Celebrate good times

I’m slowly catching up with all the comments left on my previous posts, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the kind words. Truly, the blogosphere is a community!

First, I would like to thank The Daring Bakers for the friendship and mentorship they have thrown my way. It is with sadness that I am leaving DB. This year started off busy and I can only see it getting busier. I will always be a fan and reader of many DB blogs. For all my Daring Bakers challenges click here.

A second thanks goes to the wonderful folks at Tuesdays with Dorie. I am thrilled to have been one of the pick of the weeks for my Florida Pie. I will not be leaving TWD anytime soon. After all, I still need to bake.

Here’s to all my DB and TWD friends:

The two chocolate cakes use the Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. Using Ms Beranbaum’s technique inhibits gluten strands from forming, resulting in an ethereal if a bit fragile texture. With the delicateness of Ms Beranbaum’s cakes, spreading a stiff frosting on to the surface can sometimes cause it to tear. Also, because I often tort my cakes to have a four layers, I want my cakes to be slightly more sturdy. To this end, I increase my mixing times.

Ms Beranbaum usually mixes the first bit of liquid with the dry ingredients and butter for a minute and a half followed by three additions of the remaining liquid for 20 seconds each. I instead mix the first stage for a full two minutes followed by three one minute mixings. I hit upon the idea after reading Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes where he uses two minute intervals. His cakes are wonderfully sturdy but I did miss the texture of Ms Beranbaum’s cakes.

My mixing times are a good compromise: the cake is slightly more dense, just as velvety, and sturdy enough for torting and icing with stiff icing. When I pull them out of the oven, the cakes are usually domed if don’t use wet cake strips but they flatten perfectly on cooling.

Once again, I used my favourite Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC). Please refer to my discussion on SMBC for details. There is something comforting in seeing the butter and Swiss meringue curdle and then slowly become silky as the mixer beats on. Room temperature melted bittersweet chocolate is folded into the buttercream, resulting in a luxurious frosting. (Click on the picture to enlarge).

Notes:

• According to Nick Malgieri, a two-stage mixing method is appropriate when the weight of sugar is equal to or greater than the weight of flour. I have yet to run into a recipe that runs contrary to this.

• Unbleached flours do not work with two-stage mixing. However, Kate of A Merrier World has found that microwaving unbleached flours can make them behave as though they were bleached.

• Cool room temperature butter and liquid ingredients are a must when employing this method.

• To proceed, whisk all dry ingrdients in the Kitchen Aid bowl. Then whisk all the liquids in another bowl. Add the butter, cut in tablespoon pieces, to the dry ingredients then mix on low speed for one minute until the mixture looks coarse and sandy. Add half the liquid ingredients then mix on speed #4 for two minutes. Then, add the remaining liquids in three portions, scraping then mixing on speed #4 for one minute after each addition.

• Cake strips are good to use. However, you don’t need to buy them. Cut an old towel into strips, soak in water, then wrap in aluminum foil. Pin to the sides of the pan.

• Think of your own personal Zen when icing cakes. Fussing with buttercream tends to create a less pretty cake.

Celebrate good times

I’m slowly catching up with all the comments left on my previous posts, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the kind words. Truly, the blogosphere is a community!

First, I would like to thank The Daring Bakers for the friendship and mentorship they have thrown my way. It is with sadness that I am leaving DB. This year started off busy and I can only see it getting busier. I will always be a fan and reader of many DB blogs. For all my Daring Bakers challenges click here.

A second thanks goes to the wonderful folks at Tuesdays with Dorie. I am thrilled to have been one of the pick of the weeks for my Florida Pie. I will not be leaving TWD anytime soon. After all, I still need to bake.

Here’s to all my DB and TWD friends:

The two chocolate cakes use the Chocolate Fudge Cake recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. Using Ms Beranbaum’s technique inhibits gluten strands from forming, resulting in an ethereal if a bit fragile texture. With the delicateness of Ms Beranbaum’s cakes, spreading a stiff frosting on to the surface can sometimes cause it to tear. Also, because I often tort my cakes to have a four layers, I want my cakes to be slightly more sturdy. To this end, I increase my mixing times.

Ms Beranbaum usually mixes the first bit of liquid with the dry ingredients and butter for a minute and a half followed by three additions of the remaining liquid for 20 seconds each. I instead mix the first stage for a full two minutes followed by three one minute mixings. I hit upon the idea after reading Nick Malgieri’s Perfect Cakes where he uses two minute intervals. His cakes are wonderfully sturdy but I did miss the texture of Ms Beranbaum’s cakes.

