Category: Dessert – Cake

Servings: 6
Source: Silver Palate Cookbook

Ingredients
3 egg yolks
2 Tb XX sugar
2 Tb orange liqueur
1 Tb sweet marsala
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
6 Tb strong coffee or expresso
12 ladyfingers, broken into thirds or sponge cake
2 ounces milk chocolate grated

Directions
Beat the egg yolks, XX sugar together with an electric mixer until pale and thick. Slowly beat in 1 Tb of the liqueur and the Marsala. Add the mascarpone, and beat until the mixture is thick and smooth.

In a small bowl, combine the coffee and the remaining 1 Tb liqueur. Drop 3 lady finger pieces in the bottom of each of six wine glasses. Drizzle half the coffee mixture over the lady fingers. Then spoon in half the mascarpone, and sprinke with half the grated chocolate.

Repeat the layers with the remaining ladyfingers, coffee, mascarpone, chocolate. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Servings: 12
Source: From Julia Eisner, from her cookbook by Chocolat person
In the late seventies and the eighties, the ultimate chocolate dessert was called Chocolate Decadence. Made with only one tablespoon of flour and a full pound of dark chocolate, it was so rich it needed whipped cream and raspberry sauce to lighten it! If you loved it then and yearn for it now, salvation is at hand. With half the calories and a quarter of the fat per serving (even less if you count the whipped cream that went into the original), this may be the richest light dessert in the world. Be sure to use a superb brand of chocolate and the best cocoa you know.

Ingredients
Ingredients

5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
1 whole egg
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg white
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup plus ½ tablespoon unsweetened dutch process cocoa
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup plus ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup low-fat (1%) milk
1-¼ cups or more raspberry sauce
Whipped cream (optional)

Equipment

8-inch round cake pan with a solid bottom, 1-½ to 2 inches deep
Ovenproof baking dish or skillet, at least 2 inches deep and 2 inches wider than the cake pan

Directions
Work time: 30 minutes
Bake time. 30 minutes
Chill time: 24 hours

Make 1 day before

1. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray the sides of the cake pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Put a kettle of water on to boil for Step 4.

2. Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl. Combine 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk in a small bowl with the vanilla. Place the 2 egg whites in a medium bowl with the cream of tartar. Set all 3 bowls aside.

3. Combine the cocoa, flour, and 2/3 cup sugar in a 1- to 1½ -quart heavy bottomed saucepan. Whisk in enough of the milk (about half) to form a smooth paste. Mix in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof paddle to prevent burning (especially around the bottom edges), until mixture begins to simmer. Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for 1½ minutes. Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla mixture. Set aside.

4. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape mixture into the cake pan and smooth the top. Set cake pan in baking pan and place on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come about a third to halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for exactly 30 minutes. The surface of the torte will spring back when very gently passed but it will still be quite gooey inside. Remove cake pan and water pan from oven. Remove the cake pan from the water and cool completely on a rack. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight before serving. Dessert may refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

5. To serve: Unmold by shift a thin knife or metal spatula around the sides of the pan to release the torte. Place a piece of wax paper on top of torte. Invert a plate on top of the wax paper and invert torte onto plate. Remove pan and peel away paper liner. Turn torte right side up again and remove wax paper. Cut into wedges with a sharp thin knife. Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry between each slice. Or cut with dental floss like a moist cheesecake. Serve each slice with about 2 tablespoons of raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

From Julia Eisner, from her cookbook by Chocolat person

Servings: 8
Source: Bon appetit 6/2010
All-American strawberry shortcake goes modern with a hit of balsamic vinegar and a dash of black pepper. Making the biscuits square instead of round is quicker and easier than using a biscuit cutter. Plus, you won’t have to reroll the dough, which can make the biscuits tough.

Ingredients
Biscuits

* 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
* 5 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
* 1 large egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)

Filling

* 2 pounds fresh strawberries (about 8 cups), hulled, quartered if small, sliced if large
* 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 1 large pinch of freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preparation
Biscuits

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, process to blend. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until butter resembles large peas, about five 1-second intervals. Add cream; using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Gather dough into ball; flatten into 8×4-inch rectangle (about 1 1/4 inches thick). Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 4 equal strips, forming 8 square biscuits. Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet and chill 20 minutes. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Brush top of biscuits with egg glaze; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and tester inserted horizontally comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Filling
Mix strawberries, 5 tablespoons sugar, vinegar, and black pepper in medium bowl. Let macerate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Using electric mixer, beat cream, vanilla, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another medium bowl until peaks form.
Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom half of each biscuit, cut side up, on plate. Using slotted spoon, divide strawberries among biscuits. Spoon dollop of whipped cream atop strawberries. Cover each with top half of biscuit. Drizzle some of juices from strawberries around shortcakes.

