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The Two by Four of Cake Pans
We’re all familiar with the concept and it’s so omnipresent we’ve all but accepted that when a piece of lumber is called a two by four it refers literally to what it once had been and NOT what it is now. Just in case you don’t know, it’s not bigger, it’s smaller. And having succeeded in gaining the mute acceptance of the American public, other areas of industry have followed suit. Think of all the money this is saving them, shaving off pieces of wood. It’s become a metaphor for clever merchandising (read cheating the public and getting away with it).
Although I detest the concept on principal, it doesn’t directly affect me when it comes to many things but when it comes to cake pans, my most vital piece of equipment for cake baking, it makes me MAD.
When I create a recipe for a 9 inch by 2 inch high pan whose volume is 8 2/3 cups and people find 9 inch pans that actually are 8 1/2 inches at the bottom and just under 9 inches at the top, the recipe will overflow the pan. I’ve taken to saying how much to fill the pan (with most batters no more than 2/3 full). Also a slope-sided pan is an extreme inconvenience when you stack one layer on top of the other and hope for even sides to ice.
So when you go shopping for cake pans (or pie plates for that matter) carry a tape measure with you. Being the daughter of a cabinet maker my first toy was an industrial wooden fold out ruler, and I still remember the cute little bronze mini measure that slid out from the end—of course it was my favorite part. I would never leave the house without my own purse size version.
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Magic Line now stocks the 9x1.5” round cake pans!!!!!!!!!! in stock at Amazon.com and I’ve added a shopping link on my website www.myyellowkitchen.com
get yours today! this is a size that has been lost and Cake Bible uses it a lot.
Reply to this Posted by: hector | September 19, 2009 1:48 PM #
bread browns beautifully (bottom and sides against the silicone) but of course it bakes for much longer. for blonde madeleines you may want to raise the oven temp. by 25 degrees if you want them to be browner. but it pays off in perfect release when prepared properly!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | June 14, 2007 10:20 AM #
Rose,
I'm interested in your statement that you prefer silicone pans for madeleines. I've always felt that you can't get good browing using silicone pans. Isn't that a problem when using a silicone pan for madeleines?
Reply to this Posted by: Mark | June 14, 2007 9:09 AM #
This one makes sence "One's first step in wisdom is to kuesstion everything - and one's last is to come to terms with everything."
Reply to this Posted by: Charles Hamm | June 14, 2007 4:21 AM #
Just got my 06509 Chicago Metallic 9x1.5" pans. The metal is pretty thick, nice, and fairly non-stick. But the sides are slightly flared, not completelly straight. Will these do? Genoise, Biscuit de Savoie, and other Cake Bible recipes calling for the 1.5"
I do remember my Mom had a few of those 1.5" high round pans with very straight edges. They were aluminum on the outside, and non stick on the inside. Rims were rolled. She used them to make Chinese Look Fun, sheet by sheet. Are these the ones you have for years? I think they were popular back then and she may have just gotten them from the grocery store.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | May 5, 2007 2:14 PM #
thank you! non-stick is the best.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | March 5, 2007 5:55 PM #
Am looking forward to your new book....which type of material is most ideal for baking genoise & sponge type of cakes - plain aluminum or nonstick?
thanks, Florian.
Reply to this Posted by: Florian Defregger | March 5, 2007 3:58 PM #
i just had my first meeting with the photographer for my upcoming book and it's so exciting. i'm glad you're getting started with two of my very favorite other books now bc fall of 2008 you won't be able to resist making some of the new cakes!!!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | March 1, 2007 5:35 PM #
Wow, thank you for the quick response. I'm impressed! Am in the process of purchasing your Bread Bible and Christmas Cookie books.
Reply to this Posted by: Judy Wilson | March 1, 2007 5:29 PM #
if you make 2/3 the recipe you can simply divide the batter between the 6 depressions in the pans. alternatively, i seem to remember about 2/3 full.
so glad your enjoying the weighing system!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | March 1, 2007 5:17 PM #
Hi Rose,
I just got your Cake Bible cook from my library and want to know how much to fill the little mini-bundt cake pans? I couldn't find it listed in your book.
I mainly got the book for the ounce measurements. I can't believe what a difference it makes in my baking!! Everything come out perfect with my weighing the dry ingredients.
Thank you.
Reply to this Posted by: Judy Wilson | March 1, 2007 4:22 PM #
cast aluminum is the best because cast iron is slow to heat. what would be very interesting to try, however, is preheating the cast iron and then pouring in the batter. because once heated, cast iron is extraordinarily even!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 27, 2007 11:18 AM #
Is cast iron better or just as good as cast aluminium for baking large fluted cakes? Thanks, Florian.
Reply to this Posted by: Florian Defregger | February 27, 2007 1:10 AM #
Hi Rose,
I juz wanted to tell you how wonderful your advice is. The Chicago Metallic pans that I ordered from Ace Hardware came (they are one of the few firms that ship internationally). They are so wonderful & sturdy. Thank you!
I juz reread your post to me re lekué pans & think I'll get the muffin pans from Chicago Metallic instead of lekue. Thanks again!
