Apricot Hazelnut Cakeroll

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 15-1/4-ounce can unpeeled apricot halves
  
• (in syrup)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts or pecans
• 2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• Fresh apricot quarters (optional)
• 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Grease and flour
a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Set aside. Stir together
the flour, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice;
set aside.

2. Drain apricots, reserving 1/3 cup of the syrup.
Finely chop the apricots. Reserve 1/2 cup of the
chopped apricots for the filling. Combine remain-
ing chopped apricots, reserved apricot syrup, and
the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saue-
pan. Bring apricot mixture to boiling; reduce heat.
Cook and stir over low heat about 4 minutes or until
thickened, stirring and mashing with a spoon. Remove
from heat; cool to room temperature.

3. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl with an electric
mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in
the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and apricot mixture.
Gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Spread
batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or
until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes
out clean. Turn cake out onto a towel sprinkled with
powdered sugar. Starting at a short side, roll up cake
and towel together; cool.

5. Combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a
small mixing bowl. Beat mixture with an electric
mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in
powdered sugar. Stir in the reserved 1/2 cup chopped
apricots.

6. Unroll cake and spread with cream cheese mixture.
Reroll without towel; cover and chill for at least 2 hours
or up to 24 hours. Transfer cake roll to cake server. If
desired, garnish with fresh apriot wedges and rosemary
sprig. Makes 10 servings.

Chocolate Poundcake

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 large eggs, at room temperature
2 egg large yolks, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks), room
temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly
chopped

Chocolate Glaze:
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate,
finely chopped
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 tablespoon honey

Equipment: 10 cup bundt pan

Directions:

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and
preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour
the bundt pan.

Sift the flour, cocoa, and salt into a medium
bowl. Whisk the eggs, yolks, vanilla, and
espresso powder together into a bowl and
set aside.

In a heavy duty mixer, beat the butter with
the paddle attachment, on medium speed
for 1 minute, or until smooth. Gradually
pour in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until
the butter begins to lighten, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber
spatula and beat, on medium-high, until light
and fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

Adjust the mixer's speed to its lowest setting.
Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until
completely absorbed before adding the rest.
Scrape down the sides of the mixer then beat
on medium-high for 30 seconds more.

Adjust again to low speed and add half the
egg mixture, mix until blended and smooth.
Add the remaining egg mixture and beat until
almost blended. Remove the bowl from the
mixer, and fold in the chocolate by hand. Take
care not to over mix the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and
smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a
toothpick inserted into the center comes out
clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack for 10 min-
utes. Turn the cake out of the pan, and cool
right side up on a rack. If not serving the same
day, wrap in plastic wrap and store at room
temperature. Glaze just before serving. Cake
can be frozen for 1 month.

For the glaze: Put all the ingredients in a micro-
wave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Melt at
50 percent power in the microwave until soft,
about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until
completely melted, about 1 minute more. Re-
move from the microwave and whisk until fully
combined, smooth and glossy. While warm, pour
glaze over cooled cake and do not spread. Serve
as desired.

Nectarine Upside-Down Cake

Topping
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large (12 to 14 ounces) ripe nectarines
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cake
1 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 large egg

Topping: Melt the butter, and mix with brown
sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spoon the mixture
into an ungreased 8 x 8-inch square baking pan.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Cake: Slice the nectarines 1/4-inch thick. Lay the
slices into prepared pan, and sprinkle with lemon
juice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar,
then beat in the milk, egg, and vanilla or almond ex-
tract. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently
pour the batter over the fruit in the pan.

Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until the cake begins
to pull away from sides of pan, and springs back to the
touch. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes
in the pan. Invert the pan onto a serving platter, and
let it sit 1 minute more before removing pan. If any
fruit sticks to the pan, use a spatula to carefully scrape
it off and replace it on the cake. Serve warm, with whipped
cream or ice cream, if desired.

Raspberry Almond Torte

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
• 1 recipe Almond Filling (recipe follows)
• 1 recipe Whipped Cream Frosting (recipe follows)
• Sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
• Fresh raspberries (optional)

Instructions:

1. Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round
baking pans. Set aside.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a
large mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat butter or margarine
with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Add dry mixture and milk alternately to
sugar mixture, beating after each addition (batter may
appear curdled). Spread batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or
until wooden toothpicks inserted in the centers come
out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
Remove cakes from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Stir the jam. To
assemble, spread one cake layer with one-third of the
Almond Filling, then with 2 rounded tablespoons of
jam. Repeat layering with the cake layers, Almond
Filling, and jam two more times. Top with final cake
layer. Spread Whipped Cream Frosting over cake.
Cover cake tightly and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

6. To serve, garnish with sliced almonds and fresh rasp-
berries, if desired. Makes 16 servings.

Almond Filling: Crumble one 8-ounce can almond
paste in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup softened butter or
margarine; beat with an electric mixer on low speed.
Add 1 tablespoon amaretto or milk and 1 tablespoon
milk; beat until smooth.

Whipped Cream Frosting: Combine 1 tablespoon cold
water and 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in a 1-cup
glass measuring cup. Place cup in a saucepan of boiling
water. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until gelatin is
completely dissolved. Beat 1 cup whipping cream and
2 tablespoons sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric
mixer on medium speed while gradually drizzling
gelatin over cream mixture. Continue beating until
stiff peaks form.

Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 12 hours ahead, make, bake,
and assemble cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

New Year's Amond Log Cake

Ingredients:

• 5 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
• 3/4 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar
• 1-3/4 cups whipping cream
• 1 8-ounce can almond paste
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons amaretto or 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup toasted almond slices

Directions:

1. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Line with
waxed paper. Grease and flour waxed paper; set
aside. Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar
in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high
speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

2. Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl with an electric
mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick
and pale. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating
on high speed until sugar is almost dissolved. Stir
in the 1 teaspoon vanilla and the ground almonds.
Stir flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon together; gently
stir into egg yolk mixture. Fold about one-fourth
of the egg white mixture into the flour mixture to
lighten. Fold remaining egg white mixture into
flour mixture just until combined. Spread in the
prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12
to 15 minutes or until cake springs back. Do not
allow to brown.

3. Immediately loosen cake from pan. Invert cake
onto a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Re-
move waxed paper. Roll up warm cake and towel
together, jelly-roll style, starting from a short side.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. For almond filling, beat the 1-3/4 cups whipping
cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on
medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl over);
set aside. Finely crumble almond paste into a
medium bowl. Add the 1/4 cup whipping cream and
the amaretto or 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat with an
electric mixer on low speed until nearly smooth.
Fold about one-fourth of whipped cream into almost
paste mixture to lighten. Fold remaining whipped
cream into almond paste mixture.

5. Gently unroll cake. Spread half of the almond
filling on cake to within 1 inch of the edges. Roll up
cake, without towel, into a spiral, starting from a
short side. Place on a serving plate. Lightly frost cake
with remaining filling and sprinkle with toasted sliced
almonds. Garnish with purchased marzipan pigs for
luck or assorted fruits, if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Refrigerate prepared cake, covered,
for up to 8 hours.