"Easy Baking"

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Food FUNdamentals

Catherine L. Pressler CCP - Culinary Educator
703-609-0151
email: drmclp@verizon.net

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Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
   

Streusel
Ingredients:
1)   ½ cup unbleached all-purpose Flour
2)   ¼ cup granulated Sugar
3)   ¼ cup plus 1 tbs. Light Brown Sugar
4)   scant tsp. grated Orange Zest OR a combination of Orange and Lemon Zest
5)   ¼ tsp. ground Cinnamon
6)   1 tsp. ground Nutmeg
7)   generous pinch ground Mace (optional)
8)   ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
9)   4 tbs. unsalted Butter at room temperature
10) 1 to 1¼ cup fresh Blueberries

Preparation:
1)   Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, citrus zest, cinnamon, nutmeg,
       mace (if used) and vanilla together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
2)   Blend together the ingredients using the beaters or the paddle beater.
3)   Add the room temperature butter cut into one tablespoon pieces.
4)   Using the same beaters, blend the butter into the granular ingredients,
       blending only until the butter is incorporated, but still chunky crumbly in
       texture.  Do not allow the mixture to mix until it begins to gather together
       into large clumps.
5)   Turn the mixture out onto a dinner plate and place in the refrigerator until
       needed later.
6)   If desired, this streusel can also be made in the food processor (if you do
       not mind the extra dish washing).
7)   If using the food processor, place the flour, sugar, brown sugar, citrus
       zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace (if used) and vanilla together in the work
       bowl of the food processor.
8)   Add refrigerator-cold butter cut into one tablespoon pieces and pulse
       briefly to incorporate, but do not process long enough to cause the mixture
       to begin to form clumps.
9)   Again, set the mixture aside in the refrigerator until needed.  (It is not
       necessary to remove it from the food processor bowl, but do remove the
       metal knife blade.)

Cake
Ingredients:
1)   2 cups unbleached all-purpose Flour
2)   1 tbs. baking powder
3)   1 tsp. Salt
4)   generous pinch ground Cinnamon
5)   generous pinch freshly grated Nutmeg
6)   generous pinch ground Mace (optional)
7)   1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter (plus additional for the pan) at room temperature
8)   ½ cup granulated Sugar
9)   ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
10) scant ¼ tsp. grated Orange Zest OR a combination of Orange and Lemon Zest
11) 3 large eggs at room temperature
12_1 cup whole Milk at room temperature
13) 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
14) 1½ cups fresh Blueberries

Preparation:
1)   Preheat the oven to 350 deg. f.
2)   Generously brush a rectangular 13  by 9  by 2-inch deep cake pan with butter.
3)   In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon,
       nutmeg and mace (if used) and set it aside.
4)   In the mixing bowl of the stand mixer used to make the streusel topping
       (no need to wash the bowl), combine the butter, the granulated sugar, the light
       brown sugar and citrus zest.
5)   Blend the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
6)   Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
7)   Mix the vanilla extract with the milk.
8)   Add the sifted flour mixture in 3 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with
       the milk in 2 parts until just combined.
9)   Blend on the lowest speed of the mixer after each addition.
12) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in th blueberries.
11) Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan.
12) Remove the streusel topping from the refrigerator.
13) Scatter the topping blueberries over the top of the coffee cake batter.
14) Evenly sprinkle the chilled streusel over the top of the blueberries.
15) Bake the coffee cake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown and a
       tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, or the center
       of the cake registers 190 deg. f. on an instant-read thermometer.
16) Cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Fruit
Ingredients:
1)   3 quarts fresh Strawberries

Preparation:
1)   Gently rinse the strawberries and lay out on a cloth towel.
2)   Pat dry.
3)   Allow to set until later.

