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Rose's Heavenly Cakes

Posts with recent comments:

Welcome to My Scratch Baking Blog 2009!

Jul 06, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose

As the original welcome posting has become the longest thread on the blog, and is wearing out some people's browsers when trying to post, I have started this new posting. Please feel free to post questions of comments here if you can't find another suitable place.

zlota in reply to comment from Woody Wolston
04/20/2012 05:59 PM

Woody! hi! thnxs for your reply!!...I have another doubt!if I have 2 challas what should I do?? sometimes one is bigger than the other one, I have a conventional oven in my kitchen where just a sheet pan 18 x 16 inches can fit, should I first bake one and then wait and then bake the other one?? two breads dont fit in a pan, because then one for sure is gonna be in touch with the pan and then does not gonna look pretty...
I tied my challah when braided it and also push a little and the indentation remains but still the challah streched in the oven and it loses itbeautiful shape...?
Thank you thank you thank you for your help, I will keep triying...and a last thing, where you live you use the same ammount of yeast the entire year?? because here and thats the problem i have to use different amounts...

Woody Wolston in reply to comment from zlota
04/20/2012 05:19 PM

Hi Zlota,
In writing THe Bread Bible, Rose researched and experimented baking breads at different rack positions and found the lowest rack for most breads gave the best results. Where many cookbooks do not state rack position, we will always state the rack position in the Preheat the Oven paragraph and later in the case of some pies or multiple component baked items that need a second rack position.
We suggest that you may want to experiment with rack positions once your control recipe made to the author's specifications is established. Where my testing has brought changes to ingredients, techniques, and assembly, the rack position has always been kept the same.

zlota in reply to comment from rose Levy Beranbaum
04/20/2012 04:43 PM

Rose I use the same one, Gold medal bread flour...I did that add a little more flour, the dough turn out perfect, but with more yeast...
I have another question, why is that you put the shelf at the lowest level?? then its not gonna burn the bottom of the challah??

rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from zlota
04/20/2012 11:23 AM

if you are using the flour i specified, as i wrote, the sponge will be the consistency of a thick batter. if it is not, add more flour as by volume it's never as precise as by weight. glad you asked about the flour. i now use gold medal better for bread flour which is a little lower in protein than most bread flours.

by the way, if your braided challah is widening too much in the oven braiding it more tightly will help.

zlota in reply to comment from rose Levy Beranbaum
04/20/2012 11:15 AM

Rose! hi!! I have the Bread Bible!! I made many of your recipes before and never had a problem, but here w the challah dont know what is happening with the yeast, because when i increase the amount (a lot more) the dough did rise, las night I decided to make the recipe from de blible, but the sponge was too thin, i mean nothing compare to a thick dough, and i measure everything as it says on the recipe...now I will add the other ingredients, and will see if its gonna rise or not!!
As always thank you so much for your advices...
You never use bread flour for your challah?? I like more a dense bread...
Have a great weekend:)

rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from zlota
04/20/2012 10:56 AM

zlota, the new recipe suggest using a starter which is a stiff starter the consistency of the dough itself. if you don't have one here is my suggestion. try the recipe exactly and i mean exactly as it is written. do not add extra sugar, do not use a mixture of flour, make sure your yeast is the instant variety and not expired. of course using a scale will ensure success to a further degree. essential you are changing to many things to figure out what is causing the many problems you are encountering. it sounds like you are making the recipe from the blog so i'm going to suggest that you buy or go to the library and ready the bread bible for further understanding. this will enable you to make changes with more knowledge and better results.
the reason i'm suggesting you make the original recipe is to establish a 'control'. once you have that base you can start varying and write down the results so you know how to proceed.

zlota in reply to comment from zlota
04/20/2012 08:58 AM

Good Morning Woody, as you asked me if I made Roses chllah recipe I wanted to give it a try as it is, I wanted to use her new recipe but it did not has the sponge recipe ( never baked with sponge before) so last night i decided to make the sponge and it was not a thick dough as it says on the Bread Bible, it was too liquid, and i follow the recipe exactly, measuring everything, after an hour i puted it on the fridge and now is a little thicker, with bubbles but very thin, what should i do, also the last time i made the challa i had to use lots of active dry yeast, but losts like 5 tablespoons for 3 cups of flour. I also mix unbleaches and bread flour because i like a more dense bread, and add some sugar too to make it a little sweeter...please tell me what you think or anyone any advise why mi dough does not rise as it should unless i add lots of yeast??, i live in south texas, where is very hot!
I dont know if use that sponge that i have in the fridge that is not thick at all!...please help!!
Thanks a lot!! and have a good weekend:)

zlota in reply to comment from Woody Wolston
04/17/2012 11:48 PM

Woody! I also wanted to ask you, why is that the challach stretches inside the oven> I thought it was because it proofed too much, but today i left it to proof for 30 minutes and it stretched anyway!
thank you so much!!

Anonymous in reply to comment from Woody Wolston
04/17/2012 09:21 PM

Hi Woody!! Im making it without the starter, once Rose told me that as challah is a sweet bread it needs lots of yeast but this is too much ( I think) I made it again and for 31/2 cups of flour plus some more when the kitchen aid is running I used 4 tbspoons of yeast and it did rise, bread is in the oven but i dont know how its gonna be with so much yeast.

Woody Wolston in reply to comment from zlota
04/17/2012 06:00 PM

Hi Zlota,
We ask are you making Rose's recipe?

zlota
04/17/2012 04:19 PM

Rose hi!! I want to congratulate you, for all your last achievements, I saw on facebook pictures of your things and will search for them soon...
Sorry to bother you again, but I have problems with the challah bread, I so desperate, I made one dough yesterday and had to throw it in the garbache, it dint rise...for 4 cups of flour i used 5 envelopes of yeast, so today I just wanted to make one loaf and for 3 cups of flour i used 4 envelopes and didnt work either, i dont know what else calast yearn be, i think is too much yeast, for 3 cups of flour i used 2 eggs and also come honey...I mixed bread flour with all unbleached all purpose...last year the same happened to me, i increase the yeast and the problem was solved but now? how much more yeast can i use?? what do you think its happening, also I live in south texas so very hot here..please hope you again can help me!! best regards...

Anonymous in reply to comment from Woody Wolston
03/17/2012 04:11 PM

Thank you so much Woody!! I already made it with the brown sugar blend wich is a mix of splenda and brown sugar. I searched in different pages even splenda.com but coudnt find an apple strudl recipe, so as Roses recipe called just for 2 tbsp of sugar for the apples and very little for the brusel I just use that sugar blend....Unfortunately the strudl is not for me, so im not gonna try it but will ask how it was!!....I put it on the freezer until tomorrow, so hope its gonna be delicious!!

Yhanks once again!:)

Woody Wolston in reply to comment from zlota
03/17/2012 03:25 PM

Hi zlota,
We can only suggest that you experiment by first trying the Splenda on their recommended cup per cup formula and then adjusting from the results. We do not use or test artificial sweeteners as this is not our genre. There are many websites that specialize in alternatives to sugar recipes.

zlota
03/17/2012 09:34 AM

Hi Rose!! I need a little help!!! Im just watching your apple strudel video.I want to make onwith grae but nulated Splenda, but I dont know how aplenda tu use because in the package they always say cup by cup with sugar, but I think splenda makes desserts too sweet...
Alao you said in the video that you can put it in the fridge, but can you freeze it overnight?

I hope you can see this!
waiting for your reply
Have a wonderful weekend:)

zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/25/2011 11:51 PM

Rose! Hi!! sorry to bother you again, just wanted to ask you if you think i can freeze a pasta frola filled with quince paste?

Thank you so much!!

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/05/2011 07:57 PM

Rose! I'm sorry to tell you it did not work with the cream cheese:( Do you think I can train it in a cheese cloth?...

I have another question:) I'm making my challot without a starter, (i know it should be better with it) but don't have patient to wait and sometimes dont have time, anyways, I dont know why i suppose its the weather that starts to change, but i have to increase a lot the amount of yeast i usually use, the thing is for example for 4-5 cups of bread flour i have to use 5 tsp of yeast for the dough to rise, I use 3 tsp - 3 1/2 tsp during the summer, the other day i had to throw away the dought cause it didnt rise, Today I made the challa but i felt it smell yeasty or like a vinegary smell, what do you think?? what's your advice??

once again thank you so much for your time, I appreciate so much your advices, and all i can learn from you:)

Zlota in reply to comment from Anat
10/05/2011 07:45 PM

Oh, no! there's not a kosher store here but there is a Rabbi, a luvabitch maybe he can order for me, I went once to his house to make some goodies (sweets) for him and of course he had everything kosher there and also for was selling some things for people who keep kashrut!

Thank you for your advice!

Anat in reply to comment from Zlota
10/05/2011 06:47 AM

Zlota - they sometimes have it at Koshermart in Rockville, MD. If there is a big kosher store near you, they may have it.

Zlota in reply to comment from Anat
10/04/2011 10:35 PM

Anat I agree with you, I love israeli cottage cheese but maybe not for a blintz filling, where do you live? did you find israeli cottage cheese in the US?

Anat in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/04/2011 10:20 PM

Rose,
You must taste Israeli cottage cheese! It just might change your mind. It is delicious, and nowhere in the world have I been able to find anything similar to it.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/04/2011 10:12 PM

Thank you Rose, I'll do that tomorrow, and next time I'll use just ricotta and cream cheese and i think I'm not gonna put it on a food procesor...

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
10/04/2011 09:56 PM

zlota, cottage cheese is one of the few things i detest. i think ricotta and cream cheese would be much better. get some more cream cheese and allow it to soften til spreadable. then by hand gradually stir in the liquidy mixture only until you have enough so that it's the right consistency.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/04/2011 09:52 PM

Thank you Rose, I use that one too, and sometimes King Arthur bread flour, I like a more dense bread..

Rose you were so kind to me, I hope you can help me with my question today, I'm making blintzes to break the fast this saturday, I made the cheese filling,but here in McAllen (south texas) there is no dry cottage cheese, I bought the regular one, cream cheese, and also some ricotta cheese, I put everything on the food procesor and the result was a very liquid mixture, i also put some sugar and lemon zest, i dont want to throw it away, can you tell me what can I add to fix it? or if theres nothing to do should i use just ricotta and cream cheese and omit the cottage cheese? theres no farmers cheese either.

Do you have a chesse blintz recipe? where can I find it??

once again thank you so much for your advices.

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
10/03/2011 07:13 PM

actually i use better for bread flour as it's extensible so easy to braid and a little lower in protein than most other bread flours. otherwise unbleached all-purpose is the best choice.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
10/03/2011 06:49 PM

Hi Rose!!! forgot to ask you, why don't you use bread flour for your challot??

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/29/2011 07:25 PM

ok thxs I'll try that!!

