Gotta love it when experiments in the kitchen turn out great. I’ve always wanted to do some sort of ice cream cake. With the chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream recipes featured in this month’s Daring Bakers challenge, I came up with this idea. From top to bottom:

• Flourless chocolate cake moistened with Kirschwasser (German “cherry water” brandy)
• A thin layer of pureed cherry preserves
• Plain vanilla ice cream
• Frozen liquid sablé crust

If the frozen liquid sablé crust sounds weird, that’s because it’s borrowed from the Alinea cookbook. You won’t need to sneak into a laboratory and steal a tank of liquid nitrogen, though. The sablé crust is actually pretty straightforward.

The sandy textured frozen crust starts off as a normal shortbread made with a bit of almond flour. The baked sablé is then blended with oil, poured into a springform pan, and frozen to kickstart the bottom-up cake assembly.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

frozen liquid sablé recipe adapted from Grant Achatz’s Alinea

Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake on a Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust

makes one 8-inch ice cream cake

Components:

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional)
Pureed Cherry Preserves
Vanilla Ice Cream
Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust

Special Equipment:

• 8-inch springform cake pan
• ice cream maker
• weighing scale (optional)
• digital thermometer (optional)

For the Flourless Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
semisweet chocolate, chopped                     16            454
unsalted butter         1/2 cup + 2 tbsp          5            142
whites from large eggs            5
yolks from large eggs             5

Flourless Chocolate Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    375ºF / 190ºC

Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan by greasing with butter and
lining with a parchment circle.

Melt the Chocolate
                Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Set
                over a pan of simmering water and melt while stirring
                often. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the
                water.

Mix             Put the egg yolks and egg whites in separate bowls.

                Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks (do not over-whip or
                the cake will be dry).

                With the same beater, beat the egg yolks together. Add
                the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate and mix with a
                rubber spatula until smooth.

                Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
                Follow with remaining egg whites and fold gently only
                until the white streaks disappear.

Pan             Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan.
                The batter should fill the pan about 3/4 of the way full.
                Place the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.

                Level and bake immediately.

Bake            375ºF / 190ºC for 25 minutes, or until a digital
                thermometer reads 140ºF / 60ºC.

                If you do not have a digital thermometer, the top of the
                cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester
                will appear wet.

Cool            Cool the cake on a wire rack for about 10 minutes
                before unmolding.

Baked flourless chocolate cake.

For the Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional):

2 tablespoons simple syrup
splash of Kirschwasser

For the Vanilla Ice Cream:

2 cups / 473 ml heavy cream
1 cup / 237 ml whole milk
2/3 cup / 134 grams granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice Cream Instructions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
3. Cool completely at room temperature. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
4. Churn to a soft consistency after making the frozen liquid sablé crust.

For the Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour           1 scant cup           4.1          118
almond flour                      5 tbsp          1.4           39

unsalted butter, at room temp   1/4 cup           2.0           57
granulated sugar                  3 tbsp          1.3           38
salt                            1/4 tsp
egg yolk                          1      

vegetable oil                     6 tbsp          2.8           80

Frozen Liquid Sablé Crust Instructions:

Mix             Sift together the all-purpose and almond flours.

                In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, sugar,
                and salt with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the
                egg yolk and continue mixing until well-blended.

                Slowly add the flours and continue mixing only until
                a dough is formed. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate     At least 1 hour

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone.

Roll Out        Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface
                and roll out until about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake            20 minutes, until golden brown

Prepare an 8-inch springform cake pan lined with plastic wrap.

Blend           Break the the baked sablé into small pieces and place
                in a blender along with half of the vegetable oil.
                Blend on high speed while drizzling the remaining
                vegetable oil.

Freeze the Sablé
                Pour the liquefied sablé into the lined springform pan.
                Freeze for at least 1 hour or until thoroughly set.

Liquefied almond shortbread, ready to freeze.

Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake Assembly:

Freeze the Ice Cream
                Place the churned ice cream on top of the frozen liquid
                sablé and level. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until
                thoroughly set.

Fill            Unmold the frozen ice cream cake and place on a serving
                plate. Apply a thin layer of pureed cherry preserves,
                about 6 tablespoons.

To Finish       Moisten the flourless chocolate cake by lightly brushing
                with the Kirschwasser simple syrup, if using. Set the
                chocolate cake on top of the ice cream.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake

Similar Posts:

1. Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
2. Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake
3. Vanilla-Rhubarb Soup with Strawberries
4. Angel Food Cake Recipe
5. Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël
6. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Marcella Hazan reassures in her trademark impassioned tone, “Only an active campaign of sabotage could ruin it,” as if to say, “You can’t possibly screw this up, you donkey.” With that in mind, I’ve never had as much confidence in trying out a new recipe.

She insists on using Bosc or Anjou pears and singles out Bartlett pears as a mediocre choice. Even with that little tidbit, this pear tart recipe still ranks high on my list of Unfussy and Easy Recipes with High Payoff. It’s the first thing I think of whenever pears are in season.

