Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (42 page)

Now you need a clean, small mixer bowl and clean beaters. Place the egg whites in the bowl, add the salt, and beat until the whites thicken so they barely hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the reserved ¼ cup sugar. Increase the speed to high again and beat only until the whites hold a definite shape but not until they are stiff or dry.

The chocolate mixture will be quite stiff. First stir in about half a cup of the beaten whites. Then fold in half of the remaining whites—do not be too thorough—and then fold in the balance of the whites. The chocolate mixture will seem too stiff, but don’t worry—first continue to fold until the whites disappear. It will be O.K.

Turn into the prepared pan. Smooth the top as well as you can—the mixture does not run as it bakes.

Place the pan in a larger shallow pan and pour hot—not boiling—water into the larger pan to about half the depth of the cake pan.

Bake for 50 minutes (there is no test for doneness—just time it).

Remove the cake pan from the hot water and let stand until completely cool.

Cover with a rack, invert, remove the pan and the foil lining, and then transfer the cake, upside down, to a board, flat platter, or a cookie sheet. (The cake will be 1¼ inches high.)

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a day or two, or freeze for a longer time. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

FUDGE GLAZE

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

I ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 ounce (¼ stick) sweet butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a small, heavy saucepan stir the cocoa, sugar, and water to blend. Place over moderate heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil. Let boil slowly, still stirring, for 1 minute. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition. Add the oil and stir until completely blended.

Now, immediately, while the glaze is hot, pour it onto the top of the cake. With a long, narrow metal spatula spread it over the top only; if a bit runs down on the sides just leave it. (Isn’t this glaze gorgeous?)

Let stand at room temperature for at least several hours. If the cake is refrigerated the glaze will become dull—the taste and texture will still be delicious but different from the way they are at room temperature. (The consistency will be firmer and the taste will be slightly less sweet.) As a matter of fact, if I weren’t so intrigued by the shine of the glaze, I would say that I prefer the cake chilled.

With a long, thin, sharp knife, first trim a thin slice from each of the four sides so they will look the same as the cut interior sides. If necessary, wipe the blade after making each cut. Then cut into 16 squares. Or cut each square in half, making 32 small bars if you are serving these as finger-food.

Chocolate Madeleines

12 3-INCH
M
ADELEINES

Madeleines are small French cakes (or are they cookies?) baked in shell-shaped forms. They are traditionally white cakes—these are untraditionally and unequivocally chocolate—extra-bittersweet, dark, dense, soft, rich, and very spongy.

This recipe is for twelve-inch Madeleines—see Notes for doubling.

¼ cup sifted all-purpose flour

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

1 teaspoon powdered (not granular) instant coffee

½ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 ounces (½ stick) sweet butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon dark rum or brandy

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 egg (graded large) plus 2 egg yolks

Confectioners sugar (for topping)

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. You will need a Madeleine pan with twelve 3-inch shell-shaped forms (see Notes). To prepare the pan: Use soft (not melted) sweet butter and, with a pastry brush, brush it thoroughly all over the forms—be careful not to leave any unbuttered spots—make it a thin, even coating. Set the prepared pan aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, coffee, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the vanilla, rum, and granulated sugar and beat well. Add the egg and the yolks and beat to mix (the mixture will look curdled—it’s O.K.). On low speed add the sifted dry ingredients and beat only to mix.

Place a rounded teaspoonful of the mixture in each of the buttered shell forms. Do not spread, it will run by itself. Use all of the mixture for the twelve 3-inch forms.

Bake for about 12 minutes until the Madeleines spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.

Remove from the oven and immediately cover with a rack and invert. If the cakes do not slip out easily tap the inverted pan sharply on a counter top or board to knock the cakes out. Cool them patterned side up on a rack.

Place the rack over paper. Sprinkle the shell-patterned sides of the cooled Madeleines with confectioners sugar, shaking the sugar through a fine strainer held over the cakes. If the flat side is sticky, sugar both sides.

Store airtight with wax paper between the layers.

NOTES
:
1. This recipe may be doubled for two pans if they will both fit on the same oven rack. (It is best not to bake these one pan over another.) They should be baked as soon as they are mixed, so do not double the recipe unless you have two pans and a large oven or two ovens.

2. French tinned-steel Madeleine pans with twelve 3-inch forms (they are also available with six forms, but for this recipe only a twelve-form pan will do) are generally available at fine kitchen equipment shops. Or they may be ordered by mail from Williams-Sonoma, (877) 812-6235. In New York City they are at Bridge Kitchenware, 214 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022.