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/29/2011 04:23 PM

add more cream or more egg.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/29/2011 04:19 PM

Thank you Rose, I already saw those and look fantastic, and so beautiful as everything you do!!
You should post a video of your challah and how you braid them, im sure lots of people will like that!!

another thing I want to ask you is about your cookie dough for the berry tart, the one you have on the back of your pies and tarts bible which i love, I made that crust and did all you say in the recipe, and it broke, everything fell apart, the pastry cream, and the berries, it was delicious, but what you think could happened...or what else can i do for that cookie crust not to break...

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/29/2011 02:06 PM

wait! i do have a photo. you'll see they are quite dark but everyone said it was the best they've ever had and moist! i'll post it as a new posting. check back in a few minutes.

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/29/2011 02:02 PM

i don't have any photos but i did make round ones and they baked through as well though i'm sure getting to the center of a rounded braid takes a bit longer for the heat to penetrate.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/29/2011 01:53 PM

ok, Thank you so much, I will braid it like you do yours, I saw the pictures of your challas and those look amazing, and will tent it to see what happens!!

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/29/2011 01:24 PM

if you lower the temperature you'll get a thicker crust so it's your cal.

tent the top when it reaches a nice golden brown color.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/29/2011 01:18 PM

Rose! thank you so much for your so fast replay!! I always double pan, and the rack is in the middle of the oven...what do you think if I lower the temperature at 300 and bake it for much longer time??...

or after how many minutes you recommend to tent the top of the challah??

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/29/2011 12:43 PM

zlota, my challah is never dry bc i use the old sour dough starter so i woud make sure that the thermometer reads 205F when inserted in the area that you find is not baking through. they won't burn at the bottom if you raise the rack and or double pan. you may need to tent the top with foil to keep it from burning.

Zlota in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
09/29/2011 12:37 PM

Hi! Rode!! it's me again!! Shana Tova!! Happy New Year!!...

I want to ask you something about my round challas which I braid different as yours, you braid them as always with 4 pieces and then round them like a coil right?? I braid them in a different way and also with 4 ropes of dough, bake them at 325 firs for 20 minutes, then turn around the baking sheet and bake for 15-16 minutes more, they sound like a hollow and the thermometer says 190 degrees but they are a little raw in the middle, what you think i can do i think if bake them loner they will be dry and also burn at the botton!! pl;ease help!! thank you so much...

Rose Levy Beranbaum in reply to comment from Zlota
09/07/2010 12:29 AM

challah has a high amount of sugar so needs a lot of yeast to rise. check out my recipe on this blog!

Zlota
09/06/2010 11:57 PM

Hi Rose! I live in south texas, and I'm desperate because I've been trying to make challah bread and the dough does not rise, I think it may be the humidity, don't know what to do and wanted to make round challahs for rosh hashana on wednesday, hope you can answer and give me some advise...

thank you so much! and shana tova!!

Rose in reply to comment from John J. Swain
04/29/2010 10:56 PM

yikes john! at the iacp i was visiting the tenda-bake flour booth where shirley corriher was making her famed biscuits. i was speaking to the owner who had a strong southern accent and when i asked her what the shelf-life was for the biscuit flour that has leavening in it i could have sworn she said "numb-nuts" which i thought implied it was a dumb question but itturned out it was nine months!

John J. Swain
04/18/2010 03:24 PM

Hi Rose

I have mainly posted on the Bread Bible BLOG in the past (has it moved?) Anyway, love all of you books, and now have "Rose's Heavenly Cakes".

I also read corrections, and if people think you have an occasional "strange"error, how about this recipe from a cookbook from down under and them having to recall and reprint 7000 books because of the following error:

Cookbook Reprinted Over 'Ground Black People' TypoUpdated: 8 hours 34 minutes ago
Print Text Size E-mail MoreAP SYDNEY (April 18) -- An Australian publisher is reprinting 7,000 cookbooks over a recipe for pasta with "salt and freshly ground black people."

Yes, SPELLCHECK isn't perfect and misses some amusing errors. Have never seen one so egregious in one of your books. I hope it's not politically incorrect to laugh!

John J.

Hanaa in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
04/16/2010 12:22 PM

Rose, I wanted to let you know that those zucchini cupcakes/muffins turned out great!! I even subbed 1 oz of bleached AP flour for the cake flour because I was lazy to go downstairs and get more cake flour :o) Soft, moist, full of flavor from the wonderful spices. A great breakfast treat!! Thanks again!!

Rose in reply to comment from Hanaa
04/10/2010 10:04 PM

I always believe in full disclosure ie no I didn't dry the zuch. With ppt towels.

Hanaa
04/10/2010 05:15 PM

Rose, I'm planning on making the zucchini cupcakes from TCB tonight. The instructions say to use the grated zucchini as-is. I was wondering if you dried it between 2 sheets of paper towel at all, to remove some of the moisture. Thanks much!

Mark Leveene in reply to comment from Rose Levy Beranbaum
04/10/2010 07:36 AM

Rose
Thanks so much for the quick reply. I must have read that line 10 times and just missed that. Thanks also for the Brownie Puddle Cake and the Rosy Apple Cranberry Pie from the Pie and Pastry Bible. They are in the top 5 of the desserts most requested by friends and family.

Mark.

Rose in reply to comment from Mark Leveene
04/09/2010 11:51 PM

Mark, I gave the choice of a heart pan OR a 9" x 2" round pan so for two you double the recipe but you don't use an 8" pan.

Mark Leveene
04/09/2010 09:59 PM

Rose
I'm trying to convert your "Rose REd Velvet Cake" from a 1-layer, heart shaped cake to a 2-layer 8" or 9" cake but don't know how to convert the weight/volume of the ingredients. Do I just double everything?

hector in reply to comment from Mark Leveene
04/09/2010 07:03 PM

i would use three 9x2 inch round pans, and multiply the recipe by 3, then when you fill the batter on each pan, put 1/3 of the batter on each pan (i would measure by weigh, of if you don't have a scale divide by 3 equally). regarding the frosting, you probably only need to multiply by 2, unless you want a very thick filling between layers.

Mark Leveene
04/09/2010 06:58 PM

Rose
This question is in regard to the "Rose Red Velvet Cake" in Rose's Heavenly Cakes. The recipe is for a one-layer, heart-shaped pan. I want to make a 3-layer, 9" cake. Does anyone know what the volume/weight of each ingredient should be? Even though it's 3 layers vs. one layer, just multiplying everything by 3 doesn't seem right. Also, the original recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of baking powder, much more than I've ever used. Does that seem right?

Julie in reply to comment from Lynn
03/12/2010 09:24 AM

Lynn, here's a link to Cake Questions Three:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2008/05/cake_questions_three.html

Hope that helps.

Lynn
03/11/2010 06:27 PM

I am so lost. I posted a question, I think under Cake Questions Three, on March 7, 2010. Now, no matter what I try, I can't seem to find it and am just wasting so much time searching around. Can you help me navigate the site, please?

shannon
01/12/2010 03:43 AM

Hello Rose,
I would just like to know your opinion on Ovalette and if perhaps you would ever use it.
Also a big thank you to all the incredible cakes we have enjoyed.
Shannon

Rose
12/22/2009 04:14 PM

mark thank you for calling my attention to this. actually it is correct at 5 ounces BUT it should be 1 cup.

Mark Leveene
12/22/2009 12:21 AM

In Heavenly Cakes the recipe for Devil's food cake with midnight ganache calls for cognac cherries. The volume is 3/4 cup and the weight is 5 ounces but when I measured out 3/4 cup it only weighted 2 ounces. Did I make a measuring mistake?

Rose
12/09/2009 12:51 PM

the consistency of the chocolate and water is like that of a buttercream.

Rose
12/09/2009 08:39 AM

it is moister in the silicone pan but it should not be dry. it's important to cover the chocolate mixture while it is cooling so it doesn't evaporate. i don't know if you weighed or measured the flour but measuring is always risky if you shake the cup or somehow wind up with more flour than intended which makes the cake drier and heavier.

Lauren
12/09/2009 07:29 AM

The cake is called the Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake

Lauren
12/09/2009 07:26 AM

Hi Rose,
I just made the chocolate velvet cake and while the flavor was delicious the cake was very dry. I measured everything accurately and used Droste cocoa as suggested. I am wondering what texture/consistency the water/cocoa mixture should be - mine was very, very thick, like paste. I did use a metal pan and it was done at 50 minutes, looked beautiful. Can't figure out what went wrong. Any suggestions you could give me I would greatly appreciate. Thank you for your lovely book

Rose
11/25/2009 08:34 AM

it's a great idea laurie--thanks for your contribution!

Laurie Lewis
11/25/2009 12:06 AM

Hi Rose!
This is the first time I’ve ever participated in a blog, so I’ll apologize in advance for any etiquette goofs I may make!
I love to bake but don’t like to bake sugar cookies because of the difficulty of transferring the cookies from the rolling surface to the pan without them getting all distorted in the process. So I’ve started rolling them out on pan-sized parchment and just removing the excess before putting them on the pan and baking them. I am the proud owner of The Cake Bible, The Pie and Pastry Bible, and Rose’s Christmas Cookies and I know that there must be some reason that you haven’t suggested this in one of those AWESOME cookbooks (I read them like textbooks and feel like I am getting direct instruction from you!). I have also been baking your Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake for YEARS, because I own and love The Silver Palate Cookbook.
So anyhoo…does that sound like a good idea to your expert ears (eyes gulp ), or not?
Thanks,
Laurie Lewis

Mark Leveene
11/24/2009 04:42 PM

I often bake pies for friends and co-workers but I'm getting tired of chasing after them to return the pie pan I used. I'm ready to try those disposable aluminum pans they sell in the supermarket. Has anyone ever used them and what was your experience? Did you have to alter the baking time? Any other comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rose
11/23/2009 11:57 PM

thank you kam for your lovely note! i once had the best chinese meal of my life at the tang hotel in singapore.

Kam
11/20/2009 10:34 PM

Dear Rose,

I'm from Singapore and I've just received your Cake bible and Bread bible from Amazon. I coundn't put the book down after I started reading it. Thank you for your patience in listing the detailed instructions in every step of baking. You are such an inspiration to my baking hobby!

Cheers,
Kam

Rose
11/19/2009 09:16 PM

Dr. P, if it's convenient for you to come by we could arrange a time that i could meet you in the lobby and sign the books. i'm assuming you live in ny?

mike nagle
11/19/2009 06:13 PM

Thanks, I didn't read on where you explain that not all the water is for the scrap. How do you think the french bread dough will do as a pizza crust (par-baked - hot and fast)?

Dr. Paula Moynahan
11/19/2009 02:40 PM

Dear Rose,
I have purchased several of your books and I would like to give them to friends
as Christmas gifts. Is it possible for you to sign them for me? It would make the giving of these wonderful books even more special.