Before baking, do top with the optional cloves, or failing that, maybe a cinnamon stick or two. The addition of whole spices adds so much with so little effort.

recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

“A Farm Wife’s Fresh Pear Tart”

makes one 9-inch tart, about 6 servings

Bosc, Red Anjou, and Green Anjou Pears

Equipment:

a 9-inch round cake pan, greased with butter and dusted lightly with bread crumbs

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 pounds fresh pears, preferably Bosc or Anjou (about 5 to 6)

butter for dotting the tart
12 whole cloves (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
2. Peel the pears, cut in half lengthwise, and core to remove the seeds. Slice the pear halves into thin slivers.
3. Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and continue beating until well-blended.
4. Add the flour to the eggs and milk. Mix to form a thick cake batter.
5. Add the pears to the batter and mix gently until the slices are evenly coated. Deposit the batter in the greased and dusted cake pan.
6. Top evenly with small pieces of butter and whole cloves (if using).
7. Bake at 375ºF/190ºC for about 50 minutes, or until the top is well-browned.
8. Let the pear tart cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.
9. Remove and discard the whole cloves (if using) before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Easy Pear Tart Recipe

Similar Posts:

1. Chocolate Rose Water Ganache Tart
2. Angel Food Cake Recipe
3. Hot Cross Buns Recipe
4. Dulce de Leche Recipe
5. Dan Lepard’s Stollen Recipe
6. Applesauce Spice Cake

If you replace molasses with honey and add rye flour to your old-fashioned gingerbread recipe, you’ll end up with a basic pain d’épices, the French take on gingerbread. As its name implies, “bread of spices” is all about the fragrance and warmth of ground aromatics. There are endless spice mix variations and each recipe seems to have its own distinctive blend.

This fruit and spice loaf cake from Pierre Hermé and Dorie Greenspan has the most interesting spice blend of all the pain d’épices recipes I’ve seen. Water is infused with star anise to start off, so immediately we’re given a preview of the arometherapy to come.

Hefty amounts of cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, and nutmeg may seem like overkill, but the combination is surprisingly well-balanced in the suggested amounts. None of the spices stands out too much and as a whole, the effect is quite intoxicating.

The following pain d’epices recipe makes a dense and hearty loaf meant to be sliced very thinly. The bread itself is light on the honey but there is plenty of sweetness from the prunes and apricots. Walnuts and almonds are added for crunch and citrus zest brightens the deep flavors of the spices, rounding out the texture and aroma of the finished loaf.

recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Desserts by Pierre Hermé
A Fruit A Month: Apricot hosted by Siri

Pierre Hermé’s Pain d’épices
Fruit and Spice Loaf Cake

makes one 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch cake

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
water                   3/4 cup + 2 tbsp        7.0            198
star anise                       10        

honey                           1/3 cup         4.0            113
unsalted butter, melted       5 1/2 tbsp        2.8             78

all-purpose flour             2 1/4 cups       10.1            287
rye flour                       1/4 cup         1.1             32
baking powder                 2 1/2 tsp
cinnamon, ground                  1 tbsp
ginger, ground                    1 tsp
black pepper, ground              1 tsp
coriander, ground               1/2 tsp
cardamom, ground                1/2 tsp
nutmeg, ground                  1/2 tsp

walnuts, coarsely chopped       2/3 cup         2.8             80
sliced almonds, toasted         1/3 cup         1.4             40
pitted prunes, 1/4-inch dice     13             5.3            149
dried apricots, 1/4-inch dice    13             4.3            120
lemon zest                     from 1 lemon
orange zest                    from 1 orange

Notes:

• The original recipe suggests using pine honey and Malaysian Sarawak black pepper.

Directions:

Infuse the water with star anise
                Bring the water and star anise to a boil in a small
                saucepan over high heat. Cover and infuse for about
                one hour.



Preheat Oven    300ºF / 150ºC

Prepare an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan
                Use nonstick spray or softened butter to grease the
                bottom and sides of the loaf pan. Line with parchment
                paper. Place the loaf pan on two stacked sheet pans
                or an insulated baking sheet.

Mix Dry Ingredients
                Place the flours, baking powder, and ground spices
                in a container with a tight lid. Cover and shake
                until thoroughly mixed.

Mix Wet Ingredients
                In another bowl, stir the honey and melted butter.
                Strain the star anise-infused water into the bowl
                and stir until well-blended.

Mix Fruits, Nuts, and Zests
                In a separate bowl, stir together the walnuts,
                almonds, prunes, apricots, and citrus zests.
                Toss the fruits, nuts, and zests in a tablespoon
                of the mixed dry ingredients.

Mix (Muffin Method)
                Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add
                the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber
                spatula or wooden spoon and stir briefly.

                Add the fruits, nuts, and zests and continue
                mixing only until the dry ingredients are
                moistened. The batter should be thick and lumpy.

