Foccacia from Martha Stewart Baking from Facebook

7 cups bread flour
3.5 cups warm water
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp coarse salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt for sprinkling or fresh chopped herbs


Whisk together flour, yeast, and water, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until tripled (about 2 hours).

Add the salt and, using the dough hook attachment of your mixer, mix for 3-5 minutes on low, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

When the dough begins to climb the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to medium and beat for 15 seconds then transfer to well floured surface for kneading. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times and transfer to a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let double again.

After a couple more kneading/resting cycles, you have a dough heavily bubbled and slack. Preheat the oven to 450 and pour 1/2 cup of the olive oil into a 17 by 12 inch rimmed baking pan. Dump the dough ball into the oil and turn to fully coat. Then press it down to fill the pan, letting it rest for a few minutes if it starts to resist. When it has fully filled the pan, press your fingers into it to leave impressions and then pour the remaining oil over the top and, if you're using it, sprinkle with salt

Pop it in the oven for 25-30 minutes (barring some disaster) and when it comes out it will be thick and crusty and the bottom almost fried from the pools of oil.

Focaccia

Ingredients
Makes one 9-by-12-inch

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Malden sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions
  1. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 6 tablespoons warm water (105 degrees.to 115 degrees., the sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add oil, 1 cup warm water (105 degrees.to 115 degrees., thyme, and 2 teaspoons rosemary; stir to combine.
  2. Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until all the flour is incorporated into dough, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue mixing until a very sticky dough forms, cleaning the dough hook 2 or 3 times, (it will not completely come up from the bottom of the bowl), about 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough with lightly floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
  3. Place dough on prepared baking sheet, turning to coat with oil. Cover lightly with plastic wrap; transfer to a warm place, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.with rack in the center of the oven. When dough has doubled in size, press out to fill pan. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap, for 10 minutes.
  5. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary and sea salt. Bake until top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

from Martha Stewart online>>

Foccaccia from Eat this House

Focaccia
from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

7 cups bread flour
3.5 cups warm water
1 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp coarse salt
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt for sprinkling (which I found pretty unnecessary given that 2 tablespoons of salt in the dough)

Whisk together flour, yeast, and water, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until tripled (about 2 hours). Add the salt and, using the dough hook attachment of your mixer, mix for 3-5 minutes on low, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. When the dough begins to climb the sides of the bowl, raise the speed to medium and beat for 15 seconds then transfer to well floured surface for kneading. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times and transfer to a floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let double again.

I'm going to skip some steps here because you need to just go out and buy this book but suffice to say that after a couple more kneading/resting cycles, you have a dough heavily bubbled and slack. Preheat the oven to 450 and pour 1/2 cup of the olive oil into a 17 by 12 inch rimmed baking pan. Dump the dough ball into the oil and turn to fully coat. Then press it down to fill the pan, letting it rest for a few minutes if it starts to resist. When it has fully filled the pan, press your fingers into it to leave impressions and then pour the remaining oil over the top and, if you're using it, sprinkle with salt. Pop it in the oven for 25-30 minutes (barring some disaster) and when it comes out it will be thick and crusty and the bottom almost fried from the pools of oil that, if you're lucky, will not have been flung from the bread by oven spring as if bounding from a trampoline.

Drum roll and applause to Eat this house. Barbara Boscia swears by this one.

Bread Machine Pizza Dough

Ingredients

2 teaspoons dried granulated yeast

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons water

Place all the above ingredients in the order I have listed into the bread machine. Select the dough cycle and press start! When the dough cycle is complete, take the dough out of the machine and place in well greased bowl, and roll the dough around (in the bowl) thus'coating' it in oil. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1/2 an hour. Knead the risen dough lightly.

From Recipezaar.com Made December 31,2009 in anticipation of the New Year!

I let rise in front of the woodstove and punched down twice. Also used just plain unbleached flour (King Arthur).

Triple-Layer Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Bon Appétit | October 1994
by Becky Guyton: West Carrollton, Ohio

Ingredients:
Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:
For cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.) For frosting: Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature. (made for Christmas 2009)

"Muhly's Bakery" Baltimore Peach Cake

This recipe is for the people that have had the Peach Cake from Muhly's bakery in Baltimore. I knew I had the recipe from the News American paper but couldn't find it at first. Mary Jo in MD

Baltimore Peach Cake

1 package. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm
1 egg slightly beaten
4 - 5 cups flour
softened butter

Topping
4 or 5 ripe peaches
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
powdered sugar

Glaze
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon hot water
.
Soften yeast in warm water. Put 1/4 cup butter, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add lukewarm milk and stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in yeast mixture and beaten egg. Gradually stir in flour until stiff dough is formed. Grease top of dough and cover bowl. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk. About 30-60 minutes.