Regards,
Dr. Paula Moynahan

rprp2
11/19/2009 02:09 PM

I have been making the P&P Bible flaky dough recipe using one-third whole wheat pastry flour and two-thirds all purpose, as suggested in the book. I would like to know if whole wheat pastry flour by itself can be used where Beranbaum recommends "pastry flour".

Rose
11/19/2009 09:57 AM

lemon curd with white chocolate chips! or ganache..

Jod
11/18/2009 08:45 PM

Hello - I have just bought your book "The Cake Bible" and am absolutely blown away by it. There is so much to bake!!! I am after a kid friendly topping for cupcakes which kids like, holds the heat well (I live in Australia) and is easy for a newbie like me. I am after something I can swirl on both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes and would really appreciate any advice. To try all the toppings I would be here for ever! Many thanks.

Rose
11/18/2009 10:43 AM

nope!

Mike Nagle
11/17/2009 03:25 PM

In the french bread recipe in the bread bible is the pate fermente labeled poolish and the poolish labeled pate fermente?

Rose
11/15/2009 10:03 PM

gopal, david is right but i have to add that i have the gaggenau and i lower the temp 25˚F for cake baking bc i find with convection it is more even.

Mark Leveene
11/15/2009 12:22 PM

Pastry flour. I have been using King Arthur pastry flour which is described as made from soft red or white wheat. However, I need a kosher pastry flour and KA is not. My local supermarkets sell a kosher pastry flour from a company called Arrowhead Mills. It's described as made from "whole grain soft wheat flour"
Do anyone know of this company or of its quality? Are the two flours the same with regard to the taste of the final product?
I was very happy with the King Arthur brand but I need a kosher equivalent.

Mark Leveene
11/15/2009 09:05 AM

My local supermarkets sell superfine sugar only in boxes of 1 lb. Does anyone know where to buy this sugar in bulk or can you use a food processor to turn regular sugar into superfine?

David Chessler
11/15/2009 01:27 AM

You will need a lower temperature and perhaps less time. Get to know your oven on the normal (non-convection) mode.

I use convection mode mostly for roasting meat and poultry. When I have baked, I have gotten too much crust, and too dark. I could work out adjustments, but it was simpler to just use normal mode. I'm not trying to save a few minutes.

Roasting isn't as much of a problem, because you judge "doneness" by color, crispness of the outside (skin), and internal temperature.

Gopal
11/15/2009 12:49 AM

Can anybody help me out with a problem about ovens. I am currently in a rented flat in the U.K. with a very fancy Gaggenau oven. It has both convection and regular functions. Which should I use for baking cakes? And do I need to lower the temperature if I use the convection function? At the moment I am almost scared to use it and would really appreciate some advice. Many thanks to Rose and all the bloggers for their great feedback.

Julie
11/14/2009 07:36 AM

Mark, your chocolate and cocoa sound like good quality options that should work well.

Yes, it would be best to stock both unbleached and bleached flours. They have different protein contents, which will affect the recipe. Also, the bleached flour will do a much better job at combining with unmelted butter.

Mark Leveene
11/14/2009 07:12 AM

Thanks for the information regarding bleached vs unbleached flour. I have all of Maida Heatter's books and almost all of her recipes call for unbleached flour. Can I substitute bleached or do I have to keep both flours on hand; unbleached for her recipes and bleached for Rose's?

Rose
11/13/2009 03:50 PM

mark, only one cake in the book uses all-purpose unbleached flour. it is essential to use bleached flour for the rest of the cakes. i believe king arthur still has bleached cake flour but i do know that they have introduced unbleached cake flour and their all purpose is unbleached. you will not have the same results at all using unbleached flour.

hector
11/13/2009 02:24 PM

Mark, your brands are good, the ones Rose recommends now are better!

Mark Leveene
11/13/2009 02:19 PM

Just got Rose's Heavenly cakes, my 3rd Rose book. I have been using King Artur flour, Guittard 61% chocolate, and Callebut cocoa, none of which are listed in the ingredients section. Rose recommends Gold Medal flour, several brands of chocolate but not Guittard, and Green & Black's cocoa. Any comments on the brands I'm using?

Matthew
11/05/2009 06:47 PM

Wouldn't it be nice though if the homemade were as good. I did a taste test of about four vanillas, and the homemade had a nice aroma, but the flavor is very weak--watered down.

hector
11/05/2009 04:19 PM

Rose, believe me, from reading your vanilla bible, i spin thinking that in conclusion all we need is: a fairly good quality vanilla extract, plus about the seeds of 30 vanilla beans per 3 oz bottle! for recipes calling for vanilla bean (seeds), like pastry cream, creme anglaise, etc, i have the same bottles but with the seeds of 60 or 90 vanilla beans!

Rose
11/05/2009 02:52 PM

and i agree with both of you. have you tried patricia rain's of the www.vanillaCompany.com vanilla bean paste? it has real vanilla seeds in it inlcuding the pod ground up--and i've heard great things about it!. it's not for nothing she is called the vanilla queen!

Matthew
11/05/2009 02:33 PM

Have to agree with Hector, even though is seems quite popular on blogs now, homemade isn't as good as the commercial variety in my opinion.

hector
11/05/2009 01:39 PM

absolutely not, the cold distilling process of vanilla extract is not possible at home. but on good quality store bought vanilla essence, i add to the bottle vanilla beans (spent or whole) and zillions of my hawaiian vanilla seeds. this elevates any vanilla essence to heaven. i keep refilling these jars with more vanilla essence.

i used to make my own vanilla essence by soaking in pure vodka, about 1 cup, 1 or 2 vanilla beans. takes at least 1 month. but the taste wasn't full enough. what i do often now is using half vodka and half store bought vanilla essence.

here is rose vanilla take: http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2006/08/roses_vanilla_bible_for_food_a.html

Ellen
11/05/2009 01:31 PM

I am considering making vanilla extract. Does anyone have any experience and/or advice? Is home-made vanilla extract as good as commercially available pure vanilla extract? Thanks!!

hector
11/05/2009 01:05 PM

i have a strong eye for the new sanyo microwave convection oven. it is only 1 cubic feet and the size seems ideal for layer cakes up to 9" and for all the bundt cakes on RHC.

Joan
11/05/2009 12:56 PM

Greetings! While beginning my journey through Rose's Heavenly Cakes, it has become obvious that a new microwave is is order for me. I am wondering which models are appealing to our bloggers at present. I have a small area to fill 20 x 15" and have looked at Cuisinart, I think it has convection. Before I decide, however, I wanted to check the most recent ones that you like. Thanks so much.

hector
11/04/2009 01:08 PM

Oh dear, I would buy, borrow, or steal a large cooler and put dry ice or frozen gel packs on the bottom, then store your frosted cakes, up to 7 days. At room temp, I only give it 1 day or 1/2 day since during weddings cake normally stays out for hours and people love to take cake home! You don't want to give something that will last only till the day.

Fondant covered cakes should never be frozen, in fact, I like to apply the fondant last minute.

Matthew
11/04/2009 01:02 PM

I don't think you would want to keep a cream cheese frosting at room temperature for more than an hour or two.

Diana's hobby
11/04/2009 12:23 PM

Hello! Rose I'm getting married December 6 and I'll be baking my own cake. I have the cake bible and heavenly cakes book too! I love these two books! I will be using the dreamy creamy white chocolate frosting with the white chocolate whisper cake. I don't have much refrigeration space and I have to make sheet cakes in addition to my 4 tier cake. Can I leave the cake in the kitchen at room temperature for a few days? If so how many days can it stay out so that my guests won't have a tummy ache? Also, I will be decorating with fondant can i freeze the tiers decorated with fondant over the icing and sit out at room temperature afterwards?
I'm looking forward to your reply
and thank you so much for your time!

Rose
11/02/2009 05:24 PM

mind? not at al MissE--i'm delighted you included me on your blog.

MissE
11/02/2009 02:46 PM

Hi! I love your book The Cake Bible. I wrote an article comparing the Classic Buttercream recipe in it to Wiltons(without publishing the actual recipe of course!). I hope you don't mind. I added a link to your site which I was so happy to stumble upon while writting the article, and I also talked about how wonderful the book is.
http://hubpages.com/hub/WhatistheDifferenceBetweenButtercreams

Rose
11/01/2009 05:08 PM

kerry--thank you for this great information. and for the pie report!

Kerry
11/01/2009 07:50 AM

Hi, Rose. I wanted to let everyone who freezes their pies for future baking to know about a new container (at least new to me) that is perfect for the Emile Henry 5" pans. I have definitely taken to heart your advise to keep several pies in the freezer, but I prefer to keep them in containers to protect the rims and to stack them. Finding containers for the full-sized pies was no problem, but I usually ended up with a lot of wasted space protecting the pielettes. This past week, Oct 30, 2009, I found the perfect solution from Rubbermaid. Ihey came out with several sizes of clear bottom containers that have either clear clip on tops or red tops. The 5-cup size is perfect for the 5 inch Emile Henry. Be careful where you buy them. I found them for $3.89 at one grocery store, $5.99 and $7.99 at other grocery stores, but $3.79 at Walmart - for both types of lids.

I also wanted to let you know that I made your Apple Pie recipe for a barbecue recently. I have never received so many compliments. I would love to upload pictures, but I don't know how. I LOVE your books.

Sincerely,
Kerry

Matthew
10/31/2009 01:12 PM

You might check Peter Reinhart's whole grain book. I know he has a whole wheat brioche for example.

catharine
10/30/2009 07:35 PM

Rose,

I have a friend coming to Thanksgiving dinner who cannot eat any white flour (or sugar). I want to make some dinner rolls that she can eat, but I haven't found any roll recipes that don't have white flour in them. Do you know of any good recipes for a totally wheat dinner roll?

Thanks so much!

catharine

Rose
10/29/2009 02:32 PM

melting the butter will result in more crispness. why don't you try a small batch each way and see what you prefer!

Helen
10/29/2009 01:04 PM

Can you tell me the difference between hand-stirring melted butter for cookies and creaming soft butter with a mixer? I use an old Greek village recipe for butter cookies that calls for stirring melted butter for a half hour, which makes excellent, melt-in-your mouth cookies. Modern recipes for these cookies just call for the usual creaming softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Is there a real difference in the result between these two methods? I'd appreciate any comments.

Hanaa
10/29/2009 09:26 AM

Anat,

If you look in the back of The Cake Bible (in the Wedding Cakes area), you'll see a big chart, describing what to do for any size cake, including 9x13. Check it out. The Yellow Butter Cake is one of the cake in there. Good luck!

