My Television Series: Baking Magic with Rose Levy Beranbaum

Sep 13, 2006 | From the kitchen of Rose

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from readers of my books and wished I could just be with them in their kitchens to guide them through the maze of baking. Well now – thanks to the magic of television – I can be! If you believe a picture is worth 1000 words, here’s some exciting news – I recently finished taping 13 episodes for a brand new public television cooking series called BAKING MAGIC WITH ROSE LEVY BERANBAUM. The series has started to air on PBS stations across the country. WGBH--CHANNEL 2 IN BOSTON PREVIEWED THE FIRST THREE EPISODES AS PART OF THEIR PLEDGE DRIVE. PBS stations air their programs at different times depending on the local market. I would suggest you get in touch with your local PBS station and ask them if they are planning to air Baking Magic. Feel free to let them know that you are very interested in viewing the program.

Now you can see step-by-step demonstrations of all those important baking techniques that you’ve been reading about. The series includes a wide range of recipes from all three of my “bibles” (Cake, Pie & Pastry, and Bread) bringing you a delightful assortment of baked treats.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/13/2007 11:15 PM

brooke, i'm afraid my only dvd plans in the immediate future are for cakes. i do hope you have the pie and pastry bible as there are wonderful illustrations and many recipes.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/13/2007 11:14 PM

thanks for the report mitch--everyone including me has been very curious. of course since i like the taste of butter, i prefer to use 100% but it's really tempting to try this just to see how it works.
a wonderful older woman from hungary told me years ago that she adds vodka to any dough that needs more moisture to roll out as it evaporates and therefore doesn't make the dough tough. i tucked that little piece of information into my memory bank!

Brooke Chaplin
11/13/2007 11:02 PM

Dear Rose,

I live in South Korea and would be interested to know if you have or have plans for, a pie making DVD? I would love to become proficient in making pies, as I would like to open a pie shop in the future.
Thanks for any suggestions that you may have.

Mitch
11/13/2007 09:35 PM

In response to Beth's question from about a month ago, I just made the "foolproof pie crust" from the Nov/Dec 2007 Cook's Illustrated this weekend when trying out their cranberry apple pie. Like every recipe from Cook's that I've tried, it turned out fabulously. The crust technique is absolutely foolproof, hence the name they gave it. It's a food processor crust using butter and shortening (I used butter-flavored shortening, since it's what I had on hand, but I think maybe it gave it too buttery of a flavor). The two secrets are (1) to add one of the 2.5 cups of flour after mixing the first batch of dry ingredients with the fat and (2) to use 1/4 cup each of cold water and cold vodka for the liquid. Stir it together with a spatula and form discs like you normally would. The dough stays incredibly soft and pliable even after refrigerating overnight. It rolls out like a breeze and bakes up in a wonderful blend of flaky and tender. You can see all the layer in the crust amazingly.

All-in-all, it's a great crust that requires no fuss to make. That being said, I still really like Rose's flaky pastry immensely. I think I'll keep them all in my repertoire and use them in different situations. (For instance, I don't think that the Cook's Illustrated crust would work as well for a tart calling for a blind baked crust.)

Julie
11/12/2007 10:04 PM

Rose - thank you so much.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/12/2007 09:51 PM

yes--but it will take a few minutes longer.

if filling the frozen crust, it depends on the filling. for apple pie for ex. it takes a long time to bake so the crust will have a chance to brown but if it's a pie that bakes only 30 to 40 min. better to let it defrost refrigerated overnight before filling.
the benefit of baking it frozen is that the edges hold up best.

Julie
11/12/2007 09:23 PM

Rose - thank you so kindly for your prompt response.