Pan             Deposit the batter into the greased loaf pan.
                Place the loaf pan on two stacked sheet pans or
                on an insulated baking sheet.

Bake            300ºF / 150ºC for 65 to 75 minutes, until a
                wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the
                cake comes out clean.

Cool            Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before
                removing from the loaf pan. Cool completely at
                room temperature, at least 2 hours.

Pain d’épices Storage:

Once the cake is thoroughly cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Wrapped airtight in plastic, pain d’épices will keep at room temperature for up to four days or frozen for up to a month.

To Serve Pain d’épices:

Let the loaf “ripen” for at least one day for a deeper flavor. Serve in thin slices with hot tea or cider.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pain d’épices – Fruit and Spice Cake

Similar Posts:

1. Applesauce Spice Cake
2. Pan de Higo – Spanish Fig Cake
3. Pain à l’ancienne Baguettes
4. Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
5. Pumpkin Spice Brioche
6. Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake

This contemporary version of Bûche de Noël is the perfect opportunity to make something extra festive for Christmas. Instead of a roulade and buttercream icing in the traditional French yule log, this modern take is composed of a silky mousse layered with crème brûlée and crispy chocolate praline.

I decided to set the entire mousse cake on chocolate biscuit, a thin sponge cake layer, because I thought it resembled terra firma. The chocolate mousse is also complemented with minty elements — the crème brûlée insert is infused with mint and the chocolate biscuit is brushed with a simple mint syrup.

The measurements in the recipe that follows are in metric weights. All of it. I thought of converting everything to volume and imperial measures like I usually do but take a peek at the recipe and I’m sure you’ll understand. If you don’t own one already, may I recommend this fine weighing scale?

All of the Bûche de Noël components are scaled for a 13-inch half pipe mold, which is about the same size as a roll of aluminum foil. It’s difficult to work with such small amounts, but at the very least, the waste is minimal (resulting in less mindless snacking).

The Daring Bakers: Bûche de Noël / French Yule Log
hosted by Hilda and Marion

recipes for components adapted from Florilege Gourmand, Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking, and Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry

Chocolate Mint Mousse Bûche de Noël / French Yule Log

makes one 13-inch cake

Components:

Mint Crème Brûlée Insert
Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine
Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer
Chocolate Mousse
Mint Syrup
Chocolate Biscuit
Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Glaçage

Notes:

• Use 64 to 85 percent for bittersweet chocolate.

Special Equipment:

• 13-inch Bûche de Noël mold
• weighing scale
• digital thermometer

For the Mint Crème Brûlée Insert:

Ingredients                     Grams
powdered gelatin                    2
cold water                         10
whole milk                          8
heavy cream                        61
fresh mint leaves, chopped         20
granulated sugar                   22
egg yolks                          16

Mint Crème Brûlée Insert Directions:

1. Line the bottom of the Bûche de Noël mold with parchment.
2. Bloom the powdered gelatin in the cold water.
3. Bring the milk and heavy cream to a boil and remove from the heat, Add the mint, cover, and infuse for 30 minutes.
4. Strain into a bowl set on your weighing scale. Add additional heavy cream to rescale the mixture to its original weight  (69 grams).
5. In a small saucepan, bring the infused cream and half of the sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat.
6. Mix the remaining sugar with the egg yolks.
7. Temper the egg yolks with about one-third of the infused cream.
8. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan. Heat the liquid to 180ºF / 82ºC.
9. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or chinois.
10. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until thoroughly incorporated.
11. Pour into the parchment-lined Bûche de Noël mold and freeze. Remove from the mold and store in the freezer.

For the Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine:

Ingredients                     Grams
whole milk                         40
unsalted butter                     4
all-purpose flour                  18
egg, beaten                         8
granulated sugar                    2

Gavottes / Pailleté Feuilletine Directions:

1. Heat the milk and butter together until butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
2. Sift flour into milk-butter mixture while beating, add egg and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps.
3. Grease a baking sheet and spread batter thinly over it.
4. Bake at 430°F / 220°C for a few minutes until the crepe is golden and crispy. Let cool.

For the Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer:

Ingredients                     Grams
milk chocolate, chopped            35
unsalted butter, room temp          9
praline                            11
gavottes / pailleté feuilletine    21

Praliné Feuilleté au Chocolat / Crispy Chocolate Praline Layer Directions:

1. Melt the milk chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed gavottes / pailleté feuilletine. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.
3. Spread a 1.5- by 13-inch layer between two sheets of wax paper. Refrigerate until hard.