Punch down dough and knead on lightly floured board until smooth and elastic. Divide in half and roll each half into a rectangle the size of a cookie sheet. Transfer 1 piece of dough to sheet and spread with softened butter. Put sliced peaches on top of dough and press each slice into dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cover with other piece of dough.

Let rise until double in bulk, about 20-40 minutes. Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a glaze of apricot jam and hot water and spread on cake.

From Nancy's Kitchen>>

Baltimore Peach Cake

Baltimore Peach Cake
1 3/4 cups white flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup hot water
1 egg, room temperature
4 tablespoons raspberry jam
4-6 peaches, peeled, pitted, and quartered
canola or cooking spray
One orange
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup room temperature water

I use a less fussy dough making method than the one in the Urbanite. Follow the link above if you want to use the original method.

First, grease or spray a 9" cake pan, sides and bottom.

Combine all the dry ingredients together in a mixer bowl (that's the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast). Start the mixer on low, and add the softened butter. Beat together for two minutes or so. Add the egg while the mixer is running. Slowly add the water.

You'll have a very sticky dough. You may want to use the oil spray on your hands so you can work the dough a little. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepped cake pan. You'll need to stretch it out a bit and pinch closed and holes. You'll end up with a very thin dough.

Spread the raspberry jam on top of the cake in an even layer. Arrange the peach quarters in the pan on top of the cake, pressing lightly on each to dent the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 25 minutes.

When 15 minutes or so have passed, cut your orange n half and juice it into a small saucepan. Scrape some of the pulp out of the orange and into the pot, leaving any membrane or white pith behind.

Turn the heat on under the juice to medium. Add the sugar and 1/2 cup water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar into the water and make a simple syrup. Cook over medium heat to reduce for seven minutes or so.

Remove the cake from the oven. Brush and spoon the syrup mixture over the top of the cake while it is hot. You don't have to use up all the syrup, but make sure the entire top of th ecake is well coated with the syrup.

Let the cake cool for at least 30-45 minutes before serving. It's also very good refrigerated.
Posted by Barrett in Maryland at September 11, 2007 6:46 PM Print-friendly version

Chocolate Pear Pudding Cake

  • 2 14-oz cans pear halves in juice
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) soft butter plus more for greasing
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F and grease an 8 1/2-inch-square ovenproof dish with butter.
2. Drain the pears and arrange them in the base of the dish.
3. Put all the remaining ingredients in a processor and blitz till you have a batter with a soft dropping consistency.
4. Spread the brown batter over the pears, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes and then cut into slabs — I cut 2 down and 2 across to make 9 slices — and serve with chocolate sauce.

Serves 6-8

NPR.org, January 21, 2009 · This is a cross between pears belle Helene and Eve's pudding, but that's an irrelevance really. The only important thing to remember is that this is easy, quick, and very comforting and seems to please absolutely everyone. It's not hard to make sure you always have what you need in the house to make this. And for hot days when baked cake and sauce seems inappropriate, then bear in mind that canned (or jarred) pears and chocolate sauce — with or without vanilla ice cream — make a lovely dessert on their own.

You can make the chocolate sauce on page 51, or buy one you like, obviously, but I have a complete pantry standby of a sauce I make by heating together ¾ cup evaporated milk, ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder, ½ cup dark corn syrup, and 3 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate.

The cake itself does make a little bit of its own sauce, so if you really don't want to make some separately, just serve with chocolate ice cream.

As with any baking, you really do want all ingredients at room temperature before you start.

Sweet Corn Chowder with Toasted Tortillas

6 cups frozen sweet corn, defrosted
3 scallions, each one trimmed and halved
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cup semolina
6 cups hot vegetable stock made from concentrate or bouillon cubes
15 cups lightly salted tortilla chips
2 cups grated cheese
2 long red chiles, deseeded and finely chopped, optional

NPR.org, January 21, 2009 · The tortillas before were the soft flour ones. These are those crisp, crunchy corn-gritty triangles that somehow always feel like a guilty pleasure. Although having said that, I know only that "guilty pleasures" exist, but I have never seen the point of feeling guilty about pleasure. Rather, I see plenty of reason for feeling guilty about failing to take pleasure in things.

When I plan to make this, I tend to take a big pack of frozen corn out of the deep freeze at breakfast time, in readiness for a superquick, fantastically soothing, mellow-yellow, and very pleasing supper that night.

Use whatever cheese you like; mostly I go for Cheddar since I always have some in the fridge, but I am happy about using up other bits and pieces. If children are eating, it's wise to omit the chiles—unless they're being very annoying.

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Drain the corn and put into a food processor with the scallions, garlic, and semolina. Blitz to a speckled primrose mush; unless you have a big processor you may have to do this in two batches.
3. Tip this mixture into a large saucepan, add the hot vegetable stock, and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let the chowder simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, spread the tortilla chips out on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and sprinkle over the cheese. Warm in the hot oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts over the chips.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and put a small mound of cheese-molten chips into the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle over some of the red chile, if you feel like it, and serve immediately to very grateful people.