Servings: —
Preheat: 400°

Ingredients
2 lbs plums
11/4 Cups all-purpose flour
(sift before measuring)
1/4 c sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter
1 egg
1/4 c milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter melted

or

2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar

Directions
grease 13 by 9 baking pan or dish
cut plums into 8 pieces – you need 4 1/2 cups of plums

Sift flour with 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder and salt. With fork cut in 1/4 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl, beat egg slightly with fork then add milk and vanilla, blending well with fork. Add to flour mixture beating vigorously with fork until smooth. Batter will be stiff. Spread over bottom of pan about 1/4″” thick. It will barely reach the sides of the pans. Arrange plum slices over batter, making sure to cover the entire surface with plums. Put topping on cake. Bake 30 minutes or until the fruit is tender.

Servings: 8-10
Preheat: 350°
Source: From Fine Cooking October 1, 2001
Tangy pineapple and a buttery-sweet brown sugar topping are a good match for this yogurt cake. If you don’t have a square pan, a 9×2-inch round pan works too.

Serves eight to ten.

Ingredients
For the caramel:
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 oz (4 Tbs.) butter
For the fruit:
1 small, ripe pineapple, trimmed, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
For the cake:
8 oz (2 cups) cake flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp finely grated orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 lg eggs
2/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter the sides of an 8-inch square pan.

Make the caramel: In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and pour into the prepared pan. Spread with a spatula to coat the bottom evenly. Scatter or arrange the pineapple slices evenly in the caramel, overlapping them slightly. Gently press the fruit into the caramel.

Make the cake: Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy and lighter in color, about 3 min. Beat in the orange zest and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the butter mixture and, on low speed, mix just until the flour disappears. Add the yogurt and mix until just blended. Gently mix in the remaining flour. Scoop large spoonfuls of batter onto the fruit; gently spread the batter evenly in the pan. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 min. Immediately run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan. Set a flat serving plate on top of the pan and invert the cake. Let the inverted pan rest for about 5 min. to let the topping settle. Gently remove the pan and serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

Servings: —
There’s something about having your own individual chocolate cake-and getting to devour it all in one sitting-especially this one, which I dare say verges on perfection. Everyone deserves to feel like royalty once in a while, even if the experience is fleeting. (But then you can always make these again.)

Ingredients
A little butter for the ramekins
4 lg eggs
1/3 cup butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate (1¼ cup chocolate chips)
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 drop almond extract

Directions
Separate the eggs well ahead of time, while they’re still cold; cover and let come to room temperature.

Melt the chocolate and butter about 20 minutes ahead of time, so they have time to cool, but won’t harden.

If you don’t have ramekins, you can use custard cups.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter the bottoms of six 4-ounce ramekins, and place them on a baking tray.

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a small bowl and the whites in a medium-large one. Cover tightly and let come to room temperature.

Gently melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler or a microwave at low power. Transfer to a medium-large mixing bowl, and allow to cool for 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, gradually sprinkling in the sugar. (You don’t need to clean the beaters before proceeding to the next step.)

When the chocolate has cooled down beat in the egg yolks. Continue to beat for a few minutes, gradually adding the extracts.

Spoon 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate, and fold briefly. Then slide in the remaining egg whites, and fold together deftly and gracefully with a rubber spatula, bringing the chocolate up from the bottom, until the batter is well blended. (It doesn’t have to be perfect.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins, and place the whole tray on the center rack of the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until puffed up nicely (for big ramekins, bake 20 minutes). The centers of the cakes should still be a little soft.

Remove the tray from the oven, and let the ramekins rest for about 10 minutes. You may serve the souffles in the ramekins, or loosen the sides with a dinner knife, and transfer the cakes to individual serving plates. Spoon some whipped cream on the side, and decorate with fruit and small sprigs of mint, if desired. Serve soon, as this tastes best fresh and warm.

Optional Garnishes: Whipped cream Rasperries, or slices of kiwifruit or mango Sprigs of fresh mint

Yield.- 6 small cakes time: 50 minutes (15 minutes of work)

Servings: 8
Preheat: 350°
Source: Nancy Harmon Jenkins, NYTimes Magazine 8/17/2008

Ingredients
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons flour, plus more for flouring the pan
½ cup slivered blanched almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons whole or nonfat plain yogurt
1/3 cup whole or nonfat milk
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen low- bush, wild blueberries (see note).

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square cake pan with butter. Dust the pan with flour, shaking out excess. Set the pan in the freezer.