For the Chocolate Mousse:

Ingredients                     Grams
powdered gelatin                    3
cold water                         15
granulated sugar                   27
glucose or light corn syrup         7
water                              10
egg yolks                          33
heavy cream #1                     20
bittersweet chocolate             116
heavy cream #2                    212

Chocolate Mousse Directions:

1. Bloom the powdered gelatin in cold water.
2. Make a pâte à bombe.
   Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).
   Cook the sugar, glucose, and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F / 118°C. If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature).
   Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.
   Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.
3. In a double boiler, heat heavy cream #1 (20 grams). Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
4. Whip heavy cream #2 (212 grams) until stiff.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in about one-third of the whipped cream to temper. Add the pâte à bombe.
6. Add in the rest of the whipped cream and mix gently with a spatula.

For the Mint Syrup:

Ingredients                     Grams
granulated sugar                   35
water                              49
fresh mint leaves, chopped          7

Mint Syrup Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the granulated sugar and water to a boil.
2. Add the fresh mint leaves and immediately remove from the heat.
3. Let the mint infuse for at least 15 minutes. Strain and discard the mint leaves.

For the Chocolate Biscuit:

Ingredients                     Grams
pastry flour                       20
cocoa powder                       20

egg yolks                          36
eggs                               82
sugar #1                           65

egg whites                         52
sugar #2                           26

Chocolate Biscuit Directions:

Preheat Oven    400ºF / 205ºC

Prepare a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper or silicone mat

Mix (Separated Egg Sponge Method)
                Sift together the pastry flour and cocoa powder.

                Whip the egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar #1 to the
                ribbon stage. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites
                and sugar #2 to soft-medium peaks.

                Add the meringue to the egg yolk foam in 2 to 3
                installments. Fold in the sifted pastry flour and
                cocoa powder only until absorbed.

Pan             Deposit the batter into the lined sheet pan and
                spread evenly. 

Bake            400ºF / 205ºC for about 9 minutes, or until the edges
                are slightly dark brown.

Cool            Immediately transfer to a wire rack and let the
                cake cool completely at room temperature.

Finishing       Brush with mint syrup (preceding recipe).

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Ingredients                     Grams
heavy cream                        50
bittersweet chocolate, chopped     50
unsalted butter, room temp          8

For the Chocolate Glaçage:

Ingredients                     Grams
heavy cream                        50
bittersweet chocolate, chopped     50
unsalted butter, room temp         17

Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Glaçage Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.
2. Cool to 190ºF / 88ºC and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let rest for about a minute.
3. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently in a circular motion from the center and work your way outwards as an emulsion is formed.
4. Once the chocolate cools to 95ºF / 35ºC, add the butter and continue stirring gently just until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. The finished emulsion should be shiny and smooth.
5. Use immediately for best results.

Crispy chocolate praline layer and mint crème brûlée insert

Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël Assembly:

Line the bottom of the Bûche de Noël mold with parchment.

Pipe one third of the mousse component into the mold. Take the mint crème brûlée insert out of the freezer at the last second and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.

Pipe second third of the mousse component around and on top of the mint crème brûlée insert. Cut the crispy chocolate praline layer to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.

Pipe the last third of the mousse component on top of the crispy chocolate praline layer. Level and freeze for a few hours to set.

Lightly dust the chocolate biscuit with confectioner’s sugar. Apply a strip of chocolate ganache to serve as the base for the Bûche de Noël log.

Unmold the frozen bûche de noël and place on a wire rack. Lightly dust with cocoa powder and apply the chocolate glaçage. Set on top of the chocolate ganache and refrigerate until ready to serve.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël

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2. Poilâne’s Mint Brioche
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5. Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake
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If you’ve ever had bad airline food, looked out from your window seat, and wished you could eat cloud instead, it would probably be a lot like having angel food cake. Light, airy, and sweet, a generous wedge of angel food is interesting enough on its own but even better served with fruits or chocolate.

Its springiness makes angel food poke-worthy (get your mind out of the gutter, please). As you press down on it with your finger, you can actually hear it sighing, as if to say “What the hell?” It puffs and heaves as it struggles back to shape when you let go. Playing around with angel food is probably one of the most interesting tactile experiences in the kitchen. As long as no one’s watching behind you.

Did I also mention that angel food is fat-free? It’s too bad that it isn’t also calorie-free, though — angel food is typically equal parts egg white and sugar by weight.

General guidelines for making angel food cake:

• Watch out for gold fish
  The smallest speck of egg yolk in your egg whites might be enough to ruin a batch. Fat keeps the egg white proteins from holding onto each other to create a stable foam. You’ll still get a meringue, but it will be denser, less stable, and take longer to develop.
• Use room temperature (good) or slightly warmed (better) egg whites
• Acidify
  Cream of tartar, which is derived from tartaric acid, helps create a lighter and more stable foam.
• Whip only to soft-medium peaks
• Cool the cake upside down
  Use an angel food or tube cake pan with legs or with a center tube higher than the lip of the pan. This allows you to cool the cake upside down, preventing the cake from deflating and collapsing on itself. If only hockey puck souffles can be fixed in the same way.

recipe adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking and Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry

Angel Food Cake Recipe

makes one 10-inch tube cake

Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
cake flour                        1 cup           5.0          141
confectioner's sugar #1       1 1/2 cups          6.6          187
salt                            1/3 tsp

egg whites from large eggs       12              13.2          375
cream of tartar                   1 tsp
vanilla extract                   1 tsp
confectioner's sugar #2       1 1/2 cups          6.6          187

Special Equipment:

• A 10-inch angel food / tube cake pan

Notes:

• A bleached low-protein or soft flour is a suitable substitute for cake flour.

