Yeast Meringue Coffee Cake – Preferiresti cucinare o mangiare?

Uscita tra ragazze. Andiamo al cinema e, come ogni volta, andiamo con una macchina sola, per risparmiare, per comodità e per fare due chiacchiere nel tragitto. Questo è il mio turno di prendere la macchina, quindi è Laura ad entrare. Appena apre la porta è investita da un odore dolce e tropicale, unito ad un’idea di zucchero a velo che aleggia nell’aria. Proprio sopra al cruscotto c’è un pacchettino avvolto nella carta stagnola, che riflette le luci della sera. Lei mi guarda, poi guarda il cartoccio, poi guarda di nuovo me: cos’è?

Era la sua parte della Torta lievitata con meringa.

Preferiresti cucinare o mangiare? Se tu dovessi scegliere, in un’ipotetica ed apocalittica fine del mondo che conosciamo, solo una cosa da fare, cucinare per qualcuno o mangiare quello che qualcun’altro ha preparato per te, cosa preferiresti? Il mangiare, voluttuoso e soddisfacente, o il cucinare per qualcuno, entusiasmante e gratificante? Nonostante la mia golosità, credo che sceglierei cucinare per qualcuno, perché quando non riesco a perdermi nella mia cucina, anche per un breve periodo, vengo colta da un bisogno fisico che mi spinge verso i fornelli. Mangiare è uno dei piaceri della vita, senza dubbio, ma cucinare è sublimare l’amore e canalizzare le energie positive e la creatività.

Per il momento però, visto che non c’è nessun giudizio apocalittico che mi obblighi a scegliere, ogni tanto cerco di cucinare una doppia dose! Una parte me la mangio e una parte la regalo agli amici.

La sfida Daring Bakers’ di Marzo è stata ospitata da Ria di Ria’s Collection e da Jamie di Life’s a Feast. Ria e Jamie ci hanno sfidato nella preparazione di una torta da caffè lievitata farcita di meringa e cioccolato.

Scuserete la mia pigrizia, ma la ricetta oggi ve la pubblico in inglese. Se però volete realizzarla non avete che da chiedere e vi passo qualche appunto!

FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE

Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter – The recipe can easily be halved to make one round coffee cake

Ingredients
For the yeast coffee cake dough:

• 4 cups (600 g) flour
• ¼ cup (55 g) sugar
• ¾ teaspoon (5 g) salt
• 1 package (7 g) active dried yeast
• ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
• ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• ½ cup (135 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

For the meringue:

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup (110 g) sugar

For the filling, my version:

• 2 Tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
• 8 Tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 1 cup (170 g) coarsely chopped dark chocolate

Egg wash: 1 beaten egg

Cocoa powder (optional) and confectioner’s sugar (powdered/icing sugar) for dusting cakes.

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.
2. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.
3. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.
4. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.
5. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Prepare your filling

1. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and the desiccated coconut.
2. Add the chopped chocolate.

Make the meringue

1. Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue.
2. In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque.
3. Add the vanilla then start adding the ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble the Coffee Cakes

1. Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue.
3. Now, roll up the dough jelly roll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.
4. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.
5. Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.
6. Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
8. Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.
9. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.
10. Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar as well as cocoa powder if using chocolate in the filling. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.

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