Bready or Not: Almond Olive Oil Bundt Cake
The second week of 2023, and we’re beginning in proper form with a cake. An Almond Olive Oil Bundt Cake.
This cake isn’t as super-sweet as many. Instead, the olive oil and almonds are what comes through beautifully in the crumb. The glaze finishes things off, and the crunch of slices almonds adds a nice textural contrast.
This is the kind of bundt cake that works well for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert. It also works for any season of the year.
Modified from a Pompeiian Olive Oil ad.
Bready or Not: Almond Olive Oil Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10 or 12 cup bundt pan
- cooking spray with flour
- cooling rack
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or plain almond milk
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons milk or half & half
- sliced almonds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Apply baking spray with flour on the interior of the bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a big mixing bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until they are thick and yellow, about three minutes. Slowly mix in olive oil until smooth, followed by vanilla and almond extracts. Mix in the dry ingredients alternatively with the almond milk, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake until the middle passes the toothpick test, about 50 to 60 minutes.
- Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert cake onto the rack to completely cool.
- Make the glaze. Beat together the confectioners' sugar and milk to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over the top so it oozes down the sides. If desired, top with a sprinkle of sliced almonds. Let glaze set for about 20 minutes. Slice in and enjoy!
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Khachapuri
Let’s start the new year in cheesy fashion! Here’s my take on khachapuri, aka Georgian cheese bread. It’s pretty much the ultimate dish if you like bread and cheese.
This is an original recipe, which I made from studying about four other recipes. I have no way of knowing if this, or the recipes I pull from, are authentic. Really, they can’t be. Those of us in the US likely can’t get the real-deal cheeses, but I did try to go more authentic than some of the other recipe suggestions.
Butterkäse is carried by some supermarkets in the US, especially the Roth brand out of Wisconsin. If you can’t find that, go for a good melter like mozzarella or havarti.
Bulgarian feta is moister than typical domestic fetas and also doesn’t have as strong of a salty flavor. I’ve found that it is regularly carried in Grocery Outlets in California and in larger Asian/European grocery stores. Can’t find it? Go for another moist feta.
Traditional Khachapuri is topped with an egg. Mine is not, because my husband hates eggs. I knew he wouldn’t even want to see a runny egg on my portion!
I include advice on reheating leftovers as well. I can testify that this dish reheats beautifully in the oven.
Bready or Not Original: Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)
Equipment
- food scale
- parchment paper
- pizza stone
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- pinch sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- 9 ounces butterkäse also known as butter cheese, shredded (substitute mozzarella or havarti)
- 7 ounces Bulgarian feta broken apart with fork (substitute other moist feta)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 large eggs for topping, optional
- fresh basil or other chopped herbs or red pepper flakes for topping, optional
Instructions
To make the dough
- Warm the milk and water together, in the microwave or on the stove, to about 110-degrees. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar and yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes to start bubbling; if the room is cold, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel to encourage warmth.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Beat using a dough hook for about five minutes, or longer if by hand, to form a soft dough. Move to a larger greased bowl and cover, letting rise for an hour to an hour and a half.
Shape and fill the khachapuri
- Combine the two cheeses in a bowl. Mash in the egg to completely incorporate.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough onto the surface, dividing in half. Form each into a round; set one aside. Use a rolling pin to extend a piece of dough to be about ten inches across. Lift it onto parchment paper. Repeat with the other piece of dough, either fitting onto the same parchment or a second piece.
- Spoon half the cheese mixture into the middle of a bread sheet, spreading out to about an inch from the edge. Fold the bare edge over to meet the cheese, shaping it into a cheese canoe, pinching the ends together and twisting to seal. Repeat with the second half.
- Preheat oven at 450-degrees and place pizza stone in oven to heat up. Let khachapuri rise for 30 minutes.
- Carefully pull out the pizza stone. Use parchment to lift khachapuris onto the stone. Bake for 12 minutes. If adding the traditional cracked egg to top each piece, then do so now. In any case, turn around khachapuri and bake for another 4 minutes. Crust should be browned with cheese fully melted.
- Let set for 10 minutes. If desired, add chopped basil, red pepper flakes, or other herbs. Serve!
OM NOM NOM!
Notes
Bready or Not Original: Quick Maple Cookie Fudge Redux
Let’s finish off the year 2022 by reviving a recipe first on Bready or Not in 2016: Maple Cookie Fudge!
