What are you baking for Shabbos?

Amarante

Wed, Apr 27 2022, 5:46 pm

I clipped this recipe and since I love almond paste I am going to make it. It is parve which is a plus because most of my favorite baked stuff is made with delicious butter.

Rustic Grape and Almond Paste Cake

Excerpt From: Zoë François - Zoë Bakes Cakes

Makes one 10-inch / 25cm cake

It’s curious why grapes are rarely used in baking, unless dried into raisins. They are juicy and have such a wide range of sweetness and flavor, depending on the variety. They’re also a perfect match for almond paste, an ingredient with which I’m more than just a bit smitten; there are so many ways to play with the slightly creamy, earthy flavor. Together with the earthiness of olive oil, the combination makes a gorgeous cake that’s just as suited for a holiday table as it is for a Tuesday-night dessert.

To get the dreamy texture of this cake, the batter is made in a food processor so the almond paste is blended smoothly. It yields a crumb that is dense and tender at the same time. Try the variation with kirschwasser-soaked dried cherries in place of the grapes.

1 cup plus 1 Tbsp / 120g cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp kosher salt
7 oz / 200g almond paste, cut into small pieces, plus 4 oz / 115g, cut into ¼-inch / 6mm cubes (see Baker’s Note)
1 cup / 200g granulated sugar
120ml olive oil plus ¼ cup / 60ml mild-flavored oil (such as vegetable oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract (see this page)
1 tsp almond extract”
1 tsp orange zest
5 eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups / 240g halved grapes (any seedless variety will do)

TOPPING

½ cup / 60g almond slivers, lightly crushed in mortar and pestle
¼ cup / 50g granulated sugar
1 tsp orange zest
4 drops orange blossom water

Preheat the oven to 325°F / 175°C. Generously grease and flour a 10-inch / 25cm tube pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a food processor, combine the pieces of almond paste, sugar, olive oil, vanilla, almond extract, and orange zest and process until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, pulsing to combine after each addition.

Add one-third of the flour mixture to the oil mixture and pulse just until combined. Repeat with another one-third flour and then the final one-third. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, fold the cubes of almond paste and half of the grapes into the batter.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and top with the remaining grapes.

To make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the almonds, sugar, orange zest, and orange blossom water and rub together with your fingertips.

Sprinkle the topping over the batter and smooth with a spatula. Set the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake until the cake is deep golden and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and set onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

VARIATION: DRIED CHERRY AND KIRSCHWASSER CAKE

The intensity of dried cherries is a perfect pairing with the almond-paste batter of this cake, and I’ve added a bit of kirschwasser (cherry liqueur) to make it a party. Place 1¼ “cups / 175g dried cherries and ¼ cup / 60ml kirschwasser in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 1 minute, then let cool to room temperature. Substitute the cherry-kirschwasser mixture for the grapes and proceed as directed.

BAKER’S NOTE
The almond paste needs to be soft, or it won’t incorporate smoothly. If it is old and dried out, it will just stay in clumps.

Amarante

Wed, Apr 27 2022, 5:49 pm

Mayonnaise based chocolate cake is delicious but the problem is the butter cream frosting for a perfect layer cake

The addition of mayonnaise makes this one rich, moist cake.
You'll need deep-sided 8-inch-round cake pans.
Make Ahead: The cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

SERVINGS: 8 - 10

INGREDIENTS
* FOR THE CAKE

* 6 tablespoons (37 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for the pans
* 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking soda
* 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
* 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
* 1 1/2 cups (345 grams) Duke's mayonnaise
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters) cold water

* FOR THE FROSTING

* 1 cup (95 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
* 16 tablespoons (2 sticks/226 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 5 to 6 cups (625 to 750 grams) confectioners' sugar
* 6 tablespoons low-fat milk, plus more as needed

DIRECTIONS

For the cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Use cooking oil spray to grease two deep, 8-inch round cake pans, then dust each one with a little cocoa powder, shaking out any excess.

Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or if using a handheld mixer, in a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sugar and mix on low speed to combine. Stop the mixer, and add the mayonnaise, water and vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until evenly combined; do not overmix.

Divide the cake equally between the pans, making sure the batter is smooth and level on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer to wire racks to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully dislodge from the pans. Let the layers cool completely on the wire racks.

Make the frosting: While the cake layers cool, into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or if using a handheld mixer, in a large bowl, sift the cocoa powder. Add the butter and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla extract and continue to beat on low to combine. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the confectioners' sugar and the milk, in several additions, to form a smooth, spreadable frosting. (You might not need to use all 6 cups of the sugar, or you might need more than the 6 tablespoons of milk.)

Using a serrated knife, trim the surface of each layer, if necessary, to even them out. Invert one layer and frost the surface, then place the remaining layer directly on top. Cover the cake with all of the remaining frosting and serve.

Amarante

Wed, Apr 27 2022, 5:51 pm

But here is a recipe for a vegan chocolate frosting which I might try. It is from the generally reliable America's Test Kitchen from their new "vegan cookbook".

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
makes 4 cups

Why This Recipe Works For a rich, billowy multipurpose chocolate frosting, we melted semisweet chocolate and whisked in coconut milk. Once cooled, we whipped the ganache-like mixture into a mousse-y frosting. The frosting tasted downright decadent, but it looked broken. Using chocolate chips instead of bar chocolate was our fix. Chocolate chips contain emulsifying agents, which stabilized the mixture so it didn’t break. Not all semisweet chocolate chips are vegan, so check ingredient lists carefully. Halve this recipe to frost 12 cupcakes. (Use two cans of coconut milk to obtain the ¾ cup cream.) Mixing times won’t change. Note that this frosting is made over 2 days.

3 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
3⅓ cups (1¼ pounds) semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon salt

1 Refrigerate unopened cans of coconut milk for at least 24 hours to ensure that 2 distinct layers form. Skim cream layer from each can and measure out 1½ cups cream (save any extra cream for another use and discard milky liquid).

2 Microwave coconut cream, chocolate chips, and salt in bowl at 50 percent power, whisking occasionally, until melted and smooth, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to bowl of stand mixer. Place plastic wrap directly “against surface of chocolate mixture and refrigerate until cooled completely and texture resembles firm cream cheese, about 3 hours, stirring halfway through chilling. (If mixture has chilled for longer and is very stiff, let stand at room temperature to soften but still cool.) Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip at high speed until fluffy, mousse-like soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway through whipping.

“TESTING NOTES Dairy-Free Milks
OUR FAVORITE Oat Milk
OTHERS TESTED Coconut milk produces a pale cake with a very fine crumb. Almond milk makes the cake slightly greasy and rubbery. Soy milk creates a slightly dry, spongy, coarse-crumbed cake.”