Hanaa

Anat Price
10/28/2009 09:53 PM

Rose,
I want to make your All Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake from TCB in a 9x13x2 pan and I'm not sure how to convert the recipe. Can you please help.
Thanks,
Anat

Juliette Rossant
10/28/2009 09:28 AM

Rose,

Here is the link to my review of your book, Rose's Heavenly Cakes on SUPER CHEF:

http://superchefblog.com/2009/10/28/rose-levy-beranbaum-roses-heavenly-cakes/

Thanks! Juliette Rossant, Editor & Publisher SUPER CHEF superchefblog.com

Hanaa
10/27/2009 03:57 PM

Has anyone baked the Almond Shamah Chiffon Cake from RHC in a Bundt pan? Thanks!

Bagmanic
10/27/2009 12:20 AM

Hi Rose,

Thank you for your fast reply. I do not have liqueur at home... Maybe I can try whisking the buttercream over the ice water. The butter I used is Elle & Vire unsalted butter, I am not sure how much is the fat content. I search online, it shows me in french which I don't understand a word... By the way, do I have to let the bowl touch the ice water? At any speed I used will not harm the buttercream right? The temperature for the buttercream have to be within 65-70F also? I don't think I can find the buttercream temperature...

Thank you! :)

Rose
10/26/2009 09:29 PM

i wonder if your butter is higher in fat content. the liqueur does indeed help the final emulsification. you should try putting some of the mousseline in a bowl and whisking in a little liqueuer to see if that makes a difference. also the final temperature may be too warm if you're in such a warm room. try whisking over ice water to the temperature range indicated in the recipe.

Bagmanic
10/26/2009 09:16 PM

Rose, I don't know where I went wrong in making this Mousseline buttercream. It seems soft and can't pipe out roses. The base is soft till it can't support the petals and slip away from the flower nail. The outcome of my buttercream is not as stiff in your video. Is soft when I scoop it up with spatula. I'm located in Singapore, the kitchen temp is 85F.

Please help to tell me where went wrong.

1) Eggs, I let it cooled to room temp before I separate the whites and beat with sugar and cream of tartar.
2) I beat the butter till smooth and creamy and leave it aside but before I add into the white mixture is still maintaining at 65-70F.
3)Sugar syrup, I let it boil till 250F and add into the white in two portions. 1st portion I add a little and beat with high speed. 2nd portion, I pour all into it and beat till the mixture is warm to the touch on the mixing bowl before adding the butter. (Should I beat the white at medium speed till it cooled before adding butter?)
4) Butter, I add scoop of it till it blended into the white but it turned out to be soupy at first. Lastly, it thickens up when the final butter was added. Althought it thickens up but it was still not stiff looking.
5) Liqueur or fruit puree, I did not add this will this missing item affect the outcome of the buttercream? Is this addition a must?

Sorry for the long questions...

Thank you for your previous time! :)

Cheers,
Karen (bagmanic)

Rose
10/26/2009 12:44 PM

sounds terrific! it's fine to add the pineapple to the buttercream as long as you don't add too much liquid but when you start adding things like that to the cake it changes the texture completely so much testing and experimenting is usually required.

Melissa
10/26/2009 12:30 PM

My step daughter wants a pineapple cake for her 7th birthday with either a "Belle" or "Ariel" theme. After going through numerous possible recipes I'm looking at adding either minced homemade preserved pineapple or drained crushed pineapple to the golden butter cream cake recipe from the bible. She is allergic to nuts and egg whites, so this seems to be the easiest recipe to "meddle" with. I'm planning to cover it with the classic rolled fondant (pineapple flavoring added if possible), and homemade preserved pineapple slices halved around the top for decoration and piped or fondant pineapple leaves for the finishes (and the appropriate Disney princess cake topper). Any suggestions on the cake batter proportions with pineapple being added? Again, this is for the golden butter cream cake recipe. Many thanks.

hector
10/25/2009 06:21 PM

Either scale is more than adequate and HIGLHLY recommended The kd 7000 is the one most popular. The kd 8000 is basically the exact same scale plus one or two features most of us seldom use. The uber is usually 2 or 3 times more expensive, and of stunning looks.

I have the kd 8000 and adore it, It is the one I use for teaching. it is well designed and comfortable to use, also lightweight and affordable. I near require each student to own one or the kd 7000.

I also have a similar scale to the uber, it usually sits on my kitchen countertop and I use it to prep all ingredients for class.

Anonymous
10/25/2009 05:34 PM

Great new book and my first cake from it, the Swedish Pear and Almond Cream Cake, was A+. I need to buy a baking scale and am trying to decide between My Weigh's KD-8000 and their Uber Alum. Any thoughts over which model is the better choice for the home kitchen? The online prices are very close to each other.

Thanks,
Sue

Helen
10/24/2009 12:39 PM

I use an old Greek village recipe for making butter cookies, which calls for stirring melted clarified for a half hour before adding sugar and then flour by small amounts until the dough is finished. All modern recipes for these cookies call for creaming butter with a mixer rather than melting, clarifying and stirring the butter. Can you tell me what the difference in flavor or texture is between these two methods? The cookies are so good the old-fashioned way that I hesitate to change, even though stirring for a half hour gets old. I'd appreciate any comments.

David Chessler
10/21/2009 03:41 AM

It's been a while since I commented here. For most of the last year my project has been blueberry pancakes. Since some time in the late 1970s I had been using Washington brand Pancake Mix. This had a somewhat more interesting flavor than the usual suspects. Then, about a year ago, I couldn't get it. The supermarket managers didn't know what had happened, so I eventually did a web search, and found out it had been discontinued. So I had to reconstitute it. In the process I tried many different recipes, including those from the cake bible, and also several mixes, including buckwheat, whole wheat, and others. Wilkins-Rogers, the brand owner, gives a recipe
http://www.wrmills.com/pancake.html
which is "unusual" only in having some yellow cornmeal in the mix. I had a vague recollection that rye flour was also a minor ingredient. Anyhow, the following recipe will produce 2 servings of 3 to 3 1/2 pancakes each.

Preheat griddle to 400 deg F

Self-rising white flour 3.6 oz. (this is "softer" than "all purpose" flour)
Yellow cornmeal (1.1 oz)
Buttermilk powder (23 grams) (There is no point in trying to keep buttermilk, when you use only a cup a week)
Rye flour (.6 oz) (about 2 T) (I use a whole grain rye flour)
Buckwheat flour (.6 oz) (I use the flour rather than the mix)
Baking powder (1/2 teaspoon--less if using buckwheat pancake mix)
Egg (1 large)
Milk (9 oz) (Usually 2% lactaid--if I have skim lactaid, I increase the fat, below)
Oil (3/4 Tablespoon)

Low bush (wild) blueberries 5 oz (usually frozen)
Dust them with 0.4 oz flour and mix thoroughly

Beat the oil into the egg (this is to create an emulsion, and distribute the oil through the mix)
Beat the milk into the emulsion.

Weigh the dry (flour) ingredients, mix together with a wire whisk, add to liquid, and mix. Leave lumps.

Weigh blueberries and add flour. Cover the bowl and shake thoroughly, so they are well-covered (this helps keep them suspended in the batter). Add to batter and mix with wire wisk (a flat whisk works better for mixing the blueberries so they don't stick between the wires).

Using a 3-oz commercial ladle, pour 2 pancakes about 6-8 inches on to the griddle. Cook, turning once. I find a wide spatula helps. I use a non-stick griddle, but I used to use cast iron. If you get the temperature (400 deg) and a light coating of oil, it doesn't matter.

If the ladle is full each time, even slightly over-full, you will get exactly 6 pancakes. Otherwise you may get 7, or 6 big and 2 small)

Serve with butter (if desired), and real maple syrup. You can serve with link breakfast sausages, but I usually don't bother.

This carb-loading is likely to put you right back to sleep, so I do it only on sunday morning.

Sorry that I don't have bulk measures, but you can see what I did by comparing the Wilkins and Rogers recipe. I replaced half the cornmeal with rye and buckwheat. I left out salt and sugar. I may be using a bit less baking powder than they recommend. I use buttermilk powder rather than buttermilk, because it's just a flavoring, and I have no other use for buttermilk. The proportions did change a bit because I had to adjust the recipe to get exactly the right amount of batter. This is less of an issue if there are more than 2 people, especially if some are children with variable appetites.

I am using a LOT of blueberries. This is about as much as you can put into that amount of batter without having the pancakes fall apart! :-)
It's also about the right amount to get 4 servings out of a bag of frozen blueberries.

I did want to add a bit more flavor and texture compared to the commercial brands of pancake mix. However, adding a bit of whole wheat flour didn't accomplish what I wanted, and my wife didn't like a straight buckwheat mix. The French will frequently add 5% rye to bread. I am adding about 17% each rye and buckwheat, which is a lot, but I would use even more if I were making something I was calling "buckwheat pancakes".

I use ounces because that is the default on my scale, but I use grams for small quantities, and often measure very small quantities by volume. I don't have a chemist's balance. (Well, actually, I do have an apothecary's balance, but it can't be used for more than a quarter pound, and it's not in the kitchen.)

Rose
10/17/2009 01:31 PM

king arthur has a toll free number and several people on staff qualified to answer questions about their products.

Vinny
10/15/2009 11:07 AM

I have been using the retail 3 lb packages of King arthur Pastry flour which states 8.0 protein online. Now I opened a small bakery and want to use the 50 lbs bags, however, the website states the bulk King Arthur pastry flour has a 9.2% protein content. Why the discrepancy?

Rose
10/14/2009 06:19 PM

heather, freezer weight zip seal type bags are the best. you can use a drinking straw to suck out as much air as possible.

Heather
10/14/2009 12:41 AM

Never having used a blog before, after 30 minutes of searching, I finally figured out how to post this! My question is, "What are the best type of "plastic" bags to store cookies in to keep them FRESH, for example, to have ready to give away as Christmas gifts when people come to visit: polypropylene, cello, polyethylene, waxed bags with windows, and what closure mechanism: zip-top or twist tie or tin-tie? I'm more interested in freshness, although prettiness counts too. I don't want to use plastic containers or cookie tins, just bags that keep cookies fresh and look nicer than Ziploc."

Lihini
10/13/2009 10:01 PM

Thanks for the quick answer.The cake tasted absolutely delicious.Orange and chocolate is like a marriage made in heaven.Thanks again. Lihini

Rose
10/13/2009 12:28 PM

the orange part of the zest isn't bitter so i think it's fine you didn't reduce the amount used.

Rose
10/13/2009 12:23 PM

hi matthew! well for starters it will be new wonderful things!

Lisa Fagen
10/11/2009 03:01 PM

Hi, I also have the same question. What is the baking temp for this cake?
Thanks so much!
Lisa

Matthew
10/11/2009 02:52 PM

The recipe is in his book Whole Grain Breads.

Zlota
10/11/2009 02:43 PM

Thank you Matthew, you mean 100% whole wheat challah??...I'll try to search the peter reinhart recipe...

I usually go by volume, and it takes more than 2 hours to double...

again thank you so much for your help!

