Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Two award-winning recipes to celebrate Easter and St. Patrick's Day

Rebecca Reece from Henderson, Nevada is helping your readers celebrate Easter with her award-winning recipe. Nordic Ware – maker of the iconic Bundt pan –named Reece one of 10 national finalists in the “Bundts Across America” contest. Reece’s recipe titled “Lemon Lime Easter Cake” was judged superior in the areas originality, taste, texture, visual appearance, use of ingredients and an essay describing how the entry represents in its own special way, one of America’s popular holidays.

As a finalist, Reece was treated to a fun-filled expense paid trip to San Francisco in October, which included participating for the Grand Prize at the bake-off being held at the famous San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI). SFBI has trained hundreds of professional and aspiring bakers from all over the world and is recognized within the baking industry as a place where artisan baking is respected, appreciated and celebrated. The 10 finalists will also receive a $500 Nordic Ware gift certificate.

The “Bundts Across America” contest, originated in 2006 to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary. The contest continued in 2007 kicking off in April when Nordic Ware challenged bakers across the nation to put their best Bundt forward and submit original recipes for creative looking and great-tasting Bundts that represent one of ten popular American holidays. The Bundt cake recipes submitted for the contest came in a variety of shapes and sizes. While many participants chose to use the classic Bundt pan that many consumers are familiar with, the depth and variety of the Bundt line, which includes nearly 40 shapes, was well represented with recipes using shapes including the Star, Rose and Holiday Bundts. Even mini-Bundts made their pint-sized presence known in several of the recipes.

Reece based her recipe on the Easter holiday. She baked it in Nordic Ware’s Cathedral Bundt Pan and titled it:

“Lemon Lime Easter Cake”

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1-cup buttermilk
1 (.3 ounce) package of sugar free lemon gelatin
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
¼ tsp yellow food coloring
1 (.3 ounce) package of sugar free lime gelatin
1 Tbsp grated lime peel
Tart glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray generously the Nordic Ware Cathedral pan with baking spray containing oil and flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk beating until well blended. Remove two cups of batter to another bowl.
4. In first bowl; stir in lemon gelatin, lemon peel and yellow coloring. In bowl containing two cups of batter, stir in lime gelatin and lime peel. Spoon ½ of the lemon batter in the prepared Bundt pan, spread evenly. Spoon lime batter over lemon batter, spread batter evenly and gently. Spoon remaining lemon batter over lime and spread lightly.
5. While cake is baking mix the glaze. In a medium bowl, mix all glaze ingredients until smooth.

Baking instructions:
Bake for 45- 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven. Poke several holes in the top of cake with a thin wooden skewer; pour half of the glaze slowly over top. Cool for 15 minutes. Loosen edges of
cake with plastic knife if necessary. Turn pan upside down onto serving plate. Remove
pan. Poke several holes in top and crevices of cake and pour remainder of glaze slowly over cake. Allow cake to cool before serving.

Garnish with spring flowers in the center. Wrap stems of flowers with wet paper towel then wrap in foil, place in center of cake. Flowers should be removed before slicing.

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Orange Park, Florida resident Jackie Gioia has created an award-winning Bundt® cake to commemorate St. Patrick’s Day. What’s even better? She’s sharing the recipe. Nordic Ware – maker of the iconic Bundt pan –named Gioia one of 10 national finalists in the “Bundts Across America” contest. Gioia’s recipe titled “Irish Whiskey Bundt Cake” was judged superior in the areas of originality, taste, texture, visual appearance, use of ingredients and an essay describing how the entry represents in its own special way, one of America’s popular holidays.

As a finalist, Gioia was treated to a fun-filled expense paid trip to San Francisco, which included participating for the Grand Prize at the bake-off being held at the famous San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI). SFBI has trained hundreds of professional and aspiring bakers from all over the world and is recognized within the baking industry as a place where artisan baking is respected, appreciated and celebrated. The 10 finalists also received a $500 Nordic Ware gift certificate.

The “Bundts Across America” contest, originated in 2006 to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary. The contest continued in 2007 kicking off in April when Nordic Ware challenged bakers across the nation to put their best Bundt forward and submit original recipes for creative looking and great-tasting Bundts that represent one of ten popular American holidays. The Bundt cake recipes submitted for the contest came in a variety of shapes and sizes. While many participants chose to use the classic Bundt pan that many consumers are familiar with, the depth and variety of the Bundt line, which includes nearly 40 shapes, was well represented with recipes using shapes including the Star, Rose and Holiday Bundts. Even mini-Bundts made their pint-sized presence known in several of the recipes.

Gioia based her recipe on the St. Patrick’s Day holiday and used Nordic Ware’s Anniversary Bundt Pan. The recipe is titled:

“Irish Whiskey Bundt Cake”

Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1-cup butter at room temperature
1 ¾ cups sugar
3 eggs
¼ cup good Irish Whiskey
3 Tbsp instant espresso powder
¾ cup + 2 Tbsp buttermilk
1-cup pistachios (unsalted)
Bundt Glaze:
½ cup water
½ cup good Irish Whiskey
1-cup sugar

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and butter; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Warm the whiskey and espresso powder in the microwave just enough to dissolve the espresso powder. When dissolved, add to the butter mixture. Mix all dry ingredients with flour and add alternating with buttermilk.
Baking instructions:
Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes in a greased and floured Bundt pan. When cake tester comes clean remove cake from oven. Remove cake from pan after ten minutes. Immediately add the glazing liquid while the cake is still hot. Cake will absorb all the liquid.

Serving recommendations:
Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

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