1/3 cup (50g) unsweetened dried cherries
1/3 cup (80mL) brandy
2 1/2 cups (300g) spelt or whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp (2g) sea salt
1 tsp (8g) baking soda
1 1/2 tsp (6g) baking powder
4 ounces (115g) soft tofu
1/4 cup (60mL) safflower or canola oil
1 Tbsp (15mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
2 Tbsp (30mL) maple syrup
1/4 cup (50g) milled flaxseeds
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, soften cherries in brandy for 30 minutes.
Sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
Combine tofu, oil, lemon juice, vanilla and maple syrup in a blender until smooth. Add blended ingredients, flaxseeds, cherries and brandy to flour mixture; stir gently until just mixed.
Using a floured rolling pin and cutting board, roll dough out into a circle 3/4-inch (2cm) thick. Slice dough into 8 wedges. Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Yields: 8 scones
SOURCE: unknown
Cranberry Orange Scones
2 cups flour
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter chilled, cut into small pieces.
1 cup fresh cranberries coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
1 large egg
1 large egg separated
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper Place the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and butter in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. ( you can also do this in a large bowl with a pastry blender) Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the cranberries and orange zest. Lightly beat the whole egg and egg yolk together in a small bowl. Whisk in the cream until blended. Add to the flour mixture and stir until the dough just begins to hold together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Roll out the dough I inch thick. Cut out with a 3 inch round or heart shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Beat the egg white just until foamy and brush over the top of each scone with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the scones lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, Baked until puffed and light golden brown. 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 325*
In a saucepan gently heat sugar and water until dissolved. Pour into a large bowl, add honey and beat for 2 minutes. Sift the flour. a pinch of salt, baking soda and spices into the mixture.
Add the almonds and extract and beat 4-5 minutes. Cut the glace fruits into pieces and stir into the mixture. Spread in a greased and lined 9x5x3in loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake about 55 minutes till a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then unmold onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.
Serves 16
SOURCE: unknown
Holiday Cranberry Muffins
2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
33/4 cup fresh cranberries (cut each in half)
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons orange marmalade
Mix dry ingredients. Fold wet ingredients into flour mixture until just mixed and lumpy. Spoon into lined muffin cups. Sprinkle granulated (or raw) sugar on tops. Bake at 400 degrees for about 18 minutes until golden brown on top and toothpick comes out dry.
SOURCE: unknown
Festive Muffins
1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp rum
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup ground pistachios
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter with sugar and vanilla until creamy and light-colored. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in milk and rum.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, salt, spices and lemon peel. Add this mixture to the butter-sugar mixture just until blended (don't over-mix). Lightly fold in 1/4 cup chopped pistachios.
Grease 12 muffin cups or line cups with muffin papers. Evenly portion batter into cups. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped pistachios. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until done.
Tip: Pulse pistachios in a food processor until coarsely ground.
SOURCE: unknown
Solstice Morning Cinnamon Rolls
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts
4 teaspoons half-and-half or light cream
Combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside. In a saucepan heat milk, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, and salt until warm (120 F. to 130 degrees F) and butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture along with egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double (1 to 1-1/2 hours).
Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Roll dough into 18x10-inch rectangle. Spread with softened butter. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle onto dough. Sprinkle with raisins and nuts. Tightly roll up into a spiral, starting from a long side. Pinch seams to seal.
Cut dough crosswise into 12 even slices. Arrange slices, cut sides down, in the prepared baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly double (about 30 to 40 minutes).
Brush rolls with half-and-half or light cream. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Invert rolls onto a wire rack or serving platter. Cool slightly.
Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 24 hours ahead, make and shape rolls. Cover with oiled waxed paper; then with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours. Before baking, let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature. Uncover and puncture any surface bubbles with a greased wooden toothpick.