Lihini
10/11/2009 12:19 AM

I am new to this blog but I have all of Rose's books.I have baked almost all of the cakes from the cake bible.
My favorite flavors are orange and chocolate and I couldn't wait till Jan.to make the True orange Genoise from the new book.So I made it today with the regular oranges and the curd did not have 400 gm.Did I need to reduce the orange peel for the curd as it had less juice and sugar.
I haven't tasted it yet,I am waiting till tomorrow.

Daohne
10/10/2009 11:28 PM

Another book from Rose! Can we possibly wait another 5 years??? I guess RHC will have to keep us occupied until then, and I have no doubt it will! And I am SO looking forward to seeing Hector's takes on all the cakes. Time constraints do not allow me to bake as often as I'd like these days, but it's so great to enjoy all these creations vicariously.

Matthew
10/10/2009 10:04 PM

I think Peter Reinhart has a 100% challah recipe in his new book, but it might be a good idea to start with less and build up to whatever level you like best. In general, the more whole wheat flour you use, you will need a bit more liquid.

As far as rises, it is best to go by volume rather than time. If your bread is doubling in the time frames given, then going longer will weaken the structure. If you want longer rising times, you can reduce the amount of yeast slightly.

Zlota
10/10/2009 06:04 PM

Hi Rose, I would like to make whole wheat challah bread, can you recommend me how much of the whole wheat flour and how much of the unbleached all purpose flour i should use??...should i use the 100% whole wheat flour or the whole wheat white flour?? I use King Arthur Flours.

Another thing i want to ask you is if I can let rise the challah dough more than 2 hours in the first rise and more than an hour on the second rise and also more than an hour when the challah is already braided.

thank you so much for your help!

I love to make challah bread and I make it every week.

Anonymous
10/10/2009 03:22 PM

I'm using dull aluminum pans (per your instructions in the CB!)with straight sides. I'm having doubts about the oven thermometer I am using and will get a new one and test them together to see if there is a discrepancy.

Matthew
10/10/2009 02:36 PM

Wow, next book Rose! Can you share anything about the concept for the next book yet?

Rose
10/10/2009 02:16 PM

that's so funny! about our e-mails crossing. well happy thanksgiving. now i've gotta get ready for that sweet day which is actually sweet night! woody's here and we're testing a pie for the next book can you believe?!

Carolita
10/10/2009 01:31 PM

Egad! Our postings crossed. Thank you for your explanation about the chocolate fudge cake in the new book. I baked it in both a bundt and a 6" round pan, and it was equally delicious and fudgy in both cases! Wonderful new formulation.

Checking out p.104 right now! Thanks again.

Carolita
10/10/2009 01:20 PM

p.s. I hope it was not too impertinent of me to check my theory with you. You gave me wings, Rose, and I keep flapping them. Sometimes I fall on my face. But other times, to my surprise and delight, I soar. This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and among my blessings, I give thanks for you and your work, shared as Lisa Yockelson said in the foreword to RHC, so completely.

Rose
10/10/2009 12:55 PM

on further thinking i realized taht the baking powder for the wedding cake recipes was higher in order to make a more level top for layering so if david wanted to add the higher amount of baking powder it would probably be fine but it would not keep it from shrinking from the sides. that's usually almost always due to over-baking.

regarding the the chocolate fudge cake in the new book--simply baking more batter in the different shape pan with center tube changes the texture dramatically--especially when using silicone for this particular cake.

be sure to check out the new chocolate layer cake on page 104 of heavenly cakes. the biggest change here is replacing some of the butter with oil!

david, what kind of pans are you using? are the sides straight up and down? are they dark? are the sides straight up and down or sloped? if dark they are no doubt baking faster.

hector
10/10/2009 03:05 AM

How interesting topic and worth reading although lenghthy! I have added equipment links on my website and there is a category dedicated to magic line cake pans, they are now stocking the 1.5" pans!!! http://www.myyellowkitchen.com

I adore my 2" pans, but do find much simpler and delicious to use Cake Bible's original pan sizes, specially when the 1.5" is called. There may be just the right amount of cake layer thickness to frosting for this book to remain the #1 after all these years!

Carolita
10/10/2009 02:27 AM

Rose, that's why you're the Cake Bible lady, not just because you wrote a book by that name. :) Thank you for a considered hearing and your generosity in taking time for a full reply. Your extensive testing makes all the difference -- along with explanations and pointers that help the rest of us learn. I understand better now. It never occurred to me that shorter pans might need less baking powder when working with chocolate!

So since David's using 2" high pans, he should stick with the amount recommended in the Wedding Cake section? That is 29 grams (7.35 x RF4) rather than the 15g x 1.33. At least then, one of his problems would be eliminated. And one-on-one help would certainly identify anything else that needs tweaking.

Speaking of tweaking, I would love to learn some day, when you have time to write about it, what led to the method changes you made to this recipe to transform it into the Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake in the new book. What's the science of it, in other words? Miraculous how those small changes added up to such a huge difference in texture and taste. The new fudgy version is addictive. No other word will do. But I'll always have a place in my heart and repertoire for your classic chocolate cake.

Rose
10/09/2009 10:02 PM

carolita, i understand your point but if you look at all the chocolate cakes in the front section most dol have this ratio of baking powder to egg (1 teaspoon baking powder to 1 egg or 2 yolks), while the white and yellow cakes in this section have a higher proportion of leaving to egg. this is the opposite in the wedding cake section where 2 inch high pans are used. i can't tell you why this worked that way but it is based on extensive testing and my idea of favorable results. chocolate is a very singular ingredient and it just may behave differently in different height pans.

if there was not enough baking powder in the chocolate cake it would dome in the middle which is not the case so there is no reason to incrrease it. i don't know exactly what david's problems are with the cake because sometimes you just have to be there to see what the person is doing differently from what you intended. that is why i suggested he make the cake with a trusted friend who is familiar with my recipes. he does say he is a beginner and i'm sure that something is happening that does not meet the eye or that he is not thinking to report as significant.
one could always try increasing the baking powder for the 1 1/2 inch pan to see what will happen. my prediction is that it will dip in the middle.

Carolita
10/09/2009 06:10 PM

Rose, I'm not sure if this is the complete answer for David or just a contributing factor. I have checked my figures six ways from Sunday, because what I'm about to suggest hardly seems possible. In fact, I'm nervous as I prepare to type these words. Is there any chance that the baking powder amount in that version of the recipe is in error?

Here's my detective work: The recipe on pp 54-5 of TCB is RF3 of the chocolate base formula in the Large Wedding and Special Occasion Cakes section. So it should have 22, not 15 grams of baking powder (7.35x3). Multiplying by 1.33 for two 9" x 2" high pans, it should have just over 29 grams of baking powder or 2 tablespoons (double what David has been using).

I have a very special relationship with your chocolate cake because I made it for my daughter's wedding 11 years ago and many times since. Mostly, I've worked from the wedding cake recipe for 150 or the Rose Factor chart in conjunction with the base formula. The recipe on pp 54-5 has given my daughter some trouble, though I don't know if it's exactly as experienced by David. In any case, all the things he's checking -- plus his wonderful perseverance! -- are certainly teaching him what it takes to make a superb cake. :)

Anonymous
10/09/2009 04:14 PM

I've gotten some good suggestions in the forums. I'm going to make one more attempt with a new oven thermometer and mixing longer. I might use the smaller pan size instead of scaling up to fit my pans. If I keep getting the same problem, I may take you up on your offer.

Thanks.

Rose
10/09/2009 03:05 PM

i'm hoping that someone in s.f. (and there are so many baker's there) will rise to the challenge.

or perhaps you'd like to take a mini lesson with my dear friend and brilliant baker diane boate? if so i'll put you in touch.

i do think you need to get to the bottom of this.

David
10/09/2009 03:00 PM

Good Morning from San Francisco! We're at sea level. Its cool and humid.

I'm using Softassilk, enriched, bleached cake flour which I've used in the past with other cakes. And indeed for the last try I set the oven temperature at around 325, maybe 330 and the cooking time was closer to 30 minutes.

Whatever I am doing wrong, I am doing it consistently since I am getting nearly the exact same results every time! Fortunately I have a sense of humor.

The layers rise almost perfectly flat to near the top of the pan; I should add that even though they are done by the skewer test, they don't feel particularly springy to the touch. They don't feel in the least sturdy.

The last try with the cake strips seems to have slowed the cooking around the edge but even with a slightly lower oven temperature and cake strips, the results were poor.

I emphasize that they do not sink in the middle. The best way to describe it is that they shrink or shrivel, or deflate like air going out of a tire.

Rose
10/09/2009 09:00 AM

what is the exact brand and type of flour? where are you located? and by the way, if it is baking under the minimum time you need to turn down the oven a bit (no ifs ands or buts)

David
10/09/2009 04:02 AM

Rose

I've tried the chocolate cake twice more,increasing the recipe by a third following your instructions for a 9x2 pan. The second of these last two tries I used cake strips and still, upon cooling, the layers shrink just over a half an inch from the sides and nearly an inch from the top of the pan. The layers rise and look great immediately out of the oven but shrink when cool.

I think I am doing something wrong in the mixing of the batter -- I suspect undermixing it -- since I've weighed the ingredients, used an oven thermometer, tested the baking powder and all the ingredients have been at room temperature.

I tested my scale and a cup of regular granulated sugar was just over 200 grams.

Any idea what the most likely culprit is?

Much appreciated

david
10/08/2009 08:26 PM

Thanks Rose. I will give it a go and let you know.

Thanks again

Rose
10/08/2009 08:23 PM

one more important thing: keep the cocoa mixture covered while cooling so that it doesn't evaporate.

Rose
10/08/2009 08:22 PM

i'm looking at the recipe, i'm squinting at the page, and i still don't see 25 grams of anything. maybe it's late in the day.

ok the big problem as i see it is the cake pan. if you want to use a larger pan you need to increase the recipe by 1 1/3 which will be a drop too much so you can remove excess batter to make a cupcake. fill the pan only half full.

double check your scale by weighing a cup of sugar which should be 200 grams. let us know what happens next!

David
10/08/2009 06:13 PM

I meant 15 grams.

David
10/08/2009 06:12 PM

One last thing. I use a scale to weigh the ingredients. My tablespoon measure weighs a lot less than the 25 grams called for in the recipe. In some instances I went with the the 25 gram measure and in some I went with the tablespoon measure. Didn't make much of a difference.

Thanks!

David
10/08/2009 06:09 PM

Rose

I'm an amateur baker with a few years of experience. After a lot of effort, I've actually come to like the creaming method for baking butter cakes but have started to give your two step method a try with some success for butter cakes. But I am having a heck of a time with the chocolate cake on page 54 of the Cake Bible.

I am using Dutch processed cocoa (although for one attempt I did try a cocoa which I think might have been "natural") The same problems occur regardless which type of cocoa I use, to wit: the layers cook very fast, always under the 25 minute minimum; The height is only an inch and in a couple of instances the layers shrank and collapsed after cooling. At best there is a slightly raised ridge around the circumference of the layers with an indentation below it around the circumference.

