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Banket or Letterbanket (Dutch Almond Pastry) Banket or Letterbanket (Dutch Almond Pastry)
On the day before baking prepare both the crust and almond filling. Crust:
With metal blade in place, add flour and margarine, cut into 1" pieces. Process 10 seconds or until margarine is in pieces no larger than peas. With processor running, pour ice water through feed tube in a steady stream. Stop processing as soon as dough begins to form a ball. Do not add more water than necessary. Chill over night. If you don't want to use a food processor, mix like pie crust. Filling: 1 lb. almond paste With metal blade in place, break up almond paste and add eggs. Process until beginning to blend. Add sugar; process until blended. Chill over night. If you are not using a food processor, combine almond paste and eggs; add sugar until well mixed. Assembly and baking instructions:
Divide filling into 8 equal pieces. On waxed paper, sprinkled with a little flour, roll with your hands into a snake 15" long. Place roll of filling on prepared piece of crust, fold first one side and then the other so they overlap (making a double thickness of crust). Seal ends. Place on baking sheet with the overlapped side down. Brush top with slightly beaten egg white. Score top diagonally every inch using a sharp knife. Repeat with other seven pieces. Bake 450º for 15–20 minutes. (I bake four sticks while preparing the other four for baking.) Makes 8 sticks. They freeze well. To make Letterbanket, divide into 8 equal pieces as for making sticks. When rolling the pastry to fold over, keep it narrower so the finished piece comes out between 3-4 inches. Fold crust pieces, overlapping the same way. Put on baking sheet and form into desired letter shape. Pierce the crust rather than scoring it. —Carol Myers St. Nicholas Pudding
PUDDING ½ cup (125 g) butter PLUM SAUCE 1½ lb. (750 g) plums Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the grated orange rind. Add the eggs gradually to the butter mixture. Sift the flour with the baking powder, mix with the bread crumbs and fold into the mixture. Stir in the juice of the orange, the plums and prunes and the cinnamon. Grease a bowl with butter, coat the bottom of the bowl with golden syrup and arrange the halves of the 6 plums or prunes on top in a circle. Carefully spoon the pudding mixture into the bowl. Cover with foil and waxed paper, secure with string and steam for approximately 2 hours. To make the sauce, cover the bottom of a saucepan with a little water and slice the plums into it. Simmer gently to prevent sticking. Remove pits, then puree the cooked plums in a blender before straining. In a separate pan dissolve the sugar slowly with 4 or 5 tablespoons of water. When the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring and turn the heat up to full. Boil until golden brown, then remove from heat. Carefully stir in 6 tablespoons of water–the caramel can spatter. Put back on low heat until the lumps have dissolved. Add the pureed plums and cool a little. Turn the pudding out and serve with its special plum sauce poured over it. Serves 6 to 8
A beautiful collection with a bit of background and recipes related to seventy-three saints. Tarte Normande Saint-Nicolas(French St. Nicholas Apple Tart)
SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY 2 cups (250 g) flour First make the pastry. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. In a measuring cup whisk together ice water and lemon juice. Sprinkle over flour mixture until moistened all over. Gather dough into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for at least I hour. Line a 10-inch (25 cm) flan ring or pan with the dough to about 1½ inches (4 cm) high. Keep dough cool while preparing the filling. Peel and quarter the tart apples. Make applesauce by simmering the apples with 2½ tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons of water and the cinnamon. Peel, core and dice the sweet apples and saute in a frying pan with 2½ tablespoons butter, 5 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat, then allow to cool. Beat the remaining butter with the remaining sugar until creamy. Add the eggs 1 after another, then add the applesauce, the sifted flour and the baking powder. Preheat oven to 400º F. (200º C). Spread the apricot jam over the bottom of the dough, then place the raisins on top. Cover with the diced sauteed apples. Fill a pastry bag with the applesauce-egg mixture and pipe a spiral on the top to cover the diced apples completely. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes. While still warm, remove from mold and serve. Serves 8 to 10
Boterkoek (Dutch Almond Butter Cake or Bars)
2 eggs Mix eggs, sugar and margarine—blend well. Slowly add almond paste; add flour. Bake in greased and floured 9x13" pan (or 3 8–9" rounds); brush top with evaporated milk or sprinkle with sliced almonds (2.25 oz) and sugar. Bake 325º 35–40 minutes.
Small cakes without which no Dutch Sinterklaas season would be complete. 1 lb. butter Cream butter and sugar; dissolved baking soda in the water, add. Sift dry ingredients; add to butter mixture (will make a soft dough). Place on floured board, knead in almonds and roll out about ¼-inch thick. Fit into cookie sheets and bake at 350º about 30 minutes or until done. Cut into squares before cold. Yields about 5 dozen squares. Originally from Eet Smakelijk, published by the Junior Welfare League, Holland, Michigan, 1964.
