This challenge had perfect timing. We had just come back from our vacation and I was itching to bake something. I saw the recipe and got excited since I had all the ingredients I needed.
This coffee cake is actually a sweet yeast dough that I filled with meringue, cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips (I omitted the nuts). You can make different variations for the filling. You can flavor the meringue and add fruits as a filling instead. You can also dust it with cocoa powder instead of powdered sugar, or leave it plain - whatever you like!
TOOLS I USED
- Medium saucepan
- Stand Mixer
- Wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Spatula
- Kitchen scissors
- Silicon baking mat or parchment paper
- Baking trays
FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE
Yield: Two (2) 10" round coffee cakes
Download the printable .pdf of the challenge here.
Ingredients:
DOUGH:
- 4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 package (2-1/4 teaspoon) active dried yeast
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup water (doesn't matter what temperature)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk with a little milk for egg wash
- Cocoa powder or Powdered sugar for dusting cakes
MERINGUE:
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
FILLING:
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate
Instructions:
Prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted. 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. Add the eggs and 1 cup flour and beat for 2 more minutes.
Change into the dough hook and add the remaining flour. Knead until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to coat all side. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45-60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.
Prepare your filling. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling. You can add chopped to this if you like.
Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue. In a clean mixing bowl, 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. Add the vanilla then start adding the 1/2 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.
Assemble the coffee cakes. Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and divide in half. 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 rectangle.
Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch from the edges. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar filling and half of the chocolate chips evenly over the meringue.
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 kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don't be afraid to cut deep into the ring.
Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.
Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should be 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.
Just before serving, dust the tops of the coffee cakes with powdered sugar or cocoa powder. These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.
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