Reply to this Posted by: Serene | February 21, 2007 2:06 PM #
i just got through writing on the equipment section for the new book that no one is using metal madeleine molds now that silicone is available and so much more non-stick! but if you insist on metal, try jb prince in ny
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | February 13, 2007 3:09 PM #
I am looking for madeliene molds specifically from Paris that are heavier and don't stick as much. Do you have a source? Thanks, Phil
Reply to this Posted by: Reverend Phil Bratcher | February 13, 2007 10:04 AM #
i already addressed this. i'm happy with the non-stick chicago metallic pans. i don't know if you'd consider the crust thicker but i never noticed this. and i've never used the celphalon pans. last word!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 22, 2007 3:28 PM #
Dear Rose,
Ace Hardware has the heavier 9" x 1.5" pans that you'd mentioned(06509).
Mentioned about getting 2 x 9" x 1.5" pans, but am thinking if I should get a set of 8" pans too. Chicago Metallic has both the Professional line(that you recommended) as well as the non nonstick commercial line. Both lines are heavy-guaged. A reviewer mentioned that non nonstick aluminium bakeware would create pasty cakes. How true is that? Would the professional Chicago Metallic line cause a thick crust on the cake?
What's your view with regards to Calphalon cake pans?
Thanks alot!
Reply to this Posted by: serene | January 22, 2007 3:25 PM #
it will take a little less time since more surface area. by the way, i found my chicago metallics catalogue and they do indeed make the 9 x 1/2 pan in two weights--the "gourmetware"#06509 is 4.86 and the one listed on their duncan hines page # 28509 is 4.1. needless to say i'd go for the heavier. their # is 1-800-238BAKE, www.chicagometallic-bakeware.com
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 22, 2007 12:51 PM #
Hi Rose,
I want to make a recipe that calls for an 8 x 2" pan. If I make it in a 9 x 1.5" pan , would the baking time be the same since the capacity is the same?
Thanks a lot!
serene
Reply to this Posted by: serene | January 22, 2007 12:46 PM #
Hi Rose,
just a response to Brian: I'm not sure if they are 8.25" at the bottom. But you can contact the customer service pple at Ace hardware. Have got swift responses from them. The pans are non-nonstick...& that's why I remembered reading about them in the Cake Bible.
Rose, I dunno how true this is...but the german baking books say that aluminium bakeware is more suitable for gas ovens & the nonstick type for electric ovens. what do you think?
After all your help, think I'll settle For 2 x 9.5" round pans Chicago Metallic, non nonstick. Will the alumninium pans stick? I had pretty bad experiences with Wilton aluminium bakeware coz everything kept sticking on them. In the end, I juz gave them away (tho the cookie molds are great).
Thanks again!
Reply to this Posted by: Serene | January 21, 2007 1:15 PM #
actually my 9 x 1 1/2 pans are not chicago metallic-they have no brand on them and they are not non-stick. they are very old so i have no idea even where i got them--probably the bridge co.
parrish magic line in la might have true 9 inch of that size and yes they are 9 top and bottom.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 21, 2007 10:30 AM #
Serene,
Are these 9 x 1.5 inch pans truly 9" wide on the bottom? I've been looking for true 9 x 1.5" pans and I couldn't find any through Chicago Metallic a couple of months ago (the 9 x 2" were a full 9" on the bottom, but the 9 x 1.5" were only about 8.25"). If they are 9" on the bottom, could you give me some more specific information on the sub-brand (I know that Chicago Metallic has several different lines).
Thanks,
Brian
Reply to this Posted by: Brian | January 21, 2007 10:23 AM #
i adore the nordicware fluted tube pans of all shapes especially (big surprise) the rose. but i prefer the professional version of these pans which does not have the dark coating (jb prince carries them). kyser pans are excellent too but i like the nordicware shapes.
i would get two 9 x 1 .5 inch pans so then you can do a nice size two layer cake that isn't towering. oh and be sure to have him bring back some cake flour for those cake that require it!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 20, 2007 9:35 AM #
Hi Rose,
Thanks for your prompt responses. I read your posts, but still have some questions hanguing out there:
1. which type of material do you recommend for a bundt pan? I have the Ksyier La forme pan (which is made of coated steel) as well as Nordic ware's platinium series.
2. Ace Hardware does carry the Chicago Metallic 9 x 1.5 inch layer pans. Should I get them too (other than the professional Chicago Metallic pans that I've decided to get)? I think its the ones that you'd recommended in your cake Bible, but I'm not too sure. i sent them an email & they said its light, like any other aluminium pan.
Thanks a billion!
Serene
Reply to this Posted by: Serene | January 20, 2007 8:36 AM #
i'm so glad you'll have the opportunity to have some great pans and that i was here to answer. i LOVE the chicago metallics professional line that is non-stick. non stick means you don't have to use parchment except for choc. cakes but you still have to use flour/shortening spray. ask you husband to bring back some baker's joy--it's the only one that doesn't smell odd and works. it will be good for many many cakes and has a seemingly endless shelf-life!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | January 19, 2007 6:09 PM #
Hi Rose,
I can't get the layer cake pans here in germany but my husband will be going to US for a business trip next month. So am going to order some pans for him to pick up. Which brand would you recommend for cake pans? In your book (ie. The Cake Bible), you recommended Chicago Metallic Professional. Noticed that Chicago metallic have nonstick & the traditional aluminium version. Which one is better? Is the brand better than Calphalon? I only have Calphalon cookie sheets (which are wonderful) so am unsure if the layer cake pans produced by them are just as good. (had an angelfood cake pan by them but it was awful cleeaning the pan & stuck to my traditional 2-pieced aluminium angelfood cake pan that's filled with plenty of scratches instead). Thanks so much for your help!
