I have some great breakfast pastries I seem to always turn to but it's time for some new ideas. I'm looking for specific sources for excellent brunch pastries. Do any of you have a terrific book you would recommend?

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 10:18 am: Edit

I would really recommend Baking with Julia - have you looked at that? I've been happy with everything from it, but I don't know if it will be new stuff for you. I just made the Hungarian Shortbread - great! I actually used for a dessert special in the restaurant. It sold well - what was left of it after the kitchen staff got to it!

I would love to hear more suggestions, too. Maybe some ethnic specialties?

By MarkG on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 02:12 pm: Edit

My biggest breakfast sellers right now are scones (honey/pecan, dried cherry and cheese/cayenne pepper), Pecan schnecken, and Chocolate chip brioche fingers.

Mark

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 05:23 pm: Edit

I do own Baking with Julia which I mentioned I didn't like or use. Other people at this site have told me to try more recipes from it, so I definitely will.

We have scones on party menus but they are rarely touched. They don't seem very popular in Chicago.

Danish, sweetrolls, brioche or muffins get picked at but a tray of homemade doughnuts vanish. So I think I'm looking for items people can't get everywhere. Simple items like grandma would have made or something enthnic that people just can't pass with-out trying????.

By Joey181 (Joey181) on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 06:18 pm: Edit

try checking out "the inn chef" by chef micheal smith. I find his recipes unique and delisous too! :o)

By d. on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 06:24 pm: Edit

Have you tried making the brioche coffe cake in The Cake Bible? Pretty good. Guys at work scarf it down every single time. Also the sour cream coffee cake. I make them in individual portions in large muffin tins.What about rugelach, but maybe you can play around with the fillings instead of doing the standard rasp. or apricot? And what about turnovers? I opt for pie crust instead of puff, so they're more sturdy and you can fill them with various fruit(or savory) fillings. But sometimes you can have all these kickass breakfast items and the doughnuts are still the first to go! Isn't that funny?

By momoreg on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 08:43 pm: Edit

How 'bout scottish oatcakes, or crackers? Or even crumpets or english muffins? These might be a good contrast to the sweetness of the donuts, and if you have time, you can accompany it with homemade marmalade. I dunno, I'm thinking Britain.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 08:43 pm: Edit

I agree with Ramodeo to check out ethnic specialties. I have an old Scandinavian cookbook that has a baking section; In Scandinavia and in Holland and Germany they make a lot of pastries with almond paste that are very tasty for brunch.

I recently picked up Richard Sax's Classic Home Desserts and there are some items in this book that look promising for brunch as well. I have made the cranberry duff which is delicious and could be made with other fruits. There are also a lot of homey old fashioned recipes in this book, clafoutis and puddings. And for what grandma used to make, why not go back to the American Woman's Cookbook (mine is from 1947) or something like that? You may have to cut the sugar, but there are some good ideas.

By pam on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 08:46 pm: Edit

i was also going to recommend the sourcreamcoffee cake,made w apples,from the cake bible.iused to make this for a brunch.cut squares.i also made little chocolate cupcakes w creamcheese filling, homemade french donuts with crushed blueberries in the batter, you can use frozen berries.it's true about scones,i used to work at hotel nikko& had to make them for tea,we didn't make too many or they would be left & the employees did't want them.do you make your own croissants?i love peanut & butter jelly croissants & people like them,especially if you make mini ones with different fillings.do they like quickbreads? banana,strawberry,lemon or orange poppyseed,date nut or brown bread with whipped cream cheese. how about crepes. you can make them up ahead of time,fold & arrange on platter or chafing dish.they keep for a couple of days ok.corn muffins with fresh or creamed corn in it & whipped honey butter, i don't know if this is your style or ifyou want fancier stuff.i'm so sick of danish.

By tj on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 09:08 pm: Edit

how about french beignet? you can fill them up with all kinds of fruits or even pieces of dark chocolate,then fry them and dust with xxxsugar.
its interesting to see that every body are looking in to sweet pastries only, but in the middle east
they serve in the morning and lunch time something
call BUREKAS , it is made with very flaky puff pastry and filled with a bechamel of feta cheese and olives , or mashed potatoes and onions, or fried mushrooms with herbs, or cheese and spinach,
and so on.alot of great combinations! i used to eat those every day, they are
very light and not at all rich.in greace i had a similar pastry call spanakopita, but this was made
using filo dough .

By Panini (Panini) on Tuesday, January 18, 2000 - 09:34 pm: Edit

How about Kolache's.
its a great alternative to donuts, easy to upscale.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 11:05 am: Edit

I have made kolaches and rugelach several times but I don't have a slam dunk/perfect recipe for either. I just read a recipe for kolaches that rolls & folds its' dough a few times like you would with fine pastry doughs. Does anyone have an opinion on that? I don't know that much about either (wasen't raised eating them), could you tell me exactly what you consider an up-scale version of either? Any help with perfecting them would be appreciated too!

