Category: Pastry

Sugar Buzz

Two related comments came in over the weekend in regard to sugar and soda. First this observation from reader Julie:

Another thought on the baking soda: milk heated with acid will curdle every time, and caramelized sugar becomes more acidic as it darkens. I like my caramel reasonably dark, so I’ve run into problems with curdling milk on more than one occaision. I find it also helps to use plain refined white sugar, as a blonde organic sugar (with a little residual molasses left in) will contribute to curdling.

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What’s up with this icing?

Cool isn’t it? A pre-made caramel combined with milk, butter and baking soda, then boiled to the soft ball stage. What the…?

The baking soda is the real curve ball here. What possible use is baking soda in a pot of boiling milk? Those who have ever made dulce de leche know the answer: it causes the milk to brown at a relatively low temperature. It’s an aesthetic thing in the context of this icing. It simply gives the mixture a nice tan color, which is important for the presentation of something called a “caramel” icing.

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Thanks, Kitchn!

The good folks over at Kitchn.com kindly put up a link to me in their piece on French buttercream (you’ll need to scroll down a little). Who’d have ever thought I’d be mentioned in the same breath as Martha Stewart? As Lewis Carroll might say, curiouser and curiouser. Thanks everyone! And it’s very nice to be hanging out with you again, Jenni.

UPDATE: Their link seems to be broken…doh! For all those looking for the tutorial, you can find it right here.

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Doughnut Emergency

The pastry signal is shining in the clouds high over north central Kentucky. Which means that somewhere out there is a bakery in trouble. I was born to heed that call, friends. Back tomorrow after I’ve helped make the world a safer place for quality doughnuts!

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Caramel Cake Icing

This recipe is from Nathalie Dupree’s Southern Memories. The reason I like it is that it combines actual caramel with the highly unusual boiled-milk-and-soda technique that you find in the really old versions of the cake. This makes enough for a 3-layer cake. Cut it down if you aspire to a less grandiose confection. You’ll need:

2 lbs. 10 ounces (6 cups) sugar
2.5 ounces (1/3cup) water
3 ounces (1/4 cup) light corn syrup
18 ounces (2 1/4 cups) milk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 ounces (3 tablespoons) butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream for thinning (if needed)

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Caramel Cake Layers

Here we have a caramel cake made the truly old-fashioned way. This one is lighter than the one I initially discovered, but I think it’ll still be delectable. Let’s see how it turns out!

16 ounces (4 1/2 cups) cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
21 ounces (3 cups) sugar
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) soft butter
8 ounces (1 cup) milk, room temperature, divided
8 egg whites, room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

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Next Up: Southern Caramel Cake

This is something ELSE I’ve been wanting to do for a while (I think I’ve wanted to do everything for a while, honestly). It’s a staple in the southern US. I first noticed it at a sandwich counter here in the neighborhood, then started seeing it everywhere. It’s a simple layer cake but with a […]

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Anyone else miss the Olympics?

I sure do. I barely knew what to do with myself last night. Though I must say that I got a little frustrated with the endless coverage of the diving, gymnastics and beach volleyball at the expense of real events like the shot put, javelin, hammer throw and weightlifting. NBC’s greatest crime was to almost totally ignore the decathlon in prime time…the pinnacle event of summer Olympic competition. And here comes Ashton Eaton as he completes the 1500 meters to become the greatest athlete in the world…(yawn)…next up an extended interview with the Belgian water polo team…

Where, I ask you, are our priorities?

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