Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (310 page)
To create an elegant four-layered cake, you must split two cake layers in half horizontally. If you cut the layers a bit unevenly (which is bound to happen), the cake can lean to one side. Here’s how to compensate for less-than-perfect cutting.
1.
Place cooled cake layers on top of each other and make ¹⁄
8
-inch-deep vertical cut into side of each cake layer.
2.
With long serrated knife, use sawing motion to cut cakes in half horizontally so that each cake forms 2 layers.
3.
Assemble cake, aligning cuts in each layer. Stacking layers in their original orientation conceals uneven cutting.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
When a Boston cream pie hits all the marks, it’s a superstar dessert. But from the base to the glaze, there’s the opportunity for failure in every component. The sponge cake can turn out dry and crumbly, the pastry cream can curdle or fail to thicken and leak out the sides of the cake, and the chocolate glaze can seize or fail to taste truly chocolaty. We wanted to lead the dessert’s revival with a fail-safe recipe.
Boston cream pie is traditionally made from a genoiselike sponge cake, but we found that fussy and temperamental. Instead, we opted for a cake that was actually trendy during Boston cream pie’s heyday and didn’t require any finicky folding or separating of eggs: the hot-milk sponge cake. Not only was the cake easy to prepare, but its light texture and subtle flavor were the perfect platform for a creamy filling. To firm up the pastry cream so it didn’t squish out when the cake was sliced, we mixed some butter into the cooked mixture of egg yolks, sugar, half-and-half, and flour. The butter reinforced the richness of the pastry cream, and once it was spread on the cake and refrigerated, it sliced cleanly and held fast. Adding corn syrup to a mixture of heavy cream and melted chocolate gave our ganache glaze a smooth, glossy consistency that clung to the top of the cake and dripped artistically down its sides.
SERVES 10 TO 12
Chill the assembled cake for at least 3 hours to make it easy to cut and serve.
PASTRY CREAM
2 | cups half-and-half |
6 | large egg yolks, room temperature |
¹⁄ | cup (3¹⁄ |
Pinch salt | |
¹⁄ | cup (1¹⁄ |
4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons vanilla extract |
CAKE
1¹⁄ | cups (7¹⁄ |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons baking powder |
³⁄ | teaspoon salt |
³⁄ | cup whole milk |
6 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons vanilla extract |
3 | large eggs, room temperature |
1¹⁄ | cups (10¹⁄ |
GLAZE
¹⁄ | cup heavy cream |
2 | tablespoons corn syrup |
4 | ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine |
1. FOR THE PASTRY CREAM:
Heat half-and-half in medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Add flour to yolk mixture and whisk until incorporated. Remove half-and-half from heat and, whisking constantly, slowly add ¹⁄
2
cup to yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, return tempered yolk mixture to half-and-half in saucepan.
2.
Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 8 minutes.
3.
Increase heat to medium and cook, whisking vigorously, until bubbles burst on surface, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted and incorporated. Strain pastry cream through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Press lightly greased parchment paper directly on surface and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
4. FOR THE CAKE:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and cover to keep warm.
5.
Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip eggs and sugar on high speed until light and airy, about 5 minutes. Remove mixer bowl from stand, add hot milk mixture, and whisk by hand until incorporated. Add dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated.
6.
Working quickly, divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake cakes until tops are light brown and toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes.
7.
Transfer cakes to wire rack and let cool completely in pan, about 2 hours. Run small knife around edge of pans, then invert cakes onto wire rack. Carefully remove parchment, then turn cakes right side up. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Wrapped tightly in plastic, then aluminum foil, cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost cakes at room temperature before unwrapping and frosting.)
8. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on prepared platter. Whisk pastry cream briefly, then spoon onto center of cake. Using rubber spatula, spread evenly to cake edge. Place second layer on top of pastry cream, bottom side up, making sure layers line up. Press lightly on top of cake to level. Refrigerate cake while preparing glaze.
9. FOR THE GLAZE:
Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Whisk mixture gently until smooth.
