Rose's Heavenly Cakes (46 page)
Read Rose's Heavenly Cakes Online
Authors: Rose Levy Beranbaum
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
pecan halves | ½ cup | 1.7 | 50 |
gingersnaps, preferably Swedish brand, processed to medium crumbs | 1 cup crumbs, lightly packed | 4.2 | 120 |
sugar | 1 tablespoon | 0.5 | 12 |
salt | 2 pinches | . | . |
unsalted butter, melted (see | 4 tablespoons (½ stick) | 2 | 57 |
Special Equipment
One 9 by 2½- to 3-inch springform pan, coated with nonstick cooking spray, set in a slightly larger silicone pan or wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage | One 12 by 2-inch round cake pan or roasting pan to serve as a water bath
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Toast the Pecans
Spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes to enhance their flavor. Stir once or twice to ensure even toasting and avoid overbrowning.
Make the Gingersnap Crust
Place the gingersnap crumbs in a food processor. Add the pecans, sugar, and salt and process until fine crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add the melted butter and pulse ten times just until incorporated. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, begin by pressing the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and partway up the sides. To keep the crumbs from sticking to your fingers, it helps to place a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs and to press them through the wrap. With a 6-inch round cake pan or a flat-bottomed straight-sided measuring cup, smooth the crumbs over the bottom and at least 1½ inches up the sides. Be sure to press the bottom thoroughly so that the crumbs are evenly distributed.
Note
The crust has the most delicious flavor if you replace the melted butter with 1/3 cup/2.3 ounces/65 grams room-temperature but solidified beurre noisette (see
Clarified Butter and Browned Butter (Beurre Noisette)
). If you want to make it for this recipe, you will need to start with 7 tablespoons/3.5 ounces/100 grams unsalted butter. It will take about 1½ hours to cool to a solid consistency.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
unsweetened pumpkin, preferably Libby's | 1 cup | 8.5 | 243 |
turbinado sugar | 1 cup | 7 | 200 |
heavy cream, cold | 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) | 16.5 | 464 |
cream cheese (65° to 70°F/19° to 21°C) | . | 1 pound | 454 |
2 large eggs, at room temperature | ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) | 3.5 | 100 |
about 2 large yolks, at room temperature | 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) | 1.3 | 37 |
Make the Pumpkin Filling
In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin and sugar over medium heat and bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and shiny. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the mixture into a large food processor and process for 1 minute with the feed tube open.
With the motor of the food processor running, add the cold cream. Add the cream cheese in several pieces and process for 30 seconds, or until smoothly incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl two or three times. Add the eggs and yolks and process for about 5 seconds, or just until incorporated. Using the silicone spatula, scrape the filling into the prepared pan. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1 inch of very hot water.
Bake the Cake
Bake for 45 minutes, turning the pan halfway around in the oven after the first 25 minutes. Turn off the oven without opening the door and let the cake cool for 1 hour.
Chill and Unmold the Cake
Remove the pan to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with a large bowl or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To unmold, use a small propane torch to heat the outside of the pan or wipe the sides of the pan with a dish towel run under hot water and wrung out.
a full ½ cup/4.5 fluid ounces/6 ounces/170 grams
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
sugar | ½ cup | 3.5 | 100 |
corn syrup | ½ tablespoon | 0.3 | 10 |
water | 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) | 1 | 30 |
heavy cream, heated | ¼ cup (2 fluid ounces) | 2 | 58 |
unsalted butter (65° to 75°F/19° to 23°C) | 1 tablespoon | 0.5 | 14 |
pure vanilla extract | ½ teaspoon | . | . |
Make the Caramel Piping Glaze
Have ready a 1-cup heatproof glass measure, coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water until all the sugar is moistened. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring completely and allow the mixture to boil undisturbed until the mixture turns a deep amber (360°F/180°C or a few degrees lower because its temperature will continue to rise). Remove it from the heat and as soon as it it reaches temperature, slowly and carefully pour the hot cream into the caramel. It will bubble up furiously. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture gently, scraping the thicker part that settles on the bottom.
Return the pan to very low heat, continuing to stir gently for 1 minute, until the mixture is uniform in color and the caramel is fully dissolved. Remove it from the heat and gently stir in the butter until incorporated. The mixture will be a little streaky but becomes uniform in color once cooled and stirred.
Pour the caramel into the prepared glass measure and allow it to cool for 3 minutes. Gently stir in the vanilla and allow the caramel to cool until no longer warm to the touch, stirring gently three or four times.
