Tomorrow morning marks the beginning of final exams at school and, ungodly amounts of studying aside, you know what that means: comfort food… and lots of coffee. Stuffed pizza pie, banana bundt cake, spiced cream coffee, pumpkin spice lattes, chocolate … anything yummy, sweet or caffeinated is especially welcome in my home this time of year. Recently I added dumph noodles to my arsenal of stress reducing edibles and let me tell you: this dish actually made me smile between bouts of studying for a Biblical Hebrew grammar final that has me feeling mighty nervous (by which I mean petrified). The moment I placed a spoonful of this bready, crème anglaise covered goodness into my mouth was culinary magic made manifest - like eating monkey bread drizzled with warm vanilla custard. I served the dumph noodle in one of my prettiest baking dishes on a red tablecloth, accompanied by a large mug of chocolate-vanilla coffee (recipe below). It was all very zen, very in the moment, very lose yourself in the festive presentation and sweet flavors and try not to think about exams for a moment. That’s what I call a break. Then a friend called and I had the pleasure of telling her I just ate a dumph noodle, to which she responded, “You ate a dumb what?”

I have to admit that I had a similar reaction when I first came across the title for this recipe in Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts by Claire Clark. “It sounds like a name you’d call someone,” I told my husband, “Like, ‘Omg, you are such a dumph noodle.’” (I know, I can be a silly American sometimes huh? Forgive me my European friends!) I was curious about the name though and after some snooping on the ChowHound boards discovered that Dumph Noodle is the Anglicized word for “dampfnudel,” which is German for “steam noodle.” It’s a simple bread dough that’s cut into small pieces and rolled into walnut sized balls before baking, either with steam or with a conventional oven. Dampfnudel is usually served as a savory main dish accompanied by mushrooms, white sauce or cabbage, but there is also a sweet variety (seen here) that’s smothered with vanilla custard, jam or poached fruit. So there you have it…. though I’m still not sure why a bread-based dish is described as a noodle. Is it a case of lost in translation?

It’s almost 6 o’clock and that means it’s time I get back to studying - but before I go, guess what: I’m raffling off another cookbook in this post! One copy of Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts to be precise, which is a lovely book filled with recipes for things like chocolate-dipped gingernuts, old-fashioned eccles cakes, spiced pumpkin custards and dumph noodles. For a chance to win this book answer the following question, which I acknowledge was selfishly conceived on my part: What do you do to relax when time is short and stress is high? Share your response in the comments section of this post and I’ll randomly select a winner sometime between today and December 15th. Only comments that answer the question will be entered into the raffle.

That’s it for now folks - I’m off to do battle with the mighty forces of biblical grammar. I plan to channel my six-year-old days as the awesome She-Ra, Princess of Power. (Can you believe the stuff my Mom has on me? Good thing I got hitched before my husband saw this photo - now he’s stuck, haha!)

Dumph Noodle
Reprinted with permission from Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts, by Claire Clark.

Ingredients: Serves 8

• 13 oz strong white flour (bread flour, but I used all-purpose flour)
• 1 oz fresh yeast (I used active dry yeast - it’s essentially the same thing except most of the moisture has been removed, which makes the yeast dormant and extends its storage life)
• 7 fl oz milk (I used whole milk)
• 2 1/2 oz unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 oz caster sugar (superfine sugar, though I used confectioners sugar)
• 1 tsp salt
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 medium eggs

For the topping:

• 2 oz unsalted butter
• 2 oz double cream

Grease the base and sides of a 8 x 12 inch baking tray, 1-1 1/2 inches deep. (Or grease the base and sides of individual ramekins or oven safe baking dishes.)

Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Crumble the yeast into the well. Warm the milk to 98 degrees F or until it is just lukewarm, then pour it over the yeast. Stir the yeast and milk together so the yeast dissolves. Take a little of the flour from the outside of the well and sprinkle it in a light, even layer over the yeast mixture. Cover the bowl tightly with saran wrap and leave for 15 minutes in a warm, but not hot, place until the flour on top of the yeast mixture shows signs of cracks.