Claudia do you have any names for good Scandinavian baking books?

Thanks d. turn-overs are a good idea (I've forgotten about them).

I made crumpets for a tea last year they were great but they didn't even try one.

I love aebleskivers but I don't know if anyone would know what they are.

There is a fruit filled coffeecake (ethnic) that coils around but I just can't think of it's name, can anyone help me?

I'm also thinking about making funnel cakes (they sell like crazy at fairs). How would you dress them up and put them on a buffet?

By Mikeh (Mikeh) on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 12:12 pm: Edit

The latest issue (Feb 2000) of Pastry Art & Design magazine has a 5-page article devoted to a few different kinds of Rugelach -- Blueberry Almond Coconut, Cranberry Nut, Orange Pistachio, and Mocha Hazelnut.

I haven't tried any of these out, so I can't comment on their quality.

Cheers, Mike

By momoreg on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 12:36 pm: Edit

W.,
You may think it's too retro, but maybe rosettes would be more attractive, and along the same lines as funnel cakes. Also, I have a rugelach recipe that's very good, which I'll post tomorrow.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 01:04 pm: Edit

W. I have "The Great Scandinavian Cookbook, an encyclopedia of domestic cookery" translated from swedish by J. Audry Ellison, published by Crown Publishers. My copy is from 1967 and was the first basic cookbook I ever owned (next to a bride's cookbook which talked about pleasing yer man!) The baking section is extensive. The Time-Life Foods of the World, The Cooking of Scandinavia has Mor Monsen (a sort of rich pound cake studded with almonds and currants and cut into small shapes) and Mazarintarta, which is a pastry crust filled with an almond paste filling. (the filling is called frangipane!) This series was printed in the early 1970s and had two parts - a coffee table travel book and a companion spiral bound recipe books. You only need the notebooks, which sometimes can be found in libraries. I don't have them all; but the ones I have a consult fairly often.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 01:38 pm: Edit

Oh my, I have one of those note books from the Timelife series (The cooking of India). It's dated 1969 for the original printing then republished in 1981 which is when I began cooking professionally. Yah hoo I think my mother has the whole series!!!! Which explains why Mazarintarta imediately came to mind as one of my favorite recipes, from MOM. She puts apricot preserves on the crust before adding the frangipane, is that how it's written?

Momoreg my idea for funnel cakes came from x-mas when I included rosette cookies bordering my cookie platter. I never even saw the rosettes go, I put them out then rechecked the buffet a little bit later and they were gone, everyone.

I would appreicate your recipe. What qualities do you seek in really good rugelach? Should it be flakey, cookie like, heavy or light I don't know what the "ideal" is?

I haven't recieved Pastry A. & D. yet, the news stand gets it before I do with a subscription.

P.S. I love retro Because it SELLS!

By d. on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 04:39 pm: Edit

Can anyone describe what a koleche is? I probably know it by another name. And what are the rosette cookies, Momoreg and W., that you guys are talking about? Sounds interesting.
Also,W., sometimes I make choc. chip or cinnamon raisin monkey/bubble bread. Definitely retro, very yummy, and looks pretty cool on the breakfast table. Let me know if you need a recipe.

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 05:53 pm: Edit

I think we may be misspelling kolaches? Sounded out its' "co la shkeys". They are like rugelach in that it's more of a cross between a pastry and a cookie. The ones I've eaten and made were filled with preserves. It's a square cut pastry, filling in center, two sides pinched together in center so it's an open pocket, sprinkle with xxxsugar. I would guess them to be Polish.

Rosette cookies are a batter type of cookie (kind of like a crisp crepe). You dip a hot shaped iron into batter and deep fry. They are light and crunchie also sprinkled with xxxsugar. I would guess it to be Scandinavin or maybe German.

The coffeecake that I mentioned that spirals with fruit is called a kringle. Anyone have a recipe or source? They are really popular in Southern WI.

Chicago and mid-west states (actually most of the country) have alot of strong pockets of ethnic heritage. My breif exposure to CA I didn't see that, you guys are your own CA heritage?? Or maybe we label you as one.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 08:20 pm: Edit

The mazarintorta is one of my favorites! The original recipe does not have any preserves in it but that would be very nice for brunch. I made these for New Year's Eve for several customers with circles of fresh raspberries and a jelly glaze on top. I am glad to hear your mother has the set. There are not a huge amount of recipes in each book, but most of them are good.