Nigella Lawson's Chicken Pie

From Nigella Lawson on NPR:

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, cut or scissored into 1-inch strips
  • 1 teaspoon garlic-infused oil
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1-1/4 cups hot chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Marsala wine
  • Half a 17.2 oz package (one 9 1/2 x 9 1/2-inch sheet) thawed all-butter ready-rolled frozen puff pastry

NPR.org, January 21, 2009 · Even the word pie is comforting. But then, it would be hard to deny the very real lure of pastry, especially when — as here — you know you're going to dunk it in gravied juices till its gorgeous lightness is deliciously, soggily heavy. I concede, however, that making and rolling out your own pastry is not necessarily the speediest option, so I use bought, all-butter ready-rolled frozen puff pastry and feel fine about it.

I make the pie even easier, by browning the chicken and making the sauce all in one go. And a gold-crusted, welcoming pie for two in half an hour is not bad going.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fry the bacon strips in the oil until they begin to crisp, then add the sliced mushrooms and soften them in the pan with the bacon.
  2. Turn the chicken strips in the flour and thyme (you could toss them about in a freezer bag), and then melt the butter in the pan before adding the floury chicken and all the flour left in the bag. Stir around with the bacon and mushrooms until the chicken begins to color, about 25 minutes.
  3. Pour in the hot stock and Marsala, stirring to form a sauce, and let this bubble away for about 5 minutes.
  4. Take two 1-1/4 cup pie-pots (if yours are deeper, don't worry, there will simply be more space between contents and puff pastry top) and make a pastry rim for each one—by this I mean an approx. 1/2-inch strip curled around the top of each pot. Dampen the edges with a little water to make the pastry stick.
  5. Cut a circle bigger than the top of each pie-pot for the lid, and then divide the chicken filling between the two.
  6. Dampen the edges again and then pop on the top of each pie, sealing the edges with your fingers or the underneath of the prongs of a fork.
  7. Cook the pies for about 20 minutes, turning them around halfway through cooking. Once cooked, they should puff up magnificently.
Serves 2

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte (Gourmet Magazine) A show stopper

For torte
* 6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
* 1 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces)
* 2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
* 5 large eggs, separated
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 3/4 teaspoon salt

* Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter an 8 1/2-inch springform pan and line bottom with a round of wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with flour, knocking out excess.

For glaze
* 6 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

* Garnish: finely chopped toasted hazelnuts

* Accompaniment: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preparation
Make torte:
In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and cool.

Spread hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until they begin to turn pale golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool hazelnuts completely. Discard any hazelnut skins that rub off easily and transfer nuts to food processor. Add 3 tablespoons sugar and grind mixture fine.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and remaining 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in vanilla, salt, and melted chocolate. Beat in hazelnut mixture until combined well.

In another large bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Whisk about one-fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spread batter evenly in springform pan and bake in middle of oven 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering. Cool torte completely in pan on a rack and remove side of pan. Invert torte onto a serving plate and discard wax paper.

Make glaze:
Put chocolate in a small metal bowl. In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Stir glaze just until completely smooth and let stand until thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.

Spread glaze evenly over top and side of torte. With a small icing spatula or butter knife make parallel lines through glaze across top to create a design. Garnish top and bottom edge of torte with chopped hazelnuts and let torte stand until glaze is set, about 2 hours.

Serve torte with whipped cream or ice cream.

*

Chex Mix: The Traditional Yummy

6 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. seasoned salt
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 c. Corn Chex
2 c. Rice Chex
2 c. Wheat Chex
1 1/2 c. Planters mixed nuts
1 c. tiny pretzels or pretzel sticks
Melt butter in shallow pan over low heat. Stir in salt and Worcestershire sauce. Add Chex, nuts, and pretzels. Mix until all pieces are coated. Heat in a 250 degree oven for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Serve.

Homemade Boursin Cheese

* 2 garlic cloves
* 8 ounces butter, at room temperature
* 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
* 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff, and freshly-grated)
* 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/2 teaspoon basil
* 1/2 teaspoon chives
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (herbs crumbled)
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions
Have cheeses and butter at room temperature.
Crush garlic.
Mix cheeses, butter and garlic.
Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
Pack into a container just large enough to hold the boursin and store in refrigerator.

To serve, bring to room temperature.
Serve with crackers, crudites etc. Great on sandwiches

Tomato Eggplant Stacks!

To create this summery side dish, thinly sliced eggplant and zucchini are layered with tomato slices and cooked onions. Then the stacks are baked in the oven and topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve alongside our Grilled Rib-Eye Steaks (see related recipe at left).
Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 2 tsp. olive oil, plus more as needed
4 yellow onions, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 eggplant, 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, sliced 1/8 inch thick
5 tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 zucchini, halved crosswise and sliced lengthwise 1/8 inch thick
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 425°F.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 6 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, oregano and parsley and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat.

