Austrian Apple Cake

I bought some Mutsu apples from Bauman Orchards, the Mutsu is a green, crisp apple which is perfect for baking. This cake blends the flavor of fresh spicy apples and cream.


Austrian Apple Cake Recipe

1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. yeast
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Apple-Cream Cheese Filling

4 baking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Combine yeast and sugar, add warm milk and butter and stir well. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour, beat at high speed for 1 minute. Add remainder of flour and beat at low speed to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead lightly, till smooth. Cover and place in warm place for 1 hour.

Punch dough down and place in pan, pressing halfway up the sides.

Filling:

Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well coated. Spread mixture over dough in pan. Combine cream cheese, sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour over apples.

Cover with plastic and sit in warm place for 1 hour, or until almost double in bulk. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Loosen and remove pan sides.

Calzone

...."I get by with a little help from my friends"

I made a batch of Lou's pizza dough yesterday, wanted to make Calzone. I have never made them so I contacted my friend Lucy for help. Thanks Lucy for all your hints and tips ! A Calzone is an Italian turnover, made with pizza dough and filled with cheese, vegetables or meat.


Lou's Pizza Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 cup warm water

Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water and sugar, let proof. Add oil and 1 cup of water to yeast mixture, stir. Combine flours and salt, add to yeast mixture. Knead on dough hook for 5 minutes, or by hand for 10. Cover and set in warm place till dough doubles in bulk. Punch down, divide into quarters for Calzone.

Filling:

Large bunch of broccoli, chopped up
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Feta cheese

Cook broccoli in boiling water for about five minutes. Combine cheeses in a bowl.

Take one quarter piece of dough and pat out into a circle, mound filling in center.


Fold dough over and seal edges well. I used an egg wash on top of mine.


Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet, or a baking stone if you have one. Calzone fresh from the oven, oozing with melted cheese.

Portuguese Sweet Bread

This is a delicate, spongy bread. Adapted from the book "Beard on Bread" by James Beard. I have never had a failure with any of his bread recipes. The recipe will make two Artisan round loaves. I divided the dough in half and made one Artisan and one loaf, for morning toast.


Portuguese Sweet Bread Recipe

2 pkgs. yeast
1 cup + 1 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup warm milk
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


Combine yeast, 1 tsp. sugar and water. Let proof. In a small bowl, mix the butter, milk and sugar, blend well. Add to yeast mixture and stir. Add 3 eggs, slightly beaten and salt and mix well. Add flour, one cup at a time to make a soft dough. Turn out on well-floured board and knead for about 10 minutes. (I use a dough hook and knead for 5 minutes) Shape dough into a ball and place in a well-buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place till double in size.

Punch dough down, and divide into two equal pieces. Shape into balls and place on buttered sheet. Cover with towel, let raise until double in bulk. Brush tops of breads with remaining beaten egg. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until bread is a rich, dark color and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on wire rack.

Apple Crostata

The Italian Crostata is a classic dessert made with a pastry base and filled with fruit or custard. Waking to the ground covered in snow (again) I elected to stay indoors and bake. This is an impressive yet easy dessert to make. March entry at DMBLGIT, hosted by Ms Adventures in Italy.


Apple Crostata Recipe

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
3 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. cold water

Topping:

4 apples, peeled, cored and grated
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Combine flour, salt and sugar. Cut in butter, along with egg yolks, until crumbly. Add water and stir to form a smooth dough. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Add lemon juice to grated apple and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out most of the lemon juice and add sugar and cinnmon.

Remove dough from refrigerator and set aside 1/4 of the dough. Shape the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Pour apple filling into pan. Divide remaining dough into six balls, use hands to roll each ball into sausage shape. Place in a lattice pattern over the top. Roll down the sides to meet the end of lattice strips, forming an edge around the crostata. Brush lattice strips and edge lightly with egg white mixed with a small amount of water. Sprinkle about a Tbsp. of sugar over crust.

Bake in a 375 degree oven 50-60 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan. Loosen and remove pan sides.