Sea Sky & Table

a travel company exploring the intersection between people, food and and the world we live in

You are here: Home / Archives for cake

cake

Coconut Clementine Cake with Chocolate Glaze

This recipe is adapted from Melissa Clark’s Ambrosia Cake published in the New York Times on April 7, 2017 just before Easter and the recipe for Chocolate Glaze in Larousse on Pastry.  The search for a dessert for Easter dinner began with a desire for something frosted in white, garnished with coconut and strewn with edible flowers.  Melissa’s cake seemed perfectly adaptable.  I would use whipped cream instead of the marshmallow frosting, and edible flowers in lieu of strawberries.

When I couldn’t find edible flowers in any of our local South Florida grocers, the dried edible rose petals I had on hand  seemed like a good substitute – at first.  But neither the coconut nor the clementines seemed palatable with dried rose petals; and, quite simply, I began to crave chocolate to compensate for not being able to realize my vision.

At first, I thought I would use a clementine-flavored chocolate ganache and clementine sections as the filling.

But the bulk of the clementine sections would have made the cake appear lumpy once a second layer was placed on top.

So, the bottom layer became the top layer and the entire cake was enveloped in chocolate.

Delicious!  It helps to use fresh coconut, but it’s not a must.  The clementines must be sweet.  

Melissa Clark crafted a lovely flavor combination in the cake.  Enveloped in chocolate, garnished with clementine sections and edged in flaked fresh coconut, the layers of flavor will make you stop and savor the moment.    

Coconut Clementine Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Sweet clementines, fresh coconut and chocolate make this cake fresh and satisfying. Sugar is already reduced from the original recipes. If you prefer a 4-layer cake, bake the cakes 1-2 days ahead, follow the instructions for refrigeration, and be sure to slice through the layers horizontally when the cake is nice and cold.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. CAKE
  2. =====
  3. 2-3/4 c. flour
  4. 1 tbs. baking powder
  5. 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  6. 1/2 c. whole milk
  7. 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut milk
  8. 1 tbs. dark rum (or 1 tsp coconut extract)
  9. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  10. 12 tbs. (1-1/2 sticks) unsaltened butter, softened
  11. 1/4 c. virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled (or butter)
  12. 1 c. LESS 1 heaping tbs. sugar
  13. 4 large egs, room temperature, whites & yolks separated
  14. 1-1/4 tsp finely grated clementine zest (about 2 clementines)
  15. FROSTING
  16. =========
  17. 8 oz bitter chocolate (70% Lindt Dark Chocolate works well)
  18. 2 tbsp butter
  19. 1 c. LESS 2 tbsp. whole milk
  20. 2 tbsp. heavy cream (or creme fraiche)
  21. 1-3/4 tbsp. sugar
  22. Juice from 2 clementines, strained
  23. GARNISH
  24. ========
  25. Clementine sections, cleaned of the veins (about 2 more clementines)
Instructions
  1. CAKE: Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, coconut milk, rum, and vanilla.
  5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, coconut oil, and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  6. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in the zest.
  7. Beat in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk mixture. Repeat, beating just until combined and scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  8. In a separate bowl, use an electric beater to whisk the egg whites, just until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cake batter.
  9. Divide the batter between the 2 pans. Bake until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes, then unmold the cakes and cool completely on the rack. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead. Once cool, remove the parchment paper, wrap in plastic and refrigerate. This makes it much easier to slice the 2 cakes into 4 layers.)
  10. FROSTING: Bring water to simmer in a double boiler. Break the chocolate into pieces and place in the top part of the double-boiler . Gently melt, stirring with a wooden spoon.
  11. Cut the butter into small pieces. Add to the warm chocolate and mix gently until smooth and creamy.
  12. Put the milk in a small saucepan, and bring to the point where small bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the heavy cream, sugar, and clementine juice. Whisk well and bring back to a gentle simmer. (Do not boil.)
  13. Pour the contents of the saucepan into the chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until smooth. Pour into a large measuring cup with a pouring spout, or into a pitcher.
  14. Pour slowly over each layer, beginning from the center and circling into gradually widening circles. When working on the top of the cake, work quickly, before the frosting hardens, to flatten with a long offset spatula.
  15. Decorate with clementine sections.
Notes
  1. About the chocolate... I used to think that the higher the percent of cocoa solids the better. But when I began using 85% and 90% dark chocolate, my chocolate glazes became grainy. At first, I thought it might be the brand. I switched from Ghiradelli to Lindt. But the results remained grainy. Finally, one day, I went back to 70% dark chocolate and voila! Perfection! Irrespective of brand. I guess there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
Adapted from Melissa Clark & Larousse on Pastry
Adapted from Melissa Clark & Larousse on Pastry
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Buche de Noel (French Christmas Cake)

