Authors: Rick Rodgers
4.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire cake rack.
5.
For the glaze, melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the Drambuie. Brush the top of the cake with about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and let stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto the cake rack and unmold. Brush the cake with the remaining glaze. Cool completely. If possible, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight before serving. (The cake can be baked up to 3 days before serving.)
Pumpkin-Currant Cake
For a pumpkin dessert when pie isn’t in the picture, here’s an easy spice cake packed with holiday flavors. Substitute dried cranberries for the currants, if you wish. I always hope that there are leftovers of this cake for my Day-After-Thanksgiving breakfast.
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Make Ahead: The cake can be baked up to 2 days ahead.
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
One 15-ounce can solid-pack pumpkin (1¾ cups)
¾ cup dried currants
¾ cup toasted, coarsely chopped pecans
Confectioners’ sugar, for sifting
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan (preferably nonstick). Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.
2.
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together. In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and, one at a time, beat in the eggs. Beat in the pumpkin. Reduce the mixer speed to low. In three additions, beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the currants and pecans. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
3.
Bake until a long wooden skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire cake rack. Invert the cake onto the rack, unmold, and cool completely. (The cake can be baked up to 2 days ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature.) Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top and serve.
Pumpkin-Walnut Roulade with Spiked Cream
A number of my cooking students report that this spicy pumpkin roll has replaced pumpkin pie at their house. Don’t be nervous about rolling up the cake—it is very flexible, and if for some reason it does crack, the whipped cream garnish will cover any blemishes. Be sure the walnuts are very finely chopped (the best way is to pulse them in a food processor, being careful that they don’t turn into walnut butter) so they can be rolled up with the roulade.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Make Ahead: The roulade can be made up to 2 days ahead.
ROULADE CAKE
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1
/8 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2
/3 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¾ cup (3 ounces) finely chopped walnuts
Confectioners’ sugar, for sifting
FILLING
Two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
SPIKED CREAM
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons dark rum or brandy, optional
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1.
To make the cake, position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 10 × 15-inch jelly-roll pan. To line the bottom and sides of the pan, cut a 12 × 16-inch piece of parchment or wax paper. At each of the four corners, cut a diagonal slash about 2 inches long. Fit the paper into the pan, folding the cut ends over each other at the slashes to form neat corners. Lightly butter and flour the paper, tapping out the excess flour.
2.
Sift the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and salt together. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at high speed, beat the sugar and eggs until the mixture triples in volume and is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. The mixture should form a thick ribbon that falls back on itself when the beaters are lifted about 2 inches from the bowl. Do not underbeat. Mix in the pumpkin and lemon juice.
3.
With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, being sure to reach into the corners. Sprinkle the batter with the walnuts.
4.
Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake. Place a clean kitchen towel over the cake, then top with a baking sheet. Holding
the baking sheet over the cake, turn the cake upside down and invert it onto the towel on the baking sheet. Carefully peel off the paper, then place it back on the cake. Using the towel as an aid, roll up the cake and cool completely.
5.
To make the filling, in a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
What Do You Mean Pumpkin Doesn’t Grow in Cans?
Finicky cooks like to make their pumpkin desserts from freshly prepared pumpkin puree. It sounds like a good idea, but there are issues to be aware of.
The texture and flavor of canned pumpkin is the same from can to can. With fresh pumpkin, the amount of liquid varies and the puree must always be strained to achieve the same thickness as the canned variety, as most recipes assume that the cook will use canned pumpkin. Using a watery puree in a recipe that was tested with firm canned pumpkin will wreak disaster.
It is very important to choose the right kind of fresh pumpkin. Jack-o’-lantern–type pumpkins are too large, watery, and bland to use in baking. Sugar or cheese pumpkins, available at many farmers’ markets and produce markets, are the best for cooking. They are smaller (averaging 2 to 3 pounds) and denser than the familiar huge pumpkins. Ask the produce manager at your market—it’s a good bet that the smaller pumpkins on display are eating pumpkins. Or use Hubbard squash. A very close relative of “real” pumpkin, it is an excellent choice. You will need about 2½ pounds of pumpkin to yield about 1¾ cups of puree, the equivalent of a 15-ounce can. If you have any doubts, err on the side of buying too much fresh pumpkin.
Roasting is the preferred method for cooking fresh pumpkin that will be pureed, as it incorporates less water than steaming or boiling. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a large knife, remove the stem and cut the pumpkin into quarters. Scoop out and discard the stringy fibers and seeds. Cut the quarters into 2-to 3-inch pieces. Place in a large, lightly oiled roasting pan, skin side down. Add
1
/3 cup water, and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until very tender, about 1¼ hours. Uncover, cool, and remove the skin. Puree the cooked pumpkin in a food processor or rub through a wire sieve. Place the pumpkin puree in a cheesecloth-lined wire sieve set over a bowl. Fold up the edges of the cheesecloth to cover the puree. Place a saucer on the puree and weigh with a 1-pound can to force out the excess liquid. Let stand until the puree is the consistency of canned pumpkin, about 1 hour. The pumpkin puree can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
6.