Makes 12 servings
SOURCE: unknown
Yule Eggnog Bread
4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tb. butter
1 6 oz. packet dried mixed fruit
1/2c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup egg nog
1 pkg. dry yeast, in 1/2 cup warm water
All ingredients must be at room temperature. Add yeast to warm water, with a pinch of sugar. Mix flour, sugar, and salt; cut in softened butter. Mix in fruit and nuts. When yeast is foamy, mix in egg nog and flour mixture and knead, adding flour as necessary. Let rise about an hour, punch down dough, form into a ball, and let rise again
Preheat oven to 350. Bake approximately 30-45 minutes until done
SOURCE: unknown
Cardamom Yule Wreath
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cardamom
2 pkg. active dry yeast
7 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. milk
3 eggs
1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. almond extract
In a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat butter or margarine and milk until very warm (barely bearable to touch). Butter does not need to be melted completely. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast and 2 cups of flour. With a mixer at low speed, beat the liquids into the dry ingredients until just blended. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Beat in 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, the lemon peel, almond extract and 2 cups flour. (Reserve the remaining egg white for later.) Beat about 2 minutes longer. Stir in about 2 1/2 cups of flour to make a soft dough. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding more flour while kneading, if necessary. Shape dough into a ball and place in a large greased bowl. Turn the dough over in the bowl to grease the top. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm (80 to 85 degree) place until doubled. Punch down dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cover the dough with the towel and let rest for 15 minutes for easier shaping.
Grease a large cookie sheet and the outside of a round casserole dish with straight sides (2 quart capacity). Invert the dish and place in the middle of the cookie sheet. In a small bowl, combine the egg white and 1 tablespoon of milk and set aside. Reserve about 1/2 cup of dough for decorations later. Roll the remaining dough into a 30x10 inch rectangle. Roll up the dough and slightly twist the roll to make a 30-inch rope of dough. Wrap the rope around the bowl and press the ends of the dough together to seal and tuck them under. Roll the reserved dough into 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out holly leaf shapes and make "holly berries" to decorate the wreath. Save the remaining egg-white mixture. Lightly cover the wreath with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place away from drafts until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brush the wreath with the remaining egg-white mixture and bake 1 hour or until golden brown (on middle rack of oven). Remove the bowl and cool the wreath.
SOURCE: unknown
Fig and Date Bread
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped dried figs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8x4 inch baking pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the dates, figs, butter and baking soda. Pour in the boiling water, stir well and let stand for 15 minutes.
Beat the sugar, walnuts and eggs into the date mixture. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the date mixture just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Kerstkrans
1 1/3c. ground almonds
1/2c. superfine granulated sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
2 eggs, beaten separately
1/2lb puffed pastry
For decoration:
2Tb apricot jam
Glace cherries, cut in half
candied citron or angelica
Toasted almond flakes
To make filling: mix ground almonds and sugar in small bowl. Add lemon rind, salt and mix throughly before binding the mixture with 1 beaten egg.
On a floured surface, roll the almond paste into sausage shaped pieces about 1 in thick. Wrap them in waxed paper. Chill well. heat oven to 425*. Roll out pastry on floured surface to make a strip about 3 1/2 wide and 1/8in thick. Place the rolls of almond paste end to end along the middle of the pastry strip. \
Dampen one side of strip and fold up over paste in an overlapping seam. Press seam with fingertips to seal. Arrange roll in a ring, seam side down on floured baking sheet and join ends securely. Brush with egg diluted with a little water and bake 30 min until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
Heat apricot jam with 1-2 Tb water, pass through a sieve and while pastry is warm glaze with jam and decorate lavishly with cherries, leaves cut from citron and almond flakes. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 4-6
SOURCE: unknown
Austrian Kletzenbrot
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
2/3 cup sucanat
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chopped prunes
1 cup chopped dried figs
1 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
Sift the flours, sucanat, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
Slowly add the buttermilk and stir the mixture into a smooth dough.
Mix in the nuts and dried fruits.
Place into a loaf pan and bake in a hot oven (350 degrees) for about an hour.
Cranberry Eggnog Bread
Nonstick cooking spray
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light eggnog
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fresh cranberries, washed and well-drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat pan(s) with cooking spray.
Beat eggs in large bowl. Blend in sugar, eggnog, oil, rum and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Mix dry ingredients into eggnog mixture; beat on low just to moisten dry ingredients. Gently stir in cranberries.
Pour batter into prepared pan or pans. Bake until fork or tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes for 1 large loaf, 40 to 50 minutes for 2 medium loaves or 35 to 40 minutes for 3 small loaves. Let cool completely. Wrap tightly; refrigerate or freeze.
