Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (6 page)

ABOUT FREEZING CAKES

I don’t think that any baked dessert tastes as good after freezing as when it is fresh (except cheesecake—I can’t tell the difference in that). However, if it is frozen for a short time (a few days or weeks) the difference might be infinitesimal. I have indicated in many of my recipes that the dessert can be frozen. If it is a big help to you to prepare it ahead, do it. But if you have your choice, fresh is best.

If you want to ice a cake first and then freeze it, freeze until the icing is firm before it is wrapped and be sure to wrap it airtight with thin plastic wrap and then, if you wish, rewrap in aluminum foil or in a freezer bag.

Years ago I watched a chef at my husband’s restaurant as he packaged something in a plastic bag for the freezer. He put the food in, placed the bag on the counter, gathered the top together as close to the food as possible, then he put his mouth to the opening and sucked out the air, which did such a complete job that the bag clung to the food all around—there was no air left in it. Then, without letting in any air, he twisted the top closed, folded the top over on itself, and wound a “twist-em” around it. I have done it that way ever since. Remember that the reason for using the bag is to keep the air out.

Everything should be thawed completely before unwrapping. (Foods sweat while thawing. If they are thawed wrapped the moisture will form on the outside of the wrapping; if they are thawed unwrapped the moisture will form on the food itself—that could spoil the looks of a beautiful chocolate glaze.) However, if you have a cake in the freezer and you want some right away, unwrap it, cut it, and serve it. Many of the chocolate cakes made without or almost without flour are delicious frozen. Just don’t let the rest of the cake stand around uncovered—rewrap it immediately.

Label packages—if not, you might wind up with a freezer full of UFO’s (Unidentified Frozen Objects).

ABOUT FREEZING COOKIES

Most cookies freeze quite well (but, like cakes, for a limited time). It is always extremely handy (I think it is a luxury) to have cookies in the freezer for unexpected company; they usually thaw quickly, and many can be served frozen directly from the freezer.

The same rule about thawing cakes applies to cookies—thaw before unwrapping.

Any cakes and cookies that may be frozen may be thawed and refrozen—even several times. I do it often. I would rather refreeze it immediately than let it stand around and get stale.

A FINAL WORD

I once put a cake in the oven and then realized that I had forgotten to use the baking powder that the recipe called for. I learned the hard way that it is necessary to organize all the ingredients listed in a recipe—line them up in the order they are called for—before you actually start mixing.

CAKES

Cakes Without or
Almost Without Flour

Layer Cakes with
Filling and Icing

Chocolate Cakes
with Fruit

Old-Fashioned Cakes
Without Icing

Loaf Cakes

Cheesecakes

Cakes Without or Almost Without Flour

CRAIG CLAIBORNE’S RUM
CHOCOLATE DESSERT

SEPTEMBER 7th CAKE

TORTA DI CIOCCOLATA

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY

BRAUNER KIRSCHENKUCHEN brown cherry cake

TORTE SOUFFLé AU CHOCOLAT

AUSTRIAN CHOCOLATE
WALNUT TORTE

THE ORIENT EXPRESS
CHOCOLATE TORTE

PETIT GÂTEAU AU CHOCOLAT

CHOCOLATE CARROT TORTE

VIENNESE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

CHOCOLATE ALMOND
SPONGE TORTE

COUNTESS TOULOUSE-LAUTREC’S
FRENCH CHOCOLATE CAKE

SPONGE ROLL WITH BITTERSWEET
CHOCOLATE FILLING AND ICING

I have always been attracted to recipes for cakes made with no flour or with very little. And consequently I believe I have turned out more than my share of cakes that sank to new lows. I don’t have a scientific or analytic mind, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that egg yolks beaten with sugar, and egg whites beaten (with or without sugar) to a high foam, will not stay up after baking no matter how carefully the two are folded together. They will sink. Even with the addition of some ground nuts or bread crumbs (either of which takes the place of flour and tends to hold the mixture up), the cake will still sink. There are exceptions, the exceptions being recipes where the proportion of air beaten into the eggs is not too much for the other ingredients to support. In other words, the cake will not sink if there is enough of something that takes the place of flour.

But by the same token, those cakes that sank when they cooled tasted divine. They had a light-moist, or heavy-moist but delicious, quality.

I’ve come to know beforehand which recipes will sink. Forewarned is forearmed and I am prepared. But I never make one of those recipes without thinking of a new cook/baker who might pick that for her first baking experience. I don’t blame her if she says “never again.”

My only advice is simple. When this type cake does sink, it sinks more in the center than on the rim. There are two solutions. One is to cover it all with whipped cream and the other is to cut the top to make it level and serve it upside down.

Several of these cakes are perfectly plain looking with a smooth, dark icing and nothing else. Beautiful.

However, here are some optional additions for any cakes that fit that description.

Fresh raspberries or strawberries or Chocolate-Covered Strawberries (see page 252) may be placed on the cake plate all around the cake. And/or a beautiful small fresh red rose may be inserted in the top center of the cake. Cut the stem short and place it directly into the cake. (Naturally, you would keep the flower in water until the last minute, then insert it.)