I hope you won't be bothered by a few follow up queries: I have one pie recipe that requires a pre-baked (blind baked) crust. I take it you propose that I go freezer-to-oven and skip defrosting for the blind bake? If so, should I expect an increase in baking time? The other pie does not require blind baking. Do you propose that I fill the frozen crust straight out of the freezer and bake? And should this increase baking time? (I appreciate your words of caution re the Pyrex, which - in fact - I am using. I will be sure not to use a the oven floor or brick if I go freezer to oven). Thanks for your patience and time.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/12/2007 03:06 PM

lovely!

i wouldn't defrost the pie crust. but if it's in a pan that is not metal, avoid putting a from the freezer pan on to a baking stone. most can be fine if put on the oven rack.

i've never had a problem with cracks with my recipes but if you mean the custard filling part which you probably do, overbaking is a sure fire way to get cracks. no need to cool it slowly, just test it with a knife inserted one inch from the center and if it comes out clean it will continue to cook through to the center on cooling. that way you won't be over baking.

happy thanksgiving to you too!

Julie
11/12/2007 02:33 PM

Hi, Rose. I am a longtime fan. Your Chocolate Bread was one of the first heavenly things I baked - I was in high school! I searched around to be sure I wasn't duplicating a post - especially b/c this seems like it would be a common question -- but i didn't see anything directly on point. I rolled out and put in the pie plates my cream cheese pastry, covered it carefully and froze it in prep for the Thanksgiving pies! It is unbaked and unfilled. What is the best method of defrosting. I was planning on allowing it to defrost slowly by popping it in the fridge the day before use, keeping all its plastic wrap in place. Since the filling isn't frozen with it (one of them is a custard pie), I won't be able to take advantage of the freezer-to-oven-method.

Also - I read somewhere that the best way to avoid a crack in a custard pie is to avoid overcooking and to cool it slowly in the oven by turning it off after baking is nearly complete. Thoughts?

Thank you so much for your pre-Thanksgiving help!

Happy Turkey Day in advance.

Julie

Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/08/2007 12:33 PM

pls do a search on the blog for pie crust as i gave instructions for using latex gloves instead of the ziploc. it's easier. if you have cracks it means either that it's too cold or not enough liquid if you didn't weigh and measured incorrectly, or that it wasn't kneaded enough.
leftovers go to the many ppl who work in the 30 story building where i live!

Beth
10/08/2007 09:40 AM

Hello all.
I made the pumpkin pie on Saturday. The finished product is absolutely delicious, but I have some questions about making the crust. I had never made Rose's recipe before, but have been making butter crusts in the food processor for many, many years. I wasn't sure how long to "knead" the dough once it was back in the ziploc bag (the fraisage stage). I'm not sure if I did it too much; I may have. I then placed the dough on some plastic wrap, and made my "patty" disc as I normally do. (I later realized I was supposed to wrap it first, and then form the disc - I'm not exactly sure how that works. At any rate, once I formed the patty the dough had many cracks, which I tried unsuccessfully to get rid of, inevitably working the dough too much. I knew the cracks would result in many "petals" when I rolled out the dough. That was the case, but I was able to patch them.

Question #1: how does one avoid the cracks in the first place?

Question #2: has any one tried the new pastry recipe in the latest Cooks Illustrated? It claims that the addition of vodka will enable any one to make a perfect crust with no problems. I wanted to try Rose's recipe first.

Question #3: Rose, what do you do with everything you bake when you're testing things? Do you donate them? Unfortunately my husband and I are eating all of this pie by ourselves. I think the addition of the gingersnap and pecan mixture really adds to the flavor of the pie.

I bought 2 Sunbeam bread machines and they both had a faulty dough cycle (never stopped kneading!!!!), so I've just ordered a "Zo." Can't wait to get it.

Best,
Beth

Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/08/2007 03:42 PM

yes, it's already aired but they have the right to reair so if you get in touch with them you never know.....

Angela Taormina
02/08/2007 03:34 PM

I have not been able to find your show on PBS stations in the NYmetro area. Do you know if they've been shown or if they're scheduled?

Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/08/2007 12:52 PM

no--the only time i did a food network show was with david rosengarten and i did a cheesecake.

estefania
02/08/2007 12:26 PM

I saw AN APPISODE ON FOOD NETWORK OF BAKING COOKIES OF FACES SHAPED WAS THAT YOU I DINT FINISH THE SHOW AND I CANT REMEMBER THAT WELL

Anonymous
02/06/2007 06:07 PM

i sure wish there were but the producers own the show and did not choose to offer it on dvd.