3. Never clean Madeleine pans with anything rough (just wash them with soap and water and a dishcloth) or the cakes might stick.

Pies

GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR A CRUMB CRUST

BAKED PIE SHELL

CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

CHOCOLATE FUDGE PIE

CHOCOLATE ANGEL PIE

CHOCOLATE PECAN ANGEL PIE

CHOCOLATE PIE WITH GRAHAM CRUST

CHOCOLATE CHIFFON PIE

CHIFFON AND VELVET PIE

GULF COAST CHOCOLATE PIE

General Directions for a Crumb Crust

The following directions for how to line a plate with aluminum foil, shape and bake a crumb crust, then how to remove the foil are from my dessert book. Follow them to insure that the crust does not stick to the plate.

Although the crumb mixture may be pressed into place directly in the pie plate, I prefer to line the plate with foil first and then remove the foil before filling the crust. This guarantees easy serving-the crust can’t stick to the plate. It’s a bit more work (or play), but I think well worth it.

For a 9-inch pie plate, use a 12-inch square of foil. Place the plate upside down on a work surface. Place the foil over the plate and, with your hands, press down on the sides of the foil, pressing it firmly against the plate all around. Remove the foil. Turn the plate right side up. Place the shaped foil into the plate. Now, to press the foil firmly into place in the plate, use a pot holder or a folded towel; place the pot holder or towel in the plate and press against it all around, making sure that the foil touches all parts of the plate. Fold the edges of the foil down over the rim of the plate.

Turn the crumb-crust mixture into the plate. Using your fingertips, I distribute the mixture evenly and loosely over the sides first and then the bottom. Then press the crust firmly and evenly on the sides, pushing it up from the bottom to form a rim slightly raised over the edge of the plate. Be careful that the top of the crust is not too thin. To shape a firm edge, use the fingertips of your right hand against the inside and press down against it with the thumb of your left hand. After firmly pressing the sides and the top edge, press the remaining crumbs evenly and firmly over the bottom. There should be no loose crumbs.

Bake in the center of a preheated 375-degree oven for 8 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges.

Cool to room temperature.

Freeze for at least 1 hour, longer if possible. It must be frozen solid.

Remove from the freezer. Raise the edges of the foil. Carefully lift the foil (with the crust) from the plate. Gently peel away the foil as follows: Support the bottom of the crust with your left hand and peel the foil, a bit at a time, with your right hand. As you do so, rotate the crust gently on your left hand.

Supporting the bottom of the crust with a small metal spatula or a knife, ease it back into the plate very gently so as not to crack it. It will not crack or break if it has been frozen sufficiently.

Baked Pie Shell

Whoever said “As easy as pie”? Making a proper pie crust takes patience, practice, experience, and a thorough knowledge of the subject. Instructions teach you not to use too much or too little flour, too much or too little shortening and butter, too much or too little ice water. And especially not to handle the mixture any more than necessary. And to chill it properly. And to roll it very carefully. Etc., etc., etc. I hope the following will help you. Just follow the directions, and make a few crusts to practice before planning a finished pie. It will get easier.

This recipe will make a single 9-inch crust. (For a 10-inch crust, see Notes.) I recommend using an ovenproof glass pie plate.

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Scant ½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (such as Crisco), cold and firm

3 tablespoons sweet butter, cold and firm, cut into small pieces

About 3 tablespoons ice water

(If the room is warm it is a good idea to chill the mixing bowl and even the flour beforehand.)

Place the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and butter. With a pastry blender cut in the shortening and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs—when partly cut in, raise the bowl with both hands, quickly move it away from you, up, and then toward you in a jerky motion to toss the bottom ingredients to the top. Search out any large pieces of butter and cut them individually with a knife. It is all right to leave a few pieces about the size of small peas.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water by small drops all over the surface. Mix and toss with a fork. Continue adding the water only until all the flour is barely moistened. (Too much water makes the pastry sticky-soggy-tough.) Do not ever dump a lot of the water in any one spot. When the water is partly added, with both hands raise the bowl, quickly move it away from you, up, and then toward you in a jerky motion to toss the dry flour to the top. (I know one cook who uses a laundry-sprinkling container and another who uses a salt shaker to add the water; that way they distribute it in a fine spray all over.)