The Essential James Beard Cookbook (67 page)

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

MAKES ONE 10-INCH TUBE CAKE; 12 SERVINGS

Editor: Angel food cake is a beloved American dessert, but Beard gives it sophistication with a splash of Cognac. Be sure to use a tube pan that does not have nonstick coating, as the batter will not rise if it is touching a slick surface. Delicate angel food cakes are cooled upside-down so they hold their shape. Most angel food pans have legs or an especially long central tube to lift the crown of the cake above the cooling surface.

1¼ cups egg whites (from about 10 large eggs), at room temperature

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon plain salt

1½ cups sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour, measured and then sifted three times

1 tablespoon Cognac

½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until they form soft peaks. Add the cream of tartar and salt and beat until stiff but not dry—firm peaks and a glossy surface. Gradually beat in the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

Sprinkle the flour over the surface and fold it in very carefully but well. Add the Cognac and vanilla and fold lightly. Pour into a 10-inch ungreased tube pan. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven about 40 minutes, or until the cake has browned. It will spring back when tested with your finger.

Cool the cake in the pan, upside down, on the pan legs. If there are no legs on your pan, rest and balance the cake pan’s central tube on a bottle or funnel until cool.

Editor: There are two methods for measuring flour by volume: Dip-and-sweep and sift-and-sweep. The most common way to measure flour is the dip-and-sweep method, where the measuring cup in dipped into the flour container, and the excess is swept off to level the cup. But many professional bakers eschew this method because it compacts the flour, and could result in a heavy cake.

Beard preferred the sift-and-sweep method for fine-textured cakes. Sift the flour into a bowl. Put the measuring cup on a piece of waxed paper. Lightly spoon the sifted flour into the cup, letting it overflow onto the waxed paper. Do not pack the flour into the cup. Use a knife to sweep off the mounded flour so the flour in the cup is level with cup’s top edge. The excess flour can be returned to the container and resifted.

DON FARMER’S FRESH APPLE CAKE

MAKES ONE 9- OR 10-INCH TUBE CAKE; 12 SERVINGS

With the crunch of the raw apple and an almost pudding-like texture and spiciness, this has a distinction not often found in cakes.

For the Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

1½ cups vegetable oil

3 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon plain salt

3 cups diced tart raw apples, such as Granny Smith, Pippins, or Greenings

1 cup coarsely chopped black walnuts or English walnuts

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Glaze

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Softened butter and flour, for the pan

To make the cake: Combine the granulated sugar and oil in a bowl. Beat very well with an electric mixer until pale, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Sift these again into the oil-egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the diced raw apples, walnuts, and vanilla. Mix well with a spoon or spatula. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 1¼ hours, or until the cake tests done when pierced with a bamboo skewer. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan while you prepare the glaze.

To make the glaze: Mix and melt the butter, brown and granulated sugars, heavy cream, and vanilla in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and spoon over the warm cake. Let it cool in the pan before removing.

VARIATION

FRESH PEAR CAKE:
Instead of apples, use 3 cups firm Anjou or Bartlett pears. Proceed as above.

BRIDE’S CAKE

MAKES ONE 2-TIERED CAKE; AT LEAST 20 SERVINGS

Editor: A tall, apricot-filled layer cake with a thick white frosting, this was a popular dessert to serve at bridal showers. For the decoration, use flowers whose edibility is well documented, and do not guess at their toxicity. Roses, nasturtiums, and Johnny jump-ups are known to be safe, but be sure to use ones that have not been sprayed with insecticides or fertilizers. Some specialty grocers carry edible flowers in the produce department.

For the Cake

Softened butter and flour, for the pans

4½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon plain salt

1½ pounds (6 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups sugar

12 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

For the Filling

1½ pounds dried apricots

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

¹
⁄
₃
cup kirsch

For the Frosting

1½ cups sugar

²
⁄
₃
cup water

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon cream of tartar

3 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon plain salt

Unsprayed edible flowers, for garnish

To make the cake: Lightly butter one 9 by 2-inch round pan, and one 8 by 2-inch round cake pan. Line the bottoms of the pans with waxed paper. Dust with flour and tip out the excess.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together three times. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then slowly beat in 1 cup of the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks until the mixture is light and lemon-colored, then add the lemon juice and zest. Gradually fold in the sifted flour mixture. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with clean beaters until they hold soft peaks. Very gradually beat in the remaining 2 cups sugar into the whites. Gently fold the whites into the batter until completely smooth, but do not overmix.

Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes for the smaller cake, and 1 hour for the larger cake. The cakes are done when the edges of the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 15 to 30 minutes. Loosen the sides very gently and invert the cakes onto racks to finish cooling. Remove and discard the waxed paper.

To make the filling: In a medium saucepan soak the apricots in the water for 1 hour. Add the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 30 to 45 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened. Cool. Put in a blender or food processor, add the kirsch, and process to make a smooth purée.

Slice the cakes in half horizontally. Place the bottom of the larger cake on a platter and spread with one-third of the apricot filling. Add the top layer and spread the center with another third of the filling, leaving about an inch of the circumference untouched; it will be frosted. Add the bottom half of the smaller cake and spread with the last third of the apricot filling. Place the remaining layer on top.

To make the frosting: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar. Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, stirring well once or twice to dissolve sugar. Cover and boil 3 minutes, then uncover and boil to the soft-ball stage (240° to 245°F on a candy thermometer). Reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer at medium to high speed until stiff. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the syrup in a thin stream into the whites as you continue beating. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until the frosting cools a bit and is firm enough to spread. If too firm, beat in about ¼ teaspoon boiling water.

Spread the frosting on the sides and top of the cake, fluffing it into peaks with a spatula or back of a spoon. Decorate with the flowers.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

MAKES ONE 8-INCH CAKE; 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

This chocolate cake is very rich and gooey, and the center will appear to be undercooked. Don’t worry, that’s how it’s meant to be—hence the soft texture and exceptional flavor. The cake both refrigerates and freezes perfectly, but should be brought to room temperature before serving so the glaze will become shiny again. It will be easier to cut if refrigerated before serving.

For the Cake

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups blanched sliced almonds or toasted and skinned hazelnuts

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

²
⁄
₃
cup sugar

3 large eggs

¼ cup very fine fresh bread crumbs (from about 1 slice firm white bread)

Freshly grated zest of 1 large orange

For the Glaze

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, and cut into tablespoon-size pieces

2 teaspoons honey

Toasted slivered almonds or skinned whole hazelnuts (see
here
)

Use a little of the butter to butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment or waxed paper; if you use waxed paper, butter it too.

To make the cake: Grind the almonds as finely as possible in a food processor blender. Melt the chocolate for the cake in the top part of a double boiler over hot—not boiling—water. Remove the insert from the water and let the chocolate cool slightly. Beat the remaining butter in a bowl with an electric beater until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. At this point the batter will look curdled, but it will all come together when the remaining ingredients are added. Add the melted chocolate, ground almonds, bread crumbs, and orange zest and stir thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, then run a spatula around the edge and turn it out onto the rack. Remove and discard the paper. Cool completely, upside down on the rack, before glazing.

To make the glaze: Combine the chocolate, butter, and honey in the top of a double boiler, and let the mixture melt, whisking occasionally over hot—not boiling—water. Remove the insert from the double boiler and let the chocolate mixture cool until it is beginning to thicken. Place the cooled cake on a rack over waxed paper and pour the glaze over it. Tip the cake so the glaze runs evenly over the top and down the sides. Smooth the sides, if necessary, with a metal spatula. Garland the rim of the cake with the nuts, placed fairly close together. Refrigerate to set the glaze.

CHOCOLATE ROLL

MAKES ONE 15-INCH JELLY ROLL; 8 SERVINGS

Editor: Here is a true story of Beard’s generosity: When John Ferrone, Beard’s longtime editor, admired this light but chocolate-intense dessert, Beard wrote the recipe down on his torn shirt sleeve. The sleeve was ripped off and presented to Ferrone.

For the roll

Softened butter, for the pan

Chocolate Soufflé