Strawberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake

 
 

Strawberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake

This week, while flipping through our cookbook collection, a photo from William’s Sonoma Holiday Favorites caught my husband’s eye. The picture that whetted his appetite was an Apricot-Almond Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ring. However, my husband isn’t a fan of apricots, so we tweaked the recipe here and there until we created something more to his liking – a delicious Strawberry-Almond Chocolate Chunk Coffee Ring!

This coffee cake is a wonderful treat to have around the house! It is perfect for guests and is scrumptious when served warm! Give this a try – you’ll love it!

Ingredients:

4 2/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
   1/3 Cup Sugar
1  --  Tablespoon Quick-Rise Active Dry Yeast
  1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  3/4 Cup Milk
  1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Plus Extra Butter For Greasing
2 --   Eggs
  1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract Essence
  3/4 Cup Strawberry Preserves
9  -- Ounces Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips
1  -- Cup Sliced Almonds, Toasted
  1/2 Cup White Icing - See Recipe Below

Instructions:

1. Combine 2 cups of flour with sugar, yeast and salt in a heavy duty mixer with a dough hook.

2. In a saucepan over low heat, stir the milk and butter together. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan and heat until the butter melts and the thermometer registers 130 degrees Farenheit.

Step 2

3. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium high speed until well mixed.

Step 3 - With Milk Mixture

Beat in the eggs and the almond extract. Beat in approximately 2 ½ cups of additional flour to make a dough that is semisoft but no longer sticky.

Step 3 - With Additinal Flour

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, for 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4

5. Grease a baking sheet. Knead the dough briefly, then roll it out into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle.

Step 5

6. Spread evenly with the preserves, leaving a ½ inch border uncovered.

Step 6

7. Spread evenly with the chocolate.

Step 7

8. Starting at a long side, roll up the dough jelly-roll style and pinch the seam to seal.

Step 8

9. Bring the ends together, forming a ring, and place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Press the ends together to seal.

Step 9

10. Using a sharp knife, cut gashes on the bias around the top of the ring about 1 inch apart, 2 inches deep, and to within 1 inch of the inner rim of the ring. Gently pull open the gashes. Cover with the kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.

Step 10

11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Bake until golden brown, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and let cool slightly.

Step 11

12. Drizzle with icing (see recipe below) and sprinkle evenly with the almonds. Serve warm.

Yum!

Serving Size: This recipe makes one 12-inch coffee cake that serves 10 people.

White Icing Recipe

Ingredients:

1    Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract Essence
5    Teaspoons Milk

Stir Until Smooth!

Instructions:

1. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl.
2. Stir in enough milk to thin the icing to the desire consistency.
3. Use as directed (see Step 12 above).

Resources

Now, if you are looking for more fabulous recipes to try – or have a recipe of your own you’d like to share – then join me at the following foodie sites this week!

Cooking Thursday at Diary Of A Stay Home Mom

Foodie Friday at Designs By Gollum

Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home

Saturday Nite Special - Crafts, Sewing, Cooking Links at Funky Junk Interiors

Cookbook Sundays at Brenda’s Canadian Kitchen

Recipe Swap Sundays at Remodelaholic

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Mouthwatering Mondays at A Southern Fairy Tale 

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays of Blessed With Grace
Tuesdays At The Table at All The Small Stuff

Two For Tuesdays at Girlichef

Tasty Tuesday Parade Of Foods at Balancing Beauty And Bedlam

Tasty Tuesdays at A Beautiful Mess

Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple

Chocolate Tuesday Blog Hop at Sugar, Spice and Monkey Tales

Crafty Soiree #4 at Yesterday On Tuesday