I am a last-minute baker — a procrasti-baker. As such, I am most likely going to make the least complicated sorts of desserts and baked goods. On the occasions I have my act together, I like to make cakes — and even then, I want them to fit my schedule. At one point, I believe, Mandarin Orange Cake — also known as “Dream Cake” or “Pig Pickin’ Cake” — was made from scratch. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Cake
Breton Butter Cake
This morning little Lynnie keeps yelling and pointing in excitement at the cake I made for last night’s Sunday dinner. She is telling me she wants it for her birthday. The heels on the last three slices of the cake have been nibbled. Last night she kept slipping her little hand in and under the wrap so she could pinch and sneak little pieces off. The edges now look like we have a mouse in the house, and I finally had to move the cake to higher ground.
We had guest last night for dinner and while making dessert yesterday I recalled making a promise this year to make more desserts. I haven’t been. So I started thinking about this commitment while making this cake. I figured I need to sort out my likes and dislikes. Set some parameters and set myself up for success.
Most of the time I don’t want anything sweet. I am not a big sweets person. When I do a simple, small piece of dark chocolate usually suffices. I don’t want anything overly sweet.
Not only that, but as with many chefs I have a certain disdain for making desserts. It’s not that I don’t like to make them but that these grumblings occur because I usually wait till everything else is done before I think to make something. It is like opening the dishwasher to to put in dirties only to find you haven’t yet put up the clean ones. I have no explanation for this other than I think it comes with the toque. It’s why the gods made pastry chefs.
The idea of a dessert that holds the potential of a coffee or tea break snack but can double as an after-dinner treat always appeals to me. I am always out to kill two birds with one stone.
I have made this cake multiple times but I haven’t made it since I became gluten-free, so I figured now would be as good a time as any. Knowing the kind of cake it is — a very buttery shortbread — I figured it would make the conversion without suffering. It did. In all honesty I think I like it better gluten-free. The rice flour really gives it a quintessential butter cake texture in a shortbread way.
There are technical things I like about it too, or maybe I should say, the lack of technical things. It is a put-all-the-ingredients-into-a-bowl, mix, dump and bake affair. Not a lot of extras to clean up.
It holds well too. It is on day three, still on the sheet tray, covered with plastic wrap and pieces keep disappearing.
It is a cake of no regrets and, if this afternoon I do have any, they are gone by the time I have finished my last delicious bite and sip the last sip of coffee from the cup. Again, two birds with one stone.
Breton Butter Cake (Makes 12 pieces)
- 600grams King Arthur all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 30grams corn starch (1/4 cup)
- 395grams sugar (2 cups)
- 448grams salted butter, yes salted, soft (4 sticks)
- 140grams egg yolk (7 yolks)
- 22grams rum (2 tablespoons)
- 1egg yolk mixed with one tablespoon of milk
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Sift the flour and cornstarch into the bowl of a mixer. Add the sugar and butter. Use a rubber spatula and scrape every bit of butter off the butter wrappers and put it into the bowl too. Then, using the paddle attachment, mix until combined. Add the yolks and rum. Mix till smooth.
- Using one of the butter wrappers grease the inside of a 9 inch ring mold that is 2 inches deep or spring form pan. If you use a spring form pan, dust it with flour after greasing and tilt and shift the pan so you get the sides dusted too. Shake out the excess.
- Using a spatula, scoop the batter into the mold then spread the batter out evenly. You may need to moisten the spatula with a little water to keep the dough from sticking to it.
- Using the tines of a fork make a cross hatch pattern on the surface of the cake. Using a pastry brush gently paint the top of the cake with the yolk and milk wash.
- Bake the cake for 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to brown to quickly reduce the heat. The top should brown and it should be firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before removing the ring.
Potato Cake
What thrills me the most about potato cakes like this is the crispy top and creamy interior. If you use good potatoes the flavor is unbeatable and if you are creative you can even layer the interior with things like roasted garlic, wilted onions, green onions or even chopped frozen broccoli that has been thawed and drained of excess moisture.
