San francisco Cafe question

G

guava62

Enthusiast Member
Hi all:

New to this site.....did visit epicurious back when....

Have a question for the folk from SF:

Does anyone have any idea what Dottie's True blue Cafe uses to top their coffeecakes?

Have read that it was warmed icing but when I look at the photos it looks like a custard or creme Anglais type of sauce.

Thanks!!! Guava

 
Hi guava62, I've had a couple at Dottie's...

One was their regular coffeecake, with a cinnamon streusel top, and a generous amount of icing. It seemed to be just confectioners sugar & dairy & maybe a little vanilla. I don't think they used milk, it was rich and sweet (too much for me) so maybe half & half or cream? And the whole shebang was warm. Another was pear caramel, and I'm pretty sure I also had an apricot version there too, but no custard or creme anglaise on any that I tried. The caveat: I haven't eaten there in ages so maybe someone else will post and can be of more help.

R.

 
Thanks RuthSF

Wow:
Thanks for this info Ruth.
Any ideas on finding a recipe like Dottie's coffeecake? It looked like it was not as dense as a poundcake but rather softer crumb.
I make a gorgeous sour cream coffeecake from Ina Garten's Parties but as I said the crumb is quite a bit tighter and I would love to know Dottie's secret.

Thank you Ruth....I envy you in SF!! Ilove it there.

Aileen

 
Aileen (more)

>I would love to know Dottie's secret.

Reportedly Dottie's doesn't bake according to a set recipe, so that seems their only real secret (LOL, sorry!), but you might try writing them or requesting their recipe through one of the magazine columns dedicated to reader requests. You might also consider trying some of Elizabeth Alston's coffeecake recipes (most libraries seem to have one or more of her books) because I think they're close. However, if you have a recipe you like (and you mentioned you do), I'd stick with that and just modify accordingly. You said a tighter crumb so how about reducing the # of eggs or leaving out one egg yolk OR white? Garten specified XL eggs, on a few of her baking recipes I've seen, so how about using L instead? Other ways to change the crumb include changing the sugar you use, playing with proportions, etc. I'd experiment, and take notes, until you're happy with the result. That's what I do and enjoy the process of baking so much more as a result.

>Thank you Ruth....I envy you in SF!! I love it there.

My pleasure. Yes, thanks, I love it here too (as long as it isn't earthquake 'season'! *G*).

Best wishes,
R.

 
Ruth ( more )

Hi Ruth:

Great info and suggestions. Which cookbook do you reccommend by Elizabeth Alston.... Tea Breads and Coffeecakes or her later one Best of Baking.

Thanks, Aileen

 
On Alston...

Hi Aileen, that depends on what you want to focus on, if it's coffeecakes-only then you'll find more recipes for them in her small book (Tea Breads and Coffeecakes). Best of Baking includes recipes from all (most?) of her previous books but that means cakes too (so fewer coffeecake recipes).

So far, from what I've tried of her books (that I've made or friends have made), every recipe has been reliable and delicious. She seems to be a solid writer.

Best wishes,
R.

 
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