 I am old school in a lot of ways. For example, I still love magazines and I prefer the printed page over a digital page. And one of the things I enjoy are cooking magazines. I’m sure that’s a shocker. One of my favorites is allrecipes, and the April/May 2021 issue is filled with some great recipes - including the green gazpacho I plan to make next weekend. But the prettiest one was for Sweet Nectar Cake, using Nordic Ware’s 10-cup Honeycomb Pull-Apart Pan. The pictures were gorgeous – I knew I had to try it in the Delaney Test Kitchen. And I am not a big chocolate person, or really a dessert person in the first place, so this was perfect for me – a lemony, fruity cake that is also gorgeous to look at. In fact the pictures in the issue included some gorgeous edible flowers, which is what inspired me to plant some of my own in my Aero Garden.
Sweet Nectar Cake recipe from allrecipes: INGREDIENTS: · 1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix · ⅓ cup honey or white sugar (I used honey from my favorite, The Savannah Bee Company) · ½ cup vegetable oil · 1 cup peach or apricot nectar (I used peach. I am in Georgia, y’all.) · 4 eggs · 1 cup confectioners' sugar (optional) · 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional) PREPARATION: Step 1 Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Step 2 Combine cake mix with honey (or sugar), cooking oil, and peach (or apricot) nectar. Beat for two minutes with mixer. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Pour batter into pan. Step 3 Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a plate. Step 4 In a small bowl, mix lemon juice with confectioners' sugar until you reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over sides of warm cake. The recipe calls for using a box of lemon cake mix. But if you have more time, I would suggest making it from scratch. Here is the recipe suggested from Nordic Ware. To make it fit more with the Sweet Nectar recipe above, I’d replace the sour cream with 1 cup of peach or apricot nectar. Honey Lemon Pull Aparts, recipe from Nordic Ware INGREDIENTS: Cake: · 3 cups cake flour · 1 1/ 2 teaspoons baking powder · 1 teaspoon baking soda · 1/ 4 teaspoon salt · 1 cup butter, softened · 1 1/ 2 cups sugar · 4 eggs · 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind · 1 cup sour cream Glaze: · 3 tablespoons honey · 1/ 2 cup powdered sugar · 2 tablespoons lemon juice PREPARATION:
 When King Arthur Baking says that this is The Easiest Loaf of Bread You’ll Ever Bake, they aren’t kidding. After some sourdough struggles, it is rewarding to return to this recipe that is easy, always a success, and always a crowd pleaser. They say it is European-style crusty bread. I say it’s good that it makes two loaves because my crew can’t stop eating it. I can’t wait to make a serious BLT for lunch using this nice, fresh bread. I highly recommend this recipe if you are just starting out with your baking, or if you're a seasoned baker. It's just so easy.
The Easiest Loaf of Bread You’ll Ever Bake INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION: 1. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. 2. Stir together all of the ingredients (except the cornmeal) in a large bowl, starting with 4 1/2 cups of the flour. Use a sturdy spoon, or your stand mixer equipped with the beater paddle. Mix until everything comes together in a rough, shaggy mass of dough. 3. If you’re kneading the dough by hand, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, using some of the additional 1/2 cup of flour called for. Fold the far edge of the dough back over on itself towards you, then press it away from you with the heels of your hands. Rotate the dough 90°. Repeat this fold-press-rotate process with a rhythmic, rocking motion for about 6 minutes. When fully kneaded, the dough will be bouncy and smooth. OR If you’re using your stand mixer, switch to the dough hook and knead the dough at medium speed for about 7 minutes, until it’s smooth, elastic, and feels a bit bouncy. If the dough doesn’t form a ball that clears the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in just enough of the additional flour to make this happen. 4. Place the dough in a bowl that’s been lightly greased with vegetable oil or cooking spray; the bowl you started with is fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or another airtight cover, and let the dough rise at room temperature until it's doubled in size, about 1 to 2 hours. If your kitchen is particularly cold (below 65°F), place the bowl of dough in your turned-off oven with the oven light on. 5. Gently deflate the dough and cut it in half. Pat each half into a rough 6” x 8” oval. 6. Working with one piece of dough at a time, grab a short side and fold the dough like a business letter (one short side into the center, the other short side over it). Use the heel of your hand to press the open edge of the “letter” closed. Gently pat and roll the dough into a log about 10” long. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough. 7. Place the loaves, seam-side down, on a baking sheet (lined with parchment if desired). Sprinkle the pan (or parchment) generously with cornmeal; this will keep the bread from sticking and give it a crunchy bottom crust. 8. Let the loaves rise, lightly covered with greased plastic wrap, for 45 minutes. They should become nicely puffy. Gently poke your index finger into the side of one of the loaves; if the indentation remains, your bread is ready to bake. 9. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 450°F. 10. For extra-crusty crust and a great rise, add steam to your oven as follows: While the oven is preheating, place an empty cast-iron frying pan on the lowest rack. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in the microwave or on the stovetop. (Note: For this I fill the cast iron pan with ice cubes and place it on the lower rack right before adding the bread to the oven. It works just as well and doesn't feel as dangerous.) 11. When your bread is risen, use a sieve to dust the loaves with a thin coat of flour. Then make three or four 1/2” deep diagonal slashes in each loaf; these slashes will help the bread rise evenly as it bakes. Place the bread in the oven and pour the boiling water into the frying pan below. Quickly shut the oven door. Wear good oven mitts during this process to shield your hands and arms from the steam. 12. Bake the bread for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a loaf sounds hollow to the touch when you tap it on the bottom. The interior temperature of the bread should register at least 190°F on a digital thermometer. 13. Turn the oven off, crack the door open, and allow the bread to remain inside for 5 additional minutes; this helps keep the crust crisp. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack. It’s best not to cut into the bread until it’s cooled down a bit; cutting into hot bread can negatively affect its texture. |
AuthorKris Delaney is a marketing executive, foodie, travel enthusiast, and book nerd based in Atlanta, GA. Archives
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