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READER SERVICE NO.3 READER SERVICE NO. 1 07

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 3
 CObking.
WINTER 2003 ISSUE 54

50

RECIPE FOLDOUTS

COVER STORY:

Holiday UP F RON T
Cookies
15 cookie recipes
6 Index
Recipes, ingredients,
with tips on mixing,
techniques, and tools
baking, decorating,
storing, and mailing
8 Contributors
10 Letters
86c Quick &
Delicious 12 Technique Class
Making meringue cookies
Sweet and savory ways
with frozen puff pastry
14 Equipment !
:E0.u.
Electronic kitchen scales
on16
18 Q&A ..c9
0
20 Finishing Touches
-;!l.:c�;;
:t
on!l�
Beyond plain whipped cream

22 Ingredients �
Brown sugar, butter, vanilla
� v�
�v0
28 Wrapping It Up �u
Ingenious gift packages
..c"0U.,;
0
v�0-
30 Food Science
Solutions to six common
��
..cf-�
baking problems

32 Great Finds
:E0.8.
Baking books, dough whisks, on
B
pie carriers, and more
..c00-
�
visit our web s ite: www .finecooking.com 36 Readers' Tips u0
 FEATU RES

38 Holiday Pies with a Twist

Make apple, pecan, or pumpkin pie
the stars of the dessert table
by Carolyn Weil

44 Three Great Coffee Cakes

Moist crumb cake, chocolate banana swirl cake,
and cranberry streusel cake
by Abigail Johnson Dodge

48 Easy Cheddar-Pecan Puffs

Adding cheese and nuts to a basic cream-puff
dough gives you a sophisticated appetizer
by Martha Holmberg

66
50 Your Secret Dessert Stash
Make these impressive desserts weeks
before the holiday rush-they all freeze well
by Abigail Johnson Dodge

IN TH E BACK
55 Crafting a Loaf of Challah
Braid a beautiful and tender bread 72 From Our
by Maggie Glezer
Test Kitchen
.:. Measuring correctly
58 Biscotti .:. Heating your oven

Delicious Italian cookies to bake and give .:. Making a pie shield
by Kathleen Weber .:. Keeping pie crusts
from shrinking
.:. Tasting panel: bitter-
62 Cookie Baking Gear sweet chocolate
Turning out perfect holiday cookies
is a snap when you have the right tools
by Justin Schwartz
85 Advertiser Index
86 Where to Buy It
66 Chocolate Mousse Cake
Three ways to decorate this cake,
from simple to dramatic
by Abigail Johnson Dodge
 COOK IES

Bar Cookies Shaped

++ Apricot, Pistachio & ++ Black & White Crescents, 18G
Chocolate-Chip Bars, 18G ++ Lime Nut Buttons, 18G
++ Raspberry Crumb Bars, 18G ++ Molasses Crinkles, 18G
++ Upside-Down Peanut-Butter Sli ce & Bake
Fig Bars, 18G
Biscotti
++ Maple-Walnut Butter
Cookies, 18G
++ Biscotti R ustica, 59 ++ Marbled Chocolate·Vanilia
++ Chocolate-Orange Biscotti, Cookies, 18G
61 ++ Orange Poppy-Seed
++ Golden Almond Biscotti, 60 Cookies, 18G
Dro p Cookies
+++ Chewy Cranberry-Oatmeal Techniques
Cookies, 18G Baking cookies, 18g
+++ Chocolate Fudge Cookies, Baking biscotti, 59
18G Decorating cookies, 18g
+++ Treasure Cookies, 18G Making meringues, 12-13
Me ringue Cookies Measuring ingredients, 18g, 22,
++ Pistachio Meringues with 72, 74
Mixing cookie dough, 18g
Toasted Coconut, 13
Piping meringues, 13
Rol I&Cut Rolling out cookie dough, 18g
++ Butter Cookies, 18G Softening butter, 18g, 24
++ Gingerbread Cookies, 18G &
Storing mailing cookies, 18g
++ R aspberry Linzer Cookies, Using convection heat, 18
18G
Weighing ingredients, 14, 16, 18g,
72, 74

RECIPES

+ Quick ( under Appeti ze rs Pies & Tarts

an hour) + Cheddar-Pecan Gougeres, 49 + Apple Galette with Ginger Glaze, 86c
+ Make ahead ++ Ham, Gruyere & Honey-Mustard ++ Apple Pie Covered with Leaves, 43
+ Gifts Palmiers, 86c + Brown-Sugar & Brandy Pear
+ Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato Turnovers, 86c
Pockets, 86c ++ Butter Pie Dough, 40
++ Sesame Parmesan Twists, 86c + Honey-Spice Walnut Tart, 86c
Bread ++ Lemon Tart, 53
++ Challah, 56 ++ Pecan Rum Tart, 41
Cakes
++ Pumpkin Pie with a Leafy Rim, 42 TOOLS
++ Chocolate Banana Swirl Cake, 44 Mousses, Sou ffl es & Napoleons
+ Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake, 68 + Chocolate-Cream R aspberry Bench scrapers, 64
+++ Classic Crumb Cake, 47 Napoleons with Chocolate Sauce, Cookie cutters, 65
++ Cranberry Streusel Cake, 46 ++
86c
Cookie sheets, 65
++ Flourless Chocolate & Vanilla Marble ++
Chocolate Mousse, 69
Individual Mocha Souffles, 52
Dough whisk, 34
Cake, 54 Flour sifter, 32
Garnishes & Sau ces Kitchen scales, 14, 16
+ Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache, 76 Measuring cups spoons, &
++ Brown-Sugar Brandy Cream, 20 64, 72
+++ Brown-Sugar Caramel Sauce, 26 Mini ice-cream scoops, 63
++ Caramel Squiggles, 20 Offset spatulas, 63
+ Chocolate Bands, 71 Oven thermometers, 63
+ Chocolate Whipped Cream, 21 Parchment, 62
++ Chocolate Shavings & Curls, 70 &
Pie cake carrier, 32
+ Fruit Cream, 21 Pie pans, 73
++ Strawberry Sauce, 53 Pie shield, 74
Pyrex, handling, 18
Silicone baking mats, 62
Cranberry Streusel
Cake, p.46 Silicone molds, 32
Silicone pastry mat, 34
Stand mixers, 64
Lemon Tart with
Strawberry Sauce, p. 53

6 FINE COOKING Photos: coffee cake, Amy Albert; all others, Scott Phillips.
 Charming Historic
Cookie Molds
Collector Quality
For catalog send $3.00 to:
House on the Hill
PO Box 7003
Villa Park, II. 60181

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phone: (630) 969-2624 . www.houseonthehill.net
READER SERVICE NO. 129

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Visit our Web site for authentic French recipes
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READER SERVICE NO. 1 READER SERVICE NO. 1 33

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WINTER 2 003 7
 (f)
L
a
CDbking.
ELAINE KHOSROVA ("Holiday forget those roots, but I've come to

-f-I Cookies;' p. 18G) is a trained appreciate how to get spectacular

:J
pastry chef and a former food edi­ results with a bit of streamlining;'
tor for Country Living and other she says. Abby is the author of

..0
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
national magazines. Her past Great Fruit Desserts, The Kid's Martha Holmberg

cookie projects include baking Cookbook, and Williams­ EXECUTIVE EDITOR ART DIRECTOR
Susie Middleton Steve Hunter
and decorating enough cookies to Sonoma's Dessert. She also wrote
L cover a 1 2-foot-tall Christmas tree. the New England and mid-Atlantic
MANAGING EDITOR
-f-I "I had a mean cramp in my hand, portions of Savoring America.

C
Sarah Jay
but the tree looked delicious;' SENIOR EDITOR
MARTHA HOLMBERG learned
Elaine reports. Now a food writer Amy Albert

a
to make the delicious French
and recipe developer living in New TEST KITCHEN MANAGER/RECIPE EDITOR
appetizer called gougeres (p. 48) Jennifer Armentrout
York's Hudson Valley, she also

o
when she was an intern at the ASSISTANT EDITOR
creates custom wedding cakes. Tony Rosenfeld
Burgundy campus of La Varenne
JOANNE CHANG ("Ingredients; EDITOR AT LARGE
cooking school. She likes to give
Maryellen Driscoll
p. 2 2) uses butter, vanilla, and them an American twist by using
SENIOR COP Y/PRODUCTION EDITOR
brown sugar to bake up irresistible pecans and Cheddar instead of Li Agen
sweets six days a week (she takes the traditional Gruyere. Martha is ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR
Sundays off) at her bakery and the editor in chief of Fine Cooking. Annie Giam mattei

cafe, Flour, in Boston's South End. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Challah (p. 55) is a subject that's Kim Landi
Before opening her bakery last
both special and familiar to TEST KITCHEN INTERN
year, she worked as a pastry chef Rob Gavel
MAGGIE GLEZER-she bakes
for an impressive lineup of restau­ CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
it for her family every week.
rants and bakeries, including Shirley O. Corriher,
Maggie nabbed a James Beard Abiga i l Johnson Dodge, Tim Gaiser,
Rialto in Cambridge and Payard
award in 200 1 for her book, James Peterson, Molly Stevens
Patisserie in New York City.
Artisan Baking Across America,
In her 30 years working in the food PUBLISHER
Abigail Johnson and she's now at work on a book
Dodge business in California, CAROLYN about challah and other Jewish
Sarah Roman

WElL ("Holiday Pies," p. 38) has ceremonial breads. SENIOR NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER
worked in three-star restaurants Joel Burger
KATHLEEN WEBER's passion
and owned a bakery for a decade. NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

She now spends her time teaching for rustic regional foods and for Laura Haddad Rose

preserving the past fueled her ACCOUNT MANAGER

and writing, with the goal of mak­
Lisa O'Connor
fascination with biscotti (p. 58).
ing baking approachable to the ADVERTISING SECRETARY
Kathleen, her husband, Ed, and
home cook. Carolyn is a contribu­ Marjorie Brown
their son and daughter-in-law,
tor to The Baker's Dozen Cook­
book and is looking forward to the
Aaron and Linda, own and operate Fine Cooking: (ISSN: 1 072-5121) is published
bimonthly, with a special seventh issue in the winter, by
publication of Williams-Sonoma's
Della Fattoria, a renowned artisan The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT 06470·5506.
& Tarts in the spring of 2003. bakery that sells hand-crafted Telephone (203) 426-8171. Periodicals postage paid at
Pies
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will recognize ABIGAIL food shops. Milford, NJ 07646-3048 and Eastern News Distributors,
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Cakes;' p. 44; "Make & Freeze JUSTIN SCHWARTZ ("Gearing 44846-9705.
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Desserts;' p. 50; "Chocolate
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Mousse Cake," p. 66) as a con­ is a former cookbook editor,
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with notable pastry chefs such as for three years (payable in U.S. funds). Single copy,
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Postmaster: Send address changes to Fine Cooking,
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The Taunton Press, Inc., South Main St., P.O. Box
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Carolyn Weil classic tradition and will never photography art director. Printed in the US A.

8 F I E COOKING Photos: bottom left, Martha Holmberg. All others, Scott Phillips.
 BLACK WALNUT BLONDIES
HAM ONS.
1DI1'j,RECTIONSWN
CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
CUP BRO SUGAR
11 OPTIONS
CUP SUGAR
CUP VEGETABLE OIL
4I EGGS, BEATEN
CUP HAMMONS BLACK WALNUTS

HOW TO CONTACT US: 3[705

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WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 9
 (f)
L from the editor
The Taunton Press
Q)
�
Inspiration for hands-on living'·

Welcome to our first

Q) Holiday Baking issue
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS SINCE 1 975

- TAUNTON, INC.

I
Found"" Paul and Jan Roman
n late July, when it was start planning which recipes
95 degrees for days here in we're going to make at home, THE TAUNTON PRESS

Connecticut, I walked into we're also wondering which President & CEO John Lively

the test kitchen to find an will become your favorites. Chief of Operations Thomas Luxeder

amazing sight: On every last We're so pleased to present Finance Director Timothy Rahr

horizontal surface were trays this first special issue on holi­ Publisher, Magazines Jon Miller

and trays and trays of Christ­ day baking. The recipes will Publish,r, Magazines Sarah Roman

Publisher, Books James Childs

mas cookies: all the decorated take you from early fall enter­
Editorial Director Marc Vassallo
sugar cookies, bar cookies, taining ( gougeres and other
Creative Director Susan Edelman
slice-and-bakes, shaped cook­ appetizers) through Thanks­
Human Resources Director Carol Marotti
ies, and drop cookies from our giving-with three incredible
Controller Wayne Reynolds
fabulous eight-page foldout in pies-and deep into Hanukkah,
Technology Services Director Edward Kingston
this issue, plus gorgeous bis­ Christmas, and New Year's,
Promotion Director Steven Turk
cotti, cute meringue kisses,
and even a few cocoa-dusted
with scads of yummy cookies,
sophisticated biscotti, coffee
Fu lfi
llment Director Patricia Williamson

Associa" Ad Sales Director

truffles. As an avid cookie
Jeff Dwight
cakes for holiday mornings,
muncher, I thought, "Nirvana," tender challah, a chocolate TAUNTON TRADE COMPANY

Prtsidmt, Jan Roman

until Steve, our art director, souffle that you can actually
issued a terse warning: "Don't make ahead and freeze, and TAUNTON DIRECT

Cirwlation Director, Ned Bixler

eat a single cookie. You a grand finale chocolate
never know which mousse cake with three op­ TAUNTON NEW MEDIA

ones will be perfect

for the cover photo."
tions for pretty decorations.
Plus, we're including more
uzann
Director, S e Roman

So there they sat, ways to decorate and wrap

as we photographed them your desserts, in two special
for the cover, the foldout, departments: Wrapping It Up THE TAUNTON STAFF

the feature stories, until and Finishing Touches. And Books: Marktting: Allison Hollet[, Audrey Locorotondo.

the scene was no longer be sure to read Jennifer's Editorial: MariaTaylor,Robyn Aitken, Helen Albert, Peter
Chapman, Carolyn Mandarano, David PaJrner, Jennifer
tempting but frankly, well, advice on measuring in From Peters, Stephanie Ramp, Amy Reilly, Jennifer Renjilian,
freaky. And highly Our Test Kitchen-precision Timothy Snyder, Marilyn Zelinski. Art: Paula Schlosser,
Joanne Bisson, Nancy Boudreau, Wendi MijaJ, Lynne
annoying to Jennifer, in baking really counts.
Phillips, Casol Singer, Rosalind Wanke. Manufacturing:
our test kitchen -Martha Holmberg, Thomas Greco, Michael GyuJay.

manager, and Rob, editor in chief Business Office: Holly Smith, Gayle Hammond. uga/:

our intern, who ducked

and dodged the trays as they
Carolyn Kovaleski. Magazint
Kirk, icole Anastas.
Prim Production: Philip Van

Distribution: Paul Seipold, Aaron Lund, Sergio Colon,

continued their regular recipe
testing during the heat wave . And on the Web ... Leanne Dion, Deborah Greene, Linnea Ingram, Frederick
Mannes. Raymond Passaro. Alice Saxcon.

But the weather in New

nd moves quickly and
We've gathered many of
our favorite holiday baking
Finance/Accounting: Finance: Karhy Worth. Andrea
Henchdiffe, Susan Hochreiter, DavidPond. Accounting:
Patrick Lamontagne, John Vaccino, Irene Asfaras, Lydia
has a powerful effect on your recipes into a special
Krikorian. Elaine Yamin, Carol Diehm. Margaret Bafundo.
Dorothy Blasko, Susan Burke, James POst, LorraineParsons,
mood. Just weeks later, as we spot on our Web site, along Priscilla Wakeman.
send the issue to the printer, lfillm Strvicts:
with tech nique classes Fu ent: Diane Goulart. C/itnt Jodi Klein,
the breeze has a cool bite and Nancy Knorr, Donna Capalbo, Renee Pagelson. Customtr
on cakes and pie crusts,
the clouds are more insistent,
and the notion of filling the
videos that will show you
ServiCt: Ellen Grassi, Bonnie Beardsley, Katherine Clarke,
Alfred Dreher, Monica Duhancik, Summerlily Gajdosik,
Margaret Hicock, Barbara Lowe, Eileen McNulty, Patricia
the way to perfect pies,
kitchen with the fragrance of Parks, Deana Parker, Patricia Pineau, MarylouThompson.
and more. Visit the site at Data Entry: Melissa Dugan, Anne Champlin, Madelaine
cinnamon and toasted nuts
www.finecooking.com. Frengs, Debra Sennefelder, Andrea Shorrock, Betty Stepney.
and butter browning in the Human Resources: Linda Ballerini,Christine Lincoln,
oven is pretty appealing. As we Dawn Ussery.

10 FINE COOKING Photo: Scott Phillips

Wormation Technology Services: Applications
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Promotion: William Brady, Mary Beth Cleary, Maria

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Taunton Creative and Editorial: Robert Goodfellow, Sarah

Opdahl, Pamela Winn. Photography: SCOtt Phillips. ?rep
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WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 1 1
 = meringue
•
BY ABIGAIL JOHNSON DODGE

C\1
U
-
cookies
(])
I
first learned to make meringues in Paris some twenty

:J
years ago. And while I've modified the recipe somewhat,
it's still one I use often. I love whipping egg whites and

- CJ
sugar into billowy clouds that bake into lighter-than-air
crisp confections. I can pipe different shapes and add
- flavorings as I please, and I can keep the meringues for

C
weeks in airtight containers.
To make a meringue, I use about twice as much sugar as

..c
egg whites. That may seem like a lot of sugar, but you need
it to stabilize the whites and give them structure . During

o
long baking at a low temperature, the water in the me­
ringue slowly evaporates, leaving the cookie light and crisp

(])
all the way through. For the best texture and the lightest
meringue, I use a mix of superfine sugar ( it dissolves better

4-J than granulated) and confectioners' sugar ( the cornstarch

in it helps to ensure an especially light meringue ) .

Simple steps for successful meringues

Before you start, re­ refrigerator. Then let One note: Don't try to
Since the sugar helps
member two important your wh ites warm to make meringues on
stabilize the egg whites,
thi ngs. Fi rst, your bowl room temperature in a very h u m i d day. The this is one time when
and beater should be a bowl, or put the bowl h u m idity can prevent you don't have to be
i m peccably clean. Any over warm water to the meringues from cautious about beating­
speck of grease will speed the process. ever getting crisp. you want to whip the
keep the egg wh ites mixture un til glossy, firm

from expanding prop­ peaks form. At this point,

erly. A quick rinse with stir in the vanilla and the

chopped nuts.
a little white vinegar
Fit a pastry bag with a
and some water w i l l
wide star tip. Twist the
d o t h e trick. Be sure
bag sligh tly just over the
to dry the equi pment
tip and stuff the twist
well. Second, your in­
into the tip. Fold the
gredients should be at bag over one hand and
room temperature to spoon the meringue into
get the best vol u me Add a little cream of When the whites are very it with a rubber spatula.
out of your meringue. tartar to your egg whites foamy-almost at the Fill the bag about
S i nce it's easier to before you begin mixing. stage where they form halfway and twist it shut.

sepa rate wh ites from It will strengthen the soft, floppy peaks­ Un twist the part over the

yolks when they're whites and help to begin adding the sugar tip and squeeze out
main tain the structure gradually. Turn up the some meringue to
cold, go ahead and
of your meringues. speed on the mixer as remove any air bubbles.
sepa rate your eggs
you add the sugar.
stra ight out of the

12 F I NE C O O K I N G Photos: Scott Phillips

 Piping meringue shapes

After f i l l i n g your pastry bag,

you're ready to pipe and bake.
To p i pe, squeeze gently with
the hand that holds the top of
the bag. Use your other hand to
guide the tip. Practice piping on
a sheet of parchment, and then
line baking sheets with parch­
ment and p i pe shapes u ntil
you've used a l l the meringue.
This meringue makes lovely
l ittle cookies i n a variety of
sizes and shapes. Don't worry
Pista c h i o M e r i n g ues with Toasted Coco n ut if the shapes aren't perfect­
Kisses
Yields about 40 kisses. bake them all anyway; they'll be
Hold the bag perpen­
If you can't find su perfine sugar, pulse granulated sugar in a food delicious. If you're a i m i n g for
dicular to the pan and
processor to a fine grind ; measure after grinding. Pistachios and consistency, use a template
squeeze gen tly from the
coconut are one of my favorite meringue flavoring combinations, and a pencil to draw circles or
top of the bag. Lift the
but feel free to substitute with other additions. Fold in any ground other shapes on the parchment bag straight up while
nut, or even tiny chocolate morsels, if you l i ke. to guide your piping. releasing pressure to let
3 ou nces (314 cup) confectio ners' sugar a peak form.
% cup superfine sugar
Pinch table salt Christmas trees
4 large egg whites, at room temperature Pipe as if you were making kisses. After the first pipe,
112teaspoon cream of tartar release pressure, but instead of removing the bag,
% teaspoon pure vanilla extract push it ever so slightly back into the base, and squeeze
% cu p u nsalted shelled pistachios, chopped medium fine
% cu p shredded u nsweetened coconut, l ightly toasted
another, sligh tly smaller kiss on top; if you like, make
a third, even smaller layer (see the photo a t left).
3 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)

Arrange oven racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven. Ladyfingers
Heat the oven to 175°F. Line a large heavy baking sheet with Gently pipe ladyfinger
parchment. Sift together the confectioners' sugar, superfine shapes with even
sugar, and salt. pressure, lifting the tip
With an electric mixer fitted with the wire whisk, combine the slightly as you finish.
egg whites and cream of tartar. Beg i n mixing on medium-low Use ladyfingers to
speed u ntil frothy. Increase the speed to medium high and beat decorate cakes or make
until the whites form soft peaks. Continue beating while gradually
ladyfinger sandwiches
sprinkling i n the sifted sugars. When all the sugar is added, in­
from two to serve with
crease speed to high and whip until firm, glossy peaks form. Add
ice cream.
the van illa and the 113 cup pistachios and beat just until blended,
about 10 seconds.
Spoon about half of the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted Nests
with a large (#8) star tip. Pipe shapes as you like-see the photos Pipe a round of
at right (for kisses, about 1112 inches wide and about 2 inches meringue as the base
from tip to basel-onto the prepared baking sheet, about '12 inch for a nest; then pipe
apart. If the tip gets clogged with a nut, use the back of a small the sides. Fill cup-size
knife or spoon to pry open the points of the star tip slightly and nests with a winter fruit
the nut will wiggle out. Sprin kle the toasted coconut over the
compote or a scoop of
meringues along with a dusting of pistachios, if you l ike.
ice cream and a drizzle
Bake the meringues until dried and crisp but not browned,
of chocolate sauce.
about 3 hours. Turn off the oven (leave the door shut) and let the
meringues sit in the oven for about 1 hour. Remove them from
the oven and gently lift the meringues off the parchment. Serve
immediately or store in an airtight contai ner for up to a month.

Abigail Johnson Dodge is a contributing editor to Fine Cooking .•

WI TE R 2 0 0 3 13
4-J
C
(l) Electronic kitchen scales

E BY M ARYELLEN DRISCOLL
Best All-Around

- (l
O
wning a kitchen scale is taking a giant step in the direc­
- tion of becoming a better cook. Measuring by weight is

:J
far more exact than measuring by volume ( i . e . , with
measuring cups ) . This kind of precision makes all the dif­

0-
ference when it comes to baking, which is as much a science

/
as it is an art. (All Fine Cooking baking recipes list criti-

(l)
cal dry ingredients by both weight and volume . )
There are two types of kitchen scales, mechanical
and electronic. Because electronic scales tend to be more
accurate ( and more user- and storage-friendly ) , we
focused our product evaluation on this type . We tested for
accuracy using standardized weights ranging from 10 to
1,000 grams. In the end, our choices came down to accuracy
first, as well as function and design smarts.
Salter Electronic Kitchen
We ran a series Scale with Glass PlaHorm
What to look for in a n I ncrements: The most pre­
of tests on nine electronic kitchen scale cise scales measure in incre­ model 1001 SVDR
ments of as little as VB ounce
widely available Many features on an elec­ $60
( about 1 teaspoon flour) . www.salterhousewares.com
tronic kitchen scale can
scales, evaluating make all the difference to
Large-capacity scales will
typically weigh at VB-ounce
their accuracy the cook. BASIC FEATURES:
il).crements up to a certain
Capacity: 1 1 pounds
and ease of use.
Tare: Also often called"add­
and-weigh," tare lets you set
weight and then weigh in
Increments: Va ounce up to 5 pounds;
Overall design the d isplay to zero after
larger incre ments beyond
that. Most scales measure in
% ounce over 5 pounds
Automatic shutoff: after 1 minute at
adding weight ( such as a both grams and pounds/
was also taken bowl or an ingredient ) to zero; after another 3 minutes once
ounces. Europeans and pro­
the scale . This is handy if weight is added
fessional pastry chefs tend
into consideration. you've turned on the scale Tare feature: yes
to measure by the gram.
before setting an empty Display size: 11 millimeters
In the end, four Platform size: The platform
bowl on the platform, or if
stood out. should accommodate a vari­ PROS: The most accurate scale in the
you've measured one ingre­
ety of bowl sizes, including testing. Picks up a reading with as little
dient and want to measure
relatively large ones, without
another without having to as 1 teaspoon flour. Easy-to-clean,
covering up the display
keep track of the math. stain-resistant glass platform and
panel. For this reason, we
After a
Automatic s h utoff : brushed silver base. Compact.
were not fans of scales that
set number of minutes, CONS: Readout occasionally flip-flops
had the display set in the
many machines shut off on with small increments. (At one moment
platform. Better that the dis­
their own, a major battery play sit below and proj ect
%
it might read 5 pounds ounce, and
saver. We liked scales that then jump to 5 pounds 1 ounce and
well out from the platform.
stayed on for at least two back again.)
minutes before shutting off. The bigger the
Display size:
numbers, the easier they are
Capacity: M ost e lectronic
to read.
scales are made to measure
up to either 5 or 1 1 pounds Other deta ils to consider:
of weight. For most home H ow fast does it read the
baking, a capacity of 4 or weight? How easy is it to
5 pounds is plenty. wipe clean and to store? (Continued)
14 FINE COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips
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READER SERVICE NO. 77

J2t{mond J2tyy{e
Crumb Pie
Make it in 25 minutes.
Bake it in 55 minutes.
Ingredients:

J'radrlionaleuropean �yle 0t1Jeel2Jread

1 box Odense Pure Almond Paste
Walnut Potica 1 unbaked 9"
pie crust

by 0unrise S,aurmel 5 baking apples, peeled, cored and

sliced (about 5 cups)
...a family owned business Ihal has been
baking quality elhnic products for over 85 Visitwww.rogar.com for retail locations
and product infonnation.
114 cup sugar
years. including home made apple strudel.
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
112 cup all purpose flour
Scandinavian dipping cookie. fruil cake. and
much more. Rogar International Corporation
Call 1·8070- 82-6736 for a free catalog or visil 12732 OakTolLakel freCoure: 1-t8,00-Mi3d51-lot1h420ian, VA 23112 112 cup uncooked oats
112 cup brown sugar
us at

6 tbsp. cold butter, in 112" pieces

READER NO. 1 13

114 cup chopped almonds

Preparation: - Preheat
oven to 375°.- Roll Almond
Paste between 2 sheets of
wax paper to form an 8-9 inch
circle.- Press rolled Almond
Paste into the bottom of
unbaked pie crust.- In a
bowl, combine apples, sugar
and 112 teaspoon of cinna­
mon.- Pour into pie shell. -
In a bowl, combine remain­
ing cinnamon, flour, oats,
brown sugar and almonds.
- Cut butter into flour mix­
ture until crumbs are formed.
- Spoon crumb mixture
evenly over apples. - Bake
at 375° for 55 minutes.
Find us in your store's
With a quick­ Baking Section.
release lock and
a gentle grasp,
our tongs give
your food a turn
for the better.

READER SERVICE NO. 23 READER SERVICE NO. 55

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 15
4-1
C
<D The way to weigh: getting

E
the most from your scale

.:. Measure ingredients sepa­

. D-
Most Savvy rately. That way, if you add
- too much of one, it isn't mixed

:J in with other ingredients .

0-
.:. We found that scales don't
always pick up on weight
Large Capa city
<D when it's added in small
amounts, such as a teaspoon
of flour at a time. So don't be
shy. It's better to add more
of an ingredient than you
Best Buy
need and pull it away in small
amounts than to add a little
bit at a time .