The oven temperature is correct. I use a thermometer and have tested it.

I have tested the baking powder and it's active.

The butter and eggs are at room temperature, around 68 degrees

I use cake flour and baker's sugar.

I am timing the mixing exactly and mixing at the speed according to the recipe on page 54

The one way I haven't followed the recipe is the pan size. My pans are 9 by 2 inches, not 9 by 1.5

Is that enough to make a difference? Have you made any revisions to this recipe since the book was published?

I think I may be overcooking them since in a couple of instances I let them stay in the oven even though they appeared done at 20 minutes.

hector
10/08/2009 02:40 PM

i've made this recipe several times and there isn't any typo, but thanks for the concern. it is a very common worry when making focaccia.

be sure to use the recommended flour and also to accurately weigh the ingredients with an electronic scale which nowadays are so affordable and accurate, and much easier to explain in a recipe by accurate amount than by saying things like "add more or less flour till x or y consistency or appearance is achieved." there are still some humidity factors even when weighing flour, but the results will be much closer.

Rose
10/08/2009 01:10 PM

you don't mention what kind of flour you're using but assuming it is what's indicated in the recipe, you may need to beat as long as 30 minutes. you shouldn't have to add any more flour for it to form that stretch mozarella like dough. hopefully others will post on this thread as several had problems but they were all resolved by sufficient beating. you are using unbleached flour right? do a search on the blog and you'll see other people's comments.

Robin
10/08/2009 01:05 PM

Focaccia recipe on page 206 of the Bread Bible -- Are the proportions of flour and water in this recipe correct? After 20 min of mixing I still had a very wet mix, nothing at all close to making a ball (not even clinging to the paddle in any way). I added more and more flour, perhaps another 1.5 to 2 cups before it even formed the loosest of balls and called it quits. My copy is the first edition. Recipe calls for 2 and 3/4 flour and 2 cups liquid minus 2 tbl.

hector
10/08/2009 12:07 PM

I spinned and puzzled with the cream cheese idea, yes, pls skip it as I don't think it is passionizing!

Rose
10/08/2009 09:12 AM

i knew you'd come up with a creative solution hector! alternatively (this gives me an idea) you could make a mousseline adding white chocolate and passion curd and forget about the cream cheese!

hector
10/08/2009 05:14 AM

Judy, how about making a mousseline, and instead of passion curd, you make a "cream" with passion puree and cream cheese?

hector
10/07/2009 06:56 PM

Judy, i feel responsible to answer your passion fruit question, let me get hold of my copy of RHC later tonight and study this buttercream recipe. ALL PASSION FRUIT recipes are worth studying, as this fruit is one of those gold gems from the tropics to our pastry world! will get back to you soo

Judy
10/07/2009 05:08 PM

Hi Rose,
Love your Heavenly Cakes book - I have a request for cream cheese passion fruit filling/frosting, could I add passion fruit to the Dreamy, Creamy white chocolate frosting? I love white chocolate w/ passion and this seemed like a great compromise. Thanks. Judy

Rose
10/06/2009 03:35 PM

zabella, sounds like the only solution is the old-style butter and powdered sugar frosting.

bob, if the seam is pulling apart sounds like the dough is not wet enough to stick together well. but actually if other areas are tearing that means the gluten strength is inadequate. that's why i add vital wheat gluten. i don't know if you're weighing or using volume but i can assure you that if you use gold medal better for bread flour, vital wheat gluten and weigh everything it will work--i make it all the time.

Anonymous
10/06/2009 03:20 PM

Hi Rose, I think I inadvertently posted this in the wrong place so I've copied it to you blog.

Rose, I've been struggling with the ten-grain bread for a very long time. During the final proof the seam and or other areas of the shell tear apart. No amount of sealing prevents it. It's so disheartening to see after such careful attention has been given to this point. I have varied the hydration, amounts of grain, tried different flour combo's, shortened and lengthened proof times and temps. Even used a variety of shaping techniques, all to no avail. I love this bread and want to continue making it but the frustration is getting the best of me.
I would be grateful for any help you can offer.
Thank you.
Bob

zabella
10/03/2009 01:15 AM

Hi,

I just bought heavenly cakes and I love it. I'm self taught and new to baking from scratch. I need HELP though. I'm making a cake for my 1yr.old next week and will use ganache for one cake but I still need a buttercream frosting or similar recipe without any eggs or eggwhites. Can I substitute meringue powder? any help is appreciated. thanks

karen
09/30/2009 12:14 AM

Hello,

I wonder if anyone might be able to recommend a non-alcoholic substitute for kirsch? Thank you.
Karen

Rose
09/28/2009 12:09 PM

andrews--sorry i was on a train on cell phone--yes oil

Rose
09/28/2009 09:47 AM

thanks hanaa and i should add that there are many cakes where the bleached flour is not an issue such as the sponge cakes..

Hanaa
09/28/2009 09:39 AM

Amna,

I use equal amounts of fruit juice for the alcohol, for instance 3 Tbsp Grand Marnier --> 3 Tbsp orange juice.

The Cake Bible is such a great book. You'd miss out on so much if you don't buy it. Here is a link that Rose posted a while back on how to "make your own" cake flour: http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/kate-flour/.
There are step-by-step instructions on how to do it. I think it's worth a shot. If you would like to try out your homemade cake flour on a recipe from the Cake Bible, you can find some of those recipes right here on this site. One of my new favorites is the Banana Cake: http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/recipes/RLB%27s%20Banana%20Cake%20Choc%20Sour%20Cream%20Frosting.pdf.

Good luck!!

Hanaâ

Amna
09/28/2009 01:47 AM

Hanan...thanx for the tip...would like to knw do u subtitute the alcohol with equal quantity to fruit juice or is there sme sort of calculation....i once checked online and it said 2 tbsp sherry could be substituted for 2 tbsp orange or pinapple juice....
Would appreciate ur feedback

Amna
09/28/2009 01:44 AM

Dear Julie,

Thanx a lot for the info....it has really helped me.....i did check and as u said bleached flour is not available to home bakers.....so i think i will skip The Cake Bible but purchase the other two....

Andrew
09/27/2009 12:57 PM

Rose,

Thank you so much for your quick reply! Just a quick clarification - adding a bit more "pol" - is that meant to say "oil?"

I am hoping it will be a wonderful cake, and will be sure to send pictures!

Rose
09/27/2009 12:30 PM

Andrew I've never used merckens but it sound like either the cake and or the room is too cold. The cocoa butterbin the white choc. Has a sharp melting point so very little leeway between fluid and solid. I bet adding a little more pol will be the answer. You could try it with a small batch to determine how much ideal. Good luck--sounds like a wonderful cake. Let us know. !

Andrew
09/27/2009 12:09 PM

Hi Rose,

I am baking a friend's wedding cake in September, and The Cake Bible has been so incredibly useful! I had one question, however. Yesterday I baked a test cake - a chocolate butter cake with bittersweet chocolate ganache filling, mousseline buttercream crumb-coat and a creme ivoire deluxe frosting. I also included a pistachio marzipan - chocolate and pistachio is one of my favorite gelato combinations, so I figured that they would pair well in a cake.

Overall, it was fantastic. The cake is delicious, the flavors are intense but match up really well. Most parts of the cake came together beautifully - no problems with the cake themselves, the mousseline, or the ganache.

The Creme Ivoire, however, was a disaster. I followed the recipe exactly, and everything seemed to be going to plan. When it came time for the buttercream to peak, however, it remained the consistency of melted chocolate. Suddenly, it got very, very hard in the bowl. There was no in-between - I was able to get it onto the cake as a liquid, but unable to smooth it out because it dried so quickly. I am not sure what the problem as - I tried (several times) bringing it back up to warm temperature and then cooling it in an ice bath, but could never seem to get it to have a consistency anywhere near a buttercream or frosting. Any ideas?

I am using Merckens white chocolate, if that makes a difference. I also used cocoa butter and mineral oil. Like I said, I love the flavor of the creme ivoire and think that it is perfect for the cake. But if I can’t get it to frost smoothly, I don’t think I can use it! Any help would be most, most appreciated.

Rose
09/23/2009 10:43 PM

thank you julie and hanaa for replying to amna so wisely!

though i don't have step by step photos, the instructions are very clear and detailed. and of course the new book has the accompanying dvd.

Hanaa
09/23/2009 01:24 PM

Amna, I never use alcohol either. When a recipe calls for alcohol, especially in syrups for sponge cakes, I simply substitute fruit juice that would match the cake flavors well and I've found that works really well. Good luck!

Julie
09/23/2009 09:49 AM

Amna, Rose's pies rarely, if ever, use alcohol, and her new book, Heavenly Cakes, gives substitutions when alcohol is called for. In The Cake Bible, the American-style butter cakes do not call for alcohol, but they do require bleached flour, which may or may not be available in Dubai (it is not available to the home baker in Europe). Some of the sponge-type cakes and charlottes do call for alcohol, but they are a small portion of the book.

Amna
09/23/2009 03:52 AM

Dear Rose,
I am a beginner in baking, and hv tried my hands on cakes and pastries few times. Ur books are easily available in Dubai(where i reside). I am interested in purchasing "The cake bible", "Heavenly Cakes" and "The Pie and Pastry Bible".
However a lot of Chefs from west use alcolhol in their recipes, which i dont(religious reasons). Therefore i would like to know does most of your recipe require them, or can i aviod it. I have bought books in the past, which went wasted as I couldnt try mny recipes merely due to alcohol usage.
Further does your books have step by step preparation pictures?
Can you please help me out with this as it will make my purchase easier.
Best Wishes,
Amna

Amna
09/23/2009 03:48 AM

Amna
09/23/2009 03:47 AM

Silvia
09/22/2009 07:35 PM

Hector, it´s the first time the ferment smells this way. It´s not the usual aroma (vinegar, alcohol), but one that I find disgustingly chemical, in a "non edible" way.

hector
09/22/2009 07:25 PM

Silvia, could it be the natural smell of the yeast fermenting? this process does produce alcohol.

Silvia
09/22/2009 03:36 PM

I have been experimenting with All purpose, unbleached, 13% flour, for baking bread. The first time, after a night in the fridge, the dough had a strange smell;even after baking, the smell remained, and the bread tasted funny to me, though anybody noticed anything unusual. Last weekend, I tried again twice, and both times, the dough smelled strange, especially the one that had had a longer fermentation time. But this time, the smell disappeared during the last rising time,
and the breads smelled and tasted normally. The crust was very nice:golden, thin and crunchy. The crumb had a nice flavour, although the texture was a bit soft and squishy.
Anyway, what could be the origin of thr smell? To my uneducated nose, it was chemically unapetizing, very revolting, like alcohol, acetone, fresh paint or formaldehyde. Has anyone had the same experience?

