Bert’s Coffee Cake

December 22nd, 2008 by Scott Ainslie | Posted in bread |

Every year Barb makes these coffee cakes from a recipe she got from her sister-in-law, Sally Boscaljon.   Every year people ask her for the recipe, which she gladly shares.   The thing is,  it’s hard to explain in just words how to put this together, so here’s an illustrated recipe!  (The extra set of hands belong to Barb’s son Jesse who was part of the first-ever Bert’s Coffee Cake Ring!

The Recipe:

Bert’s Coffee Cake
(makes 4)

mix together like pie crust:
4 3/4 c. flour
1 c. butter or marg.
1/2 t. salt

Crush cake yeast with fork, add sugar and mix to liquid.  Add milk, eggs and mix.
(With dry yeast, dissolve in lukewarm milk, add sugar and eggs.)

1 1oz cake yeast or 2 pkg dry yeast
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. lukewarm milk
3 eggs

Add yeast mixture to flour mixture – it will be sticky!  Clean away from edge of bowl and pat with flour; cover and let chill overnight.

Divide in 4 parts.   Knead each  — the more the better.
Roll into rectangle like jelly roll.

Filling:
3/4 c butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1 to 1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Note:  This is very generous.  You could cut back on the amount of filling, or on the amount of butter.  I usually add more cinnamon, though!

You can melt butter and mix in other ingredients.  Dot and spread as best you can.
OR…. Mix filling ingredients in food processor and spread crumbs over dough. If you opt for spreading crumbs, it’s helpful to press them into the dough.  Flour your rolling pin and you can roll them and stretch the dough out even thinner!  (Thinner=more layers!  Yum!)

Roll up like jelly roll and cut in two lengthwise – but not quite to the end.

Rotate cut sides to expose cut edges of layers

and then lay one half over the other to make twist.

You can invert the uncut end to expose the filling.

Pinch ends together and transfer to a greased cookie sheet.

Cover and let rise 1 hour or so in a warm place – it will double in size.

Bake in 350° oven for 20 minutes – watch carefully!

Option for ring:  use two of your four pieces of dough.  Roll and  cut as above.  Open both out straight  and cross at center.

Braid from the middle out and form into a ring,

join ends and crimp together.

It’s helpful if you have a cookie sheet without edges which you may be able to slide under your creation.   Or… get some extra hands to gently lift this onto your cookie sheet!  Bake as above.