat until dough loses its "slimy" look, and each egg is totally absorbed. Mix in almond extract.
    Divide batter in half. Spread half of batter over one of dough strips on pan, covering it completely. Repeat with remaining batter and dough. With a spatula (or your wet fingers) spread batter until it completely covers entire bottom layer of dough. Smooth it out as best you can.
    Bake pastry for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's a deep golden brown. Remove it from oven, and transfer each pastry to a wire rack.
4) To make third layer: Spread each warm pastry with about 1/3 cup of jam or preserves. (Any flavor is fine, but our favorites are raspberry and apricot.) Sprinkle toasted almonds atop jam. By this time, your beautifully puffed pastries are probably starting to sink; don't worry, this is to be expected.
5) To make icing: Stir together sugar, vanilla, and enough milk or water to form a thick but "drizzlable" icing. Drizzle icing atop pastries. Cut into squares or strips to serve. Yield:12 to 16 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Suliman's Pilaf and Duck Breast with Cherries

Three Years Ago Today: Irish Boxty and Jewish Latkes