The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook (46 page)

SERVES
12

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, combine pecans, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Set aside.

3. Place butter and sugar in a third bowl, and, with an electric mixer, cream until light and fluffy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in vanilla and eggs, blending thoroughly. Alternately, stir the sour cream and the flour mixture, a bit at a time, into the other ingredients.

4. Put half the nut mixture in the bottom of a greased Bundt pan, pour batter over it, and sprinkle remaining nut mixture over the top.

5. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes before turning it onto a rack or plate.

SERVES
8

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, ¼ pound of the softened butter, baking powder, and salt; stir with a fork until it assumes a crumbly texture. Add sugar, and mix thoroughly.

2. Add eggs, beaten, one at a time, followed by cream, vanilla, lemon rind, and lemon juice. Blend all ingredients very thoroughly, first by hand, then using an electric mixer for 7 full minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, and 3 tablespoons softened butter. Mix thoroughly. Press into the bottom and slightly up sides of a well-greased Bundt pan. Spoon in batter evenly atop this nut–graham cracker mixture, and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Turn out of pan immediately, let cool for 10 minutes, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar (best done through a sieve or sifter).

SERVES
15

We both love this cake and frequently make it for company. It always gets raves.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all batter ingredients except butterscotch chips, and beat until smooth. Fold in chips.

2. In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Spoon two thirds of the batter into a well-greased tube pan. Evenly distribute the brown sugar–pecan mixture on top of the batter in the pan, and spoon the remaining batter on top. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. If a few pieces stick to the bottom of your baking pan (this is a very dense, moist cake that doesn't come easily out of the pan), just stick them on top of the cake; the confectioners' sugar will camouflage the problem.

3. Using a flour sifter or sieve, dust cake with confectioners' sugar.

SERVES
8

Honey cake is the most traditional of sweet Rosh Hashanah dishes, harking back to the land of milk and … Generally, we don't get excited about honey cake. But this light and fluffy version, given to us by Lynn Kutner—who has taught baking and kosher cooking at the New School since 1974—is a delight. Lynn is the author of two cookbooks of her own,
Bountiful Bread
and
A Pocketful of Pies.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks with honey. Slowly beat in hot coffee, followed by brown sugar. Allow mixture to cool.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in granulated sugar, and continue beating until whites are very stiff.

4. Make a well in the flour mixture. Pour in egg yolk mixture and sunflower oil. Blend with a whisk until smooth.

5. Fold in one-quarter of the egg whites. Turn this batter over the rest of the egg whites, and gently fold (this procedure should take about 1 minute).

6. Bake for 50 minutes in an ungreased 10-inch angel-food pan, set on top of a cookie sheet. Turn heat up to 350 degrees; bake for 10 minutes more.

7. Invert pan on a rack to cool. When cake is cooled, remove from pan, and dust with confectioners' sugar.

MAKES
12

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, use a fork to combine softened butter with 1⅔ cups of the flour, ⅜ cup confectioners' sugar, and salt. When the mixture is
crumblike, press it into the bottom of a well-greased 9-inch square (or similar) baking pan, and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown.

2. In another bowl, beat granulated sugar and eggs until the mixture is fluffy. Add lemon juice, and fold in 3 tablespoons flour and baking powder. Pour topping over crust, and bake for 20 minutes or until topping is firm. Serve chilled (cut squares from pan), sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.