Soehnle Cyber •:. Always weigh on a hard, flat

surface that doesn't shake
$119.95 or wobble.
800-827-2582
.:. If you know your scale is
www.frieling.com Terraillon Professional
model BM1 002 about to automatically shut
off and you want it to stay on,
BASIC FEATURES:
$100 press on the scale's platform.
Capacity: 4 pounds 6 ounces 678-229-4003 This resets the automatic
(an 1 1 -pound capacity scale shutoff timer on most models.
Polder 2 in 1 Digital is also available) BASIC FEATURES:
Scale & Kitchen Timer Increments: %0
ounce up to Capacity: 22 pounds
.:. For baking, use your scale to

$30
2 pounds 3 ounces; Vl0
ounce Increments: 1/8
ounce up to
measure flour. You'll get
much more consistent results
800-431-2133
above 2 pounds 3 ounces 1/4
2.2 pounds; ounce up over using measuring cups.
www.polderinc.com
Automatic shutoff: after to 8.8 pounds; ounce112 (see From Our Test Kitchen,
2 minutes at zero; after up to 22 pounds p. 72).
another 2 minutes once Automatic shutoff: after
BASIC FEATURES: .:. Other ingredients that we
weight is added 2 minutes at zero; after
Capacity: 4 pounds recommend be weighed:
6112 ounces Tare feature: yes another 2 minutes once starches, cocoa powder, and
Increments: 1/8 ounce Display size: 1 5 millimeters weight is added confectioners' sugar; nuts
Automatic shutoff: after PROS: Base can be cleaned Tare feature: yes (when they're a major part of
1 V2 minutes at zero; after under running water. Overload Display size: 1 5 millimeters the recipe, such as in a nut
another 1112 minutes once protection (if too much weight PROS: Large capacity.
cake) ; fresh fruit, like apples
weight is added is added, the scale's calibra­ for a cake or pie; butter,
Stainless-steel platform is
Tare feature: yes tion won't be knocked off kil­ shortening, and peanut
removable for easy cleanup.
Display size: 11millimeters ter). One-button operation: If you overload the scale,
butter; bulky savory items
that are too awkward to fit
press for on, press again for the display will indicate the
PROS: Who can argue with snugly into a measuring cup.
having another timer on hand?
tare, hold down to shut off error("EEEE") so that you
.:. Ingredients that are typically
(or use automatic shutoff). know to remove the excess
Compact. Mostly accurate (it used in small quantities, such
CONS: Steep price. The
strayed by 1 to 2 grams-a weight immediately. Low­
switch from pounds/ounces as baking powder, yeast, or
miniscule amount) at higher battery indicator.
salt, are best measured by
to grams is embedded on the CONS: Pound/kilogram switch
weights. volume. (Most scales lack the
underside of the base and is located on the underside
CONS: Plastic construction. precision to measure such
requires you to insert a of the base. At higher weights,
The display scrolls up and small quantities.)
pointed object, like a pencil it can't measure with as
down, making the reading­
tip, to flip it. much precision. Maryellen Driscoll is Fine
response time slow. Timer
and scale don't work Cookings editor at large .•
simultaneously.

16 F INE C O O K ING
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READER SERVICE NO. 1 6

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 17
 I just bought a new oven that has a convection
feature, As an avid cookie-baker, I was
But while you can transfer Pyrex from the refrigerator
to the oven, you'll want to let it cool slightly before wash­
ing. Additionally, Pyrex should never be used on top of
wondering if it's all right to use convection the stove, under a broiler, in a toaster oven, or under a

00 I need to lower
pilot light.
heat when making cookies. To clean Pyrex cookware , allow the glass to cool and
then soak it. If scouring is necessary, use only plastic or
the heat to compensate?
-Sara Campos, via e-mail nylon cleaning pads with nonabrasive cleansers.

Eiron Jones is a corporate communications

A
Elinor Klivans responds: Convection heat is specialist at World Kitchen, lnc . ,
perfect for producing batch after batch of evenly makers of Pyrex.
baked cookie s . Its great virtue-eve n heat
throughout the oven-produces nicely browned cookie
bottoms and edges.
A convection oven has a fan that circulates air and
creates uniform heat in the oven. Since items placed in What is baking ammonia?
the top or back of the oven cook at the same rate as those -"Chiffonade Chef, II via e-mail
in the bottom or front, convection heat allows you to
bake two sheets of cookies together without rearrang­
ing them during baking, as you would have to do in a

A
conventional oven. Karen Pontius responds: Before baking pow­
When baking with a convection oven, I follow the der or baking soda was common, European bak­
recipe's directions and its baking times, but I generally ers used baking ammonia, a traditional
reduce the baking temperature by about 25°F to com­ leavening agent, to perform the same tasks as its modern
pensate for the strength of the convection heat. The counterparts : to add gases to baked products that would
manufacturer's booklet may advise specific temperature increase volume and change shape and texture . At that
suggestions for your oven, but, if not, start with this 25°F time , baking ammonia was also called hartshorn, a ref­
reduction and try a few test batches to see what erence to the agent's original source, deer antlers.
works best. Baking ammonia is still used today, although it does
present drawbacks for bakers, most notably because of
Elinor Klivans is the author ofFearless Baking: its ammonia properties. Baking ammonia is a white crys­
Over 100 Recipes That Anyone Can Make. talline powder that smells strongly of ammonia, and
when it's activated with heat (above 1 40°F) and mois­
ture, the powder releases carbon dioxide , ammonia gas,
and water. As the ammonia gas can only be cooked off in
small products, it isn't appealing to use baking ammonia
Do you h ave Many pie recipes recommend chilling the in larger items like cakes; the ammonia gas wouldn't
a q uestion of
crust prior to baking. My favorite pie plates be able to evaporate sufficiently, and the strong odor
general i n terest would remain.
are all made of Pyrex. Will they crack if For this reason, baking ammonia is best used in

I transfer them directly from the refrigerator

about cooki n g ?

O&A,
Send it t o recipes for small, thin baked goods like cookies and
Fine Cooking, crackers, where it helps produce an especially crisp and
PO Box 5506, to the hot ove n ? l ight texture . Baking ammonia is also used frequently in
Newtown, CT -Linda Avidan, via e-mail cream puffs because it releases gases quickly, which
helps dry out the insides of the pastry.
06470-5506,
Store baking ammonia in an airtight container in a

A
o r by e-m a i l to

fc@taunton.com,
Eiron Jones responds: Pyrex was made to cool place. If baking ammonia is exposed to air during
withstand most types of temperature fluctua­ storage, it may absorb moisture and lose some of its
and we' l l fi n d
tions when it was first designed for glass railroad leavening power.
a cooking lanterns in the early 1 900s. The glass cookware can go
profess i o n a l directly from the refrigerator or freezer to a microwave Karen Pontius is the owner of Sutton s Bay Trading
w i t h t h e an swer. or into a hot conventional oven without fear of cracking. Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana .•

18 F I N E COOKI G
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READER SERVICE NO. 51 READER SERVICE NO. 40 READER SERVICE NO. 1 30

WINTER 2003 19
m
"6::::J Hovv to make
vvhip ped cream
o something special
....
CJ) BY T H E F I N E C O O K I N G STAFF

-c
- Vl
..c
iPped cream can be much more than
an ivory dollop, and, with a little cre­
ativity, it can help the simplest desserts
look spectacular. The following ideas use
plain whipped cream as their base but add
twists of flavor, color, and tex­
ture to give excitement and an
extra layer of deliciousness to
B ROWN-SUGAR
B R A N DY CREAM:
all kinds of desserts.
Combine % cup The key to perfect whipped
heavy or whipping cream decorations is not to
cream with 2 packed overwhip the cream-it should
tablespoons dark hold a shape, but the peaks that
brown sugar, 112 tea­ form when you lift the beaters
spoon pure vanilla should still droop slightly.
extract, and 1 tea­
Going aU the way to firm peaks
spoon brandy or rum.
will produce a stiff, slightly
Whip u ntil blended
and the cream forms curdled cream that doesn't take
soft peaks that hold on a graceful shape.
.. a shape.
Create a custom cream
You can use just one of the fol­
,<II lowing ideas, or a combination. Just keep in
" , tI mind how the flavors of your decoration will
work with the flavors of the dessert.
Flavor it: To start, play with adding ex­
tracts ( such as vanilla, almond, or pepper­
mint) or spirits-brandy, rum, or bourbon
work wel l . And try different sugars and

Caramel Squ i gg l e s
Yield varies with size, Have a large pan o f water and Stir the caramel to cool is solid. If the squiggles are
We've adapted this idea from a dessertspoon ready. it slightly and then use the stil l syrupy and you can't peel
Gale Gand, the pastry chef at In a medium saucepan, spoon to drizzle the caramel them from the foil, cook the
Tru in Chicago. bring the sugar and water to on the foil, about 1 table­ caramel to a slightly darker
a boil over med ium-high heat, spoon at a time, making shade of amber and try again.
2 cups g ra n u lated sugar stirring just u ntil the sugar is zigzags, swirls, spirals, and You can make these up
Y2 cup water d issolved but no more. When other shapes. If the caramel to a day ahead, b u t keep t he
the sugar darkens to a medium gets too thick, reheat it gently. squiggles at room tempera­
Line a baking sheet with foi l ,
amber, stop the cooking by After you've made a half ture on the oiled foil, covered
smooth it out, an d g rease i t
carefully setting the bottom of dozen shapes or so, let them with another piece of oiled
lightly with vegetable oil.
the pan in the water. cool and test that the caramel foil until ready to use,

20 FI E COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

 CHOCOLAT E
WHIPPED
CREAM:
Melt 2 ounces
good-quality semi­
sweet chocolate.
Whip % cup heavy
or whipping cream
with % teaspoon
pure vanilla extract Tips for perfectly
and a small pinch
whipped cream
of salt u ntil it forms
very soft peaks. By .. Don't use ultrapasteurized
hand, whisk in the
cream, if possible. It overwhips
melted chocolate
until blended and easily, doesn't get as thick or
the cream forms hold up as well, and has a
soft peaks that slightly cooked taste.
hold a shape. .. When close to soft peaks, stop
the mixer and finish whisking by
hand to avoid overwhipping .
.. If the cream gets too stiff or
curdled, fold i n a little un­
whipped cream to soften it.
F R U IT CREAM:

syrups, such as honey, maple syrup, or molas­

Whip % cup heavy Note: Three-quarters cup whipping
or whipping cream or heavy cream will yield about
ses, or a combination, as in the Brown-Sugar to soft peaks. Fold
Brandy Cream at left. You can also fold in in% cup l ightly
2 cups whipped cream -enough
to garnish 10 to 12 desserts.
ingred ients l ike m e lted chocolate , fruit sweetened pureed
purees, or finely crushed toffee. and strained fresh
Sprinkle it: Next, jazz up the look with a
(
or frozen fruit ber­
ries and mangos
dusting of crushed instant coffee granules,
work well ; start
chocolate shavings, a fine julienne of
blanched citrus zest, chopped nuts, or even
with about 1 cup .)
Whisk a bit until
crushed peppermint candies. the cream holds
Dress it up: For a bigger "statement," gar­ a shape.
nish the cream with sprigs of mint or tiny
edible flowers and small berries or cham­
pagne grapes . And for a dazzling flourish
that's fun to eat, make a caramel squiggle
(recipe at left) to tuck into the cream.+
WINTE R 2003 21
 (f)
4-J A Baker'S Pantry
C
- Q)
BY J OAN N E C H A N G

- n baking, it's often t h e simplest ingredients that

-0
Q)
I deliver greatness. Butter, vanilla, and brown sugar
are perfect examples . Yet it's easy to take these
pantry standards for granted, to overlook the ins and
L outs of when to use them, how to use them , and in

(J) which form . You'll find the answers here , along with

C
lots of handy tips and techniques and a s ure-to­
please caramel sauce recipe that combines all three.

Light vs. dark: Is there

Br9a�!'}' ,§ ���,��::
B differe n c e ? Dark

brown and light brown

sugars are virtually inter­
and pastries stay moist. And it gives a changeable in recipes,
warm spiciness and a hint of caramel but dark contains more
essence that its white counte rpart molasses, so it will give
can't offer. The secret behind this in­ deeper, spicier flavor.
gredient: molasses.
Originally made from semi-refined
sugar that still had some of the natural
molasses left in it, brown sugar is now
typically made by spraying white sugar Storage tip: In a pinch,
with molasses. Store brown sugar
Brown sugar, however, isn't neces­ tightly wrapped in a make your own
sarily a practical substitute for white cool, dark place . If
sugar-particularly when creaming you find that your If you're in the middle of a recipe
sugar with butter. White sugar crystals sugar has dried out and d iscover you're out of brown
are relatively large and sharp, making and hardened, sugar, you can easily make an
them great at cutting through butter sprinkle it with a acceptable substitute.
to create air pockets that make your few drops of water
baked goods light and tender. Brown and microwave it on 1
To make cup brown sugar:
sugar crystals are smaller, softer, and, low for 1 5 to 20 sec­ In a food processor, combine
hence, less effective at creaming. onds. Heating the 1 cup white granulated sugar with
.:. Remember to press brown sugar sugar gently like this 3 to 4 tablespoons molasses.
into the cup when measuring. Simply will soon bring it Pulse to blend. For a darker brown
scooping it up will give you a lot of air back to its original sugar, simply add more molasses.
along with the sugar, and an inconsis­ soft state . If you
tent measure . don't have a micro­
•.
: Sometimes bits of brown sugar wave, tuck a slice of
harden into small nibs. Unless you're sandwich bread in
dissolving the sugar by mixing it into with the sugar to
a Liquid or melting it, press it through a soften it overnight.
sieve to get rid of the hard nibs so they
don't create pockets of crunchy sugar
bits-tasty, but usually not ideal.

22 FI E COOKI N G Photos: Scott Phillips

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READER SERVICE NO. 1 1 1

tine
maKING

READER SERVICE NO. 9

WI T E R 2 0 0 3 23
 (f)
4-1
C
Q)
.-
"D
Q)
L
CJ)
C Butter is the cornerstone of
all baking, with its irreplaceable
flavor and powerful tenderizing
properties.
When flour and liquid mix,
flour develops gluten, which is
what makes bread desirably
chewy but can make pastries, Different temperatures for different uses
quick breads, and cakes tough. COLD butter is typically
Butter tenderizes by coating
used in pie dough and
the flour, inhibiting gluten
puff pastry recipes.
deve lopment, so that your SOFTEN
E D butter is typically called for in
Rather than being thor­
baked goods are delicate and recipes for cakes, cookies, and certai n pastries
melt in your mouth.
oughly incorporated into
�
that � OR 1b8 power of creamed
a dough, the butter is left
in fairly distinct pieces.
�.Softened
butter is best for
Which type of butter � .. it'a 8IiII sOmewhat cool, not
I
should use? Then, as the dough is
nec.II.� � Iempei'ature
- (that's often
In baking, unsalted butter (also rolled out, the butter is
too tDtt . wann days). 1t should be pliable but
called sweet butter) is prefer­ flattened into thin sheets.
not \90 _ . is the temperature at which
able to salted for several rea­ In the oven, these sheets
� � cut into the butter moat eftec­
sons . Salted butte r contains of butter melt, and the
t:iyaty. craeting the maximu
m amount of air
varying a mounts of salt de­ water within the butter
J)OCkeIa to lighten your batter. Too cold and
Storage tip: pending on the brand, so evaporates; the steam
finn and the sugar woo't cut into the butter
To keep butter as recipes call for unsalted butter that results makes the
eaeIIy 8I"Iough; too warm and the sugar will
fresh as possible, and a measured amount of salt
to ensure consistency.
dough rise, creates
pockets of air, and pro­
8irripIy diaaolve into the butter.
store it tightly It you have an instant-read thennometer,
wrapped away Another reason to avoid duces flaky sheets of
you can check for the ideal temperature:
from light on a salted butter is that it isn't al­ pastry that shatter when
ways fresh. (The preservative
16- to 6�F, a little cooler than room temp­
back shelf in your you bite into them.
erature. Or you can press your finger into the
refrigerator (not nature of salt means that salted
butter can be kept longer on butter to test it. It's perfect when your finger
in the butter
compartment on market shelves; salt also masks
MELTED butter is makes an indentatior\
but can't go all the way
off flavors. )
called for in some through the butter. Also, if you can bend your
the fridge door; baking recipes when
Some grocery stores now stick o f butter without i t snapping or mashing
the temperature
the flavor of butter is (see the photo beIow}-it wiU feel almost
fluctuates too carry h igher-fat, E uropean­
desired but not the plastic-it's at the right temperature.
much there ) . You style butters. In these butters,
more fat means less water, light, fluffy character­
can freeze butter,
which in turn means flakier, istics associated
too. It may seem
more tender, and more flavor­ with a creamed batter. Melted
watery it thaws,
ful pastries. These butters are butter should be at room tempera­
but you'll find little
difference in the a wonderful splurge, but don't ture (not hot, unless specified) so
final baked product. feel like you must buy them to that it blends easily into your batter.
be a good baker. As long as you Sometimes a recipe will have
use fresh, unsalted butter, your you melt the butter until the milk
recipes will come out well, no solids turn brown-making what's
matter the brand. called brown butter-for an added
layer of nutty flavor.

24 FINE COOKING
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READER SERVICE NO. 5
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READER SERVICE NO. 4 1 READER SERVICE NO. 1 5 1 READER SERVICE NO. 1 47

ADD SOME FLAVOR TO YOUR HOLIDAYS!

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READER SERVICE NO. 2 5

WINT E R 2 0 0 3 25
 (f)
+J Brown sugar,
C butter, and
Q) vanilla . . .
1) . . . make a remarkable, full­

Q)
flavored sauce that's

L
())
C

Vanilla brings a mellow

essence to baked goods and
does a fantastic job of en­
hancing other flavors, such
act
as fruit and chocolate . Of Vanilla extract, a less
course, vanilla on its own is a costly alternative to
vanilla beans, is an easy Yields 2% cups.
spectacular flavor as well.

imp
way to add vanilla flavor Use this sauce for a �den
to baked goods, as it crowning touch to a s le
scoop of vanilla ice cream, or
mixes easily into batters.
The bean But the strength of
drizzle it over a slice of moist
pound cake or wedges of
The most potent, albeit the most the extract will dissipate fresh pineapple.
Storage tip: expensive, way to add vanilla flavor with prolonged heat, so if
you're adding extract to
2 cups packed brown sugar
Vanilla beans will is with the bean. Inside the pod (light or dark)
dry out and become you'll find thousands of tiny black something cooked on the % cup water
brittle if left out specks bursting with vanilla flavor. stovetop, such as a cus­ 1 % cups heavy cream
tard or a poaching liquid, 4 ounces (% cup) unsa lted
in the air, so wrap If you're making a custard or other­
butter, cut into 4 chunks
them in foil, seal wise infusing a liquid with vanilla, add it after the custard or
Seeds scraped from
them in a zip-top throw both the seeds and the pod l iquid is off the stove and 1 vanilla bea n
bag, and store them in the pot. If you're adding vanilla starting to cool. Because % teaspoon table sa lt
in a cool, dark area. seeds to a batter and you want to vanilla extract is sensitive
I n a medium, heavy-based
They'll last this way be sure they're distributed evenly, to heat and light, keep
saucepan , combine the brown
for at least take a small bit of the batter, the bottle in a cool, dark sugar and water. Stir to d issolve
several months. smush the seeds into it until place; it should last for the sugar. Cook over high heat,
they're thoroughly mixed in, and several months. swirling the pan continuously,
u ntil the caramel reaches 280°F
then fold this concentrated vanilla
on a candy thermometer.
portion into the rest of the batter. Immediately remove the pan
from the heat and slowly and

The p aste To remove the seeds carefully pour in the cream (the
caramel may sputter). Boil over
Vanilla paste combines the best of high heat for 2 minutes, stirring
both bean and extract. It has the occasionally, to blend. Remove
consistency of a thick syrup and from the heat and slowly whisk in
the butter, vanilla seeds, and salt.
holds hundreds of vanilla seeds in
Cool slightly before using.
suspension. It's like vanilla extract in The sauce can be stored i n an
its strength and how it is used but airtight container i n the refrigera­
has the added visual benefit of the tor for up to two weeks or in the
black seeds associated with a Hold the bean down on either end. With freezer indefinitely.
vanilla bean. Like extract, if vanilla the tip of a paring knife, poke a hole in
paste is stored in a dark, cool place, the top and slide it down the bean,
Pastry chefJoanne Chang owns
it should last for several months. splitting it in half lengthwise. Open it
Flour, a bakery and cafe in
with the knife tip and scrape down,
Boston .•
collecting the seeds on the blade.

26 F I N E COOKING
 Cuisinart
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product line is available

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READER SERVICE NO. 1 1 5 READER SERVICE NO. 45

CHEF PAUL PRUDHOMME'S

®
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READER SERVICE NO. 1 48

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READER SERVICE NO. 27

THE 35000 SERIES M I C R O PLAN E®

GRATER AND SLIDER ATTACHMENT

The new 35037

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helps protect fingers
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to the last bit.
Fits all 35000 series graters.

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For more information on the full line of Mlcroplane®
M" • 'c C , Graters call 1-800-555-2767 or viSit www / .mlcroplane.com
Available at Sur La Table and other specialty retail stores

READER SERVICE NO. 32

WINTER 2003 27
C.
:::I Haunt flea
+-' markets
0) and consignment shops for

C
vintage tins, canisters, and
ceramic planters; line them
.- Now that you've first with colored tissue or

C.
unbleached parchment, if
made those delicious you like (A caveat: when

C. and beautiful tarts, scavenging this way, you may

find yourself tempted to hang

ca cakes, pies, cookies,

and candies, here are
onto the best finds instead
of giving them away.) Anne
..
�
Disrude, a food stylist,
some clever ways to advises finding an interesting
container first and then
wrap them up for
cutting cookies to fit into it.
holiday gift-giving

Use a pretty
dishtowel
or napkin, secured with
ribbon, to wrap cookies.
(The Japanese often wrap
BY A M Y A L B E RT gifts in fabric.) Set a small
bowl or disposable foil dish
in the center of the cloth
to hold the

A latte bowl,
an oversized coffee cup, or
even an antique mixing bowl
makes a nifty gift; all are
appealing ways to present
baked treats like biscotti or
butter cookies-which, after
all, are made to savor with
a cup of coffee. Heap the
cookies in the container
and then use cellophane
and ribbon to wrap them,
beggar's purse style.
 Save berry
baskets
from summer trips to
farmstands and farmers'
markets; jazzed up with
tissue or cellophane,
a humble basket or
green cardboard box
takes on new life when
it becomes a gift box
for truffles or fudge.

A clever packing vessel

may be hiding in the kitchenware department. A bamboo
steamer ($10 $1 5
to at Asian grocers, restaurant-supply
stores, or www.wokshop.com) makes a safe carrier and
a clever gift box for a tart-or even two, if the steamer has
two tiers. Canning jars, glass refrigerator containers, and
even Pyrex measuring cups are handy carriers-plus,
you'll be giving something useful to hang onto.

Amy Albert is Fine Cookings senior editor .•

Photos: Scott Phillips WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 29
 CI)
u
c What vvent vvron g ?
CI)
.-
Every year around this time, I get many calls from home
bakers struggling to figure out what went wrong with

u their cakes, pie crusts, cookies, or chocolate desserts .

(I)
BY S H I R L E Y O . C O R R I H E R
The answer isn't always obvious since one symptom

1)
can have several possible causes . Here are six common
baking problems, along with their most likely remedies.

o
o
4-
Why is my pie crust so tough?
If your pie crust is tough like the proteins, preventing them content of cakes and cookies
cardboard and shrinks drasti­ from forming gluten. The goal contributes to their tenderness.
cally during baking, it means is to coat a lot of the flour with Finally, an acidic ingredient
that too much gluten formed the fat for tenderness but leave such as vinegar can cut tough
during mixing and rolling. some of the flour uncoated, al­ gluten strands and tenderize
When you stir water into lowing enough gluten to form crusts, which is why some old­
flour, proteins in the flour grab to hold the crust together. You fashioned pie crust recipes call
water and one another and form might also try using more fat for a small amount of vinegar.
strong, elastic, bubble-gum-like and letting it come to room tem­
sheets of gluten. G luten is es­ perature so that it's softer and
A cake can sink in the cen­
ter if it isn't cooked enough
sential in baked goods-it's a big
part of what holds them to­
coats the proteins better. When
you add water to the butter-flour
Why did my
or if it's overleavened. If
gether. Sometimes you need a mixture , be gentle with the chocolate clump
the center of the cake is lot of gluten (for example, when dough to minimize the forma­
wet, it wasn't done; if the
making bread ) , but for a pie tion of gluten.
into a grainy
cake is cooked through,
crust, you want just a little, only Another way to get more ten­ mass?
overleavening is the likely
enough to bind the crust. der crusts is by adding sugar. You know how dipping a wet
culprit. Leaveners like
For a more tender pie crust, Flour proteins combine with the teaspoon into a sugar bowl
baking soda and baking
try working the fat (butter, lard, sugar instead of the water and causes the sugar grains to stick
powder enlarge air bubbles
or shortening) into the flour other prote ins, and very little together in a little clump? This
that already exist in the
more thoroughly. This greases gluten forms . The high s ugar happens because a tiny amount
batter. In a hot oven, the
bubbles expand more,
lifting and lightening the
cake. But if there's too
much leavener, the bubbles
A big key to making flaky crusts is to and they must be flat so they don't melt
get too big, run into one
have large, flat pieces of cold, firm but­ a hole right through the crust.
another, float to the top of
ter, shortening, or lard in the rolled-out Pastry chefs can work cold fat into
the batter, and burst. As a
dough. When the dough goes into a hot dry flour with their fingertips, but Jim
result, the cake sinks and
oven, these pieces of fat remain solid Dodge, an author and baker, suggests
it's dense and heavy.
just long enough for the dough above rolling the flour and fat together dry
For most recipes, 1 to
and below them to begin to set. Eventu­ on the counter until the mixture re­
Y4
1 teaspoons of baking
ally, the fat melts and steam comes out sembles flaking paint. This helps en­
powder per cup of flour or
of the dough, puffing it into flaky layers. sure lots of flat pieces. Always start
% teaspoon of baking soda
The more of these large pieces of fat with large, cold chunks of fat.
per cup of flour is ideal.
you can get into your dough, the flakier Butter can make very flaky crusts,
your pastry will be. The fat pieces must but shortening and lard are even better
be large (the size of a big lima bean) so because they'll hold their shape over a
they don't melt instantly in the oven, wider temperature range .

30 FINE COOKING
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When you dissolve sugar in water and boil it to make caramel, Pastry & Baking Mats
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of liquid causes dry particles to

Why did my
"glue" together. custard curdle?
C hocolate is composed of
fine , dry particles ( cocoa and Of the two types of stirred cus­
sugar) in rich fat (cocoa butter). tards-pastry creams and creme
If a few drops of water (or even a anglaise-pastry cream is less
bit of steam) get stirred into susceptible to curdling because
melted chocolate, the dry cocoa it contains starch ( usually flour
and sugar particles will clump to­ or cornstarch ) , which prevents
gether and form a dull, dry, grainy coagulation of egg proteins. O LD WORLD BREAD BAKING TRULY HAPPENS
mass. This is called seizing. C reme angla ise, on the other IN AN AUTHENTIC WOOD-FIRED OVEN
You can fix seized chocolate hand, will curdle if it gets above
by whisking in more water, 180°F, which is the temperature
which will provide enough liquid at which egg proteins coagulate.
to wet all the seized particles and Cooking the custard over a hot
smooth the chocolate. water bath, stirring constantly,
To prevent seized chocolate, and careful monitoring should
you need to melt the chocolate be sufficient to keep the temper­
with a sufficient amount of liquid ature even and moderate .
from the recipe. The magic For baked custards, such as
amount necessary is one table­ puddings, creme brG.lee, or even
spoon water ( or a water-type cheesecake s , you can prevent
liquid) for every two ounces curdling by baking the custards
chocolate. The liquid can be pure in a water bath with a towel laid
water or milk, or you can use in the bottom of the pan ( in
cream or butter, but you'll need the water) to protect against
to calculate the amount of water too much heat. The water bath
they contribute (cream is 60 per­ keeps the custards at an even, •Wood-fired bake ovens

cent water, butter is 20 percent moderate temperature (the

•• La Cucina
Indoor / outdoor kits
cooking school
water). Specialty chocolates with water temperature can't go
high percentages of cocoa may above 2 12°F), far below the am­

�
need a bit more liquid. bient heat of the oven.

�
NAINI.
If you're not adding any
liquid to the melted chocolate, Shirley O. Corriher, a contributing
just be careful not to let water editor to Fine Cooking, is the au­
or steam get in the bowl, and thor of CookWise. She 's working 888 887-7206 • www.mugnaini.com
be sure to use dry utensils. on her next book, BakeWise .• READER SERVICE NO. 1 43

WI N T E R 2 00 3 31
 C O M P I L E D BY TO N Y R O S E N F E L D

.- Carry fou r pies at a time

.... As a kid, I always had the nerve-wracking task

10
of balancing two or three pies in my lap on
drives to holiday get-togethers, so I for one
welcome the Chef's Tote from Lamarle . The

�
pie-carrying case has two double-shelved con­
tainers that are held together by a detachable
handle. Each case can accommodate two pies

(J)
or one large cake. The containers neatly fit on
top of each other, and the lids seal tightly so
you won't lose a pie on a sharp turn. $ 1 9. 99 at
Frye (866-5 73-3793; 1"'""V):vIryeintl. com).

N onstick baking- with a twist

The flexibility of these silicone molds is a little alarming at first, but
Llorente's baking pans performed wonderfully in my tests. Their loaf
and cake pans are completely nonstick and ovensafe at temperatures
up to 500°F. The 9-inch loaf pan gave my blueberry
breads rich, nicely browned exteriors and
moist, evenly baked interiors. Starting at
$ 1 2 . 99 at The Gadget Source (800-458-
261 6; www
. thegadgetsource.com).

A book for
all bread s
The Bread Baker's Apprentice,
the latest book from baking
instructor and Fine Cooking
contributor Peter Reinhart, dis­
tills high-level bread baking into
approachable techniques and
well-worded recipes. The book's
first fifty pages serve as a bread
tutorial, answering questions
like what type of yeast to use
( Reinhart prefers instant) and
outlining the twelve stages of
N o-work flour-sifting
bread baking. The recipes range
Fine Cooking contributing editor Abigail Johnson from sesame bagels to potato
Dodge swears by Norpro's battery-operated flour rosemary bread. In our kitchen,
sifter to ease the inevitable hand-ache from sifting Pizza Napoletana was a beauti­
flour around the baking-crazy holiday time. The ful thin-crusted pie, while the
sifter has a 4-cup capacity and comes with a lid to pain a / 'ancienne baguettes
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(Continued)

32 FINE COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

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READER SERVICE NO. 63 READER SERVICE NO. 1 00

WI TER 2 003 33
 U nd erstand
the flavors of
baking
In Baking by Flavor, Lisa
Yockelson examines baking
in improvisational. flavor­
pairing terms more familiar
to the kitchen's savory side.
Charts outline how to pair a
primary ingredient, such as blueberry, with compatible
ingredients like allspice, nutmeg, or cinnamon. The recipe
chapters are organized by flavor, such as rum, ginger, or
banana, and offer additional pairing hints for adding more
zip to each recipe. In our tests, the Spiced Banana
Breakfast Loaf was homely but tasty. Jumbo Coco­
nut Cupcakes impressed with a moist, fluffy
texture, strengthened by a tinge of spice.
$27 at Jessica 's Biscuit (800-878-4264; Get the tang of buttermilk,
www
. ecookbooks.com). without the d airy carton
Whisk up
When the urge to make waffles, pancakes, or even
a d ough
quick breads or coffee cakes strikes, we often don't
I'm used to having my wooden have that essential ingredient-buttermilk-on
spoon cake up into a sticky, hand. Saco's powdered buttermilk solves that prob­
gooey mess when making bread and lem. Mix it into your dlY ingredients (and add water
pizza doughs. The arrival of the Danish to your liquids) and it provides the tenderness and
dough whisk in my kitchen has reassigned tang of its fresh counterpart. Even better is that the
the wooden spoon to other mixing duties. powder keeps indefinitely in the cupboard. We've
The dough whisk's stiff, circular wires are found it does well in nearly all recipes that call for
crafted to slide to both a bowl's edge and its buttermilk, but it does tend to clump up, so it helps
center, helping to evenly incorporate wet to sift it before using. About $3. 99 at supermarkets.
ingredients into dry ones. Its long handle pro­
vides leverage, while its sturdy wires let you knead
the stiffest doughs. $1 1 . 95 at Cook 's Market
Fruity essence
(888-241 -361 4; www
.cooksmarket.com).
flavors d esserts
The literal translation of Fiori
di Sicilia-"flowers of Sici ly"­
No-mess kneading only h ints at this oil's bright,
full flavor. Fine Cooking con­
The Roll'Pat, a counter pastry mat, applies the nonstick
tributing editor Molly Stevens
principles of the baking Silpat to the kneading
and working of doughs. I like the RolI'Pat be­
rives using this powerful con­
coction, a mix of citrus oils and
cause it's neater than working directly on
vanillin, to lend a touch of
the counter. The kneading mat clings to
complexity and flavor to quick
the countertop, so it doesn't slip while
breads or panettone, the tradi­
you work. Also, because of its nonstick
tional ltalian holiday fruit cake.
surface you don't need to use much flour
when rolling out dough. The largest Roll 'Pat Add % teaspoon to custards.
,..f. 3 0 7fs x 23 inches) is $46. 99 at Pastry Che icings, or pound cake batter.

Central /888-750-2433; www

. pas'trychef com). A 1 -ounce bottle is $4.95 from
The Baker's Catalogue (800-
827-6836; www. kingarthur
f1our.com).
 WI N N I N G TI P
.-

....... Making thumbprint cookies

(f) Use a thimble of any size to make the
indentations in cookies to be filled
L
Q) with jam or jelly. The thimble makes

1J
perfectly even indentations every time.

co
-Anna Victoria Reich,
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Q)
L

M ake quick cookies from with a damp sponge, try sweep­ and then use the same cup to
leftover pie dough ing up the dry flour with a small measure the syrup. The oil­
S ince so many recipes for pie whisk broom, especially one with coated cup keeps the syrupy in­
and tart crusts make enough for soft bristles. gredient from sticking so it all
two crusts when you only need -Paisley Close, ends up in the batter. If the
one, I often end up with spare San Diego, California recipe doesn't call for o i l , I
disks of dough. While the dough just li ghtly wipe the inside of
will keep for several months in Roll out pastry dough the cup with vegetable oil before
the freezer, I hate to let it go to with confectioners' sugar measuring.
waste . Instead, I turn the dough When I roll out pastry dough for -Kate Brick,
into small, crisp, not-too-sweet a dessert, instead of using flour Boston, Massachusetts
cookies to serve with coffe e . I to dust the rolling surface , I use
roll the defrosted dough Y4 inch confectioners' sugar. It keeps the Flour your b a king
thick, cut it into I -inch rounds pastry dough from sticking, and eqUipment with a puff
or other shapes, brush with egg it won't dry out the dough or I keep a new cosmetic powder
wash, and dust with sugar or a toughen the baked pastry l ike puff in my flour canister to dust
mix of sugar and spices ( such as flour can if you work too much my pastry boards and rolling pin
cinnamon, nutmeg, or carda­ of it into your dough. The con­ lightly and evenly with flour be­
mom ) , or even ground nuts, and fectioners' sugar will cause more fore beginning my pastry work.
then bake at 350°F until lightly browning during baking-a -Pat Swart,
golden around the edges. benefit for pie and tart crusts. Bridgeton, New Jersey
-Molly Stevens, -Gale Gand,
Williston, Vennont Riverwoods, Illinois A medicine dropper
measures out extracts
Q uick baking clea n u p Measure sticky ingredients I like using flavored extracts in
A friend once showed me the easily my baking but find it wasteful
best way to clean up the flour When I need to measure sticky and irritating when the extract
that's left on the counter after syrups like maple syrup, honey, runs down the sides of the bottle
dusting or kneading dough. molasses, or corn syrup, I meas­ when I ' m trying to measure it
Instead of making a gooey mess ure out the oil in the recipe first out. Now I use a child's medicine

36 F I N E C O O K I NG Illustrations: Mona Mark

dropper to measure extracts . Keeping plastic wrap off
The droppers are marked on the the dessert surface
sides with incremental measures Tiramisu usually calls for a gen­
of a teaspoon so it's easy to get erous dusting of cocoa powder
precisely the amount called for or chopped chocolate on top.
in the recipe. Many pharmacies But since tiramisu must be cov­
will give you a medicine dropper ered and refrigerated before
if you request one . serving, I used to have trouble
-Whitman Kramer, keeping the plastic wrap from
via e-mail sticking to its surface . My solu­
tion is the little plastic three­
Keeping a pastry cloth fresh pronged disks that you often
A well-floured pastry cloth works find in the center of take-out
wonders when rolling out dough, pizzas. I just set the disk lightly
but it can get stale fairly quickly. I on top of my tiramisu and drape
prevent this by keeping mine in the plastic wrap over it. The disk Bain m a rie made easy
the freezer in a plastic bag. The can, of course , be washed and The hardest part of making
cloth gets better with use. Just reused. creme bnllee is not making the
scrape it clean with a dough -Christine Cheung, actual custard but getting the
scraper after use, fold it up, and Cincinnati, Ohio ramekins and their water bath
freeze . A bonus is the cold sur­ in and out of the oven without
face for rolling out your dough. A spatu la q u ickly cleans burning yourself or sloshing HOW TO
-Ann Putnam, mixing bowls water all over. I find it easiest to ENTER & WIN
via e-mail Whenever I make a yeast dough place the ramekins in a dry pan, Attention cooks :
in my stand mixer, the mixing put the pan into the hot oven, We want yo u r
bowl is always encrusted with and then add the water to the
best tips-we'll
the sticky residue ofthe dough. I bain marie using a curved, long­
pay for the ones
used to scrub the bowl in water necked watering can. When
we p u b l i s h ­
with a brush or sponge and then it's time for the custards to
a n d we ' l l g ive
spend more time cleaning the come out of the oven, I use a
a prize (see
cleaning utensils, but I ' m wiser turkey baster to carefully remove
now. I just soak the bowl in cold some of the hot water from be low) to the

water and dishwashing liquid for the bain marie before taking it cl everest t i p

a half hour, and then I scrape a out of the oven. i n e a c h issue.

rubber spatula around the inside -Wendy Soltau, Write to Tips,
of the bowl to remove the dough Naperville, Illinois Fine Cooking,
before quickly washing. PO Box 5506,
-Anne Yodice, Cookie crust shortcut Newtown, CT
Wantage, New Jersey When I make cheesecake or any
06470-5506 or
T horoughly greasing other cake that calls for a
send e-mail to
a bundt pan Perfectly whipped crushed-cookie crust, I don't
fc@taunto n .com .
After several attempts to grease egg wh ites m e lt the butter as is usually
an e laborate bundt pan with a For the best volume when whip­ called for in the recipe. Instead, I
paper towel, I still wasn't able to ping egg whites, wipe down your use my food processor to grind
get the grease into every cranny mixing bowl and beaters with the cookies into coarse crumbs,
of the pan. Then I tried greasing white vinegar to ensure that then I add cold butter and pulse
the pan with a new makeup they're free of any l ingering the machine a few times to in­
sponge, and it worked great. The traces of oil or grease that could corporate it into the crumbs. I
sharp angles of the soft , trian­ prevent the egg whites from think this results in a more even on this 6'/2-inch Japanese-
gular sponge smooth the short­ whipping up properly. The acid d istribution of butter. Then, style knife by Wilsthof prevents
ening into every corner of the in the vinegar also negates the when I press the crumbs into the vegetables from sticking to the
pan. I bought these sponges in need for cream of tartar, so if cake pan, the heat of my hands blade by allowing air pockets to
the cosmetics area of the drug­ your recipe calls for it, you can melts the butter and makes the form, making it the ideal tool for
store . leave it out. crust pliable and easy to handle. cutting, dicing, or thinly slicing
-Nanci Oliviero, -Cassia Schell, -Jack Kane, any vegetable, especially pota­
Toronto, Ontario via e-mail Houston, Texas . toes. Value: $1 05.

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 37
 've finally given up on introducing some new Keys to a well-behaved pie crust
dessert sensation to the Thanksgiving table . It
doesn't seem to matter if my sweet offering is B utter Pie Dough MIX ON LOW SPEED UNTIL THE

unbelievably fantastic; any attempt to shake Yields 24 ounces, enough for one TEXTURE IS FLOURY WITH FLECKS

things up meets with resistance. The fact is that Apple Pie Covered with Leaves, OF BUTTER. The largest butter
or one each of the Pecan Rum pieces should be no bigger than
apple , pumpkin, and pecan pies are mandatory
Tart and the Pumpkin Pie with
at this time of year. So instead of fighting tradi­ peas, and the mixture will look un­
a Leafy Rim. To make enough
tion, I now embrace it, and I must admit that I 've even. Be sure to start with butter
dough for all three desserts,
double the recipe. that's refrigerator-cold to get a
come to enjoy the annual challenge of making the
tender, flaky crust. After you cut
ordinary extraordinary. 1 1 % ounces (2Y2 cups) the butter into the flour, pick up a
I expect my guests to declare this year's pies u n bleached all-purpose flour
% cup granu lated sugar
pinch of flour and butter and mold
better than ever, and I bet yours will, too. If you're it into a square. If your fingers feel
Y2 teaspoon ta ble salt
the one supplying dessert for the holiday table, I 8 ounces (1cup) cold u nsalted greasy, the butter is too warm, so
heartily encourage you to try these recipes. They butter, cut into %-inch cubes
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water
chill the mixture for 15minutes.
all use the same pie dough recipe-a double batch
of dough makes enough crust for all three pies . If In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted
with the paddle attachment, com­
you're not confident about handling pie dough, KEEP THE WORK SURFACE AND
bine the flour, sugar, and salt. M ix
you'll find the tips at right should help guide you. for a few seconds to blend. Add T H E DOUGH LIG H T LY FLOURED

Yes, these pies may look ambitious for an amateur the cold butter and cut it in on WHEN ROLLING. No need to go

baker, but if you follow my detailed directions and low speed until the pieces are no crazy, but a light dusting every
bigger than peas. The texture will now and then keeps the dough
photos, I'm sure you'll have success.
be floury with flecks of butter; it
For apple and pumpkin pies, I don't fiddle with
from sticking. Another trick is to
won't be homogenous. Add
flavor. I 've made enough of these classic pies to 5 tablespoons of the water and give the dough a quarter turn
mix for a few seconds on low, just and a lift as you roll. If it's starting
have fine-tuned the recipes. But I do work on
long enough to let the dough pull to stick to the board, you'll know
their appearance. This year, my theme is autumn together; if needed, add another early enough to do something
leaves. I ' m giving the apple pie a gorgeous top 1 tablespoon water. Cut the about it. I keep a pastry brush
crust composed of forty or so leafy pastry cutouts. dough in half, pat each into a ball,
handy as I roll the dough to brush
and flatten each into a thick disk.
Pumpkin pie, which is usually so homely looking, off any excess flour.
Roll out the dough right away, as
gets a leafy rim instead of a regular fluted one; instructed in the specific recipe.
eight s ugar-sprinkled leaves set in a starburst
on top give the pie a professional look. For both
pies, the technique is simple (you can cut out the
how to make
Tip :

leaves either with a knife, following the illustra­

the crust ahead CH I LL THE DOUGH ONLY AFTER IT

HAS BEEN ROLLED OUT AND SET

tions on pp. 42-43, or with your own leaf-shaped Make the dough, roll it out right IN THE PIE PAN. Many pie crust
cookie cutter ) , and the results are both lovely away, and lay it in a freezerproof recipes call for chilling the dough
pie or tart pan. Seal the pan in a before rolling it. I think this leads to
and delicious.
plastic bag and freeze. Make the a tougher crust and causes the
For pecan pie, I've given the traditional recipe a
leaf cutouts as directed on p. 42 dough to crack during rolling.
bit of an overhaul. I 've never been a fan of those
and freeze them on a baking sheet. You'll find that my pie crust rolls
cloyingly sweet and gooey pecan pie fillings, but I When they're hard, put them in a out beautifully right after it's mixed.
realized that I do love that crisp nutty topping. freezer container. The crust and Ido chill the dough once it's in the
That led to a revelation. If I transformed the pie leaves will hold for up to a month in pie pan to let the gluten in the flour
into a shallow tart, I'd get a thinner layer of chewy, the freezer. To thaw the apple pie relax and to firm up the butter.
brown-sugar-covered pecans-in essence, more shell and leaves, let them sit at
nutty crispness and less sweetness. A hint of rum room temperature (leaves in a
in the filling livens up the flavor. Trust me, anyone single layer) until they're pliable.
For the pumpkin pie and pecan
who has steered clear of pecan pie for the reasons
tart, blind bake the shells (with foil
I 've just described will love this variation.
and weights) without thawing first;
baking times will be longer, so fol­
low the recipes' doneness cues.

40 FINE COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

Pecan R u m Ta rt
Yields one 91i2-inch tart;
serves eight.
My favorite brand of rum for
the pecan filling is Meyer's
Dark Jamaican.
By turning tradi­
pumpkin pie, if you like.) Chill the
1 disk (% recipe) Butter Pie crust in the refrigerator or freezer
tional pecan pie
Dough (see the recipe at left) in to a shallow
for at least 30 minutes.
2 large eggs pecan rum tart,
% cu p packed brown sugar
Position a rack in the middle
% cup d a rk corn syrup of the oven and heat the oven the nuts stay crisp

2 tablespoons d a rk rum to 350°F. and toasty on top

2 tablespoons u nsalted butter, Cover the tart dough with foil, and the brown
melted making sure to gently fold the sugar-rum filling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract foil completely over the top is sweet without
Pinch table salt edge of the tart. Cover the
being cloying.
6 ou nces (1 % cups) pecans, bottom with a generous amount
coarsely chopped of pie weights (I use penn ies,
but raw rice or dried beans are
On a lightly floured surface, roll fine). Bake until the crust no
the dough disk into an 1 1 -inch
round that's Va inch th ick (trim an
longer looks wet and is pale and
golden in spots and on the
edge to check thickness). Fold
edges, about 30 minutes. Re­
the dough i n half and ease it into
move the weights and foi l , lig htly
a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a remov­
prick the crust in several places
able base, unfold it without
with a fork (but don't pierce
stretching it, and press the
through it) , and bake uncovered
dough firmly into the sides of the
until the crust is golden, about
pan. Trim to the top of the pan by
another 1 5 minutes.
running the rolling pin over the
I n a medium bowl, mix the
top edge of the tart pan. (Save
eggs and brown sugar. Add the
the scraps to make leaves for the
corn syrup and beat well. Add
the rum, melted butter, vanilla,
and salt and beat well. Stir in
the chopped pecans and scrape
into the blind-baked tart shell.
Arrange the pecans evenly.
Bake until the filling begins to
rise and is firm to the touch in
the center, 23 to 27 minutes.
Let cool before serving.

WI N TE R 2 0 0 3 41
Making a perfect pile of pastry leaves

Cut out a s many leaves

as you can with a
paring knife. Use
the appropriate leaf
illustration (shown i n
t he recipes below) a s
a guide or cut o ut the
leaves by eye. You can FOR THE PUM PKIN PIE, press
also use a leaf-shaped the leaves on the rim of the
cookie cutter (see side of the knife. Use gentle but empty pie shell, overlapping
Where to Buy It, p. 86). steady pressure to indent each each one slightly and using a
leaf, pressing just less than little water on the bottom of the
halfway through the dough. leaves to stick them together.
Let the widest part of each leaf
protrude slightly from the edge
of the crust.

P u m p k i n Pie with To m a k e t h e p i e crust a n d baking sheet. Sprinkle with a To m a ke the f i l l i n g a n d b a k e :

a Leafy Rim d e corative r i m : O n a lightly pinch of granulated sugar to add Make a foil ring for the rim (see
Serves eight. floured surface, roll one of the a little sparkle and refrigerate. From Our Test Kitchen, p. 74).
dough d isks i nto a rough round Press the remaining small In a large bowl, whisk together
Metal and unglazed ceramic
that's 1 2 inches in d iameter and leaves on the rim of the pie shell, the eggs, egg yolk, and brown
pie pans work better than glass
for this pie because the crust
% inch thick (trim an edge to as shown in the photo above. sugar. Add the salt and spices
check thickness) . Fold the dough Chill the crust well, about 1 hour and m ix well. Add the corn syrup
doesn't shrink as much during
i n half and ease it into a 9-inch in the refrigerator. and pumpkin puree and whisk
blind baking. Unglazed ceramic
pie pan (preferably metal or At least 20 minutes before until smooth. Stir i n the cream.
has the added advantage of
unglazed ceramic) and then . you' re ready to bake the Pour the mixture into the pie shell
making the crust extra crisp. You
unfold it. If using a metal or crust, position a rack in the and carefully set the foi l ring o n
can double this recipe, using one
ceramic pan, trim the dough middle of the oven and top. Handle th e p i e plate gently
1 5-ounce can of pumpki n ; it will
to the edge of the pan . If heat the oven to 350°F. when you put it i n (and take it
be just shy of 2 cups, but that's
using a glass pan , trim the Cover the crust with out of) the ove n; the leafy rim is
fine. I love this pie even more
when it's made with fresh
dough to % inch of the edge foil, gently folding the foil fragile. Bake until the custard is
of the pan (the overhang completely over the leaf risen around the edges and is
pumpkin puree. Serve this with
compensates for sh rinkage) . edge. Cover the bottom still jiggly (but no longer wavy)
a dollop of freshly wh ipped
Cover and refrigerate. Press with a generous amount of in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.
cream, if you like.
the scraps together and rol l pie weights (I use penn ies, The custard will set up more as
2 disks (1 recipe) Butter Pie them o u t again. Cut o u t at but raw rice or dried beans it cools.
Dough (see the recipe on least 32 small leaves, just are fine). Bake until the crust Bake the eight reserved
p. 40) slightly larger than 2 inches long is pale and n o longer looks wet small leaves until golden, 8 to
Gra n u lated sugar for spri nkling and V2 inch wide (the ill ustration and the sides are golden, 30 to 1 0 minutes. Let cool and set
2 large eggs at right is actual size; si mply cut 35 minutes. Remove the foil and aside. Let the pie cool to room
1 large egg yol k out a pastry leaf and set it on top weights and prick the crust very temperature and then chill for
Y2 cu p packed l ight brown sugar to check), and use the dull edge lightly with a fork (but don't at least 2 hours.
Y4 teaspoon ta ble salt of a paring knife to indent them pierce through it) . Bake until the To serve, set the eight re­
% teaspoon ground cinnamon with thin l ines l ike leaf veins. If crust is golden all over, another served leaves on the surface
Y2 teaspoon ground g i nger you need more dough, borrow a 5 to 1 0 minutes. of the pie in a starburst. Refresh
Y4 teaspoon grou n d cloves
large pinch from the second disk the pie in a 375°F oven for a
Y4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
of dough (save the rest of the few min utes to take the chill off
Y2 cup d a rk corn syrup
second dough disk for the Pecan the crust.
1 cu p ca n ned pumpkin pu ree
1Y2 cups heavy cream
Rum Tart or another pie).
Put eight of the prettiest
leaves on a parchment-lined

42 FINE COOKING
FOR T H E APPLE PIE,casually overlap the
leaves in concentric circles toward the
middle of the pie, minimizing the over­
lapping areas.

The leafy top crust

Apple Pie Covered Pat the scraps into the apples into the pie shell, tucking
on this apple pie
with Leaves bottom of the second disk and in any apples to create an even,
Serves eight. roll out the dough to 1fe inch smooth dome. Dot the apples is as te n der as
it is pretty. Be sure
thick (the shape doesn't matter). with large flecks of the butter.
For this pie, I like to use Brae­
With a paring knife or a leaf Starting at the rim of the to let the pie cool
burns, Empires, Jonathans, J ona­
cutter, cut out as many pan, stick the dough leaves on completely before
golds, or Northern Spy apples.
2x1 1f2-inch leaves as you can the crust and apples, using a cutting into it so the
2 d isks Butter Pie Dough (see (the i l lustration below is actual little water on the bottom of the apple juices have
the recipe on p. 40) size; just cut out a pastry leaf leaves to help them adhere. time to set up.
5 to 6 firm, tart apples and set it on top of the illustra­ You needn't press the leaves
% cu p granu lated sugar tion to check), veining them with together; they'll seal during
2 tablespoons a l l-purpose flour the dull edge of a paring knife, baking. Continue to overlap the
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon if you l i ke. Pat the scraps to­ leaves in concentric circles as
% teaspoon ground nutmeg gether, roll out the dough agai n, shown in the photo above left.
Va teaspoon table salt and cut out more leaves. You'll Chill the pie in the refrigera­
1 to 2 tablespoons u nsalted need 45 to 55 leaves to cover tor for 1 5 min utes. Meanwhi le,
butter, cut u p
the pie. (You can make smaller position two racks to the lower
or larger leaves, if you like; third of the oven, set a foil-lined
To m a k e t h e p i e crust a n d Carolyn Weil teaches
d ecorative to p : On a you' l l need more or fewer baking sheet on the lowest
and writes about bak­
lig htly floured surface, leaves accord ingly.) Set rack (to catch any drippings
the leaves aside in a from the pie), and heat the oven ing. She's a pastry chef,
roll one of the dough
cool place (but not to 350°F. a fonner bakery owner,
disks into a 1 2-inch
in the refrigerator). Bake the pie on the second­ and a contributor to
round that's 1fa inch
thick (trim an edge lowest rack until the crust is The Baker's Dozen
to check the th ick­
To m a ke the
f i l l i n g and bake:
deep golden all over and the Cookbook. •
ness) . Fold the apples are tender when pierced
Peel, quarter, and with a long, thin knife blade,
dough in half, ease
core the apples. 60 to 80 minutes. Let the pie
it into a 9-inch pie
Cut them into 114-inch cool completely before serving
pan, and unfold it.
slices to get 7 cups. so that the juices have a chance
Press the dough up the
Put the apples i n a bowl to set up and the filling won't be
sides and over the rim of
and sprinkle with the sugar, runny. Serve at room tempera­
the pan, and trim it to the
flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ture or refresh briefly in a 400°F
outer edge. Chill the dough while
salt. Toss gently and layer the oven to warm the crust.
you cut out the leaves.

WI NTER 2 0 0 3 43
Ch ocol ate
B a n a n a Swi rl
Cake
Serves ten to twelve.
This cake puts very ripe
bananas to good use.
Be sure to follow the time
guidelines for unmolding
the cake. If you wait too
long, it will stick to the
pan ; take it out too early
and it might break into
chunks.
FOR THE PAN :
2 tablespoons
granu lated sugar
% cu p med i u m -finely
chopped walnuts
Softened u nsa lted butter
for the pan
A marriage
FOR THE CAKE:
3 ou nces (6 tablespoons) The pan sides will be coated and almost smooth, scraping down
9 ounces (2 cups) a l l-purpose
buttermilk some of the nuts will fall to the the sides of the bowl as needed.
flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, bottom-that's fine. Add the eggs one at a time,
melted and cooled beating until just incorporated.
% teaspoon baking soda
Mix the batter: I n a medium Remove the bowl from the
% teaspoon ta ble salt
Prepare the p a n : Position a
6 ounces (:Y4 cup) u nsa lted bowl, whisk the flour, baking m ixer. With a rubber spatula,
rack in the middle of the oven powder, baking soda, and salt
butter, completely softened alternately add half the flour
and heat the oven to 350°F. until well blended. With an
at room temperature mixture, all the buttermilk, and
I n a small bowl, mix the sugar electric mixer (I use a KitchenAid
1 % cups granu lated sugar then the rest of the flour mixture,
3 very ripe medium bana nas
with the chopped walnuts. fitted with the paddle attach­ stirring until each addition is just
14
(u npeeled, a bout ou nces Generously butter a large bundt ment) , beat the butter, sugar, blended. Spoon half the batter
total), peeled pan and coat with the nuts and bananas, and vanilla until well into a medium bowl and gently
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract sugar, pressing the nuts with blended and the bananas are stir in the melted chocolate until
3 l a rge eggs your fingers to help them stick.

44 FI E COOKI G Photos: Amy Albert

 Thli

BY A B I G A I L J O H N S O N D O D G E

offee cakes are a great reminder that a cake needn't be com­

plicated to be really good. If you're new to baking, they're a
fine way to get your feet wet with a no-fail recipe that gives
impressive results. And if you're a more seasoned baker,
you'll enjoy the easy-breezy nature of these cakes (plus, none
of the ingredient lists requires a wild goose chase ).
There's more to recommend these coffee cakes, especially
during hectic holiday time : They're extremely versatile and can go
from brunch to teatime to a dinner party. They travel beautifully,
which makes them great candidates for whatever potluck occasion
you might find yourself invited to. And all of these coffee cakes
taste even better the day after you make them.

