I have this giant book by James Peterson with the simple title: BAKING. I have done one recipe from it (sadly I can't remember which one) and wasn't happy with it. It deserved a second chance. It was a spontaneous baking choice, so I looked for a recipe that could accommodate whatever I had at home. What could be simpler than pound cake?
You can get his book at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
It turned out wonderfully and it was easy.
Now bake that!
I love that vignette from the movie When Harry Met Sally, when they talk in funny voices about pecan pie. Which makes me think...how are you supposed to say pecan? Is it pee-can? or pah-cawn?
Most pecan pie recipes have corn syrup in it. I'm not opposed to corn syrup. I make marshmallows from scratch. Yet, some traditional pecan pies seem too sweet. (and this is coming from the person who loves things sweet.)
Therefore, I was very excited to find this no corn syrup version from the All Recipes website, titled Pecan Pie V. It just uses regular granulated sugar and brown sugar. I read the comments and one person said that the pie top wasn't pretty. So the only change I made to the recipe was decorate the top with pecan halves.
The only problems I had this month is that there was not quite enough filling, the crust shrunk a little and I forgot to take the pie shield off, so the crust was a little pale looking.
Aesthetic comments aside, the pie tasted AMAZING. My parents were in town when I made this pie and were thrilled to give it a try. They loved it!
Now Bake That!!
It's a bird, it's a plane, its a cookie beehive!
Okay, it's not a cookie beehive.
It's a Kransekaka.
Not a kreme-de-la-kaka. Not a krala-la-lala. Not a krans-a-what-do-you-call-it.
It actually has several spellings: Kransekaka/Kransekake/Kransekage
It has several translations: Scandinavian wreath cake, Danish/Norweigan wedding cake, ring cake, ring tree cake, or ring pyramid cake.
What is a Kransekaka really? It's a concentric ring of stacked, iced almond cookies.
It tastes like a French Macaroon. However, unlike a macaroon, you can hide a half bottle of wine or liquor under this little beauty. It's from Scandinavia, so it's beige. Like the other Scandinavian foods I remember: Sandbakkels, Rosettes, Krumkake, Lefse, and Swedish Meatballs. All beige. I'm not saying Scandinavian only eat beige foods. No no no. They just have a lot of them.
Traditionally it is made in Scandinavia for special occasions (mostly weddings, but it is not strictly a wedding cake). It's decorated with flags. You are supposed to take off the top tiers to reveal the wine bottle. Then serve the largest rings first, breaking into pieces. If there is no bottle, obviously you can serve it top down.
As I mentioned in blogs past, I'm a Minnesota native. Minnesota is full of hockey loving, beige colored food eating, blue eyed, blonde haired Scandinavians. So it was typical for me to go in a local bakery (even some grocery store bakeries) and see a pretty, beige kransekaka in the display window. My sisters and all had them at our weddings. Now I live in Missouri. I brought one of these suckers to a party and suddenly people are perplexed. What's that?!?
The one I made above was for a medal party. A friend of mine is a two time, bronze medal winner for paralympics in track. So I made her a kransekaka for her party because:
A. It's circular, like the medals she just won in London.
(I am an occupational therapist, and we just love themes.)
B. She was finally eating sugar again.
C. It's awesome.
Okay! On to making one.
First you need the tins. Technically you could make them without the tins, but I think it would be hard to judge the sizes. You get them online. One place is through Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts, which is a shop in Minneapolis that I love going to.
I have two recipes: my Grandma's (well her friend Bertha's) and the one from the box of tins (which is gluten and dairy free by the way)
Bertha's Ring Tree Cake (Kransekake)
2 c butter, softened
1 8oz can almond paste, cut into chunks
2 c sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp almond extract
4 egg yolks, beaten
5c flour
Icing (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Grease the tins. Using an electric mixed, blend together butter, almond paste, sugar and almond extract until smooth. Beat 4 eggs in well. Measure flour and then sift. Add flour in gradually. With your hands roll 1/2 inch diameter strands of dough (width of index finger) or use a pastry bag with #6 tube. Place in well greased tins. Bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until delicately browned. Prepare frosting and place into pastry bag. Place rings on a plate. Assemble the cake by starting with the largest ring, frosting as you go, and stacking one on top of the other.
Frosting:
1 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp whipping cream
2 tbsp vanilla
*Tips: I use either a food processor a stick blender to make the initial dough (before the flour). Then I use a hand mixer to mix in the flour. Then I use a cookie press with a pastry holder (no tip) to get the dough in the tins. It's easier. Trust me.
Kransekage
3 c almond paste
1 1/2c granulated sugar
3 egg whites, slightly beaten
Break almond paste into small chunks, add sugar and egg whites. Mix thoroughly with an electric mixer (or food processor/stick blender). Fill a pastry bag with a number 6 tip. Grease the tins (really well). Bake 325 degrees for 20 minutes until surface is crusty and golden brown. Remove cookie from the rings as soon as they are cooled. Use the point of a knife to loosen the outer edge of the cake ring and then loosen the inner edge. It will come out if baked thoroughly.
Frosting
1 egg white
3-4 drops vinegar
confectioner's sugar to make a thin icing
Mix ingredients until smooth and well blended. Place icing in decorating bag with icing tip. Starting with the largest ring, make drizzels and scallops on the top/sides, stack the next size ring on the top and repeat.
Now Bake That!
