Desserts

Pound Cake

Makes two 8-inch loaves Ingredients 3/4 cup butter, room temperature 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons honey 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 cup nonfat powdered milk 8 eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour […]

Cakes

Pumpkin Bread

Makes 1 loaf Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup pumpkin purée 1 egg 2 tablespoons water 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans Directions Coat a 5-in by […]

Cakes, Desserts

Pumpkin Date Cake with Maple Caramel Sauce

Makes 8 to 12 servings This cake is a cross between sticky toffee pudding and a fluffy pumpkin snacking cake. It is lightly spiced, spongy and moist, and best when bathed in maple caramel sauce. Leftover sauce should be refrigerated and lightly heated before serving. Substitute about 2 teaspoons of […]

Breakfast and Brunch, Cakes

Quark Stollen

Makes 1 loaf This recipe comes right from Bakeshop 6 at The Culinary Institute of America! A traditional German holiday treat, this stollen is leavened with baking powder, not yeast, so it’s a simple edition to your Christmas to-do list. You can find quark, a soft cultured cheese, near the […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Simple Syrup

Keeping a jar of simple syrup in your pantry may seem like a waste of space, but once you have it, you’ll reach for it more than you think. And sure, you can buy a bottle of prepared simple syrup for many dollars, but it’s sort of absurdly easy and […]

Cakes, Desserts

Sweet Coffee Chiffon Roulade

Makes 16 servings This is a big recipe. A proper pastry! But we know you have it in you, so give it a try. The key to handling a multi-part recipe like this is to read everything first. The main recipe (Sweet Coffee Chiffon Roulade, right below) will tell you […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

The Blending Mixing Method

The blending method, sometimes called the straight method, is the most basic and straight-forward mixing method, used for mixing quick breads and simple cakes. The blending method consists of making two mixtures, one with the wet ingredients and one with the dry, then combining (or blending!) the two together. 1. […]

Cakes

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Sponge cake, whether you know it as génoise or pan di Spagna, is a light, sweet, delicate cake rich in eggs. These cakes are made from egg foams with very little or no added fat. To add moisture, sponge cakes are often liberally brushed with sugar syrup. Fill the cake […]

Desserts

Warm Gingerbread Pudding

Makes 8 servings Sweet, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and allspice give gingerbread and many other baked goods their unmistakable aromas. Spices are generally understood to be dried aromatic ingredients, typically the bark or seeds of a plant; they are sold whole or ground. Whole spices may be toasted, […]