I believe kolaches are polish. My American Country Inn book has a recipe, spelled Kolachy, that uses a dough with cream cheese. This is similar to the Rugelach recipe I use (from Joan Nathan's Jewish Cooking in America.) Unfortunately, the INns book uses some kind of canned filling. Yuch.

By pam on Wednesday, January 19, 2000 - 09:55 pm: Edit

kolachy's made w cream cheese, are a soft dough which is also flaky & melts in your mouth. i grew up eating these. the kosher deli's are where we got them i have made them many times. they usually are canned filling or apricot preserves. the international cookie cookbook has a similar recipe which is rolled like a rugelah(which i think are too thick & dry) but uses a softer rich kolachy like dough. it has a homemade poppyseed filling. i've also used canned poppyseed filling. they freeze real well raw.they're alittle time consuming because you have to roll out,cut,fill, & roll up. does anyone want the recipe. when i was young the jewel used to make great kolachy's but they prpbably don't anymore.

By pam on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 12:09 am: Edit

w.debord, are you enjoying the snow? we had kringles alot at my office job but they buy them at sam's club. i've never known anyone who made a fresh one. i'm sure they're much better. these are almost a thin danish dough rolled up w jelly filling,coiled & glazed.pretty sweet & bland.not too tasty.maybe when i go to wisconsin over the summer i should try a bakery one? any recommendations on a bakery. i looked around milwaukee but didn't see anything too exciting last year.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 10:38 am: Edit

When we go to WI we stay way south (Madison, Racine areas), there are mom & pop bakeries with signs out front "Kringles". We always have an excuse not to stop so I can't recommend anyone. My Mother has bought Kringles at craft shows in the area but I've never seen them at stores here. I do remember seeing Kolachy at Jewel, now that you mention it, but it wasen't that long ago. I've only seen and made them with apricot preserves. Can you use any filling and call them Kolachys'?


I come from a 1/2 Jewish background and we never ate Rugelach?

I use a recipe with cottage cheese in the rugelach dough. My Rugelach dough isn't as light as I think it should be, but I don't know if it's right or wrong. Sometimes it cracks or doesn't puff and then I'm not sure if I rolled it too thin which caused the flatness or it's my dough? Any answers or recipes would be appreciated.


P.S. Pam I LOVE the snow...I'm a skier. Just wish it was warmer and I would not be infront of my computor.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 12:50 pm: Edit

The dough in Joan Nathan's book is good and is made in the processor. You can make them like a jelly roll and slice them; They won't be the traditional cresent shape, but it is faster. It's a very soft dough. If you don't want to get the book, I could post it here.

By d. on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 04:21 pm: Edit

Rugelach dough:
Butter 12 oz.
Cream cheese 12 oz.
10x sugar 3.5 oz.
AP or pastry flour 14 oz.
salt pinch
Cream butter and cheese with sugar only until blended smooth. Add flour and mix. Chill dough.

This dough is tender and flaky. I roll it out pretty thin when I'm making rugelach and do the roll and slice method. When I make the choc. chip ones, I place a very thin layer of sour cream on the dough(so the chips stick) and sprinkle cinn. sugar over them before I roll it up. Verrrrry good!
Pam, would you mind posting the recipe for kolachy? Thanks.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Thank-you d.! How thin would you say, less than 1/8"? The recipe I use has the cinn. with the choc. but I spread dough with apricot preserves then press the chos mixture onto it then roll up (think that could affect it?). How about temp. do you chill made up rugelach before baking (I do)? Roll and slice method to me means jelly roll style is that what you mean (I've never seen it that way)?

Also, went to the book store breifly today. I found rugelach mentioned in 1 out of 3 Jewish cookbooks so it must have a link to them.

Pam Sam's club does sell kringle, your right. The package has a note mentioning that they are made in Racine,WI and the history of them there.

Claudia if the recipe is good I'd appreciate it? It's hard to justify buying the book, I don't do much Jewish baking. Thank-you!

By Claudia (Claudia) on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 05:25 pm: Edit

from Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan.

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz butter
1/2 c. 10x
pinch of salt
1/2 tes lemon juice
1/2 tes vanilla
2 cups AP flour

Put it all in food processor (flour on top) and pulse until very soft dough is formed. Chill at least an hour before using.

JN uses apricot jam sprinkled with chopped nuts as a filling, or 8 oz shaved chocolate mixed with a bit of sugar. After slicing, brush with egg wahs and sprinkle with crystallized sugar before baking - 25 min at 350.

I'm just reading the prelude to the recipe - apparently one of the earlier versions of this appeared in 1950 in "The Perfect Hostess" by Mildred Knopf, and then was popularized by Maida Heatter using her grandmother's recipe. I have "Cook my darling daughter" by Ms. Knopf, which I find very amusing because of the letters to her daughter on how to please and keep her husband!