Melt the butter and mix with the sugar, salt, grated lemon zest and eggs, combining all the ingredients well. Add to the flour and yeast and mix with your hand to form a smooth, soft dough. Turn it out on to a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly, just until it is no longer sticky. (You could do all this in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.) (I should note that when I reached this stage of the recipe I had to add about 1/2 a cup of flour to achieve the proper consistency, but I also used all-purpose flour instead of “strong flour,” which is known in the US as bread flour. The change in type of flour and differences in humidity probably account for the additional flour needed.) Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 20-30 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

Knock back the dough by kneading it gently on a lightly floured work surface. It should be smooth and shiny and not sticky. Working in a warm, draft-free environment, shape the dough into a long sausage, 1 1/2 inches wide. Cut it into pieces about 1 inch thick and role these into balls. To make neat balls, cup your hand around a piece of dough on the worktop and move your hand in a circular motion, keeping the dough on the worktop and pressing gently while spinning the dough. This should smooth the surface of the ball and make it rounder at the same time. Place the dough balls in the greased baking tin to form neat lines. They should be just touching.

Place a piece of lightly oiled cling film over the baking tray. Take care that the cling film is resting on top of the dough balls and not stretched over the edges of the tin itself, so the dough can rise freely. Leave in a warm place for a further 15 minutes, until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter for the topping. Remove the cling film and very gently brush the melted butter over the surface of the buns, reserving any leftover butter. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for about 15 minutes, until the buns are golden brown. If you are unsure, pull one of the buns from the tray and break it open; it should not be doughy in the middle. (Note: if your dumph noodles are browning too quickly loosely cover them with a sheet of aluminum foil. This will allow them to continue baking on the inside without adding more color to the outside.)

Brush the remaining butter and the double cream over the tops and return to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve piping hot with lots of crème anglaise.

Crème Anglaise
Reprinted with permission from Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts, by Claire Clark.

Ingredients: Serves 8

• 1 vanilla pod
• 18 fl oz whole milk (or, for a richer sauce, 9 fl oz double cream and 9fl oz milk)
• 6 medium egg yolks
• 4 1/2oz caster sugar (superfine sugar, I used confectioners sugar)

Slit the vanilla bean down its length with a small knife and scrape out the seeds. Place both the seeds and the pod in a saucepan with the milk and bring slowly to the boil over medium heat.

In a bowl, lightly mix the egg yolks and sugar together with a whisk. Do not leave the sugar sitting on the yolks without mixing them together straight away. If you do, you will notice tiny specks of egg yolk in the mixture; this is known as burning and even if you strain the sauce afterwards, the specks will remain.

Gradually pour the boiled milk on to the egg yolk and sugar mixture, stirring well. Return the mix to a clean pan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until you can see it begin to thicken slightly; it will change from a watery consistency to a smooth sauce and should be thick enough to coat the spoon. Run your finger down the custard on the back of the spoon - the path should remain separated. It is vital that you do not let the sauce reach boiling point or it will split and curdle.

As soon as the sauce thickens, pour it through a fine sieve into a bowl,then place the bowl over a bowl of crushed ice. Serve hot or cold.

The vanilla pod can be washed, dried and put in a jar of sugar. You will be amazed how it takes on the aroma and flavour of the vanilla. Use the sugar to make pastries and desserts.

Chocolate-Vanilla Coffee (My Recipe)
Ingredients: Serves 1

• 1 tbsp chocolate syrup
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup brewed coffee (Use 2tbs of coffee per 1 cup of water when brewing)
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1-2 tsps sugar, according to taste
• Whipped cream

Brew coffee using 2 tbs of ground beans per 1 cup of filtered water. As the coffee finishes brewing, gently heat 1/4 cup of milk on the stove top or in the microwave (about 30 seconds in the microwave). Add the chocolate syrup and vanilla extract to a large mug, then add the hot milk, then the coffee. Stir well and taste, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar depending on how sweet you like your coffee. Top with whipped cream.

