Who doesn't love a good cake? 'Cake Book' reviewed

Simply titled “The Cake Book” by Tish Boyle (published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), this is a book that demands a cake lover’s attention. From the simple to the sublime to the sensational, Boyle has put together a collection of recipes suited to many occasion.

The photographs by John Uher are drop-dead gorgeous. As an experienced recipe writer I appreciated — and you will, too — the way Boyle provides specific measurements: cups or teaspoons, as well as ounces or grams. Bakers are people of defined passion, so the more accurate the measuring the more likely the results will be perfect. You will also find that Boyle is quite specific about the kind of sugar, flour, chocolate and other ingredients. Again, the nature of a baker or dessert maker is that of precision.

Reading about the Classic New York Cheesecake reminded me of my very first taste of the REAL thing in New York City eons ago. My fiancé (to become by husband) and I were visiting in New York and at dinner one night I ordered cheesecake. Now, mind you, heretofore I had tasted the frozen versions and any number of other facsimiles. Here, however, was cheesecake to adore. I vowed to myself to bake cheesecakes until I was able to find one that was like that one. And, I did. I believe Boyle did the same thing and her recipe is like mine: simple and sure.

Classic New York Cheesecake

(“The Cake Book” by Tish Boyle)

Graham cracker crust:

1 ¼ cups (5 oz/142 g) graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp. (1.3 oz/37 g) granulated sugar

4 tbsp. (2 oz/57 g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2 ½ lb. (1.13kg) cream cheese, softened

1 2/3 cup (11.7 oz/332 g) granulated sugar

2 tbsp. (0.5/15 g) cornstarch

5 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla

Make the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch springform pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Pat the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at low speed until creamy and lump-free, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Gradually add the sugar and beat until blended. Add the cornstarch and mix until blended. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the heavy cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix until blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and scrape the bottom of the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure that the batter is smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan (it will also fill the pan). Bake the cake for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 200 degrees and bake the cake for another 55 minutes or until it has risen and is golden brown around the edges. Turn the oven off, prop the oven door open using a wooden spoon and let the cake cook in the oven for 1 hour. (This gradual cooling will help to prevent the top of the cake from cracking.)

Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife between the cake and the side of the pan to loosen the cake and let cool completely.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving.

To serve remove side of the pan and slice the cake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.

If you’ve yet to experience warm molten chocolate cake… what an exciting surprise you have in store.

If you know this dessert, which was actually the result of a MISTAKE… here’s how to make it at home. While Boyle does not suggest this “do-ahead” tip, I’ve made the batter for something quite similar ahead… and then baked them just before serving. The recipe makes six cakes. I have long believed that six was an ideal number for entertaining.

Individual Warm Chocolate Cakes

(“The Cake Book” by Tish Boyle)

Butter for coating the cups

Granulated sugar for dusting cups

9 oz. (255 g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 tbsp. (2 oz/113 g) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

½ cup (3.5 oz/100 g) granulated sugar, divided

4 large eggs, separated

1/8 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

Cocoa powder for dusting

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Make the cakes: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter the inside of six 6-oz. disposable aluminum cups or ceramic ramekins. Dust the cups with granulated sugar and tap out the excess. Arrange cups on a baking sheet and set aside.

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium stainless steel bowl and place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisk in ¼ cup of the sugar. Whisk in the egg yolks.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with salt at medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at medium-high speed until the whites just begin to form soft peaks. Add the remaining ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently form the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, one-third at a time. Divide the batter among the prepared cups.

Bake the cakes, on the baking sheet, for 15-20 minutes, until they are cracked on top (the centers should still be moist… a toothpick won’t come out clean). Let the cakes stand for 1 minute before unmolding.

Run a paring knife around the edge of each cake to loosen it from the cup, and invert onto a serving plate. Sift a dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top, then an even lighter dusting of cocoa powder. Serve each cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside.