Saffron Cake
Makes 1 13-inch x 9-inch cake
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 pound (two sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp saffron threads
2 TB boiling water (to bloom the saffron)
4 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp mace
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup warm water
2 packets (4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
3 eggs, beaten
1 TB rose water
1 tsp caraway seeds
Directions
Grease a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan.
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, just until bubbles start to show around the edge. Stir in the sugar, butter, and salt. Set aside until lukewarm.
Meanwhile, pour the 2 TB boiling water over the saffron threads and set aside to bloom.
Sift together the flour, cloves, mace, and cinnamon and set aside.
Pour the 1/2 cup warm water into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle over the yeast, then stir to combine. Add in the milk mixture, rose water, saffron (threads and liquid), caraway seeds, and half the flour. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat at medium speed just until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides, add the remaining flour, and beat again on medium speed just until the flour is fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then cover and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Halfway through the rise, heat the oven to 325F.
Bake the cake for about 1 hour, until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack, then cut into squares to serve. Makes about 18 portions.
Recipe based on Saffron Cake in Come into the Kitchen Cook Book, by Vincent and Mary Price.
The CookingBites recipe challenge: saffron
Makes 1 13-inch x 9-inch cake
Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 pound (two sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp saffron threads
2 TB boiling water (to bloom the saffron)
4 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp mace
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup warm water
2 packets (4 1/2 tsp) active dry yeast
3 eggs, beaten
1 TB rose water
1 tsp caraway seeds
Directions
Grease a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan.
Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, just until bubbles start to show around the edge. Stir in the sugar, butter, and salt. Set aside until lukewarm.
Meanwhile, pour the 2 TB boiling water over the saffron threads and set aside to bloom.
Sift together the flour, cloves, mace, and cinnamon and set aside.
Pour the 1/2 cup warm water into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle over the yeast, then stir to combine. Add in the milk mixture, rose water, saffron (threads and liquid), caraway seeds, and half the flour. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat at medium speed just until smooth, 2-3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides, add the remaining flour, and beat again on medium speed just until the flour is fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then cover and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Halfway through the rise, heat the oven to 325F.
Bake the cake for about 1 hour, until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack, then cut into squares to serve. Makes about 18 portions.
Recipe based on Saffron Cake in Come into the Kitchen Cook Book, by Vincent and Mary Price.
The CookingBites recipe challenge: saffron
