Cranberry coffee cake review

[JHolcomb]

I made the cranberry-hazelnut coffeecake for Thanksgiving at my mil's. It was really, really good. My husband loves it, and I while I won't admit to the number of times that I've make it since T-giving, I will say that the cake part is tender, the cranberries add a very nice tartness to contrast with the sweetness of the cake and the yummy topping. A keeper for sure.

A question about the Clementine-chocolate tart. Did anyone else have a problem with the pastry cream setting? Mine set up initialy, but after I added the clementines, something went horribly wrong, and was impossible to serve. It still tasted great, though.

[Linda in MO]

What do you think would be a good sub. for the hazelnuts? Or is there one? I don't think I can find hazelnuts where I live.
Thanks!

[Deedy]

I think you could use walnuts just as easily as hazel nuts and it would not affect the recipe.

[Deedy]

I think you could use walnuts just as easily as hazel nuts and it would not affect the recipe.

[terrib]

Linda in MO:
I have not made this recipe yet (looks good tho), but I would think anything nutty and crunchy would be delish...like walnuts or pecans. Let me know if you make it.

[Linda in MO]

Thanks guys! Some times I hate living in a small town. There are a lot of ingredients I can't find here.

[JJeannette]

Linda, as a fellow midwestern, I know what you mean---. Anyway, you might try looking for "filberts"--usually in the grocery stores at this time of year. They will be among the nuts in the shells. Makes more work--shelling, then toasting, then rubbing off the skins--.

[KristaMB]

I made both the coffee cake and the tart over Thanksgiving. The cream set okay on my tart, but serving it was still a disaster. It really just fell apart on me. I found it difficult to cut through the clementines then the hardened chocolate on the crust...

[Linda in MO]

Thanks for the tip, JJeannette.

[Grace]

I just wanted to add that I made the cranberry hazelnut coffeecake last night - WOW! It's a keeper for sure (my husband's words). I'm kind of surprised I hadn't seen more reviews of this on the board - have not many people tried this one?

King Arthur Flour sells bags of skinned hazelnuts, which I keep in the freezer, so I always have them on hand. They worked perfectly. I used an 8-inch springform rather than the 9 inch called for, and it took an hour and 20 minutes to bake, but it's perfect and wonderful! For all of those mentioning they have frozen cranberries from last year they are looking to use up, this one uses 2 cups. I'd definitely recommend this recipe!

[Vanessa]

I would use walnuts and maybe even toast them to enhance their flavor http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Abby]

Bumping this up in hopes of getting an answer to Linda's question above.

[Grace]

Vanessa, I wouldn't toast the nuts first, only because the nuts are not baked "into" the cake - they sit on top as part of the streusel, and get good and toasted while the cake bakes (mine took 1 hour and 20 minutes to bake since I used a smaller springform pan). But I thought of that too when I pulled my very raw, pale, skinless hazelnuts from the freezer, then realized they'd get toasted while the cake baked! Just saving you a step....

[MaryH]

Can someone post this recipe? I had the November issue but my 8 month old - who loves paper - got to it and I had to throw it out. I haven't had time to order a backcopy yet.

Thanks. (I have about three bags of cranberries in the freezer - looking to be used!)

[BethR]

I believe this recipe is from the December issue. I was going to post it but Dec's recipes are not available as a cookpac yet, so I don't have it in Mastercook. But perhaps if your 8-month-old only destroyed November's issue you're in luck!

[Grace]

It's actually from the December issue, but here it is just in case you don't have it:


CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

Cranberry-Hazelnut Coffeecake

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: December 2000 PAGE: 184

INGREDIENTS FOR 10 SERVINGS:
Streusel:
1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, melted
Cake:
1-2/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg white
5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
Remaining Indredients:
Cooking spray
2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup;
level with a knife. Combine 1/4 cup flour and next 4 ingredients (1/4 cup
flour through 1 tablespoon butter) in a bowl; toss well. Set aside.

3. To prepare cake, lightly spoon 1-2/3 cups flour into dry measuring cups;
level with a knife. Combine 1-2/3 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (1-2/3
cups flour through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Combine vanilla, 1/4 cup
sour cream, egg, and egg white in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Place
remaining sour cream and 5 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a
mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Add flour mixture
to butter mixture alternately with egg mixture, beginning and ending with
flour mixture.

4. Spread half of batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking
spray. Sprinkle cranberries over batter. Spread remaining batter over
cranberries. Sprinkle streusel mixture over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45
minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a
wire rack. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 293 (30% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 4.7g, mono 3.9g, poly 0.6g);
PROTEIN 4.9g; CARB 46.6g; FIBER 0.4g; CHOL 41mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 265mg; CALC
63mg

Enjoy!!

[MaryH]

Thank you!!!

[Linda in MO]

Another question...is everyone using cake flour to make this? I don't keep that in my kitchen and would hate to buy a bag just to make this recipe. I've read you can sub. all purpose flour for cake flour, but use 1 T. less per cup. Anyone try this?
Thanks!

[ElinorC]

Linda and Abby,
I've think I've seen that all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons is the substitute for cake flour. You might sift the flour also to make it lighter.

[LGBurns]

I noticed that this recipe is in the article on gifts from the kitchen. Looking at the picture, I am having trouble imagining how to pack this as a gift. Any ideas? Could it be made in mini-springform pans?

[christinew]

I live in a big city (Atlanta) and could not find Hazlenuts! But no worries walnuts worked beautifully and my husband said it was a keeper too http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Laura B]

BethR - Just so you know, the December cookpac is available! I was able to download it a few days before the end of November, actually.

Just go to www.cookn.com (http://www.cookn.com) and you can download it.

[This message has been edited by Laura B (edited 12-14-2000).]

[ElinorC]

I finally made this coffeecake and I agree with JHolcomb and Grace. The cake is really fantastic. I was afraid that the cranberries would be too tart but they aren't. The combination of the cranberries, the tender cake and the sweet topping are terrific.

[anna]

Would Craisins work in this recipe or does it have to be fresh cranberries? I have some leftover craisins and have read that fresh cranberries are on the way out. Maybe I'll just have to wait til next year!

[karole]

hi--made the cranberry coffee cake last night--just put it in the freezer--i'm a squirrel--i think i better make another for daily use after listening to what all you guys say!!!! used walnuts--

[Grace]

I wouldn't use Craisins. It wouldn't be the same at all, I don't think. You can usually buy fresh cranberries year round in the frozen food section of the grocery store (ours carries them, I know). You can always ask the grocery store to order them if they don't already have them. Good luck, and this cake really is good.

[Curleytop]

This board is sooo great. I can download the recipes from the "cookpac" which was posted right into my Mastercook Light 5!
Thanks!

[Lynn B]

Just made this over the weekend -- VERY YUMMY!!! Used almonds cause that's what I had, did use cake four. The texture was wonderful! Definitely a make again. I think next time I'll try blueberries w/ walnuts... Mmmmmmmmm!

[Wienie]

Made this yesterday and brought it into work this morning. A big thumbs up. Everyone took seconds.
Could not find fresh cranberries anywhere, but was able to find them frozen. Did not thaw them, simply chopped them frozen in the processor. Excellant flavor with the tart cranberries and sweet cake. A definate keeper.
Jeanne