Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake -Daring Baker’s March’11 Challenge

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.

There is something about Coffee Cakes,the more I taste the more tempting it has been for me to experiment. A Classic Coffee Cake is intended to be served with coffee,that which never happens at my house. It gets over as soon as it is baked!. For once,I worked on the challenge well ahead of time. I took some pictures the day I baked them,planned to take some more the next day. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything left as my dear husband had wiped it.:-( duh! .So here I am left with only two pictures. Anyways am happy he liked them:).

To me adding yeast means baking a “bread”. Adding yeast and making meringue layer for a coffee cake recipe,was something I wouldn’t have thought about. This one was really different and interesting…..it was fun to make something new. As I didn’t have enough time,I stuck with the original recipe without thinking too much on creativity. Here is how I made them. (I halved the original recipe as I wanted to make only one cake)

Adapted from The Daring Baker’s Challenge March 2011

Recipe Source -Jamie found this recipe on a piece of yellowed paper in her dad’s collection of clipped out and hand-written recipes from the 1970’s,no source,no date,and she tried the recipe and it was brilliant.

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE

Makes 1 round coffee cakes,each approximately 10 inches in diameter

For the yeast coffee cake dough

2 cups flour
1/8 cup sugar
a pinch salt
½ package active dried yeast
3 oz whole milk
1/8 cup water (doesn’t matter what temperature)
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large eggs at room temperature
10 strands saffron

For the meringue:

2 large egg whites at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar

For the filling

Jamie’s version:
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts( I used a mixture of walnuts,almonds and cashew nuts)
1 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate
Egg wash:1 beaten egg
Cocoa powder (optional) and confectioner’s sugar (powdered/icing sugar) for dusting cakes

Prepare the dough

In a large mixing bowl,combine ¾ cup of the flour,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. Ria’s version:add the 10 saffron threads to the warmed liquid and allow to steep off of the heat for 10 minutes. This will give the mixture a distinct aroma and flavor and a yellowish-orange hue.
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 1/2 cup flour 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 (use any of the 3/4 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.

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 1/4 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.
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 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) 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 kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier),make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ 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 cake 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.
Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper 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 off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.

Just before serving,dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar as well as cocoa powder if using chocolate in the filling. These are best eaten fresh,the same day or the next day.

Verdict:Its a very different Coffee Cake -not very sweet,has a great texture,very soft too.I liked it warm….its one of the best coffee cakes I’ve baked!

Thanks Ria and Jamie for this wonderful challenge.