This 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 ONSo OK, it’s not straight-up New York. I added a cookie crumb crust at the last minute. But it looks pretty good, n’est-ce pas? It tastes good too. And that’s coming from a guy who really isn’t wild about cheesecake. This is a very simple thing to prepare and it goes like this… Preheat your […]
READ ONA true New York-style cheesecake has no crust. Which is not to say you can’t add one if you like, but let’s worry about that a little later on. This recipe is dense and creamy, just like a New York cheesecake is supposed to be. Note that the reason for the creaminess is not an […]
READ ONI’ve received a couple of comments from readers pointing out that I’ve been quite opinionated lately. I’ve been critical of Rose Levy Beranbaum, critical of Michael Pollan, and now critical of Julie and Julia. I’m just too darn critical. It’s funny because that jibes perfectly with what the Marketing & Public Outreach Department here at […]
READ ONHere’s all that’s left after the gougère bender I went on this afternoon. Let’s just hope I can whip out another 40 before company comes. Ah yes, I seem to have a cup of flour left here, I’ll sift that… …then grate up that last 2-3 ounces morsel of Gruyère that’s in the fridge. Then […]
READ ONThis is a mostly simple procedure, the sole trick of which is making sure you cook the batter long enough (three minutes should suffice). Though it seems like overkill to me, you can fill a gougère by inserting a small amount of cooked meat, sausage or cooked mushrooms into the center. In that case, it’s […]
READ ONYes, yes Gerhard, I know: Sacher-style torte. No one outside the Sacher and/or Demel enterprises knows the actual recipe. However I believe this formula to be quite close. It’s certainly close to what I remember. In fact in some ways I think this is closer to what I ate in Vienna twenty five years ago […]
READ ONA 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 […]
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