SG Archives:Spiced Apple Cake

Don't Panic



A friend of mine celebrated his 6th Annual 42nd birthday this past fall. For those of you unfamiliar with Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Bill, having achieved answerhood, decided to continue to be 42 forever — or at least until the Earth is destroyed to make way for a pan-galactic bypass.

Each year, beginning with his 1st Annual 42nd birthday, Bill has thrown a party and invited his programming buddies, his musician buddies, and any and all 4th dimensional beings who happen to be in he neighborhood. Although Bill has been kind enough to invite me every year, I've always managed to outsmart his blandishments by living somewhere else. Last fall I ran out of other places to be living and so I had to attend.

Each year, beginning with his 1st Annual 42nd birthday, Bill has thrown a party.

I left my towel in the trunk of my car (I like to be prepared for sudden exits) but a number of folks wore theirs and, as you would expect, a few people arrived in bathrobes.

I'm not sure what possessed me, but I decided to bake a birthday cake for the event.

Spiced-Apple Cake (From Williams-Sonoma "Thanksgiving")
Serves 12.

3/4 lb butter — softened
3 tbsp butter
2 3/4 c sugar
3 Braeburn apples — peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" dice
3 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 c milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 c unsweetened natural applesauce
6 eggs
Frosting:
6 1/2 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lb cream cheese — softened
2 tbsp butter — softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp brandy

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add half of apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden — about 8 minutes. Reserve cooked apples. Add additional 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar to skillet and cook remaining apples. Reserve.

Heat oven to 325F. Position rack in center, and grease and flour 2 9" cake pans.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl mix together milk, applesauce, and vanilla.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat remaining 3/4 lb butter until creamy and smooth. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes — stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down sides.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk/applesauce mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition until just incorporated, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Remove from mixer and gently fold in apples.

Divide the batter between the two pans, spreading it evenly. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean — 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto the racks and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Frosting:
Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides. Add the vanilla and brandy and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually add confectioners' sugar. Increase speed to medium-high ad beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

Using a bread knife, make a cut halfway up on one side of a cake. Then, using a length of dental floss, carefully draw it through the cake cutting it in half. Repeat for second cake.

Place a large spoon-full of frosting in the center of a cake plate to keep layer from moving. Place a bottom layer, cut-side down, on the plate. Frost top of layer with 1/4 of frosting. Place top layer on top and frost. Repeat for remaining layers.

This is a killer cake with perfectly balanced flavors. And as you can see, it looks really nice too.

Try this cake with...
Boeuf Bourguignon
Lamb Chops a la Grecque
Milk-braised Pork Roast

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | desserts | apples | cake

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SG Archive:Braised Red Cabbage

Bile That Cabbage Down, Boys



Steamed cabbage was, if not frequent, at least common in the house where I grew up — particularly in the winter. And I'm inclined to say that's why I like cooked cabbage. Except that cole slaw was frequent in the house where I grew up — particularly in the summer. And I don't care for cole slaw. On the other hand, I do like raw cabbage sprinkled with a bit of salt. So let's just say I'm conflicted on the subject of cabbage.

Nevertheless, I definitely like it cooked. As I thought about what to have with the Chicken Paprikas the other night it occurred to me that cooked cabbage is a popular middle European dish. This worked for me.

Let's just say I'm conflicted on the subject of cabbage.

These days I usually steam cabbage in the microwave and I usually buy green cabbage. But this time I decided to go with red cabbage (to shore up my anthocyanin count) and I decided to braise it with apples and onions. Nothing particularly creative, but it was, in fact, a near-perfect complement to the paprikas.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | cabbage | side dish | apples

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Rum-and-cider-brinedPork Sirloin Roast

Falling



The day-time temperature has been in the 70's this fall — right up until a few days ago when it plunged 30 degrees over-night. Colors haven't really started changing yet — because of the warmth, I suppose. But perhaps now we'll see fall. Although New England is certainly the most beautiful place in the country for leaf peeping, East Tennessee does pretty well — and for that matter when the aspens turn gold on California's mountain sides it's pretty stunning.