Quintessentially French and festive, a Buche de Noel is the bakers’ holy grail of Christmas creations.   For me, it once seemed unattainable.  Not any more.  With the right pan, a pastry brush, an attractive rectangular plate to serve it in, and the wisdom to bake, wrap, and refrigerate (or freeze) the unfrosted cake up to two days in advance, I am now on a buche de noel roll (pun intended), creating variations on a theme to bring to friends and family leading up to the holiday season.  All credit goes to David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen and a 12″x 18″ jelly roll pan (which I bought a few years ago when experimenting with Collette’s Birthday Cakes by Collette Peters) and a boars’ bristle pastry brush from William Sonoma received as a Christmas gift last year.  But mostly, credit goes to David Lebovitz and his photographer Ed Anderson.  Their description, instructions and illustrations made the project approachable and a wonderful excuse to begin the holiday baking season!

Buche de Noel (Christmas Yule Log)
This recipe substitutes 1/3 c. of the cake flour with dutch process cocoa powder; substitutes David Leibovitz' original ricotta filling with a lighter version of Francois Payard's green tea pastry cream; and lightens the sugar load in every component. The green tea in the pastry cream and the serotonin in the dark chocolate can only contribute to the good will of the holidays. If you are pressed for time, garnish with crushed pistachios and strained pomegranate seeds and sift confectioners' sugar on top. If you opt for the meringue mushrooms, make them a day ahead. (They take 1-1/2 hours to bake and another hour to cool down.) Store them in an air-tight container and add them as garnish at the last minute to maintain crispness. See Notes below for additional garnish ideas or Google "Buche de Noel" followed by the year for more extravagant inspiration from France's best patisseries.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. GENOISE
  2. ========
  3. 4 large eggs, room temperature
  4. 1/2 c. sugar (reduced from 2/3 c.)
  5. Pinch of sea salt
  6. 1 tsp. vanilla
  7. 2/3 c. cake flour
  8. 1/3 c. dutch process cocoa powder
  9. 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  10. Powdered sugar (for rolling the cake into shape)
  11. GREEN TEA PASTRY CREAM
  12. ========================
  13. 2 c. milk (whole or 2%)
  14. 2 tsp. powdered green tea
  15. 1/3 c. sugar
  16. 5 tbsp. cornstarch
  17. 6 large egg yolks
  18. 4 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
  19. 1 c. heavy cream (optional)
  20. CHOCOLATE ICING
  21. ================
  22. 5 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  23. 1/4 c. coffee or water
  24. 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
  25. MERINGUE MUSHROOMS
  26. =====================
  27. 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  28. Pinch of sea salt
  29. 1/3 c. granulated sugar (original amount)
  30. Generous pinch of cinnamon
  31. Powdered sugar to sift over finished cake
  32. 1-1/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Make an X with butter or shortening on a 12" x 18" jelly roll pan and line the pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper and sides.
  3. GENOISE: Sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Set aside.
  4. Separately, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt on high speed until they hold a thick ribbon when you lift the whip, about 5 minutes. Whip in the vanilla.
  5. Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift 1/3 of the flour/cocoa mixture over the egg mixture and fold in. Repeat with the remaining two thirds of the flour/cocoa. Drizzle the melted, room-temperature butter and fold in. Overall, do not over-fold. Just enough to incorporate at each step.
  6. Scrape the batter into the jelly roll pan and spread into an even layer. It will be a thin layer. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and the center springs back lightly to the touch. Don't let it get too dry or it will crack (a lot) when you roll it. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes.
  7. Lay a kitchen towel on the counter top. Lightly sift some powdered sugar over the towel. Run a knife around the edge of the cake pan. Place the floured side of the towel onto the cake pan, hold firmly in place and overturn the cake pan onto the counter. Lift the pan away, then lift off the parchment paper. Starting on a long side, roll the cake up in the towel and allow to cool 1 hour.
  8. GREEN TEA PASTRY CREAM: Line a shallow 9"x9" pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.
  9. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the milk until bubbles form at the edge and it is just short of boiling. Whisk in the green tea powder. Remove from heat and set aside.
  10. In a mixer bowl, sift the sugar and cornstarch together, add the egg yolks and beat until the yolks turn very pale yellow.
  11. Temper the egg yolks by placing a ladle-ful in a small cup or dish, and whisking in some of the hot milk in a slow steady stream. Whisk the tempered yolk mixture into the rest of the yolk mixture, then whisk in the rest of the milk mixture in a slow steady stream to keep the mixture from curdling.
