The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (31 page)

ORANGE ALMOND CAKE WITH ORANGE

SAUCE AND ICE CREAM

This airy cake, with almond and orange flavorings, makes a light but satisfying ending to an
outdoor meal. For serving, the single-layer torte is cut into slices that are garnished with scoops
of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with a refreshing orange sauce.

SERVES 6

8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
½
cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

3
large eggs

¾
cup granulated sugar

1
cup almonds, toasted, finely ground
(see page 15)

2
tablespoons fresh orange juice

1
tablespoon grated orange zest

½
teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of salt

Confectioners’ sugar

Fresh Orange Sauce
(page 335)

1
pint best-quality vanilla ice cream

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper cut to fit the pan. Butter and flour parchment, tapping out excess.

Leave 1 egg whole, but separate the remaining 2 eggs.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth, 1 minute. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in whole egg, then yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in almonds, flour, orange juice and zest, coriander, and salt. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of bowl with a spatula, if necessary.

With clean dry beater on medium speed, beat whites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.

Increase speed and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a rack. (Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Cut cake into wedges and serve with Fresh Orange Sauce and ice cream.

CARROT CAKE WITH MAPLE CREAM

CHEESE ICING

There’s nothing better to end an outdoor feast than a stately, moist carrot cake covered with a
rich cream cheese icing. This version gets a gentle update with the addition of freshly grated
ginger in the cake batter and some maple syrup in the icing.

SERVES 12

CAKE

Butter for greasing pan

2
cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for flouring pan

2
teaspoons baking soda

1
teaspoon salt

1
teaspoon ground cinnamon

2
cups sugar

1¼
cups canola oil

4
large eggs

3
cups grated peeled carrots

1¼
cups coarsely chopped walnuts

2
tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

ICING

10
ounces cream cheese at room temperature

5
tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

2½
cups confectioners’ sugar

¼
cup pure maple syrup

12
walnut halves for garnish

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper cut to fit. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend.

Whisk sugar and oil in a separate large bowl until well blended. Whisk eggs into sugar, 1 at a time.

Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts, and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper and cool cakes completely.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

To assemble, place a cake layer on a cake plate or platter. Spread with ¾ cup icing. Top with second layer and spread remaining icing over entire cake. Arrange walnut halves evenly around top edge of cake. (Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

ALMOND GINGER CAKE WITH

STRAWBERRIES AND GINGER CREAM

This light, airy cake, made in the French genoise style, is seasoned with both powdered and
crystallized ginger and with both toasted almonds and almond extract. For this classic
preparation, sugar is slowly beaten with gently warmed eggs until the volume is tripled. Then dry
ingredients and melted butter are folded in. Although the batter requires a few extra minutes of
beating time, the resulting cake, which is moist and tender, is well worth the effort. Sliced and
filled with ginger-scented whipped cream and surrounded with a border of strawberries, this is a
cake to serve for special occasions.

SERVES 8 TO 10

CAKE

6
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan

1
cup cake flour, plus extra for flouring pan

1
tablespoon ground ginger

¾
cup whole unblanched almonds, toasted and coarsely ground
(see page 15)

2
tablespoons very finely chopped crystallized ginger

6
large eggs

½
teaspoon almond extract

1
cup sugar

GINGER CREAM

1½
cups heavy cream

2½
tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting top of cake
¼
teaspoon almond extract

1½
tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

1
quart fresh strawberries, sliced

1
tablespoon sugar, plus more if needed

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper cut to fit the pan. Butter and flour parchment, tapping out excess.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Sift flour and ground ginger into a medium bowl. Combine almonds and crystallized ginger in another bowl. Whisk eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer, then place bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir until eggs are just warm to the touch, a minute or less.

Remove from the heat, and with an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs 2 minutes. Add almond extract, and gradually add sugar, beating until egg mixture is light, has tripled in volume, and is the consistency of softly whipped cream. This should take 4 to 5 minutes in a heavy-duty mixer with a whisk attachment and up to 15 minutes with a hand-held electric mixer. Sift ⅓ of the flour mixture and ⅓ of the nut mixture over the beaten eggs and using a rubber spatula, fold into the eggs. Repeat 2 more times with remaining flour and nuts. Fold in butter in 3 equal additions.

