Danish Almond Coffee Cake

It's Friday night.

A friend and I decide to dine at BONEFISH GRILL Restaurant for dinner.

Before heading out, I'm chillin' out in my lounge chair and contemplating what to bake

Saturday morning.

Almond paste was a product I had not tried yet. So, guess what?

I will bake a DANISH ALMOND COFFEE CAKE.

So, we head out to dinner.

My friend and I enjoy cocktails and appetizers instead of an entree.
We prefer appetizers to an entree any day!

And of course, I must order dessert!

Mojito Cocktail

Calamari

Creme Brulee

Now it's Saturday...off to the kitchen to bake...

DANISH ALMOND COFFEE CAKE

YIELD
1 bundt cake

TIME
Baking time: 45-50 minutes
Temperature: 350 degrees

INGREDIENTS

FILLING
1 - 7oz box Odense Almond Paste
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

CAKE
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
1 10-12 cup bundt pan
Box grater

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Grease and flour 10-12 cup bundt pan
3. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons almonds into bundt pan and set aside.
4. Grate Almond Paste.
5. Mix Almond Paste, 1/2 cup of almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon together.
6. Set aside.
7. In mixing bowl combine sugar and butter.
8. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
9. Add eggs and extract.
10. Beat until batter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
11. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt.
12. Add flour mixture and sour cream to egg mixture.
13. Beat until combined.
14. Spoon 1/3 of batter into bundt pan.
15. Sprinkle 1/2 of filling on top.
16. Spoon 1/3 of batter on filling.
17. Top with remaining filling.
18. Cover filling with remaining batter.
19. Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near middle of cake is clean.
20. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
21. Unmold carefully onto wire rack and cool completely.
22. Garnish with confectioners sugar. (optional)

Almond paste is made of ground almonds, sugar and some almond extract. It is used in pastries, candies and cakes.

For more recipes using almond paste, check out website http://www.odense.com/

Peace in Baking,
Carmen

FOOD OF OUR OWN DESIGN~ baking in a commercial kitchen

It's Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009, 11 a.m. I'm finally baking in a commercial kitchen!

I am at a company called FOOD OF OUR OWN DESIGN.
It is located in Maplewood, NJ. Tim is the owner of this establishment.
He is very helpful and knowledgeable. I look forward to baking here often!

Here I am baking coconut cupcakes as Tim looks on.



Tim's business, FOOD OF OUR OWN DESIGN, specializes in fancy Italian cakes as well as pastries, brownies, crunch bars and custom cakes. It's a great resource for your kid's birthday party.

Address: 1988 Springfield Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040
Telephone 973-762-0985
Fax: 973-762-7895

• Hours: Mon - Fri, 7:30am - 3:30pm; Sat, Sun, closed
• Accessible: The entrance is at the sidewalk level.
• Payments accepted: MasterCard, Visa, Debit Card, Cash
• Products: Cakes and pastries
• General services: Catering, Phone orders, Take-out
• Specialties: Kids' birthday parties, brownies, pastries, custom cakes, mini-cakes, crunch bars
• ATM: No
• Parking: On-street: free


I'm wearing an apron with my logo
BAKING is my ZeN
...sweet nibbles for the soul


This is FOOD OF OUR OWN DESIGN in Maplewood, NJ.


Today, I baked Coconut Cupcakes
by Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten)
as a test run to see how it would turn out in a commercial oven.


Now to baking...
Check out the huge mixer and paddle used to mix the
cupcake batter...nothing like my small kitchenaid mixer.

Batter is ready to be transferred to cupcake liners.



Off to the oven to bake...


Today was a success. A good day.

For that I am grateful. :)



Peace in baking,

Carmen