Rhubarb Cake

1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 c cut-up fresh rhubarb

Glaze:
2 Tbl butter, softened
3 Tbl milk
1 c powdered sugar

In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar.   Add egg.  Stir in vanilla.

Pour buttermilk into a 2-cup container.  Add soda.  Mix.  Combine dry ingredients.
Add alternately to sugar mixture with buttermilk.  Fold in rhubarb.  Mix well.

Bake in a 9x13 greased and floured pan at 350 for 45 min.
Combine glaze ingredients and spread on cake.

(From North Country Cabin Cooking cook book)

Caramel-Pecan Rolls

This is from Hell's Kitchen restaurant in Minneapolis
Mitch Omer had a cooking class that Andie and I went to long ago.

1 3/4 c. whole milk
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. butter
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 large egg
2 tsp. kosher salt
4-5 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbl. cinnamon
4 c. Caramel Sauce (see attached recipe)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
3 c. pecan pieces (see attached recipe)

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare caramel sauce and pecan pieces according to recipes.

Heat milk, honey and butter in a saucepan until lukewarm, no more than 110 degrees.  Remove from heat and sprinkle yeast over mixture.  After yeast blooms, about 5 minutes, pour mixture into the

bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle.

Add egg, salt, and 2 c. flour,  Beat on medium speed for 5-7 minutes.  Add remaining flour as needed until dough begins to pull away from side of bowl.  It will still be a little sticky.
On floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic.  Cut dough in half.  Roll each portion into a ball, cover with kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 35 minutes.  Then punch down, and let rise for 11 more minutes.

Mix sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Roll each portion into a large rectangle, 1/2 inch thick.  Using half the melted butter, brush top of each portion and sprinkle sugar mixture evenly.  Roll into logs lengthwise, like a jelly roll.   From logs, cut individual cinnamon rolls, 1 3/4 inch thick.

Pour half of caramel sauce into 2x10x14 pan.  Arrange rolls in pan, cover with a kitchen towel and
allow to double in size.

Remove towel and place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven.  Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush with remaining melted butter.  Invert onto a wire rack, separate the rolls and let cool.



To serve, ladle 1/4 c. of the remaining sauce over each roll, and sprinkle with pecan pieces.

CARAMEL SAUCE

1 c. butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
3 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

OR

3 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 c. heavy cream

Place ingredients from either list in a saucepan and slowly heat to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until thick, about 9 minutes.

Makes 4 cups.


PECAN PIECES
4 Tbl. (1/2 stick) butter
3 C. pecan pieces 
2 tsp. kosher salt
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  When butter starts to bubble, add pecan pieces and salt, stirring well to coat.  Cook and stir until pecans are browned, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain on a double thickness of paper towels.  Makes 3 cups.  

Cream Cheese Danish Coffee Cake

From Andie Evans
Makes 24 servings

DOUGH
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water (about 90 degrees)
2 large eggs, beaten
4 c. AP flour

FILLING
16 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1 large egg, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Make the Dough: Place the butter, sour cream, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until the mixture is warm and the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.

Mix sour cream mixture with yeast and add beaten eggs and flour. The dough will be very soft.

Allow the dough to rise in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, until doubled. You can also place the dough in refrigerator overnight to rise.

Assemble: Line 4 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead 7 or 8 times, rotating the dough on the board with each turn.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece out to 12 x 8 inches.

Divide the filling evenly between the four dough rectangles and spread evenly within an inch of the edge of each piece.

With the 12-inch side of the rolled dough closest to you, roll each rectangle jellyroll style. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place seam side down on lined baking sheets and cut X's in top. (About 6 X's total.) Danish should be slightly flattened to form a log approximately 4 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Cover pastries with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool on wire racks before glazing

GLAZE
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted

Whisk together the first 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl and drizzle over the baked loaves. Garnish with toasted almonds.