Serene
Reply to this Posted by: Serene | January 19, 2007 5:52 PM #
no one i know of is now manufacturing 9 x 1 1/2 inch pans so in my cake bible revision i suggested making 2/3 the reicpe for a 9 x 2 inch pan or 1 1/3 recipe for two 9 x 2 inch pans. but don't fill the pan more than 2/3 full. most of my layer cakes bake best filled between 1/2 and 2/3 full so you can use any excess batter to make cupcakes.
if you opt for metal pans, i would chose ones that are light aluminum on the outside and non-stick on the inside bc chocolate cakes tend to stick even when sprayed with baker's joy except if using the non-stick together with baker's joy or the silicone.
you'll have to try out the silicone to see if you like it. lékué will be producing a 9 x 2 inch silicone pan according to my specifications but right now only kitchen aid (to my knowledge) does this. other ones are slightly higher and slightly larger which bake differently.
layer cakes baked in silicone pans to my taste have a better flavor and more even texture though slightly less high.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | November 5, 2006 7:34 PM #
Rose,
You were very helpful on another thread with a question about thermometers, so now I hope you can help with cake pans. I am just starting out baking and I am treating your Cake Bible like... well, a bible. I want to do everything by the letter initially to make sure I've made a cake correctly. So I would like to make your Perfect All American Chocolate Butter Cake. I made cupcakes from the recipe and they turned out great. I don't have 9 x 1 1/2" cake pans so I would like to buy them. Ideally, I would like to avoid dark ones (since I read in your book that the dark pans can be problematic) or silicon - I'd just like traditional cake pans. I've been searching in stores and on the internet and have had trouble coming up with any. Many are only 8 1/2 on the bottom (as described above) or the ones I've found in a full 9" are 2" high (and I'm assuming I don't want 9 x 2" - I really need 9 x 1 1/2").
Can you offer any advice on where I can look for true 9 x 1 1/2" pans?
Thank you so much,
Brian
Reply to this Posted by: Brian | November 5, 2006 7:22 PM #
Oh, ok, thanks again.
Reply to this Posted by: Elaine | October 29, 2006 10:07 AM #
i forot to mention that you're absolutely right about the butter. for ex. 10 oz. 80 percent fat butter contains tablespoons more water than the 9 oz. 86 percent which would be the approx. = of butterfat so i would try adding some water as well as reducing the butter.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 29, 2006 9:15 AM #
Thanks again so much for the info. As for the cake bible, on the sites, it's not easy to distinguish the color, since they give you a postagestamp-sized picture, and the pixels are not too clear. The publisher is what i need - then there's no question. So now i can look again for it.
In british english, "corn" means any kernel or grain ("kernel" is actually i think a diminutive of "corn" - they have the same root). In general corn referred to the primary grain used, so "indian corn" in the new world, and wheat in the old, or possibly rye or barley (barleycorn). In old manuscripts in english, before the discovery of the new world, they spoke of "corn" meaning, more often than not, wheat. Therefore cornstarch would just mean starch from grains. In england, i believe they say maize for what we call corn. Though many words are creeping over to england from the states, and i believe i saw "cornflour" meaning cornstarch. (Or, perhaps it actually was wheatstarch there too?). Boy is this confusing.
In Italy there is no risk of mixing them up because they sell both, amido di mais and amido di grano, and i had amido di mais (= maize = corn).
I'm going to try the cookies again. I think i'll use a little less butter, because my feeling is not so much that they didn;t puff but that they just melted down, like there was not enough structure or flour for the greasiness of the butter - that's been my experience of baking things here - piecrust comes out a greasy mess, unless you reduce the butter. I'll let you know how they come out. They were unbelievably good, but so thin they really ALL fell apart when i took them off the sheets and/or moved them in any way.
Reply to this Posted by: Elaine | October 29, 2006 9:01 AM #
p.s. the us cake bible has a white background color and the uk version is distinctly beige.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 29, 2006 8:23 AM #
yes--i tried the italian flour for my cakes a while back and was delighted that finally there was one european flour that worked for them! i THINK it was the 00.
as for cookies, the higher the protein the more it binds up the moisture in the dough so the less it can turn to steam and make the cookie puff. you need to try lowering the protein so why don't you try that next or 50/50 0 & 00! by the way, in australia, corn starch is actually made from wheat--i think corn is geneticallly a wheat grain or some thing like that--in any case, if this is true in italy the corn starch may indeed be contributing protein forming gluten!
my guess re manitoba flour is that it comes from canada (not a brilliant mental leap there!)and therefore is high and protein and terrific for bread.