By momoreg on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 07:15 pm: Edit

W.,
This rugelach is much less sweet, but it derives more than enough sweetness from the fillings and toppings.
Cream 8 oz. butter, add 8 oz. cream cheese, then 2c. a.p. flour, and a pinch of salt. Roll dough between parchment (about an eigth of an inch), and chill for a couple of hours. Spread jam on it, and cut triangles. Sprinkle on whatever you like (mini choc chips and cinnamon sugar, or currants and brown sugar, whatever.) Roll up like croissants. Brush with egg white, and sprinkle with cocoa or cinn sugar. Bake 375. I've had lots of compliments on these!
I make these very miniature, and have never made them large, so you might have to fiddle with the thickness of the dough. Let me know your results.

By d. on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 08:55 pm: Edit

I roll out the dough somewhere along the lines of 1/8". The width of the rugulach dough before I roll my"jelly roll" is about 5". Make sure seam side is down when you start slicing. It's easier to chill all your rolls so you can eggwash(I just use plain milk) and slice everything all in one sitting. I do rasp., apricot with cinn. sugar and walnuts, and choc. chip. I've heard people call these Delco cookies too. You won't be dissapointed with whichever recipe you try, since they are almost the same(Momoreg's and Claudia's have about 3% more fat, but when you use the 10x sugar it does make the dough a little more tender).

By pam on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 09:18 pm: Edit

w.debord funny you should say you never ate ugelah, i am jewish & ate everything but rugalah. i never even heard of it until i was an adult. i don't even remeber seeing it in any of the deli's & i grew up in jewish neighborhoods. i can't say i like it at all.maybe i've never had good ones my few times i've eaten some.i think it came from somewhere else, maybe new york, because it wasn't popular in the chicago area.these recipes sound much lighter & more tender than what i've had. they were usually dry & cracky.thanks,i actually think the kolachy's i ate when i was younger were made w yeast.there seems to be two types, probably from different european areas. they can be w any filling. raspberry,apricot & prune are the usual.unfortunatley, most of my cookbooks are chocolate books.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 11:49 pm: Edit

We sure have alot in common Pam (that's my sisters' name also).We went to deli's when I was young, I do now as an adult (I love Kaufmans on dempster, have you been there?) and I've never noticed rugelach, mom never bought it. The ones I've tasted from grocery stores were dry and dense unlike the recipes I've used. I don't know, do people dunk them like biscotti?

Also I had no success freezing them, they lost their flaky tenderness. Can you freeze them before baking? d. I can understand the easy of making them jelly roll style do you bake them on silpats (parchment really stuck to mine)?
What temp. does yours call for?

Looking thru the Herme' book written by Dorie Greeenspan (hope sp is correct) have any of you tried his loafcakes? Any opinions?

P.S. Thank-you everyone for your help!

By Claudia (Claudia) on Friday, January 21, 2000 - 01:36 pm: Edit

Rugelach should not be dry, but tender and flaky. I also make them very small. My mother never bought them (she preferred napoleons and eclairs) but whenever we visited relatives in long island someone would show up with a boxful. Also, my Oma and her german friends in Queens liked them very much.

I always have trouble with parchment!

By d. on Friday, January 21, 2000 - 04:42 pm: Edit

I bake them on parchment, but you can use silpat. The jam I use is specifically for bakery use, so that may explain why I have no trouble with parchment. I bake 'em at 325 in our convection oven.

By pam on Friday, January 21, 2000 - 11:29 pm: Edit

w.debord,this is getting creepy, i grew up by kaufmans & i also lived near it as an adult.i guess we're just from the same area. now i'm in palatine.

By Claudia (Claudia) on Saturday, January 22, 2000 - 11:53 am: Edit

I read more of Richard Sax's Classic Home Desserts (which I only just got a week or two ago)and discovered on page 620 - KOLACHY! It says in the book that it is Czech. The dough has cottage cheese in it and is given a few turns to flake it up. I made it with farmer's cheese and peaches because that is what I had around. They were yummy, flaky, not too sweet, but they opened up on baking. Probably my fault for not pinching them together hard enough. I made a few in muffin cups, pinching and twisting the tops closed. I liked how these looked better and they held more fruit.

I also made the cranberry duff I mentioned above again. It is delicious, kind of like a giant muffin cake, enhanced with nutmeg and ginger. I'm home today, experimenting on my family and the 6 teenagers that stayed here last night. They all loved both pastries.

This book has a section of coffee cakes and some of them are unusual.

By W.DeBord on Saturday, January 22, 2000 - 04:58 pm: Edit

Pam I went to Fremd High School! I know Palatine well, my parents still live in the area. HA! We are from the same places/different times. TOO FUNNY!