On a baking sheet, roast the almonds in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool and pulse them to a coarse grit in a food processor. Add 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder and sea salt and continue processing to a fine grit.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape the sides. Beat in the egg, vanilla and orange zest. Stir the yogurt into the milk and then beat it into the batter.

Fold the flour mixture into the batter until combined. Toss blueberries with the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons flour and fold them into the batter.

Transfer the batter to the chilled pan. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon sugar on top. Bake in the oven until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a cake rack. Serves 8.

NOTE: Wyman’s frozen wild blueberries are available at most Whole Foods Markets and health-food stores. When using frozen blueberries, do not let them thaw.

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°
Chocolate and cinnamon make a terrific combination. Mexican cooks have known this for centuries, but chefs in the United States are just beginning to catch on. In this dense, not-too-sweet layer cake, a delicious mocha filling adds a touch of coffee flavoring to the chocolate and cinnamon, sending it over the top.

NOTE: Ibarra chocolate is a sweet variety that is laced with cinnamon. You can find it in the imported foods section of quality supermarkets. If you don’t have lbarra chocolate, use semisweet chocolate and a little cinnamon instead.

Ingredients
Melt the chocolate about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of time, so it can cool to room temperature.

Wrap any leftover cake tightly so it won’t dry out, and store at room temperature. The flavors deepen as it sits around.

A little butter or oil for the pan
3 ounces Ibarra or semiswet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon (if using the semisweet chocoate)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
Mocha Buttercream (recipe follows)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a deep 9-inch springform pan with oil or butter.

Melt the two types of chocolate together in a double boiler or in a microwave at a low power. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized bowl. (Add the cinnamon, as well, if you are not using the Ibarra chocolate.)

Place the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and cream at high speed with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture, and beat well until everything is incorporated.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until it is just barely incorporated, then pour in half the milk. Stir briefly, then repeat with another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk. Add the rest of the flour mixture, and stir just enough to blend. (Don’t overmix, or the cake will toughen.)

Spread into the prepared pan, and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted all the way into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before assembling and frosting.

Yield: 1 dense 9-inch layer cake, about 5 inches high (enough to serve 10 or more)
Preparation time: 1 ½ hours, plus time to cool (30 minutes of work)

Mocha Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (possibly a a little more)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extrat
½ cup very strong black coffee

You can make this while the cake bakes.

Combine all ingredients in a medium-large bowl, and mix slowly (without breathing) until everything is moistened.

Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until the frosting is uniform and fluffy. If it seems a little too wet to spread, you can beat in up to 1/2 cup additional confectioners’ sugar.

Optional Toppings

Cinnamon
Unsweetened cocoa
Confectioners’ sugar

Servings: 8-10
Like a Buche de Noel. Passes the Passover test. Serves 10.

Ingredients
LOG (may be made 1 week ahead and frozen. Let thaw 1 hour)
6 eggs separated
Let whites warm to room temp – about 1 hour)
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1½ tsp vanilla extract
Dash salt
Confectioner’s sugar
FILLING
1½ cup heavy cream, chilled
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Grease bottom of a 15 ½-by-10½-inch jellyroll pan. Line with wax paper. Grease lightly. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large electric mixer bowl, at high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised

2. Add ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised. With same beaters, beat yolks at high speed, adding remaining ½ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until mixture is very thick – about 4 minutes.

3. Sift flour, cocoa, and salt together. At low speed beat in dry ingredients and vanilla just until smooth. With wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold the cocoa mixture into the beaten egg whites, just until they are blended (no egg white should show).

4. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 15 minutes, just until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Sift confectioner’s sugar in a 15-by-10 inch rectangle on clean linen towel. Turn cake out on sugar, lift off pan, and peel paper off cake.

5. Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the short end, towel and all. Cool completely on rack, seam side down – at least ½ hour.

6. To make the filling: Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer until thick, and then refrigerate.

7. Unroll cake; spread with filling to 1 inch from edge; re-roll. Place, seam side down, on plate; cover loosely with foil. Refrigerate 1-hour before serving. Cake may crack. Hide it with confectioner’s sugar.

8. To serve: sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar; decorate with angelica and cherries.

Servings: —
Preheat: 350°

Ingredients
1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER’S GERMAN’S Sweet Chocolate
½ cup water
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cover bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and the vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into batter. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small metal spatula around cake layers in pans. Cool in pans 15 min.; remove layers from pans to wire racks. Remove and discard wax paper. Cool cake layers completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting

4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1½ tsp. vanilla
1½ cups sugar
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter or margarine
1 pkg. (7 oz.) Coconut (about 2-2/3 cups)
1½ cups Chopped Pecans

Beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with wire whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature and of desired spreading consistency.