Black Forest cake
Dark chocolate and cherries will always be a winning combination. The chocolate sponge cake in this recipe has just the right texture for absorbing a drizzle of kirsch, which keeps it delectably moist. Fresh stemmed cherries are the perfect garnish for the assembled cake, but if they’re not available, use a large jar of marinated cherries in kirsch.
SERVES 8
Chocolate sponge cake:
1 cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
pinch of fine sea salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 extra-large eggs, separated
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cooled espresso or strong black coffee
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), melted in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water
Filling and topping:
1 pound ripe cherries
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons kirsch or cherry brandy
2¼ cups heavy cream
1–2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, to taste
4–5 tablespoons good-quality cherry preserves
grated chocolate for garnish
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch-diameter cake pan, then line the bottom with a disk of buttered parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder together and set aside.
In a large, greasefree bowl, beat the egg whites to firm peaks. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then fold in the espresso, followed by the melted chocolate.
In several batches, fold the sifted flour mixture and the beaten egg whites alternately into the chocolate mixture. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and level with a spatula. Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake emerges clean, 40–50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment.
Remove the stems and pits from three-quarters of the cherries. Put all the cherries, the sugar, and kirsch in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the cherries are just soft, giving them an occasional stir. Tip the cherries and kirsch syrup into a bowl and let cool completely. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar to soft peaks.
Using a long, sharp knife, cut the cake horizontally into two layers. Drizzle the kirsch syrup from the cherries over the layers to moisten. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and spread half of the whipped cream on top. Arrange the stemmed and pitted cherries over the cream, then spoon a layer of cherry preserves over the cherries. Put the upper cake layer in place and spread the remaining cream on top. Sprinkle with a little grated chocolate and garnish with the whole stemmed cherries. This cake is best served on the day it is made.
Dark chocolate marquise
There’s no denying that this is a seriously rich and indulgent dessert. When you take a bite, the velvety smooth mousse melts in your mouth. It requires a bit of patience and persistence to make—you need to beat separated eggs and cream individually, then fold together with melted bittersweet chocolate. I’ve set the mousse on top of a thin chocolate sponge cake, which you could replace with a simple cheesecake base (see Chapter 8).
SERVES 12
Sponge cake base:
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons superfine sugar
3½ tablespoons cornstarch
3½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup cake flour
Rich mousse topping:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier/Cointreau, plus extra for drizzling
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 extra-large eggs
2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons clear honey
1¼ cups heavy cream
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
First, make the sponge cake. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a large sheet of parchment paper. Beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until just firm. Gradually beat in the sugar to make a stiff meringue. Beat the egg yolks in another bowl until light and fluffy, then fold into the meringue.
Sift the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and flour together over the mixture and fold through. Spread the cake batter over the lined baking sheet into a large round 10–12 inches in diameter and an even thickness all over. Don’t worry if it is not a perfect circle. Bake until set and springy when gently pressed, 7–8 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool and peel off the parchment.
For the mousse topping, melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the Grand Marnier and orange juice. Leave the pan of water simmering over very low heat.
Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the eggs in a large heatproof bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the sugar and honey. Set the bowl over the pan of barely simmering water and beat until the mixture is very light and has more than tripled in volume, 5–10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue to beat until the mixture has cooled slightly.
Using the same beaters, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold into the beaten egg mixture. Finally, fold in the melted chocolate until evenly incorporated.
Use a 10-inch-diameter springform cake pan as a guide to cut out a neat circle from the sponge cake, then use this to line the bottom of the pan. Drizzle a few tablespoons of Grand Marnier over the base, then spread the chocolate mousse mixture on top. Level the top with a spatula. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours.
Before serving, dust the top with cocoa powder, then unmold and cut into individual slices using a warm knife.
Coffee and almond crunch cake
For me, this is the definitive cake to have with coffee or tea. It is all at once tender, moist, and crunchy. It will keep well for several days in a cool part of the kitchen. Some people like a dollop of lightly sweetened mascarpone on the side, although I think it’s perfect on its own.
SERVES 6–8
Cake:
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 heaped cup ground almonds
¼ cup cooled espresso or strong black coffee
2/3 cup self-rising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Crunch topping:
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a deep 8-inch-diameter cake pan with a removable bottom. For the crunch topping, mix the flour and sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the almond extract and mix well. Fold in the ground almonds, followed by half the espresso. Sift in the flour and baking powder together and fold this through the mixture. Finally, fold in the remaining espresso.
Spread the batter in the cake pan and level with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the crunch topping evenly over the top, then continue baking until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 20–30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before unmolding onto a wire rack. Peel away the parchment. When completely cooled, dust with confectioners’ sugar, then cut into slices to serve.
Chocolate roulade with chocolate-chestnut cream
The creamy chestnut filling goes perfectly with the light chocolate spong
e cake in this dessert. You can dress it up with a chocolate frosting, or dust with confectioners’ sugar and decorate with chocolate leaves.
SERVES 8–10
Chocolate sponge cake:
confectioners’ sugar for dusting
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
5 extra-large egg whites
¾ cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons self-rising flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), melted in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water
3 tablespoons cooled espresso or strong black coffee
Filling:
1 cup sweetened chestnut purée
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), melted in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water
1 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a jelly-roll pan that is about 10 by 14 inches, then line it with parchment paper, leaving the edges of the paper sticking up around the sides. Dust evenly with a mixture of confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder (about 1 tablespoon of each).
Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a large, greasefree bowl. Gradually beat in the superfine sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the meringue is in firm peaks again. Sift the flour over the meringue and gently fold through with a large metal spoon. Mix the melted chocolate with the espresso, then fold this through the meringue to combine. Spread the batter in the lined pan using a spatula to even out the surface. Bake until the top is set and the sponge is slightly springy when gently pressed, 15–20 minutes. Pull the parchment and slide the cake onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Cover with a damp dish towel and let cool completely.
Lay a sheet of parchment or wax paper, larger than the sponge, on the work surface. Sift a little confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder over the paper. Invert the sponge on top, then peel off the parchment lining.
Mix together the chestnut purée and melted chocolate until smooth. Whip the cream until thick, then fold into the chocolate-chestnut mixture. Spread the filling over the chocolate sponge, leaving a ¾-inch border clear all around the edge.
Starting at one long edge, roll up the sponge to form a neat log, using the parchment paper to help you. Making sure the join is underneath, wrap the paper around the roulade, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
If necessary, gently roll the roulade on the work surface to even out the shape, then unwrap and slide onto a cake plate. If you like, dust with confectioners’ sugar before slicing and serving.
basics
A good stock is the basis for many a successful dish. Making your own gives you more control over the finished dish, and allows you to make good use of trimmings and capture flavors that would otherwise be wasted. Stocks keep well in the freezer. Another homemade treat is mayonnaise: It tastes brilliant and is easy and quick—abandon any idea you may have that making it is tricky. Making pastry is a little trickier, but it gets easier with practice. The only pastry I rarely make myself is puff pastry; I usually buy it from a good source. All the other pastries, however, can be put together with little fuss, and the results always justify the small amount of work put in. This is my collection of essential basic recipes to enhance the dishes in this book.
Mayonnaise
Chicken stock & Clear chicken stock
Vegetable stock
Beef stock
Lamb stock
Fish stock
Basic short pastry
Sweet tart pastry
Sweet walnut pastry & Walnut and Parmesan pastry
Mayonnaise
Makes about 2½ cups
4 extra-large egg yolks
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons English mustard
2½ cups peanut oil (or light olive oil)
1–2 tablespoons cold water
Put the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, and some salt and pepper into a food processor and blitz until the mixture is very thick and creamy. With the motor running, slowly trickle in the oil in a steady stream. Add the water and blitz to help stabilize the emulsion. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Will keep, in a covered jar in the refrigerator, for 3 days.
Chicken stock
Makes about 6 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 bay leaf sprig of fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2¼ pounds raw chicken bones (roasted, if making brown chicken stock)
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot and add the vegetables, herbs, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the chicken bones, then pour in enough cold water to cover, about 8 cups. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and let simmer gently for 1 hour.
Let the stock stand for a few minutes to cool slightly and allow the ingredients to settle before straining through a fine sieve. Cool and refrigerate, or freeze in convenient portions. Use up fresh stock within 5 days or keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Clear chicken stock
Make the stock as above, strain, and let cool completely. Blend 1 cup ground chicken and 3 egg whites together in a food processor. Whisk the mixture into the stock and place over high heat. Keep whisking until the mixture comes to a boil. A foamy layer of impurities will float to the surface of the stock and form a crust. As soon as the liquid begins to creep up the sides of the pan, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully pour the stock through a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a large pot and let the liquid drip through. To keep the stock clear, do not press down on the crust or squeeze the cheesecloth. Season to taste. Reheat the stock before serving.
Vegetable stock
Makes about 6 cups
3 onions, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
6 carrots, roughly chopped
1 head of garlic, split horizontally
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 bay leaf
few sprigs of fresh thyme, basil, tarragon, cilantro, and parsley, tied together
1 cup dry white wine
Put the vegetables, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large stockpot and pour in cold water to cover, about 8 cups. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and let cook gently for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the bundle of herbs, white wine, and a little seasoning. Give the stock a stir and let cool completely.
If you have time, chill the stock overnight before straining through a fine sieve. Keep refrigerated and use within 5 days, or freeze the stock in convenient portions for up to 3 months.
Beef stock
Makes about 6 cups
3½ pounds beef or veal marrowbones, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 large fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 ounces button mushrooms
1 bay leaf
sprig of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the bones in a large roasting pan and toss with a little olive oil to coat. Roast until evenly browned, about 1 hour, turning them over halfway.
Heat the oil in a large stockpot and add the vegetables. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes longer. Add the browned bones to the pot and pour in water to cover, about 8–10 cups. Bring to a simmer, skimming off the froth and scum that rise to the surface.
Add the mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, and
peppercorns. Simmer the stock for 6–8 hours until you are satisfied with the flavor. Let stand for a few minutes before straining through a fine sieve. Let cool, then refrigerate, or freeze in convenient portions. Use fresh stock within 5 days or keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Lamb stock
Makes about 5 cups
2¼ pounds lamb rib or neck bones
2–3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery rib, roughly chopped
½ head of garlic, cut horizontally
½ tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
few sprigs of fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the bones in a large roasting pan and toss with a little olive oil to coat. Roast until evenly browned, 45–60 minutes, turning them over halfway.
Heat the oil in a large stockpot and add the vegetables and garlic. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes longer. Add the wine and let it boil until reduced by half. Add the browned bones to the pot. Pour in water to cover, about 8 cups. Bring to a simmer, skimming off the froth and scum that rise to the surface.
Add the peppercorns and herbs. Simmer the stock for 4–6 hours until you are happy with the flavor. Take the pot off the heat and let stand for a few minutes before straining through a fine sieve. Let cool, then refrigerate, or freeze in convenient portions. Use fresh stock within 5 days or keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Cooking for Friends Page 14