Butter Almond Coffee Cake

Perfect for a chilly winter morning is this Butter Almond Coffee Cake.  Its pretty simple to make, a few steps that in themselves are easy, just several of those steps to get to this wonderfully almondy coffee cake.

The real key to this coffee cake is to really whip the egg sugar mixture as there is no leavening in the cake.  That right, no baking soda or baking powder, its lightness comes from the air whipped into the eggs in the beginning.  Don't be afraid to whip it long and hard (wasn't that a Devo Song?) until the beater leaves trails in the egg mixture and it falls in ribbons from the whip. Takes about 3-4 minutes to get to that stage. If you don't do this your cake with be dense.

Butter Almond Coffee Cake

Cake:

• 1/2 Cup Sugar 
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 t. Vanilla
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 2/3 Cup Butter, plus small amount for pan
• 2 Eggs
• 3/4 Cup Flour

Glaze:

• 2 T. Milk
• 1 T. Flour
• 1/4 C. Butter
• 2 oz. Blanched almonds, sliced
• 4 T. Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9" baking pan.
Melt 2/3 C. butter and allow to cool.
Using a mixer with whisk attachment, beat eggs, vanilla, almond extract, salt and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Slowly add butter and flour to egg mixture and stir in on low speed.
Pour batter into an prepared cake pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
In a saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup of butter, 4 T. sugar, milk, and flour. Bring to a boil and add almonds.  Spread cake with glaze and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until just beginning to turn light brown and crispy.
Allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes or so before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cherry Almond Crumble

What does one do when one has guests and they don't eat chocolate? Out goes most of my recipes and I find out what they do like, in tonights case Bill really likes fruit cobblers and crumbles so off to the test kitchen I went for this recipe.

ITs not a complete test as the topping is pretty generic and all I had to do was get some backs of fresh frozen fruit from the grocery. I knew going into this that cherry and almond play together really well so it wasn't a giant leap into the unknown with this one. Turned out quite tasty.

Cherry Almond Crumble

• 2 lbs frozen pitted dark cherries
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 T corn starch
• 1 t almond extract.
• Topping:
• 1 1/2 old fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 c slivered almonds
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c butter melted

Lightly spray 13X9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine cherries, sugar, corn starch and almond extract. Toss lightly until evenly coated. Pour into a single layer into the baking dish.

In stand mixer add oats, flour, brown sugar and almonds. Turn mixer onto low speed and slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Mix until butter is well distributed and the mix resembles coarse sand. Sprinkle topping mixture over the fruit.

Bake 350F for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Spritz cookies

This is one of those standby recipes that is part of our Christmas traditions. Spritz have been enjoyed since I was a kid and this is the same recipe has used for more years than I'll ever admit too. Figured as long as I was experimenting with an orange version I might as well share the original that I have used all the years I've been continuing the tradition.

My one word of caution is not to skrimp on buying a cheap "imitation flavor"or "almond flavor" as you get a bitter aftertaste. Splurge on the real almond extract and reward yourself with a depth and purity of flavor as a reward for your efforts.

Spritz Cookies

2 c flour

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking powder

1 cup butter

1/2 c sugar

1 egg

1/2 t almond extract

1/2 t vanilla extract

1-5 drops food color (optional)

decorating sprinkles or sugars

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and extracts beating until well blended. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add to the creamed mixture.

Load your cookie press per the manufacturers directions.

Bake 350F 8-10 minutes until set but not browning.