Cheryl Wixson's Kitchen

Birthday Cake

March 5, 2010 on 6:42 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

We are blessed with an abundant supply of local eggs from Quill’s End Farm…liquid sunshine is what Heather calls them. We call them breakfast, lunch and supper…enjoying them in so many ways, including our dogs, who each have one in their evening meal. When I start to get a surplus of egg whites, I like to make this Chocolate Angel Food cake.

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
(Adapted from a recipe in the Cake Bible)

1/3 cup Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
16 large egg whites = 2 cups
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk together ¾ cup sugar and cake flour.

In the bowl of the mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks are formed. Gradually beat in the remaining one cup of sugar. Remove one cup of the egg white mixture to the cocoa mixture.

Gradually fold the flour into the beaten egg whites. Whisk together the cocoa with the egg whites, then fold into the batter. Pour the mixture into a tube pan. Run a small knife through the batter to remove any air pockets. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cake springs back when lightly touched.

Invert the pan, placing the tube opening over the neck of a bottle and cool completely.

I make this cake and cut into pieces and freeze. So for my birthday cake, defrosted one chunk, split in half and filled with Currant Conserve (a very rich jam-like made with currants my friend Heather picked and organic honey) and slathered with whipped cream. This same preparation makes a wonderful whole birthday cake…if you don’t split in half and spread with a jam, try folding the jam into the whipped cream. Yum!

What do you do with the surplus egg yolks? There are so many uses, including sauces, Hollandaise, custard pie…but if you insist on knowing my sinful little secret, here it is.

CHOCOLAT POTS de CRÈME

2 cups light cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
6 egg yolks
2 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt (I usually omit)
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Center the rack in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

Place 1 ½ cups of the cream in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Place the remaining ½ cup cream and the chocolate in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. In a mixing bowl stir the egg yolks lightly to mix – do not beat until foamy.

When the cream has scalded, stir in the sugar and salt and remove from heat.

Stir the chocolate mixture with a small wire whisk until perfectly smooth. Off the heat, very gradually add the hot cream to the chocolate, stirring constantly to keep the mixture smooth. Then gradually stir in the egg yolks and stir in the vanilla.

Return the mixture to the heat in the double boiler and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber scraper for 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Then pour into individual 1/2 cup souffle dishes; do not fill all the way. Place the cups in a shallow baking pan. Pour hot water to about half the depth of the cups. Place a cookie sheet over the top to cover the cups (or if you have used pot de crème cups, put their covers on)

Bake for 22 minutes. The usual test for baked custard is to insert a small, sharp knife halfway between the middle and the edge and when it comes out clean, they are done. However, with this recipe, if it comes out clean the pots are overdone. The custard will look soft, but it will become firmer as it chills. It is best if it is still creamy in the center when served.

Place on a rack to cool, then refrigerate a few hours. Makes six ½ cup servings. You don’t want to know the nutritional analysis.