Yukon Golds
There are few products that I recommend, or in this case don’t recommend, and those are conventional potatoes and canned tomatoes. I don’t like conventional potatoes because they spray them with an anti-sprouting spray which means they have a longer shelf life. I don’t know if the spray is good for you or not but I want potatoes that aren’t far from the harvest because I want fresh potatoes. They taste better and I know they do, it’s that simple. Organic potatoes can’t lollygag around and therfore are generally fresh.
The two types of potato most readily available at most groceries that would work for this dish are Russet Burbanks(Idaho) or Yukon Golds. Both brown up nicely and both create a creamy interior.
As for tomatoes, I don’t like canned tomatoes because the acid leaches out the chemical from the liner of the can. I only by tomatoes in glass or those nifty carton type boxes.
Cost to make the potatoes:
- one bag of organic russet potatoes $3.49 about 10 per bag or $1.75
- unsalted butter .10 cents
- canola oil and salt .10 cents
Total cost to make this dish: $1.95
Serves 4 as a side dish
5 good sized russet potatoes, scrubbed under cold water with a brush
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon canola oil
kosher salt
white pepper if you have it
1. Smear the bottom of a 10 inch non-stick skillet with soften butter. Make sure to spread it evenly across the bottom. Drizzle the oil into the pan too.
2. Slice the potatoes into very thin slices, a 1/16 of an inch would be great but no more then an 1/8 inch.
3. Starting in the middle of the pan spiral the potatoes by fanning them. They should overlap about half the potato before them, if that makes since or you should cover the potato before the one you are putting into the pan by half by the one you are putting into the pan.
4. Lightly season each layer of potato with a pinch of salt. Once the first layer is down you can layer the rest of the potatoes into the pan without detail to fanning them.
5. Heat the oven to 350˚ F. Place the pan over medium heat to begin browning the bottom layer. This always takes longer then I expect. I also have a baking stone that has a permanent spot in my oven so I also know then the pan goes into the oven it will continue to brown the potatoes.
6. Once the bottom is browned nicely cover the pan and slide it into the oven. Bake until the potatoes in the middle are tender. Depending on how many layers you created anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the oven with a oven mitt or towel. Place a pizza tray or the bottom of a sheet tray across the top of the pan. In one swift motion invert the pan and tray. Place the tray into the oven and let the cake bake another 5 to 10 minutes to crisp the top. Serve.
Rustic French Honey Cake
This cake is only slightly sweet. It is a cake that answers the age old question, “is it ok to put a slab of butter on my cake?” with a definitive yes. I find it great in the afternoon with an espresso and if it is a Saturday I might even attempt an armagnac, cognac or a sweet walnut liquor. If you just can’t help yourself you could add another 1/8 cup of honey.
The cake is good wrapped in plastic wrap for a couple of days. It was eaten over the course of 3 days here and, for me, only got better.
Makes 9 pieces
1 cup rye flour, fine grind
1 cup unbleached cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2cup whole milk
1 cup prunes, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease an 8 X 8 inch square cake pan. A parchment square in the bottom might be a good idea if you think the cake will stick to your pan. Grease the parchment too.
2. Sift the flours into a mixing bowl. Any large pieces of bran left in the strainer can be discarded. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves.
3. Add the eggs, honey, milk, and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the prunes and stir to distribute them.
4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a cake tester poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove it from the oven and let it cool. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve.
Rhubarb, Ginger, and Oatmeal Upside-Down Cake
All of my favorite things in one. Fresh ginger goes great with the rhubarb and the oatmeal cake, well, is gooey and tasty. Let it cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. I top it with frothed cream but vanilla ice cream would be great too.
Makes 8 to 10 slices
For the rhubarb:
2 1/4 cups fresh rhubarb, rinsed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
For the oatmeal cake:
1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. In a mixing bowl combine the oats with the boiling water. Add the 1/4 cup of butter. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Gently melt the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Remove it from the heat. Spread the brown sugar evenly across the bottom. In a large bowl mix the ginger and rhubarb. Spread the rhubarb evenly across the brown sugar. Set aside.
3. In the empty rhubarb bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. To the cooled oatmeal add the egg, both sugars, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.
5. Spread the cake batter evenly across the top of the rhubarb. Place into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven when done and let cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
The Cutting Board Diaries 