Rose
09/21/2009 09:42 PM

i bet it was the whole wheat! if it's not fresh it will taste bitter.

hector
09/21/2009 12:07 PM

My guess would be to avoid bitter, is to use salt that isn't iodized.

Nicole
09/21/2009 09:53 AM

Hi,

I finally was able to make some bread from the Bread Bible. It was the first time I'd ever made a loaf with a sponge so I was a little worried it wouldn't come out right. But the wheat loaf did come out ok. It was the recipe where you let the sponge sit for exactly four hours because there'd be a possibility of it getting bitter. It was chewy and really good. The only thing was there was a very slight bitter after taste. I'm quite sure I put enough honey in it, but the directions called for water at ROOM TEMP. I think I used water straight from the tap. Could this minor detail have made all the difference in my getting a slight bitter after taste? Or should I use more honey next time or let the sponge sit only three hours?

By the way, anyone suggest a good school to attend in Cleveland area for baking, etc.?

Nicole
09/21/2009 09:52 AM

Hi,

By the way, anyone suggest a good school to attend in Cleveland area for baking, etc.?

Zlota
09/19/2009 07:15 PM

Hi Rose! I've been making challah here in hot south texas for 3 years, I make them for every shabbat dinner and round ones for rosh hashana. My question is why my challot fall after I take them out from the oven? they are not flat but don't look as higher as yours. Question 2, are the round challas done when the thermometer reads 190 degrees F?, I'm afraid maybe they need more time as the dough is concentrated in the middle . Hope you can help me and SHANA TOVA UMETUKA!!

thank you!!

hector
09/19/2009 12:50 PM

Happy cake day Hanaa!!! U will love the new banana cake on the new book!

hector
09/19/2009 04:55 AM

Happy cake day Hanaa!!! U will love the new banana cake on the new book!

Julie
09/18/2009 09:04 PM

Elaine, I think all of The Cake Bible's recipes use sifted flour- you are meant to sift the flour directly over the cup, nevery tapping or shaking the cup, but just letting the flour drift down from the sifter to fill the cup. When it is full, then level it (still without tapping or shaking). Any other way of measuring will yield too much flour and result in a dry cake. Weighing ingredients is even more accurate.

I'm not sure about your meringue icing- are you using plain Italian Meringue as an icing? Or is it an Italian Meringue buttercream?

Elaine Stromberg
09/18/2009 07:20 PM

I bought your book, "The Cake Bible" and excitedly set out to make your All Occasion Downy Yellow Butter Cake, but it turned out so dry and crumbly I literally couldn't eat it (and I dream about cake). Should I have sifted the cake flour before measuring?

Also I have traditionally made Italian Meringue icing for all family birthday cakes but over the years I have suddenly lost my skills in doing so. I religiously followed your recipe but the icing, although looking creamy and smooth on the surface, turned out to be, as always, pockmared and grainy looking (but not actually grainy from crystalline sugar syrup). This happens with every recipe I try.

My husband bought store brand cake flour - horor of horrors - and maybe this made the difference but please don't assume this is the only error.

To make you feel better I used Tyler Florence's Italian meringue recipe also and it is almost like yours but also turned out as unsmooth and uncreamy as an icing can be.

Please help.

Elaine

Elaine Stromberg
09/18/2009 07:20 PM

My husband bought store brand cake flour - horor of horrors - and maybe this made the difference but please don't assume this is the only error.

To make you feel better I used Tyler Florence's Italian meringue recipe also and it is almost like yours but also turned out as unsmooth and uncreamy as an icing can be.

Please help.

Elaine

Hanaa
09/18/2009 04:59 PM

To celebrate my blog's first birthday, I baked the banana cake from TCB. It was delicious; so moist and tender, and very banana-ey. As the recipe suggested, I increased the sour cream to 1/2 cup. Yum! My changes: omitted the zest, and added 1 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Hanaa
09/18/2009 04:59 PM

JML
09/14/2009 12:08 AM

Rose,

I have a question for you regarding low fat buttermilk. I have looked in a few different stores in my area because I was excited to try your red velvet cake and some others that call for this as an ingredient. Unfotunately, when I am able to locate butter milk (some stores don't have ANY buttermilk at all), it is either fat free or whole butter milk. I assume that the fat free would not do well as a substitute. Would it work to use the whole buttermilk or would I have to make other tweaks to the recipes to compensate? I know you said in the back of your book that the buttermilk powder doesn't have the same effect, but that's the only other idea I had as I see that King Arthur sells a low fat buttermilk powder. Any suggestions you have would be most appreciated!

JML
09/13/2009 09:28 PM

Thanks, Rose! The cake looks like it is going to be delicious. Now I just have to be patient for the ganache! I have already tried the refrigerator banana cake and it got rave reviews from everyone who tasted!

Rose
09/13/2009 08:46 PM

yikes--you're right--and it is 350´F

JML
09/13/2009 06:40 PM

Regarding the Chocolate Banana Stud Cake on p. 96, I was also wondering what temp you preheat the oven to? I started the recipe and just noticed this piece of info is missing in my copy of the book. Since I already started, I'm going to try 350 since that seems to work for most other cakes. Thanks!

Beth
09/12/2009 10:48 PM

Does anyone know if it's possible to make a sweet-pie-worthy crust with lard rendered from pig belly fat, rather than kidney fat? That's all my butcher had available. Thanks!

Julie
09/09/2009 10:21 AM

Jackie, regarding the ginger, fresh ginger is sold as a piece of root, roughly the shape of a finger. Rose means a 6 inch-long piece of the finger-shaped root will yield about the right amount of juice when grated and squeezed. But this is just to help you buy the right amount at the store, as you will carefully measure the quantity of juice, as per the directions.

Regarding the 3/8 and 1/16 tsp measurements, Rose recommends the Pourfect set of measuring spoons, due to their accuracy and because they include these measurements and others. You can estimate with a 1/8 tsp measure, use half for the 1/16 and three times for the 3/8 tsp.

Jackie
09/08/2009 03:16 AM

Hi Rose

I have the new book and everything in it looks real good, I have a few questions about some of the recipes in the book. Ginger Cheesecake on page 252, How do you measure a 6-inch piece of ginger, and how do you measure 3/8 teaspoon and 1/16 teaspoon of a spice. Chocolate Banana Stud Cake on page 96, What kind of Liqueur would you match up with the banana cake and also decorating the cake with all those chocolate chips, what type of knife would you use to cut through the cake with all those chocolate chips. Thank You.

Hanaa
09/04/2009 05:59 PM

Thank you, Rose. I was pretty excited :o) I still can't believe I won a blue ribbon for my Peanut Butter cookies this year (I never tasted them because I'm allergic to peanuts, but thanks to detailed feedback from my friends I was able to tweak them until everybody loved them!) :o)

Janknitz
09/04/2009 05:42 PM

I don't like any of the commercial cooking sprays, not even the name brand one (Pam). I find they darken my pans and coat them with a sticky residue that never comes off.

I either use a bit of butter (it really doesn't take much!) and flour to dust pans, or a product called "Cake Release". You can buy it pretty much anywhere they sell cake decorating supplies in the US, including some craft stores. It's a thick liquid in a plastic bottle. You squirt a little into the bottom of the pan and brush it on with a pastry brush. It works great and doesn't ruin my pans. A little goes a long way, so it's economical (and the entire container is recycleable when you're done).

I learned about this when using those fancy cake molds for my kids' birthday cakes and now I use it for most of my panned breads as well.

I've heard you can make your own version with lecithin (purchased in liquid form at the health food store) and oil, but I haven't tried that yet. There are recipes on the net if you do a search.

Rose
09/03/2009 09:55 PM

karen, pam is great for applications such as spraying cooling racks or when you don't need oil and flour but ONLY the original pam. the others have a horrible odor. if i could find only pam i would use it and then dust the pan with the finest flour possible. i don't know if you get wondra flour in victoria but that works very well. rice flour would also be an excellent choice. you'll probably need to experiment a bit. do report back so others in your area can benefit.

Rose
09/03/2009 09:51 PM

congratulations hanaa! thanks for letting us know.

karen
09/01/2009 11:54 PM

Hello Rose,

Congratulations on your new book. I already have four of your books and I will be buying your new one as soon as it is in stock here in Victoria, BC. Your recipes are wonderful and they have therefore, inspired me to continue to challenge myself by trying something new. I have not been disappointed - not once - by your recipes.

I do not know how to start a new posting on a blog, so I hope my question will be viewed by those who might have a good suggestion for me -

I do not have access to the better baking sprays. When I was in the US last year, I bought a can of bak-klene spray and I have been happy with this product, but it isn't available here. All we have in Victoria is Pam. There are several varieties of Pam. I may have seen a Wilton spray for sale here, but I'm not certain. I never used to use sprays, but I have enjoyed using Bak-klene.

My question is - Would you recommend using Pam at all? (Or Wilton if it is available). If so, would you recommend the original Pam, high heat professional Pam, or butter flavoured Pam? (Or no Pam? I don't want to ruin my breads, cakes, or muffins, etc.

I would greatly appreciate your suggestions. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Karen

Hanaa
09/01/2009 06:51 PM

A short while back I had mentioned that I had used the Blueberry Muffin recipe as a base for my Lemon Poppy Seed muffins (by replacing blueberries with poppy seeds). I’m pleased to report that the Lemon Poppy Seed muffins won second place at the State Fair baking contest last week. For a picture of these muffins (as well as the other items I entered at the fair), check out my blog: http://hanaaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/state-fair-2009-results-drumroll-please.html. Unfortunately, the Angel Food Cake and the Blueberry Muffins didn’t place (but I still think they’re delicious and will make them again and again :o)).

Anonymous
08/31/2009 09:27 PM

Thank you! I had no idea you would be so responsive. Thanks again. I will certainly be aware that I need to add more flour.

Rose
08/31/2009 09:17 PM

you do need to add more flour at high altitude to keep the bread from over-rising. but i'm not familiar with this particular robin hood product. do check the protein content and also look at the photos of the current blog posting of the bread i made with french flour vs. the same one made with UK flour! as they say: vive la differénce!

Anonymous
08/31/2009 09:09 PM

Iam a reasonably experienced bread baker and have tried the Heart of Wheat bread several times. I use Robin Hood Best for Bread Homestyle White bread (a Canadian product). I am meticulous in weighing all the ingredients and each time the dough is far too wet, at least as far as I'm concerned. Not just sticky, but impossible to work with. Today I used 1/4 c more flour and it seemed to make a big improvement. I live in a high altitude environment (4000 feet above sea level). In addition when I followed the instructions for baking temperature, I actually scorched the bread, something I've done before. Has anyone else had similar experiences? I realize they're solvable -- I added some more flour and lowered the temperature to 400 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes and got a wonderful loaf, but I'm curious.

