Ingredients

  • FOR THE STREUSEL:
  • 1 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1/4 cups Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cups Cold Butter
  • FOR THE COFFEE CAKE:
  • 2/3 cups Ground Almonds
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 2-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoons Salt
  • 2 pounds Stone Fruit
  • 14 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 cup Caster Sugar
  • 3 Large Eggs, At Room Temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoons Ground Star Anise
  • 1 Ground Tonka Bean Or Scraped Vanilla Bean
  • 2/3 cups Natural Full-Fat Yogurt (I Used Sheep's Milk)
  • 1/3 cups Red Currants (optional)

Method

  • For the streusel:
  • Place all ingredients for the streusel in a medium bowl. Crumble together with the tips of your fingers, rubbing the butter into the flour and sugar. You should end up with soft blobs of various sizes and incredible taste. There should not be any dry patches of flour left. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
  • For the coffee cake:
  • Stir together all dry ingredients in another medium bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Wash and dry the fruit. Slice it open and remove the stones. Slice smaller pieces in halves (like small plums or small apricots). Medium ones should be quartered and larger peaches and nectarines sliced into wedges. Set aside.
  • Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (preferably a scraper beater, it's golden for baking). You can also use a handheld electric mixer, it will just take more time. Beat on medium speed until it looks fluffy and light in color, 3-4 minutes. The sugar crystals should start to dissolve if you pinch a little between your fingers.
  • Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition, adding the spices with the final egg. Your mass should have increased in size and feel/taste almost meringue-like. The grit of the sugar should be pretty much gone.
  • Heat oven to 360°F (180°C). Prepare a 9x13 rectangular baking tin by lining it with baking parchment.
  • Set the mixer to the lowest speed. Alternate between adding 1 tablespoon of yogurt and a few tablespoons of the dry ingredient mix. Try to finish with dry ingredients.
  • Spread the batter in the prepared tin. Add the fruit on top, closely together, pushing it into the batter. Scatter the red currants on top (if using) and evenly sprinkle with the chilled streusel.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out just clean. Cool in the pan on a rack, dust with icing sugar and slice into bars.