Best Jelly-Roll Ever! (Flourless)

From The Viennese Pastry Book

The best jelly roll ever, it’s super moist because it's made with almond flour.  However, no one will be able to tell and your gluten-free friends will be forever grateful. The other great benefit is that it's extremely simple to make.  Fill the roll with whipped cream, jelly or chocolate ganache.

Yield: 8-10 servings

5 egg yolks

1 cup confectioners sugar (generous)

5 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon sugar

2 ¼ cups finely ground, blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter a 10” x 16” jelly-roll pan.  Line it with parchment paper (cut parchment paper at corners to make it fit smoothly).  Butter the parchment paper.

Beat the eggs yolks and sugar until pale, creamy and thick, approximately 6-8 minutes.  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs whites until very stiff but not dry.  Gently fold the eggs whites and almonds into the yolk mixture.  Fold gently until thoroughly mixed.

Pour batter, spreading evenly, into the jelly-roll pan.  Place pan into oven.

Reduce heat immediately to 350 degrees.  Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and springy to the touch.

Remove the cake with parchment paper from the pan.  Roll lengthwise with the parchment paper into loose roll (from short end to short end).  Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

When cool, gently unroll and spread whipped cream evenly over the surface.  It is fragile and can crack, but once re-rolled and iced, no one will know.  Re-roll, removing the parchment paper as you proceed.  Refrigerate.

This roll can be iced with a frosting of your choice.   It keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Egg Liqueur (Eierlikör)

 

This bears no resemblance to the stuff that passes for egg nog that you can purchase at the grocery store.  Eierlikoer is a traditional Christmas drink in most Austrian and German households.  It is rich and creamy without cream!  The secret is that the eggs are cooked like a custard.  This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and then bottled for gift-giving.

Combine in a large saucepan:

500 ml milk
120 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean sliced lengthwise

While stirring constantly, heat the milk and sugar over medium-low until very hot and the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. (You can do this by sitting the pot in cold water in the sink.)

3 egg yolks
90 grams sugar

Meanwhile beat the egg yolks and sugar until stiff and light colored.

Once the milk is cool, add the egg yolk mixture.  Set the saucepan back on the stove over low heat.  Slowly, stirring constantly, heat the mixture to below a boil, approximately 85 degrees Celsius.  Do NOT let the mixture boil or it will curdle.  Initially the egg yolk mixture will resist mixing with the milk, but as you stir it will meld.

Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then add:

500 ml good quality rum

Strain into bottles and serve warm or cool with freshly grated nutmeg.

Store in the refrigerator.   If it separates, give the bottle a shake and all will be well.  (My mother leaves it outside the fridge, but despite all the rum, I am nervous about this.  No one has died yet though!)

You can substitute brandy for the rum, this will make a sweeter liqueur. Adjust the sugar down according to your taste.


 

Vanillekipferl (Almond Butter Cookies)

These are traditional Austrian Christmas cookies. They are very delicate in texture and are similar to butter cookies in flavor.  This recipe comes from my grandmother and can be easily doubled. 

3.7 oz (105 gram) cold butter
2 oz (55 gram) ground blanched almonds
1.2 oz (35 gram) icing sugar
4.9 oz (140 gram) flour
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 320 degrees F.

On a clean counter, mix together the dry ingredients.  Cut in the butter.  With you hands, use a rubbing action to work the butter into the dry ingredients.  Pick up some of the dough in your hands and rub your hands together, drop the dough, pick up a new batch and repeat until the dough holds together.

Knead the dough briefly.

Roll the dough into a ball.  Divide into three or four batches and roll each batch into a 1” diameter sausage. Put into the fridge until cool.

Remove one batch from the fridge.  (The other batches can be frozen and made at a later date.)  Slice off 1/8 inch thick pieces and roll them into a  1/4 inch thick pencil shape and then bend them until they are the shape of a crescent moon.

Bake 10-14 minutes, these cookies should not brown on top, the bottom may get golden.

While still hot, generously sprinkle icing sugar on the cookies.

Store in a dry, air tight container.

Caramel Syrup

This is for Eric who burnt his caramel twice.  Caramel syrup is easy to make but it does require your undivided attention.  Also, this is not safe to do with children in the kitchen.

2 c. white (granulated) sugar (not brown)
1/2 c. water

 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 c. boiling water

Place the sugar and 1/2 cup water into a small sauce pan (preferably a light colored pan).  Do NOT stir.  The water will permeate through the sugar on its own.  You do not want sugar on the sides of the pan as these can crystallize and ruin the caramel.

Cover with a lid and set on high heat.  Do not move the pan or stir.  Let  the sugar come to a vigorous boil.

Remove the lid and continue to boil.  Turn the heat down to medium-high.  It's critical to watch the sugar constantly now.  After about five to ten minutes the caramel will start to brown.  In my pan it turns dark brown about the edge and light brown in the middle.  Each stove is slightly different, but you do want it to brown well.

Remove from heat and carefully add the boiling water.  The caramel will splatter so stand back, remove any small children and pets from the room!  The full 1 1/2 cups of boiling water will create a thinner syrup.  I like mine a bit thicker and so I use less.  Return the pan to the stove and stir to make sure the sugar is completely melted.

Remove from heat and let cool before bottling.  If you find the syrup is too thick, once you add it to a bottle or jar, add a small amount of water and give it a shake to mix.

Remove the lid when the sugar is boiling this vigorously.

This is just before I add the boiling water, notice  how it's very dark around the edges and almost clear in the middle.