A quick-bread method for easy mixing and moist results

an i rresisti bly mois�i � � You may have seen recipes foryeast-raised coffee cakes, but the
ones here involve a quick-bread technique. There are two methods

just combined. With a large Bake the cake : Bake until a for mixing up a quick-bread type of cake; both use baking powder
spoon, alternately add a pick inserted in the center or baking soda (or sometimes both) to provide lift. The first tech­
scoopful of each batter comes out with just a few
nique is popularly known as the creamed-butter method. The
to the prepared pan, working crumbs sticking to it, about
around the pan until all the 40 minutes. Let the cake cool second is a simple two-step process of mixing the dry and the wet
batter is used. Gently run a i n the pan on a wire rack for ingredients ( including either melted butter or oil) separately before
knife or the tip of a rubber 1 5 minutes. Gently tap the
spatula through the batter, sides of the pan on the counter gently stirring them together. I use both methods in the following
once clockwise and once to loosen the cake. Invert the recipes, as they both produce deliciously moist cakes that are great
counterclockwise, to slig htly pan onto the rack, l ift off the
right out of the oven, and even better a day later.
swirl the batters. Gently tap pan, and let the cake
the pan on the counter to cool completely.
settle the ingredients.

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 45
 A cru m b-

Fresh cran berries add sassy, bright flavor

Cran berry Streusel FOR T H E STREUSEL: with the last addition of flour.
Cake % cu p packed l ight brown sugar Scrape the batter into the pre­
2 tablespoons al l-purpose flour pared pan and spread it evenly.
Serves nine.
% teaspoon grou nd cinnamon Tap the pan gently on the counter
I add the topping 40 minutes into 2 tablespoons cold unsalted
to release any air bubbles. Bake
baking rather than at the begin­ 4
butter, cut into pieces
for 40 minutes.
ning, when it would sink too far % cu p chopped waln uts
into the cake, or at the end, when % cup fresh cranberries, chopped Make the stre u s e l : While the
it wouldn't sink in at all. cake is baking, combine the
Make the cake: Position a rack
FOR THE CAKE: brown sugar, flour, and cin namon
in the middle of the oven and heat
9 ou nces (2 cups) a l l-purpose in a medium bowl. Add the butter
the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter
flour; more for the pan and mix, using a fork, until the
and flour a 9-inch-square baking
1 teaspoon baking powder ingredients are well blended and
pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the
% teaspoon baking soda form small crumbs. Stir in the
flour, baking powder, baking soda,
% teaspoon ground n utmeg walnuts and cranberries.
nutmeg, and salt until blended.
% teaspoon table salt After the cake has baked for
4 ou nces(% cup) unsa lted butter,
With an electric mixer, beat the
butter, sugar, and vanilla on
40 minutes, sprinkle the streusel
well softened at room evenly over the top of the cake.
temperature; more for the pan medium speed until well blended,
Continue baking u ntil a pick in­
1 Va cups granu lated sugar about 3 m inutes. Reduce the
serted in the center comes out
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract speed to medium low and add the
clean, another 1 0 to 1 5 min utes.
3 large eggs, at room eggs one at a time, m ixing until
Cool in the pan on a wire rack
temperature just incorporated. Using a wide
u ntil warm or room temperature.
1 cu p plain, low-fat yogurt rubber spatula, alternately fold
% cup fresh cranberries, chopped
Cut into squares and serve.
the flour mixture and the yogurt
into the butter mixture, beginning
and ending with the flour mixture.
Add the chopped cranberries

46 FINE COOKING
 Classic Cru m b Cake
Serves twelve.
3f4 cu p m i l k
Reserved Y2 c u p melted u nsa lted
large bowl, whisk together the
flour, sugar, baking powder, and Coffee
cake
butter salt. I n a medium bowl, whisk the
egg, mil k, reserved 112 cup melted
Melting all the butter at once 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
and reserving half helps stream­ 1 tablespoon confectioners'
basics
butter, and vanilla until combined.
line things. sugar for d usting
Pour the l iquids over the dry
FOR THE C R U M B TOPPI N G : Make the to p p i n g : Position a
ingredients and gently stir until
1 2 ou nces ( l Y2 cups) u nsalted rack in the m iddle of the oven and just blended. Scrape the batter .:. Keep ingredients at
butter; more for the pan
heat the oven to 350°F. I n a large into the prepared pan and room temperature.
Y2 cup granu lated sugar
saucepan, melt all the butter; spread evenly.
3/4 cu p packed light brown sugar It's easier to blend
Break up the crumb mixture
1Y2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
remove from the heat. Pour them this way, with
Y4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 112 cup into a measuring cup and with your fingers and sprinkle it
less risk of overmixing
reserve for mixing the cake batter. evenly and generously over the
Pinch table salt
Add the sugar, brown sugar, cake batter. Bake until the top is and ending up with
1 2 ou nces (2% cups) all-purpose
cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the lightly browned, the cake springs a toug h cake .
flo u r
saucepan. Stir with a fork, press­ back when l ightly pressed in the
FOR THE CAKE: center, and a pick inserted in
9 ou nces (2 cups) all- pu rpose
ing when needed, until there are
no lum ps of sugar. Add the flour the center comes out clean,
•.
: Make sure the

flou r about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack butter is softened so

and stir gently until well blended
% c u p granu lated sugar and dust with the confectioners' it's easier to beat in
1 teaspoon baking powder
and crumbly. Set aside.
sugar. Serve warm or at room a i r. Along with baking
Y2 teaspoon salt temperature.
Make the cake: Lightly butter powder, it's a i r
1 large egg
a 9x1 3-inch baking pan. In a bubbles that help
leaven the cake and
create a l i g ht texture .
topped van i l l a cake is a nostalg ic favorite
•.
: Measure your
ingredients carefu lly,
and weigh the dry
ingred ients. A
common reason cake
recipes don't turn
out is because of
i m p recise measuring .

•.
: Go easy on the mix­
ing. Follow the recipe
directions: " M i x until
just incorporated" is
meant to ensure a
tender crumb .

•:. Cool a l l cakes on

a rack. This helps a i r
circu late and will keep
the cake from getting
soggy on the bottom.

Abigail Johnson Dodge

is a contributing editor
to Fine Cooking .•

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 47
 Easy Cheddar
Start w i th a s i mp

Flour, butter, a n d water

come together in a ball that
needs just a fe w minutes
of beating before adding
the eggs.

-u ,'-" to picking the right appetizer is

...... ing lazy, or if I'm making a big batch, I let my
choosing something that's flavorful stand mixer do the stirring. I just take care
and substantial enough to be a partner not to overmix, which can make the texture
to a glass of wine, but not too filling. of the final gougeres a little cardboardy.
You do your guests ( and yourself) a You can use a piping bag to shape the
Ad d i n g cheese disservice by filling them up with rich stuff gougeres, but I prefer to use a trigger-release
before they sit down to the real meal. I have mini ice-cream scoop or two spoons. Just be
and n uts to a an excellent solution : cheese pastry puffs sure to keep the puffs all the same size so
basic c ream - p uff called gougeres. I learned this recipe fifteen they bake evenly.
years ago in cooking school, and it's become The only trick to baking gougeres is to be
d o u g h g ives one of my signature dishes. Gougeres are sure to bake them enough. If they come out
easy, delicious, and just a little bit different. too soon, they'll collapse as they cool be­
you g o u g e res, The dough for gougeres (pronounced goo­ cause their structure won't have fully set.
ZHAlRZ) is a cream-puff dough, called choux They should be nicely browned all over, and
a s o p h i st i cated pastry (pronounced SHOO), but here we're the inside should be moist with a few "webs"
s nack to serve making it savory instead of sweet with the of dough, but they shouldn't be too eggy.
addition of cheese, nuts, and a little cayenne. Do-ahead t i p : M ake the dough a day
with d ri n ks The method for the dough is very forgiv­ ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator, and
ing and actually pretty fun. You bring butter then scoop and bake not more than an hour
and water to a boil, beat in some flour, and before serving so they're really fresh. They're
then beat in eggs. The final addition is what­ still delicious when baked further ahead than
BY M A RT H A H O L M B E R G ever cheese and nuts you choose. that, but they tend to soften a bit. Gougeres
Beating in the eggs takes a bit of muscle are great to serve with any kind of wine ,
and a stiff wooden spoon, so when I 'm feel- especially Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

48 FINE COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

- Pecan Puffs
Dugh mad e in a saucepan, scoop it, and b ake unt i l gold en and fragrant

The dough starts out slippery, When just right, the dough A scoop (or two spoons) is A good gougine has a deep
then gets satiny. After you add falls from the spoon in a heavy quick, easier than using a pastry golden color, which comes from
an egg, beat the dough until it strand, which means it will stay bag, and creates an appealing sufficient time in the oven. An
goes through these two stages mounded once you spoon it onto rustic look. underbaked puff will be bland
before a dding the next egg. the baking sheet and will collapse too much.

C h e d d a r-Pecan Take the pan off the heat and sti r tribute them. With a mini ice-cream
G o u geres vigorously with a wooden spoon until scoop or two tablespoons, drop
Yields about four dozen 2-inch puffs. you get a smooth, thick paste. Put mounds about the size of a whole
the pan back on the stove, reduce walnut shell onto the baking sheets,
spaced about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle
1 % cups water
4 o u nces (% cup) u nsa lted butter,
the heat to low, and stir another
cut into 4 ch u n ks minute or so to cook off more mois­ the shredded Parmigiano o n top.
1 teaspoon kosher salt ture. The dough should start to form Bake in the heated oven until
Pinch cayenne a shiny ball and pull away from the puffed, deep golden brown, and just
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg sides and bottom of the pan. barely moist inside, 25 to 30 minutes
7 ou nces (1 Y2 cups) a l l-purpose flour When the dough is dry enough, (you'll have to break one open to
6 large eggs, cracked into a small take the pan off the heat. (Transfer really check the doneness) . Switch
bowl; plus 1 more if needed to a stand mixer bowl now, if using.) the positions of the baking sheets
:Y4 cup lightly toasted chopped pecans Pour in 1 egg and then beat until after 1 5 minutes for even baking.
5 ou nces grated very sharp Cheddar Transfer the gouge res to a cooling
it's well blended and the dough is
(about 1 % cups, lightly packed)
smooth again. Repeat five more rack. Repeat with any remaining
% cup finely sh redded Pa rmigiano
times and then start to test the dough. Serve when just barely warm
Reggiano
dough's consistency: it should fall or at room temperature.
Position racks i n the top and middle from the spoon in a graceful "plop." VARIATIO N :
of the oven and heat the oven to If it seems too stiff, whisk up the Roquefort & Wa l n u t G o u g e res.
425°F. Line two baking sheets with last egg and add a bit of it and test Substitute the same amount of
parchment. again. (Note : if you're using a stand walnuts for the pecans and 4 ounces
In a medium heavy-based sauce­ mixer, use the paddle attachment. crumbled Roquefort or other blue
pan, heat the water, butter, salt, cay­ Use only low speed and don't over­ cheese for the Cheddar.
enne, and n utmeg over high, stirring mix or the puffs will be tough.)
to melt the butter. Bring to a boil and Add the pecans and Cheddar to Martha Holmberg is Fine Cookings
then dump i n all the flour at once. the dough and carefully fold to dis- editor in chief •
WINTER 2 0 03 49
Make and Freeze

Your Secret
Make these
impressive desserts
weeks before the
holiday rush-they
all store beautifully
in the freezer

BY A B I G A I L J O H N S O N D O D G E

O
ne o f my best strategies for hassle­
free holiday baking is to make a few of
my favorite desserts up to a month in
advance and stow them in the freezer.
You might not think it's possible to
freeze something as elegant as a lemon tart,
a mocha souffle , or a flourless marble cake,
but you'll be amazed-there's no sacrifice in
taste or appearance when you freeze these
desserts. And the great thing is, they're al­
ways just a thaw away-the easy solution to
ending your holiday meal in style.

Follow a few rules for successful

storing and thawing
Always, always cool the dessert completely
before attempting to wrap it and freeze it. Straight from the oven, an impressive mocha souffle doesn 't need much dressing up,
Wrapping a warm tart or cake will promote but a fe w raspberries and a pretty plate for the ramekin make a nice presentation.
condensation and quickly lead to a soggy
dessert and freezer burn. While the dessert is
cooling to room temperature , I dig out a dessert much easier. It will be firm but not
level niche in my freezer. The space doesn't frozen (so you can still get it off the plate) , and
have to be directly on the shelf, just a level plastic wrap won't stick and tear away the top.
area big enough to hold the rack or plate the Wrap it, then double-wrap it Wrap the des­
dessert is on ( I ' m apt to use my boxes of sert in two layers of plastic wrap and slide it
frozen peas or artichoke hearts as levelers ) . into a heavy duty zip-top bag. Zip the bag al­
Then I s e t the cooled dessert-rack o r most closed, leaving about one inch open.
plate and all-into the freezer and let i t fum Gently push out as much air as possible .
up; 20 to 30 minutes usually does the trick. Insert a straw into the opening, zip the bag
This step makes handling and wrapping the closed around the straw, and suck the air out

50 FI E COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

Dessert Stas

A slice of chocolate-vanilla marble cake is pretty all alone, but it's e ven A drizzle of strawberry sauce (see p. 53) is an elegant garnish for this
more delicious with a dollop of brown-sugar whipped cream (see p. 20). lemon tart; a few fresh raspberries would be sweet, too.

of the bag through the straw. The bag will result, I 'll proceed as above but I'll leave the
shrink in toward the dessert. Quickly pull out dessert on the counter to warm up. And
the straw and zip up the bag. You might also when I 'm in a real bind, I even serve the
try the new zip-top bags with double walls, lemon tart when it's still quite cold. It's sur­
designed especially to prevent freezer bum. prisingly tasty and refreshing this way. The
Thaw the desserts in the refrigerator or on marble cake can also be served chilled, al­
the counter, depending on how much time though I think the flavors are richer at room
you have. Given proper notice, I like to un­ temperature . The mocha souffles need little
wrap the cake or tart, set it on a serving to no thawing. Just set them out on the
plate, cover it loosely with plastic wrap, and counter while the oven is heating up and
let it thaw in the refrigerator. For a speedier they're ready to bake.
WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 51
I nd iv i d u a l Mocha Souffles
Yields 6 souffles.
The great thing about these souffles is that
you must make them ahead so that they're
chilled before they go i n the oven. You can
make and keep them in the refrigerator for up
to 24 hours or you can freeze them for up to
a month. If you plan to bake them the same Put the filled ramekins into
day you make them, don't use the full 3 table­
the freezer, uncovered, for
spoons of rum or brandy; rather, use only
1 V2 tablespoons of it plus 1 112 tablespoons 20 minutes. Then wrap
of water. Otherwise the alcohol flavor {which each ramekin well in plastic
dissipates over time} will be too strong. and freeze for up to two
weeks. To bake straight
3 ou nces (6 tablespoons) u nsa lted butter,
cut into pieces; more for the ramekins from the freezer, unwrap the
Granu lated sugar for dusting ramekins and set on a small
3 tablespoons d a rk rum, bra ndy, Grand baking sheet or jellyroll pan.
Marni er, or water
Chill first, then cover. Before co vering the ramekins, let Let them sit for 20 minutes
l V2 teaspoons instant coffee gra n u les
6 ou nces bittersweet chocolate, finely them chill for 20 to 30 minutes. After that, the plastic will while heating the oven to
chopped be less likely to stick to the souffle batter. 400°F. Bake on the baking
% teaspoon ta ble salt sheet until puffed and risen
3 large eggs, separated and at room
gently fold them in until just blended. Pour about 1 inch above the
temperature
evenly into prepared ramekins {the mixture ramekin, 1 8 minutes.
3 ou nces (3/4 cup) confectioners' sugar
will almost completely fill the ramekins}. If
Remove from the oven and
Lightly butter six 6-ounce ramekins and dust you want to bake the souffles within
24 hours, refrigerate them. {To refrigerate: serve immediately.
with granulated sugar, tapping out excess.
Set the ramekins on a small baking sheet. Chill for about 30 minutes, and then cover
Stir together the l iquor or water and the in plastic and return to the refrigerator for
instant coffee. Set aside and stir occasionally up to 24 hours.} If you want to hold them
until the coffee is d issolved. Melt the choco­ for longer, freeze them according to the
directions at right.
Ti p : Depending on how
late and butter in a large metal bowl over a cold your freezer is, the souffles
pan of simmering water or in a microwave .
To bake stra ight from the refrigerator: may be slightly more or less
Remove from the heat and whisk until glossy
and smooth. Stir in the coffee mixture and
Heat the oven to 400°F. U nwrap the rame­ done in 1 8 m i n utes. They'll be
kins, set them on a baking sheet, and bake delicious either way. If they're
the salt. Whisk i n the egg yolks, one at a
until they're puffed and risen about 1 inch
time. Add about one-third of the confection­ a little underdone, they'll be a
above the ramekin, 1 5 minutes. The top will
ers' sugar and whisk until well blended and bit runny in the center; if a little
still be slightly sunken in the center; consider
smooth. Set aside. overdone, they'll be a bit cakey
it a place to pop in a few berries or a dol lop
I n a medium bowl, beat the egg whites
of whipped cream. Remove the souffles from in the center. It's best to stick
with an electric m ixer on medium-high speed
until they're very foamy and they're just be­
the oven and serve immediately. to 1 8 minutes, as you don't
ginning to hold soft peaks. I ncrease the want to use a method to test

speed to high and gradually sprinkle in the doneness that m i g ht deflate

remaining confectioners' sugar. Continue the souffles. After you've made
beating until the peaks are firm and glossy. this recipe once in your own
Spoon about one-quarter of the beaten kitchen, you can adjust the
whites into the chocolate mixture and whisk
timing as you l i ke.
until blended. Add the remaining whites and

52 F I N E COOKI G
 Strawberry Sauce
Put 6 ounces frozen un­
sweetened strawberries (about
1 4 whole berries) in a food
processor and pour % cup boil­
ing water over them. Add 2 to
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
and process until smooth. Serve
immediately or refrigerate u ntil
Lemon Ta rt gently press the dough into the ready to serve. This sauce pairs
Serves ten to twelve. corners and against the sides of well with any of the desserts.
the tart pan. Run the rolling pin
Chill the tart dough for at least an hour over the top of the pan to trim the
or u p to two days. If it has been i n the dough so that it's level with the top
refrigerator overnight, you may need to of the pan. Cover and freeze until
let it sit at room temperature for about the tart shell is very fi rm, at least
1 0 m i n utes until it's pl iable enough to rol l. 30 m i n utes.
Be sure the finished tart is fully cooled Position a rack in the m iddle of
before wrapping well to freeze. the oven and heat the oven to
FOR THE CRUST: 4 25°F. Line the frozen crust with foil
4 % ou nces (1 cup) all-purpose flo u r; and fill it with pie weights or a mix of Let the tart cool in the pan
more for d usting raw rice and dried beans. Put the to room temperature. Put
% cu p confectioners' sugar crust in the oven and immediately the tart in the freezer for an
% teaspoon table salt reduce the oven temperature to hour to let it firm up, and
3 ounces (6 ta blespoons) cold u nsa lted 400°F. Bake until the sides are
butter, cut i nto %-inch pieces then wrap it well in plastic
golden and the bottom no longer
1 l a rge egg yolk
looks wet, 1 5 to 20 minutes. Re­ and freeze it for up to a
1 tablespoon water month. To serve, unwrap the
move the foi l, rice, and beans. Prick
FO R T H E FI LLI N G : the bottom of the crust l ightly with tart, remove it from the pan,
% cu p granul ated sugar a fork (but don't pierce through it) and set it on a flat serving
1 tablespoon al l-pu rpose flou r and continue to bake until the shell plate. Let thaw at room tem­
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest is golden brown, another 5 to 8 min­
Pinch ta ble salt
perature for about 1 hour.
utes. Set the pan on a wire rack to
% cup strained fresh lemon j u ice (from cool while you prepare the filling.
a bout 3 lemons) Reduce the oven temperature to
3 l a rge eggs, at room temperature
325°F.
% teaspoon p u re vanilla extract
M a ke the f i l l i n g and finish the tart: In a
M a ke the crust: Combine the flour, con­
medium bowl, whisk together the sugar,
fectioners' sugar, and salt in a food proces­
flour, lemon zest, and salt. Pou r in the lemon
sor. Process briefly to blend. Add the chilled
ju ice and whisk until blended and the sugar
butter pieces and pulse until the butter is no
is dissolved. In a small bowl, lightly beat
bigger than small peas (about 1/4 inch) . Add
together the eggs and vanilla and then add
the egg yolk and d rizzle the water over the
to the lemon mixture. Whisk until just
m ixture. Pulse briefly until the dough forms a
blended. (Don't overwhisk or the filling will
loose bal l. Dump the dough onto a large
have a foamy top when baked.)
piece of plastic wrap and shape into a flat
Pou r the filling into the baked crust.
disk about 4 inches in d iameter. Wrap the
Return the tart to the oven and bake until
dough and refrigerate u ntil well chilled, at
the filling jiggles slig htly when the pan is
least 1 hour or up to two days.
nudged, about 2 0 minutes. Let cool o n a
Lightly d ust your work surface and rolling
wire rack until the tart is room temperature,
pin with flou r. Roll the chilled dough into a
about 1 hour. If not serving right away, chill it
1 2-inch round. Lift and turn the dough sev­
for 1 hour and then wrap it in plastic; refriger­
eral times as you roll to prevent sticking; dust
ate overnight or freeze (see the d irections at
the work su rface and the rolling pin with flour
right). If serving immediately, remove the
as needed. Use a dough scraper or a spatula
outer ring and run a long metal spatula under
to loosen the rolled dough; carefully roll it up
the tart to loosen. Carefu lly slide the tart onto
around the pin and unroll it over a 9 %-inch
a flat serving plate. Clear a little space in the freezer. Chill the
tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently fit it
lemon tart for an hour, and then wrap it well
into the pan. Using lig htly floured fingertips,
and return it to the freezer for up to a month.

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 53
Flou rless Chocolate
& Va n i l l a Mar ble Cake
Yields one 9 1h-inch cake; serves sixteen.
This dense, luscious cake has a texture a
little l i ke fudge and a little like cheesecake.
A small slice goes a long way.
FOR TH E VAN I LLA BAnER:
8 ou nces cream cheese, softened to room
temperature
% cu p g ra n u lated sugar
1 l a rge egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BAnER:

10 ou nces bittersweet chocolate, finely
chopped
5 ou nces ( 1 0 tablespoons) u nsalted butter,
cut i nto 6 p ieces
Sprinkle cocoa o n the bottom of the cake before Wrap the cooled cake
3 large eggs
% cu p g ra n u l ated sugar
inverting it onto another plate; the cocoa will keep (un molded as directed in
1 tablespoon d a rk rum or espresso the cake from sticking when you slice and serve it. the recipe) in plastic and
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
refrigerate until firm and
Pinch ta ble salt Alternately add large scoopfuls of each of the well chilled. Slide the cake
Cocoa powder for dusting remaining batters to the cake pan. Using a
from the plate and wrap it
knife or the tip of a rubber spatula, gently
Position an oven rack in the middle of the swirl the two batters together so they're again in plastic. Freeze for
oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Lightly mixed but not completely blended. Rap the up to a month. To serve,
grease a 9x2-inch round cake pan and line pan against the countertop several times to unwrap the cake and set it
the bottom with parchment. settle the batters. on a flat serving plate.
Bake until a pick i nserted about 2 inches Cover with plastic wrap
I n a medium bowl,
M a ke the v a n i l l a batter:
from the edge comes out gooey but not
beat the softened cream cheese with an and thaw in the refrigerator
liquid, 40 to 42 minutes; don't overbake.
electric m ixer until smooth. Add the sugar overnight, or at room tem­
The top will be puffed and slightly cracked,
and continue beating until well blended and perature for an hour or two.
especially around the edges. It will sink down
no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla
as it cools. Let cool on a rack until just
and beat j ust until blended. Set aside.
slightly warm, about 1 112 hours. Loosen the
cake from the pan by holding the pan almost
M a ke the chocolate batter: I n a medium
bowl, melt the chocolate and butter in a large perpendicular to the counter; tap the pan on Ti p : To slice the marble
metal bowl over a pan of simmering water or the counter while rotating it clockwise. I nvert cake neatly, use a hot knife
i n the m icrowave. Whisk until smooth and set onto a large flat plate or board. Remove the (run it under hot running
aside to cool slightly. With a stand m ixer pan and carefully peel off the parchment. Sift
water a n d dry it). Wipe the
fitted with the whip attachment (or with a some cocoa powder over the cake (this will
make it easier to remove the slices when blade clean between s l ices.
hand mixer) , beat the eggs, sugar, rum or
espresso, vanilla, and salt on medium high serving). Invert again onto a similar plate so
until the m ixture is pale and thick, 3 to 4 min­ that the top side is up. Let cool completely.
utes. With the mixer o n low, gradually pour in Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least
the chocolate mixture and continue beating 4 hours or overnight, or freeze (see the direc­
until well blended. tions at right).

Abigail Johnson Dodge is a contributing

Combine and bake: Spread about half of
the chocolate batter i n the bottom of the pan. editor to Fine Cooking .•
54 FINE COOKING
 Cr __

Beautifu l and t e n d e r b raided b read starts

with an easy-ta - h a n d l e d a u g h

B Y MAG G I E G L E Z E R

C
hallah is the bread traditionally served kneading is required, and the braiding in­
at the Jewish Sabbath, but why limit it volves just four repeating moves.
to Friday night? Finely grained, eggy, After years of baking challah, I've come
and tender with a hint of honey flavor, up with a favorite version, as well as lots of
challah is delicious anytime . Bur­ pointers for the best possible bread.
nished and deep golden on the outside, it's Use a flour thafs lower in protein. You'll get
one truly impressive loaf of bread. But this a more tender result-the true mark of a
beautiful braid only looks difficult to make . homemade chaLlah. I've had good luck with
The dough is hardy and forgiving, very little all-purpose unbleached flours, such as Pills-

Photos except where noted: Scott Phillips WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 55

Braiding is easy-it's just four repeating moves
Arrange the
strands parallel to
,,,,,,,
one another. At one
,\, \,\
end, pi nch the
\\ ,,\
\\\
stra nds very tightly
\, \,
together and then \->-.... _\, \ \, \
weight the end with 'J
1 2 3 4
a heavy canister.
Braid the stra nds M ove the second-to­ M ove the far-right Move the new Move the far-left
closely. the-right strand to the strand left over two second-to-the-I eft stra nd (the same
far-left position. strands, to the center stra nd over to the far stra nd you moved in
position (spread the right position. step 1 ) over two strands
strands apart to make to the center position.
room). N ow repeat the steps.

bury, Hecker's, and Gold Medal brands;

they're lower in protein than bread flour, and
they'll give a finer-grained, more cakelike
bread. To find out about the protein content
of the flour, check the side panel of the bag. It The loaf is

should list three grams of protein per serving. ready for the

The d o u g h needs only two m i n utes of oven when it has doubled

kneading because it gets worked heavily dur­ in bulk and remains indented

ing shaping. The little kneading you will do when lightly pressed with a

doesn't demand a delicate turn of hand-on floured finger.

the contrary, just a bit muscle . If the dough is

sticky, don't worry; just add a little more flour
until it's firm. This stiff consistency actually Challah % c u p honey knead. If it's soft and sticky,
helps the challah have a very finely grained Yields 1 large loaf. 1 % teaspoons table salt add more flour until it's very
texture and a very high profile with distinc­ FO R TH E G LAZE: firm. Transfer the dough to
If you l i ke, sprinkle poppy
tive, separate strands. It will keep longer, too. 1 egg, l ightly beaten a large, clean container
or sesame seeds onto the
Sesame or poppy seeds and cover it well. Let it rise
Rolling the strands creates a finely grained braid after brushing it with
for sprinkling (optional) until doubled i n bulk and
crumb. To shape the strands, you'll roll the egg wash ; both are tradi-
very soft to the touch,
dough into six flat pieces first, then roll up tional. To easily measure
I n a large bowl, mix the about 2 hours, depending
each piece like a carpet into a strand. This the honey, first measure
yeast with 112 cup of the on room temperature. Line
the oil in a 1 -cup measure.
step is one of the secrets to a finely grained flour. Add the warm water, an insulated baking sheet
The oil will coat the cup
crumb-since air bubbles in the dough are stir, and let this mixture, with parchment or oiled
and will let the honey just
subdivided under the pressure of the rolling called a sponge, sit until it foil. If you don't have an
slip right out.
pin-and marks the difference between an starts to puff up, 1 5 to insulated sheet, stack two
amateur and a professional-quality challah. 2 teaspoons instant yeast 20 minutes. Add the eggs, sheets together (this keeps
(Red Star Quick Rise, oil, honey, and salt; stir until the bottom of the bread
If you're not sure that the sha ped loaf is
SAF Perfect Rise, well combined. The sponge from overbrowning during
ready to bake, let it proof a little longer. This
Fleisch man n's Rapid will remain lumpy-this is baking).
isn't all right for all breads, but challah dough Rise or Fleisch m a n n's fine. Add the remai ning
is very resilient. As you'll see in the photo at Bread Machine Yeast) flour and mix the dough in To shape the dough: Turn
right, the dough is ready to bake when it re­ 1 63/4 ounces (3% cups) the dough out onto a lightly
the bowl u ntil all the ingre-
u n bleached all-purpose
mains indented after being gently pressed. dients are combined. Turn floured work surface and
flour (Hecker's, Gold
Proofing ( rising) time will vary a bit accord­ the dough out onto a work sprinkle a little more flour
Medal, or Pil lsbury);
ing to kitchen temperature. more as needed surface and knead until over it. Spread and flatten
% cu p warm water fairly smooth, about 2 min- the dough a bit, but don't
3 large eggs utes. The dough should feel worry about punching it
% cup vegetable oil very firm and will be hard to down. Cut it into six equal

56 FINE COOKING Illustrations: Mona Mark. Photo this page: Amy AJbert.
 Timing tips
You needn't r u s h t o make
this recipe all in one day. It's
fine to mix the dough the
n i g ht before, refrigerate it
right after m i xing, and then
finish it i n the next 24 h o u rs.
You can a l so m i x the dough,
let it rise, shape it, and then
cover it well with plastic wrap
to prevent crusting, and re­
frigerate it for up to 24 hours.
When you 're ready to bake it,
take it out of the refrigerator,
let it finish proofing (it will
take at least one additional
h o u r), and then bake it.