Directions:

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 180ºC with a rack placed in the lower
                third of the oven

Prepare an ungreased 10-inch tube pan

Mix (Angel Food Method)
                Mix together the cake flour, salt, and the
                first half of the sugar. Sift and reserve.

                Using a surgically clean bowl and whisk, whip
                the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of
                tartar and vanilla extract. Whip to soft peaks.

                Gradually beat in the second half of the sugar
                (that was not sifted with the cake flour).
                Continue to whip only until the egg whites form
                soft to medium glossy peaks.

                Avoid overwhipping the egg whites to stiff peaks.

                Using a wide rubber spatula, gently fold in the
                cake flour and sugar by sifting onto the top of
                the egg whites a little at time. It will take
                about 4 additions.

                Continue folding only until the cake flour and
                sugar are absorbed. It's okay to have a few dry
                or lumpy spots.

Pan             Gently deposit the egg whites into the ungreased
                angel food cake pan. Shake the pan gently to level
                and bake immediately.



Bake            350ºF / 180ºC for 35 minutes, until a cake tester
                or wooden skewer comes out clean.



Cool            Let the cake cool upside down at room temperature
                before unmolding, about 1 to 2 hours.

It won’t fall off.

Cloud Nine.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Angel Food Cake Recipe

Similar Posts:

1. Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
2. Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake
3. Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream Cake
4. Applesauce Spice Cake
5. Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
6. Pan de Higo – Spanish Fig Cake

When it’s so cold outside that a hot oven is no longer effective in raising the temperature, bake something with spices in it. Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg give a sense of comfort and warmth in this recipe for spiced applesauce cake. Served with a hot mug of spiced whatever, preferably heavily spiked with alcohol, it makes winter a bit more tolerable.

I’ve given up on trying to get used to Chicago winters. Coming from a country where the mercury never dips below 60ºF*, cold weather is never agreeable to my tropical-minded self. When I first stepped off the plane (or the boat, if you’re trying to get fresh with me), the first thing I got wasn’t a hug from relatives I haven’t seen in years. The sudden switch from humid to freezing dry climates caused a gushing nosebleed instead. I thought I was going to drop dead.

I should’ve taken massive blood loss as a sign to move south, but in the meantime, I’ll keep baking stuff until the springtime cometh.

*unless you live on a mountaintop

recipe adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking

Applesauce Spice Cake
with Lemon Icing (optional)

makes one 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch cake

For the Applesauce Spice Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
cake flour                    1 1/4 cup           5.6          158
baking powder                   2/3 tsp
baking soda                     1/3 tsp
cinnamon, ground                1/2 tsp
cloves, ground                  1/4 tsp
nutmeg, ground                  1/8 tsp

whole milk                      1/3 cup           2.8           79
applesauce                      1/2 cup + 2 tbsp  5.0          142

unsalted butter                   9 tbsp          4.4          126
brown sugar                     2/3 cup packed    5.6          158
salt                            1/8 tsp

large eggs, lightly beaten        2

For the Lemon Icing (optional):

1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar (3.5 ounces / 100 grams)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon hot water

Notes:

• Have all of the applesauce spice cake ingredients at room temperature before continuing.
• A bleached low-protein or soft flour is a suitable substitute for cake flour.

Applesauce Spice Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 177ºC

Prepare an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan
                Use nonstick spray or softened butter to grease the
                bottom and sides of the loaf pan.

Mix Dry Ingredients
                Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon,
                cloves, and nutmeg in a container with a tight lid.
                Cover and shake until thoroughly mixed.

Mix Wet Ingredients
                In a separate container, mix together the milk and
                applesauce until well-blended.              

Mix (Creaming Method)
                Beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar
                and salt. Cream until light and fluffy.

                Add the eggs a little at a time, mixing to
                incorporation after each addition.

                Alternate between one-third of the spiced flour
                (dry ingredients) and one-half of the
                applesauce-milk mixture (wet ingredients). Mix
                only to incorporation after each addition. Begin
                and end with the dry ingredients.

Pan             Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. Place
                the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.

Bake            350ºF / 177ºC for 60 to 65 minutes, until the sides
                pull away from the pan and a wooden skewer inserted
                in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool            Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before
                removing from the loaf pan. Cool completely at
                room temperature.

Needs a little dressing up. But not too much.

