Daring Bakers' Challenge- Filled Meringue Coffee Cake

The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake.

I haven’t had a lot of luck when making yeast breads in the past, so I was a little nervous about this challenge.  It turned out that I had nothing to worry about!  The recipe is simple, the dough was rich and delicious, and the meringue layer was absorbed by the dough while baking, adding moisture.  I chose to fill my coffee cake with cinnamon sugar, pecans, and chocolate chips, and the resulting cake was perfect for either breakfast or dessert! 

Mixing the dough

I allowed the dough to rise for one hour

I rolled the dough into a rectangle and added the meringue, cinnamon sugar, pecans and chocolate chips

I rolled up the dough with the filling, and formed a ring

I allowed the filled dough to rise for another hour

After baking, I dusted the cake with powdered sugar just before serving

Filled Meringue Coffee Cake

Makes 2 coffee cakes

For the yeast coffee cake dough:

4 cups (600 g / 1.5 lbs.) flour
¼ cup (55 g / 2 oz.) sugar
¾ teaspoon (5 g / ¼ oz.) salt
1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g / less than an ounce) active dried yeast
¾ cup (180 ml / 6 fl. oz.) whole milk
¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl. oz.) water
½ cup (135 g / 4.75 oz.) unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 large eggs (room temperature)

Filling:

1 cup (110 g / 4 oz.) chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons (30 g / 1 oz.) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (170 g / 6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

Meringue:

3 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup (110 g / 4 oz.) sugar

  

Egg Wash:

1 egg

To Finish Coffee Cake:

Powdered sugar

Mix the yeast with ¼ cup lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon sugar.  Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, until it doubles in volume.

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

Combine the milk, water and butter in a saucepan, and warm over medium heat until the butter is just melted. Slowly add the warm liquid to the flour mixture, beating with an electric mixture at low speed.  Once mixture is well blended, increase mixer speed and beat for an additional 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup of flour and the eggs and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Stir in the remaining flour with a wooden spoon, adding enough flour as necessary to form a dough that holds together.  Knead dough on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes, adding extra flour if needed. 

Place the dough in a bowl, lightly greased with vegetable oil.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a small towel, and allow dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.

Prepare filling by mixing the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.

Once dough has doubled in size, make the meringue by placing the egg whites and salt in a clean plastic or metal bowl, and beat with an electric mixture at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is foamy.  Add the vanilla, and continue beating at high speed while slowly adding the sugar.  Beat mixture until it holds stiff peaks.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal halves.  Roll out each half into a 20 x 10 inch rectangle.  Spread half of the meringue over each rectangle, and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar, pecans and chocolate chips.  Roll up the rectangles jelly-roll style, lengthwise, and pinch the seams to seal the roll.  Transfer the filled rolls to a lined baking sheet, and carefully bring the ends of the roll together to make a ring.  Pinch the ends together to seal.  Use a sharp knife to make cuts along the top of the ring, spacing the cuts 1 inch apart.

Cover the cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Beat an egg for the egg wash.  Brush the cakes with egg wash and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and well risen.  Allow cake to cool on a wire rack.  Dust the tops of the cakes with powdered sugar just before serving.

Adapted from the recipe for Filled Meringue Coffee Cake at thedaringkitchen.com

-Posted by Jennifer