Carol’s Comfort Foods

Yield:  8 biscuits

These are a delightful cross between a scone and a biscuit with the tangy flavor of goat cheese.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

¼ cup chilled butter, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 – 5 ounce log soft fresh goat cheese

1 cup buttermilk (plus a bit extra for glaze)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Using fingertips, rub the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the chives.  Add the cheese and the buttermilk; stir in with a fork until a sticky dough forms (bits of cheese will be visible in the dough).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently about 8 times with floured hands.  Do not over-knead!  Form into a round, about ¾ to 1 inch thick.  Cut the round into 8 wedges.  Use a pastry brush to brush on some extra buttermilk over the surface of the wedge.  Arrange the wedge on a baking sheet, slightly separating the individual wedges.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.  Serve with generous dollops of butter.

Yield: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup diced onions

¼ cup diced red bell pepper

¼ cup diced green pepper

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated pepper

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ cups frozen or fresh corn kernels

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Grease a 9×9 pan that is at least 2 inches deep or a shallow 2-quart casserole dish.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter and pour in the oil.  Add the onions and sauté until translucent.  Add in the red and green peppers and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until softened.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the milk and cornmeal.  Stir in the sugar, eggs, cottage cheese, baking powder, salt and pepper.  Add in the corn kernels and cooled onion mixture.  Stir in the grated cheese and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake sopa for approximately 40-45 minutes or until the center is set and doesn’t wobble.  Remove from oven and serve warm with butter.  Serve with soup, chili or stew. 

Note:  If you like a sweeter cornbread, increase sugar to 3-4 tablespoons.

Source: King Arthur Bread Company - The Baking Sheet newsletter – Volume XIX, No. 1, Winter 2008 issue

Holiday Cranberry Bread

Yield:  1 loaf of bread

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1-½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped in halves

1 egg

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Juice and zest of one orange

2 teaspoons butter

Boiling water

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease 8 ½ x 4 ½ x2 ½ loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper

In an electric mixer, add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix.  Add egg and beat thoroughly.  In a ¾ measuring cup, add the juice of orange, orange zest, 2 teaspoons butter and add hot water to fill the ¾ cup.  Add liquid to the flour and egg mixture and blend well.  To the batter, combine the chopped cranberries and nuts and stir well.

Spread batter evenly into prepared loaf pan and let rest for 20 minutes.  Bake in oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool for approximately 15 minutes.  Remove bread from pan and transfer to a wire rack and allow bread to finish cooling completely.     

 Yield: 8

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1-1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped green onions, green tops

¾ cup heavy cream + 2 tablespoons for brushing the top

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and granulated sugar.  Work the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly.   Mix in the cheese and green onions.  Add ¾ cup cream to the flour mixture and work into until the dough comes together.  Place dough on a floured surface and pat into a 7-inch disk, approximately ¾ inch thick.  Cut into 8 wedges and separating the wedges from each other a bit.  Brush the scones with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream.  Bake the scones for 22-24 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Adapted: King Arthur Flour 

Yield:  12 muffins

INGREDIENTS

Muffins

1-½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk or buttermilk

2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping

½ cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease muffin tins or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 ½ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.  Place vegetable oil, milk and egg in a bowl and mix well until the egg is combined.  Add this to the flour mixture and stir well.  Gently fold in the blueberries.  Fill the muffins cups about ¾ full.

Crumb Topping

Using a fork, mix together the sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until the topping is nice and crumbly.  Sprinkle over the muffins before baking. 

Bake muffins for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly.  Enjoy!

Tartines are the French version of an open-faced sandwich.  They start with a slice of good rustic bread that is either toasted or not, and then topped with a variety of meat, cheese, vegetables and herbs. 

Tartines are a great appetizer, as they can be assembled at the last minute without much fuss.  Depending on the size of the bread slices, you can slice then diagonally into 2-3 servings per slice of bread.  Great last minute appetizer.  Serve with your favorite wine and presto you have a simple and classic appetizer, sure to impress your guests!

Yield: Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

6 slices good country bread

¼ cup olive oil

4 ounces goat cheese

1 cup of roasted red pepper strips

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the slices of bread on a rimmed baking sheet.  Brush them with olive oil and bake for approximately 5 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and turn slices over and brush with remaining olive oil.  Return to oven and continue baking for about 3 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter.

When bread has cooled, spread goat cheese on one side of the bread.  Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.  Top with one or two strips of roasted red pepper.  Sprinkle fresh oregano on top.  Cut each bread slice into thirds and serve immediately.  If preparing in advance, store the bread in an airtight container and the other ingredients in the refrigerator.  Assemble and serve.

Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups assorted cherry, grape and teardrop tomatoes, halved or quartered

½ small red onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

½ cup fresh spinach, chopped

½ lb feta cheese, crumbled

1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 large loaf focaccia – halved horizontally (reserve other half for another use)

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

PREPARATION

Combine halved tomatoes, finely chopped onions, 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped fresh basil and spinach, feta cheese and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; season with salt and freshly grated black pepper.  Cover and let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.  Tip:  Can be made up to 2 hours in advance.

Preheat broiler.  Place focaccia half, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush bread with olive oil.  Toast bread in broiler until it is golden brown, watching closely so it doesn’t burn, about 2 minutes.  Remove bread from broiler and immediately rub the cut side of bread with halved garlic, then cut focaccia crosswise into 4 equal pieces.  Top the toasted focaccia with the tomato mixture and drizzle lightly with additional olive oil.

I like crunchy croutons and have found that a combination of stove top and oven baked preparation gives me the buttery, crunchy taste and texture that I am looking for in a crouton.

Yield: 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

½ loaf bakery or French bread – cut into ½ inch cubes

1 large clove of garlic – roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

In a medium saute’ pan, add oil and butter. When the butter is completely melted, add the clove of garlic and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic starts to brown. When the garlic starts to brown, remove it from the pan. Add the bread cubes and toss in the garlic flavored oil and butter.

Transfer the bread cubes to a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally so the croutons are browned on all sides. Remove from the oven when the croutons are lightly browned. Serve with soups or as a topping for salads.

This is a recipe that I adapted from the Barefoot Contessa Parties! cookbook. I didn’t infuse the cake with the lemon syrup or glaze it. In doing so, it turned out like a coffeecake or sweet bread rather than a cake. Not too sweet, but great flavor and texture. Great treat along with a cup of tea or coffee.

LEMON LOAF

Yield: 2 (8-inch) loaves

INGREDIENTS

½ lb or 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 extra large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6-8 lemons)

3 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 ½ x 4 ¼ x 2 ½) loaf pans.

Cream the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time and then the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine ¼ cup lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternatively to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

When loaves are done, remove from oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let them completely cool on a wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife and serve plain or with fresh whipped cream.

Yield 12-16 Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

¾ cup buttermilk

1 egg beaten

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut butter into the flour mixture, but do not overwork. Stir in milk, egg and thyme. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead about a dozen times. Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for approximately 12-14 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot with butter.

Makes 16 large cinnamon rolls

INGREDIENTS

Dough

1 teaspoon plus ½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup warm water

2 – (1/4 ounce) packages of dry yeast

2 cups buttermilk

½ cup softened unsalted butter

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup instant potato flakes

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cake flour

4-5 cups unbleached all purpose flour

Filling

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

½ cup (1 stick), unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons milk, as needed

PREPARATION

To Make the Dough: In a large bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water and stir in the yeast. Let stand 10 minutes or until foamy. In a saucepan, heat buttermilk and butter until just warm, stirring to combine. Add ½ cup sugar, buttermilk mixture and stir to combine. In a bowl, combine potato flakes, salt, baking soda and cake flour. Add to liquid mixture and stir to combine. Stir in all purpose flour, a cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes (or you can use electric mixer with dough hook attachment), adding more flour as needed to make a soft but not overly sticky dough. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise until double in volume (usually 2-2 ½ hours). When dough has risen, punch down and let rest, covered for 10 minutes.

To make the Filling: In a bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Rolling out the Dough: On a large, lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to large rectangle about 20 by 26 inches. Dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Thinly spread the filling over the dough, leaving ½ inch border free from filling. Roll up tightly, beginning with long side. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 slices (to get even slices, cut the roll in half and then repeatedly halve the halves to make 16 rolls). In a greased 12×17 inch jellyroll pan, place rolls cut side down, making four rows of four rolls each. Press on rolls to flatten slightly to 1 inch thick. Do not crowd the rolls; they need room to expand during rising and baking. Cover in plastic and let rise until almost double in size. When rolls are ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the pan back to front halfway through the baking time. They should be light golden brown. Let rolls cool slightly while making the frosting.

To make the Frosting: With an electric mixer, combine butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy, adding milk, if necessary to thin to spreadable consistency. Frost rolls while still warm.

Source: Nadia Murray – Atlanta Journal Constitution – September 11, 2003

Serves 8-12

INGREDIENTS

Cake

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

Filling

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease and flour a 9×12x2 baking pan and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla extract and beat well. Alternate, adding flour mixture and sour cream in thirds to the batter, ending with the flour. Spread half of the batter into baking pan. Mix filling ingredients together and sprinkle half over the batter. Carefully spread remaining batter over filling mixture and sprinkle with the remaining topping. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Don’t over bake otherwise the coffeecake will be dry. Enjoy while warm with a cup of coffee!

