How to: Make the Perfect Layer Cake

This morning I shared that I have trouble with layered cakes.  One Thanksgiving I tried making a layered carrot cake from my mom's recipe that we've used for years.  It's fabulous by the way and I shared the recipe [here].  The cake turned out moist and delicious, and I painstakingly worked with the frosting, assembled the layers, and even inserted dowel rods.  The thing that I didn't consider was that I needed to transport it on a windy road for several miles.  Needless to say, it didn't hold up well, and I haven't attempted a layer cake since.  While no layer cake would probably stand up to the transportation horrors that I put my poor carrot cake through, here are some tips to help with everything else.

Getting started: Line two round cake pans with parchment paper. Butter and dust them with flour. This may seem tedious, but it will prevent your cakes from sticking! 


Cold storage: Once the cakes have been freed from their pans, place them on a tray and put them back in the fridge for at least an hour. This will prevent breakage and excess crumbling when you cut the cake into layers. 

Trim the Cake: A rotating turntable makes cake decorating much easier; if you don't have one, use a plate on an inverted bowl. Place one layer on an 8-inch cardboard round; place the round on the turntable, securing it with a dab of buttercream. With a long serrated knife, trim tops off both cake layers to make flat surfaces.

Watch those fingers: When cutting your layers, make sure your cake-turning hand is on the top of the cake, avoiding the possibility of the serrated knife coming through the other side and cutting your hand. Trust me, that hurts.

Barricade your filling: If you have a "loose" filling like a jam, custard or curd, pipe a line of buttercream frosting around the inside edge of the layer and fill it with the loose filling. This buttercream barrier prevents the filling from oozing out the sides.

Spread Filling: Using a small offset spatula, evenly cover the top of the first layer with 1 cup of buttercream. Spread the buttercream so it extends beyond the edges of the cake.

An even stack: Make sure to place the flattest layer on the top with the bottom of the cake turned upside down so that the bottom is now the top of the cake. 

Crucial Crumb Coat: Place the other cake layer, with the cut side down, on top of the buttercream; press gently to make it level. Or if you are doing more than two layers, finish layering the cake then with the small spatula, spread the cake with 1 1/2 cups more of the buttercream, plus any oozing out from between the layers, creating a "crumb coat," which is a thin layer of frosting that seals in the crumbs. It should be very thin, just enough to capture all the crumbs, not thick enough to hide the cake underneath. Once you've crumb-coated the cake, place it back in the fridge for another hour. (Good things come to those who wait!) 

Frost the Cake: Using a large offset spatula, generously coat the chilled cake with 2 1/2 cups of buttercream, frosting the top of the cake first. If you want that smooth, professional bakery look, dip your offset spatula into the hot water and wipe off excess water with a paper towel. While the metal of the spatula is still hot, gently smooth the blade over the top of your cake at a 45º angle, slowly rotate the turntable.  Like magic, you will see all the lines disappear and will be left with a shiny flat, almost-too-perfect surface.

Smooth Frosting: Use a bench scraper to smooth the sides of the cake. Hold the scraper perpendicular to the cake with one edge resting on the turntable and slowly rotate the turntable. Small areas of the cake may be touched up with the small spatula. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

No one needs to know: If you try all of these tips and your cake still isn't perfect, it's ok.  You can always add goodies to the side of the cake - try toasted coconut or nuts, sprinkles or cocoa nibs.  Or serve pre-sliced pieces.  Relax and enjoy the delicious cake you just made.  

 

Zucchini Tips

A bit about Zucchini: 
For those of you who were listening today, you heard me mention that zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables.  I did plant some in my small garden this year, but I've not harvested any yet.  The plants don't even have any blooms just yet.  Thankfully, a friend gave me three huge zucchinis, which means I've been experimenting with new recipes all week.  First for those of you who aren't familiar with zucchini, here's some tips.  I'm still working on posting the recipes.


Zucchini and Summer Squash Basics
Zucchini is simply an elongated, cylindrical, usually green variety of summer squash.  Zucchini and other summer squash are in season during the summer, peaking at the end.


What to Look For: Look for zucchini and summer squash that are firm and heavy for their size; the skin should be brightly colored and blemish-free. Because they are harvested earlier, smaller squash are more tender than larger ones and have thinner skins; choose squash that are less than eight inches long.  The larger the zucchini the larger the seeds; seeds tend to be harder to eat when the zucchini is large.  Personally, I use medium size zucchinis for grilling, baking dishes where I will be using thinly sliced rounds.  I use the large zucchinis for recipes that I will be dicing or grating and avoid the large seeds.


How to Store: Do not wash until ready to use.  If the zucchini has been uncut, it will be fine sitting on the counter.  If you have cut the zucchini, refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to four days.  

No Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

I absolutely love this tip.  It makes me feel like a Samurai.  Ok, not really; but it's perfect for making deviled eggs or another hard-boiled egg recipe since you likely have to cut the egg in half anyway.  Instead of spending several minutes per egg trying to peel off the shell, simply cut through the shell with a sharp knife and then scoop out the egg with a spoon.  There may be some shell remnants left around the cut.  I gently removed the yolk and rinsed the white off to be sure there were no pieces of shell on the eggs.