Ice (optional)  Using a rubber spatula, mix the lemon icing
                ingredients gently until smooth. While the icing is
                still warm, drizzle over the top of the cake. Use a
                squeeze bottle for cleaner lines.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Applesauce Spice Cake

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1. Pain d’épices – Fruit and Spice Cake
2. Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
3. Pan de Higo – Spanish Fig Cake
4. Angel Food Cake Recipe
5. Pumpkin Spice Brioche
6. Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

This cake reminds me of Iron Chef: Battle Apple and Chocolate. I kept thinking that apples and chocolate can’t possibly pair well because I couldn’t think of any recipes that highlight both ingredients. Think of apple desserts and caramel likely comes to mind. As far as chocolate desserts go, even if many fruits taste great with chocolate, apples are seldom high on the list.

Quite frankly, I wouldn’t have tried this recipe if it wasn’t from Valrhona, but I hear they know a thing or two about baking with chocolate.

Flourless and leavened only with whipped egg whites, this chocolate cake is dense and moist. The gooey center fell from the weight of the fruits and nuts as the edges souffléd, forming a border reminiscent of pizza crust. The roasted hazelnuts also added crunchiness along with the crisp apples that tasted fresh even after baking.

The bottom line is, bittersweet chocolate and tart apples actually taste great together.

recipe adapted from Valrhona

Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
Suave au Chocolat et aux Pommes

makes one 8 or 9-inch chocolate cake

Special Equipment:

• An 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan.

For the Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
tart and crisp apples             1 to 2
hazelnuts, chopped              1/3 cup         1.8             50

bittersweet chocolate, chopped                  8.8            250
heavy whipping cream            2/3 cup         5.3            150
yolks from large eggs             3             2.1             60
cornstarch                        4 tsp

honey                             3 tbsp        1.8             50
whites from large eggs            3             3.2             90

confectioner's sugar and ground cinnamon (for dusting)

Notes:

• Use tart apples such as Pippin or Russet. I used Granny Smith apples.
• Use 64 to 85 percent for the bittersweet chocolate (the original recipe calls for 66% chocolate). I used 71% chocolate.

Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    375ºF / 190ºC

Prepare an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan (at least 2 inches deep)
                Use nonstick spray or softened butter to grease the
                bottom and sides of the springform pan.

Prepare the apples
                Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/2-inch dice
                and set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Pour over the
chopped chocolate and let cool for about a minute. Using a rubber
spatula, slowly mix in the egg yolks and cornstarch until thoroughly
incorporated. The mixture will be smooth and slightly thick.

Whip            Add the honey to the egg whites and whip to soft
                peaks.

Fold            Using a whisk, add about 1/3 of the whipped egg
                whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten.

                Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the
                remaining whipped egg whites in two batches,
                taking care to avoid over-mixing. White streaks of
                egg white should still be visible in the chocolate.

Pan             Deposit the batter into the greased springform pan.
                Top with the chopped apples and hazelnuts and dust
                lightly with confectioner's sugar and ground cinnamon.

                Place the springform pan on a cookie sheet or sheet
                pan and bake immediately.

Bake            375ºF / 190ºC for 25 to 35 minutes, until a wooden
                skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes
                out clean.

Cool            Let the cake cool in the springform pan for at least
                15 minutes before unmolding.

Apple hazelnut chocolate cake cooling on a wire rack.

To Serve:

Best served warm shortly after baking.

Something tells me this cake is going to be delicious.

Links about Valrhona’s Suave au Chocolat et aux Pommes:

• Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Muffins at Le Pétrin (in French)
• Trying out the recipe for Valentine’s Day at Spicy Salty Sweet

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Apple Hazelnut Chocolate Cake

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2. Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake
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5. Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël
6. Chocolate Rose Water Ganache Tart

Sachertorte is the cake for chocolate lovers — a layered chocolate cake filled with apricot jam is coated in chocolate ganache and finished with a chocolate glaze. In this recipe, you can easily tweak the chocolate bittersweetness by using the cacao percentages of your choice in the cake, ganache, and glaze.

Unfortunately, I can’t say how good the cake turned out because it disappeared shortly after the turkey got carved. I’ll take that as a good sign. Thanksgiving was a huge gathering this year so a small dinner table was set aside exclusively for desserts. The table turned into an orgy of all pies pumpkin, apple, and pecan. I thought it improbable that my contribution would be the only chocolate dessert option but I was wrong.

It was only an 8-incher (that’s what she said), so I should’ve known better. Lesson learned: shiny dark disks stand out in a spread of matte brown desserts.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge
hosted by Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella

recipe adapted from Wayne Gisslen’s Professional Baking and Michel Suas’ Advanced Bread and Pastry

Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake With Apricot Filling

makes one 8-inch Sachertorte

Sachertorte Components:

Sacher Cake
Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional)
Apricot Jam
Chocolate Ganache
Chocolate Glaçage / Sacher Glaze

Notes:

• Need to scale it up or down for different cake pan sizes? Let me know.
• Use 50 to 64 percent for semi-sweet chocolate and 64 to 85 percent for bittersweet chocolate.
• A bleached low-protein or soft flour is a suitable substitute for cake flour.