You can dou ble, triple, and

even quadruple the ingredi­
ents without incident, using a
big food processor or knead­
ing by hand. Fu lly baked
challah freezes beautifully,
but the dough doesn't.

This delicious
pieces. Set aside the dough ends pointy and the strand braid from moving and to sesame seeds or poppy
bread disappears
pieces, cover them lightly thicker i n the middle (This leave your hands free, and seeds, if using. With a thin
quickly. But if
with plastic, and brush all will help you get a football- braid closely, following the wooden skewer, poke the
bread deeply all over (the there 's any left
the flour off the work sur- shaped loaf). The strand illustrations at left. Lightly
face. Have a small bowl of needs to grip the work sur- tap each end of the loaf holes will prevent air over, save it

water handy. Using no flour, face slightly during this with your palms to tuck it pockets and help the bread for breakfast:
roll a piece of dough with a rolling; the "grab" will help under the loaf. keep its shape during bak- day-old challah
rolling pin into a very thin as you roll. If the strand is Transfer the braid to ing). Bake for 20 minutes. makes divine
sheet, between % and too slick, very l ightly the li ned baking sheet and Rotate the challah 1 80 de- French toast.
V4 inch thick (don't worry dampen it with water to cover it loosely but thor- grees and bake until the
about making a rectangle; help it grip the work surface oughly with plastic wrap. bread is a dark, burnished
an amoeba-type shape is better. Repeat the rolling Let proof until doubled in brown, about another
fine). The dough may stick out, rolling up, and elongat- b u lk an d the loaf remains 1 5 minutes. (If the challah
to the work surface; this is ing steps with the remaining indented when lig htly is browning too rapidly
all right-just nudge it five pieces of dough, rolling pressed, about 2 hours, cover it loosely with foil and
gently with a dough scraper. them out to the same depending on room temper- let it finish baking. Don't re-
Tightly roll up the sheet like length. Lightly sprinkle all ature. (If in doubt, let the move the loaf too soon, as
a carpet to form a strand. the strands with flour to dough proof more rather you'll risk underbaking.) Let
Roll the strand back and prevent them from sticking than less.) cool thoroughly on a rack.
forth between your hands to one another during proof-
Maggie Glezer is the author
u ntil it's thin, very even, and ing. Arrange the strands To bake: Position an oven
ofArtisan Baking Across
1 2 to 1 5 inches long. At the parallel to one another. At rack in the lower third of the
ends of the strand, angle one end, gather and pinch oven and heat the oven to America, which won a
the outer edge of your the strands very tightly to- 325°F. Just before baking, James Beard award in 2001 .
hands into the work surface gether. Weight the end with brush the dough with the She 's at work on a book
as you' re rolling to make the a heavy canister to keep the beaten egg. Sprinkle with about challah .•
WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 57
These d e l ic i o u s and
g reat - l oo ki n g Ital ian
cookies stay fresh fo r
wee ks, so t h ey ' re
perfect fo r h o l iday g ifts

BY KATH L E E N W E B E R

W
hat makes my heart sing are
things rustic: long-simmering
braises, hearth-style bread,
and the traditional Italian
cookies known as biscott i .
Many years ago, I started giving bis­
cotti as gifts, and it has become a
yearly holiday ritual.
There are a couple of reasons why
biscotti are such keepers in my reper­
toire . They're an inventive departure
from more Christmasy-Iooking cook­
ies, while still being sparkly, festive ,
and full of delicious nuggets like hazel­
nuts , candied ginger, and chocolate
chunks. Plus, biscotti are smart little
cookies: sturdy enough to travel well,
arriving at their destination unbroken
and as delicious and fragrant as the
day you baked them.
If you've ever eaten one of those
bland wedges labeled "biscotti" at an
espresso shop or a bookstore, let me
tell you now that mine are entirely dif­
fe rent-the recipes that follow will
convince you of that. And if you al­
ready love biscotti, these could be the
best you've ever tasted. In any case,
I 've come up with three irresistible ver­
sions: chocolate, almond, and a rustic
currant-raisin that's low-fat and lovely
dunked in tea, coffee, and even red
wine-a personal favorite.

Biscotti Rustica. "I like to cut these diagonally into long rusks,
but if you want, cut the logs crosswise to make a larger amount
of smaller biscotti," says Kathleen Weber.

Photos: this page. Scott Phillips; all others, Amy Albert.

 Vary the size and yield as you please
The width of a log of biscotti dough will determine the length of your finished
cookie. I've chosen the sizes that I think work best for my recipes, but you can
vary this according to you r preference. (The thinner the slices, the bigger the
yield, of course.) These biscotti are thick enough to withstand shipping, but if
you're not sending them anywhere, you can cut them as thin as % inch and
reduce the baking time slightly.

s
To make biscotti, mix and shape the dough, bake it, slice it, and bake aga i n until the cookies are crisp.

B iscotti Rustica M ix the dough. Shape the d o u g h and do the S l ice the baked loaf before
Yields about three dozen 6-inch­ I n a small bowl, combine the i n itial baking. baking a second ti me.
long cookies. currants, raisins, brandy, lemon Line a large baking sheet with Reduce the oven temperature to
zest, and ginger and let stand for parchment. Cut the dough in 300°F. Line two large baking
% cup dried currants
20 minutes. With an electric half. Using as little flour as pos­ sheets with parchment. With a
% cu p golden raisins
mixer fitted with the paddle sible on the work surface, roll serrated knife, saw the logs into
2 tablespoons brandy
Grated zest of 1 lemon (to yield
attachment, combine the flour, each half into a log that's 1f2-inch-thick sl ices, cutting on
a bout 1 tablespoon) granulated sugar, cornmeal, 1 6 inches long and 2 inches the d iagonal so each slice is
% ou nce (1 tablespoon) baking powder, and salt. In a wide, working out the air pockets about 6 inches long. Lay the
crysta l l ized g i nger, chopped small bowl, whisk together the as you go. (If you're working slices flat on the baking sheets.
2 cups g ra n u lated sugar eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. ahead, wrap the logs in plastic Bake about 1 5 minutes, rotating
1 5% ou nces (31f2 cups) With the mixer on low speed, and refrigerate them overnight). the sheets and switching their
u n bleached all-purpose flour add the egg mixture to the dry Transfer the logs to the baking positions as needed for even
% cu p yellow cornmeal ingredients until just combined sheet, setting them about baking. Turn the biscotti over.
1 tablespoon baking powder and the dough looks crumbly. 3 inches apart and patting the Bake until both sides are a rich
% teaspoon kosher salt Take care not to overmix. Add sides to smooth and straighten. golden brown, another 1 0 to
3 l a rge eggs the fruit mixture and the pine Brush the tops and sides with the 1 5 m inutes. Set the baking
3 l a rge egg yolks
nuts, mixing just until the dough beaten egg white and sprinkle sheets on racks, letting the
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
comes together (bring the dough with the turbinado sugar. Bake cookies cool and crisp com­
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted u ntil
together with your hands if it's on the middle rack until golden pletely on the sheets. If stored
golden
a bit stiff). Let the dough rest brown and firm in the center, airtight, the biscotti will keep for
FOR THE G LAZ E: for 1 5 to 30 minutes before 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the about two weeks.
1 egg wh ite, lig htly beaten shaping. sheet to ensure even baking. Set
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar Meanwhile, position oven the sheet on a rack until the logs
(also sold as Sugar i n the Raw racks in the m iddle and top of are cool enough to handle and so
i n superma rkets)
the oven and heat the oven to the dough won't compress when
350°F. you cut it, about 30 minutes.

WI T E R 2 0 0 3 59
 G o l d e n A l m o n d B i scotti

Yields about six dozen 3-inch M i x the d o u g h. Shape the dough a n d d o the B a ke a second time.
cookies. Position oven racks in the m iddle i n it i a l baking. Reduce the oven to 300°F and
and top of the oven. Heat the Line two large baking sheets with line the baking sheets with fresh
2 cups whole ski n-o n al monds oven to 350°F. Toast the al­ parchment. Cut the d o u g h into parchment, if needed . With a
20 ou nces (4% cups) u n bleached monds on a baking sheet u ntil q uarters. Using as l ittle flour as serrated knife, saw the logs into
a l l-pu rpose flour the skins just start to crack, possible on your work surface, roll 1h-inch-thick slices, cutting
1 V2 teaspoons baking powder about 1 5 minutes. Spread them each q uarter into a log that's crosswise. Lay the slices flat on
% teaspoon kosher salt on a cutting board to cool. 1 3 inches long and the baking sheets.
1 cup turbinado sugar (also sold Roughly chop them (each nut 1 112 inches wide, Brush the tops
as Sugar i n the Raw in
should only be cut into two or working out the air Do the first bake and with more egg
superma rkets)
three pieces; it's easier to chop pockets as you go. white and sprinkle
(If you ' re working then finish the cookies with another
% cu p granu lated sugar
them evenly if you work in small
% cup finely grated orange zest
mounds). With an electric mixer ahead, wrap the 2 tablespoons of
4
(from 3 to oranges)
fitted with the paddle attachment, logs in plastic and as your schedule the tu rbinado
2 teaspoons a n ise seeds,
combine the flour, baking pow­ refrigerate them sugar. Bake about
crushed
der, and salt. I n a separate bowl, overnight.) Set the
permits. Half-baked 1 5 minutes, rotat­
8 ou nces (1 cup) u nsa lted butter,
whisk together the turbinado logs on the lined ing the baking
cut i nto pieces, well ch i l led biscotti can sit
4 large eggs sugar, granulated sugar, orange baking sheets, about sheets and
% cup strained fresh orange zest, and anise seeds u ntil well 3 inches apart, as long as overnight. switching their
j u ice combined. Add this mixture to patting the sides positions as
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract the flour mixture; mix to combine. to straighten and needed. Turn the
% teaspoon pure a l mond extract With the mixer on low speed, smooth. Brush the tops and sides biscotti over. Brush again with
FOR TH E G LAZE: add the chilled butter, mixing with the beaten egg wh ites and the egg whites and sprinkle with
2 egg wh ites, beaten until until the pieces are the size of sprinkle the tops with 2 table­ the remaining 2 tablespoons
slig htly foamy large peas. In a small bowl, whisk spoons of the t u rbinado sugar. turbinado sugar. Bake until both
6 tablespoons turbinado sugar together the eggs, orange ju ice, Bake until golden brown and firm sides are a rich golden brown,
(see note above) van illa extract, and almond ex­ in the center, about 35 m i n utes, another 1 0 to 1 5 minutes. Set
tract and add to the dough, rotating the sheets and switching the baking sheets on racks to let
mixing until just combined and their positions to en su re even the cookies cool and crisp com­
being careful not to overmix. Add baking. Set the sheets o n racks pletely on the sheets. If stored
the almonds and m ix for a few u ntil the logs are cool enough to airtight, the biscotti will keep for
seconds to blend. The dough will handle and so the d o u g h won't about two weeks.
feel sticky. Let it rest for 1 5 to compress when you cut it, about
30 minutes before shaping. 30 m inutes.

60 F I N E COOKING
 VAR IATION: For a more i ntense
chocolate flavor in the recipe
below, I replace the chocolate
and cocoa with a 9.7-ounce bar
of Scharffen Berger 62% semi­
sweet chocolate along with
% cup each Scharffen Berger
n ibs and cocoa (see Where to
Buy It, p. 86). I also l ike to
make my own candied orange
peel. For a version of this
recipe using homemade
candied orange peel, visit
www.finecooking.com. -K. W.
Ch ocol ate -Ora n g e B i scotti

Yields about ten dozen 2 112-inch Mix the dough. S h a pe the dough a n d do the B a ke the second time.
cookies. Position oven racks i n the middle i n itial baking. Reduce the oven to 300°F and
and top of the oven and heat the Line two large baking sheets line the baking sheets with fresh
FOR TH E D O U G H : oven to 35 0°F. Toast the hazel­ with parchment. Divide the parchment, if needed . With a
2112 cups whole skin-on nuts on a bakin g sheet u ntil dough i nto six equal pieces. serrated knife, saw the strips into
hazel n uts they're well browned, about Using as l ittle flour as possible 112 inch-thick sl ices, cutting
1 2 o u n ces high-qual ity bitter­ 1 0 minutes. Let cool. You won't on the work surface, roll each crosswise. Lay the slices flat o n
sweet or semisweet chocolate
need to skin them-the skins piece into logs that are 1 2 to th e baking sheets. Brush the
8 ounces (1 cup) u nsalted butter,
taste great-but if the nuts are 1 4 inches long and 1 1/4 inches tops with the beaten egg wh ite
bigger than 112 inch, chop them
completely softened at room
wide, working out the air pockets and sprin kle with another % cup
temperature
4 l a rge eggs
roughly. Chop the chocolate into (
as you go. If you're working of the sugar. Bake about 1 5 min­
slivers that are a scant 1 inch ahead, wrap the logs in plastic utes, rotating the baking sheets
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup g ra n u lated sugar long and 1fa inch wide. wrap and refrigerate them as needed. Turn the biscotti over.
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract With an electric m ixer fitted )
overnight . Transfer the logs to Brush again with the egg white
112 teaspoon a l mond extract with the paddle attachment, beat the l ined baking sheets, setting and sprin kle with the remaining
2 tablespoons instant the butter on medium-high speed the dough about 3 inches apart, 1/4 cup sugar. Bake another
espresso powder or finely until light and creamy. Add the patting the sides to smooth and 1 0 to 1 5 minutes, watching care­
ground coffee eggs one at a time. Add the straighten. In a small bowl, beat fully to make sure the chocolate
3/4 cup high -qual ity Dutch­ brown and white sugars, vanilla the egg whites with the orange doesn't burn. The centers will
processed cocoa powder, extract, almond extract, espresso extract until foamy. Brush the feel somewhat soft even when
sifted powder, and cocoa powder, tops and sides of the logs with fully baked ; they'l l harden as
1 cup ca n d ied orange peel (see
scraping down the sides of the some of the whites. Sprinkle the cookies cool. Set the baking
Where to Buy It, p. 86)
bowl as needed. Add the can­ with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Bake sheets on racks, letting the
18 o u nces (4 cups) u n bleached
d ied orange peel, flour, baking until firm in the center, about cookies cool and crisp com­
a l l - p u rpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
powder, and salt. Add the hazel­ 35 min utes, rotating the sheets pletely on the sheets. If stored
1 teaspoon kosher salt n uts and chocolate slivers, mix­ to ensure even baking. Set the airtight, the biscotti will keep for
ing just to combine. The dough sheets on racks u ntil the logs are about two weeks.
FOR FI N I S H I N G : will be stiff and a bit sticky. Let cool enough to handle and so
4 egg wh ites the dough rest for 1 5 to 30 min­ the dough won't compress when Kathleen Weber is the proprietor
1 teaspoon best-q u a l ity orange
utes before shaping. you cut it, about 30 min utes. of Della Fattoria, the Weber
extract (try Si mply Organic family bakery in Petaluma,
orange flavor)
3/4 cup g ra n u lated sugar
California .•

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 61
 • BY J U STI N S C H WARTZ

D
uring the holidays , I 've been
accused o f getting carri e d
away with cookies , but who's
to say that baking five batches in
one night is too much? If you're
planning to bake up a storm this
t live without parchment. year, I have some advice for you:
I line every cookie sheet with parchment, even if the recipe suggests Before you get started, before you
baking on an ungreased sheet, as many chocolate-chip cookie recipes
do. I never have to worry about sticking, and clean-up is easy. And if even start fantasizing about which
I have to use the same pan for subsequent batches, I just slide the recipes to make , take inventory of
parchment with the baked cookies off onto a rack for cooling and then
your cookie baking equipment.
slide a new sheet with raw dough right onto the pan."
-Dede Wilson, author of Christmas Cooking for Dummies You don't need a lot for cookies ,
and Appetizers for Dummies
but having the right type o f pans
and gadgets can really make a dif­
Parchment is affordable, and you can buy it in rolls that will fit the
width of half sheet pans. Even better, King Arthur Flour's Baker's ference in efficiency and in the
Catalogue sells parchment in already-cut rectangular sheets. quality of your final cookies .
A reusable alternative to parchment, S ilpat silicone baking
mats are amazing. They're a breeze to clean and will supposedly last To get myself ready for the
for 2,000 uses. (That's a lot of cookies, but I haven't yet seen a worn­ season, I consulted with some of
out Silpat. ) Matfer makes an almost identical product; both brands
the country's best baking experts
are imported from France. I 've tested them side by side , and both
work flawlessly. If you use one of these silicone mats, be aware that and came up with this guide. For
they retain heat much longer than parchment and handle them with
oven mitts to be safe . And they're not cheap. They cost as much as or
sources, see Where to Buy It, p. 86.
even more than most high-quality cookie sheets, and for serious
baking you'll need at least two mats. Four would be even better.

62 FINE COOKING Pholos: Scoll l'hillips

 "1:1� J?ew best frie nds are
mlnl lce-cream scoops
for scooping uniform-size cookies. They make i t easy
for kids to have success in the kitchen, too. "
-Gale Gand, executive pastry chef "Oven thermometers
and partner ofTru in Chicago,
cookbook author, and host
ensure accurate
of the Food Network's baking temperatures ,
Sweet Dreams
critical with most cookies. You can't rely
on the oven's temperature gauge ."
If you've ever made -Marcel Desaulniers,
a tray of cookies and author of Death by Chocolate
found that some are over­
baked and others are under-
baked, this tool may be the solution. Uniformly
scooped cookies will bake up evenly every time-no
more feeding the burned cookies to the dog. Just scoop
the dough and use the lever on the handle to plop the
ball directly onto the cookie sheet. The Baker's Cata­
logue sells scoops in teaspoon and tablespoon sizes.

You probably know that older ovens

with dial controls have always been
prone to less-than-accurate results, and
unfortunately, you can't totally rely on
" I rely on my angled offset spatula your oven's gauge, even if you have a
newer oven that features a digital
for holiday cookie baking. thermostat. If your oven is too hot or
too cold, it doesn't matter if you're
I use it to make sure that my dough doesn't stick to the counter when I'm
using the very best brand of cookie
rolling it out, and then to transfer cut cookies to baking sheets. "
sheet and watching the kitchen timer
-Lauren Chattman, author o f Mom's Big Book of Baking
like a hawk. Fortunately, oven ther­
and Icebox Pies
mometers are affordable and available
everywhere . Hang one on your oven's
Do you avoid making rolled cookies? They can be tricky be­
middle rack, set the oven's thermostat to
cause of their butter-rich dough, especially as the kitchen
350°F, and wait for at least 30 minutes.
starts to warm up. A simple solution is an angled offset
Check the thermometer ( leave the oven
spatula. I like Ateco spatulas: they're angled just right
door closed and turn on the oven light
for ease of use , and the blade is extra thin to mini­
for the most accurate results) and don't
mize damage to delicate cookies. Just don't forget
be surprised if it's off by 25 degrees or
to prepare your cookie sheets as directed be­
more-just adjust your oven controls
fore you start shaping your cookies. And,
accordingly. Check the thermometer
of course, use the spatula to transfer
every time you bake, just to be safe. For
the finished cookies from the bak­
more on calibrating your oven, see From
ing sheet to the cooling rack.
Our Test Kitchen, p. 73 .

WINTER 2003 63
"There 's nothing like
a good-quality,
professional bench scrap
for cutting, cleaning, and even shaping doughs. Go down
to a restaurant-supply store and get one with a nice thin
blade. You'll save money and get a good quality tool, too."
-Wayne Harley Brachman, author of Retro Desserts and
there until you're ready to add
host of the Food Network's Melting Pot
it to the batter. If you're using a
A bench scraper is indispens­ stainless-steel models with Cuisipro, which are cleverly hand mixer or mixing by hand,
able. If there isn't a restaurant­ rolled handles for durability, but designed to sit on the counter­ having your ingredients meas­
supply store in your area, look Oxo makes one with a comfort­ top without tipping over. That ured and ready is essential.
for scrapers in kitchenware able rubber handle, plus it has means you can set a tablespoon Also handy are irregular­

�������3!����"""
stores. I f you're making lots of a ruler on the blade so you can down on any flat surface, add size measuring cups and
rolled or refrigerator cookies, measure cookie sizes and doui!h vanilla extract. and let it iust sit spoons from Amco. These
your scraper will get plenty of thicknesses. 18/8 stainless-steel cups are
use scraping up bits of dough, Speaking of measuring, %-,
sold in a set 0[ 2/3-, and
shaping and cutting blocks of I thought measuring 1 Y2-CUp measures. I find that
dough, and slicing refrigerated spoons were measuring I use my odd-size cups even
dough logs into cookies. I like spoons until I saw these from more than my standard ones.

-
" I would find it hard to live without
my KitchenAid 5-quart mixer. But size does matter. KitchenAid's
4 Y2 - and 5-quart stand mixers were
It's more than 2 2 yea rs old a n d has the standard for decades. You can find
never skipped a beat. I can mix anything 250-watt, 4 Y2-quart models in most
quickly and easily in it. I can't imagine department stores, and the 300-watt
making cookies without it. " Ultra Power models are available in
-Carole Bloom, author o f Cookies gorgeous colors to coordinate with
for Dummies and Chocolate Lover's your kitchen decor.
Cookbook for Dummies You may find that you need a bigger
mixing bowl, especially when you're
Carole's sentiment is most likely uni­ baking double batches of cookies for
versal among avid bakers. You just turn the holidays . KitchenAid now makes
the mixer on and let it do all the work two mixers that come with a 6-quart
while your hands are free to get the bowl-the 475-watt Epicurean and
next ingredient ready, prep the cookie the 525-watt Professional. These
sheets, or start cleaning up. The rotary heavy-duty mixers are worth the extra
action of the mixer ensures that all expense if you do a lot of baking. If
your ingredients are properly com­ you need something even larger, the
bined, so you don't waste so much time 650-watt Kenwood KM800 Major
stopping the mixer to scrape down the Classic stand mixer has a 7-quart bowl.
sides of the bowl (although on some One last suggestion about stand
models, you do need to scrape down to mixers-buy an extra bowl. If you're
the very bottom to be sure those ingre­ baking more than one batch of
dients get incorporated correctly). The cookies, or making sandwich cookies,
heaviness of a stand mixer means you you'll save a lot of time if you don't
don't have to worry about the machine have to wash out the bowl every time
"walking" on the counter. you need a clean one .

64 FINE COOKING
" Sturdy baking
sheets are always
important ,
but never more so than during holiday
baking time, when my oven cranks out
tons of cookies. I love Doughmakers
baking sheets. They have that wonder-
ful pebbled surface for even browning, and the coined
edge makes them super-sturdy-there's no warping."
-Abigail Johnson Dodge, Fine Cooking contributing
editor and author of Williams-Sonoma Desserts
Abby added that Doughmakers' "great grand" size
( 1 4 x 20 inches) is probably too big for most home ovens.
The "grand" is the size of a standard half sheet pan
( 1 4 x 1 7 inches), and the biscuit size ( l Ox14 inches) is
handy, too. After her rave review, I had to try them my­
self. My cookies slid right off, as if I'd used parchment or
a silicone baking mat. Most nonstick pans have a
sprayed-on coating that scratches easily and wears out
over time , and cheaper pans will rust when the surface is
"Cookie cutters are a
scratched and the steel interior is exposed. (Avoid at all holiday essential.
costs the cheap pans sold in supermarkets . ) Dough­
I have more than a hundred of them, because there's noth­
makers' pans are made of aluminum, so they won't rust.
ing more fun than biting off the head of a gingerbread
The pebbled surface also allows air to get beneath the
camel or the points off a shortbread star. And whimsical
cookies, so they brown more evenly than with most pans.
shapes are , of course, an excuse to use brightly colored
Of course, if you use parchment or silicone mats, many
sugars and sprinkles. "
brands of high-quality cookie sheets will suffice. I recom­
-Carolyn Beth Weil, baker, instructor, and
mend Chicago Metallic's Commercial pans. They're built
to the highest standards, and they offer a good value for
co-author of The Baker's Dozen Cookbook o
your dollar, too. Jellyroll-style sheet pans have a wire rod
inside the rolled edges to prevent warping, and their ter­ I have wonderful memories of baking
rific heat conductivity ensures even baking. cookies with my mother when I was a kid.
Now, baking cookies with my daughter and
sharing them with friends and family is our
own holiday tradition. We have a large
assortment of cookie cutters , but my
daughter is a big fan of our Wilton
cookie press. I make dozens and dozens
of cookies in aU different shapes with the
press, and she's in charge of
decorations. Don't forget to
stock up on the sprinkles,
sugar crystals, and other
cookie toppings, and start some
holiday traditions of your own this
year. Have some fun while you're
at it. ( See the foldout cookie guide
in this issue, p. 1 8 . ) Justin Schwartz,
formerly a cookbook
editor, is a freelance
writer, editor, and
photography art
director. •
WI TER 2 003 65
 Yes, y o u really can make t h i s
g o rgeous chocolate m o u sse
cake, u s i n g t h i s strea m l i n ed
rec i pe and d ecorat i n g ideas
fo r any ski l l level

BY A B I G A I L J O H N S O N D O D G E

66 FINE COOKING Photo: Steve Hunter.

A
s a professional baker, I 've made some pretty compli­
cated desserts-fancy cakes that would have been
formidable projects without my years of baking experi­
ence and a kitchen full of specialty tools.
And yet, I firmly believe that spectacular homemade
desserts should be within reach of any enthusiastic home
baker, regardless of the person's baking expertise. Witl'l that
in mind, I set out to create a drop-dead delicious chocolate
mousse cake that any avid home cook can make. This cake chopped nuts on the sides, but many cooks will find the
doesn't require any special equipment, and you can bake, next choice-chocolate shavings and curls-to be much
assemble, and decorate it over the course of several days. easier than it looks. If you're a baking pro, you might want to
I'm giving three options for dressing it up; review the in­ tackle the dramatic chocolate bands with white chocolate
structions on pp. 70-7 1 to decide which is right for you. curls. Whichever way you go, the cake will be delicious, your
Beginners might want to stick with the simple, clean look of guests will be thrilled, and you'll feel like a genius.
You can bake , assemble , and decorate the cake in stages
Start by baking the chocolate cake. It can be wrapped in plastic and kept at room
tem perature for a day or frozen for up to a month. One day before serving, make the
mousse and assemble the cake; it can be held for a day in the fridge. Decorate the
cake the day of serving, using one of the ideas on pp. 70-71 .
Ch ocol ate M o u sse Layer Cake

Yields one 9-inch cake; serves twelve.