re the UK version of the cake bible, the publisher was macmillan. let usknow if that's the one you found-i'll be interested and also re the cookies.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 29, 2006 8:23 AM #
Hi Rose,
Another post from the wedding cake person in italy. I just made your chocolate-dipped melting moments cookies for my upcoming christmas party (i start two months in advance) and they came out completely flat. I imagine it's either (or both) the different quality of european butter (i've heard it has less water than the american) or the flour being less strong (though i used the "0" flour instead of the "00" flour, and most of the starch comes from cornstarch). I always had to add more flour and reduce the butter in cakes and cookies and pastry here, but the cakes from your cake book came out perfect, and so i imagined i wouldn't have to make any adjustments for the cookies either. I'm guessing that there's more leeway in cakes than small, buttery things like cookies and piecrusts, also since you did suggest i add more butter to the chocolate wedding cake. I wondered if you can give me a tip on this. Not sure if this is like british flour, but I do believe it's like french flour, since the considerations Julia Child made in her book about making french bread in the states (the greater glutin in american flour) seems to hold.
By the way, about the cake bible british version, i went online and found some used editions, but am not sure if they are british or american. Do you know the british publisher? You can;t see the cover well enough in the picture to understand if it's with the boxed-in frame and some don't have pictures of the book at all. They have begun to sell "manitoba" flour here, for bread, and wondered if that might be like american all-purpose or if a mixture of the both is better.
thanks so much,
elaine
Reply to this Posted by: Elaine | October 29, 2006 2:06 AM #
there is indeed a british edition (please check out "crossing the atlantic by cookbook" on this blog. you can identify it by it's cover that has a boxed in frame on the cover and the background is beige instead of white. it is out of print but places like "books for cooks" in london 071-603-8489. or maybe the uk has an equivalent to e-bay.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | October 21, 2006 9:08 AM #
I'm the one who asked about a chocolate and raspberry wedding cake.
I promised to send the picture and account of the wedding cake, but have not had the time and don;t know how to get the pictures on internet. I haven';t forgotten and will describe the various difficulties i met and how i solved them (notably the slipping of the layers in the 100 degree heat). It was wonderful by the way, and many people said it was the best cake they ever ate.
my current problem is that I would like to give my daughter your cake bible, but she lives in england, and i remember reading, don;t remember where, that you did a special british edition of the book using for british ingredients? Or was it just some pointers on the adaptation of british self-rising "cake flour" in a separate article? On Amazon UK they only have an old cake bible edition available (could it be the american one?) - can you let me know if there is a british edition and how i can identify and find it?
thanks
Reply to this Posted by: Elaine | October 21, 2006 9:01 AM #
Lori,
I've bake often in sheet pans, having successfully done jaconde (giaconda), a white chocolate cake and just recently devil's food (all original recipes that were intended for 9" round pans). Jaconde (made with powdered sugar whipped with whole eggs and almond meal then folded in flour, whipped whites and melted butter) works great, but I've not done a classique genoise in this manner. What works so well for the jaconde and the other cakes that I do is that the cake is intended to bake thin so that multiple layers can be made, and thin cake of course doesn't really "collapse." It could be (just a guess) that if your trying traditional genoise, that batter is so deep when poured that the center collapses before the entire structure can set....not sure, but sounds like a possibility. Additionally, I've found that sheet pan cakes require a slightly higher temperature to get them to set quickly. There are some sponge cakes I'll bake at 425-450 and take them out as soon as they're just brown on top (one I make bakes only 4 minutes).
Not sure how you're using magi strips on a sheet pan and am not familiar with the heating core, but I would just say try to divide the batter over two pans to make the batter thinner and then make multiple layers to introduce enough cake into the final product. This is a topic interesting to me, too, so if you discover interesting successes, please post...I'll do the same. I'll be glad to post a jaconde recipe here if you'd like that I've had success with. What's an example of a cake you're trying to create and I'll think about what I've used that might work....
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | September 1, 2006 10:44 PM #
I have a question about cake pan sizes, using sheet pans in particular. While I use Cake Bible recipes for my 8", 9" and 10" rounds and they come out beautifully, I have awful luck with them in quarter and half sheets. I've tried the strips you soak and wrap around the pans, I've also tried a heating core... nothing seems to keep them from falling slightly and becoming more dense in the middle. Am I missing something here? Can I boost the baking powder to give it more oomph so it won't fall? I'm desperate to turn out sheet cakes that are as gorgeous as the smaller rounds. I'd be truly, truly grateful for any insight offered.
Reply to this Posted by: Lori M. | August 31, 2006 11:22 PM #
thank you so much elaine. this is indeed a wonderful tribute.
re buttercream under fondant, as filling between layers it would be fine but only the thinnest film works under fondant or the fondant shows every lump and bump!
the absolutely most stable buttercream is the mousseline. and for hot weather fondant is ideal and of course nothing is more pristine or beautiful as a 'canvas'for decorating.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | June 6, 2006 9:51 PM #
Dear Rose,
I had ordered your Cake Bible and it finally arrived (I'm the one asking about the chocolate/raspberry wedding cake) and I am completely overwhelmed. It's the most amazing cookbook i've ever used.
I tried your mouselline buttercream (I've made this before, using julia child's recipe but yours was smoother, more subtle, more silky) (I added strained raspberry jam to flavor it, just to see). I thought it could go between the layers, and possibly, without the raspberry, i could use it under the fondant. However my daughter preferred white chocolate ganache (i made it curdle, but it tasted good).
