Retro Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

There's an interesting story behind this recipe. I had it once eating at a friend's residence dining hall at university, and somehow I got so hung up on it that I needed to get the recipe. However, I had no idea who to ask- so I asked one of the kitchen staff, who told me to contact the catering office, which eventually took me through a chain of e-mails to a creepy but cool basement kitchen where a very nice lady gave me a photocopy of the recipe for my beloved pineapple upside-down cake. Turns out it's an old one that used to be printed on the bags from Robin Hood flour, but their recipe has since changed and cannot be found online. It's lucky, then, that I found the source of the old version I liked so much.

Since the recipe given to me was in near-industrial proportions (think 10 cups of butter), I cut it down to a more manageable home-baking size. I also had to figure out the procedure for making it on my own, since no instructions were given. I found that crumbling the butter with the dry ingredients first made for a better texture, and that you had to bake it at a relatively high temperature for a long time for it to cook all the way through.

I made a couple of changes of my own- the rum extract, replacing some of the milk with sour cream for tenderness, and cake flour instead of all-purpose. This cake is even better if you use fresh pineapple, though the canned one is definitely more retro-Americana. Don't skip the cherries if you want the full '50s flair, not that the era had much going for it apart from cake if you ask me. Because it's so pretty, you might want to serve this as the centerpiece dessert for an all-American meal or with coffee when guests with a particularly sweet tooth (there's a lot of butterscotchy caramel in the topping) are over.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 3/4 C. Cake flour
1 C. Sugar
1/2 TBSP Baking powder
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 C. (115 g.) Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1/2 C. Sour cream
1/4-1/3 C. Milk
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1 Tsp. Rum extract, optional

Topping:
1 3/4 C. Dark brown sugar
1/2 C. (115 g.) Butter, melted
1 Can pineapple rings, or 1 ripe pineapple cut into thin slices
9 Maraschino or glacé cherries, optional

Preheat oven to 190℃.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Work in butter until crumbly.

Mix the eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

For the topping, blend the brown sugar and melted butter until well-combined. pour into a 9''x9'' square pan or 10" round pan. Arrange pineapple slices and cherries and pour the batter on top, spreading evenly.

Bake for 45-55 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before inverting the pan onto the serving plate.

White Chocolate Bread

There aren't many things I can make that my family gets as excited about as this very simple, very basic, and very... unpretentious bread. It's nothing more than a soft, chewy, slightly crusty loaf studded with white chocolate that becomes melty and caramelized in the oven, and yet it's one of the most irresistible and fantastic things I know. It's partially nostalgia for sure- a few years ago we went on a vacation with Club Med resorts, with whom this bread is famous, and apparently omnipresent in all their resorts (I'd love to go around to them all to study that claim... ahem). It was present at every meal, and I had it... with every meal. It's perfect in that it's greater than the sum of its parts, and definitely deserves its legendary status.

You can make it with a few pantry basics and in very little time, especially for a yeast dough. It's not too sweet because the dough itself is unsweetened, so it's never cloying. and you can enjoy it both hot and fresh or cooled. If there's any leftovers (yeah, right) you can make a glorious bread pudding or French toast. You can also make it with dark chocolate for a change, or if white chocolate isn't your thing.

If you like white chocolate, make this bread as soon as possible. Eat it as soon as you can cut it and feel the love.

White Chocolate Bread - From Club Med 
Makes 5 loaves, or an absurd quantity of buns (I usually halve this!)

8 C. (2 Lbs.) Bread flour
About 3 1/2 C. Water, room temperature
1 TBSP Vital wheat gluten
1 Tsp. Active dry yeast, or 15 g. Fresh yeast
2 Tsp. Salt
2 3/4 C. White chocolate chips or chunks (or more... if you like.)

In a stand mixer bowl, mix the flour, gluten and yeast. Using a dough hook, add the water- you might need slightly more depending on your conditions, but let the dough absorb what you've put in before adding any more (it'll be very sticky). Mix on medium for 2 minutes, then add the salt and mix on medium-high for 8-10 minutes. 

Add the chocolate chips and mix until well-incorporated on low speed, about 1 minute. Let rise in a covered, greased bowl for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 230℃. Divide dough into 5 pieces and shape into oblong loaves (or, make into buns!). Let proof covered on a parchment-lined baking pan for about 30-45 minutes- less time for warmer conditions.

Brush with water. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden-brown and crusty. Use a spray-bottle with water to spritz loaves if you want them to be crustier.

