Read Bon Appetit Desserts Online
Authors: Barbara Fairchild
Bon Appetit Desserts (28 page)
Place 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on 9-inch-diameter tart pan bottom. Spread half of filling over. Place second cake layer, bottom side up, on work surface; spread remaining filling over and place, filling side up, atop first layer. Top with remaining cake layer, bottom side up. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before continuing.
Press candy and peanuts onto top of cake.
More to Try
You can use the cake filling to make truffles by rolling the chilled mixture into balls and coating them with finely chopped roasted peanuts or unsweetened cocoa powder.
Coconut-Chocolate MarjolaineMultiple layers of soft coconut meringue and a dark chocolate and rum ganache give a tropical spin to the classic French gateau. At 90°F, the melted ganache is the perfect consistency for coating the marjolaine, so use an instant-read thermometer to gauge it just right. Two types of unsweetened coconut are used here: finely shredded coconut for the meringue layers and shaved coconut, sometimes called coconut chips, for the garnish. Both are available at some supermarkets and at many natural foods stores.
8 servings
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon dark rum
1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut (about 4 ½ ounces)
⅔ cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 cup coconut shavings, lightly toasted
GANACHE:
Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Cover and chill at least 6 hours.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
MERINGUE:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 17×11×1-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix shredded coconut, ⅓ cup sugar, flour, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ⅓ cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold coconut mixture into meringue just until incorporated. Spread meringue evenly over parchment on prepared sheet, covering completely. Bake until light golden and just springy to touch, about 20 minutes (meringue will be soft). Cool completely on baking sheet.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with foil; store at room temperature.
GLAZE:
Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Let glaze stand at room temperature until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.
Place sheet of waxed paper on work surface. Cut around edges of meringue to loosen. Invert meringue onto waxed paper. Peel off parchment. Cut meringue crosswise in half, then cut lengthwise in thirds, forming six 8 ½×3 ⅔-inch rectangles. Cut piece of cardboard into 8½×3 ⅔-inch rectangle; cover cardboard with foil. Place 1 meringue rectangle on cardboard.
Using electric mixer, beat ganache just until lighter in color and firm enough to spread. Using offset spatula, spread 3 generous tablespoons ganache evenly over meringue. Top with second meringue rectangle; press to adhere. Spread 3 tablespoons ganache over. Repeat procedure with 3 more meringue rectangles and remaining ganache. Top with remaining meringue rectangle. Chill cake until ganache is firm, about 1 hour.
Place cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Spread top and sides of cake with some of glaze. Chill 30 minutes.
Place bowl with remaining glaze in skillet of barely simmering water and rewarm just until instant-read thermometer inserted into glaze registers 90°F. Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides, spreading evenly over sides. Using spatula, scoop up excess glaze on sheet; spread over sides of cake to cover. Press toasted coconut shavings onto glaze over bottom 1 inch of cake. Transfer cake to platter. Chill until glaze is set, at least 1 hour.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Using serrated knife, cut cake crosswise into slices and serve.
Equipment Tip:
Cake Helpers
A piece of rectangular cardboard supports the cake, making it easy to move it in and out of the refrigerator. It also allows the glaze coating to drip down the sides of the cake without pooling around it. An offset icing spatula is helpful for spreading the ganache and glaze smoothly and evenly.
Pecan Praline CakeThis luscious southern-style cake features flavors reminiscent of Louisiana pralines (brown sugar-pecan confections).
12 servings
2½ cups cake flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk
1½ cups chopped pecans
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe)
Pecan Praline Topping (see recipe)
CAKE:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with waxed paper; butter paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions. Stir in pecans. Divide batter between prepared pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from pan sides, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; peel off waxed paper. Cool cakes completely.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
SYRUP:
Stir 3 tablespoons water and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon. Cool.
Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Brush some of syrup over. Spread 1 cup Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting over. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Brush top and sides of cake with remaining syrup. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange Pecan Praline Topping all over top of cake, mounding slightly in center.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
Vanilla Cream Cheese FrostingUsing slightly softened, room-temperature butter ensures easier mixing and a smoother frosting.
Makes about 3 ¼ cups
12 ounces Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down bowl occasionally.
Pecan Praline ToppingThese crunchy brown-sugar pecans are also delicious on their own.
Makes about 1½ cups
1 large egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water
½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1½ cups pecan halves
Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter rimmed baking sheet. Using fork, beat egg white and 1 tablespoon water in medium bowl until foamy. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add pecan halves and toss to coat. Spread pecan mixture on prepared baking sheet (some egg white mixture will flow out onto baking sheet). Bake until nuts are deep brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; stir to loosen nuts from baking sheet. Cool nuts completely on sheet.
DO AHEAD:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Can This Cake Be Saved?
Even professional pastry chefs run into sticky situations when making cakes. Here are some tricks to fix the peskiest problems.
DRY CAKES
Split the cake layers in half horizontally, then brush them with simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated and stirred until the sugar dissolves). If cupcakes come out too dry or a sheet cake is dry, poke holes in the top, then brush with the simple syrup. Once the syrup is absorbed, assemble and fill the cake layers and apply the frosting. Keep the cakes under a cake dome to ensure they don’t dry out any further.
Serve slices of cake with a vanilla custard sauce (crème anglaise), caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or ice cream.
Cut the cake into cubes and layer it in parfait glasses with whipped cream, lemon curd, raspberry sauce, and fresh berries.
FALLEN OR LUMPY CAKES
Use a serrated knife to even out the surface of the cake.
Make extra frosting and use it to create a smooth surface.
If the cake is completely beyond hope, cut it into squares and use them to make sundaes or parfaits.
IMPERFECTLY FROSTED CAKES
Use chopped toasted nuts, sweetened flaked coconut, coarsely crushed cookies, or cake crumbs to coat the sides of the cake and mask frosting flaws. Select the coatings that pair best with the flavors of your cake.
Make a chocolate band (see the Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer Cake on page 122-23) to wrap around the cake and hide any imperfections.
If the top of the frosted cake looks sparse, cover it with whipped cream and top it with assorted fresh berries just before serving.