For the Sacher Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
unsalted butter, room temp    6 1/2 tbsp          3.2           91
granulated sugar          scant 1/2 cup           3.2           91
semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled           4            113
yolks from large eggs             5
vanilla extract                 3/4 tsp

whites from large eggs            5
salt                            1/8 tsp
granulated sugar                1/3 cup           2.4           68

cake flour, sifted                                3.2           91

Sacher Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    325ºF / 165ºC

Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (at least 2 inches deep)
                Use nonstick spray or grease the bottom and sides of the
                cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and dust
                lightly with flour.

Mix - Modified Creaming Method (with soft peak meringue)
                Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
                Add the melted chocolate, egg yolks, and vanilla extract
                in stages, mixing to incorporation with each addition.

                Whip the egg whites with the salt. Add the sugar and
                whip to soft peaks.

                Using a rubber spatula, alternate folding in the flour
                with the meringue in about 4 or 6 additions. Begin
                with the flour and end with the meringue.

Pan             Deposit the batter into the lined cake pan. Place
                the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.
                Level and bake immediately.

Bake            325ºF / 165ºC for 45 to 55 minutes, until the sides
                pull away from the pan and a wooden skewer inserted
                in the middle comes out clean.

Cool            Let the cake cool completely at room temperature.

Baked Sacher Cake.

For the Kirschwasser Simple Syrup (optional):

2 tablespoons simple syrup
splash of Kirschwasser

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
heavy cream             1/2 cup + 2 tbsp          5.3          150
bittersweet chocolate, chopped                    5.3          150
unsalted butter, room temp        2 tbsp           .9           25

For the Chocolate Glaçage / Sacher Glaze:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
heavy cream             1/2 cup + 2 tbsp          5.3          150
semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped      5.3          150
unsalted butter, room temp        4 tbsp          1.8           50

Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Glaçage / Sacher Glaze Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.
2. Cool to 190ºF / 88ºC and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let rest for about a minute.
3. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently in a circular motion from the center and work your way outwards as an emulsion is formed.
4. Once the chocolate cools to 95ºF / 35ºC, add the butter and continue stirring gently just until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. The finished emulsion should be shiny and smooth.
5. Use immediately for best results.

Sachertorte Assembly:

Level and Trim  (if needed)

Split           2 layers. Moisten each layer with Kirschwasser syrup
                if desired.

Fill            Sandwich the top and bottom layers with apricot jam,
                about 6 tablespoons for an 8-inch cake.

Prepare the Chocolate Ganache and use immediately in the following step.

Mask            Using a spatula, apply the chocolate ganache to the
                top and sides of the cake as smoothly as possible.

Sachertorte masked with chocolate ganache.

Refrigerate     Chill for at least 30 minutes or until the chocolate
                ganache is set. 

Prepare the Chocolate Glaçage / Sacher Glaze and use immediately
in the following step.

Glaze           With the cake on a wire rack, pour the chocolate glaze
                around the edges to cover the sides. Fill in the
                center. Tap the wire rack to pop any bubbles.

Glazed Sachertorte. Ever licked a wire rack or sheet pan?

Refrigerate     Chill while still on the wire rack until the chocolate
                glaze is set. 

Trim            Remove from the wire rack and trim the bottom. Place on
                a cake board or plate.

Decorate        Using leftover ganache, pipe the word "Sacher" or
                decorative patterns on the cake if desired.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sachertorte – Austrian Chocolate Cake

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3. Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël
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5. Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting
6. Applesauce Spice Cake

After completing this month’s Daring Bakers challenge featuring Shuna Fish Lydon’s recipe for caramel cake, I hereby demote Cake Wrecks from hilarious to merely amusing and witty.

Making cakes is back-breaking work and I’ve learned to appreciate the time and effort involved with all things frosted, regardless of how uninspired, bizarre, or wrong it is. I hadn’t noticed an hour has passed and I still couldn’t get the icing applied evenly. I guess that explains the heavy dusting of almond meal.

The Daring Bakers – Caramel Cake
Hosted by Culinary Curiosity, Blondie and Brownie, and Foray into Food

Recipe adapted from Shuna Fish Lydon

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

makes one 9-inch cake

For the Caramel Syrup:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

1 cup water (for stopping)

Caramel Syrup Instructions:

1. In a small stainless steel saucepan, mix the water and sugar until sandy. Boil the mixture over high heat until dark amber and slightly smoking. If using a thermometer, heat until the syrup reaches 380ºF / 195ºC.
2. Wear heatproof gloves for protection in the following step. Slowly pour 1 cup of water into the saucepan and immediately lower the heat to medium. Watch out for sputtering hot syrup and steam.
3. Whisk the syrup until reduced and thickened.
4. Let the caramel syrup cool completely before continuing.

