Cultured butter is now synonymous with European-style butter, however it was once common in the States, at least until the rise of “sweet cream” butter, which is the American standard now. The spread of sweet cream butter was based on a technological innovation: refrigeration. For it was refrigeration that made it possible to get milk […]
READ ONChantilly cream is a tremendously useful variation on standard whipped cream. Not only is it sweeter and more aromatic thanks to the added sugar and vanilla, it holds up much better than ordinary whipped cream. If you imagine an individual bubble in a whipped cream foam, that bubble’s skin is made of water reinforced by […]
READ ONWhat an anticlimax this is going to be after all this talk — just a lot of shots of white things. But that’s the reality of fermentation: all the really sexy stuff is happening on scale that’s far too small to see. Hmm…maybe I should buy a microscope and become a lactic acid bacteria voyeur. […]
READ ONThis is essentially the yogurt making process I saw Alton Brown do on one of his shows. The thing I love about it is that it dispenses with those silly and expensive yogurt making devices you see in kitchen gadget shops. Everything you need for this you probably have between your kitchen cabinets and your […]
READ ONThis preparation occupies a sort of middle ground between a coating and a frosting. Whatever you call it, it’s good. Begin by putting your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. This is mostly milk chocolate chips, though since I had a handful (about an ounce) of bittersweet chips in a mostly-empty bag, I threw those in […]
READ ONThis is based on a simple chocolate frosting that appears in the Cake Bible. The ingredients are essentially just chocolate and butter. What’s nice about this approach, aside from its amazing simplicity, is it’s texture which is quite rigid, much like having a chocolate bar draped over a chocolate cake. It’s the perfect thing for […]
READ ONRose Levy Beranbaum has done a great deal to popularize the so-called “one bowl” mixing method. She employs it in virtually all her cake recipes, and these chocolate layers are no different. Start by combining the boiling water and cocoa powder: Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool completely. Once that’s done, prepare your […]
READ ONThis is a variation on Rose Levy Beranbaum’s a classic chocolate butter cake: 2.25 ounces (1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa (Dutch process) 8 ounces (1 cup) boiling water 3 large eggs (at room temperature) 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract 8.25 ounces (1 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sifted cake flour 10.5 ounces (1 1/2 cups) granulated […]
READ ONHere reader Aaron, an apprentice chocolatier who really has a handle on how to make a suerior ganache, weighs in. All those who aspire to use ganache to make candies like truffles, you’ll want to pay close attention. If I may submit a few tips on making a ganache. In my opinion, it is actually […]
READ ONAny time you set out to make cake — especially a foam-based sponge cake like joconde — it’s very important that you have all your ingredients pre-measured and at-the-ready. You also want to have all your ingredients at room temperature. Begin by brushing melted butter on your parchment-lined sheet pans. If necessary, trim your parchment […]
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