Of course you can use any other kind of flower, even a small bouquet of mixed tiny flowers. But there is something especially gorgeous about a deep red rose against dark chocolate.

Craig Claiborne’s Rum Chocolate Dessert

8 TO 10 PORTIONS

Many years ago when Craig printed this recipe in
The New York Times,
he wrote the following introduction for it: “Food cravings encompass everything from such mundane fare as peanuts, pickles and watermelon to the more sophisticated delights of oysters, caviar and champagne. Of all the foods on earth, however, it may be true that a craving for chocolate is the most universal. This rich, whipped-cream-topped chocolate pudding goes a long way to explain why.”

I don’t know why Craig calls this a pudding. I call it a cake. Maybe the best of all. It slices beautifully. Serve it at your finest party, or make it just for yourself. Make it during the day for that night. Or make it the day before and ice it shortly before serving. Also, it can be frozen before it is iced—if so, thaw at room temperature for several hours.

4½ tablespoons unsifted all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

5 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 teaspoon dry instant coffee

2 tablespoons boiling water

6 ounces (1½ sticks) sweet butter, at room temperature

¼ cup dark rum

6 eggs (graded large), separated

¼ teaspoon salt

Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need a round cake pan 8 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep (you can use an 8 × 3-inch cheesecake pan; see The Newest Cheesecake, page 97), or a 2½-quart soufflé dish (8 × 3½ inches). Cut a round of wax paper to fit the bottom. Butter the sides of the pan or dish and one side of the paper. Place the paper, buttered side up, in the pan. Shake a bit of flour into the pan, tap it around to coat all surfaces, then invert the pan to remove excess. Set pan aside.

Sift the flour and sugar together and set aside. Place the chocolate in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water and pour over the chocolate. Cover the pot and leave until the chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler and stir well with a wire whisk until smooth. With the whisk gradually stir in the butter, adding about a ½-inch slice at a time and whisking until smooth after each addition. Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients and then the rum.

Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and stir them lightly with the whisk just to mix. Gradually add the warm chocolate mixture, stirring well to mix.

Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they just hold a shape or are stiff but not dry. In two or three additions fold the whites into the chocolate.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Place the prepared pan in a larger but not deeper pan, and pour in hot water to reach about halfway up the sides of the cake pan or soufflé dish.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove the smaller pan from the hot water and place on a rack to cool to room temperature (it will take 1 hour or more but it may stand overnight). The cake will shrink as it cools—don’t worry. (The cooled cake will be about 1½ inches high.)

With a small, sharp knife cut around the sides to release. Cover with a flat cake plate or a serving board, centering the plate evenly over the cake. Invert the plate and the cake pan. (If it doesn’t lift off easily, bang the plate and the pan gently against a
table or counter top.) Remove the pan and peel off the paper lining.

I think this cake is best at room temperature. Therefore it should be covered with the whipped cream immediately before serving. But if that is too much of a hassle, put the whipped cream on ahead of time and refrigerate the cake until serving time. (It is really divine either way.)

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons strained confectioners sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip the above ingredients until they are stiff enough to hold a shape when spread over the cake. With a small metal spatula first cover the sides of the cake and then the top. The cream may be spread smoothly or swirled into peaks.

The whipped cream may be left as is or decorated with chocolate curls or with candied violets or rose petals. (The violets or rose petals should be put on at the last minute or they might discolor the cream.)

Refrigerate.

September 7th Cake

12 P
ORTIONS

This cake came about when I wanted something different to serve for my birthday. Two thin, light-weight, dark layers are filled with white whipped cream and are thickly covered with a wonderful dark coffee-chocolate whipped cream. The cake has no flour; it is really a fluffy chocolate omelet that settles down like a hot soufflé when it cools. This may be made a day before or early in the day for that night, or the layers may be frozen before they are filled and iced.

LAYERS

6 eggs (graded extra-large), separated

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon strained unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

¼ teaspoon salt

Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round layer-cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of wax paper or baking-pan liner paper cut to fit. Butter the paper and dust the inside of the pan all over with flour, invert the pans and tap to shake out excess flour.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg yolks at high speed for 5 minutes until they are light lemon-colored. Add about half (6 tablespoons) of the sugar (reserve the remaining half) and continue to beat at high speed for 5 minutes more until the mixture is very thick and forms a wide ribbon when the beaters are lifted.

Add the cocoa and beat on lowest speed, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, and beating only until the cocoa is completely mixed in. Remove from the mixer and set aside.

Add the salt to the egg whites in the large bowl of the electric mixer. With clean beaters beat at high speed until the whites increase in volume and barely
hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate while gradually adding the reserved sugar. Increase the speed to high again and continue to beat until the whites hold a definite shape when the beaters are raised or when some of the mixture is lifted on a rubber spatula—they should not be stiff or dry.

In several additions, small at first (about a large spoonful), fold half of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whites. Do not handle any more than necessary.