Rub the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron fry pan with olive oil. Place 8 eggplant slices in a single layer in the pan and season with salt. Top each with 1 tsp. onions and 1 tomato slice and season with salt. Top each with 1 tsp. onions and 2 zucchini slices and season with salt. Top each with 1 tsp. onions. Repeat the layering 2 more times, ending with the zucchini. Drizzle each vegetable stack with 1 tsp. olive oil.

Bake until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle each stack with 1 Tbs. cheese and bake for 7 to 10 minutes more. Let the vegetables rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

Best Crispy Marshmallow Treats

1/4 cup butter
1 (7 1/2-ounce) jar Marshmallow Fluff (2 1/2 cups)
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add Marshmallow Fluff and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until well combined. Remove from heat. Add crispy rice cereal. Stir until rice is well-coated.

Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into buttered 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. When cool, cut into squares. Makes 24 squares, 2 by 2 inches.

The best bolognese sauce: Gourmet 10/2002

2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta or slab bacon, ground by butcher or thinly sliced and pulsed in food processor until finely chopped
1 lb ground veal
1 lb ground pork (not lean)
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1 cup whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic in oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add pancetta, veal, and pork and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, milk, wine, water, and thyme and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Frozen, it keeps for 1 month.

Prantl's Burnt Almond Torte

Cookbook's Burnt Almond Cake a delicious second cousin to Prantl's

Thursday, July 12, 2001

By Arlene Burnett, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

It's a secret! Over the years Kitchen Mailbox has had numerous requests for recipes from local bakeries. Readers want the recipes but the bakeries won't talk -- for obvious reasons. All we can do is come as close as we can to the requested recipe -- with the help of our readers, of course.

We've have many requests for Prantl's Bakery's Burnt Almond Torte, but, until now, we had never received a response.

While living in Pittsburgh, Joanna Brook, who now resides in Seattle, discovered Prantl's Bakery's torte. Joanna writes: "I haven't been able to find anything close out here. Is it wishful thinking to ask if Prantl's would give out their recipe? If you can find anything close I'd be indebted."

Thanks to Donna Clements of Indiana, Pa., we have a recipe that's similar -- it isn't the Shadyside bakery's famous Burnt Almond Torte, but it's a delicious substitute.

Donna found this recipe in the "Neighborhood Bakeshop" cookbook by Jill Van Cleave.

Burnt Almond Cake

The cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Honey Almond Brittle:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons water
2 ounces slivered almonds (about 1/2 cup), toasted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Custard Cream:
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans.

For the cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds between additions. Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and buttermilk and vanilla, blending well after each addition; this should take about 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, unmold the cakes and let cool completely.

Note: The cake recipe makes two 8-inch round cake layers. Only one is used for this recipe.

To make the brittle: Combine the granulated sugar, honey and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the toasted almonds, butter and baking soda. Mix with a wooden spoon just until the butter melts and the foaming subsides. Pour the mixture into a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet and set aside to cool. Once the brittle has hardened, break it up and crush to fine crumbs in a food processor. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the custard cream: In a heavy saucepan over medium- low heat, heat milk to barely simmering. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to blend smoothly. Stir the heated milk into the egg mixture; return mixture to saucepan. Bring back to a boil, over medium-low heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring to melt the butter. Transfer custard to a bowl; place a piece of waxed paper directly on top to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until cold.

Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chilled custard and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble cake: Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place one layer on a cake plate, spread cake with cold custard cream and sprinkle with brittle crumbs. Cover with the remaining layer of cake. Spread the remaining custard cream over cake, applying a thinner coat to the sides, then the top. Chill for a least 1 hour before garnishing.

To garnish, press brittle crumbs onto the sides of the cake with the palm of your hand and sprinkle a layer of crumbs on the top. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: To toast nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Allow nuts to cool before using.

Apple Tart

Crust
1/2 c butter
1/3 c sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 c flour
Soften ingredients and pat into 9" springform pan on bottom and about 1 1/2" up sides.

Filling
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
Soften cream cheese and combine with rest of filling ingredients and pour into crust

Topping
4 cups apples (3 Granny Smiths, coredd, pared and sliced thin)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c sugar

MIx sugar and cinnamon together first; mix with sliced apples, then arrange apples in concentric circles on
top of filling.

Bake in preheated 450˚ oven for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400˚ and continue baking for 2 minutes.
Cool and remove sides.

I add lemon zest to the filling, and squeeze over the apples. I have used lemon extract in place of vanilla as
an option. I have also added dried cherries or dried cranberries to the fruit to add a bit more texture.

The best of the best.