Pastry
Ingredients:
1)   ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted Butter - refrigerator cold
2)   3 cups bleached all-purpose Flour
3)   2 tbs. granulated Sugar
4)   ¼ tsp. Baking Powder
5)   ¼ tsp. freshly grated Nutmeg
6)   ½ tsp. Salt
7)   ¼ tsp. grated Orange Zest OR a combination of Orange and Lemon Zest
8)   ½ cup Butter-flavored solid Vegetable Shortening
9)   ¾ cup plus 2 tbs. Whole Milk - refrigerator cold

Preparation:
1)   Place 1 stick butter, a dinner plate or large shallow soup bowl, and a box
       grater in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until needed later.
2)   In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg,
       salt, and citrus zest.  Add the butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening
       cut into tablespoon-sized pieces.
3)   Using a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the
       shortening is the size of lima beans.  Set aside.
4)   Remove the butter, plate or bowl and box grater from the freezer.
5)   Quickly unwrap the stick of butter, and grate the butter on the largest hole
       of the box grater.  Be very careful as the butter stick gets close to the “stub”
       to not scrape your finger tips on the grater.
6)   Quickly and thoroughly stir the grated butter into the flour/shortening
       mixture using a fork.
7)   Add ¾ cup of the refrigerator cold milk, stirring it in with a fork.
8)   Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold milk, a little at a time, as needed, to
       make a dough that holds together.
9)   With your hands, press the dough together to form a rectangular dough
       shape that is approximately 6 by 10 inches.
10) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate briefly while the syrup and
       the fruit are prepared.

Syrup
Ingredients:
1)   ½ or ¾ cup Unsalted Butter
2)   1 cup Light Brown Sugar
3)   2¾ cups granulated Sugar
4)   2¼ cups Water
5)   ¼ tsp. grated Orange Zest OR a combination of Orange and Lemon Zest
6)   1½ tsp. Lemon Juice
7)   1½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
8)   1 to 2 tbs. Grand Marnier or Strawberry Schnapps (optional)

Preparation:
1)   Preheat the oven to 350 deg. f.
2)   Place the oven rack on the lower middle shelf of the oven.
3)   Place 1 or 1½ sticks butter in a glass rectangular 13  by 9  by 2-inch baking
       casserole.
4)   Place the casserole in the oven to melt the butter.
5)   It is OK if the butter begins to brown but watch it ... do not let it burn.
6)   In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar,
       water and citrus zest.
7)   Heat the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring a couple
       of times.
8)   Remove the mixture from the heat.
9)   Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract and the liqueur (if desired).

To Assemble Cobbler
1)   With a paring knife or strawberry huller, remove the strawberry stem tops
       and quarter or halve lengthwise, depending on how large the strawberries
       are.  (Large strawberries should be quartered, small strawberries only need
       to be halved.)  Set aside in a mixing bowl.
2)   On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled pastry to a shape that is about
       34 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches deep.
3)   Scatter the prepared strawberries on the surface of the pastry, leaving about
       3 cups of the strawberries ... just eye-ball it ... in the mixing bowl.  (The
       strawberries will look somewhat sparse on the pastry ... that is OK.)
4)   With the assistance of a pastry scraper, begin to turn up the long edge of the
       pastry and roll the pastry, jelly-roll style, forming a long, 34-inch roll/log.
5)   Cut the roll into 16 pieces.  (First cut the roll in half.  Then cut each half in half.
       Then cut each quarter into 4 pieces.)
6)   Remove the casserole with the melted butter from the oven.
7)   Place the reserved 3 cups of strawberries in the casserole dish, distributing
       them evenly around the bottom.
8)   Place each of the 16 strawberry spirals in the casserole on their side,
       cinnamon-roll-style, over the strawberry layer.
9)   Set the casserole in the oven on the oven rack, with the oven rack extended
       out from the oven.
10) Pour the warm syrup into the casserole.  Be sure that the syrup liquid is at
       least a to ½ inch below the rim of the casserole (the mixture will bubble and
       the fruit will juice as it cooks and perhaps bubble out).  If the syrup liquid is
       not low enough, do not add all of the syrup in the beginning.
11) Watch the cooking, and if desired, the syrup can be warmed in the microwave
       and some can be added later, if desired.
12) Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until quite bubbly or the mixture
       registers 190 deg. f. in the center on an instant-read thermometer.
13) Cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
14) Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Good Eating!!!

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