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holiday baking

Haack Carolyn <haacknjack@sbcglobal.net>
Mon, 7 Sep 2009 06:22:46 -0700 (PDT)
v109.n035.2
Well, Reggie, funny you should ask!  My sister and I are mostly 
complete with the first of several holiday baking weekends throughout 
the fall.  Saturday we made two dozen Kentucky Whiskey Cakes, 
yesterday two dozen Stollens ... logs of two cookie recipes to be 
sliced and baked later ... and the cookies for adorable little 
shortbread bites called Acorns, which later get one end dipped in 
melted chocolate and then in shaved walnuts to complete the 
effect.  We'll make another batch of Stol then more cookies around 
Halloween, have a decorating day just before Thanksgiving.

The Stollens are plastic-wrapped and put into freezer bags before 
freezing; the weekend before Thanksgiving we tie a ribbon around each 
one and pack them to be sent to friends far and wide -- the loaf is 
still frozen going into the box, and every year people tell us how 
much they enjoy the loaf, so they must be arriving in fresh condition.

This weekend's cookies are in freezer bags in the freezer; later, 
already-baked cookies are stored in plastic boxes ("sweater" size 
works well) with snap-tight lids until assorted onto heavy paper 
plates for gifting.  Again, plastic wrap over the top and thin ribbon 
wrapped around to create the look of 6 "pizza slices" with a curly 
ribbon "pouf" in the middle.

In my experience, the key to good storing properties is a rich 
recipe; don't stint on the butter, eggs & milk.  Cooking Light 
magazine has improved with their baking recipes quite a bit over the 
years, but they are all "eat now" due to the reduction of fat 
content.  So let's try to behave 11 months of the year and celebrate 
over the holidays!

Haack's Christmas Stollen

This recipe goes back generations in our family; this is a little 
heavier on nutmeg than the original, so use less if you prefer.  I've 
also added the missing components of the Cornell Mix for a hint of 
nutritional balance, though that's hardly the point of holiday 
baking.  If you don't have 7x4" loaf pans, make fewer, larger loaves.

Makes 12, 1-pound loaves

LOAVES:
1 cup butter
4.5 cups whole milk
1 medium nutmeg, grated (approximately 1 Tablespoon)
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon salt
10 teaspoons wheat germ
10 Tablespoons soy flour
10 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
4 eggs, room temperature
4 packets active dry yeast (3 Tablespoons)
2 pounds mixed candied fruit & peel (fruitcake mix)
10 ounces blanched, slivered almonds
12 ounces white raisins

STUFFING:
5 ounces blanched almonds, chopped fine or pulverized in food processor
1.5 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
12 ounces white raisins
1/2 cup butter, melted

FROSTING:
4 cups confectioner's sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, soft
4 teaspoons vanilla
4 teaspoons whole milk

Grease 12 loaf pans, 7 x 4".

Melt butter in a medium saucepan; when melted, add milk and turn off 
heat (this should allow the mixture to get warm, but not so hot as to 
kill off the yeast).  Grate the nutmeg, put into a very large bowl or 
stockpot along with the sugar, wheat germ, soy flour, and 
yeast.  Whisk together to blend well.  Add the eggs, whisk to blend 
well.  Test the temperature of the milk/butter mixture; if too cool, 
heat briefly.  Pour a cup or so into the bowl, whisk in thoroughly; 
gradually add the remaining liquid.  Add 5 cups of flour, whisk 120 
strokes.  Add remaining 5 cups of flour, whisk 120 strokes.  You will 
have a heavy, sticky mass.  Let rise until doubled.

Put the candied fruit mix and the raisins in a paper bag with a cup 
of flour.  Shake well (support the bottom of the bag with your hand 
for security) to coat each piece.  Add to the sponge along with the 
almonds.  Using a heavy wooden spoon, combine all and add flour if 
required to make a kneadable dough.  Let rise until doubled.

