STREUSEL TOPPED COFFEE CAKE Dough: 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 pkg active dry yeast 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt 3 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine 1 teaspoon sugar with 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Stir in yeast and allow to sit for 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, scald the milk. Heat milk until tiny bubbles begin to form along the edge, then remove pan from heat and set aside, undisturbed, to cool. Skim off and discard any protein skin which rises to the top or accumulates on the edges of the pan - this is a protein which is not favorable to the yeast. Note: If you'd like to skip the step of scalding the milk, use reconstituted non-fat dry milk instead. Stir yeast to dissolve, and add lukewarm milk (about 100°F). Be sure to allow the milk to cool sufficiently; if it is too warm it will kill the yeast and the batter won't rise). Add 1 1/2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and allow to sit in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk. This will take 1 to 2 hours, (or less on a warm day), depending on room temperature. In a separate bowl, cream together butter, salt and remaining sugar. Stir in the yeast batter gradually. Add remaining flour and beat until thoroughly mixed. Butter or spray two 7x11x11-1/2 inch pans well. Spread batter evenly in the two pans. Sprinkle top generously with the crumbly Streusel mixture (see below). Let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake at 375°F-400°F, reducing temperature after the first 5 minutes if the top is browning too quickly. Remove from oven when cake tests done (about 18 minutes) and allow to cool. Variations: Drizzle with confectioners' icing, if desired, or sprinkle with chopped nuts. Streusel may be made with or without cinnamon. Coffee Cake freezes well. Cool 3-4 hours before freezing. Yield: 2 Coffee Cakes Streusel Topping: 1/2 cup flour 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons sugar 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional) Combine ingredients. Taste and adjust cinnamon to your liking. If mixing in a food processor, 4 tablespoons whole nuts or ground almond or coconut meal may be added for extra texture. Whole almonds or macadamia nuts make a wonderful topping. Add a drop of complementary flavoring (such as a few drops of almond extract or almond flavored liqueur or amaretto, or walnut liqueur if using walnuts). Sprinkle Streusel topping over coffee cake before baking. Enjoy. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at:
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