Makes 4 dozen fritters

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cup all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

¾ cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 medium firm apples, such as Golden Delicious or Granny Smith

3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Vegetable oil for frying

Confectioner’s sugar and warm maple syrup

PREPARATION

Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar. In a large mixer bowl, beat the egg lightly. Add the milk and vanilla and blend. Peel and core the apples, chop finely (can use food processor) and toss with lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients gradually to the milk mixture, then fold in apples. Heat oil in a skillet to 365 degrees F. There should be about ¼ inch of oil. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonful into the skillet, patting each fritter down a bit. Fry until golden brown on one side and then turn and brown the other side, should take about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a platter and keep warm in the oven until the remaining fritters are fried. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve with warm maple syrup.

Source: Marcia Adams – Heartland - 1991

INGREDIENTS

Yields: 24 muffins

4 eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sour cream (16 ounces)

2 cups fresh blueberries

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Using an electric mixer beat eggs. Gradually add in sugar and mix thoroughly. Slowly add vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Combine dry ingredients and then slowly add them to the egg mixture; alternating with the sour cream. Gently fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins or muffin tins with liners, filling about ½ to ¾ full. Bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from muffin tin to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Sourdough Biscuits
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
3/4 tablespoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 -1 cup water

Mix all together adding water as needed.
You want a slightly stick dough to turn out onto a clean floured surface.
Pat dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle, flip and cut into rounds or squares
for your biscuits. Allow dough to rest for 15 minutes, then place into an preheated 400 degree oven.
Bake until browned 10-15 minutes. For these I cut squares.

PS- Guess what is missing? FAT

This biscuits are essentially fat free and they taste awesome. With honey or jam.. Yummy.

Combine in large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, such a Kitchen Aid mixer, and let sit for about 5 minutes.

1 package of active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/13 cup warm (105F to 115F) water

After five minutes add:

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Mix by hand or on a low speed for around 1 minute to get all the ingredients blended together. Knead by hand or with a dough hook on medium speed for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil, ensuring the you get the dough coated in the olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a French towel and let sit to raise in a warm place (75F to 85F) for 1 1/2 hours.

To bake your pizza’s:

Preheat the oven to 475F. Grease and dust 2 cookie sheets with cornmeal. You can also use a baking stone, which will really take you homemade pizza’s to the next level. If you are using a baking stone ensure that you heat it in the oven for 45 minuets.

It will take 5 days before your sourdough starter is ready to cook with.

Day 1

1 Cup wholewheat flour

1/2 Cup cool water

Combine the flour and water in a nonreactive container. Glass, stainless steel or food grade plastic all work well for this. Cover the container and let sit for 24 hours at room temperature(65F to 75F).

Day 2

1 Cup wholewheat flour

1/2 Cup cool water

After the first 24 hours you may start to see some activity, though don’t be discouraged if you don’t yet. Either way discard half of your starter and stir in the flour and water to the remaining half. Recover and let sit again for 24 hours at room temperature.

Day 3, 4, & 5

1 Cup wholewheat flour

1/2 Cup cool water

By day 3 you will most likely see activity. This will be bubbling, a fresh fruty smell, and evidence of expansion. On day 3, 4, & 5 for the feedings you will need discard all but 1 cup of the starter and stir in the flour and water. Recover and let sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.

After 5 days of feeding your starter should be ready to use in a sourdough recipe. For most sourdough recipes you will have around 1 cup of starter left over. This can be feed as above and used to cook with again the following day.

Refrigerate a starter:

If you don’t plan on using the starter every day you can store the starter in the refrigerator. Refrigerated starter should be feed weekly. To feed the refrigerated starter remove from the refrigerator and discard all but 1/4 cup. Add 1 cup wholewheat flour and 1/2 cup cool water. Stir well and let sit out for 3 hours before returning the starter to the refrigerator.

Bake with a refrigerated starter:

Two or three days before you plan to bake with a refrigerated starter remove it from the refrigerator and feed it as normal. Be sure that you leave it at room temperature for these two or three days.

CHEESE BISCUITS

The key to making great biscuits is buttermilk.  Having lived in the South for the past seven years, I have found that the best Southern cooks use buttermilk for their biscuits.  Using buttermilk in the recipe results in a tender, flaky biscuit. 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup butter – chilled – cut into small pieces

¾ cup grated Cheddar Cheese

1 cup buttermilk

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together.  Cut in the butter into the flour mixture, until it resembles cornmeal.  Add the cheese and then stir in the buttermilk and stir just until blended.  Do not over stir the dough mixture.  Using a parchment lined baking pan, drop biscuits by tablespoonful, approximately 2 inches apart.  Brush the tops of biscuits with melted butter.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. 