FOR THE CHOCO LATE CAKE:

Vegeta ble oil or pan spray for the pan Choose your longest serrated
Flour for the pans knife. Place the section of the
6 ou nces (1 % cups) cake flour blade near the handle one-third of
1 ou nce (6 ta blespoons) unsweetened
the way down the side of the cake
natural cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder (use a ruler, follow the tip below,
% teaspoon baking soda or else eyeball it). With a firm, slow
% teaspoon table salt sawing motion, cut around the
1 cup granul ated sugar
cake at this level. Focus on where
% cu p vegeta ble oil
1 l a rge egg the blade enters the cake (not the
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract t h e cake carefully (if i t breaks, just piece it knife tip). When you've made a full
1 cup water together). Scoop about one-third of the circle and cut through the layer,
mousse (a heaping 2 cups) onto the cake place the knife two-thirds of the
8 cups Chocolate Mousse (recipe at right)
layer in the ring and gently spread to way down the cake and repeat,
FOR THE DECORATIO N : cover �. Flip the next cake layer (the
See pp. 70-71 creating three
center) on top of the mousse and press
gently to level it, if necessary. Scoop half layers in all.
To make the cake: Position a rack in the
of the remaining mousse over the layer
center of the oven and heat the oven to and spread gently. Flip the remai ning
3 25°F. Lightly grease a 9x2-inch round cake layer upside down and set it on top
cake pan, line the bottom with parchment,
of the mousse. Press gently to level it.
and flour the sides (but not the bottom). Spread on the remaining mousse and
Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, bak­
smooth the top; the cake should fill the
ing powder, baking soda, and salt into a
ring (don't worry if a little mousse leaks
large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk u ntil
out of the bottom). If you're decorating
well blended. Measure the oil into a 1 -cup the cake with nuts and want to make a
liquid measure, add the egg and vani lla,
wavy top, do so now by following the
and mix with a fork to blend. Add the egg­
instructions on p. 70. Put the cake in the tip : If you've never cut cake
oil m ixture to the dry ingredients and then fridge for at least 6 hours and u p to 24. layers before, use two toothpicks
add the water. Whisk u ntil the dry ingredi­
ents are just moist, about 1 minute, scrap­ to divide the cake into three equal
To decorate: Take the cake from the
ing down the sides of the bowl. Pour the fridge. Run a long, thin knife or metal spat­ layers. Do this at four points
batter into the prepared pan . ula u nder hot water and dry it well. Slide around the cake. Cut the cake as
Bake until a pick inserted into the cen­ the warm knife between the cake and the explained above, using the picks
ter of the cake comes out clean, 32 to as guides.
34 mi nutes. Let cool on a rack for 20 min­
utes. Lig htly grease a wire rack, invert the
cake onto it, l ift off the pan, peel off the ring, pressing the knife against the ring, to
paper, and let the cake cool completely. loosen the cake. Carefully release the
springform clasp; gently pry it all the way
To assemble the cake: Set the ring of a open. Lift off the ring and clean the plate
9-inch springform pan on a large, flat cake edge. If you're decorating the cake with
plate. To cut the cake into layers, it helps nuts or chocolate shavings, mold strips of
if the cake is slightly chilled. Set the cake foil around the cake plate to keep it clean.

(l
bottom side up on a parchment-lined work If the cake's sides have bare patches,
surface. Cut into three equal layers use a small metal spatula to touch them
Set aside without separating the layers. u p with some of the reserved mousse.
Make the chocolate mousse using the Chill the cake.
recipe at right. Follow the decorating instructions for
Gently flip the top cake layer (really the one of the ideas on pp. 70-7 1 . Once dec­
bottom) upside down and center it in the orated, keep the cake refrigerated and
springform ring so the mousse can flow serve it within 8 hours. Remove from the
over the edge to frost the sides; handle fridge 1 0 to 1 5 min utes before serving.

68 FINE COOKING Photos except where noted: Scott Phillips

Here 's how.

Chocol ate Mousse

Yields 8 cups.
Before you start the mousse, have the
three layers of cake ready. WHEN COOUNG THE CH O COLME

OVER THE ICE BATH, stir constantly

2 cups heavy cream
% ounce (% cup) u nsweetened natural for a smooth consistency. Scrape
cocoa powder
the sides frequently with a rubber
1 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped spatula, as the chocolate there is
4 ounces (% cup) u nsa lted butter, at room
quick to set and can cause l umps.
temperature and cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 to
2 ta blespoons brandy or Cointreau
Pinch ta ble salt
7 large egg whites, at room temperatu re"
% cu p granul ated sugar

Set up an ice bath by partially filling a

large bowl with cold water and some ice.
BEFORE BEATING THE WHITES,
Combine the cream and cocoa i n a
large saucepan set over medium heat. be sure your beater and bowl are
Bring to a full boil, whisking occasionally super clean; the slightest hint of
to blend i n the cocoa. Sl ide the pan off
the heat and immediately add the grease can ruin beaten egg
chopped chocolate and the butter; whisk whites. The whites are perfectly
slowly until melted and smooth.
beaten when the tips of the peaks
Scrape the chocolate mixture into a
large bowl. Add the van illa and salt. Set flop over loosely onto themselves.
over the ice bath and stir constantly with a For this mousse, slightly under­
rubber spatula, scraping the sides very
frequently, until the chocolate cools to whipped whites are better than

[I.
(
room temperature don't stop stirring or slightly overwhipped ones.
lumps will form) Remove the bowl from
the ice bath.
Put the whites in a large clean bowl.
Whip with an electric m ixer on medium­
low speed until very foamy. Increase the
speed to medium high and beat u ntil the
whites form very loose, soft peaks. Slowly
add the sugar. Continue beating until the
wh ites are shiny and form floppy peaks r:3.
Working q uickly, scoop about a third U G H TEN THE CHOCOLATE WITH
of the whites into the cooled chocolate

�.
SOM E O F TH E W H ITES TO MAKE
mixture and fold together with a rubber
spatula or a whisk until blended FOLDING EASIER. Then fold in the
Scrape the remaining whites into the remaining whites, aiming to incor­
chocolate and fold together gently but
porate them into the chocolate
thoroughly. Scoop out about 1 cup of the
mousse into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate without deflating too much of the
for finishing touchups. Use the rest of the foam. Work gently but quickly­
mousse to assemble the cake.
as the whites sit, they lose their
'If you're concerned about uncooked egg softness and become lumpy.
whites, you can use a pasteurized egg
(
white product l i ke Just Whites see Where
to Buy It, p. 86).

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 69
Pick one of these three decorating ideas-there 's one for

51
Chopped nuts
fe Shavings and curls
You can leave the top of the cake plain, decorate it
with chopped nuts, which is easy, or groove the top
with a wavy pattern, which is a bit more advanced.
The wavy top must be made immed iately after as­
sembling the cake. To do it, add enough mousse to
the top layer of the cake so it comes to the rim of
the springform ring. Smooth the top with a metal
spatula or the flat, straight edge of a long knife. Pull
an icing comb (see Where to Buy It, p. 86) or a
long serrated knife across the mousse, making a
wave. If the pattern
doesn't hold, pop
the cake in the
fridge for 5- to
1 0- minute intervals
so the mousse
starts to set and
then try again.

You'll need:
Y2
7 ounces (1 cups)
whole waln uts

Heat the oven to 400°F. Toast the walnuts on a

baking sheet in a single layer until golden and aro­ You'll need:
matic, 1 2 to 1 5 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. 1 0- to 1 2-ounce thick block bittersweet,
Let cool and chop them into med ium-fine pieces. sem isweet, m i l k, or white chocolate

i1
Scoop u p a handful of nuts in one hand and
Set out two large ( 1 1 x 1 7-inch) sheets of
pat them onto the side of the cake Many will
parchment or waxed paper.
fall off but you' l l be left with a single layer of nuts.
Start with shavi n g s : Rub the choco­
Repeat, rotating the cake to cover all the sides;
late with your palm to warm it slightly.
you'll have extra nuts. If you haven't waved the
Wrap a sheet of paper towel or plastic
mousse, sprinkle more chopped nuts on the top.
wrap around half of the chocolate block
Brush extra nuts off the plate before removing
so it's easier to g rip. D rag a vegetable
the foil strips.
peeler across the side of the chocolate
block, letting the shavings fal l on the
paper. As your hand warms the chocolate, turn the
block around. You'll get larger shavings from the
%
warmer side. Stop when you have 1 to 2 cups.
Then m a ke curls: Curls are made with the same
technique as for shavings, only the chocolate must
be a bit warmer. Microwave the chocolate block
very, very briefly, using 5-second jolts on high, until
it feels just slig htly warm. One or two 5-second
bursts should be sufficient; wh ite chocolate needs

i1
even less time. Use the peeler as for shavi ngs,
but apply a bit more pressure 1f the chocolate
still makes shavings or won't give big curls, it isn't
warm enough, so heat it again for 5 seconds.
If it melts against the peeler, it's too warm, so let it
cool. Let the cu rls fall in an even, single layer on the
other sheet of paper until the curls cover the paper.
Using a soupspoon, scoop up some shavings.
Starting at the bottom of the cake and using light
pressure, gently drag the spoon up the side so the
shavings stick; continue until the sides of the cake are
covered. Arrange the curls on the top. Brush extra
shavings off the plate before removing the foil strips.

70 FINE COOKING
�very level of experience.

dr
Watch a video about making chocolate bands at
www.finecooking.com ; click on "online extras:'

Chocolate bands and curls

You'll need: the chocolate every minute because once it
6 ou nces bittersweet chocolate starts to set, it hardens q uickly).
1 0- to 1 2-ounce thick block wh ite, m i l k, With a sharp paring knife, trim the short
semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate edges to neaten them, cutting through the
chocolate and the paper. If the chocolate
Finely chop the 6 ounces bittersweet choco­
sticks to the knife, it hasn't set enough, so

.s.!.
late i n a food processor or with a chef's knife.
let it cool a few minutes more. Cutting through
Set a 1 6x8-inch rectangle of waxed paper
the chocolate and paper, cut the rectan e
on a large cutting board. Get the cake from
the fridge.
lengthwise into two 4-inch-wide bands �.
Position one band so the long cut edge

�l
Melt the chocolate using this quick tem­ touches the plate. Wrap it around the cake,
per method (for more on temperi ng, see pressing gently When the band is exactly
p. 7 7 ) : Put half the chopped chocolate in the where you want it, peel away the paper �.
top of a small double boiler and melt it over Don't touch the bare chocolate or it will show
simmering water (or in a microwave, using fingerprints. Position the other band, cut
short bursts) . When the chocolate is melted, edge down, on the opposite side so it covers
smooth, and warm, take the bowl off the the outside of the cake completely; the
heat. Add the remaining chopped chocolate bands will overlap slig htly. Remove the pa­
and stir vigorously with a rubber spatula until per. If the top edges of the bands don't flop
melted and smooth. Scrape the chocolate onto the cake, n udge them gently (using
onto the waxed paper and use an offset parchment to avoid prints). If they don't bend
metal spatula to spread it as evenly as possi­ easily, don't force them ; the cake is pretty

i1
ble to cover the entire rectangle, just passing with straight edges as well.
the edges Using the block of chocolate, make the
Let the chocolate set until it's pliable but curls as described in the "Shavings and
not stiff. It should look more matte than cu rls" section at left. Arrange the curls on
glossy and should bend but not snap if you top of the cake.
l ift up a corner of the paper; this takes 3 to
20 minutes at room temperature (if it's going Abigail Johnson Dodge is a contributing
slowly, you can pop it i n the fridge, but check editor to Fine Cooking .•

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 71
 I
n this edition: troubleshooting pie crust
shrinkage . . . tempering chocolate . . . heating
up your oven . . . g reasing and flouring baking
pans . . . making your own pie shield . . . and the
results of our bittersweet chocolate tasting.

When it comes to baki n g , accu­

Making the most of rate i n g redient meas u rements

u rl ng
•
me
can make the d i fference betwee n

terrific baked g o o d s and so-so

o n es. H e re are some of the

FLOU R: Weighing is the g u i d e l i nes we use i n o u r test

be drier or tougher than
best way to measure it should be. Scooping kitchen for consistent meas u r i n g .
flour, which is why we is also inconsistent. In -Jennifer Armentrout,
give a weight first in our consecutive tests using
recipes. Ifyou must the same flour and
test kitchen manager
LIQU I DS: Always use
measure by volume measuring cup, weights
liquid measures (spouted S UGAR: Granulated
(cups ) , always stir the differed by as much as
glass and metal cups
and beakers graduated
flour a little and then Y2 ounce, depending on
white sugar is rela­
tively dense and heavy,
spoon it into the cup how much pressure was
with cup measurements so it doesn't make
before leveling with the used when scooping. OTH E R DRY GOODS:
and fluid ounces) for much difference if you
flat side of a knife. If I f your recipe calls Always use dry measures
liquids, unless you're scoop or spoon the
you scoop the cup di­ for sifting, be sure to ( measuring cups and
measuring table- and sugar into the cup. But
rectly into the flour, the sift at the right time. spoons that hold the
teaspoons. Put the cup treat confectioners'
flour will be compacted "One cup flour, sifted" exact amount) for dry
on a level surface and sugar as you would
into it, and you'll get means you should sift ingredients like spices,
get yourself at eye level flour. For brown sugar,
too much. Extra flour after measuring; "one grains, cornstarch, bak­
with the measure before measure by scooping
means your dough will cup sifted flour" means ing powder, etc. Unless
assessing the amount of the cup into the sugar
you should sift before. the recipe calls for a
liquid in the cup. and packing it in.
"heaping" measure,
level it .

• 1 ct\(11
� . . . , . .. �
. ..·...... �
 Yo u r ove n m i g ht b e lyi n g to yo u
A
lmost every recipe that uses an When the oven is first turned on and
oven instructs you to heat the starts aiming for the target tempera­
oven ahead of time . B ut how ture, it actually exceeds that tem­
long does it take to heat? We've al­ perature by as much as 50° to 75°F
ways allowed at least 20 to 30 min­ before the heating e lement shuts
utes for an oven to get good and hot. off. The temperature then drops well
So we were a bit surprised when our below the target before the heat
new electronically controlled ovens kicks in again. In subsequent heat­
were beeping to indicate they were ing cycles, the range around the tar­
While testing the pumpkin pie on p. 42,
done heating in as little as 10 min­ get temperature becomes smaller,
we found that sometimes the crust shrank utes . Could that be true? The an­ about 25°F on either side.
during blind baking, and sometimes it swer is "not quite," and here's why: Our ovens claim to be heated
didn't. We conducted several rounds of When you turn on an oven, say to after the first temperature cycle, but
350°F, the oven doesn't just shoot we always ignore the beep and let
tests, changing variables like the type
up to 350° and stay there . It's im­ them go for at least 20 minutes ( or
of pan, oven temperature, and chilling possible, because oven heating ele­ about three cycles) , before we bake.
time. We discovered that the crust was ments are either on or off, and they The extra time means that all parts
less apt to shrink in metal and unglazed can't really maintain a constant tem­ of the oven, not just the area around
perature . Instead, oven thermostats the sensor, are fully heated, and that
ceramic pie pans. It shrank most dramati­
are designed to strive for an average the temperature swings within the
cally in Pyrex pans, slipping off the rim temperature ( the one you set ) . oven cavity aren't as drastic. -j. A.
and down the sides of the smooth glass.
Chilling time didn't seem to make a
big difference, but oven temperature did. tech n iq u e
H igher baking temperatures (425°F) I
encouraged shrinkage, while lower heat
(350°F) minimized it. Shirley O. Corriher, Prepa ring a
our food scientist, explains: "At higher baking pan
temperatures, the gluten proteins in the I f you've ever experienced
flour tighten up. If they're heated more the heartbreak of a cake
gently, they shrink less:' Other factors sticking to its baking
pan, chances are you
that can cause shrinkage are over­
didn't prepare the pan Grease the pan liberally
handling the dough and not chilling the well enough. For cakes with a visible coating of
dough sufficiently before baking. that slide flawlessly out vegetable shortening,
To avoid shrinking crusts, use a metal of their pans every time , soft butter, or vegetable
follow these steps. -J. A. oil spray. Too little grease
or unglazed ceramic pie plate (see Where
is the most common
to Buy It, p. 86) and blind bake the
cause of sticking cakes.
dough at 350°F. If you only have glass
pie plates, you can still blind bake the
Tip : If your recipe tells
If your recipe calls for flouring
crust. Just be sure to trim the dough a the pan, spoon a generous
tad beyond the rim of the pie pan, per­ you to line the pan with amount of flour into the pan
parchment, be sure it lies
haps Va inch. This slight overhang will and tilt it so the flour slides
flat and fits inside the edges over all the inside surfaces of
help compensate for the shrinkage and of the pan. Wrinkled parch­ the pan. Dump out any extra
slippage. (But don't go overboard: Too ment can cause problems. and then give the pan a few
much overhang can cause the crust to In most cases, it's a good hard knocks over a trash can
idea to grease the pan before to get rid of any excess.
crack during baking.)
fitting the parchment.
-Sarah Jay, managing editor

Photos: Scott Phillips WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 73

 M a ke y o u r own p i e s h i e l d
Sometimes during baking, the edges of

a pie crust start to brown too q u ickly. If

Fold a 1 2-inch
that happens, you need a shield. Some square of foil in

kitchen shops sell metal pie shields, but half, and then in
half again to
you can easily make your own from foil.
make a 6-inch
Just follow the photos at right. square.

-Jessica Bard, contributor

The trouble with

fl o u r Trim the edges
to make a

I
quarter circle.
f we haven't yet convinced you that weight is the best way to
measure flour, here's one more argument. While testing the
recipes for our cookie foldout in this issue, we noticed that
equal volumes of different brands of flour don't weigh the same.
For example, 1 cup of Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour
consistently weighed about Y2 ounce less than 1 cup of King
Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour. To make up the difference,
we needed about 2 tablespoons more Gold Medal flour.
To make matters worse, the flour weights varied depending
on which measuring cup we used. One particular manufac­
turer's cup gave us a 4-ounce cup of Gold Medal flour, while
another manufacturer's cup of the same flour weighed in at
4 Y2 ounces. These discrepancies are enough to frustrate even Measure

the most patient of cooks, and that's why we always use a scale 2 inches in and

( see our review of electronic scales on p. 14 ) . -j. A. cut out the core
of the circle.

Open the foil

and spread out
the ring. Fold
1/4 inch of the
outside edge
down to fit over
the edge of the

1 cup = 4112 ounces

pie crust.

74 FI E COOKING
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WINTER 2003 75
 tasting pa n el
I

Bittersweet chocolate

S
ome chocolates are better for baking than others. But
who's going to buy seven different chocolates and bake
batch upon batch of chocolate chocolate-chip cookies to
find out which ones are the best? The Baker's Dozen will, and
for us, they did. Six members of the group, all professional
bakers, met to hold a blind tasting of some of the most widely
available bittersweet chocolates in the country. They tasted
EXCELLENCE

FINE �
ExrRA \Sf \'ETWT
them plain, in a ganache (a rich chocolate filling or icing
made of chocolate and heavy cream; see the recipe below),
and in a chocolate cookie recipe.
The tasting yielded good news for home bakers
3.5OZ(IO g)
L I N DT EXCELLENCE
-there's absolutely no need to spend $ 1 6 on a EXT RA FI N E
The Baker's Dozen consists
pound of chocolate to make a pan of brownies.
Save the good stuff for nibbling. In most baking
of more than 300
baking
DARK CHOCOLAT E

70% cocoa
professionals and enthusi­
recipes, the nuances of high-end chocolates tend $9 per pound
asts who gather quarterly in
to get lost in the mix-literally. Our tasters found
that the best chocolates for baking are the mid­ the San Francisco Bay a rea The consistent favorite
to share baking tips, tech- in all the tests. Tasters
range products that are becoming increasingly
niques, recipes, and solu­ loved the pure choco­
available, even in supermarkets. They deliver
latey flavor, describing it
great chocolate punch without knocking you over tions to common baking
as "well balanced, fruity
with their price. For more information, see the challenges. Members at our
with a hint of cherry, and
tasting results at right (prices are approximate ) . tasting included Flo Braker,
compelling:' It melted
-Maryellen Driscoll, editor a t large, Linda Carrucci, Cha rity into a silky-smooth
with Carolyn Weil, contributor to Ferriera, Fran Gage, Emily ganache with an attrac­
The Baker's Dozen Cookbook Luchetti, and Carolyn Weil. tive gloss, and made a
soft but pleasantly
chewy cookie. Available
The Baker's Dozen test recipe in the baking or candy
sections of specialty
B ittersweet Chocol ate food stores and super­
Ganache markets, and at
www.chocosphere.com.
Yields about % cup.

All the ganaches tasted by The

Baker's Dozen were made ac­
cording to this recipe. Use choco­
late ganache to glaze cakes, or
make your own quick chocolate
truffles by letting the ganache Why bake with bittersweet?
cool and then scooping it into In many of our recipes, we call for bittersweet chocolate when
balls and rolling them in cocoa.
we're looking for deep, intense chocolate flavor. That's be­
You can also thin the ganache
cause, in general, bittersweet chocolates contain less sugar
with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to
make a rich chocolate sauce. and a higher percentage of cocoa (also called chocolate liquor
or cacao) than semisweet chocolate. There are no federal
% cup heavy cream
standards, however, defining the difference between the two,
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
finely chopped so the percentage of cocoa in one manufacturer's semisweet
chocolate might be higher than that in another's bittersweet.
Heat the cream almost to a boil. (For example, Scharffen Berger's semisweet chocolate
Put the chopped chocolate in a
contains 62% cocoa, about the same amount in what many
medium bowl, pour the hot cream
other brands define as their bittersweet chocolate.) If that
over it, and whisk gently until the
chocolate is completely melted seems confusing, the good news is that bittersweet and semi­
and the ganache is smooth. sweet chocolates are interchangeable in recipes. Just don't
confuse either of the two with unsweetened chocolate. Then
you'll really taste a difference. -M. D.

76 FINE COOKI G
 8r:t!
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VALRHO N A LE G U IT TARD G H I RARDELLI CALLEBAUT - SCHARFFEN BAKER'S
N O I R GAST RO- B IT T E RSWEET B IT T E RSWEET PR E M I U M B E RG E R B IT T E RSWEET
N O M I E DARK O N YX WAFERS CHOCOLAT E B IT T E R SWEET BIT T ERSWEET BAKI N G
CHOCOLAT E CHOCOLAT E CHOCOLAT E CHOCOLAT E
72% cocoa at least 50% cocoa SQUARES
6 1 % cocoa $6 per pound $ 1 0.50 per pound 55% cocoa 70% cocoa
$1 4.50 per pound $6.50 per pound $ 1 5 per pound at least 35% cocoa
While it wasn't the This proved to be a $6 per pound
The runner-up, this most compelling decent, readily avail- This one had a deep For those tasters
chocolate is sweeter chocolate to taste able option for those chocolate flavor but who like their choco- This was the only
than many of the plain, this one who can't track down was slightly short on late less sweet and chocolate in the tast-
others, with just a earned respect in one of the top three complexity. What more tannic, this was ing that was truly
hint of fruitiness. It both the ganache chocolates. Its flavor really set it apart a hit when tasted awful-overly sweet,
made an excellent and the cookie, was pleasant if not was its ganache- plain. In the cookie, it one-dimensional,
ganache, notable for delivering a depend- especially remark- extremely creamy lost its distinctive fla- and tainted by an
being particularly able, solid chocolate able, with a subtle, and smooth with an vor but was liked for unappealing burnt
creamy. The cookie flavor. The cookie smoky aftertaste. attractive gloss. Its its fudgy texture. But taste. Its greatest
was "chewy-chewy" was liked for having The ganache was chocolatey flavor got the ganache broke downfall was a
and not quite as a soft texture with distinctively smooth lost in the cookie, twice during the tast- chalky and gritty
chocolatey as just the right amount and creamy, with an which also had an ing (a ganache made texture that couldn't
tasters would have of chew. Sold at almost buttery con- unpopular sticky- later in the Fine be masked in either
liked. Sold in spe- www.kingarthurflour sistency. The cookie chewy texture. Cooking test kitchen the cookie or the
cialty food stores, . com. was also quite good . Available in some did not break). Sold ganache. Sold in
some supermarkets, Available in super- supermarkets and at in specialty food supermarkets and at
and at www.choco markets and at www www.chocosphere stores and at www www.netgrocer.com.
sphere.com. . ghirardelli.com. . com . .scharffenberger.com .

Tempering chocolate
In order for decorations made of melted chocolate to set up hard and
shiny, the chocolate used to make them must be "tempered," meaning
that it's within a specific temperature range when it's poured or shaped.
Chocolate that's out of temper when shaped has a streaky gray appear­
ance, sometimes referred to as "bloom. " The method on p. 71 used to
make the bands for the Chocolate Mousse Cake is a quick and generally
reliable way of tempering chocolate, but you may want to use a ther­
mometer to double-check that the chocolate is at the proper tempera­
ture before pouring it. As long as you don't scorch the chocolate, you can
reheat and cool it as many times as necessary to get it in temper. -J. A.

WINTER 2 0 0 3 77
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WINTER 2 003 79
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advertisers' i ndex
To get more information from advertisers, use the reader service card between pages 78-79.
For quick access to their websites, go to the Index to Advertisers at www.finecooking.com

Advertiser
I
Reader
Service
No. I Web Address Page # Advertiser
I
Reader
Service
No.
Web Address
I Page #

4 www.cookswares.com 22 www.kuhnrikon.com
A Cook's Wares
Acorn Springs Farms 78 www.dwarfcitrus.com I p. 83
p. 75
Kuhn-Rikon Corporation
Kyocera Tycom 64
47
www.kyoceratycom.com
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wwwwwwwww p. 79
p. 23

13 .lacancheusa.com
Aga Cookers p. 80 La Cucina Rustica p. 84

62 .personalchef.com 17 .laddhillchestnuts.com
American Personal Chef Lacanche Ranges p. 82
Association
AokFoods.com 61
54
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www.asiafoods.com
p. 81
p. 84
Ladd Hill Orchards
Lotus Foods 1 45 www.lotusfoods.com
www.louisianacookin.com
p. 80
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11 www.cooken.com 1 www.lemurtours.com
Asiafoods.com p. 75 Louisiana Cookin' p. 82

92 www.bestcoffeebymail.com 1 48 .chefpaul.com
Barrington Software p. 84 Madagascar Select p. 7
Best Coffee by Mail
Black Diamond Uniforms
& 58
25 www.boardandbasket.com
p. 83

p. 82
Magic Seasonings
Maison Glass 9
42
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www.maisonglass.com
.mapleleaffarms.com
p. 2 7

p. 23

1 47 www.bowlmill.com 94
Board Basket p. 25 Maple Leaf Farrns p. 35

87 www.bulkfoods.com
I 117 www. metalcuisine.com
The Bowl Mill p. 25 Maytag Dairy Farms p. 33

27 www.byrdspecans.com 51 .metrokane.com
Bulk Foods p. 84 MetalCuisine.com p. 83
Byrd's Pecans
California School of
Arts 21 wwwwww .calchef.com
p. 27 Metrokane
M icroplane 32
wwwwwwwww
.microplane.com
.mimizpottery.com
p. 1 9
p. 27

1 30 .baychef.com 59 .mount-calvary.org
Culinary p. 78 Mimiz Pottery p. 8 1
California Culinary Academy
Carlisle Home Products
24 www.catchofthesea.com I
p. 1 9
p. 7
Monk's Blend Coffee
Mother's Mountain 1 25
73
www
www.mothersmountain.com
www.mountainwoods.com
p. 82
p. 83

19 www.caviarassouline.com 1 43 .mugnainLcom
Catch of the Sea, Inc. p. 82 Mountain Woods p. 82
Caviar Assouline
Caviar Chef, Inc. 68
116
.caviarchef.com
wwwwww
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p. 82
p. 75
Mugnaini Imports
Mugnaini Imports 1 42
95
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.mugnaini.com
.mysticwoodworks.com
p. 3 1
p. 83

1 46 www.edgecraft.com 114 .nalgene-outdoor.com

Cedar Baking Planks p. 83 Mystic Woodworks, Inc. p. 81

1 23
www
I
www.chefsresource.com www.neverbittercoffee.com
Chef's Choice Pizzelle Pro p. 1 1 Nalgene p. 80

5 www.cbgourmet.com 1 24 www.teabread.com
The Chef's Resource p. 78 Never Bitter Coffee p. 81

1 53 .chocosphere.com 1 40 .nordicware.com
Chesapeake Bay Gourmet p. 25 The New Salem Tea-Bread Co. p. 81
Chocosphere, LLC
Complements to the Chef 79
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p. 8 1
p. 75
Nordic Ware
Nothing To It
wwwwwwwww
.nothingtoit.com
p. 9
p. 23

I
6 www.morriscookbooks.com 1 02 .ridgespringnuthouse.com
75 www.crabcakeexpress.com 1 01 www.nutsandcandies.com
Cookbooks by Morris Press p. 83 The Nut House p. 8 1
Crab Cake Express
Cuisinart, Inc. 1 52
45
www.cuisinart.com
.cuisinshop.com
wwwwwwwww p. 75
p. 79
Nuts & Candies
Oakville Grocery 96
55
www.oakvillegrocery.com
.odense.com
wwwwwwwww p. 82
p. 1 9

