Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook (28 page)

Making candy can be a challenge, because it overcooks in a flash. It can cause particular headaches at 8,000 feet above sea level, because water boils at 202˚F, instead of the 212˚F of sea level. So keep stirring, and pay close attention that you don't undercook or overcook the toffee.

1.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2.
Spread the pecans in a 9 x 13-inch pan and roast about 10 minutes, or until the nuts have turned slightly darker and are well toasted. Stir once or twice during the roasting process to ensure even browning. Remove the pecans from the oven, spread out to cool on paper towels, and set aside until you finish the toffee.

3.
Butter two 9 x 13-inch glass baking dishes and set aside.

4.
Unwrap the chocolate and divide it between two plates. Break all the chocolate into squares and set aside.

5.
Using a deep, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and cook over medium to medium-high heat,
stirring constantly,
until a candy thermometer hits 285˚F to 290˚F (high altitude: 300˚F), the soft-crack stage (see
Note
). The candy will be
very
hot, so be sure to protect all your skin and clothing
through the cooking and pouring processes. Pour the toffee into the prepared pans and immediately place the squares of chocolate in rows across the toffee (1 plateful of chocolate per pan). When the chocolate has softened, spread it to the edges of the toffee. Sprinkle 1 cup of the toasted pecans over the chocolate in each pan. Allow to cool, then cover with foil and chill.

6.
Using a large, heavy-duty knife, break the toffee into 1- to 3-inch pieces.

Makes about 6 dozen pieces

Note:
  
A candy thermometer is essential for this recipe. At high altitude, the traditional soft-crack stage is not reached until the thermometer reaches 300˚F, at which point the toffee is in danger of burning. Therefore, at high altitude, if you are close to 300˚F, detect a burning smell, and stir up a darker substance from the bottom of the pan, stop stirring immediately, remove the toffee from the heat, and quickly pour it into the prepared pans
without scraping the bottom of the cooking pan.
If you have managed not to stir in any of the burnt candy, the toffee will still be delicious. It will be chewier than that made at sea level, but proper refrigeration will maintain a good candy texture.

I received my first recipe for a flourless chocolate cake many years ago from a lovely lady who worked at a delightful store in Charlottesville called The Very Thing! My mother had told her I adored cooking, so she'd written out the recipe, which she gave to me on my next visit. I thanked her and promised to make the cake when I returned to Colorado. Once home, I pulled out the recipe, read it, and thought,
She left out the flour and leavening.
So I didn't try it.

Years later, my sister Lucy made me a flourless chocolate cake, and I begged her for the recipe. (The following recipe is a version of that cake, which I played around with for a while.) Still, when I read Lucy's recipe, I realized it was almost exactly the same recipe I'd received years before from the nice saleslady at The Very Thing!

I put this recipe here because it, too, is a great one if you ever have to cook for TV. Remember, the people watching that TV show—in this case, a fund-raiser for our Denver PBS station—are not interested in
you,
they're interested in your
food.
And once again, the people both behind and in front of the camera are hungry.

So I “made” this cake in a five-minute segment. When you “make” a cake for TV, you actually have to show up at the station with your ingredients, your script (which, if it's public television, you write yourself), and a finished cake. I was interviewed by a very agreeable woman while I was mixing the cake batter, and managed not to lose my temper when she asked if viewers could use margarine instead of butter. (No, I replied, then and now: You should never use margarine, for any purpose.) After I mixed the ingredients and put them on the shelf below the counter (the “magic oven” of television), I pulled out my finished cake, so the camera could focus on it.

When the PBS lady moved on to the next person who was making a recipe for the fund-raiser, I took the finished cake, a knife, and a couple of forks and plates over to the two people who were telling home viewers—between recipes—how they were doing with the appeal. And if you think people who work for
network
television are hungry, you have no idea how ravenous public television volunteers are. So when the camera cut back to the pair of ladies informing the viewing public how Channel 6 was doing . . . well! There they were, devouring Labor Day Flourless Chocolate Cake, and telling viewers that if they ordered the channel's cookbook—in which the cake recipe could be found—then they, too, could be made extremely happy.

