Daring Bakers' Challenge, March 2011: Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake

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.

A challenge that could be finished in just one afteroon was just what I needed to get me back on track after getting everything in place in our new apartment. It was also a good excuse to get familiar with my brand new oven and other kitchen appliances and a great chance for the first photoshoot in my new "studio". :)

 The coffee cake was everything I expected it to be and even more. The soft and moist cake filled with crunchy nuts, oozing dark chocolate and tangy raspberries turned out to be a match made in heaven. This recipe is a keeper and I'll come back to it again, that's for sure.

A big thanks to Ria and Jamie for this delicious challenge. It was one of my favorites so far.

Raspberry Chocolate Meringue Coffee Cake

For the yeasted coffee cake dough:

600 g flour

55 g  sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 package (7 g) active dried yeast

180 ml  whole milk

60 ml  water (doesn’t matter what temperature)

35 g  unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs at room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, combine 230 g of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted. 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 150 g flour and beat for 2 more minutes.

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 remaining flour) 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.

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.

For the meringue:

3 large egg whites at room temperature

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

110 g sugar

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue. In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) 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. Add the vanilla then start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

For the filling:

110 g chopped toasted hazelnuts

30 g brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

170 g coarsly chopped bittersweet chocolate

3 handfuls of frozen raspberries 

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts, chocolate and the raspberries separately.

For the eggwash:

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

 
Assemble the Coffee Cakes:

Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

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  50 x 25 cm rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1 cm from the edges. Sprinkle half of your filling of choice evenly over the meringue (example: half of the cinnamon-sugar followed by half the chopped nuts, half of the chopped chocolate and half of the raspberries).

Now, roll up the dough jellyroll 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.

Using kitchen scissors make cuts along the outside edge at  2 ½ cm intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring. Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings. Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

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.

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. Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with confectioner’s sugar. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.