Let stand for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Walnut and Apricot Torte

I made this for my father's birthday, and I like it because it's a very well-balanced combination of flavours and textures that can easily be recombined. The nut cake can be made with any ground nut you like- almond, pistachio, hazelnut and so on. You can use many kinds of jam and maybe even flavour the pastry cream. To me, this is the quintessential Central European torte, somehow simultaneously rich and light, easy but elegant, and perfect for any occasion. 

I made some flowers out of slivered dried apricots, but also decorated with walnuts, almond slices, white chocolate and some macaron shells I made that were in the freezer. Despite being tall and full of different components, it was not the type of cake that made you feel very full afterwards- my parents are pretty anti-buttercream in general, preferring whipped cream in most things. It definitely makes this cake easier and faster to make.

I have made variations of this theme for many birthdays before, and the two most important things to remember are to be careful grinding oily nuts like walnuts (if you go too far all you'll get is a cloggy paste) and to afford yourself lots of time and space so you don't get overwhelmed in the preparation of all the different components and assembly. I can't wait for the next birthday cake I'll get to make for my sister- that one will be a bit more American. I love all kinds of cake equally, after all.

Walnut and Apricot Torte

For the Walnut Sponge
Adapted from Baking, by Peter Jameson

4 Eggs
6 Egg whites
3/4 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Cake flour
1 C. Ground walnuts, or about 2 C. unground
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
Pinch of cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 180℃. Butter two 9'' cake pans and place a round piece of baking parchment on the bottom. Grease the paper.

In a food processor, Blend half the sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and walnuts, pulsing the walnuts first a few times if they aren't already ground. Transfer to a large bowl.

Beat the cream of tartar and egg whites until it turns white and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and beat until shiny, fluffy peaks form.

Mix 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the walnut mixture with a spatula to lighten it before gently folding in the rest, mixing only until just combined. 

Pour or scoop into the pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until they bounce back when poked.

Use a knife around the rims to dislodge the cakes, then remove and peel off the parchment on the bottom. Let cool completely before slicing each in half lengthwise.

For the Pastry Cream
4 Egg yolks
1/4 C. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Sugar
1 Vanilla Bean, halved lengthwise
2 C. Whole milk
1 TBSP Butter

Heat the milk in a large saucepan until steaming. If using the vanilla bean, add and cover to let steep for 30 minutes.

Mix the yolks, sugar and starch. Bring the milk back to an almost-boil on medium-high heat and quickly whisk in a ladle full of the hot milk to the yolk mixture. 

When the yolk and egg mixture is completely blended, pour back into the saucepan through a sieve to catch any clumps. Cook on medium-low heat while whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and keep whisking for another 2-3 minutes. Add the butter.

Once at room temperature, pour into a bowl or container and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

For the Jam Filling
1 C. Apricot jam or fine preserves
1 TBSP Rum or apricot brandy

Mix well and warm gently in a bain-marie or add more liquor if very thick.

For the Whipped Cream
2 C. Whipping cream
2-3 TBSP Superfine or powdered sugar
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

Beat the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla until very fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Garnish
12 Walnut halves
Slivered preserved, fresh or dried apricots

To assemble:

Spread a slice of the walnut sponge with the jam willing, then add a layer of pastry cream. Top with another sponge slice and repeat until all are used. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream and decorate with garnishes.

Crème Pâtissière/ Pastry Cream

This is one of the great essentials of dessert-making: you use it in all manner of cakes, éclairs, cream puffs, tarts and other pastries. You can easily vary the recipe to suit a particular need, but this is the recipe in its most basic form. Some possible modifications include:

• Steeping crushed cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick or grated nutmeg in the milk
• Go wild and use cream instead of some of the milk... but exercise caution, as too much richness does not necessarily translate to better flavour.
• Adding a tablespoon of liquor at the end
• Add some chopped chocolate towards the end to make a richer chocolate pastry cream
• Use coconut milk or another nut milk: as long as it isn't low-fat!
• Use brown sugar or maple sugar as the sweetener for a unique taste
• Mix with whipped cream for crème chiboust, used in many choux pastries
• Use a stovetop-pudding powder instead of cornstarch
• I've even seen versions made with wine or orange juice instead of the milk... If you try that, tell me how it goes.

No matter which you use, make sure to stir the cooking cream well so that the bottom doesn't burn, strain the tempered yolk mixture to catch any curdles, and don't overcook to avoid an unpleasant eggy taste.

