Sunday, March 27, 2011

The Daring Bakers make meringue filled coffee cake


I haven't got a lot of time today, but I wanted to share these pictures with you. When I first looked at the challenge, I wasn't so sure about it. I love making yeast breads, but the idea of putting a meringue inside one wasn't all that appealing. So, I went on to bake other things, and only remembered about the challenge with a week to go. One of my friends reminded me. Friends and family take a very healthy interest in these challenges!
Apricot in the front, lemon at back. 
Last Sunday morning I made the dough, and it was as silky and easy to work with as promised. I made a half recipe and divided into two small loaves. For fillings, I made one with the meringue and lemon curd and roasted almonds. Rolling this mixture up was a bit like trying to change a squirming baby. There were slips and leaks galore. The second one I filled with apricot leather from Syria, called amardeen. It's tart and tangy, but not very flexible, so rolling the dough around this and the meringue, chopped bittersweet almonds, whole cardamom seeds and more roasted almonds was another challenge.
The lemon curd coffee cake, before I attempted to roll it
In the end, both loaves were tasty, but the apricot one was the clear favourite. The amardeen softened up to a firm, jelly-like texture which, combined with the dark chocolate, crunchy almonds and surprise bits of cardamom was perfect in every way. It didn't rise as much as the lemon one, I think because the amardeen did not stretch or give, but it didn't matter one bit. The lemon one was good, and stayed moist for at least 4 days, but the nuts softened up and it just wasn't as interesting as the other one.
Filling:
amardeen, cut (with scissors) to 1"/2.5cm smaller than the rolled out dough
chopped bittersweet chocolate and chopped toasted almonds, enough to generously cover the meringue
cardamom seeds from 2 pods (use 4 if making a full recipe)
The amardeen, before adding more meringue, chocolate and nuts.
Spread dough with a thin layer of meringue and centre amardeen on it. Cover with remaining meringue and sprinkle nuts, chocolate and cardamom over. Roll, making sure you are holding one edge of the amardeen, as it is reluctant to roll. Seal bottom and lay on parchment lined baking sheet. Slash every inch or so, using a very sharp knife and making sure you cut the amardeen as well as the dough. Let rise and bake as directed. See challenge PDF here for recipe.
Thanks very much to Ria and Jamie for a great challenge. I'll be making this again and I have more filling ideas. I always have ideas, and just need to work on finding time and more hungry mouths to feed!

Blog-checking lines: The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

38 comments:

cocoa and coconut said...

What a unique recipe! I love the look of the golden baked dough. I'm so interested in this idea.

chef_d said...

Those are very interesting fillings, the picture of the sliced apricot coffee cake looks amazing! And the lemon curd meringue sounds so delicious, great job on this challenge!

Anonymous said...

Both look really good, but the color of the apricot leather is so bright! Great post!

Poires au Chocolat said...

Love the description of the squirming baby! Both look delicious - great idea to use the apricot leather.

Renata said...

Since the forum, I've been dreaming about this lemon meringue version of yours! Armadeen is totally new to me, but it was an amazing idea!
Those slices in your photo are making me drool!
As always, you come up with such great ideas!

natalia said...

Ciao Mary ! What wonderful things you made ! I want to make them too !!

Amanda said...

This was so interesting - thanks for sharing. I had never heard of amardeen but am now keen to try and find it and experiment. And I love the addition of the nuts and cardamon. Very impressive all round!

Valerie Gamine said...

Both of your breads sound delicious! And even though the apricot was the favourite, I would love a slice of the lemon curd and almond, please. :D

Great work, Mary. I skipped this one because of the yeast, but now it doesn't sound quite as difficult as I imagined.

Anonymous said...

Great job, Mary. I am very intrigued by the use of the apricot leather. It looks fabulous!
Best, Sandie

Ashlae said...

APRICOT FILLING? The woman after my own heart! Your yeasted cake turned out beautifully.. and sounds delightfully tasty.

INMA said...

Mary

I love your filling, great job!!!!

Lisa said...