Then today just because it sounded so intriguing i made white chocolate whisper cake. Probably the best cake I ever made - just exactly how i imagined it. It won't be for the wedding, she wants something more substantially chocolate, but this was just out of this world.
Finally, not having whipping cream, and having used up all my egg yolks, i tried white chocolate cream cheese buttercream, and again, never tasted anythign like it.
I think it will be hard for me to try any other cake recipies till i've tried all of yours.
Thank you very much!
Just one question, if you have a chance. For this hot july wedding, could i use white chocolate ganache under the rolled fondant? or the cream cheese buttercream? Or should it be an actual buttercream? Will it hold up under the heat? Is it too much along with the fondant?
thanks
Elaine
Reply to this Posted by: Elaine | June 6, 2006 4:41 PM #
thanks martha!
on page 490 is the cake size you're looking for under level 6. (2) 13 x 9 pans serve 40 people so one would serve 20 and you can use any base cake in the chapter. or if you want to make the 18 x 12 and make one layer you would get 40 servings but these are both wedding cake portions so depending on the occasion i would make one 18 x 12 which is easy to serve and gives generous portions (this is 3.4 to 4 times the base.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 28, 2006 10:04 AM #
I love all your bibles. I've been reading all the comments about cake pan sizes. I've looked in the Cake Bible for a rectangular cake or sheet cake that would serve 20 people but can't find a specific recipe. Am I missing it? Which of your butter or sponge cakes could be adapted to make sheet cake[s]? I'll be baking this in mid summer.
Thanks !
Martha
PS. My favorite of your books is the Pie and Pastry Bible. It's wonderful!
Reply to this Posted by: Martha | May 26, 2006 10:24 PM #
Hi Rose,
Thanks for the great recommendations. I just got back from Paris just a few days ago. I thought everyone might like some suggestions for places to visit related to baking/patisserie, etc.
1. I’ll start with this one simply because it has your name’s sake: La Petite Rose. This is a patisserie/chocolatier/salon de thé located at 11, bd de Courcelles, 75008. Despite its small size and only one location, this is now my favorite pastry shop in Paris. I discovered it by accident. It’s run by young Japanese ladies although its pastries are classic French. I met the patron and talked to her about some of her recipes. She used to work at Gérard Mulot. All of the ladies there are so nice, and I think the pastries are very well done and really delicious, including her café macarons which I believe can compete with many of the best in Paris (although I have to say her chocolate macaron was a bit disappointing in texture). One evening, for a dinner with a friend, I bought one of her cakes called Valentin and we loved it. It’s a very delicate raspberry mousse cake; she also makes an individual version. Everything else I tried was really excellent, too, and it’s a very pleasant place to sit and enjoy tea. As for their chocolates, try the “menthe,” it’s made using fresh mint. I was very impressed with their packaging as well. It’s a very quaint shop, done in pink. For a small shop and for having ventured out on her own from Gérard Mulot, I think she has done a great job in creating a very nice, little patisserie with very professionally done items. Oh, and she also sells ice cream.
2. Patissier Sadaharu Aoki. This is a patisserie I just happened to discover one day while in Galerie Lafayette Gourmet where they have a kiosk. It’s been in Paris only about 4 years and has three locations (and an additional one in Tokyo). It was the pastries with the Japanese-influenced design that first caught my eye. I think the pastries are beautifully done; some of them are classically French in flavor, but in others they have introduced Asian flavors, such as green tea, sesame and bean paste. For a unique flavor experience, try the green tea (mächa) pastries, in particular one called Duomo Mächa Asuki. This has a green tea mousse with a red bean paste as part of the filling – very interesting and the taste was subtle and sweet. They also have macarons, financier and madeleine made with mächa that are very good. The location at 56 Blvd Port Royal, 75005 seemed to have the most options. I visited all three boutiques.
3. At Pierre Hermé, you must try to the salted butter caramel macaron. I could have eaten a dozen at once (and probably did over the course of a few days). This address I’m sure you know, but there are two: 72, rue Bonaparte (6th) and 185 rue Vaugirard.
4. At La Maison du Chocolat, I’ve always bought the same thing but this time tried their chocolate tart. It’s very unassuming in appearance and never really caught my eye before. It was incredible! I’m a chocolatier but have never really experienced a chocolate tarte with a ganache filling so incredibly silky. And the tart crust was really very nice too – soft and buttery. Again, I could have eaten a dozen. They’re sized individually at about 4” so it makes it easy to do if you’re willing.
5. At Richart chocolates at 258 bd. St. Germain (7th), try the Venezuelan Sur Del Lago 70% Criollo chocolate bar. It’s rare (especially in the US) to find a chocolate bar that’s 100% Criollo, although chocolatiers in Europe are now going more in this direction these days and are making grand cru chocolates and tablettes from specific cacao varieties. For a 70%, it is really very mild, a typical trait of Criollo.
6. At chocolatier Patrick Roger (on 108 Blvd St. Germain, not too far from Les Deux Magots), try the basil and lemon chocolates for something different. The flavors blend very well and have a very fresh taste. They also have ganaches made with pepper and with oats. Patrick Roger loves to sculpt in chocolate and he has a very fun sculpture in the shop of hens and eggs as well as blowfish in the window. You can also see an award winning sculpture he did in chocolate about 12 years ago. The attendant the day I was there was Patrick’s sister and she was very open to talking with me about the shop.