Crème Pâtissière

2 C. Whole milk
4 Egg yolks
1/3- 1/2 C. Sugar, depending on desired sweetness
1 Vanilla bean, split, or 1 Tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 C. Cornstarch
1 TBSP Butter, optional (to increase firmness)

Heat the milk in a large saucepan until steaming. If using the vanilla bean, add and cover to let steep for 30 minutes.

Mix the yolks, sugar and starch. Bring the milk back to an almost-boil on medium-high heat and quickly whisk in a ladle full of the hot milk to the yolk mixture. 

When the yolk and egg mixture is completely blended, pour back into the saucepan through a sieve to catch any clumps. Cook on medium-low heat while whisking constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and keep whisking for another 2-3 minutes. Add the butter, if using.

Once at room temperature, pour into a bowl or container and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

Whole-ey Grains, Batman- Vanilla-Bean Honey Kamut Shortbread

This recipe was adapted from one of the prettiest cookbooks I own- an extensive compilation of delicious-looking breads and pastries made with unique flavour combinations, techniques and rarely appreciated grains. Though I didn't have the time yet to try any of the breads, I wanted to make something using the Kamut flour I recently bought- it's a high-protein, ancestral grain with an interesting taste that I've had in breads, but never sweets.

More on Kamut, a.k.a. Khorasan- nowadays it's sold under a trademarked brand, but it was first grown thousands of years ago in the region of the fertile crescent. It's a type of wheat, though the grains are much larger than regular wheat. It's known to be very nutritious and have a pleasant nutty flavour that works well in many kinds of recipe.

I didn't add any flavourings besides the honey and vanilla to focus more on the flavour of the Kamut, and I have to say, it's really good! They're softer and more fragile than other shortbreads I've had, but very tender as a consequence. I'm going to be working on a lot more grainy projects in the near future, as I go through my cabinets full of half-finished flours and experiment with novel uses for them. Stay tuned for more Kamut in the future- I've developed a thing for it with this recipe.

Vanilla-Bean Honey Kamut Shortbread
Adapted from Tartine Book No. 3 by Chad Robertson

1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
225 g. Very soft butter (1 C. + 2 TBSP)
60 g. Sugar, divided into 2 halves (1/2 C.)
55 g. Honey (1/4 C.)
80 g. Cornstarch (1/2 C. + 2 TBSP)
225 g. Kamut flour (1 3/4 C.)
1/2 Tsp. Salt

Sift together flour, salt and cornstarch and set aside.

Cream the butter, half the sugar, honey and all the vanilla bean. Let infuse for about 30 minutes, then remove the vanilla pod and add the flour mixture, blending until just combined.

Grease a small baking pan with butter and sprinkle with one tablespoon of the remaining sugar. Press the dough in and sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly on top. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake at 180℃ for 15-20 minutes. Cut into desired shapes with a sharp knife while still warm, and remove only when completely cool.

Rosinenbrötchen mit Quark- Raisin Buns with Quark + Stollen-Brötchen

Plain buns on the left and raisined ones on the right.

In the long list of bread and bun recipes I'm finally getting around to posting, here's one of my favourites- soft, moist, rich raisin buns enriched with fresh cheese. You can use the quark recipe I've posted, or some farmer's cheese that's been processed well in a food processor with some extra butter. 

Many flavours work well in this dough, though I kept it simple- you can add some spices, some citrus zest or use a different dried fruit like cranberries or currants. You can even omit the fruit entirely (I did this with half because not everyone in my family appreciates the deliciousness of dried fruit...). These are one of the things I love to make for important holidays like Christmas and Easter as part of the breakfast menu, but I also love to freeze leftovers to eat later on... they're especially good with butter and jam, but are also delicious on their own. The "Stollen" version I give makes a nice off-season treat when you crave the flavours of Stollen but Christmas is still far off.

Rosinenbrötchen mit Quark
From ketex.de

For the Sponge:
200 g. All purpose/type 550 flour
150 g. Milk, 2 to 3.8%
20 g. Fresh yeast, or 2 1/4 Tsp. active dry yeast

Mix all well and let rest, covered, for 45 minutes in a warm place.