Can be bought already made or easily baked at home
To make: divide brownie dough in half. Spread ½ in an 8-inch round cake pan (greased) and the other ½ in a second 8-inch round cake pan. (greased) Bake as directed. Cool both cakes. Place one cake on decorated plate. Pour ½ of the thick chocolate or fudge sauce over the bottom cake and then cover with ½ can of cherries. Place other brownie cake on top. Refrigerate. Right before serving, pour remainder of Chocolate/fudge sauce over top. Cover with remainder of cherries and almonds. Serve with lots of whipped cream! Note–the reason for the cherries in the middle of the cake . . . is to symbolize the good works of St. Nicholas— some hidden from the eyes of [others] and some done openly. This cake serves as a reminder that our lives should be the same in this regard. From St. Michael the Archangel On-Line
These most special treats will gladden the heart of anybody at holiday time! They are also perfect for Santa's midnight snack. Kick off the holiday season on December 6, St. Nicholas Day, by serving these glazed, cranberry-filled gems to all your loved ones and friends.
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package white cake mix 1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups. Baker's syrup is a handy thing to hare annual, turning a rather mundane cake into a real treat. It will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator and can be heated in the microwave when you are ready to use it. 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Use warm to enhance baked goods. Makes enough to glaze a 3-layer cake generously.
St. Nicholas Cake St. Gregory of Nyssa Orthodox Church, Columbus, Ohio, serves these cakes on the feast day of St. Nicholas
½ cup shortening Grease and flour bundt pan. Blend shortening, butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and extract. Beat well. Add flour and salt, alternately with the milk/water mixture. Mix well. Fold in cherries and nuts. Pour in pan. Place in cold oven. Turn oven on to 325º. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.
St. Nikolastag Nusskuchen (German St. Nicholas Day Nut Cake)
1 pkg. Pillsbury Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake Mix or Heat oven to 350ºF. Generously grease and lightly flour 9- or 10-inch tube pan.* In large bowl, blend large clear packet of cake mix with cardamom, water, sherry, oil, ½ teaspoon almond extract and eggs at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Pour three-fourths of the batter into prepared pan. In small bowl, combine small clear packet of streusel mix with almonds. Sprinkle batter in pan with ¾ cup of the streusel mixture, reserving remaining streusel for topping. Spread with remaining batter; top with remaining streusel mixture. Bake at 350ºF. for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan for 30 minutes. Invert cake onto cooling rack; invert again; streusel side-up, onto serving plate. Cool completely. In small bowl, combine glaze packet, 2 teaspoons water and remaining ½ teaspoon almond extract, adding additional water a drop at a time until glaze is desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Store tightly covered. 16 servings. ****If using the two smaller mixes, use 2½ teaspoons of caradmom, 1½ cup liquid, 1/3 cup oil, ¾ teaspoon + ¾ teaspoon almond extract, 4 eggs, ½ cup almonds; sprinkle first layer of batter with 1¼ cup streusel mixture; bake 45—60 minutes. *Cake can be baked in 13x9-inch pan. Pour two-thirds of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of streusel mixture. Spread with remaining batter; top with remaining streusel mixture. Bake 35 to 40 minutes (or 35–45 minutes if using the two smaller mixes). From International Favorites Cookbook, The Pillsbury Company, 1983. Permission pending.
Vla is a simple dessert, a thinner vanilla pudding, served in casual family settings. It wouldn't often be found on restaurant menus or served to guests.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat. Gradually stir, or whisk, at least half of hot mixture into egg yolks. Then blend into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and blend in vanilla. To prevent skin forming while the vla is cooling, whisk every five minutes or so until it is lukewarm. Fold in broken speculaas pieces. Chill and serve in dessert dishes. Adapted freely from The Holland Ring. Used by permission. Saint-Nicolas Cake
2 ½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour (or 2 ¾ cups (675 ml) cake flour) Remove 2 tablespoons (30 mL) flour and mix with fruits and nuts. Combine remaining flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large mixer bowl. Stir well to blend. Add butter, milk and flavouring. Blend on low to mix, then 2 minutes on medium speed. Add eggs and beat 2 minutes more. Stir in floured fruit and nut mixture. Turn batter into greased and floured 12-cup (3 L) Bundt pan or tube pan. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 55–60 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out on wire rack to cool completely. Frost with glaze or sprinkle with icing sugar. GLAZE: 2 cups (500 ml) sifted icing (confectioners') sugar Combine glaze ingredients, adding enough water to make a thick glaze consistency. SAINT-NICOLAS CUPCAKES: Prepare batter as above. Spoon into 24 large muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20–25 minutes. From Baking Festival, advertising leaflet, Robin Hood Flour, Canada, 1986 Fig & Apricot Orange Cake (Greek Fruit Cake) St. Nicholas Day in Greece brings a round of name-day parties for children named in the saint's honor. As Nicholas (Nikolaos) is a popular name, there are many stops as people make the rounds from house to house. Adults are served brandy, wine and seasonal sweets, such as this cake. The cake is better on the second day, so it is good to make it a day ahead.