10.
Pour glaze onto center of cake. Use rubber spatula to spread glaze to edge of cake, letting excess drip decoratively down sides. Chill for at least 3 hours. Carefully pull out pieces of parchment from beneath cake before serving. (Assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
What could possibly ruin the heavenly trio of cake, cream, and ripe strawberries? How about soggy cake, bland berries, and squishy cream? We wanted a sturdy cake, a firm filling, and strawberry flavor fit for a starring role—a cake that would serve a formal occasion better than a simple strawberry shortcake. We realized that tender butter cakes couldn’t support a substantial strawberry filling, so we used a chiffon-style cake that combined the rich flavor of a butter cake with the light-yet-sturdy texture of a sponge cake. Second, we made a flavorful berry “mash” with half of the berries and then reduced the macerated juice in a saucepan (with a little kirsch) to help concentrate and round out the flavor. We sliced the rest of the berries and placed them around the edges of the cake for visual appeal. And to prevent the cream filling from squirting out the sides, we fortified the whipped-cream filling with cream cheese.
See “BUILDING A STRAWBERRY CREAM CAKE” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 10 TO 12
If using a cake pan, be sure to use one with at least 2-inch-tall sides.
CAKE
1 | cup (7 ounces) sugar |
1¹⁄ | cups (5 ounces) cake flour |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons baking powder |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
5 | large eggs (2 whole and 3 separated), room temperature |
6 | tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled |
2 | tablespoons water |
2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
Pinch cream of tartar |
FILLING
2 | pounds strawberries, hulled (6 cups) |
4–6 | tablespoons sugar |
2 | tablespoons kirsch |
Pinch salt |
WHIPPED CREAM
8 | ounces cream cheese, room temperature |
¹⁄ | cup (3¹⁄ |
1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
2 | cups heavy cream, chilled |
1. FOR THE CAKE:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch springform pan, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pan. Reserve 3 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar in medium bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks, butter, water, and vanilla until smooth.
2.
Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft billowy mounds, about 1 minute. Gradually add reserved 3 tablespoons sugar and whip until glossy, soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir one-third of whites into batter to lighten; add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain.
3.
Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, discard parchment, and let cool completely, about 2 hours, before assembling. (Cooled cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Wrapped tightly in plastic, then aluminum foil, cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost cake at room temperature before unwrapping and frosting.)
4. FOR THE FILLING:
Halve 24 of best-looking berries and reserve. Quarter remaining berries, toss with 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar (depending on sweetness of berries) in medium bowl, and let sit 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Strain juices from berries and reserve (you should have about ¹⁄
2
cup). Pulse macerated berries in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses (you should have about 1¹⁄
2
cups). In small saucepan, simmer reserved juices and kirsch over medium-high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour reduced syrup over macerated berries, add salt, and toss to combine. Set aside until cake is cooled.
5. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:
When cake has cooled, whip cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt using stand mixer fitted with whisk on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream in slow, steady stream; when almost fully combined, increase speed to medium-high and whip until stiff peaks form, 2 to 2¹⁄
2
minutes more, scraping down bowl as needed (you should have about 4¹⁄
2
cups).
6. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Make ¹⁄
8
-inch-deep vertical cut into side of cake. With long serrated knife, use sawing motion to cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers.
7.
Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on prepared platter. Arrange ring of 20 strawberry halves, cut sides down and stem ends facing out, around perimeter of cake layer. Pour half of pureed berry mixture (about ³⁄
4
cup) in center, then spread to cover any exposed cake. Gently spread about one-third of whipped cream (about 1¹⁄
2
cups) over berry layer, leaving ¹⁄
2
-inch border around edge. Place next cake layer on top and press down gently (whipped cream layer should become flush with cake edge). Repeat with 20 strawberry halves, remaining berry mixture, and half of remaining whipped cream; gently press last cake layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and decorate with remaining 8 strawberry halves. Carefully pull out pieces of parchment from beneath cake before serving. (Assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.)