Tips and Tricks: Personally, I used a dish towel to stabilize the egg and prevent cutting my fingers.  I also used the tip of the knife to poke a small hole in the shell first to help guide the knife and keep it from slipping on the shell.  This is much faster, although I would still hardboil eggs that have been purchased a few days in advance.  One of my eggs was more difficult to scoop out of the shell.

Hard "Boil" Eggs in the Oven

Haven't tried this yet, but Alton Brown says this provides a creamer egg than steaming or boiling. He says it is a bit harder to peel though. I can see where this method would be very beneficial to those who need to "boil" lots of eggs at once.  This would also be a great method when you need to free up your stove top for other things.

Ingredients:
2 - 4 dozen raw eggs
Ice
Water
Mini muffin tins (optional)
Oven Mitts

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Position the oven racks in the center of the oven.  One recipe says to place eggs in mini muffin tins so they don't wiggle around; you can also place the eggs directly on the oven racks, but it may be more difficult to remove them from the oven later.  Place a baking sheet pan in the bottom of the oven (just in case an egg breaks).  Bake for 30 minutes.  When the eggs are done, fill a large bowl with ice water and carefully move the eggs into the bowl.  Peel the eggs as soon as they're cool enough to handle, then return them to the ice water to thoroughly chill.

Tip: Eggs purchased a few days in advance will be easier to peel.

Colorful Deviled Eggs

Directions:
To color the whites (after eggs have been boiled and yolks removed): Fill glass containers about half-full of water, and then add food coloring to each one to get the shades you desire. Adjust the amount of food coloring, depending on the intensity of the color you desire. Place the egg halves in the water, making sure that the entire surface of each egg is covered. Let the eggs sit at least one hour until you achieve the desired effect. Remove the eggs from the water and place them onto paper towels or wire rack to dry.

How to... Perfecting the Pecan Pie

Perfect Pecan Pie:
Pecan pie is a favorite, especially for my brother.  When I offer to make a dessert for my brother's birthday or a family event he usually requests pecan pie.  Pecan pie is fairly easy and quick to prepare, but I have definitely had my share of mishaps.  Here are some tips that should make it easier, for both of us.  Even if it doesn't turn out picture perfect, you will find yourself never wanting to eat a boxed pecan pie again.





Picture-Perfect Pie
To prevent the filling from seeping under the crust, try using two crusts and stacking them.

Here's how:

1. Unfold one piecrust and press out fold lines.
2. Unfold second crust and stack on top, turning so that fold lines do not match. Press edges to seal.
3. Roll crust out to an approximate 12-inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pieplate. Trim dough to about ½ inch from edge of pieplate, fold under, and flute or crimp as desired.

More Tips and Tricks:

• When the recipe calls for butter, use real stick butter not margarine.  Trust me. 
• Prepare the crust first, and then the filling. The longer the filling stands, the more "separated" the filling may appear after baked.
• Substitute chopped pecans for whole if desired. It's an equal substitution--1 cup whole pecans equals 1 cup chopped.
• Shield edges of pie with foil to prevent over-browning. Fold a 12-inch square of foil into quarters to cut a 7-inch circle from center; discard the center portion. Unfold the square and place over the top of pie.
• Preheat baking sheet, on lowest rack, in oven as it preheats. Bake pie on the preheated baking sheet on the lowest oven rack to crisp the bottom crust.

How to... Make Pie Crust

Pate Brisee: 
(Basic Pie Crust Recipe)

Makes enough for 2 - 9" Single-crusts, 1-Double Crust, or a Lattice-Crust Pie 

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/4 sticks (18 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed

Directions:

1. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until dough just holds together (no longer than 30 seconds).
2. Divide dough in half, and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). 

Trick for a Crisp Crust:

For foolproof crusts, top and bottom, position your pie on the lowest rack of the oven because most ovens tend to concentrate heat at the bottom.  As the heat rises, it will crisp the bottom crust before cooking the exposed top crust.  Also, us a transparent pie plate like one from Pyrex.  It will only take a quick peek to tell when the underside is golden and not pale or doughy.

Seven Rules for Pie Crusts:

By following these seven simple rules, you can produce a flaky, tender crust every time.
1. When making the dough, make sure the butter is very cold.
2. Handle the dough as little as possible. Both the stretching of the dough and the warmth from your hands will further the development of gluten -- long, stringy protein molecules that form when flour is blended with liquid -- resulting in a tough dough that's difficult to roll out.
3. Since our pie-dough recipe yields two single crusts, divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a flat disk before wrapping it in plastic and chilling. This will make it easier to roll out each crust into a perfect circle.
4. Chill the dough thoroughly (at least 30 minutes) before rolling it out, and use a minimum of flour to dust the rolling pin and work surface. Brush excess flour from the rolled dough with a dry pastry brush before transferring it to the pie plate.
5. For an extra-crispy pie crust with a golden color, brush the unbaked top crust with water, and sprinkle it with sugar.
6. For a shiny pie crust, brush the unbaked top crust with an egg wash made from one egg and 2 tablespoons cream.
7. Cut decorative vents in the top of a double-crusted fruit pie; vents allow steam to escape and prevent the fruit juices from overflowing.

Lots of images in this post.  If it becomes difficult to see, let me know.