Spiced Apple Cake

12-16 generous portions

2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, salted or unsalted, 4 tart, firm medium-size baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes, 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar
12 tablespoons (6 ounces, 170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, 1 3/4 cups (350 g) sugar, 4 large eggs, at room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups (420 g) flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 cup (240 g) buttermilk

1. Melt the 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter in a large skillet and sauté the apples over medium-high heat until the turn golden brown, stirring them as little as possible as they cook.
2. Once cooked through, add the 2 tablespoons (30 g) of sugar and cook until the apples cubes are nicely glazed. (Maria mentioned to cook them until all the liquid had evaporated, but mine had no liquid. So it depends on your apples.) Transfer apples to a plate and cool to room temperature.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and butter and flour a 12-cup (3l) bundt pan, tapping out any excess flour.
4. In a stand mixer, or by hand, beat the 12 tablespoons (170 g) of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, stopping the mixer between additions to scrape the batter down on the sides, as necessary.
5. In a small bowl, toss the dates, if using, with about a tablespoon of the flour to separate them.
6. In a medium bowl, sift together the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
7. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then mix in the buttermilk or yogurt. Then stir in the remaining dry ingredients until just almost mixed in completely, but do not overmix. Visible wisps of flour are normal.
8. Fold in the cooked apples, and dates (if using). Scrape the batter into the prepare bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar, or glaze, if you wish.

Recipe from David Lebovitz and "The Vineyard Kitchen" by Maria Helm Sinskey

Again about Challah

Best and worst Challah in Twin Cities. Again and again every bakery tries to recreate the PERFECT challah. Now you can choose the best one. Please read the article.

Blueberry bread

Blueberry bread.

2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup milk. 1 tablespoon honey, 1 cup large blueberries

1) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2) Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low for 1 minute to aerate and blend dry ingredients.

3) Mix in the butter and sugar until only small lumps remain.

4) Beat in the egg, sour cream, and milk. Add the honey and Fiori. Beat on medium speed about 1 minute, until fairly well incorporated. A few streaks of flour left is fine.

5) Fold in the blueberries by hand. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

6) Bake the loaf for 55 to 65 minutes, until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Yield: 9" x 5" loaf.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

77 Mouth-Watering Baking Blogs You Need to Bookmark

Chocolate Torte for Passover

Here's the one: delicious and feastful torte

The story of Passover in 7 minutes (must see)

Hamantashen with orange juice

Chocolate cupcakes and cream cheese frosting

Makes 12
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan , 1/2 cup of cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or use paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, and mix until combined. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, followed by milk; end with remaining flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, 1/2 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted, 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.

Шоколадные кексы со сливочным кремом.

На 12 порций.

8 столовых ложек сливочного масла, 1 3/4 чашки муки, 1/2 чашки кaкao порошка, 2 чайные ложки разрыхлителя, 1/2 чайной ложки соли, 2 яйца, 1 чайная ложка экстракта ванили, 1/2 чашки молока.

Нагреть духовку до 350Ф. Приготовить формочку для кексов, промаслив каждое отверстие. Посыпать мукой.

В небольшой посуде перемешать соль, муку, кaкao и разрыхлитель. В другой мыске взбить миксером сливочное масло и сахар. Добавить по одному яйцу. Продолжать взбивать и добавить ванильный экстракт. На маленькой скорости добавить половину мучной смеси, постепенно долить молоко. Затем добавить оставшуюся мучную смесь.

Разлить жидкое тесто по отверстиям. Каждое отверстие наполнить на 2/3 общего объема. Поставить в духовку и печь до готовности, приблизительно 22-24 минут. Вынуть из духовки, остудить и украсить кремом.

Сливочный крем

100 грамм сливочного масла комнатной температуры, 150 грамм сливочного сыра "Филадельфия", 2 чашки сахарной пудры, 3/4 чайной ложки ванильного экстракта.

Взбить масло и сливочный сыр на средней скорости в течении 2-3 минут. Уменьшив скорость, добавить сахарную пудру. Этот крем прекрасно сохраняется в холодильнике в течении 3 дней.

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Tu Bishvat or SuperBowl.

Tu Bishvat or SuperBowl.

Thе story happened to me many years ago. I would rather to write this story on Russian and for those who prefer on English, please use Google Translation Service

Каждый раз перед Superbowl эта история вспоминается мне. Сама история произошла более чем 10 лет тому назад. Каждый раз перед Superbowl я думаю, что важнее еврейские традиции или американская культура? Может быть и то и другое важно...

Еще до приезда евреев из Советского Союза, американское еврейство было УБЕЖДЕНО, что в Советском Союзе никто не помнит ни о каких обычаях, да и евреи мы только по паспорту. По приезде в Америку каждая еврейская община НАСТОЙЧИВО заботилась о том, чтобы многие из нас познакомились с древними обычаями. Часто американские евреи даже не подозревали и не подозревают, что о многом мы уже знаем, и многие обычаи мы соблюдаем. Если честно, то многие американские евреи не знают того, что знаем мы.

Много лет тому назад я познакомилась с американским евреем. Знакомство было достаточно интересным как и сам мужчина. Будучи воспитанной в Советском Союзе, где мы привыкли поздравлять друг друга с праздниками, я подняла трубку телефона, чтобы поздравить его с Tu Bishvat. "Happy Holiday!" - я произнесла. Помолчав несколько секунд он воскликнул: "Superbowl!" Именно в тот год праздник Ti Bishvat совпал с Superbowl. Я удивленно спросила его "Is it a Jewish Holiday?" Он понял, что сделал ошибку. С этого момента я четко поняла, что американские евреи преданно учат нас быть евреями, а сами полностью погружены в американскую культуру.

Как ни говори для многих из них американская культура ближе, чем вековые традиции своего народа. А для меня это стало еще одним американским уроком.

Great-hearted...

Sometimes it's not easy to be Jewish, not always we're proud who we are because none of us is perfect. But there are moments when we are proud to be Jewish. Definetely lately we have plenty of such "great-hearted" moments. I expect, that everybody have already watched this segment on CNN. Anyway, I'm posting video about extraordinary in all means Israeli hospital in Haiti. Please feel free to watch it.

Apple & Honey Strudel

Apple and Honey Strudel.

Dough: 2 1/2 cups flour, 8oz (2 sticks) margarine, 1/2 cup cold water, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1/3 teaspoon salt.

Apple filling: 4 tart medium sized apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 4 tablespoons bread crumbs

For assembling: 1 small egg, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons oil.

1. Measure the flour into a big bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut margarine into the flour until mixture resembles small peas.Mow work with your fingertips crumbling the margarine in the flour until it resembles cornmeal.

2. Combine in a measuring cup the water, vinegar and salt, and drizzle it over the flour.Blend with a fork then knead with your and 40 kneads. The dough is quite soft and elastic. Shape the dough into 2 balls.
Wrap them with waved paper and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375F and begin to prepare filling. Peel the apples and thinly sliced. Add all ingredients and mix well.

4. Dust working surface with flour and roll out a rectangle, out of each ball, of about 12" x 15".Brush each rectangle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle all over with bread crumbs. Divide filling into 2 equal parts, using 1 part for each. Put filling on the dough. Roll up lengthwise, starting by folding 1" edge over the filling, then rolling like a jelly roll. Repeat the same with the second ball.

5. Transfer the strudels to a cookie sheet. Beat the egg and water together well then brush on tops of the strudels. To prevent strudels bursting while baking make 1" diagonal buts in the tops with sharp knife. Bake in oven for 1 hour, or until the strudels are nicely browned. Cool completely before serving.