  12. Once the milk is well incorporated, pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean saucepan and heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking gently, constantly, until it becomes very thick, coating the back of a wooden spoon. You can allow bubbles to pop in the center of the pan for up to 20 seconds to activate the cornstarch.
  13. Remove from heat.
  14. Add the butter, whisking constantly until incorporated.
  15. Pour the pastry cream through a sieve into the prepared pan and cover it with plastic wrap, directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, at least 1 hour, or up to one day ahead.
  16. When ready to fill the Buche de Noel, whisk the heavy cream at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks. Remove the green tea mixture from the refrigerator, whisk it to a creamy texture, and fold into the whipped heavy cream with a spatula.
  17. FILL & ROLL THE CAKE: Unroll the cake and spread the filling over the cake, leaving a 1-inch edge on each long side. As you roll the cake back up, support it carefully to support the added weight of the cream. Once completely rolled, wrap in plastic wrap - tightly enough that it holds its shape but not so tight that the cake is crushed. Place in the refrigerator to chill 1 hour (or freeze up to 2 days in advance.)
  18. MERINGUE: Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. In a stand mixer with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites with the salt on high speed until they form soft peaks. Continue whipping, adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time, unti lthe meringue is very stiff and glossy. Whip in the cinnamon.
  19. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip (or scrape it into a resealable plastic bag and snip a small hole in one corner). Pipe 22 round mushroom caps in 1-inch mounds. Pipe the 22 stems by making a base that is slightly thicker, tapering up to a tip as you pull straight up about 1 inch. Smooth the tops of the caps with a finger dipped in water. Bake the meringues for 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven & allow to cool completely.
  20. To assemble the mushrooms, use a small pointy knife to carve a small hole in the bottom center of the mushroom caps, large enough to fit the pointy end of the stems.
  21. Melt a little chocolate and use it as glue to affix the mushroom stems to the bottom of the caps. Set on a rack to cool, then transfer to an airtight container until ready to use. (Mushrooms can be made up to 1 week in advance in an airtight container at room temperature.)
  22. ICING: In a double boiler, with the water already simmering, melt the chocolate with the coffee, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in the butter. Once smooth, let the icing sit until it's thick enough to spread. (Refrigerating it for about 30 minutes will help it thicken. When ready, stir again with a small whisk.)
  23. ASSEMBLY: Unroll and unwrap the cake. Cut to fit the serving platter. With the extra cake, cut a 2-inch slice to resemble a broken branch on top and set aside. Use the rest for additional branches on the side if your platter has room. If not, freeze the rest for future use.
  24. Frost the main part of the cake on the platter. (An offset spatula helps.) Then drag the short end of the spatula lightly along the length of the cake to resemble bark. (You can also use the tines of a fork.) If you like, arrange a "broken branch" at one end of the cake. Frost it and recreate the same bark look on the sides. On the cut side (facing up), create a smooth base.
  25. DECORATING: Use the meringue mushrooms to decorate the cake and platter and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar to resemble newly fallen snow.
Notes
  1. ALTERNATIVE FILLINGS
  2. ====================
  3. - ice cream
  4. - whipped cream
  5. - marzipan
  6. - chocolate ganache
  7. ALTERNATIVE DECORATIONS
  8. =========================
  9. - chopped pistachios
  10. - shaved chocolate
  11. - an angel (or tree) shortbread cookie with Noel in pistachios
  12. - marzipan ornaments
  13. - macaroons
Adapted from David Lebovitz' "My French Kitchen" & Francois Payard's "Chocolate Epiphany"
Adapted from David Lebovitz' "My French Kitchen" & Francois Payard's "Chocolate Epiphany"
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Le Gateau Weekend

9520_Bay Leaf Pound Cake

      Crossing the San Francisco Bay Bridge for the first time, in a convertible with the top town, the scent was mesmerizing. “What is that smell,” I kept asking.

       “What smell?”

       “That smell, in the breeze. What is it? I know that smell.”

       Thank goodness I wasn’t driving, it was so distracting. Craning my neck out the passenger side window of the red Mustang convertible, hungry for more, my brain tried to connect identifiable memory with what my olfactory senses were inhaling, deeply. I knew that smell. It was so familiar. The synapse eluded me.

       The Bay Bridge is a long bridge. By the time we reached the end, my companion’s amusement at my inadvertent bloodhound imitation was waxing. As we approached terra firma, the scent surrounded us. My eyes closed, still searching memory banks.