Unroll the cake and discard the paper. Spread the filling evenly over the cake and sprinkle with the crystallized ginger. Reroll the cake (you won’t need to use the kitchen towel) and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the filing is firm, at least 1 hour. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
7.
To make the spiked cream, in a chilled medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer at high speed, beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, optional rum, and vanilla until stiff. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch-wide open star tip.
8.
Transfer the roll to a long serving platter, seam side down. Garnish the cake with swirls of the whipped cream, and sprinkle with the walnuts and crystallized ginger. To serve, cut the cake diagonally into thick slices.
Puckering Up: Persimmons
Persimmons are just beginning to come into season around Thanksgiving. Some varieties are not edible until they have been “kissed” with frost. There are two basic persimmon varieties, and they have totally different qualities. One is best for baking, and the other for salads.
Hachiya persimmons are shaped like large, deep orange acorns. These are the persimmons I grew up with, and many of our neighbors in northern California grew them in their gardens. Unripe, they are extremely tannic and will make you pucker up quicker than a lemon can. They must be ripened until
very
soft and translucent, at which point they take on a honeyed flavor. Hachiya persimmons are rarely ripe at the market when you need them. Buy them about 1 week before using, and let them ripen at room temperature in a paper bag. Once soft, they can be refrigerated for a few days. Because my persimmon timing is often off, I usually cook with thawed persimmon pulp that I have frozen at my convenience. Persimmon pulp can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in an airtight container. Use Hachiya persimmons in desserts like Grandma’s Steamed Persimmon Pudding.
Fuyu persimmons look like squat, pale orange tomatoes. They do not have to be ripened, and can be enjoyed when crisp-tender, thinly sliced into wedges. I serve them in salads (see Baby Spinach and Fuyu Persimmon Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette) and on cheese boards. Some cooks ripen Fuyu persimmons until they are soft to use in baked goods, but they take much longer than Hachiyas and their flavor isn’t as full.
Grandma’s Steamed Persimmon Pudding
This recipe always makes new fans for the underappreciated persimmon. My grandmother made this pudding every Thanksgiving. Of all my holiday dessert recipes, this is one that friends ask me to be sure and include on the menu, and I am happy to oblige, as I get a nice dose of nostalgia every time I make it. The pudding looks humble, but it has a spicy flavor and moist texture that will win you over. Steamed-pudding molds are available at kitchenware stores.
Makes 8 servings
2 well-ripened, medium Hachiya persimmons
1 cup sugar
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sweetened Whipped Cream
1.
Generously butter the inside of a 1½-to 2-quart fluted tube pudding mold. Dust the inside of the mold lightly with flour, and tap out the excess.
2.
Cut the stems from the persimmons, and remove any large seeds in the pulp. Coarsely chop the unpeeled persimmons. In a food processor or blender, puree the chopped persimmons. You should have 1 cup puree. Pour into a medium bowl and whisk in the sugar, milk, butter, and egg.
3.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the persimmon mixture and whisk until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pudding mold and smooth the top. Cover the mold with its lid or a double thickness of aluminum foil.
4.
Place a collapsible vegetable steamer in a pot large enough to hold the mold, and put the mold on the steamer. Pour enough boiling water into the pot to almost, but not quite, touch the bottom of the steamer. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam the pudding, adding more boiling water as needed, until the pudding is dark brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 2 hours.
5.
Let the pudding stand for 10 minutes. (The pudding can stay in its mold for up to 45 minutes.) Run a sharp knife around the inside of the mold, and invert the pudding onto a platter. Slice and serve warm with whipped cream.
Note:
The recipe can be doubled and steamed in a buttered and floured 10-to 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. To lift the pan in and out of the pot, tie the cake pan with kitchen string, like a package. The double-batch recipe can also be cooked in the oven. Place the pan in a roasting pan, add enough hot water to come 1 inch up the sides, and bake at 300°F until a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, about 2½ hours.
Pumpkin Marble Cheesecake
This pumpkin-swirled dessert was inspired by the flavors of Italy, where ricotta cheese and baking the cake in a water bath creates an especially light-textured cheesecake. You’ll get a lot of servings (and compliments) from this great-looking finale.
Makes 12 to 16 servings
Make Ahead: The cheesecake must be chilled overnight; it can then be refrigerated for 2 more days.