For the Caramelized Butter Frosting:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
unsalted butter                  12 tbsp          6            170
confectioner’s sugar, sifted  4 1/2 cups         16            454
heavy cream                       6 tbsp
caramel syrup (recipe above)      4 tbsp
vanilla extract                   2 tsp
kosher salt                   pinch

Caramelized Butter Frosting Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until brown.
2. Once the butter is browned, use a fine mesh metal sieve to strain into a heatproof bowl. Let the strained brown butter cool completely before continuing.
3. Pour the strained brown butter into a mixing bowl. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar slowly just until dry and sandy. Add about 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream or caramel syrup to thin the butter frosting.
4. Alternate between the confectioner’s sugar and heavy cream / caramel syrup until all of the sugar is incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until the frosting is smooth.

Caramelized Butter Frosting Storage:

The caramelized butter frosting will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

For the Caramel Cake:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all purpose flour                 2 cups          9            255
baking powder                   1/2 tsp
unsalted butter                  10 tbsp          5            142
granulated sugar              1 1/4 cups          8.8          250
kosher salt                     1/2 tsp
caramel syrup (recipe above)    1/3 cup
large eggs                        2
vanilla extract              splash
whole milk                        1 cup           8.6          244

Notes:

• Have all the caramel cake ingredients at room temperature before continuing.

Caramel Cake Instructions:

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 177ºC

Butter a 9-inch cake pan (2 - 2.5 inches deep)

Sift            Sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder.

Mix (Creaming Method)
                In a separate container, beat the butter until smooth.
                Add the sugar and salt. Cream until light and fluffy.

                Pour in the caramel syrup and mix to incorporation.
                Add the eggs one at a time and mix to incorporation.
                Finally, add the vanilla extract and mix until light
                and smooth.

                Alternate between a third of the sifted flour and
                a half cup of the milk and mixing to incorporation
                after each addition. Begin and end with the sifted
                flour.

Pan             Pour the batter into the buttered cake pan. Place
                the cake pan on a cookie sheet or sheet pan.

Bake            350ºF / 177ºC for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and
                bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the sides
                pull away from the pan and a wooden skewer inserted
                in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool            Let the cake cool completely at room temperature.

Good thing there’s frosting involved.

Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting Assembly:

Leveling        (optional)

Leveled caramel cake with caramelized butter frosting for masking.

Masking         Apply a thin coat of frosting. This will keep crumbs from
                the final layer of frosting.

Masked caramel cake.

Refrigerate     Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to set the first layer
                of icing. 

Icing

My back hurts.

Dusted with almond flour. Lame attempt at adding some semblance of nutritional value. Good attempt at hiding mediocre icing skills.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting

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This blueberry and cranberry loaf is based on a recipe for “election day bread,” which originally had raisins, candied citrus, and spices. Considering its name, doesn’t it make more sense studded with reds and blues?

But since blueberries are in season during the warmer months and cranberries during the cooler months, this combination doesn’t make sense from the standpoint of the farmer’s market-obsessed, either.

Help decide the outcome of this recipe. Which would you prefer?
(click here to visit the original post if you can’t see the polling form below)

Your input counts.

adapted from the Election Day Bread recipe in Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads

Blueberry-Cranberry Bread with Nuts

makes one 10-inch tube loaf

Red, white, and blue with a handful of nuts. Very American.

For the Yeast Batter:

1 1/2 cups bread or all-purpose flour (6.75 ounces / 191 grams)
3 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water, about 120ºF / 49ºF

For the Final Dough:

3 cups bread or all-purpose flour (13.5 ounces / 383 grams)
2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup butter (6 ounces / 170 grams), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces / 200 grams)
2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 tablespoon flour

confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix Batter      Mix all of the yeast batter ingredients until smooth.
                The consistency will be similar to thick pancake
                batter.

Ferment         Cover the yeast batter and let rise for 30 minutes. The
                yeast batter will be bubbly and will rise considerably.

Mix Dry         Mix the 3 cups of flour and salt until thoroughly
                incorporated.

Cream           Cream the room temperature butter and sugar until light
                and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue
                mixing until smooth.

Final Mix       Add the butter mixture to the yeast batter and stir
                thoroughly. Add the salted flour about 1/4 cup at a
                time while stirring vigorously. The batter will be
                very sticky and have some gluten development.

                Dredge the blueberries, cranberries, and nuts in
                1 tablespoon of flour and add to the batter. Mix
                until the fruits and nuts are evenly distributed.

Pan             Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 10-inch tube
                pan. Level and smooth the tops with a spoon.

Final Proof     Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost
                doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Proofed cranberry-blueberry bread.

Preheat Oven    375ºF / 190ºC

Bake            Bake at 375ºF / 190ºC for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours,
                rotating the pan halfway through baking. Test for
                doneness using a wooden skewer or cake tester.

Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired.

Blueberry-cranberry bread dusted with confectioner’s sugar.

Blueberry-cranberry bread crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Blueberry-Cranberry Bread

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