Hi! I'm Jason, and that i blog at DailyCandor.com. I’ve been taking part in the Daring Bakers’ challenge since The month of january of 2011, and also have enjoyed every single challenge. I'm in no way a whiz in the kitchen area, however i love baking and cooking, so each month I've found myself learning new things and mastering a brand new skill and/or recipe. I'm happy to be hosting this month!
Growing up of immigrants towards the US, I had been elevated eating stuff that look and seem alien to many Americans (eating ghormeh sabzi for Thanksgiving, eating choreg throughout the holidays, etc.).
One half-Croat myself, I had been pleased as punch when Jenni in the Gingered Whisk challenged us to create povitica (what my mother calls orahnjaa) earlier this October, since i have remember eating this yearly becoming an adult, though never baking it myself.
In my hosting challenge, I’m giving a nod to another 1 / 2 of my heritage: Armenian. We’ll be trying two recipes: nazook (or nazouk, or nazuk) and nutmeg cake. I'm much more acquainted with the previous, and mastering nazook will definitely garner looks of approval from little old Armenian ladies (even though they might let you know how their version differs). Armenian nutmeg cake is really a twist on traditional coffee cake, even though it might bring a pleasant respite to bakers desiring a rest from yeasted dough pastries. You may make each one, or both, if you’re to the challenge!
Recipe Source: The nazook is my sister Aida’s recipe. I’ve attempted lots of nazook, and are saying hers is the greatest I’ve attempted. The Armenian nutmeg cake is tailored from the recipe for the similar within the Commonsense Cookery Book, through the NSW Cookery Teachers’ Scholarship Fund.
Blog-checking lines: The Daring Bakers’ April 2012 challenge, located by Jason at Daily Candor, were two Armenian standards: nazook and nutmeg cake. Nazook is really a layered yeasted dough pastry having a sweet filling, and nutmeg cake is really a aromatic, nutty coffee-style cake.
Note: I produced videos to showcase the process for every if you’re much more of a visible learner: nazook (with my sister Aida demonstrating how it’s really done) and nutmeg cake (produced by this writer).
Mandatory Products: You have to make either nazook or nutmeg cake. I tip my hat off and away to individuals taking on.
Variations permitted: Filling variations abound for nazook, so that you can fill all of them with that which you like. The standard vanilla-scented filling is easily the most common, but you may also add about cup of ground walnuts, almonds, pecans, or perhaps mahleb (if you're able to think it is it’s a powder produced from the pits of dark cherries, and it has a cherry/almond aroma). My sister insists almost anything sweet…except chocolate…will work, but if you wish to deviate even more, be my guest (go on and try chocolate, if you want I won’t tell my sister!)
Nutmeg cake, despite its moniker, can be created with cinnamon or cardamom rather, and may also employ different nuts on top (or none whatsoever). As with nazook, you will find substantial options to alter the spice nut choices on the top from the fundamental cake recipe.
Preparation time: Nazook: Dough and filling preparation: half an hour. Dough chilling: 3-5 hrs (or longer). Pastry prep: half an hour. Baking: half an hour.
Armenian Nutmeg Cake: Preparation: half an hour (twenty minutes if using mixer). Baking: 30-40 minutes.
- 1 large bowl
- 1 medium bowl
- 2 cookie sheets (if doing full recipe 1 if doing half)
- pastry brush
- moving pin, or empty win bottle
- crinkle cutter, or perhaps a sharp knife
- calculating spoons/cups
Armenian Nutmeg Cake :
- 1 large bowl
- 1 large cup
- calculating spoons/cups
- springform pan (9”/23cm)
- standing mixer with whisk and paddle attachments (optional)
- mixer (optional)
Nazook
- 3 cups (720 ml) (420 gm/15 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons (12 ml) (7 gm) ( oz) (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) sour cream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) (240 ml) (225 gm/8 oz) softened butter (70 degrees)
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) (210 gm) (7 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) (340 gm/12 oz) sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 sticks) (180 ml) (170 gm/6 oz) softened butter (70 degrees)
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla flavoring
- 1-2 egg yolks (for that wash alternatively, some yogurt, egg-whites, or perhaps a whole egg)
Result in the Pastry Dough
1. Put the sifted flour right into a large bowl.
2. Add some dry yeast, and blend it in.
3. Add some sour cream, and also the softened butter.
5. If utilizing a standing mixer, change to a dough hook. If making by hand, still knead for around ten minutes, or before the dough no more stays with the bowl or perhaps your hands. Whether it remains very sticky, then add flour, just a little at any given time.
6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for several-5 hrs, or overnight if you want.
Result in the filling
7. Mix the flour, sugar, and also the softened butter inside a medium bowl.
8. Add some vanilla flavoring.
9. Mix the filling until it appears as though clumpy, moist sand. It shouldn't take lengthy. Put aside.
Result in the nazook
10. Preheat the oven to moderate 350°F/175°C/gas mark 4.
11. Cut the refrigerated dough into quarters.
12. Form among the quarters right into a ball. Dust your work surface after some flour.
13. Unveil the dough right into a large rectangle or oblong. The dough ought to be thin, although not
transparent.
14. Spread 1/4 from the filling mixture over the folded-out dough within an even layer. Attempt to spread the filling as near as you possibly can towards the edges around the short sides, but keep a number of pastry dough uncovered (1 "Or2.5 cm) across the lengthy edges.
15. From among the lengthy sides, start gradually moving the dough across. Make sure make certain the filling stays distributed. Roll completely across til you have a lengthy, thin loaf.