This is a shortcut fudge without any need of a candy thermometer or stress. I like to use the microwave, but you can use the stovetop if you want. You can keep the maple cookies chunky, if you desire, or grind everything to crumbs–your choice! I actually like some small chunks mixed in for texture.
The maple flavor is nice and consistent here, not cloying, while the marshmallow fluff grants the texture some extra oomph. The nuts add an extra flavor and crunch, but you can omit them if you want.
This maple cookie fudge is just about perfect if you ignore the pesky nutritional side of things.
Bready or Not Original: Quick Maple Cookie Fudge
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray or butter
Ingredients
- 3 cups white chocolate chips
- 12.3 ounces maple crème cookies crushed/chopped/maimed, about 20 cookies
- 7 ounces marshmallow fluff
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon maple flavor
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts walnuts, pecans, macadamias, etc
Instructions
- Prepare a 9×13 pan by lining it with foil and applying nonstick spray.
- Either in microwave or on stovetop, carefully melt chocolate with sweetened condensed milk and marshmallow cream. If microwaving, do it in short bursts because it can burn fast! Stir often.
- When the mix is smooth, add the maple flavor and vanilla. Fold in the maple cookies and nuts. Pour fudge into the prepared pan. Use an uneven spatula to smooth out the top.
- Refrigerate at least 3 hours, until the fudge is firm. Cut into bite size pieces. Keep stored in fridge between layers of wax paper. Unlike some other quick fudges, this will keep well for hours at room temperature.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Sugar-Dipped Butter Cookies
These Sugar-Dipped Butter Cookies are an absolute classic. Easy to make. Nothing fancy. Great to make with kids.
As simple as these cookies are, this recipe suggests a fantastic technique that will be great to apply to other recipes: shape the dough ball, then dip it into water, then dip it in the colored sugar. This gets the sugar to adhere beautifully.
One thing I love about these cookies is that you can mix up the sugar dependent on the season. Making them for Christmas? Go red and green. Make them for a sports gathering? Use team colors. Make them for a birthday? Use favorite colors.
Really, this is a recipe that has fun dough, and is a fun one to make all the way through. Plus, the cookies are tasty, especially with some milk, coffee, or tea.
Bready or Not: Sugar-Dipped Butter Cookies
Equipment
- teaspoon scoop
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 cubes) room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup colored sugar
- water
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375-degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat together white sugar and butter until creamy. Add egg. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Place colored sugar in a bowl. Put a small amount of water in a saucer.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip top of ball in water, then in sugar. Place colorful side-up on baking sheet, spaced out.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set with golden edges. Let cool on a rack, then pack into a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
Updated Bibliography December 2022
The Bibliography page has been updated with an array of news and publications:
Big News:
“The Bookstore” (NewMyths) won long form Rhysling Award for 2022!
Short story:
“P is for Pet” (reprint), Paradoxical Pets anthology for middle grade readers
Translated short story:
“Raue Sitten” (Rough Manners) (originally “Canopy of Skulls”), Spektrum.de (Oct 12 2022)
Podcast:
“The Library is Open” (reprint), Manawaker Studio’s Flash Fiction Podcast
Poetry:
“Doing Her Part to Combat Sexism in the Sciences” and “Mother, Grandmother, God,” Star*Line 45.3 Summer 2022
“Better Off,” Star*Line 45.4 Fall 2022
“Summer Evenings,” Frozen Wavelets issue 7
#SFWAPro
Read MoreBready or Not: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
These Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies are a fantastic holiday treat. They truly do taste like gingerbread and chocolate together, a great combo if ever there was one.
These are made even better by the crunchy outer coating of Swedish pearl sugar, too. If you haven’t baked with it before, you’re in for a treat, This stuff is great on cookies and also pastries. You can find it on Amazon. [affiliate link]
The end result is a cookie that is firm to hold, but soft and chewy to bite into, with the sugar crunching pleasantly between the teeth.
Need other recipes with Swedish pearl sugar? I can help!
Swedish Cinnamon Rolls in the Bread Machine
Bready or Not: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Equipment
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- teaspoon scoop
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon baking cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa, sifted
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 cube) room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 7 Tablespoons Swedish pearl sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until they are light and creamy. Add molasses. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Measure the pearl sugar into a bowl. Use a scoop or spoon to create balls of dough. Roll them in the pearl sugar and then set spaced out on pan.
- Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Let sit on pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