Make the filling:  combine the fine almond pieces, sugar, cinnamon 
and raisins.  Break up clumps of raisins so as much as possible you 
have individual raisins.  Melt the butter in a small pan.

Knock down the dough and knead it, using as little flour as 
possible.  Portion into twelve pieces (using a kitchen scale 
helps).  Pat or roll a piece into a rough rectangle; brush with 
melted butter.  Pour about 1/4 cup of filling onto buttered area, 
spread around evenly.  Roll dough up into a loaf; pinch to seal 
bottom and end seams.  Place into greased loaf pan.  Press down hard 
to shape loaf to pan and set the seams.  Brush top with 
butter.  Repeat until all loaves are formed.

Let rise until doubled in bulk; preheat oven to 350 F.  When risen, 
bake loaves 40-45 minutes, until well-browned.  (Even with my 
convection oven, I find it helpful to rearrange the batch after about 
30 minutes of baking time.)

Meanwhile, prepare cooling space and make the icing.  Put old 
newspapers under cooling racks (to catch the drips).  Put all icing 
ingredients except the milk into a food processor; add enough milk to 
make a slightly soft, but still spreadable, icing.  (Mixing with a 
hand mixer in a bowl works fine as well.)  When the loaves are done, 
put them top-side-up on the racks and spread with some of the icing, 
letting it run down the sides.  COOL COMPLETELY (possibly overnight) 
before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.  If making well in advance, 
secure the final ends with tape, and store in freezer bags in the 
freezer up to 3 months.


Kentucky Whiskey Cake
(We'll call it a quick bread for purposes of this list, eh?)

This recipe originally called for a full-sized tube pan.  As we 
wanted it to be gift-able, we first converted to large loaf pans from 
our great-grandfather's bakery (he baked pound cake in them); later 
we found miniature tube pans, welded 4 to a rack.  that's what we use 
today, a fun nod to the original.  Whatever shape you use, pan 
preparation is key ... a mere spritz of Pam will NOT get the job done.

1/2 pound white raisins
1 pound red candied cherries
1 pint rotgut bourbon, plus more for aging
3/4 pound butter
3 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons unsulphured molasses
6 eggs, separated
1 pound large, whole pecans plus 3 Tablespoons flour
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder

Start the night before baking, soak the raisins and cherries in the 
bourbon overnight.  In the morning, cut the cherries into quarters 
(by now all the sticky syrup has dissolved into the 
bourbon).  Prepare the pan(s) either by greasing, lining with waxed 
paper, and greasing the waxed paper OR by brushing with quick-release 
goop from Laurel's Kitchen;  1/2 cup liquid lecithin mixed with 1 cup 
vegetable oil (store any leftover in the refrigerator).  Prepare your 
pan even if it's "nonstick."

Preheat oven to 300 F.

For the cake, cream the butter and sugar and add the egg yolks one by 
one, mixing well after each addition.  Mix in the soaking liquid from 
the fruit.  Shake the pecans with the small amount of flour, discard 
any extra flour.  Beat the egg whites until stiff.  Combine the dry 
ingredients, combine with the creamed mixture.  Fold in whites, fold 
in nuts just until well-combined.  You will have a stiff dough quite 
full of fruit & nuts.  Using a rubber scraper and spoon, transfer 
batter evenly into pan(s).  Bake about 3 hours (this is not a typo), 
until the cake cracks on top and the bottom of the crack looks 
dry.  The cakes will be deep brown.  Cool completely on a rack.

Wrap the cooled cake(s) in an old kitchen towel, or if necessary in 
heavy paper towels. Soak the wrappings well with more bourbon; put 
the wrapped and soaked cakes in a plastic zipper bag and refrigerate 
for at least 6 weeks to mellow.  (This is why you can get away 
without fine whiskey)

To give, wrap in plastic or place in plastic bakery gift bag with 
instructions to keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Then slice 
cold cake very thinly to show off the pretty cross-section and 
enjoy.  Eat responsibly -- this cake has a kick!