Who says Goldy doesn't put the
fun
in fund-raising?

1.
Position an oven rack in the middle to lower (not the lowest) part of the oven and preheat to 350˚F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Make sure you have the bottom of another 10-inch springform pan on hand.

2.
In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the butter, chocolate, and coffee together. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly, then stir in the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Sift the cocoa and sugar together, then sift this mixture directly into the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and set aside.

3.
In a bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold half the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then pour the chocolate mixture on top of the remaining egg whites and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and the center no longer appears moist.

4.
Remove the cake from the oven and immediately press another springform pan bottom onto the cake to deflate it. Take off the pan bottom you have used to deflate the cake, and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack.

5.
When the cake is cool, remove the springform sides and place the cake on a pretty cake platter. Decorate the top with concentric rings of blueberries and raspberries. When serving, ladle large dollops of Melba Sauce and White Chocolate Cream on top of each slice.

Makes 8 to 12 servings

Two 6-ounce packages fresh raspberries

½ cup currant jelly

2 teaspoons cornstarch

7 tablespoons sugar

1.
Sieve the raspberries. You should have 1 cup. Discard the seeds.

2.
In the top of a double boiler, combine the jelly and sieved raspberries. Place the double boiler top directly on a burner over medium heat and heat until bubbling, 4 or 5 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, bring water in the double boiler bottom to a boil.

4.
Place the double boiler top over the boiling water. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and sugar. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the jelly mixture and cook and stir until thickened and clear. Remove from the heat, cool, and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

6 ounces best-quality white chocolate, such as Lindt or Godiva, coarsely chopped

1¾ cups heavy (whipping) cream, divided

1.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with ¾ cup of the cream, stirring constantly. When the mixture is melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and, stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to come to room temperature.

2.
In a bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly to ensure smoothness, whisk into the chocolate mixture. Chill before serving.

If you want to make this cake portable—for a potluck, say—just cool the cake in the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and take the cake plus a small bag of powdered sugar to the event in question. Then remove the plastic when you get to the party and sift some powdered sugar on top.

This recipe is dedicated to all those writers of literary fiction who think their books must have downbeat conclusions to be taken seriously. Eat cake, and be happy.

1.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

2.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy and light, then gradually add the sugars, beating until creamy and smooth. Beat in the eggs, then the vanilla.

3.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Alternating with the reserved plum syrup, stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the plums. Pour the batter into the baking pan.

4.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a rack, then dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 12 to 16 servings

For one entire soccer season, I volunteered to be the postgame Snack Lady for our youngest son's team. I wanted to get nine-year-olds' takes on the different cheesecakes I was trying out. This was their favorite, and I mentioned them in the acknowledgments section of
The Last Suppers.
Chocolate will make anyone thirsty, especially after soccer practice, so be sure to supply lots of water
.

For the crust:

1.
In a food processor, whirl the chocolate cookies until they form crumbs. Mix with the melted butter. Press into the bottom and sides of a buttered 10-inch springform pan and refrigerate until you are ready to fill and bake.

2.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

For the filling:

1.
In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool.

2.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and sugar and beat until well incorporated. Stir a small amount of this mixture into the chocolate to loosen it. Add the chocolate mixture to the cream cheese mixture and stir well. Stir in the amaretto, vanilla, and cream. Stir until all ingredients are mixed well.

3.
Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cheesecake is puffed slightly and no linger jiggles in the center.

4.
Cool on a rack to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight.

5.
Take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving for ease in slicing. Remove the sides of the pan and cut pieces with a sharp knife. If the cheesecake is hard to slice, hold a long, unflavored piece of dental floss in 2 hands and carefully saw through the cake to cut even pieces.

Makes 16 servings