Olive oil Preheat the oven to 350º F. Brush a deep loaf pan with olive oil and line with parchment paper that comes up out of the sides of the pan by at least 2 inches. Sift together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Sprinkle in the orange zest and stir to distribute evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and sugar. Add the dry ingredients with the orange juice and brandy and stir until just combined. Add the walnuts and dried fruit and stir briefly to combine. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, place the loaf pan on a sheet pan to protect oven from overflow. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour – 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out of the center almost clean. Cool cake on a rack for at least 30 minutes before removing from pan. Just before serving, dust with confectioner's sugar through a sieve. Slice and serve drizzled with warm wine syrup and topped with a few slivers of orange zest. WINE SYRUP 2 cups red wine While cake bakes, make the spiced wine syrup. In a medium pan, combine the wine, sugar, spices, and citrus zest. Place over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Simmer over low heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain and reserve. From Amanda Filippone Figs, Bay, & Wine. Used by permission. back to topSaint Nicholas Cake
Lightly grease bottom of 9½x5¼x2¾-inch loaf pan. Line bottom and sides with parchment paper cut to fit pan. Lightly grease paper. Coarsely chop and set aside: Cut (with scissors dipped in water frequently to avoid stickiness) into small pieces and set aside enough dates to yield: Drain, slice and set aside on paper towels: Sift together and set aside: 1 ½ cups sifted flour Beat until thick and piled softly: Add gradually, beating well after each addition: Thoroughly blend in fruits, nuts and: Mixing only until blended after each addition, add dry ingredients in thirds to egg-fruit mixture. Finally mix only until blended. Place a shallow pan containing 2 cups water on bottom rack of oven during baking period. Turn batter into pan, spreading to edges. Bake at 300º F 1 hour 45 minutes, or until cake tests done (touch lightly in the center, if it springs back or, if wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, the cake is done). Cool cake on cooling rack 10 minutes before removing from pan. Run spatula gently around sides of pan. Cover with cooling rack. Invert. Turn right-side up immediately after peeling off parchment paper. Using a pasty brush, paint cake with brandy or apple cider. Wrap tightly in waxed paper, aluminum foil or moisture-vapor-proof material. Store in cool place to age for 10 days before serving. One 9x5-inch fruitcake From The American Peoples Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute Staff Home Economists, Spencer Press, 1956 Saint Nicholas Gingerbread This unusual light gingerbread is sweetened with maple syrup, rather than molasses. Make junior or mini loaves to give away on St. Nicholas Day!
1 cup maple syrup Blend maple syrup, sour cream and beaten egg with a whisk or spoon. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into liquid mixture, beating well. Add melted butter and mix thoroughly. Grease and flour a loaf pan (9x5x3-inches) and bake at 350º for 35-45 minutes (junior loaves, 7 3/8x3 5/8x2¼, 35-40 minutes; mini loaves, 4½x2½x1½, 25-30 minutes) or until a tootpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm, topped with sweetened whipped cream. From Nancy's Place, Kitchen Kreations. Used by permission. back to topRice with Dried Fruit (Bulgarian) This sweet dessert is served on Nikulden (St Nicholas' Day). During the cold winter season the Bulgarian people were (and are) accustomed to consume and prepare various kinds of dried fruit. Fruit is gathered in autumn and preserved in dry and airy places to be saved for the winter time when there is no fresh fruit. 500 g of dried cherries or apples Wash and soak the fruit in cold water. Let it remain there for several hours until swollen, then take it out. Boil the water the fruit was steeped in. Add the fruit and the cleaned and washed rice. When the rice is cooked, add the sugar. Mix, flavour with vanilla powder, and pour in little bowls. This dish is very popular in the Shoumen region; it was prepared for the first time by the women in the village of Dibich. It is suitable for the pre-Christmas season, because no animal products are needed. As you know, St. Nicholas' Day is celebrated in Advent time, which expires on 24 December. From Wonderland Bulgaria Used by permission back to recipesprint version |
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