7. As for a restaurant, you should try Bistro Volnay, at 8 rue Volnay (2nd). It’s just a five minute walk from the Opera Garnier. It has a great wine menu and menu options as well as a jazz pianist. The night I was there, a young American was at the piano. He was really very good and the piano really added to the ambiance. I was there with the architect who had just completed the finish out of the place in a very contemporary style.
8. At Angelina Hotel – you’ve probably been there for the chocolat chaud - but if you’ve not tried the Mont Blanc, you should. It’s incredible – a meringue with a chestnut cream – delicious! Great snack and rest time for the afternoon.
9. Jean-Charles Rochoux chocolatier. 16, rue d’Assas, 75006. I just discovered this new chocolatier on this trip. He’s only been open for a couple of years, but I really loved his shop and his chocolates. There are two things he’s doing that are quite unlike other chocolatiers in Paris. First, he has busts and figurines in pure chocolate, several throughout the shop. The large torso in chocolate in the window really grabs your attention. Second, he introduces a new chocolate bar every Saturday, based mostly on suggestions from his clients. Some of the chocolate bars contain fresh fruit (not confit or dried). The day I was there, the chocolate bar for the week was fresh mango. It was excellent. The chocolate is in form of a tablette and because it’s fresh fruit, the juices seep out of the chocolate tabelette somewhat, making it very interesting and a great texture combination. He told me that the bars last only 2-3 days, which of course is not a problem. Jean-Charles was in the shop that day and I talked to him about his operation. I loved the fact that the actual chocolatier was the one minding the front of the shop attending to the customers. You could tell he had a lot of enthusiasm for what he was doing. He operates from the basement just below the shop. He also had very nice ganaches, including tiny pavé that he’ll give you samples of.
10. Jadis et Gourmand. This is a “producteur d’idées en chocolat” that you’re probably aware of, but I love their signs and letters done in chocolate and their chocolate bottles. They also have candied fruits, tea, and chocolate suckers. I think it’s a great place to go for a gift for someone.
11. If you like Thai, try Blue Elephant on 43-45 rue de la Roquette (Bastille). I first tried this restaurant in 1990 when there were only four in the world. Now there are twelve (none in the US) and four more opening soon. They even have their own cooking school now in Bangkok. I have eaten there on several trips to Paris, though I didn’t get a chance this time. The food was always excellent and the interior very pretty and lush with tropical plants. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but I think worth it.
12. Lastly, I have to recommend my favorite, all-time breakfast drink: Ricoré. You can get it in any grocery store there. It’s an instant coffee and chicory drink that’s great in the morning with hot milk, drunk out of a bowl. It’s a great alternative to plain coffee. A morning in Paris would not be the same for me without my bowl of Ricoré.
Hope this gives everyone some new ideas!
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | May 20, 2006 1:23 PM #
roxanne, i was just at the las vegas gourmet housewares show which was side by side with the hardware show. hardware stores are great places to seek out unusual baking equipment. the back to basics company was at the gourmet housewares show and they have some really terrific products such as a steam canner i'm going to try out as soon as i get the chance. i adore their small flour mill--very practical if you just need to grind small quantities of grain. i'll be writing more about them in the near future.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 14, 2006 12:29 AM #
zach, glad you made it to fouquet. as for me, i had THE most amazing pastries at bouchon in las vegas. i will write more about pastry chef chris in future postings but for now i just have to rave about the sticky buns that had a layer of onctious pastry cream just underneath the topping of chopped caramelized pecans.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 14, 2006 12:07 AM #
nicolas, thank you for your lovely posting about the cake i insisted you taste before returning to flavor mecca france! i felt greatly honored, first by the expression on your face when you tasted the first bite and now by your incredibly generous testimonial.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 14, 2006 12:03 AM #
Dear Rose,
thanks very much for the thoughtful suggestions. I have plenty of time for dry runs (to the delight of everyone in my office, where i bring the results) so i'll try them all. thanks very much
elaine
Reply to this Posted by: elaine | May 13, 2006 3:26 PM #
Regarding cake pans: America's Test Kitchen recently re-tested cake pans because their recommended line (Eko-Baker) was getting a lot of complaints about the sloped sides. They recommend the Calphilon Commercial line of cake pans (and the Chicago Metalic Non-stick is their second recommendation). I have to agree! I absolutely love my Calphilon Commercial pans. They are nice and heavy and radiate the heat well across the whole cake (I hate aluminon pans because the crusts come out so pale and pasty looking). And..the pans measure exactly what they are supposed to be.
oh, one note: Ace Hardware is now selling the silicone baking pans you are endorsing! (They also sell the best apple peeler/corer/slicer ever...the Back To Basics model...when I need 5 pounds of apples for a pie, I'm for sure letting this gadget do the work!).
