Rocking Breakfast – Recipe #3

Only a very small handful of people may have noticed the FLB change over the years. Readers come and readers go. And even those of you who have been around from the very beginning may not have been hyper analyzing the blog’s daily tone and content.

In the beginning, I was clearly an outsider, keeping an arm’s breadth away from those behind the scenes. But then I realized (with help from some commenters) that our local chefs weren’t the problem. And that began the process of reaching out to chefs directly and building closer relationships with the local culinary community.

One chef that I’m particularly fond of is Josh Coletto. He’s part of the Chefs’ Consortium, and when I first interviewed him at The Flying Chicken, it was clear that we shared many similar notions about what makes food good.

These days he’s mostly working at Local 111 in Philmont, but he does come back to Albany once a month to cook brunch at The Low Beat. Josh and I have worked out a little deal. He’s agreed to share some of his recipes with readers of the FLB, and I’ve agreed to remind people to check out this monthly labor of love.

Here’s what he has to say about this recipe from last month’s menu:

Every brunch my mother, Carol Coletto will make some sort of baked good for me to sell. I remember eating these delightful treats growing up, but here’s a recipe we worked on together and sold at the last brunch. It was certainly one of my favorite items on the menu.

Lemon Rosemary Coffee Cake

Cake:
3 large lemons
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup very cold butter, cubed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Filling:
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Zest

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan or 9-in square pan.

2. Grate zest from lemons to equal 2 Tablespoons lemon zest. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons into a bowl to equal 5 Tbsp. Reserve zest and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

3. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor; pulse 3 to 4 times or until blended. Add butter; pulse 6 to 7 times or until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup flour mixture.

4. Transfer remaining flour mixture to bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Add baking powder and baking soda; beat at low speed until well blended. Add buttermilk, egg, and 1/4 cup lemon juice; beat at medium speed 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until batter is thoroughly blended, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Stir in rosemary. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan.

5. Make filling by whisking together egg, sour cream, vanilla and 1 tablespoon lemon zest, spread carefully over batter in pan before pouring on the remaining batter.

6. Stir together the second tablespoon lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 cup flour mixture; sprinkle lemon zest mixture over batter in pan.

7. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Cut, Serve and enjoy

–

Of course since Josh’s brunch menu changes each month, if you want this coffee cake, you are going to have to make it yourself. This month’s menu along with all the details can be found here. He does sell out of popular items, so you may want to get there early (aka 10:30) and avoid the rush.

Once again, I’m not going to be able to make it as I’ll be stuck in a presentation for most of Sunday. But if you want to torment me, you should go, take pictures of your food, and tag me on Twitter.

It will be torture. But at least I may be able to enjoy brunch vicariously from Schenectady.