Review: Nice collection of coffee cake recipes.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 6, 2012
I haven't made a coffee cake in years, but it was one of the first baked goods I ever made.  They're so quick to make - you could easily prepare the dry ingredients the night before and bake one while you're getting ready for work in the morning.  Your co-workers will think you're a goddess - lol!Mr. van der Meer's recipes start out with a basic sour cream coffee cake and move on to some very delicious-sounding coffee cake variations.  Of the twenty recipes, all but six are from scratch.The recipe for Mascarpone and Almond Coffee Cake uses yeast as leavening instead of baking powder and baking soda.  It sounds delicious and I'll bet its very elegant, too.  Espresso Mocha Twist Coffee Cake also appeals, as do Nutty Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake and Cranberry and White Chocolate Coffee Cake.Some recipes could use more clarity, but I think anyone with a modest knowledge of baking would have no problem using them.  The recipe for Yogurt Coffee Cake calls for plain yogurt but doesn't say which type (non-fat, low-fat, regular or Greek?)  The recipe for Nutty Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake says to toast the chopped pecans or walnuts in a "warm oven" for 9 minutes.  An oven temperature would be appropriate.  I did like the sentence in the description for Mascarpone and Almond Coffee Cake:  "If you want to make this coffee cake, you need a good day, because the dough has to sit in the refrigerator overnight."  Obviously Mr. van der Meer means you need 24 hours and is not referring to the weather or whether or not you have PMS.  :)The cookbook is formatted very nicely, with each recipe beginning on its own page.  There are no pictures - sniff!