Maple Bars, French Mocha Cake

Gallimaufry - Gravy Train

by Beverly Tjerngren

Beverly Tjerngren.

I'm a dessert kind of gal. As far as I'm concerned, dinner is just the necessary evil one must endure to get to dessert. I've built entire dinner parties around a great new dessert I wanted to make, and my friends know they can always count on me to bring plenty of desserts whenever we plan a get-together. These two treats will make great additions to your repertoire, and the best part is that they're a lot less work than you might think.

Maple Bars

Maple bars have been my favorite doughnut for as long as I can remember. Apparently they are a specialty item of bakeries in the Pacific Northwest, which is something I didn't realize until I moved away from there. Since then I've made them for a number of people who had never heard of them, and they're always a huge hit. This recipe makes 12-18 doughnuts, depending on how large you cut them.

Ingredients

  • ½ Tbsp. dry yeast
  • 2 Tbsp. lukewarm water (110-120°F; 45-50°C)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • Canola oil for frying

Maple Glaze

  • 1½ cups confectioner's sugar
  • ½-1 Tbsp. maple flavoring or 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1½ Tbsp heavy cream

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water in a small bowl. Let proof until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Combine the sugar, butter, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Heat the milk until hot but not yet simmering, and pour it over the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Let cool until lukewarm, and stir in the yeast mixture. Beat in the egg and nutmeg. Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, and stir to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough on a floured work surface or with the dough hooks of an electric mixer until it feels smooth and elastic. Put it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled (approximately 1½ hours).

Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Use a sharp knife to cut rectangles (4x2-inch or smaller) and set them aside on a lightly-floured baking sheet. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise for 20 minutes.

Pour 2-2½ inches of oil into a high-sided frying pan. Heat to 365°F on a deep-frying thermometer (or test heat using a small piece of white bread; the bread should brown in a couple of minutes). Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time, until they are golden-brown on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

Mix the glaze by stirring the confectioner's sugar and maple flavoring together in a bowl. Add the cream a little at a time and beat the mixture until smooth (it should have a thick, spreadable consistency). Glaze the doughnuts when they've cooled to just above room temperature and let the glaze set before serving.

Maple bars do keep for a few days, but they're best the day you make them.

French Mocha Cake

I made this cake for the first time just a couple of weeks ago, and after one bite I knew the recipe was going on my "do again" list.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • parchment paper

Filling

  • 1 tsp. gelatin powder + 1 Tbsp. water (can be omitted)
  • 2-3 tsp. instant coffee powder
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 3/4-1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • ½ cup almonds, chopped
  • slivered almonds for garnish

Heat oven to 300°F (150°C). Trace three 9-inch circles on parchment paper. Put the paper on large baking sheets (depending on your oven and pan size, you may have to use more than one baking sheet). Brush a thin layer of oil or melted butter over the circles.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, add the confectioner's sugar, and beat for a couple more minutes. Carefully fold in the chopped almonds.

Divide the batter among the three circles and spread an even layer on each circle. Bake in the middle of the oven about 15 minutes. Let them cool completely before turning them over and removing the paper.

To make the filling, dissolve the coffee powder in the boiling water. If you're adding gelatin, stir it into the coffee, making sure it dissolves. Let the coffee cool.

Beat the cream with the sugar until stiff. Stir in the coffee and the chopped almonds. Chill until thickened.

Assemble a three-layer cake, using half the filling to put between the layers and the rest to spread out the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with roasted, slivered almonds. Let flavors blend by refrigerating for a few hour--or even overnight--before serving.