49 .culinaryparts.com 40 .orangex.com
CuisinShop.com p. 27 Odense p. 1 5

.caramel.com 1 27 .paramountcaviar.com
Culinary Parts Unlimited p. 83 OrangeX p. 1 9
& 1 08 www.divinedelights.com 26 .pastacheese.com
I
D.o. Williamson Co., Inc. p. 81 Paramount Caviar p. 83
Divine Delights
Dorsey Meats
The Dough Bed Company
74
53
www.dorseymeats.com
www.doughbed.com
p. 27
p. 84
p. 1 9
Pastacheese.com
Pastrywiz.com
Pastrywiz.com
1 03
1 04
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www.pastrywhiz.com
.pastrywhiz.com
p. 82
p. 80
p. 83

89 .ezjuicers.com
wwwwww 1 39 .personalchefsnetwork.com
wwwwwwwww
48 .earthnvine.com 1 05 .petalumacoffee.com
EZ Juicers p. 84 Personal Chefs Network. Inc. p. 80
&
Earth Vine Provisions
20 www.earthstoneovens.com
p. 25 Petaluma Coffee and Te� Co.
83 . pigtailff.com
p. 84

35 www.erhbooks.com/ddw
I 119 www.pillvuytna.com
EarthStone Wood-Fire Ovens p. 23 Pig Tail Food Flipper p. 1 7

43 www.bakingstone.com 36 www.plumscooking.com
Edward Hamilton Bookseller p. 23 Pillivuyt of North America p. 1 7

37 www.frenchbutterdish.com Rafal Spice Co. .rafalspicecompany.com

FibraMent-D Baking Stone p. 84 Plum's Cooking Co. p. 33
Frenchbutterdish.com
Frieling USA, Inc. 1 38 .frieling.com
wwwwwwwww
.thegadgetsource.com
p. 83
p. 1 1 Reading Coffee Roasters 1 28
12
wwwwwwwww
.readingcoffee.com
.replacements.com
p. 84
p. 83

.thegadgetsource.com 41 .rhodeschoolofcuisine.com
The Gadget Source p. 25 Replacements, Ltd. p. 84
The Gadget Source
115 www.tasteitaly.com
I p. 8 1 Rhode School of Cuisine
113
wwwwww
www.rogar.com
p. 25

80 www.gourmetcatalog.com
I 63 .saffrocco.com
Gallucci's p. 2 7 Rogar International Corp. p. 1 5

112 .gmushrooms.com 118 .salsa2u.com

Gourmet Catalog p. 84 Saffrocco p. 33
Gourmet Mushroom Products
Gracious Home 31
97
wwwwwwwww
.gracioushome.com
.grammascutters.com
p. 33
p. 23
Salsa2U
San Diego Culinary Institute 111
10
wwwwwwwww
.sdcHnc.com
.sfherb.com
p. 8 1
p. 23

I
77 www.gmsh.com 44 .selectappliance.com
Gramma's Cutters p. 27 San Francisco Herb Co. p. 82
Green Mountain Sugar House
Hally's Biscotti 85
70
www.hallysbiscotti.com
www.hammonspantry.com
p. 1 5
p. 83
Select Appliance
Sharp Knives.com 86
33
wwwwww
www.sharpknives.com
.sharpknives.com
p. 33
p. 3 1

76 .harney.com 66 .demarleusa.com
Hammons Products Company p. 9 Sharp Knives.com p. 84
Harney &Sons Tea
90
wwwwwwwww
.harringtonham.com
p. 80 Silpat
1 22
wwwwwwwww
.solairegrills.com
p. 78

I
1 21 .hearthkitchen.com 57 .tablespan.com
Harrington's of Vermont p. 1 9 Solaire Grill p. 82

1 29 www.houseonthehill.net 60 www.spicesetc.com
Hearth Kitchen Co. p. 2 The Spanish Table p. 33

1 26 www.your-kitchen.com 1 06 www.sturdiwheat.com
The House on the Hill p. 7 Spices, Etc. p. 8 1

1 34 www.gasgrill-store.com 1 44 .sugarcraft.com
The I nternet Kitchen p. 82 Sturdiwheat, Inc. p. 8 1
Iron Works, Inc.
J. Keys Extracts
71 www.carribeangourmetfood.com
p. 33
p. 84
Sugarcraft, Inc.
Sullivan University 38
1 51
wwwwwwwww
.sullivan.edu
.sumeet.net
p. 8 1
p. 7

www.ecookbooks.com
I 56 .sunbursttrout.com
Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee p. 80 Sumeet Centre, Inc. p. 25
Jessica's Biscuit Cookbooks
Joie De Vivre 1 33
1 41
www.frenchselections.com
.justknivesl0l .com
wwwwwwwww p. 87
p. 7
Sunburst Trout Company
Sunrise Gourmet Foods 1 50
3
wwwwww
www.sunrisegourmet.com
.surlatable.com
p. 84
p. 1 5

93 .ketchupworld.com .taunton.com
Just Knives p. 3 Sur La Table p. 3
KetchupWorld.com
67 .bakerscatalogue.com
p. 82
79
Taunton Books
98
wwwwwwwww
.teamag.com
p. 80

I
1 07 .kitchencollection.com 99 .tienda.com
The King Arthur Flour Co. p. Tea A Magazine p. 83
The Kitchen Collection, Inc.
Kitchen Conservatory 39
14
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www.kitchenconservatory.com
www.kitchenemporium.com
p. 3
p. 75
Tienda.com
Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound 52 www.trentonbridgelobster.com
.us-appliance.com
wwwwwwwww p. 8 1
p. 8 1

110 www.kitchengadgetstore.com 1 00 .uspca.com

Kitchen Emporium p. 81 U.S. Appliance p. 82

88 .kitchenkapers.com 8 .uptontea.com
Kitchen Gadget Store p. 82 USPCA p. 33
Kitchen Kapers
Kitchen Krafts 1 32
wwwwww
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www.kitchenproducts.com
p. 3
p. 8 1
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Vac Master 46
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p. 83
p. 84

1 72 www.kitchentoolsandskills.com 16 www.vicfirthgourmet.com
Kitchen Products.com p. 8 1 The Vanilla Company p. 83
Kitchen Tools
Knife Merchant
&
Skills
28
30
www.knifemerchant.com
.japanese-knife.com
wwwwww p. 80
p. 82
Vic Firth Mfg.
Western Culinary Institute 2
81
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wwwwww
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p. 1 7
p. 75

23 .kuhnnkon.com
Korin Japanese Trading Corp. p. 83 YUM Food Store p. 84
. .
Kuhn-Rlkon CorporatIon p. 1 5

WI T E R 2 0 0 3 85
--
Holiday Cookies p. 1 8G Biscotti p. 58 Delight (800-852-5046; www
Contact Amazon.com for food You can buy Scharffen Berger .sultansdelight.com) or Adriana's
coloring paste for decorating (800-930-4528; www.sharffen Caravan (800-3 1 6-0820;

cookies. A 1 2-color set berger.com) chocolate, nibs, and www.adrianascaravan.com).

of Ateco pastes is cocoa at most specialty food You can order candied orange
$20.99 . Sur La Ta ble shops, or contact the company peel for making the Chocolate·
(800-243-085 2; directly to mail order it ($30 mini­ Orange Biscotti from The
www.surlatable.com) mum) or to find a store in your Baker's Catalogue (800-827-
carries 1 V4-inch stain- area. For good-quality n uts, 6836; www.kingarthurflour.com).
less-steel, spring­ raisins, dried apricots, and A 3-ounce container is $3.95.
loaded ball scoopers candied ginger, go to Sultan's
for making cookies Choco l ate Mousse Cake p. 66
starting at $1 2.95. Use an icing comb to give your
Also try Sur La Table cake's frosting a jazzy pattern.
for plastic-coated Pastryitems.com (41 0-638-
canvas pastry bags for 976 1 ) carries this triangular­
piping meringues or shaped tool for $2.40.
royal icing (the bags start at
$ 1 2.95) as well as for sets of
decorating tips. Deb EI Just
Whites powdered egg whites are
perfect for making royal icing and
are sold at most supermarkets and
at www.shopping.yahoo.com; an
8-ounce container is $6.75.

Coffee Cakes 4 4 p.
For a high-quality Nordicware
bundt pan to make the Banana
Chocolate Swirl Cake, try
Kitchen Krafts (800-776-057 5 ;
www.kitchenkrafts.com). which
sells a 1 O-cup pan for $29.95.

Cookie Baking
Equipment 62 p.
Look up The Baker's
Catalogue (800-827-6836; www.kingarthurflour.com) for
sheets of pre-cut parchment. The sheets perfectly fit a half
sheet pan ; 41 square feet of paper costs $ 1 4.95. The Baker's
Catalogue also carries Zeroll teaspoon and tablespoon cookie
scoops for $ 1 9.95 each, as well as sprinkles and sugar crys-
tals. Cooking.com (800-663-8 8 1 0) sells a range of offset
Ateco spatulas starting at $ 1 .95, as well as cookie cutters and
Cuisipro measuring spoons ($9.95). Try Williams-Sonoma
(877-8 1 2-6235; www.williams-sonoma.com) for stainless-
steel bench scrapers, which start at $8, as well as Silpat non-
stick baking liners, ranging from $23 to $46. Chef's Catalog
(800-338-3232; www.chefscatalog.com) carries Dough-
makers baking sheets starting at $1 7.99. Kitchen Emporium
(888-858-7920; www.kitchenemporium.com) sells Chicago
Metallic cookie sheets starting at $1 2.95. Contact
KitchenAid (800-5 41 -6390; www.kitchenaid.com) for more
information about its stand mixers.

Photos: Scott Phillips

86 FI E COOK I N G
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Holiday
Cookies
W
hether you crave a crackly. gingery
molasses cookie or the crisp snap of
a buttery sugar cookie. you've come
to the right place, Here you'll find 15 de­
licious holiday cookies-from classics like
BY E LAI N E K H O S ROVA linzers and gingerbread, to sophisticated
orange poppy-seed cookies, and crowd­
pleasers like chocolate fudge cookies and
raspberry crumb bars. There's something
for every holiday baker to make for family
and friends-plus dozens of mixing,
baking , and decorating tips to make
cookie baking a breeze.

Photos: Scott Phillips WI TER 2003 1 8G

Cookie
tips baking
MAKE SURE YOUR OVEN IS CALIBRATED

and, for best results, heat it for at least

S E T COOKIES FAR ENOUG H APART TO

ALLOW FOR SPREADING. Arrange them in

20 minutes before baking (see From Our even rows or staggered rows for more
Test Kitchen, p. 72, for more on this). even air circulation. Be sure cookies in

mIXing USE SHINY, HEAVY-GAUGE OR INSU­

LATED COOKIE SHEETS with no sides

a single batch are all the same size and
thickness so they bake evenly.
USE FRESH UNSALTED BUTTER FOR
or very low ones. They let air circulate BAKE ONE SHEET AT A TIME in the center
BEST RESULTS. Let it stand at room
evenly and protect cookie bottoms from of the oven. This is an especially good
temperature until it's malleable, but not
browning too much. Avoid dark, thin idea when baking times are 1 0 minutes
too soft : 30 to 60 minutes depending on
cookie sheets, which can warp easily or less. If necessary, two sheets can be
the temperature of the room. It should
and cause the cookies' edges to burn. baked together if the sheets are rotated
give slightly when pressed but still main­
tain its shape. The ideal is 67°F-the front to back and top to bottom halfway
LINE COOKIE SHEETS WITH PARCH MENT.
temperature at which butter will best hold through baking. In a convection oven,
It saves on cleaning time, prevents stick­
air and be stable. Butter that's too soft you can bake several sheets at a time.
ing, and allows you to whisk one batch of
will make a sticky dough that's harder to cookies off the sheet all at once and re­ CHECK FOR D ONENESS AT THE M INI­
work with, provides less leavening, and place it with a raw batch instantly. (Never MUM BAKING TIME GIVEN. Doneness is
spreads too much during baking. To put raw cookie dough directly onto a hot best judged by golden color unless the
speed up the softening time, cut butter baking sheet; it will spread prematurely.) dough is dark, in which case firm or
into tablespoon-size pieces. Don't use waxed paper: Its paraffin coat­ matte tops (rather than shiny, wet­
ing begins to smoke at 350°F. looking ones) will indicate done ness.
USE ROOM-TEM PERATURE EGGS. For best
results, make sure your eggs are at room
temperature before adding them to a
creamed mixture. To warm eggs quickly,
submerge them (still in the shell) in a bowl
of warm tap water for 5 to 1 0 minutes.
storing
USEUNSIFTED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR. If
.:. Cookie doughs can be wrapped and refrigerated for about four days
possible, use a scale to weigh flour for or frozen for several weeks; thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
consistent results. If using dry measures, If the dough cracks when rolled or shaped, it's too cold. Divide the
lightly spoon the flour or other dry ingredi­ dough in half and let it sit at room temperature, checking every
ent into the cup and level it with a straight 1 5 minutes to see if it's malleable.
edge. Don't tap the cup or pack more into .:. To best preserve bar cookies when freezing them, bake and cool the
it. Note: These cookie recipes were dough without cutting it. Wrap (while still in the pan) and freeze whole.
tested with Gold Medal unbleached
.:. Let cookies cool completely before storing. A tin or a plastic con­
all-purpose flour, and the measurements
tainer with a tight-fitting lid is best for cookies stored at room temper­
in the recipes reflect the weight of that
ature. If layering or stacking cookies, put sheets of waxed paper or
flour. If you choose to use a flour that's parchment in between to prevent sticking.
slightly heavier (such as King Arthur un­

mailing
.:. If storing cookies in a cookie jar, line it with
bleached all-purpose flour), you may want
a resealable plastic bag for airtight storage.
to use 2 tablespoons less flour per cup.
.:. To freeze cookies, use heavy-duty freezer
TO PACK AN D MAl L COOKI ES,
LOOK FOR A SMOOTH MIXTURE WHEN bags, expelling as much air as possible, or
If the select sturdy ones like bar
CREAM ING BUTTER AND SUGAR. air-tight containers, filling any air space at
mixture is very granular, it means that the top with crumpled plastic wrap. Sepa­ and drop cookies and pack
either the butter is too cold or more rate layers with waxed paper or parchment. them individually or in small
mixing is needed. Scrape down the sides bunches in plastic wrap. Put
.:. Avoid storing soft cookies with crisp ones,
of the bowl at least once during mixing to in tins, with heavier cookies
or they will soften the crisp batch.
ensure that all the butter and sugar are on the bottom, and separate
.:. Crisp cookies may soften when thawed
evenly incorporated. crisp cookies from soft ones.
after freezing ; to recrisp, put them in a
Surround the tins with
300°F oven for 8 to 1 0 minutes.
bubble wrap or styrofoam
peanuts, and pack the tins in
heavy-duty boxes.
 M arbled Ch ocol ate-Va n i l l a Cookies

Yields about thirty-six 2112-inch cookies.

63/4 ou nces (1 % cups) D ivide the chocolate and
all-purpose flour vanilla doughs into 8 pieces
% teaspoon baking each, more or less the same
powder size. Recombine the pieces,
% teaspoon table salt alternately pressing the choco­
4 ou nces (Y2 cup) u n -
late and vanilla pieces to­

g
sa lted butter, softened
gether, to create a marbled
3f4 cup granu lated sugar
ball. On a l i htly floured sur­
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure va n i l l a extract
face, roll and shape the ball
2 tablespoons u nsweetened
into a 9-inch-long log. (Handle
.:. Always refrig­
cocoa powder the dough as little as possi ble
erate or freeze
2 ou nces sem isweet chocolate to keep the marbled pattern
the dough until more d istinct.) Wrap in plastic
(preferably h i g h q u a l ity),
very firm to melted a nd cooled slightly and chill until very firm, 2 to
Yields about thirty-six 2112-inch cookies. make it easier 3 hours.
5% ounces (1 % cups) all-purpose flour to slice evenly. Severa l h o u rs o r the d a y
To bake: Heat the oven to
1 ta blespoon poppy seeds .:. Before cutting,
before ba ki n g : In a medium
% teaspoon baking powder
use a ruler to
bowl, sift together the flour, 350°F. Cover your cookie
% teaspoon ta ble salt baking powder, and salt. With sheets with parchment. Unwrap
4 ounces (% cup) unsalted butter, measure the an electric m ixer, beat the the firm dough and roll the log
softened width of the butter and sugar until light and briefly on the counter to make it
3f4 cu p granu lated sugar first cookie, fl uffy. Beat in the egg and more evenly round. Cut it
1 large egg and use that vanilla, scrape down the sides crosswise into lkinch-thick
1 ta blespoon orange j u ice of the bowl, and beat again sl ices ; arrange the slices
1 ta blespoon packed finely grated orange
as a sample
until blended. Add the flour 1% inches apart on the sheets.
zest (from about 1% large oranges) for the rest.
mixture, beating just until com­ Bake until the edges are lightly
1 teaspoon finely g rated lemon zest .:. If slicing the bined. Remove half the dough browned, 9 to 11 mi nutes,
log creates un­ (about 9 ounces) ; set aside. rotating the sheets from the top
Seve ral h o u rs or the d a y before
evenly shaped Whisk the cocoa into the to bottom racks after 5 min­
b a k i n g : In a small bowl, combine the
disks, simply melted chocolate; add to the utes. Let cool on the sheets for
flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and
dough remaining in the m ixing 5 minutes ; transfer to a wire
salt. With an electric mixer, beat the butter reshape them
bowl and beat briefly to blend. rack to cool completely.
and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the quickly with
egg, orange j uice, orange zest, and lemon your hands.
zest; beat until blended, scraping down
the sides of the bowl . Add the flour mix­
ture, beating on low just until combined.
Scrape the soft dough onto a large piece
M a p le-Wa l n ut B utte r kept, well wrapped, in the
of plastic wrap (about 1 3 inches long) ,
freezer for several weeks.}
wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. Yields about thirty 2-inch
U nwrap the dough and knead it briefly square cookies. To bake: Heat the oven to
on a floured surface to remove any air 350°F. Cover your cookie
pockets. Wrap the dough in plastic again; 43/4 o u nces (1 cup plus
blended, about 5 minutes. sheets with parchment. Cut
1 tablespoon) all-purpose
roll and gently pull opposite ends of the Beat in the egg, scrape down the firm dough crosswise
flour
wrapped dough to create a 9-inch-long
1
log. Freeze the log for hour or refriger­
% teaspoon baking powder the sides of the bowl, and into %-inch-thick sl ices.

ate for several hours until very firm. (The

% teaspoon table salt beat again until blended. Arrange the slices about an
4 ou nces (Y2 cup) u nsalted Add the flour m ixture, beat­ inch apart on the sheets.
dough can also be kept frozen, well butter, softened ing just until combined, and Bake the cookies, one sheet
wrapped, for several weeks.) Y2 cup finely granu lated then m ix in the nuts. at a time, on a middle rack
maple sugar (see note) Transfer the soft dough until the edges just begin to
To bake: Heat the oven to 35 0°F. Lightly
grease your cookie sheets or cover them
2 tablespoons packed l ight
brown sugar
1
to the center of a 2-inch­ brown, 1 2 to 1 4 minutes.
long piece of plastic wrap. Let cool on the cookie sheet
with parchment (the cookies will spread 1 l a rge egg
Cover with the wrap and for 5 minutes; transfer to a
a bit more and be slightly crisper on 3 o u nces (about % cup)
shape the dough into an wire rack to cool completely.
greased sheets). Unwrap the log and roll coarsely chopped waln uts
it briefly on a lightly floured surface to re­ 8-inch-long squared-off log.
Several h o u rs or the d a y (Since the dough is soft, it N ote: Be sure to use a finely
move the wrinkles on the dough's surface
and to make the log more evenly round. before b a k i n g : In a medium may be hard to square off granulated maple sugar for
Slice the log crosswise into 3/1 6-inch-thick bowl, sift together the flour, the sides completely; after this cookie. Vermont Gold
rounds. Set the rounds 1 inch apart on baking powder, and salt. chilling, the dough is easier (www.vermontgoldusa.co m;
the cookie sheets. Bake until the edges With an electric mixer, beat to modeL) Refrigerate for at 8 88-556-2753) makes one
the butter and both sugars least 3 hours or overnight. that's available in health-food
are l ightly browned, 1 2 to 1 4 minutes.
until creamy and well (The dough can also be stores or by mail.
Let cool for 5 minutes on the sheets;
transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ch ewy Cran be rry­ Ch ocolate Fudge
Oatme a l Cookies Cooki e s
Yields about forty-four Yields about 3 dozen 2%-inch cookies.
3-inch cookies.
8% ou nces ( 1 % cups) all-purpose flour
6% ou nces (1 % cups) V3 cu p u nsweetened cocoa powder
a l l-purpose flour '12 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking soda % teaspoon table salt
% teaspoon table salt 6 ou nces (% cup) u nsalted butter, sl ightly
% teaspoon ground cinnamon With an electric m ixer, beat softened
2V2 cups old-fashioned oats the butter and both sugars 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
8 ou nces (1 cup) u nsa lted u ntil light and fluffy. Beat in V2 cup granu lated sugar
butter, slig htly softened t h e eggs, one a t a time, a n d 2 l a rge eggs
1 cu p packed light brown t h e n scrape down the sides 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
sugar of the bowl ; add the honey 9 ou nces (1 % cups) sem isweet chocolate
% cup granu lated sugar and vanilla and beat u ntil ch u n ks
2 large eggs 3V2 ou nces (about 3/4 cup) coarsely chopped
blended. Add the flour m ixture
1 tablespoon honey
i n two additions, beating u ntil pecans
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
well combined. Stir i n the
extract Heat the oven to 350°F. Cover your cookie
6 ou nces (1 % cups) dried
cranberries and walnuts.
sheets with parchment. In a medium bowl, m ix
cranberries Drop the dough by the
the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
5 ou nces (about 1 cup) heaping tablespoonful about
With an electric mixer, beat the butter and
chopped waln uts 2 inches apart onto the cookie
both sugars on medium-high speed u ntil light
sheets. Bake until the centers
Heat the oven to 350°F. and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl
of the cookies are soft and
Lightly grease your cookie as needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time,
n o longer look wet, 9 to
sheets or cover them with and then the vanilla, scraping down the sides
1 1 minutes. Let cool on the
parchment. I n a medium bowl, of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix on
sheets for 5 minutes; transfer
m ix the flour, baking soda, salt, medium low just until combined. Scrape down
to a wire rack to cool com­
and cinnamon; stir i n the oats. the sides of the bowl and stir in the chocolate
pletely.
and pecans.
Drop the dough by the heaping tablespoon­
ful about 2 inches apart onto the cookie
Tre a s u re Cookies sheets. Bake until they're still very soft but no
Yields about 3 dozen 2 1h-inch cookies. longer look wet, about 8 minutes. {These
cookies are especially good and chewy if
8V2 ou nces ( 1 % cups) all-purpose flour
% teaspoon baking soda -......
....... .. underbaked at this short time; otherwise the
% teaspoon table salt cookie is overly crisp and hard when cooled.}
6 o u nces (% cup) u nsa lted Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes; transfer
butter, slig htly softened to a wire rack to cool completely.
3f4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
granu lated sugar
2 large eggs
9-ou nce package condensed
m i ncemeat, crumbled
.:. Before mixing, your butter
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease your should be malleable but
cookie sheets or cover them with parchment. not very soft. If it's too soft, it will spread too much dur­
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, ing baking, and the cookies may become too thin and
and salt. With an electric mixer, beat the delicate to handle. Generally, 30 to 60 minutes at room
butter and sugar until l ight and fluffy. Beat in
temperature is enough time to slightly soften the butter.
the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the
sides of the bowl . Add the flour mixture and .:. To make chewy drop cookies, underbake them slightly
beat until just combined. Add the crumbled so that they're still quite soft and not yet browned,
mincemeat and beat u ntil the dough is well but no longer look wet in the center. For crisper cookies,
mixed and has darkened slightly. bake them longer, letting the cookies become lightly
Drop the dough by the heaping table­ browned all over.
spoonful about 2 inches apart onto the
sheets. Bake until the cookies are very lightly .:. Use a spring-loaded 1 1f4-inch ice-cream scoop for ease
browned, 1 0 to 1 2 mi nutes. Let cool on the and consistency when dropping dough onto the baking
sheets for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack sheets. {For sources, see Where to Buy It, p. 86.}
to cool completely.
Shaped
C
-
kleS Black
Crescents
& W h ite
Yields about forty-two
3-inch cookies.
7 ou nces
(1 % cups) a l l ­
pu rpose flour
% teaspoon ta ble salt
Y3 cup u nsweetened cocoa powder
.:. Chill the dough
% teaspoon baking soda
until firm before 4 ou nces (% cup) unsa lted butter, softened
shaping. % cup plus 2 tablespoons granu lated sugar
1 l a rge egg
.:. When shaping,
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
l i m e N ut B uttons work with half the 2 ounces white chocolate
Yields about thirty 1 1h-inch dough at a time,
keeping the re­ Several h o u rs before b a k i n g : In a medium bowl,
cookies.
mainder chilled. combine the flour and salt. Sift in the cocoa and
4% ounces (1 cup) a l l-purpose
baking soda; stir well to mix. With an electric mixer,
flour .:. If the dough sticks beat the butter and sugar until l ight and fluffy. Beat
% teaspoon table salt to your hands when in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of
% cu p confectioners' sugarj
shaping it into balls, the bowl, until smooth and blended. Add the flour
more for coati ng
% cu p coarsely chopped peca ns try wetting your mixture, beating until well combined. Wrap the
% cup sweetened flaked hands occasionally dough in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
coconut with cold water.
To bake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie
4 ounces (% cup) unsa lted
butter, softened
.:. Shape the cookies sheets with parchment. Scoop the dough into pieces
2 teaspoons finely grated identically so that about the size of a heaping teaspoon. Roll each piece
lime zest they bake within between your palms to form balls. Roll each ball into
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract the same time. a 3-inch-long cylinder, tapering the ends slightly. Put
%
the cylinders about inch apart on a cookie sheet
Several h o u rs before b a k i n g : and curve the ends to make crescent shapes. When
I n a small bowl , combine the one sheet is filled, bake for 8 minutes while filling the
flour and salt. In a food proces­ other sheet. Bake the second batch for 8 minutes.
sor, com bine the 112 cup confec­ (They'll be puffed, covered with tiny cracks, and dry on
tioners' sugar, the pecans, and top after 8 minutes.) Let cool on the sheets.
the coconut. Process until the When the cookies are completely cooled, melt
pecans are finely ground. With the white chocolate in the microwave or i n the top
an electric mixer, beat the butter of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Put
until creamy. Add the pecan m ix­ the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag. Snip
ture and beat until well blended. a tiny hole in one bottom corner of the bag. Pipe the
Beat i n the lime zest and vani lla. chocolate across the cookies to make thin zigzag
Scrape down the sides of the stripes. Let the stripes harden at room temperature
bowl and add the flour mixture, or in the refrigerator before storing the cookies.
beating just until combined. Re­
move the dough from the bowl,
wrap in plastic, and chill until
M ol a sses C r i n kles
firm, about 3 hours.
Yields about thirty-six 3-inch Severa l hours before To b a k e : Heat the oven to
To bake : Heat the oven to 350°F. cookies. b a k i n g : In a medium bowl, 375°F. Measure the dough
Measure the dough i nto heap­ 9 ou nces (2 cups) all­
sift together the flour, baking into tablespoon-size pieces
ing teaspoon-size pieces and pu rpose flour soda, g inger, cinnamon, and roll each piece between
roll each piece between your 2 teaspoons baking soda cloves, and salt. With an your palms to form 1 -inch
palms to form a ball. Put the 1% teaspoons ground electric m ixer, beat the balls. Roll the balls in granu­
balls 1 112 inches apart on un­ ginger butter and brown sugar until lated sugar to coat. Put the
g reased cookie sheets ; bake 1 teaspoon ground light in color and texture. balls 2 inches apart on
until the edges of the cookies cinnamon Beat in the oil until blended. l ightly greased cookie
barely begi n to brown, 1 2 to % teaspoon ground cloves Scrape down the sides of sheets. Sprinkle the tops
% teaspoon ta ble salt the bowl, add the molasses with more sugar and bake
1 4 minutes. Let cool on the
4 ou nces ( % cup) u nsalted and the egg, and beat until until the center surface of
sheets for 3 to 4 minutes and
butter, softened blended. Stir in the flour the cookies is barely dry,
then roll in confectioners' sugar
1 cu p packed d a rk brown
while still very warm. Repeat mixture until well combined. 9 to 1 0 minutes (don't over­
sugar
rolling to create a delicate Wrap the dough in plastic bake). Let cool on the
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
and chill until firm, about sheets for 5 minutes; trans­
powdery coating. % cu p molasses
3 hours. fer to a wire rack to cool
1 large egg
Granu lated sugar for rOiling
completely.
 U ps i d e - Down
Pean ut-B utter
Raspbe rry Cru m b B a rs Fig Bars