Roxanne
Reply to this Posted by: Roxanne Rieske | May 13, 2006 12:18 PM #
elaine,
I would recommend either the chocolate génoise wedding cake with a syrup with raspberry liqueur or if you don’t have experience with making génoise and don’t have the time to do a dry run, make the chocolate wedding cake on page 486 but use 2 cups/1 pound butter for the (2) 6 x 9 inch tiers and 2 1/3 cups/18.5 ounces butter for the (2) 12 inch layers which will make the cake more moist..
The raspberry ganache is the most fabulous filling EVER and now that higher % cocoa mass chocolates are available it doesn’t have the tendency to separate slightly. Use 60 to 62%
For the white frosting, the white chocolate buttercream would be amazing but I fear it might not hold up well enough if the weather is really hot. It would be safer to do the mousseline buttercream, again flavored with raspberry but eau de vie so it doesn’t color the frosting. It’s a tricky buttercream—very dependent on correct temperature to emulsify the butter so read carefully and I would also do a dry run of one batch.
Rolled fondant is stunning but it needs a firm cake such as the layer cake (not the génoise) and glycerin is a must. I’m not sure if can get the proper ingredients in Italy as you say it’s gummy. It should be satiny and smooth. You could order some from Albert Uster Imports (listed in the Cake Bible but again I don’t know if this is feasible given your glorious but distant location. (Ironically, since it’s called masa Ticino it’s probably imported from Italy!)
Passing whipped cream and fresh raspberries is a great idea no matter which direction you go with the cake, filling, and frosting. I agree that adding fresh raspberries to the filling would be risky.
Do let us know how it turns out and if you send a photo I’ll post it to the blog if you like!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 13, 2006 9:44 AM #
Last week, just before I had to leave New York City to go home in France, I met Rose. I tasted the most wonderful cake I have ever tasted. It was so good, so new, so tasty, so delicate, that at once I arrived in Tours, in the Loire Valley, I wanted to write in order to give my amazing feeling about this délicieux gâteau. Brava Rose and longue vie to your last cake. I hope it will cross the Atlantic!
Reply to this Posted by: nicolas | May 10, 2006 7:57 AM #
Hi Rose,
Just got back from Alsace region last night. Loved it. Ate at Le Cerf, where Michael Husser is chef (once appeared on Iron Chef and won). Got a chance to talk to him. Yes, made it to Fouquet and bought the crystalized ginger and caramels. Loved them. I had confused Fouquet with Fouquet's. Thanks forthe hot tip. Ive been making a list for you too and will send when I return next week. At the moment, this keyboard in this cafe is terrible and have awful time typing!
Have a good trip.
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach | May 10, 2006 3:59 AM #
Dear Rose,
I wrote to the chef2chef website forum to ask advice about a wedding cake i want to make. One of the people who replied (ChefJune) suggested i buy your "Cake Bible" (Which i will do forthwith!) and also suggested contacting you (the "cake queen"), saying she knew you well as a long-term friend and you would definitely be the person to ask. Well, seeing how busy you are i will consider it a lucky gift if you have time to reply but will take her advice anyway.
I'm copying the post i sent the chef2chef forum:
>>>>>>>>>>>
I'm a pretty experienced non-professional baker. I want to make the cake for my daughter's wedding which will be outside, in a hot climate (Rome, Italy), in July, and the reception will be in the evening. There will be a refrigerator available, but the cake will also have to sit outside for a bit I imagine. The guests will be around a hundred. The bride would like a chocolate cake with raspberries. I make many good chocolate cakes but they seem unsuitable to a large wedding cake, which I imagine will need a dense crumb to hold up the weight of the layers (i thought three). Of course I would also like it to taste good! I thought the layers could be sandwiched with raspberry jam (since i imagine fresh raspberries are too fragile and become wet and soggy).
The cake should be white on the outside, but not sure what kind of frosting is suitable AND nice texture and taste. I know how to make real fondant, which could be rolled out instead of poured - but it's gummy not soft, and not particularly tasty. I never made royal icing - it sounds hard and tasteless? What about a recipe for something with white chocolate in it that can be used also to decorate? I've made an excellent ganache with white chocolate melted into heavy cream, chilled and whipped, but it seems way too fragile for sitting around in the summer. Would a meringue italienne mixed with white chocolate hold up? Or would you recommend frosting it simply (fondant, say) and passing whipped cream and fresh raspberries on the side?
To sum up I would like suggestions for
1. a good chocolate cake recipe, solid enough but also rich and tasty and moist.
2. a frosting that could possibly incorporate white chocolate, but not necessarily
3. a frosting, alternatively, that would not turn out hard but would be decoratable. thanks
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(p.s. I did read up about using straws, and cardboard rounds between layers and a "stake" through the center)
That's what I wrote, and i won't take up more of your time. If you have the time and inclination to reply to this passionate but amateur baker I will be eternally grateful. If you ever come to Rome you can be my guest.
Thanks
Elaine (i signed in chef2chef as grendlesmoder)
Reply to this Posted by: elaine | May 7, 2006 2:39 PM #
zach: did you make it fouquet? what's the verdict? i've been testing chocolate cakes in silicone pans--fabulously moist--so much so i scraped the fudgy top off the plate and made it into a truffle. so glad i remembered--i must grab it out of the frig to soften.
probably won't have e-mail access for about a week as i'm off to the gourmet products show in las vegas and it's pretty intense!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 6, 2006 3:45 PM #
thanks for letting us know! i'm sure many people will benefit from your experiment!!!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 6, 2006 3:24 PM #
It has just the right texture and firmness I was looking for. I think I baked it a bit too long, as it came out a bit dry, but I made a lemon syrup for it and it is delicious.
