As a bit of an aside, now that school has started back up, I am finding myself strapped for time once again. I know that once the initial hubbub dies down, I will be able to settle into some sort of rhythm (ah, wishful thinking), but as of now I have had a hard time getting myself into the cooking spirit. That isn't to say I haven't been cooking--it's just that most of what I have made and eaten in the past week or so has consisted of root vegetable hash (this round with celery root and Jerusalem artichoke) and beans and rice with spicy cilantro pesto. Feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the transition back to Portland life has made me a little lazy, and I take comfort in being able to cook a big pot of something simple and wholesome to help me charge through the week. It's just that, even though I know everyone loves beans and rice (or everyone should), it doesn't make for the most interesting topic of discussion.
So that's why I return to the cranberry, and in so doing, I'm heading back in time a little. After all, how could one not get all dreamy-eyed thinking about cranberries, especially when they form the foundation for a vanilla sugar coffee cake? Yeah, that's a little more exciting than beans and rice.
I want to share the recipe for this lovely cake even though I haven't made it since Christmas. I meant to write about it over winter break, but I got sidetracked by the lures of ice cream. Don't let that fool you into thinking that this cake deserves to be pushed aside, however. Hot from the oven, this cake will seduce you with its buttery, vanilla perfume. Just you wait. I added almonds to the original recipe to give a little crunch to the juicy, sweet cranberry center, and I think it was an excellent move. I fell in love with this cake, and with the cranberries that make it so perfect for a winter breakfast, so I'm hoping you will too.
CRANBERRY-ALMOND VANILLA COFFEE CAKE
Adapted from Gourmet
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (don't use vanilla extract)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries (we all know I love Vincent Family Cranberries)
3/4 cup raw almonds
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
confectioner's sugar to garnish
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment.
2. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a food processor with tip of a paring knife (reserve pod if desired). Add sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Pulse cranberries and almonds with 1/2 cup vanilla sugar in processor until finely chopped (do not purée).
4. Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Beat together 1 stick butter and 1 cup vanilla sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined.
6. Spread half of batter in pan, then spoon cranberries over it, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Tope with remaining batter and smooth top.
7. Blend remaining 1/4 cup vanilla sugar with remaining tbsp each of butter and flour using your fingertips. Crumble over top of cake.
8. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into cake (not into cranberry-almond filling) comes out clean and side begins to pull away from pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely, crumb side up.
No comments:
Post a Comment