For the Final dough:
Sponge
300 g. All purpose/type 550 flour
100 g. Butter, at room temperature
50 g. Sugar
100 g. Topfenquark (20% m.f.), or well-ground 12% twarog/farmer's cheese plus 25 g. butter (You can double this quantity for a moister, denser dough- just add about 5 minutes baking time)
8 g. Salt
2 Egg yolks
175 g. Raisins, light or dark
1 TBSP Diastatic malt powder, or honey

beaten egg yolk, condensed milk, cream or melted butter, to brush
Pearl sugar (optional)

Mix all but the butter and raisins and knead until smooth. Add the butter in small pieces and continue kneading until it's incorporated. Add the raisins and once they're evenly distributed, cover the dough and let rise in a greased bowl for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180℃. Form into buns of the desired size (about a dozen works best) and cover. Let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Brush with the desired topping. Sprinkle with pearl sugar, if you like. Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

For "Stollen-Brötchen":

Add a pinch of saffron to the milk in the sponge and heat until steaming. Let infuse 30 minutes before using.

To the above recipe, substitute a mixture of 100 g. sultanas and raisins, 25 g. chopped orange peel, 25 g. chopped citron peel and 50 g. currants. In addition, add:

1 Sachet vanilla sugar, or 1 TBSP homemade
Zest of one lemon
1/2 Tsp. Mace
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
1 Tsp. Cardamom
75 g. Chopped or slivered blanched almonds

To the dough; the spices and sugar in the first steps in making the final dough, and the almonds along with the fruit mixture.

Top the buns with melted butter and pearl sugar.

Kaisersemmeln/ Kaiser Buns

Kaisersemmeln in the foreground as part of an Easter breakfast spread.

What an amazing bun. It's versatile, easy and quick to make, and impressive to look at. The only tricky part is making the knot, but it's very easy once you get the hang of it- form long, well-floured "snakes" of dough, tie a loose knot and tuck the loose ends into the middle, maybe pulling them through and back again if they're long enough to get more loops.

This dough is relatively low in gluten, so it isn't as eager to return to its shape- that would pose a problem for the rolling-out.

High gluten flour helps keep together doughs with large portions of whole grain flours (which lack gluten) and chewy, porous breads, but in this case what you want is a soft bun, hence the all purpose or type 550 flour. (Note: if you live in the GTA, Starsky has a really good selection of European flours! I need to make a 'resources' page sometime.)

A brief note on what the numbers on different forms of flour mean- they refer to the amount of ash (that is, mineral) content in the flour that remains when a sample is combusted. This doesn't mean that the flour is mixed with ashes! Rather, the amount of minerals remaining roughly translates to the amount of the grain kernel left in the dough after milling, since that's where the majority of the minerals are. So, a higher number means a larger quantity of germ/endosperm and bran in the flour, defining its "whole-graininess". Different types of wheat and other grains also vary in mineral/ash content, so the number makes it easier to gauge the properties of a dough made with some flour rather than working with limited information about its origin, processing etc. The French, Italian, German and other classifications vary, but all have the same pattern of decreasing number meaning a finer, more refined flour.

Regardless of if you use all purpose or type 550 flour, this is an amazing bun, with a great flavour and texture that makes it perfect for a holiday breakfast (what I usually make them for), sandwiches, burgers, and so on... they also go down as one of my mum's favourites. So, that should really motivate you to try making them.

Kaisersemmeln
From Chefkoch.de

For the Sponge:
75 g. All purpose/Type 550 flour
75 g. Whole wheat or whole grain spelt flour
135 ml. Warm water
10 g. Fresh yeast, or 3 g. Active dry yeast

Mix all until well incorporated and let rest, covered, for 30-45 minutes.

For the Final Dough:
Sponge 
350 g. All purpose/Type 550 flour
140 ml Water
20 g. Butter
1 Tsp. Diastatic malt powder or honey
10 g. Salt

Add all but the salt and butter to the sponge and knead together. Add salt and knead for about 8 minutes, then add the butter in pieces and knead for 2 more minutes. Let dough rise, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10 equally sized pieces. Form balls and let rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250℃. Roll out each ball of dough by hand on a floured surface into a long "snake". When it's long enough, you should be able to tie a loose knot. Tuck the two "tails" of the knot into the centre of the dough, and moisten it with a bit of water to help it stick. If your dough is rolled out far enough, you can pull the tail(s) through the centre hole and back up again to make more twists. (Alternatively, you can use a kaiser bun stamp, but rolling it out and tying a knot helps to give it a nice texture.) Repeat with the remaining dough. Dust with flour and let rise 45 minutes. 

Bake for 10 minutes, adding steam with a spray bottle of water at the beginning and end of the period. Reduce the heat to 200℃ and bake for another 10-15 minutes, covering the buns with aluminium foil or a baking sheet on an upper rack to stop the browning.