My mixing times are a good compromise: the cake is slightly more dense, just as velvety, and sturdy enough for torting and icing with stiff icing. When I pull them out of the oven, the cakes are usually domed if don’t use wet cake strips but they flatten perfectly on cooling.

Once again, I used my favourite Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC). Please refer to my discussion on SMBC for details. There is something comforting in seeing the butter and Swiss meringue curdle and then slowly become silky as the mixer beats on. Room temperature melted bittersweet chocolate is folded into the buttercream, resulting in a luxurious frosting. (Click on the picture to enlarge).

Notes:

• According to Nick Malgieri, a two-stage mixing method is appropriate when the weight of sugar is equal to or greater than the weight of flour. I have yet to run into a recipe that runs contrary to this.

• Unbleached flours do not work with two-stage mixing. However, Kate of A Merrier World has found that microwaving unbleached flours can make them behave as though they were bleached.

• Cool room temperature butter and liquid ingredients are a must when employing this method.

• To proceed, whisk all dry ingrdients in the Kitchen Aid bowl. Then whisk all the liquids in another bowl. Add the butter, cut in tablespoon pieces, to the dry ingredients then mix on low speed for one minute until the mixture looks coarse and sandy. Add half the liquid ingredients then mix on speed #4 for two minutes. Then, add the remaining liquids in three portions, scraping then mixing on speed #4 for one minute after each addition.

• Cake strips are good to use. However, you don’t need to buy them. Cut an old towel into strips, soak in water, then wrap in aluminum foil. Pin to the sides of the pan.

• Think of your own personal Zen when icing cakes. Fussing with buttercream tends to create a less pretty cake.

Pecan honey sticky buns

A Tuesdays with Dorie event

First of all thanks to Madam Chow of Madam Chow’s Kitchen for choosing this delectable treat for TWD:

While everyone might declare their own sticky bun recipe as the best, Ms Greenspan’s uses a rich brioche dough so hers is just slightly more special. Incidentally, this is the same brioche dough that was used for Brioche Raisin Snails, my first TWD event. The picture below shows the base dough, a brioche Nanterre below it and the snails on the right. (Click on the image to enlarge).

A benefit of being a TWD member is the opportunity to build on techniques learned from previous events. For instance, after learning that a filled roll of dough is impossible to cut neatly if it is warm, I made sure this time around to chill my raisin and cinnamon sugar filled brioche log prior to cutting it. Also, recalling as well how unflavoured dental floss worked well for this task, I employed it again.

I froze most of the sticky buns and placed eight pieces in an 8.5″ x 4.5″ loaf pan that was filled with honey caramel and pecans. After a couple hours rest, these were touching each other and starting to surge up. These turned a deep golden brown colour in the oven with the hot caramel bubbling up the crevices between each stick bun. Click on the image below to enlarge.

Sticky buns need to be unmolded right after being taken out of the oven.

This is one of those moments that is truly rewarding to a home baker: to be the first to see how these golden rows of filled brioche are crowned with praline and enrobed in rich honey caramel. Soon its aroma – cinnamon, earthy and floral notes – wafts and entices.

At the same time, this is also one of the most trying moments for a home baker. The buns are burning hot and a steely will is required to wait for these to cool.

I love these sticky buns. The size is modest – probably about a 2-inch square – not gargantuan as are most store-bought varieties. What perfect excuse to reach for just one more piece. Honey provides far more complexity than just the one-note sweetness of sucrose. The crunchy sides and pecan praline crusted top contrast very nicely with the soft brioche, which was neither dense nor overly bready. All at once, this gooey treat is warm and spicy, buttery and sweet.

Notes:

• When baking with raisins, it is always best to use a plump batch. Plumping a dried out bunch is easy – steep in hot water for five to ten minutes, then drain well. This has the added benefit of leaching off excess sugar, allowing more of the raisin’s flavours to come through.
• Cutting with dental floss. Slip a piece of floss under the filled brioche log, then make an overhand knot. As you pull the floss with a quick, smooth and strong manner, the log will be cut very neatly.
• Here’s a secret: because of all the sugar and spice involved in sticky buns, you can take shortcuts with the brioche dough. Try this quick and easy brioche recipe by Nick Malgieri. I’m sure Ms Greenspan wouldn’t mind that I’m endorsing her good friend. Now, of course, if a brioche loaf is desired, nothing beats the multiple, long slow rises in developing aroma and flavour.