At any rate, I woke up to a cold house Saturday morning and didn't want to get out of my warm bed. So I put off getting up for a few minutes and gave some thought to supper. The first thing that popped into my mind was roast pork. To me fall means pork — and it also means apples and it just so happens that apples and pork go together beautifully, but what to do?

I woke up to a cold house Saturday morning and didn't want to get out of my warm bed.

I let my mind free associate and settled on cider (hard or soft... soft) with rum and juniper berries. A brine not a marinade so the salt would draw the flavors fairly deeply into the meat. However, choosing to use a brine meant it would be too salty to use as a sauce — but there was no reason not make a separate pan sauce using rum and cider — and toss in some sautéed apples as well.

I've done something similar, but without brining, without juniper, and using Calvados instead of rum. I made a grocery run and came home to make up the brine. I'd already decided it needed 24 hours of brining so I'd have it for supper Sunday night instead of that night. The longer I cook the more I learn that patience is a key technique and I've found that most of my meals fall into two categories: they are either quick and simple or slow. I cook fewer and fewer dishes that fall in between.

I don’t mind letting a roast brine for 24 hours, and I don't mind slow-roasting it for a couple of hours so it arrives on the table perfectly cooked throughout.

Rum-and-cider-brined Pork Sirloin Roast
Serves 4.

Brine:
1 1/2 c dark rum
1 1/2 c apple cider
1/4 c kosher salt
12 juniper berries — coarsely crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
12 pepper corns — coarsely crushed
2 lg garlic cloves &mdash: smashed
Roast:
2 1/2 lb pork sirloin roast
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 apple — peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tbsp finely minced onion
1/2 c dark rum
1/2 c apple cider
Salt and pepper

Brine:
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, and cook until salt is dissolved.

Cool brine to room temperature. Put the roast in a gallon zippered plastic bag, add brine, evacuate most of the air, and refrigerate for 18 - 24 hours — turning three or four time while brining to distribute the brine.

Roast:
Heat oven to 250F.

Rinse roast and pat dry with a lint-free kitchen towel. Discard brine.

Heat oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown well on 3 sides — about 3 minutes per side. When you flip the forth side down, place the skillet in the center of the oven.

Cook roast to 140 - 145F at its center according to an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven, place on a cutting board, and tent with foil.

Sauce:
Unfortunately the fond that accumulates in the bottom of the skillet is a bit too salty to use in a sauce, so use another skillet.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add butter and swirl to melt. Add apples in a single layer and lightly brown. Flip and brown other side. Add minced onion and cook 1 minute longer.

Add rum and reduce by half. Add cider and reduce by half. Taste and season with salt and pepper (light on the salt).

Serve.

Try this pork roast with...
Roasted Rutabaga
Glazed Carrots with Mint and Lemon
Italian Sausage Pilaf

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | main dish | pork | apples

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Rhubarb-Apple Crisp

A Beautiful Marriage



This rhubarb/apple crisp is an even better combination than rhubarb and strawberries because apples can handle rhubarb's tartness with more aplomb than strawberries. It only took me 10 minutes to make and 45 minutes to cook because I already had streusel topping in the freezer waiting for just such a quick, weeknight dessert. Topped with plain whipped cream it was a light and not-too-sweet ending to the meal. The leftovers make a great breakfast the next morning.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | rhubarb | apples | dessert

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Rhubarb/Apple Crisp

This rhubarb/apple crisp is an even better combination than rhubarb and strawberries because apples can handle rhubarb's tartness with more aplomb than strawberries. It only took me 10 minutes to make and 45 minutes to cook because I already had streusel topping in the freezer waiting for just such a quick, weeknight dessert. Topped with plain whipped cream it was a light and not-too-sweet ending to the meal. The leftovers make a great breakfast the next morning.