Thanks so much! I will be using this recipe for my son's birthday cake (he has requested a robot shape!).
Jane
Reply to this Posted by: Jane | May 5, 2006 2:02 PM #
anxiously looking forward to feedback!!!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 3, 2006 1:01 PM #
Just what I was looking for! Thanks so much. I'm going to test it this afternoon.
Jane
Reply to this Posted by: Jane | May 3, 2006 11:23 AM #
you'll be happy to know that the pound cake is probably just what you're looking for: see page 511--the party perfect pound cake. essentially same recipe. it's firmer but still tender and buttery!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 3, 2006 8:56 AM #
I have been frustrated for a long time about the variation among pan sizes. Recipes don't correspond to the sizes/shapes I already have, and they don't adapt well when I want to make a different sized cake. I love it when you say how high the batter should be in the pan.
For example, I am looking for a pound cake that I can adapt to be a firm cake that I can stack in different sizes for birthday cake shapes. Soft yellow cakes don't hold up to having more than one layer put on top.
Your classic pound cake recipe says that it needs to be small, so I'm guessing that increasing the recipe to fill a 8-inch square pan would not work? Do you think it would work, but the crumb would not be as perfect? Thanks for your great work! I love your techniques and approach. Any advice would be appreciated.
Jane
Reply to this Posted by: Jane | May 3, 2006 8:50 AM #
Thanks Rose,
Will go back to Fouquet again today to see.
And I dont want to miss the caramales!
More cake eating today and at E. Dehillerand for pan shopping.
Zach
p.s. my friend fixed the pate Belle Helene for me again last night - I love it! I have to try it at home.
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | May 3, 2006 3:14 AM #
that's a "hot" tip--thanks--not sure if my american friend in paris has wireless. my oldest friend there refuses to do internet stuff including e-mail though she was the very first to get induction.
glad to hear hédiard has good ginger. now you should compare it to fouquet which i did indeed mean and their chocolate caramels are the best!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 2, 2006 8:40 AM #
Rose
Im sitting in an internet cafe in Paris just across from La Madeliene and have just purchased some candied ginger from Hediard (I think you meant Hediard in your last posting not Fouquet?). It is as delicious as you described. I plan on thinking of some creative ways of using it. Im also trying to crack the code for certain types of cakes Ive admired for a long time here,including glazes. If you,re in Paris in Sept., and need access to the internet while out, go to "Orange" just downfrom Fauchon, upstairs in the cafe. Its free if you order a coffee. Ive eaten so much cake today, Im dizzy.....more later!
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach townsend | May 2, 2006 8:15 AM #
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Reply to this Posted by: Cymfony | May 1, 2006 2:08 PM #
zach--i'm glad i'm not alone in my daddy's ruler memories!
by the way, european pans are usually sloped-sided and intended to be used as single layers often cut into several thin layers.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | April 30, 2006 11:33 PM #
i did the best that i could in the cake bible explaining what i base my calculations on, i.e. how much flour per serving. check out page 481 through 483 and also cutting the cake on 537.
my basic premise is that wedding cake portions are small because there are usually so many other desserts and also many people leave before wedding cake cutting time. but of course they can be increased in size if the occasion warrants (i.e. the party size you mentioned where that may be the only dessert).
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | April 30, 2006 11:26 PM #
Your comments about non-standard cake pan sizes leads me to ask if you might know where one can find a definitive "Cake Cutting Guide". As with pan sizes, there seems to be no actual "standard" by which one can decide how many slices a cake is expected to serve. Looking around the web, one can see claims that a round, 8" cake, 4" high is supposed to be able to serve anywhere from 15 to 30 slices.
That seems to be a huge discrepancy. But it seems to be rampant in most sites that offer cutting guides: there is simply no consistency. Considering that many bakers set their charge based on slices, I'd hope that there would be some agreement on how many a 10" cake is supposed to serve.
And then there's the difference between "wedding slices" and "party slices"...
Can you offer any ground rules on this or, better still, give a definitive count for party and wedding cakes?
Thanks for your attention.
Reply to this Posted by: Paul | April 30, 2006 10:43 PM #
Rose,
I understand what you mean regarding the pans. This has really aggravated me for a long time. Perhaps its time for your own line of cookware in correct sized! Funny you mention a ruler, I intend on taking my ruler to Paris specifically for the purpose of measuring pans (and also for measuring desserts to understand what size fresh wraps they use for their dessert slices). I'm curious what their standards are for their pans compared to ours. I've bought terrines there before but no baking pans yet. About the wooden ruler, my dad is an electrician/engineer, and he always had that wooden foldout ruler in his back pocket that you're talking about. In fact, he still carries one and he brought me one last year when I moved into my house last year; he sees it as indispensable. And yes, it does have that extra bronze piece that juts out from the end that you mention! How funny. I will always associate that type of ruler with him.
Zach
Reply to this Posted by: Zach Townsend | April 29, 2006 6:23 PM #