Sean
02/06/2007 06:02 PM

Hi Rose,
I live in Australia. Is there any way of getting copies of your tv show? It sounds like it would be invaluable....

Thanks

Sean

Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/05/2007 08:21 PM

karen and nancy, please check today's posting on the blog--in which i wrote that i am working on posting the recipes from the show directly on this blog--it will happen but of course so much work and proof-reading first!

Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/04/2007 05:09 PM

sounds like it's the peach variation of the sourcream coffee cake--page 90 cake bible. i think it has to be that one. one of my top fav. cakes!

Steve
02/04/2007 01:17 PM

Corn rye is usually a round rye with a substansial amount of caraway seeds both inside and outside. The dough should have a bit more rye content and not allowed to proof too much before baking. Hearth baked and well baked.
Has anyone used or has a supplier for FARRO FLOUR?
Thanks,SR

Wade
02/04/2007 09:43 AM

I was actually curious about the "peach" recipe too. I believe it was a peach-sourcream-crumb cake?

Tyler
02/03/2007 08:25 PM

Oh the peach strudel he means was a coffee cake, i believe, with peaches in the middle.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
02/03/2007 12:27 PM

isn't it ridiculous that here in the ny/nj area newscasters talk about the extreme cold when it's only a mere 15 degrees ABOVE zero! when i went to college in vermont it got to 15 below and we still had to wear skirts.(boy does THAT date me)
i remember once crying from the cold when i had to walk the mile from the dorm. they changes the regulation the following year.
poppyseed pound cake is in the cake bible and also on my site www.thecakebible.com under the sample recipes. be sure to switch to the flat beater after mixing the dry ingredients. recipe doesn't state that.
i don't remember doing a peach strudel--it's been a while--but whatever peach pastry i have would be in the pastry bible.

Nancy Naatz
02/03/2007 11:59 AM

Saw your show on PBS Twim Cities-Minn. You made a lemon poppy seed cake and a peach strudel, which both looked delicious. I couldn't write fast enough to get the correct ingredients. Is it possible to get them from you.
Thank you.
In Minnesota today, it is -15 deg. and even colder with the wind, so I will stay inside another day. Burr!!!

Rose Levy Beranbaum
12/19/2006 10:39 AM

thanks for asking tyler. try calling your local pbs affiliate as they have the right to air it for the rest of this year (til fall 2007)
as for another series, stay tuned! under-writing is very expensive so it can take years to amass the funding.

Tyler
12/19/2006 10:30 AM

Hi again. I was wondering if the show will ever air again? Or if there will be another series in it? Thanks :)

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/10/2006 09:19 PM

karen, i recently discovered that the producers have removed the site. but the show is still airing on pbs affiliates for another year.

Karen
11/10/2006 11:07 AM

Rose,

I cannot access www.bakingmagic.com. I have tried several servers and none can find the sight. Is there another site available?

Thank you.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
11/02/2006 07:58 AM

the only way is to call your local pbs station and ask them to air the show. they have the right to air it for another year.

Judy
11/02/2006 07:53 AM

I too would love a baking show on TV that is not just about desserts. Sarah's Secrets on Food Network once showcased a baker and I loved watching her put her bread together. It was so relaxing and calm. Let me know how I can access your TV series.

Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/29/2006 07:42 PM

i will get in touch with the producers who own the site and see if this is intentional.

Beth
10/29/2006 07:31 PM

I cannot access the pages for your PSB show www.bakingmagic.com

Do you know if the pages have been taken down for some reason, or is this perhaps a temporary "glitch"?

Thanks you!

Zucchini Blossoms

The Importance of Pourfection for Baking

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Welcome to Real Baking with Rose, the personal blog of author Rose Levy Beranbaum.

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Hector's Take on Rose's Cakes

My Television Series: Baking Magic with Rose Levy Beranbaum