You can find my recipe here.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | dessert | rhubarb | apple

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Spiced Apples

Simply Outstanding



Is there anything that speaks more to autumn than apples? My fellow cooking guides at About.com have been raving about cider doughnuts. I first had them when I moved to New Hampshire in 1998 and some friends took me out on a fall tour one Saturday afternoon. We visited a number of places offering fall-type things but the one that stands out in my mind is the farm-stand that offered a free apple cider doughnut when we walked in. Extraordinarily good!

And at some point every fall I make an apple pie. This year I used lard in the crust, an ingredient I normally use only in the pie crusts for savory dishes. But I figured a little pigginess would complement the apples (after all, apples complement pig) and I was right. The effect was subtle in a bite of pie, but noticeable if you were paying attention.

When I was a kid one of our favorite autumn foods was my mother's homemade, hot applesauce.

When I was a kid one of our favorite autumn foods was my mother's homemade, hot applesauce. She'd toss some chopped apples in a sauce pan with a bit of water and those little red cinnamon candies and cook the apples until soft, then coarsely mash them. As kids we loved that dish, but as an adult I do something more sophisticated…

Spiced Apples

6 apples — peeled, cored, and diced*
2 - 3 tbsp rum, apple brandy, or water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
12 - 15 grates of nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 c molasses
2 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
tiny pinch of cayenne pepper

Add enough rum, apple brandy, or water to a sauce-pan to just cover the bottom. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Place over low heat, partially cover, and simmer gently until apples are tender — about 30 minutes.

*My favorite cooking apple these days is Braeburns, but in this case I used a combination of Granny Smiths and Galas.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | apples | side dish

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Ricotta/Apple Cake

Advance Planning



Two dinner parties, two weekends in a row. I’m cooking for both, not paying for the first, and getting paid for the second. This is what I call fun.

The first party is in Houston, Texas where the group I refer to as my “cooking buddies” is getting together for our 7th semi-annual bash. We’ve been meeting somewhere (Charleston, Santa Fe, Napa…) for a weekend of eating and partying for 12 years now. Usually we out, but this time I’ve been asked to plan and supervise a dinner on Saturday night at the home of one of the group so I’ve been having a great old time planning the menu, working up a schedule, and so on. Two of the other cooks will be working with me — which I consider a huge luxury and should also be great fun.

Then the following weekend I'm doing a dinner party for a small family reunion in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I've pretty much tied down the menu for that event, but I needed another dessert.

Desserts are always a bit of a quandary for me. I don’t fix them often and never have, so I don’t always have a good feel for how a recipe will turn out after reading it, and I don’t have a good sense for what I can — or should —

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. ~ Virginia Woolf

do to tweak it. Ordinarily this isn’t a big deal because I seldom fix desserts professionally. But I need something seasonal for the Gatlinburg event.

Apples come immediately to mind, and, although I have an excellent Spiced Apple Cake recipe, it's a lot of trouble to make. So I went looking for an alternative and found a recipe for an Ricotta and Apple Cake. Yesterday I gave it a try. I was disappointed.

Part of the reason was the apples. Currently Braeburns are my favorite cooking apple, but I couldn't find any and went with Staymans. Staymans are a fine cooking apple so this shouldn't have been a problem, but these particular apples were singularly bland. The recipe also called for three grated apples. But that was obviously too much apple, and even the two I did use were too much. I think one and a half would have been perfect. Also, the grating was a bad idea, a small dice would have been superior.

So what I wound up with was lots of bland fruit, no textural distinction, and not enough cake. The part that worked was I made the frosting from the Spiced Apple Cake recipe but used mascarpone instead of cream cheese and reduced the sugar by 25 percent. That worked well. So now I'm thinking I'll make a two-layer version (half the size) of the older recipe.

And this is exactly why I don't experiment with desserts when I'm being paid to fix them. I just don't understand this kind of baking well enough to judge a recipe simply by reading it.

Technorati: Food | recipe | dessert | cake | apple cake | italian

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