There comes a time in every cook’s life when he or she looks around and realizes that their house is full of nuts. This has nothing to do with relatives or one’s proximity to them, rather it’s the almond, walnut and macadamia of which I speak. All those earthy seeds that add so much flavor to even the simplest dish, except for peanuts, which despite their name, are legumes. Those who dislike nuts will likely never find their homes overrun by them, but otherwise I believe this is a fate that shall befall us all. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, just wait.

In my kitchen it is not unusual to find a collection of half-empty nut packages, the number of which has grown so large that a few bags topple onto the counter when the cupboard door stops holding them in. While this may seem extreme, I assure you, it’s not. Indeed, if you take into account all the goodies and snacks that can be gleaned from a healthy assortment of nuts, it could even be argued that not having so many on hand is the odd thing. At least, that’s what I tell my husband when he says things like: “Good lord Ari! Where did all these nuts come from?! Something has to be done. I can’t even find the pasta.”

This is what happened a few days ago when the remnants of a recent baking extravaganza threatened to make Italian food a thing of the past. There were pistachios (from baklava) and walnuts (also from baklava, I was experimenting), a decently sized bag (or two) of macadamias, and bag of pecans. And since the hubby did have a point, I tallied the lot and began my mission to rid our apartment of enough nuts to restore pasta to its rightful place (in the right hand cupboard, middle compartment, above the tea).

The result? Two buttermilk coffee cakes flavored with cinnamon and a hint of ginger, the first topped with macadamias and the second with pecans. They smelled divine, and while they cooled I whipped up a batch of spiced cream coffee, then placed the cakes on my prettiest cake stands before happily showing off to my husband. “Look at this,” I said, “I cleared enough space in the cupboard for spaghetti!”

Buttermilk Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Buttermilk Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Adapted from “Morning Food” by Margaret S. Fox.
Ingredients: Makes 1 cake

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chopped macadamias or pecans
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, ginger and both sugars. Mix, then break apart any clumps of brown sugar with your hands. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and add it to the nuts along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir to coat, then set aside.

Grease a bundt pan with a small amount of olive oil, or with Pam olive oil cooking spray. (The Pam butter spray is ok too.)

Add the baking powder, baking soda, egg and buttermilk to the remaining batter. Mix to combine. It’s ok if there are small lumps in the batter but break apart any large ones with the back of your spoon. Evenly pour the batter into the bundt pan, then sprinkle the nut mixture over the surface. It will look like it’s too much but it’s not. Some of the nuts will sink down into the batter and the others will lightly toast on the top.

Lightly spray the nuts with cooking spray, then place the pan in the oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. It’s done with the top has a light golden brown color and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Using a butter knife, gently trace the edges of the cake to make sure the sides haven’t stuck to the pan. Now place a large plate on top and, holding the plate and pan together, invert the two. You can do this again if you want the nuts to be on top for serving.

Spiced Cream Coffee (My Recipe)
Ingredients: Makes 2 servings

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbs sugar for whipped cream, plus more for the coffee
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups freshly brewed coffee (using 2 tbs of coffee per 1 cup of water)
• 1 tbs chocolate syrup
• About 1 cup whole milk

In a small bowl that has been chilled in the freezer, combine 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, all the nutmeg and 1 tablespoon sugar with the cream. Whip with a handheld mixer until stiff peaks form.

In each coffee cup: Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of milk (depending on how much milk you like in your coffee), 1/8 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tablespoon chocolate syrup. Mix well, then heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Remove any skin that may have formed with a spoon, then add 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee and 2-4 tsps of sugar according to taste. Top with the spiced whipped cream. Serve immediately.