16. Pat lower the loaf together with your palm and fingers in order that it flattens out a little (just a little).
17. Apply your egg yolk wash having a pastry brush.
18. Make use of your crinkle cutter (or knife) to chop the loaf into 10 equally-sized pieces. Put onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
19. Devote a preheated moderate oven for around half an hour, before the tops really are a wealthy, golden brown.
20. Let it awesome and revel in!
Armenian Nutmeg Cake
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk (I personally use whole, but nonfat or lowfat ought to be fine non-dairy might work all right, too)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) (5 gm) sodium bicarbonate
- 2 cups (480 ml) (280 gm/10 oz) all-purpose (plain) flour (I believe pastry flour or any other low-gluten flour could even are more effective to attain an easy, fluffy crumb)
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) (10 gm) ( oz) baking powder (I made use of single-acting, since it is aluminum-free, also it switched out fantastic)
- 2 cups (480 ml) (400 gm/14 oz) brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3/4 cup (1 sticks) (180 ml) (170 gm/6 oz) butter, preferably unsalted, cubed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) (55 gm/2 oz) walnut pieces, may need some more
- 1-to-1-1/2 teaspoons (five to seven ml) (5 to eight gm) ground nutmeg (attempt to grate it fresh yourself the aroma is enchanting)
- 1 egg
Directions - the standard Way (The Short, Smart Way further lower)
1. Preheat your oven to moderate 350°F/175°C/gas mark 4.
2. Mix the sodium bicarbonate (not baking powder that's for the following step) in to the milk. Place it aside.
3. Sift together the flour and also the baking powder right into a large bowl. One sift is okay
4. Add some brown sugar. Go on and mix the flour and brown sugar together. Or otherwise.
5. Add in the cubed butter.
6. Mash the butter having a fork in to the dry ingredients (you may also make use of your fingers if you would like). You will want to acquire a more-or-less uniform, tan-colored crumbly mixture.
7. Take 1 / 2 of this resulting crumbly mixture to your springform (9”/23cm) pan. Press a crust from it making use of your fingers and knuckles. It will likely be easy.
8. Crack an egg right into a mixer or bowl.
9. Chuck the ball nutmeg along with the egg.
10. Start mixing gradually having a whisk attachment after which increase to medium speed, or mix having a hands whisk if you are doing the work by hand. Once it's mixed well and creamy (about one minute utilizing a standing mixer, or a couple of-3 minutes of energetic beating having a whisk), pour within the milk and sodium bicarbonate mixture. Still mix until uniform.
11. Pour in all of those other crumbly mixture. Mix that well, with whether paddle attachment, or perhaps a spatula. Or continue using the whisk it will not make a difference, because the resulting batter is extremely liquidy.
12. Pour the batter within the base within the springform pan.
13. Lightly sprinkle the walnut pieces within the batter.
14. Bake inside a preheated moderate oven for around 30-40 minutes. You know it's done once the top is really a golden brown, as well as an placed toothpick arrives clean.
15. Let it awesome within the pan, after which release. Enjoy!
A Level Simpler Way. for those who have a Mixer
1. Preheat your oven to moderate 350°F/175°C/gas mark 4 .
2. Mix the sodium bicarbonate (not baking powder) in to the milk. Put aside.
3. Place the flour, baking powder, and also the brown sugar to your mixer. Pulse until uniformly mixed.
4. Add in the cubed butter. Pulse until uniformly mixed into tan-colored crumbs.
5. Pour 1 / 2 of the crumbs to your springform (9”/23cm) pan. Press out a crust making use of your fingers and knuckles.
6. Crack the egg in to the mixer with all of those other crumbs still inside it.
7. Grate 1-to-1-1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg. Toss that in to the mixer, too. Pulse until well-incorporated.
8. Pour within the milk and sodium bicarbonate mixture. Still mix until a rather lumpy tan batter is created.
9. Pour the batter within the crust within the springform pan.
10. Lightly sprinkle the walnut pieces within the batter.
11. Bake inside a preheated moderate oven for 30-40 minutes. It's ready once the top is golden brown, so when it passes the toothpick test (arrives clean).
12. Awesome the wedding cake within the pan, after which dig in. Yummy yummy!
Freezing/Storage Instructions/Tips . Nazook could keep within an airtight container at 70 degrees for a few days, and also the Armenian nutmeg cake could keep (covered) at 70 degrees for just two-three days. Both taste better still still warm in the oven.
Let it awesome completely before trying to freeze. Nazook will freeze best if include a freezer bag with the air squeezed out. Armenian Nutmeg Cake may also freeze fairly well if completely sealed. Both could be frozen for approximately 3 several weeks.
Both recipes could possibly be adapted to become gluten-free and/or vegan, although I haven't attempted myself. Gluten-free flour, coconut oil (rather of butter), pureed silken tofu (rather of sour cream), and nut milk (rather of egg yolk) may be helpful beginning points.
Disclaimer:
The Daring Kitchen and it is people by no means suggest we're doctors and so are NOT accountable for any error in reporting of “alternate baking/cooking”. For those who have difficulties with digesting gluten, then it's Under your control to check out the component before utilizing it. For those who have allergic reactions, it's your responsibility to make certain any component inside a recipe won't adversely affect you. If you're lactose-intolerant, it's your responsibility to make certain any component inside a recipe won't adversely affect you. If you're vegetarian or vegan, it's your responsibility to make certain any component inside a recipe won't adversely affect you. The duty is up to you it doesn't matter what ailment you’re coping with. Please talk to your physician with any queries before utilizing an component you do not know. Thanks!