Serve with butter and honey. 

SKILLET CORN BREAD

The key to making great corn bread is a cast-iron skillet. Using the cast-iron skillet produces a slightly crisp crust and the corn bread browns better, than using a glass or metal baking pan.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cup yellow corn meal

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 ¾ cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons honey

½ stick unsalted butter

½ cup frozen corn kernels

½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place a dry, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet in the middle of the oven to heat.

Mix together cornmeal, baking soda and kosher salt thoroughly. In another bowl, whisk the eggs until blended and add in the buttermilk.

Remove hot skillet from the oven carefully and add the butter. Swirl gently to coat bottom and sides of the skillet. Add the remaining butter to the buttermilk mixture and return the skillet to the oven. Stir cornmeal into the buttermilk mixture until just moistened. The batter does not have to be smooth. Add honey and then fold in the frozen corn kernels and grated cheese.

Scrape batter into the hot skillet and bake until golden brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and invert cornbread onto a platter for serving. Serve with butter and honey.

This is a wonderful sweet bread recipe that is included in Rose Levy Beranbaum’s book, The Bread Bible published in 2003. The recipe is a bit complex, but the outcome is well worth the effort. The bread is firm, but moist and the crumble topping is a perfect combination of cinnamon, sugar and walnuts.

INGREDIENTS

Crumble Topping

¼ cup brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar

¾ cup walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

3 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cake Batter

1 egg

2 large egg yolks

1/8 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cup cake flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

3/8 teaspoon baking soda

scant ¼ teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons of softened butter

¼ cup plus, 1/8 cup sour cream

PREPARATION

Grease the bottom of a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf pan and then line the bottom with parchment paper and spray with Baker’s Joy or grease and flour the whole pan. (If using non-stick pan and Baker’s Joy, no parchment is needed).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, thirty minutes before baking and place a rack in the middle level of the oven.

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse brown sugar, granulated sugar, walnuts and cinnamon until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Reserve ½ cup for the filling. To the remainder, add ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, 3 tablespoons butter (melted) and ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Pulse briefly, just until the butter is absorbed. Empty the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for about 20 minutes to firm up, then use your fingertips to form a coarse, crumbly mixture for the topping.

Peel and core a tart apple and cut into ¼ inch slices, toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly combine 1 large egg, 2 large egg yolks, 1/8 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

In a mixer bowl, combine 1 ½ cups sifted cake flour, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 3/8 teaspoon baking soda and scant ¼ teaspoon salt and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add 9 tablespoons of softened butter and another ¼ cup, plus 1/8 cup sour cream and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the speed to medium if using a stand mixer or high speed if using a hand-held mixer and beat for 1 minute to aerate and develop the structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually, add the egg mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.

Scrape about 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the reserved ½ cup crumb mixture and top with the apple slices, arranging them in two rows of overlapping slices. Drop the remaining batter in large blobs over the fruit and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with the crumb topping.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the bread springs back when pressed lightly in the center (an instant thermometer inserted in the center will read about 200 degrees). Loosely tent loaf pan with buttered foil after 45 minutes to prevent overbrowning.

Remove the bread from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Place a folded kitchen towel on top of flat plate and cover it with plastic wrap. Oil the plastic wrap. Loosen the sides of the bread with a small, metal spatula and invert it onto the plate. Grease a wire rack and reinvert the bread onto it, so that it is right side up. Cool completely about 1 ½ hours, before wrapping airtight.

APPLE COFFEE CAKE

The apples and sour cream in this coffeecake make it an exceptionally moist and delicious cake. Perfect with that cup of coffee in the morning!

INGREDIENTS

Crumble Topping

½ cup walnuts

¼ cup dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Coffee Cake Batter

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup sour cream

1 ¼ cup diced apples

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degree F

In a food processor bowl, using a steel blade, add the walnuts, dark brown sugar, unsalted butter and cinnamon. Process, using the pulse setting, until the walnuts are finely chopped and the crumble is the consistency of cornmeal. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and then add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well in between. Into the coffeecake batter, alternate adding the dry ingredients with one cup of sour cream, mixing thoroughly. Finally, gently fold in the diced apples into the batter.

Pour the coffeecake batter into a greased 9×2x13 baking pan. Sprinkle top of coffeecake with the crumble topping and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the coffeecake comes out clean.