Scrape the batter into prepared pan, and bake until cake is golden brown on top and springs back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen and remove rim. Invert cake onto a rack, remove paper, and cool completely.

TO MAKE THE GINGER CREAM:
Using an electric mixer on high speed, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2½ tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in almond extract and crystallized ginger.

With a serrated knife, cut cake in half horizontally. Place a layer, cut-side up, on a platter, and spread 1½ cups of the Ginger Cream evenly over it. Cover cake with second layer, cut-side down.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours to firm filling.

To serve, toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar; taste and sprinkle with additional sugar if needed. Surround cake with berries. Dust cake with confectioners’ sugar. Serve remaining whipped cream in a small bowl.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE BROWNIE CAKE

Chocolate chips, pecans, and bits of toffee are special additions that are folded into the batter of
this seductive chocolate cake. Coated with a dark chocolate glaze, the dense, moist cake, which
easily serves ten, can be made a day in advance.

SERVES 10

CAKE

8
tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan

3½
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided

¾
cup all-purpose flour

½
teaspoon baking powder

¼
teaspoon salt

2
large eggs

2/3
cup sugar

1¾
cups (about 7 ounces) pecans, coarsely ground

½
cup (about 3 ounces) English toffee bits (see note)

½
cup (about 3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

GLAZE

4
ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3
tablespoons unsalted butter

1
tablespoon honey

¼
cup chopped pecans

½
cup (about 3 ounces) English toffee bits

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch sides. Dust bottom and sides of pan with ½ tablespoon cocoa powder, tapping out excess.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Stir butter and remaining 3 tablespoons cocoa powder in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in ¼ cup hot water and the cocoa mixture, then beat in flour mixture. By hand, stir in pecans, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake cake until top is firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 25 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a cooling rack 15 minutes. Run a sharp knife around pan sides to loosen the cake. Turn cake out onto a platter. Cool to room temperature.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
Stir chocolate, butter, and honey in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth. Cool until mixture thickens slightly but is still liquid enough to be poured, about 10 minutes.

With the cake on the platter, pour glaze over top of cake, allowing some to run down the sides.

Spread glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Mix together pecan and toffee bits and arrange them in a border on top of the cake. Wipe any chocolate glaze from the cake platter. Chill until glaze is set, about 1 hour. (The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 15

minutes before serving.)

NOTE:
Hershey’s Skor English Toffee Bits and Heath Bits of Brickle are two good products, which are available in the baking section of most supermarkets.

DAIQUIRI CHEESECAKE

It took several attempts to get this dessert perfected, but the final results yielded a smooth, creamy
cheesecake, finely balanced in both sweet and tart notes with a crisp bottom crust. This splendid
cake flavored with lime, lemon, and rum is better when made a day ahead, and would be ideal for
a large gathering since it easily serves twelve.

SERVES 12

CRUST

4
tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan
1
cup graham cracker crumbs

2½
tablespoons sugar

FILLING

4
to
5
limes

2
to
3
lemons

2
pounds regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) cream cheese at room temperature
1
cup, plus 1½ tablespoons sugar, divided

3
tablespoons light rum

1
tablespoon cornstarch

4
large eggs

½
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) sour cream

⅓
cup chopped unsalted pistachios (optional; see note)

Arrange an oven rack at center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Stir crumbs and sugar in the prepared pan. Add melted butter, and mix well with 2 forks. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove and cool, but retain oven temperature.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Grate enough peel from the limes to yield 2 teaspoons zest and juice them to yield 3 tablespoons. Grate enough peel from the lemons to yield 2 teaspoons and juice them to yield 3 tablespoons. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed while gradually adding 1 cup of the sugar. Beat until well blended, then lower speed and add 1½ teaspoons each of the lime and lemon zests. Add all but 1 teaspoon each of the lime and lemon juices. Add rum, then cornstarch. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the middle comes out almost clean, about 45 minutes. Turn oven off and remove cheesecake.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, remaining 1½ tablespoons sugar, and the remaining lime and lemon zests and juices. Spread mixture evenly over top of cheesecake. Return cheesecake to turned-off oven and close door. Leave in oven for 45 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.

(The cheesecake can be prepared 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated.) To serve, run a small knife around inside edges of pan, then remove sides from pan and transfer cake to a serving plate. Make a 1-inch border on top of cake with chopped pistachios, if desired.