Yields eighteen 3x2-inch bars. Yields eighteen 3x2-inch

bars.
9 ou nces (2 cups) a l l - p u rpose flour
1 % cups old-fashioned oats 9 ou nces (about 1 % cups)
1 cu p packed d a rk brown sugar dried M ission figs
crumb mixture and refrigerate. Firmly
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 3/4 ou nces (1 % cups) all-
press the remaining m ixture into the
% teaspoon table salt pu rpose flou r
bottom of an ungreased 1 3x9-inch bak­
8 o u nces (1 cup) ch i l led unsalted
ing pan. Bake in the m iddle of the oven
% teaspoon baking powder
butter, cut into Y2- i nch cubes % teaspoon baking soda
until the almonds are j ust beg inning to % teaspoon table salt
4 ou nces (about 1 cup) sl iced a l monds
brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 2f3 cup super chunky pea nut butter
1 5%-ounce jar seedless raspberry fruit
spread
about 20 minutes. Spread the fruit % cu p packed light brown sugar
spread evenly on top, leaving an Va-inch % cu p plus 2 tablespoons
Heat the oven to 325°F. With an electric border around the edge of the crust. g ra n u l ated sugar
mixer, combine the flour, oats, brown Crumble the reserved crumb m ixture 4 ou nces (% cup) u nsa lted butter,
sugar, cinnamon, and salt. M ix on low over the top, letting the fruit show softened
speed until well combined. Add the through in places. Continue baking until 1 large egg
butter and mix on medium until the lightly browned and the fruit filling is % cup tepid water
bubbling all over, including the center % teaspoon ground cinnamon
butter is mostly blended and the mixture
1 cu p granola (without fru it)
appears moist and begins to pull of the pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool
together, about 3 minutes. Stir in the completely before slicing into 1 8 bars Heat the oven to 325°F. Snip off the
almonds. Reserve 1 V2 cups of this (or into smaller pieces, if you like). stem of each fig and cut each into
q uarters, lengthwise; put the figs in
a medium bowl, cover with hot
water, and soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwh ile, butter the bottom of
.:. For soft doughs, use a small offset a 1 3x9-inch baking pan and line
spatula to spread the mixture evenly with waxed paper. Butter the paper
so that the finished bars are uniform. and the sides of the pan. In a small
bowl, combine the flour, baking
.:. For a thoroughly crisp bar, partially powder, baking soda, and salt.
bake the bottom layer before adding With an electric m ixer, beat the
the filling and top crumb layer. peanut butter, brown sugar, V2 cup
of the granulated sugar, and the
-:. Let the bars cool completely before
butter until light and fluffy. Beat in
cutting.
the egg and water; scrape down
the sides of the bowl. Beat until the
mixture looks creamy. Beat in the
flour mixture just until combined.
Apri cot, P i stach i o & Chocolate-Ch i p B a rs Drain the figs well and toss them
Yields eighteen 3x2-inch bars. with the remaining 2 tablespoons
sugar and the cinnamon. Arrange
9 ou nces (2 cups) a l l ­ Heat the oven to 3 25°F.
1 3x9-inch baking pan. the figs, cut side down, in one layer
pu rpose flour With an electric m ixer, com­
1 % cups old-fashioned oats Bake in the m iddle of the in the lined pan. Sprinkle the
bine the flour, oats, sugar,
1 cup packed dark brown oven for 25 minutes. Let granola on top, filling the spaces
cinnamon, and salt; m ix on
sugar cool for about 20 minutes. between the figs.
low speed until well com­
% teaspoon ground Spread the apricot pre­ Drop spoonfuls of the dough
bined. Add the butter and
cinnamon serves evenly on top, on top of the figs and then spread
mix on medium until the
Y2 teaspoon ta ble salt
leaving a Va-inch border it evenly in the pan. Bake in the
butter is mostly blended
8 ou nces ( 1 cup) ch i l led
and the mixture appears around the edge of the middle of the oven until the edges
u nsalted butter, cut into
crust. Crumble the reserved are very lightly browned, 35 to
moist and begins to pull
%-i nch cubes
crumb m ixture over the top. 40 minutes. The edges will be
together, about 3 m i n utes.
4 ounces (about 1 cup) slightly puffed ; press them down
Stir in the pistachios. Continue baking until lightly
chopped, shelled natural
pistachios %
Reserve 1 cups of this browned and the fruit filling with a spatula to flatten. Let cool
until the pan is warm to the touch.
% cup diced dried apricots crumb m ixture, stir the is bubbling all over, includ­
ing the center of the pan, Invert the pan onto a cutting board,
Y2 cup white chocolate or dried apricots and choco­
35 to 40 minutes. Let cool remove the pan and peel off the
semisweet chocolate late morsels into it, and re­
completely before slicing paper. (If any figs pull away, simply
morsels frigerate. Firmly press the
into 1 8 bars (or into smaller replace them.) Let cool completely
1 5%-ou nce jar apricot remaining mixture into the
pieces, if you like). before slicing into 1 8 bars (or into
preserves bottom of an ungreased
smaller pieces, if you like).
 cut
Raspbe rry L i n z e r sheets with parchment.
Cookies Generously flour a work B utte r Coo ki e s
Yields about thirty-two surface. Roll one ball of
the dough 3/1 6 inch thick. Yields thirty 3-inch shaped cookies.
21/2-inch sandwich cookies.
(Keep the rest in the refriger­ 9% ounces (2 cups plus
2% ou nces (% cup) sl iced
a l monds
ator, and if the dough warms 1 tablespoon) unbleached all­
up to the point of being pu rpose flour
2 % o u nces (Y2 cup) coarsely like they're still chunky, but
sticky while you're working Y2 teaspoon table salt
chopped hazel n uts they may actually just be
with it, return it to the refrig­ 8 ounces (1 cup) u nsa lted butter,
9% ou nces (2 cups plus clumping together.) Add the softened
1 tablespoon) a l l · erator.) Cut out as many
remaining flour, granulated 0/4 cup granu lated sugar
2 1h-inch rounds as possible,
pu rpose flour
% cu p granu lated sugar
sugar, lemon zest, baking
rerolling the scraps to make 1 large egg
powder, salt, cinnamon, and ' 1 % teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest more rounds. Arrange on the
112teaspoon baking powder
cloves. Pulse to combine.
Cut the butter i nto %-inch
cookie sheets about % inch Several hours before baki n g :
% teaspoon table salt apart. Cut 1 1kinch holes in Combine the flour and salt in a
cubes and add to the flour
% teaspoon grou n d
mixture; pulse until the mix­ the center of half the rounds. medium bowl. With an electric mixer,
cinnamon Reroll these center scraps beat the butter and sugar until light
% teaspoon ground cloves
ture looks l ike coarse meal.
to make more cookies. and fluffy. Beat in the egg and
7 ou nces ( 1 4 tablespoons) Don't overprocess. Transfer
to a large bowl. Whisk to­ Bake until the edges are vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture just
ch i l led u nsalted butter
gether the egg and water; lightly browned, about until combined. Remove the dough
1 large egg
1 5 minutes. Let cool on the
1 tablespoon cold water sprinkle over the flour m ix­
sheets. Repeat with the re­
from the bowl, gather it into two
% cu p raspberry preserves ture and toss gently to com­ d isks, wrap each in plastic, and chill
Confectioners' sugar bine. The dough should hold maining dough. until firm, 2 to 3 hours.
together when pinched. (If it To assemble, spread a
Several hours before seems d ry, sprinkle on a bit heaping 112 teaspoon pre­ To bake: Heat the oven to 325°F.
baking: In a food proces­ more water.) Gather the serves on the underside of Cover your cookie sheets with parch­
sor, process the almonds the whole cookie rounds. ment. Flour a work surface and have
dough into two balls and
and hazelnuts with % cup of knead briefly just to blend. Top with the doughnut­ a little extra flour on hand for the roil­
the flour until fine textured Wrap in r-Iastic and chill shaped cookies, bottom ing pin. Roll one dough disk 3/1 6 inch
but not powdered. (To avoid until firm, 2 to 3 hours. sides against the preserves. thick. Cut out the shapes you want
overprocessing, stop the Just before serving, sift (decorate with sprinkles before
machine occasionally and To bake: Heat the oven to confectioners' sugar l ightly baking, if using) and transfer to the
feel the nuts; they may look 3 25°F. Cover you r cookie over the cookies. sheets, arranging them about % inch
apart. Reroll the scraps to make more
cookies. Bake until the edges turn
golden, 1 3 to 1 6 minutes, depending
G i ngerbread Cookies rubber spatula. Beat in the on size. Let cool before transferring
molasses, fresh ginger, and or decorating with icing. Repeat with
Yields thirty 4 -inch cookies or
egg, again scraping down the second disk of dough.
forty 3-inch cookies.
the sides of the bowl to
1 0% ounces (2% cups) blend the m ixture. Beat in
all-purpose flour the flour mixture just until com­
1 teaspoon baking soda bined. Remove the dough from
% teaspoon table sa lt
the bowl, divide it in half (it will be
2 teaspoons ground g i nger
somewhat sticky), wrap in plastic, and
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon .:. Always chill the dough until firm.
chill until firm, at least 3 hours.
% teaspoon g round cloves
4 o u nces (Y2 cup) u nsalted butter, .:. Work with part of the dough at
To bake: Heat the oven to 325°F.
softened a time, keeping the rest chilled.
Cover your cookie sheets with parch­
% cu p packed d a rk brown sugar Chilled dough won't stick to sur­
ment. Generously flour a work surface.
% cu p mol asses faces (or cookie cutters) and will
1 tablespoon grated or finely m i nced
Remove the dough from the refrigera­
tor. It may be stiff and hard to rol l at keep its shape when baked.
fresh g i nger
1 l a rge egg first; let it sit for a few minutes. Roll the .:. Roll the dough to an even thick­
dough 3/1 6 inch thick. Cut out the
ness so that the cookies will bake
Several hours before baki n g : In shapes you want and transfer them to
in the same amount of time.
a medium bowl, combine the flour, the cookie sheets, arranging them
baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, about 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps .:. Lightly flour the sharp edge of
and cloves. With an electric mixer, beat to make more cookies. Bake until the your cookie cutters to prevent the
the butter and brown sugar until light undersides are browned, 1 2 to 1 4 min­ dough shapes from sticking to
and fluffy, scraping down the sides of utes. Let cool before transferring or the cutter.
the bowl from time to time with a decorating.
 g
• •
l 1

Decoratipg
Royal icing, which hardens to a
glossy, smooth finish, is ideal for dec­
orating cookies. It can be made with

tipS
raw egg whites or with me ri ngue
To outline designs, pipe the Icing
powder ( egg whites that have been
through a pastry bag fitted with a
heated to kill bacte ria , dried, and
# 1 or #2 decorating tip. Hold the
powdered ; also called powdered egg bag in your writing hand at a
tion to the wet icing. Let dry com­
whites ) . S ince raw egg whites can, in 45-degree angle, touch the tip to
pletely. Colored sugars look best
very rare instance s , contain salmo­ the surface of the cookie, and
when the icing is tinted the same
squeeze gently. As the icing begins
nella, the powder is the safest choice . color as the sugar.
to come out, raise the tip off the
Both recipes make a fairly stiff mix­ To get a smooth surface with
cookie a bit and let the line fall into
designs on a background color
ture that's ideal for piping with a dec­
use the "wet-on-wet" technique:
orating tip. Mter outlining, the icing Let the icing Apply a base coat of thick icing
can be thinned slightly with water to outl i ne "fal l " paint and while it's still wet, pipe
into place
make icing "paint" for filling in the designs on top; they will fuse with
the base coat but keep their
outlines with a brush. For sources for
shape. Dots can be modified to
meringue powder and colored food form hearts, shamrocks, and stars;
pastes , see Where to Buy It, p. 86. dots can also be marbleized by
pulling the tip of a toothpick
place. To finish a line, stop squeez­
Royal I c i n g with Egg Wh ites through all or part of the dot.
ing the bag and touch the tip back
Yields about 3 cups. Decorated cookies should be
to the surface. To make raised dots,
1 pound (4% cups) confectioners' sugar, hold the bag at a gO-degree angle
dried on racks for at least six hours.
sifted If you want to redo a decoration,
3 large egg whites and squeeze. Allow outlines to dry
wipe off the area with a slightly
% teaspoon cream of tartar 1
at least hour before filling in areas
damp paper towel. If the icing has
with icing paint.
Royal I c i n g with M e r i n g u e already dried, it can be gently
Powd e r When finished with outlining,
scraped off with a small knife.
Yields about 3 cups. icing in the pastry bag can be
It's best to store cookies deco­
. returned to its container and used
1 pound (4%cups) confectioners' sugar, rated with royal icing in airtight
sifted to make icing paint. Simply add
containers at a cool room temper­
3 tablespoons meringue powder
Fill i n large areas ature (freezing can cause the icing
6 tablespoons warm water
with a small to separate from the cookie).
To prepare either recipe, combine all the
ingredients i n a large bowl and mix (with a Marbleize dots by
hand mixer or a stand mixer) on low speed pulling with a
until blended. Increase to medium speed toothpick
and beat until the icing holds thick, soft
peaks, 4 to 6 minutes. Test the icing for out­
line consistency by piping a small amount
through a decorative tip. If it tends to curl
back or is difficult to pipe out, the icing is water, a drop or two at a time, until
too dry and needs a few drops of water. the icing has the consistency of
Conversely, if the piped icing seems runny, thick house paint. Be careful not
add confectioners' sugar, a tablespoon at a to thin it too much. Using a small
time, beating on low speed to blend. Don't artist's brush, fill in any large areas
overbeat or the icing will stiffen and lose its Cookies will keep for two to six
with icing paint. For small areas,
gloss. Divide the icing among clean con­ weeks, depending on how much
tainers, one for each color to be used. Tint a pastry bag with a tip is best.
fat and moisture is in the dough;
as desired with concentrated food coloring Royal icing can be used as glue
the leaner and drier the cookie,
pastes or powders (liquid colors can thin the for cookie decorations, including
icing too much). Add each color by dipping the longer it will keep. Layer
sparkles, gold and silver dragees,
a toothpick into the paste and transferring decorated cookies between
and colored sugars. With a pastry
small amounts to the icing; stir with a spoon sheets of waxed paper to keep
bag or brush, apply royal icing to
until no streaks remain. Keep the containers designs clean.
sealed when not using them. the cookie and attach the decora-
 en
:s
o
' 0 .-
u
.-
-
CI)
-c
00
.:;{
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-
:J Frozen puff pastry

IT
prepared product that really
del ivers both convenience
and quality. You may not get
the same buttery flavor of
homemade, but you'll get a
fantastic flaky texture. The a 1 Ox 1 4-inch rectangle. Brush % cup (about 1 oz.) finely grated
evenly with the egg wash and cut Pa rmigiano Reggiano
recipes here would be a few
4 oz. very thinly sl iced baked ham

o
in half lengthwise to make two
hours of work if you were
5x1 4-inch strips. Distribute half of
making your own pastry, but Heat the over to 425°F. On a lightly
the cheese filling over one strip and
floured work surface, roll the pastry
take just min utes with frozen. lay the second strip on top, egg
wash side down. Press the strips 1
to a Ox 1 4-inch rectangle. Using the
together with the rolling pin to fuse back of a spoon, spread the pastry
Sesame Pa rmesan evenly with the mustard. Sprinkle on
the two sheets. Cut the strip cross­
wise into 28 strips 112 inch wide.
Twists the Gruyere and Parmigiano in an
Yields 56 five·inch twists. Lift a strip, twist it three times, and even layer.
Arrange the ham in a single, even
% cup (about 2Y2 oz.) finely grated lay it on an ungreased baking sheet,
pressing each end to keep the layer, tearing or cutting pieces to fit.
Pa rmigiano Reggiano
Lay a piece of parchment or waxed
% cup (l -oz. jar) sesame seeds, twists from u nwinding during bak­
paper on top and gently rol l and
lightly toasted ing. Repeat with the second pastry
% tsp. cayenne sheet and the remaining filling. press with the rolling pin to com­
% tsp. ch ili powder Bake the twists u ntil they're press the layers. Gently peel off the
% tsp. dried thyme leaves, crumbled puffed, light brown, and dry looking paper without disturbing the ham.
Y2 tsp. kosher salt throughout, 1 2 to 1 4 minutes. Test Cut the rectangle in half width­
2 sheets (about 18 oz.) frozen puff one by biting it to make sure it isn't wise to make two 1 Ox7-inch bands.
pastry, thawed doughy in the center. Gently roll one long edge of a band
1 egg, beaten with a few drops into the center and then roll the op­
Let the twists cool on a rack and
water and a pinch of salt posite edge in so the two rolls meet
serve as soon as they're cool, or
within a couple of hours if possible. in the middle and resemble a double
Heat the oven to
scroll. Press lig htly to stick the two
. tiP 425°F. In a small
bowl, mix together H a m , G ruyere &
Ho ney­ rolls together. Repeat with the sec­
M u stard Pa l m iers ond band. (The rolls can be assem­
the Parmigiano,
bled to this point and held i n the
sesame seeds, Yields about 44 pa/miers.
. - cayen ne, chili pow­
refrigerator for several hours.)
--. der, thyme, and 1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff With a very sharp knife, slice
pastry, thawed each band into about 2 2 pieces, just
salt. On a lightly

o
2 Tbs. honey Dijon m ustard under 112 inch each. Arrange the
floured surface,
3 oz. (about 1 cup) shredded palmiers on two parchment-lined
roll one of the
Gruyere or nonstick baking sheets and bake
pastry sheets to

WI N T E R 2 0 0 3 86C
 Tips for
B Y M A RT H A H O L M B E R G

vvorking
o
vvith frozen
puff pastry
We developed and tested all these recipes using
Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry Sheets, which
seems to be the most widely available brand.

•:. The package's recommended thawing time of

20 minutes never seems like enough, so
depending on the temperature of your kitchen,
come a puree) . Empty the workbowl,
allow at least 30 to 45 minutes. The sheet
pulse the remaining mushrooms, and
should be very pliable, like a thick sheet of
combine with the other mushrooms.
(You can also do this by chopping modeling clay.
everything finely with a knife.) .:. If any moisture beads up on the sheet during
Heat the oil in a large skillet over thawing, blot it with a paper towel before rolling.
medium high, add the mushroom
.:. Sometimes cracks
mixture and salt, and saute until all
of the mushrooms' liquid has been appear along the
released and evaporated completely, seams where the
8 to 1 0 minutes; the mixture should dough was folded.
start to brown and stick around the Before rolling and
edges. Season with the hot sauce. shaping, press the
until deep golden brown and no Remove from the heat, stir in the

o
dough together to
longer doughy in the center (break sun-dried tomatoes and Parmigiano;
mend any weak
one open to be sure) , 1 0 to 1 2 min­ taste and adjust the seasonings.
spots, as shown
utes. Be careful not to burn the Spread the filling on a plate and
chill i n the freezer while you prepare at right.
bottoms. Let cool on a rack and
serve j u-st slightly warm or within the pastry. . .:. Use enough flour
an hour if possible. Lightly flour your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking to your work
and roll the pastry sheet to a surface, but brush off the excess before you fill
M u s h room &
S u n -Dried 1 Ox1 5-inch rectangle. Prick the
and shape the dough.
Tom ato Pockets dough all over (see the photo at
right) and then cut it into four long .:. In some recipes,
Yields 24 pockets.
strips, each 2 '12 inches wide. Cut you want the flakiness
1 small shal lot or % med i u m onion each of these strips into six equal of puff pastry but not
(about 1 oz. tota l ) pieces, to yield a total of twenty-four the puff. To reduce
1 0 o z . cre m i n i or white mush rooms, 2 '12-inch squares. puff, it's important to
rinsed a n d dried; stems Put a heaping teaspoon of the
prick the dough all
trimmed off filling in the center of each square.
1 Tbs. vegeta ble oil Dab each corner with a little of the
over. Use a fork with
1 tsp. kosher salt beaten egg and then bring all four sharp tines and cover
Few shakes hot sa uce ( l i ke corners up t o the center an d pinch the surface of the
Tabasco) well to fuse them together. You dough completely, as
1 Tbs. finely chopped oil-packed
should have little square pouches, shown at left.
sun-d ried tomatoes, drained
with some of the mushroom filling
% 1
cup (about oz.) finely grated
showing. If you have any egg left,
.:. Be sure to bake the
Parm igiano Regg iano dough thoroughly so it's crisp and flaky and no
1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff
you can brush it on the exteriors of
longer doughy in the center. Use the recipe
pastry, thawed the pockets.
1 egg, beaten Arrange the pockets on a cooking times as guidelines and then use your
parchment-lined or nonstick baking own judgment.
Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the sheet and bake until they're puffed

o
shallot or onion in a food processor and deep golden on the sides and
and pulse until finely chopped. Add bottom and the pastry is no longer
half of the mushrooms and pulse doug hy, 1 5 to 1 6 minutes. Let them
until very finely chopped (don't over­ cool on a rack for a few minutes and
process or the mushrooms will be- serve warm.

FINE COOKING Photos: Scott Phillips

o
surface of the strip with the tines of a fork
(see the photo in "Tips") . Slide the sheet
onto a parchment-lined or nonstick baking
sheet. Spread the center
of the strip with half of the
n ut mixture, to within
% inch of the long edges
and all the way to the
edge o n the short ends.

Hon ey-Spice Wa l n ut Ta rt
.. .. . .. . Fold the bare long edges
% inch over the nut m ix­
Yields two 1 5x5-inch tarts; serves eight to ten. .- • • ture and press firmly to
stick; with the blunt edge
4 Tbs. unsa lted butter, slightly softened butter, honey, sugar, cin na­ of a table knife, make in-
Va cup honey mon, ginger, and salt u ntil
. . .. . dentations into the long
2 Tbs. g ra n u lated sugar smooth. Add the egg and edges about % inch apart
1 % tsp. ground ci n n a mo n process or beat just until to crimp the border a bit.
1 tsp. ground ginger blended. Add the nuts all at once and Repeat with the second pastry strip and
Pinch salt the rest of the n ut mixture.
process only u ntil blended. The n uts
1 large egg
should be chopped, but not so fine that Bake in the heated oven u ntil the
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
the m ixture becomes a smooth paste; filling looks sl ightly dry on top and the
1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff pastry,
you want some crunch left. pastry is deep golden brown on the edges
thawed
Cut the pastry sheet in half to make and underneath, 1 9 to 21 minutes. Slide

o
Heat the oven to 4 00°F. In a food proces­ two strips about 9x4 inches. Roll one the tarts onto a rack to cool. Cut into four
sor or with a wooden spoon, blend the strip to 1 5x6 inches. Prick the entire or five strips each and serve slightly warm.

Apple G a l ette with G i n g e r G l a z e

Yields o n e 1 1 -inch round galette; serves eight to ten.

1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen leaving about a 1 -inch border

puff pastry, thawed of pastry. Dot the apples with
2 Gra n ny Smith apples, cored the butter and sprinkle with
a n d thinly sliced (no more the sugar.
than Va inch thick) Fold the pastry edges up
1 Tbs. u nsalted butter, cut into
over the apples to make a
small pieces
1 -inch border. Bake u ntil the
2 Tbs. granu lated sugar
dough is medium brown at the
2 Tbs. apricot jam
1 Tbs. water
edges and underneath and the
1% Tbs. finely chopped fresh edges of the apples just begin
g i nger to brown, 2 5 to 30 minutes.
Pinch sa lt Slide onto a cooling rack.
As the galette cools, put the
Heat the oven to 425°F. On a jam, water, ginger, and salt in a
lightly floured surface, roll the small saucepan over low heat
dough to a 1 3-inch square. (or in a glass bowl in the micro­
Trim off the corners to make a wave) and heat gently until it
rough circle-it doesn't need j ust starts to bubble. Stir to
to be perfect. blend and remove from the
Slide the dough circle onto heat. Strain the jam glaze to

o
a parchment-lined or n onstick remove the ginger pieces, or
baking sheet. Prick the dough just push the ginger aside. With
all over (see the photo in a pastry brush or a small spoon,
"Tips") . Arrange the apples in lightly glaze the apples and the
neat concentric circles, j ust pastry edge. Serve the galette
barely overlapping the slices, hot or warm.
 i)
C o
--
o
l\
Chocolate -Cream Raspbe rry N a poleon s Qo
with Chocol ate Sauce
Yields 8 napoleons. Note: you 'll need a baking sheet that's e­
at least 1 3x 1 4 inches.

1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen gently sti r u ntil the mixture

(I)-
puff pastry, thawed _.
n
is smooth and glossy (it will
7 oz. sem isweet or look curd led at first). Stir i n
B rown S u g a r &
B ra ndy
bittersweet chocolate, P e ar Tu rnovers
th e vanilla a n d salt. Pou r _.
broken i nto small pieces
% Yields 4 turnovers.

o
cup of t h e chocolate mix­
or chopped
ture into a measuring cup
1 pint whipping cream 2 Tbs. chopped dried cranberries

c
and reserve it as the sauce.
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 Tbs. brandy or Cognac
Va tsp. kosher salt
Whip the remaining
2 Tbs. unsalted butter

en
2 pints fresh raspberries 1 1f3 cups cream u ntil it
1 Tbs. packed d a rk brown sugar
(you 'll need at least forms soft peaks and then 1 lb. ripe pears (like Anjou, Com ice, or
48
berries) slowly pour i n the remaining Ba rtlett), cut into %-i nch chu n ks
% cup confectioners' sugar chocolate mixture (you Pinch salt
1f4
o
for spri n kling (optional) should have about cup) 2 tsp. fresh lemon j u ice
while continuing to beat. 1 sheet (about 9 oz.) frozen puff pastry,
Heat the oven to 4 25°F. On Stop when the cream j ust thawed
a l ightly floured surface, roll holds firm peaks; don't over­ 2 Tbs. heavy cream (optional)
the pastry to a 1 3x 1 4-inch beat or the cream will look
rectangle. Prick the pastry Heat the oven to 4 25°F. Put the cranberries
and feel lumpy.
all over (see the photo o n and brandy or Cognac in a small bowl and let
When the pastry is cool,
"Tips") . Put t he pastry on a soak while you prepare the other ingredients.
using a sharp knife, trim the
baking sheet (lay a sheet of · Melt the butter in a wide, heavy-based skillet
edges all around to make
parchment on top if you over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar
an even 1 2-inch square.
have any) and lay a cooling and cook, stirring, until the mixture is bubbly,
Cut the square into sixteen
rack or another heavy bak­ about 2 m i n utes. Add the pears and salt. Con­
3-inch squares. Put eight
ing sheet on top so that it's tinue cooking over medium-high heat until most
pieces on eight dessert
perfectly flat on the pastry of the pears' liquid has been released and
plates. Sift the confection­
and there are no gaps be­ cooked off, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cranberries
ers' sugar, if using, over the
tween the layer of pastry and brandy and keep cooking and stirring u ntil
remaining pieces. Spoon a
and the rack or sheet o n
top. Bake u ntil t h e pastry i s generous % cup of the
the pears are j ust surrounded by a syrupy
glaze, about another 3 minutes. Add the lemon
very deep golden brown all chocolate cream onto each juice and stir to blend. Spread the filling i n a
over, 1 5 to 2 5 minutes; it bottom piece and arrange thin layer on a plate or baking dish and chill in
shouldn't puff at all except the raspberries i n three neat the freezer wh i le yo u rol l th e dough.
possibly around the edges rows on top. Top with the On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough
a bit. Remove the rack and remaining pastry pieces. to a 1 2-inch square and cut it into fou r even
parchment, slide the pastry Loosen the chocolate sauce squares. Put one-quarter of the filling into the
off the sheet, and let cool to a flowing consistency by center of a square, dab the edges of the dough
on a rack. stirring in a few tablespoons lightly with water, fold over to make a triangle,
Meanwhile, put the of very hot water. Drizzle the and press the edges together very firmly to
chocolate i n a stai nless­ chocolate sauce i n a zigzag seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined or nonstick
steel bowl set over a sauce­ pattern over each napoleon baking sheet. Repeat with the other three

o
pan half-full of water. Bring and serve, passing more turnovers. Cut three 1 -inch slashes in each
the water to a bare simmer sauce at the table. turnover for steam to vent. Brush the tops of
and melt the chocolate. You'll have a lot of the turnovers with the cream, if using. Bake
Remove the bowl from the chocolate sauce left over; u ntil they're deep golden brown on the top and
heat. In one pour, add refrigerate it for u p to two bottom and the pastry no longer seems doughy
% cup of the cream. With weeks or freeze it for u p in the center, 1 8 to 22 m i n utes. Let them cool
a whisk or a rubber spatula, to two months. for a few minutes and then serve warm.