Yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake – Sweet & savoury for Daring Bakers

Instructions

Prepare the dough:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.

1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.

1. With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes.

1. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together.

1. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.

1. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes.

1. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.

Thermomix version

1. , place all dough ingredients in the bowl of the TM. Process at Speed 6 for 10 seconds to combine. Then put dial to closed position, and knead at interval speed for two minutes. Turn onto a floured surface, form into a ball and place in oiled bowl for first rising

Prepare your filling:

1. Sweet:

1. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips, walnuts and tart dried cherries.

1. Savoury:

1. Place the tomatoes cut side up, sprinkle with chopped garlic, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and fresh oregano.

1. Roast in a moderate oven / 180C for about 30-45 minutes. Cool, peel if desired and chop.

Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue:

1. In a clean mixing bowl –

ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom

1. – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque.

Divide into 2 if making the sweet and savoury version.

1. Sweet version:

1. Add the vanilla then start adding the 1/4 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

1. Savoury version:

1. Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp dried herbs and beat until very stiff, glossy peaks form.

Assemble the Coffee Cakes:

1. Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1. Punch down the dough and divide in half.

1. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle.

1. Sweet version:

1. With an offset spatula spread the bitter marmalade to about 1/2 an inch from the edges and top uniformly with the sweet meringue. Sprinkle over the reserved mixed walnuts, chocolate chips and tart dried cherries.

1. Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal. Using sharp kitchen scissors {or a sharp knife} make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch intervals.

1. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.

1. Savoury version:

1. With an offset spatula spread the savoury meringue and sprinkle with the roasted tomatoes, followed by the grated cheese.

1. Repeat the rest as for the sweet dough.

1. Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Sprinkle vanilla sugar over the sweet cake, and sea salt and fresh pepper over the savoury one.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.