RECIPES

Recipes - Fall 2006 Pastry Clinic

Recipes courtesy of Alex Altman.

Classic Chocolate Pound Cake

Ingredients:
1 Cup sifted flour
4 Ounces bittersweet/semisweet chocolate
½ Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
¼ Cup finely ground almonds
5 Tablespoons water
1/2 Cup sugar
1 large egg white 1/4 Teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 7-inch Bundt pan. Sift flour into a medium bowl, and stir in the ground almonds. Melt the chocolate with the water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large deep bowl for about 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate mixture, and beat just until well blended. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and beating just until blended. Beat the egg whites and salt with clean beaters in medium-high speed in a large bowl just until the whites form stiff peaks when lifted. With a whisk or rubber spatula, fold one quarter of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining whites. Transfer the batter to the cake pan and smooth the top. Place the roasting pan in the oven. Put the cake pan in it, and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 1 1/4 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake pan from the water bath and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes. Turn the cake out onto the rack and let cool completely.

Mocha Brownie Pudding Cake

Ingredients:
1 Cup all purpose flour
6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 1/4 Cups packed dark brown sugar
2 Teaspoons of baking powder
¼ Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup whole milk
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons cocoa nibs
1 1/2 Cups very hot brewed coffee

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square cooking pan. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, breaking up large lumps Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon just until blended. The batter will be very thick. Transfer to the baking dish and smooth with a rubber spatula. Stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa with a fork in a small bowl, breaking up any large lumps of sugar with your hands. Stir in the nibs, if using. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter. Pour the hot coffee evenly over the batter. Do not stir. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top layer is set and the dessert is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan; the batter will have separated into cake and pudding layers. Cool the pan on a wire rack for at least fifteen minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with whipped cream if desired.

Chantrelle’s Chocolate Soufflé Cake

Ingredients:
1 Pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 Cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Beat the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large deep bowl for 4 to 5 minutes, until very thick and pale. Beat the egg whites with clean beaters in another large bowl just until the whites form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. With a whisk or a rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Then fold in the one-third of the egg whites. Repeat, adding the chocolate and egg white mixtures alternately in thirds until all of the ingredients are combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are firm and the center is puffed but still a bit jiggly; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To serve, remove the sides of the pan. Dust the cake with a layer of cocoa and then with a layer of confectioners’ sugar. Cut into thin wedges.

Perfectly Simple Dark Chocolate Tart

Ingredients:
Crust:
1/2 Cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1/4 Cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:
14 Ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. To make the crust: Process the sugar and walnuts are finely ground. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until blended. Ass the butter and pulse just until the mixture begins to come together when a small amount is pressed between your fingers; do not over-process – the mixture should not form a ball. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool on a wire rack while you make the filling. To make the filling: Melt the chocolate with the bitter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the eggs and sugar until well blended. Whisk in the vanilla. Transfer the filling to the warm crust. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center; the top of the tart will look a little blistered, and that’s okay. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 1/2 hours. To serve, remove the pan rim. Lightly dust the tart with cocoa powder and cut into wedges.

Vegan Apple Galette

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Cup (2 sticks) margarine, cut into small pieces
4 Tablespoons cold water
Pinch of salt
Filling:
4 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, and rubbed with lemon juice
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 Cup sugar

Directions:

Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 4 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.

Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated, then test again. (Do not overwork mixture, or pastry will be tough.)

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with scraper and form into 2 balls, and then flatten each into a 5-inch disk. Wrap disks separately in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Roll out dough into large disks; brush with butter and pinch of cinnamon. Arrange apple slices in pattern on the dough. Liberally dust with sugar and small amount of cinnamon. Fold over edges of crust and pinch to make wavy crust. Brush the outer crust with melted margarine. Bake in oven preheated to 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for another 25 minutes, checking often. Bake until crust is cooked and flaky. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Cinnamon Meringues

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
3/4 Cup sugar
3 Ounces plain dark chocolate, grated
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two large baking sheets with non-stick baking paper. Whisk the egg whites with the salt in a clean, grease-free bowl until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in half the sugar, then add the rest and whisk until the meringue is very stiff and glossy. Add the cinnamon and chocolate and whisk lightly to mix. Spoon the meringue in small neat heaps on both baking sheets. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until crisp.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
8 Ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 Fluid Ounces heavy cream

Directions:

Heat cream in double boiler until very hot. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Serve over…anything.