Julekake
2 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup milk, scalded
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. cardamom
5 c. flour (approximately)
1/2 c. citron, chopped [see Note]
1/2 c. candied cherries, chopped
1/2 c. white raisins
Dissolve yeast in warm water and the teaspoon of sugar. Add butter to scalded milk; cool to lukewarm. Add egg and then yeast mixture. Add sugar, salt, and cardamom. Beat in 2 cups flour and mix well. Mix fruit with a little of the remaining flour so it doesn't stick together. Add to batter. Stir in as much of the rest of the flour as needed to make a soft, pliable dough.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured board until smooth. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 1-1/2 hours). Divided into two parts and form round loaves. Put on greased cookie sheets or pie pans. Let rise until nearly double (about 1 hour).
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until browned and sound hollow when tapped. While warm, brush with soft butter or margarine. May be decorated with a powdered sugar icing mixed with almond flavoring, almonds and candied cherries.
NOTE: If you don't like citron, substitute chopped dried pineapple.
Rum Glazed Eggnog Monkey Bread
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast (recommends bread machine yeast)
Rum Glaze (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except rum glaze and pecans in bread machine pan in the order recommended by your machine manufacturer. Select Dough/Manual setting. Do not use delay setting.
Grease 12 cup Bundt pan. Prepare rum glaze. Pour half of the glaze into the pan. sprinkle with 1/4 cup of pecans.
Remove dough from pan using lightly floured hands. Divide into 30 equal pieces; arrange in layers over glaze in pan. Pour remaining glaze over dough sprinkling remaining pecans over this. Cover and let rise in warm place about 45 minutes or until double. Dough is ready when indentation remains when touched.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; leave pan over bread 1 to 2 minutes to allow glaze to coat bread.
Serve warm.
NOTE: If you don't have a Bundt pan, use a 10 x 4-inch angel food cake pan lined with aluminum foil.
Rum Glaze
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1 teaspoon rum extract
Source: Gold Medal Flour
Swedish Tea Ring (Vetekrans)
2 packages active dry yeast
1 C warm water, 105 degrees F to 115 degrees F
1/2 C melted butter
1/2 C sugar
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cardamom
4 to 4 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C softened butter
1/2 C sugar
1 T ground cinnamon
1 C blanched almonds, finely chopped (optional)
Glaze:
1 C powdered sugar
2 T hot coffee or milk
1/2 tsp almond extract
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, the eggs, salt, cardamom, and 4 cups flour until dough is smooth. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Turn dough onto a floured board and roll out to make a 20 - 24 inch square. Spread with a thin layer of softened butter right to the edge. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the butter. Sprinkle the almonds over the cinnamon sugar. Roll up as for a jelly roll.
Grease a baking sheet and place the roll on the sheet, shaping it into a ring. Pinch ends together to close the circle. With scissors, cut almost through the ring at 1/2 inch intervals. Turn each piece so that the cut side is exposed. Let rise until almost doubled
SOURCE: The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
Orange Cardamom Breakfast Rolls
1 large orange
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Zest the orange; set zest aside. Peal and seed orange; cut orange fruit into chunks. Combine zest and fruit in a blender and puree. Pour orange pulp into bread machine pan.
Add honey, oil, white flour, wheat flour, salt, and yeast to the orange pulp. Select dough setting, and start the bread machine. Adjust consistency with orange juice or flour as needed to achieve a soft pliable dough.
When dough cycle is complete divide dough into 2 or 3 pieces. Roll out to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cardamom, and dried cranberries. Roll up dough with goodies inside, and slice 1 to 2 inches thick. Place rolls in a baking pan coated with non-stick spray. Allow enough room between the rolls so that they rise properly. Let rise in a warm spot for approximately 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan, and place on wire rack. Serve warm.
Cranberry Cream Scones
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon each melted butter and powdered sugar
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Mix the cranberries into the flour mixture. Whip the cream until undefined soft peaks form. Fold into the dry mixture just until it forms into a rough semi-cohesive mass. (It's okay that some parts are moister than others.) Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead only a few times until the dough holds together. With a lightly floured hand, pat into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper. Brush surface with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut the circle into 10 wedges without detaching them. Bake in the lower third of a preheated 375 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cut into premarked wedges.
serves 8 to 10
TIP: While whipping cream, the peak that forms when the beater or whisk is lifted (from saucelike to stiff) indicates how thick the consistency.