The glaze keeps covered for up to 3 days at room temperature and for at least 3 months refrigerated. To reheat: If the caramel is in a heatproof glass container at room temperature, microwave it on high for 1 minute, stirring twice. Alternatively, place the container in a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring occasionally, until warm, about 7 minutes.
Apply the Glaze
For a decorative lacing effect, you can pour the caramel glaze from the glass measure, but for the greatest precision, use a pastry bag fitted with a small decorating tip, or a resealable plastic bag with a very small semicircle cut from one corner.
For a mellow butterscotch quality that is lovely with the pumpkin and pecans, substitute 2 tablespoons bourbon for an equal amount of the cream. Add it with the vanilla. If desired, use an additional ½ cup/1.7 ounces/50 grams lightly toasted pecans for the décor.
Highlights for Success
After the caramel is prepared, do not stir it too much, because this may eventually cause crystallization. However, corn syrup will help to prevent the caramel from crystallizing when stirred. It also lowers the caramelization temperature. I adore the flavor of caramel, so I like to have as much depth of flavor as possible without any burned flavor. I like to bring this caramel up to 360°F/180°C for maximum flavor. Also, the darker you make the caramel, the less sweet it will seem, but you risk burning it if you don't have an absolutely accurate thermometer. A viable alternative is to use a light-colored or transparent silicone spatula so that you can see the color of the caramel as it darkens.
It's best to have the cream hot and the butter at room temperature to avoid splattering when they are added to the hot caramel. Cold cream, however, speeds the cooling and is practical if you are pressured for time, but it must be added very slowly.
10 to 12
45 minutes plus 1 hour with oven off
If you love coconut and cheesecake, this marriage of the two will send you over the moon! The cream of coconut, embraced by a coconut cookie crust and topped with crunchy toasted coconut flakes, complements the tangy edge of the cheesecake filling.
Plan Ahead
Make the cheesecake at least 1 day ahead of serving.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
vanilla wafers, processed to medium crumbs | 1 cup crumbs, lightly packed | 4.2 | 120 |
flaked sweetened coconut, preferably Baker's Angel Flake | ½ cup | 1.5 | 42 |
salt | 2 pinches | . | . |
unsalted butter, melted | 3 tablespoons | 1.5 | 42 |
Special Equipment
One 8 or 9 by 2½- to 3-inch springform pan, coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray, set in a slightly larger silicone pan or wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage | One 12 by 2-inch round cake pan or roasting pan to serve as a water bath
Make the Coconut Cookie Crust
In a food processor, process the cookie crumbs, coconut, and salt until fine crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add the melted butter and pulse about ten times just until incorporated.
Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, begin by pressing the crumb mixture into the bottom of the cake pan and partway up the sides. To keep the crumbs from sticking to your fingers, it also helps to place a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs and to press them through the wrap. With a 6-inch cake pan or a flat-bottomed straight-sided measuring cup, smooth the crumbs over the bottom and at least 1½ inches up the sides. Be sure to press the bottom thoroughly so that the crumbs are evenly distributed.
Volume | Ounce | Gram | |
cream cheese (65° to 70°F/19° to 21°C) | . | 1 pound | 454 |
sugar | 1 cup | 7 | 200 |
about 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature (see | ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (4.5 fluid ounces) | 5.3 | 150 |
pure vanilla extract | 1¼ teaspoons | . | . |
coconut extract | 1 teaspoon | . | . |
salt | ¼ teaspoon | . | . |
sour cream | 2 cups | 17 | 484 |
cream of coconut (not coconut cream; see | 1 cup, processed before measuring (8 fluid ounces) | 10 | 285 |
flaked sweetened coconut | ½ cup | 1.5 | 42 |
Preheat the Oven
Twenty minutes or more before baking, set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
Make the Coconut Filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk beater, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the yolks, beating until smooth and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the vanilla, coconut extract, and salt and beat just until incorporated. Beat in the sour cream and cream of coconut just until blended. Using a silicone spatula, scrape the filling into the prepared pan and smooth evenly with a small offset spatula. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1 inch of very hot water.
Bake the Cake
Bake for 45 minutes, turning the pan halfway around in the oven after the first 25 minutes. Turn off the oven without opening the door and let the cake cool for 1 hour.
Chill and Unmold the Cake
Remove the pan from the water bath and set it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature or just warm, about 1 hour. Cover with a large bowl or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To unmold, use a small propane torch to heat the outside of the pan or wipe the sides of the pan with a dish towel run under hot water and wrung out.