       “What kind of tree is that?”  We were on solid ground now and huge, ginormous trees I had never seen before were breezing past us. Their perfume filled the air with subtle, earthy well-being.

       “Bay Leaf.”

       “That’s it! Bay leaf! We use it in beans and stews all the time. Holy moly! Those leaves are huge! No wonder Williams Sonoma was inspired to create such beautiful wreaths. They’re massive! Those are not the bay leaves we get at the supermarket. I never knew what they smelled like fresh.”

       “Mmmm.”

       Sitting back to relax against the convertible’s bucket seat, I closed my eyes again, allowing the scent to waft over me. When I opened my eyes, we were in wine country.

       Years later, reading David Lebovitz’ My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories, I am once again mesmerized by the fragrance of bay leaf. Humble store-bought bay leaves are infused in the butter used to keep this pound cake moist. A few perfect leaves are buttered on one side and arranged on parchment paper to decorate the bottom of the loaf. Pound cake usually rises, though, and it would be a shame to level the top to serve it upside-down. Standing a leaf on its edge in the batter down the center identifies this heady beauty as something to talk about. Voila!

       It’s been 3 days since I baked what DL calls his gateau week-end.  I still smile when I bump into its subtle and mysterious fragrance.

 

Carrot Cake

9773_2015-08-22c_Carrot Cake Muffins_Blog, Featured

There are three carrot cake recipes that I rely upon depending on whether a) whole wheat flour is on hand; and b) the audience prefers healthy over sweet. For myself, the recipe with whole wheat flour, pineapple and walnuts from the California Heritage Cookbook is always my favorite. The whole wheat provides depth and a little healthy fuel to burn.

In the absence of whole wheat flour, David Lebovitz’ version from My Paris Kitchen takes the cake, especially in winter. The allspice and cinnamon make it particularly perfect in winter.

For the sweet tooth, I recommend Larousse on Pastry‘s recipe. It’s not overly sweet, but it is more of a dessert than a healthy snack.

Carrot Cake
Another favorite from our mother's kitchen. The whole wheat adds makes it extra healthy and delicious!
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1-1/4 c. salad oil
  2. 1 c. brown sugar, packed (can be reduced to half)
  3. 1 c. granulated sugar (can be reduced to half)
  4. 4 eggs
  5. 1 c. all-purpose flour
  6. 1 c. less 2 tblsp. whole wheat flour
  7. 1 tsp salt (can be reduced to half)
  8. 2 tsp baking soda
  9. 2 tsp baking powder
  10. 2 tsp cinnamon
  11. 3 c. finely shredded raw carrots, packed
  12. 8-1/2 oz. crushed pineapple, drained (optional)
  13. 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease and lightly flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or 18 muffin tins).
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the two flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
  4. In a mixer, blend the salad oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until blended.
  6. Add the flour, one-third at a time, beating just until blended.
  7. Fold in the carrots, pineapple, and walnuts.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool for 10 minutes before turning out to a rack to cool completely.
  10. Optional: Unfrosted, this carrot cake may be wrapped and refrigerated for 5-6 days or froen for 2-3 months. Frosted, the cake will last in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  11. Optional: Frost with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.
Notes
  1. Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
  2. 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  3. 1/4 c. butter
  4. 2 c. sifted confectioners sugar
  5. 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
  6. 1 tblsp grated lemon rind
  7. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Blend in the confectioners' sugar. Stir in the vanilla and lemon rind.
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/

Bittersweet Chocolate Icing

7781_Low-Fat Milk, Dark Chocolate, and a Whisk

 

Delicious with Christmas Spice Cake!  Adapted from Maida Heatter’s Cakes.

Bittersweet Chocolate Icing
This recipe accompanied Maida Heatter's recipe for Tomato Soup Cake, which I refer to as Christmas Spice Cake because most people can't conceive of tomato soup as a cake ingredient. Yet it is delicious. The soup adds moisture in a nutricious way to a recipe fragranced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa. To me, this cake spells Christmas.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 c. whipping cream
  2. 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped coarsely
  3. 5 oz. milk chocolate, chopped coarsely
Instructions
  1. Place cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat. Let cook uncovered, until there is a slight wrinkled skin on top or small bubbles form around the edges.
  2. Add the unsweetened cohocolate and stir until it is almost all melted.
  3. Transfer the mixture to the small bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes beautifully smooth, shiny and thick. Then, without waiting, pour the icing on the cake and quickly spread it over the top with a long, narrow spatula.
Adapted from a Maida Heatter recipe.
Adapted from a Maida Heatter recipe.
Sea Sky & Table https://seaskyandtable.com/