A good Sacher torte, I admit, can be a bit of a beast to mix. I can’t do much to simplify that. However you’ll be relieved to know that I’ve simplified the assembly somewhat with a streamlined cook-and-pour glaze, which should help. Is it completely authentic? Maybe not, but the end result is excellent. For […]
READ ONOh, there’s nothing like a warm slice of persimmon pudding on a crisp fall evening. Looking at this photo, you can see why a lot of folks confuse some puddings with cake. Indeed it has a crumb that’s similar to, say, a dense Devil’s Food cake. An English-style pudding is more sophisticated than that, though, […]
READ ONPuddings are as much a method as they are a food. Making a pudding requires a vessel specially made for the purpose: a pudding mold (the standard is a 2-quart, which is what this recipe calls for). You’ll also need a pot that will contain the mold with the lid on. A deep dutch oven […]
READ ONHaving been blogging almost daily for some four years now, I’ve really gotten to know my readership. When I put up my Kentucky Knish post last Friday, I had every expectation that I’d be getting a lot of grief for it. Sure enough, within minutes the first complaints came trickling in. “Too flat”, “too French”, […]
READ ONOne of the nice things about this dough is how easy it is to prepare and store. You just mix it up, let it sit for an hour, and it’s ready to use. Or, you can refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it, up to several days. 11 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose (AP) flour […]
READ ONAs I’ve been saying, I don’t make “authentic” knishes most of the time (I think I’ve cast reasonable doubt as to whether such a thing even exists). My little ones turn their noses up at traditional pocket pie crusts. I don’t know if it’s the color, the texture or what. Who can fathom the depths […]
READ ONThis, friends, is one serious piece of apple squeezing hardware. An original “Kentucky Buckeye” cider mill, made by the Belknap Hardware and Manufacturing Company here in Louisville. It dates to probably the 1890’s. At that time, just about every family who lived in rural territory east of the Mississippi owned (or at least had access […]
READ ONSo at long last we get around to the opera cake tutorial I’ve been meaning to put up for a week. What can I say, I’m easily distracted by food science. And chocolate, well, it’s terribly interesting stuff. You’ll thank me for all those posts later, I promise you. Well…maybe not. So anyway, opera cake. […]
READ ONThis will require 6 ounces of a good Euro-style bittersweet chocolate (like Callebaut or Ghiradelli) and one ounce of clarified butter. Tempering chocolate isn’t terribly difficult, but it does require precise control of temperature. You’ll need a digital thermometer, they’re less than $20 at most kitchen supply stores. If you don’t want to go to […]
READ ONAll of the buttercream recipes I have up on the site can accommodate flavorings of various kinds. Since Opera cake is a French invention, it only seems appropriate to start with a French-style buttercream. To make a coffee-flavored buttercream, prepare a mixture of two tablespoons of instant coffee or instant espresso powder dissolved in two […]
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