Cinnamon-Nut Granola

My old roommate used to make granola.  It seemed to take an entire afternoon and left me with the impression that making granola is an ordeal.  However, I have since discovered that granola is VERY easy.  It takes about 10 minutes to assemble the ingredients and then another 30-40 minutes to bake.  Frankly, my homemade granola is far better than anything you can buy.  This recipe is quite variable.  Any type of favorite nut or dry fruit will do.  The original recipe called for 1/2 cup honey, but that didn't seem sweet enough.  I've also used maple syrup instead of honey.

Yield: 7 cups

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1-2 cups coarsely chopped nuts (pecans, whole almonds, dry-roasted peanuts, etc. or a combination)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (unless using salted peanuts)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins OR 1 cup of dried fruits

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Line a large baking sheet with high sides with parchment paper, or lightly grease.  Alternatively, use a teflon baking pan and do not grease or line.

In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, salt and cinnamon.

Melt butter in a small sauce pot.  Once melted add honey and vanilla and stir to mix.

Add liquid mixture to oat mixture; stir with a large spoon or by hand to combine.

Spread evenly over baking sheet.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (or until browned and crunchy), stirring every 15 minutes.
Cool on wire rack; add raisins (dried fruit) and stir to combine.

Store in a large airtight container with one vanilla bean (optional).

3rd Street Restaurant Scene

This morning we went on a foodie bike ride on 3rd Street.  I confess that I have totally overlooked this neighborhood in the past, but no more.  After today's ride, I will coming down here often.  We visited five restaurants, all of them great.  I apologize for the poor photos, I was too busy pigging out.

Our first stop was a small family run place called Las Isletas.  They serve Salvadorian, Nicaraguan and Mexican food.  We had two samples, taquitos and pupusa of which I had three helpings of both.  The pupusa with pork is inexpensive and sublime.  Happily, they deliver for those of you that are car free or too lazy to ride/drive down to 3rd Street (the order must be over $30).

Next stop was Radio Africa which serves north African cuisine with a bit of Euro flair thrown in.  It's a lovely place that encourages family style eating at long tables where they seat you with other customers.  Much of the food is grown organically at local urban gardens.  We had a version of mushroom bruschetta with a green spicy sauce on it followed by a hummus made with soy beans.  Both were delightful and were unusual interpretations of standard Mediterranean fare.  I promptly had two servings of each.

Radio Africa Interior

We then dashed across the street to Old Skool Cafe which is run by a group of "at risk" youth.  I strongly urge you to visit, as the sweet potatoe pie we had (made by a young woman who couldn't have been much more than 20 years old) rivaled any pie I've ever made.  The crust was light and flaky and the whole concoction was topped with a dollop pf whipped cream flavored with coffee and cinnamon.  The entire place including the staff is decked out in 30's fashions.  This restaurant is a non-profit, so all your money is going directly towards getting kids off the street.  Do make a reservation, or if they are busy, go across the street to Radio Africa.

Old Skool Cafe

Our last two stops were Yvonne's Southern Sweets and Limon.  I was getting full by this point, but bravely soldiered on eating, a butter cookie, another sweet potatoe pie (very different than Old Skool, with lots of ginger) and an excellent pound cake at Yvonne's followed by two amazing pulled pork style empanadas, roasted chicken and a delicious ball thing (who's name I missed) at Limon.  Limon also looks like it has a good cocktail menu.

Many thanks to Supervisor Malia Cohen and her volunteer, Lynne Howe, for organizing this.  They promise a Dogptach ride in the spring.  I can't wait!

Yvonne's Southern Sweets

Limon

Whole Wheat Walnut Bread

I have stopped buying bread, even form the best bakeries in town.  Nothing compares to fresh homemade bread and with these easy no-knead recipes, there really is no excuse not to do it yourself.  Here's an adaption of a multi-grain bread recipe from Ellen Jackson.   Feel free to vary the proportion of whole wheat flour to bread flour based on your preference.  I've used as little as 1 cup whole wheat flour to 3 cups white and as much as 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour to 1 1/2 cups white.

Yield: 1 Loaf

2 cups lukewarm water (not over 100 degrees F, better cool than hot)
1/2 t active dry yeast
2 T barley malt syrup or molasses
2 cups all purpose or bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 T salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Combine the water, yeast and sweetener in a large bowl.  Let the yeast bloom while you assemble the dry ingredients.

Combine the dry ingredients and walnuts in a medium bowl and stir to mix. Add to the wet ingredients and stir well. The dough will be quite sticky.

Cover the bowl with a cloth or plastic wrap and let rise 18 hours (a little more or less will work, I've let the dough rise as mush as 20 hours and as little as 16). The dough is ready when the surface is speckled with air bubbles.

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and place the dough on it. Fold the dough over itself several times.  Meanwhile line a large bowl with a lint free cotton cloth and sprinkle generously with flour to thoroughly cover the bottom.  Place the dough seam side down in the bowl, sprinkle the top with more flour and fold the cloth over the top of the dough.

Let the dough rise 1 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours  place a 4-5 quart heavy bottom pot with a lid into the over.  Ideally a ceramic pot will work, but cast iron or Pyrex will do.  Preheat the oven and the pot to 475 degrees F for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, let the dough continue to rise.

The dough is ready to bake when a finger poked in it springs back slowly.  Remove the hot pot from the oven.  With a quick action flip the dough into the hot pot.  If the dough lands unevenly, using pot holders, give the pot a vigorous back forth shake. Cover the pot with its lid and return it to the oven. Covering the bread for the initial bake steams the dough and creates a nice moist bread.

Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the lid and bake an additional 15-25 minutes uncovered until deep brown.  This will create the crisp crust.

Remove the dough from the pot by flipping the pot over onto a cooling rack.  If the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped it is done (though at these temperatures and times I've never undercooked a loaf!)

Let cool on the rack before slicing.