Oh that apricot one looks divine! What a great idea. I love your flavour combination.

Elaine said...

I've never had amardeen nor meringue in coffee cake before. Your coffee cake looks wonderful!

shelley c. said...

I had to laugh at the comparison between rolling these loaves and changing a squirming baby - with a new baby boy in the house, I did both on the same day, and that comparison is pretty darn right on. :) That aside, your loaves look absolutely beautiful, and I love the flavors you chose. That Apricot fruit leather looks so interesting - I wish I could taste it now!! I love reading your posts and seeing your results!! Great job, as always!

Sirius73 said...

Ooh, the combination with apricot must have tasted great! Your coffee cake look delicious!

Alpineberry Mary said...

I can't decide which one is my favorite. They are both mouthwatering!

Oggi said...

I absolutely love the one with apricot sheet. Beautiful loaves.:)

Suz said...

Your rolling experience sounds like mine! Your loaves look fantastic though. I swoon at the mere mention of lemon curd, but the amardeen looks and sounds fabulous. The slices are beautiful.

Susan said...

They both look wonderful, Mary! I wish I had known about Tuesdays with Dorie in time to sign up! I love your blog title photo!

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

Oh, my, that apricot leather sounds fabulous...and what a lovely idea for your filling. Both your versions look delish :)

Audax said...

Rolling these loaves and changing a squirming baby LOL LOL. I adore your apricot leather filling idea that is so clever and the cut slice looks so beautiful well done. The finished loaf is superb well done on this challenge. Bravo!


Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

Ruth H. said...

Your cakes look amazing - I think you were part of the inspiration I had for making a lemon meringue version...! The apricot leather you used is something I had never heard of. It looks fabulous, though, so I would love to comem over next time you make this! (And I will supply the squirming baby - Little One number 2 is due in June!)

Lisa said...

The lemon meringue is absolutely brilliant, Mary and looks delicious,,but that sheet of dried apricot is just out of this world. Now I'm debating fruit leathers for future meringue coffee cakes, although not sure they would work like your amerdeen (???) :)

Rajani@eatwritethink said...

Mary thanks for stopping by... your coffee cakes look amazing i love both the filling ideas, particularly like the one with lemon curd meringue and almonds.

Chez Lucie said...

I had never heard of amardeen but it sounds very tasty... The first photo is saying to me "try us right now!" :-)

juliana alonso dorola said...

your fillings looks amaizing! it was a great challenge

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

Really nice filling, especially with the apricot. And love the loaves shape.

Anonymous said...

Great work here, Mary! I've never heard of apricot leather before but I can see why it's called that. Your first picture of the cake makes me want to sink my teeth into it!

Cakelaw said...

Mary I adore both versions - but I am intrigued by the fruit leather version. Yum!

Jamie said...

Just beautiful and I am thrilled you loved the cake. It really is so versatile and I have been getting so many ideas and inspiration from all the results. Love the lemon curd idea! Yum!

A Canadian Foodie said...

They both look delicious. Did you leave the cardamom seeds whole? I love the idea for this one... yet I am having a ton of trouble wrapping my head around the meringue inside of the bread dough. What does it do and taste like, exactly?
:)
Valerie

Unknown said...

I have never heard of armadeen but I love anything apricot so that would be a clear favourite. Yes, I wasn't sure about the meringue either.

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Seeing your fifnished loaves at the forum, I remember thinking that fruit leather sounded interesting. We get tropical fruit (guava, jackfruit, banana and mango) leather here and I would have never thought of it!
Love all the cardamom and chocolate in it.
Yes, rolling it up was the most difficult part.

Beth said...

I've seen this dessert on a few blogs, and it looks incredibly appealing!

Julie said...

I was a little anxious about the meringue, too, but it worked out! Your coffee cakes look and sound delicious--every step of the way, they look appetizing!

Lisa said...

Your coffee cake looks fab, Mary. Yum-mo.

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

This is a beauty of a cake. You did a beautiful job and I vote for apricot.

Lea said...

So much filling! I love that!