Roxann Bilger
08/31/2009 12:43 PM

Have made several times (to the delight of my household) the Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes from The Cake Bible. (Actually, I've made a ZILLION recipes from this book. They've all been great.) I have leftover batter and want to make the Buttermilk Puffs in my Ebleskiver pan, but not till next weekend. Can I REALLY freeze the batter as it suggests in the storage notes on page 101? I'm concerned that the batter won't be the same after it's been frozen. Thanks!

Rose
08/24/2009 12:38 PM

yes--it is bleached cake flour and works perfectly.

Hanaa
08/24/2009 12:28 PM

My friend and I bought a 50lb of General Mills Purasnow cake flour from a restaurant supply store (which we split). It wasn’t until after I got home that I read “Hi-ratio cake flour” on the bag. Now I’m wondering if this flour works the same way as “regular” cake flour (previously I always used Pillsbury Softasilk cake flour). Any thoughts? Thanks!

Rozanne
08/20/2009 08:35 PM

I have doubled this recipe and have had no problems. It's my favourite blueberry muffin recipe.

Hanaa
08/20/2009 02:29 PM

I made blueberry muffins last Monday and doubled the recipe without any issues.

Matthew
08/20/2009 02:06 PM

Yes, doubling is not a problem--you can also bake a double batch in Texas-size muffins tins.

Rose
08/20/2009 01:39 PM

i think doubling the recipe should be just fine.

Quyen
08/20/2009 01:28 PM

Hi Rose, for the Blueberry Muffin recipe, may I double the recipe or should I bake a second batch? Thank you

Hanaa
08/13/2009 10:24 AM

I'm happy to report that I successfully made Lemon Poppy Seeds Muffins using as Rose's Blueberry Muffin recipe as a base. They were very tasty!

Hanaa
08/12/2009 06:27 PM

I love the Blueberry Muffins from TCB. The texture is just wonderful. So here's a dumb question: can I use that recipe as a base recipe for lemon poppy seed muffins? Meaning, omit the blueberries, (it already has lemon zest - yay!) and add 1 to 1.5 Tbsp of poppy seeds.

Hanaa
08/11/2009 09:56 AM

Thank you, Rose. You're too kind :o) I'll be making the cake on 8/22 (the day before I have to drop it off at the State Fair grounds). All the other Angel Food Cake recipes says "best when eaten the day it's baked otherwise it dries out". I'm happy to report that even on day 3, the 2 slices that I have left are still perfectly moist. Ha! Thanks for another great recipe, Rose!

Rose
08/10/2009 11:13 PM

it looks perfectly terrific!

Hanaa
08/10/2009 11:05 PM

Thanks Rose. I loved the cake, and so did my friends and coworkers. It was really moist and tender. It had the nice cracked top as you described (souffle-like). If you have time, please check out my post and let me know if the cake looks "ok" to you.

Rose
08/10/2009 10:39 PM

lemon juice is for the flavor.

Hanaa
08/10/2009 10:36 PM

I made the Angel Food Cake this past weekend and it turned out great! I had no issues with the non-stick pan. I wish the sides of the cake looked a little nicer but that's ok. The taste more than makes up for that imperfection. I was just curious... why is there cream of tartar and lemon juice in the recipe? (I loved the sweet/tart flavor combo). Most recipes seem to use cream of tartar only.

You can see my Angel Food Cake post here: http://hanaaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/angel-food-cake-and-oatmeal-cookies.html

Rose
08/10/2009 10:25 PM

terry, i think the mix should still be fine.

Rose
08/10/2009 10:23 PM

melinda, i was away when your question came through but just wanted to mention that matthew's was right on the mark! i've found over the years that the only way really to understand the reason for certain procedures is to test the recipe two or more ways to see the difference and decide which you prefer.

Rose
08/09/2009 08:59 PM

i would try silicone muffin pans.

mary
08/09/2009 07:13 PM

I'm not sure this is where to post this, but thanks in advance for all the advice and comments. I love to read and learn from everybody here. Here's my problem..I make monkey breads in muffin pans and want to begin selling them at the farmer's market locally..however the breads stick to the muffin pan and sometimes don't hold together..hence don't always look picture perfect..is there a solution to those issues..sticking to the pan and not holding together? I really want to avoid wrapping in plastic if I can. Thanks again for any advice.

Hanaa
08/06/2009 02:03 PM

Rose, Matthew, thank you so much. Will give it a try and report back!

Matthew
08/06/2009 01:29 PM

I think I have a non-stick one from Sur la Table. Haven't had any problems with it for angel food. The nonstick works well for monkey bread.

Rose
08/06/2009 01:25 PM

that's true matthew--thanks--i forgot (how could i)!

hanaa--you'll find out if it falls out when you try it! seriously, i've never used the non-stick for angel food as what's the point? but i suspect it will hold in there just fine. however, i cannot guarantee it and look forward to your report.

Matthew
08/06/2009 01:22 PM

Here it is, on Hector's site:

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/ECC/handouts/Angel%20Food%20Cake%20for%20NYU%20Demo.pdf

Matthew
08/06/2009 01:21 PM

I think the recipe from the new book for angel food cake is posted somewhere on the blog from when you did your ECC lecture.

Hanaa
08/06/2009 01:18 PM

Thanks so much, Rose. Will do. I can't wait to try it. I have about 45 egg whites in the freezer from baking your yellow cake for the wedding cake I made. So I can experiment a time or 3-4 :o)

Btw, when the cake is cooled upside down in a non-stick tube pan, will it fall out or will it stick to the sides stick enough (I won't grease it)?

Hanaa
08/06/2009 01:18 PM

Thanks so much, Rose. Will do. I can't wait to try it. I have about 45 egg whites in the freezer from baking your yellow cake for the wedding cake I made. So I can experiment a time or 3-4 :o)

Btw, when the cake is cooled upside down in a non-stick tube pan, will it fall out or will it stick to the sides stick enough (I won't grease it)?

Rose
08/06/2009 12:39 PM

you can make the one in the cake bible all white. leave out the cocoa and water, and decrease the sugar to 300 grams

Hanaa
08/06/2009 12:33 PM

Thank you, Rose.

The State Fair baking competition committee specifies that the Angel Food cake must be white. Unfortunately, this means, I won’t be able to compete with your Choc version of the AF cake. I recently got Tish Boyle’s “The Cake Book” from the library (after reading about her on your blog). It contains a recipe for a white AF cake. Would you recommend that recipe (ever tried it), or any other white AF cake recipe?

Rose
08/06/2009 10:04 AM

there will be a chocolate speckled angel food cake in the upcoming book.

an angel food cake will not work in a greased pan. a non stick pan should be fine as the cake will still stick to the sides enough to rise but not if you grease it.

Hanaa
08/06/2009 10:00 AM

I was perusing through TCB this morning, looking for an Angel Food Cake recipe but could only find a choc version of it. Is that correct? (sounds delicious too, don't get me wrong, just curious).

Also, I only have a non-stick tube pan. Would I be able to use this for an Angel Food Cake? Do I have to prep the pan a certain way? I know that no non-stick pans must be left ungreased.

Rose
08/04/2009 05:51 PM

i don't get the chance to bake at high altitude but i do know more water is needed. be sure to check out susan purdee's book "pie in the sky" as she has baked at just about every altitude in the us!

don reed
08/04/2009 12:55 PM

Last Night, I made pizza dough for the first time (I mean the first time ever) from the recipe in The Bread Bible on page 191. My family loved it. However, I was forced to add about 1/4 cup additional water to get the dough texture described in the book. I live in Colorado at 6200' elevation and used basic unbleached white flour. Any clues or tips concerning elevation? Or ideas concerning the need for extra water. I'm going to try again tonight.

Anonymous
07/21/2009 02:56 PM

Never made a genoise with any added liquid such as milk, so not sure how that would work.

Hanaa
07/21/2009 02:06 PM

I recently read about a buttermilk genoise. Has anyone tried that?

Melinda Johansson
07/19/2009 10:34 PM

Thanks--that's an interesting idea. Because it does have a very dense, moist, almost chewy texture.

No, no icing, and I bake it in a tube pan.It's rich enough that I don't think I could handle icing, too!

Matthew
07/19/2009 10:26 PM

I know this type of cake you're describing as it was popular in my family too. I don't think I'll get the terms right, and maybe Rose can explain better, but this type of cake has a special texture. I think this texture results from some or most of the starch in the flour being gelatinized? before baking by the boiling water. It makes me think of a similar process when making pretzels, and lye is used to gelatinze the dough before baking. Anyway, that is my guess at what is happening. Thanks for reminding me of this cake. Btw, we always had this in a rectangular pan with a cooked candy icing and pecans--does yours have that part too?

Melinda Johansson
07/19/2009 04:44 PM

Hi Rose,

I've been a fierce fan ever since The Cake Bible came out--it was the first cookbook that ever addressed my longing to know what made cooking WORK--what the process was. Thank you so, so much for this initial tribute to the intelligence of cooks everywhere.

I have a recipe for chocolate sour cream pound cake that my grandmother gave me and that I've been making to familial acclaim for decades. But there's one step that every time I do it, I think: I've got to write to Rose Levy Beranbaum and ask her why I'm doing this.

It's a fairly predictable recipe: butter, flour, eggs, sugar, salt vanilla, cocoa powder, sour cream. But the final step is to add a cup of BOILING water. This step lays down plaque in my arteries every time I do it. It turns a lovely stiff batter into soup. I just envision all the wonderful air bubbles I carefully whipped into the butter collapsing.

The thing is, the cake always turns out wonderfully. It's a dense, rich, even-textured cake. And because the ingredients are expensive, I've never had the nerve to try it with room-temp water. If it's not broke, don't fix it, right?

But my question is, boiling water what the hell?

Thanks for providing a place for me to ask a question like this :-)

terry
07/19/2009 12:16 PM

rose I have a few boxes of your cup cake kit french vanilla I had purchased this over a year ago there is no expiry is it still okay to use?? Thanks Terry

Hanaa
07/15/2009 05:54 PM

I made the Black Chocolate Party Cake with finely ground almonds. Cut the recipe in 3 (since the recipe called for 3 eggs). I loved the Bundt cake look so I baked in a small silicone Bundt pan. It came out of the oven smelling chocolaty and delicious. The glaze came together nicely and was brushed on the bottom of the cake and later on the top and sides of the cake. After that, I waited a little bit but then couldn’t wait any longer. I cut a small slice and before tasting it, carefully examined the texture of the inside. Ooh how moist and tender. Then I took a bite and I knew something was wrong. The taste was off. I kept saying to myself “There’s no way Rose intended for this cake to taste like this”. I gave a slice to my husband as he never fails to give me his honest opinion (too honest sometimes, if you ask me :o)). He too said the taste was off but that the texture and moisture content were superb. I went back to the recipe to figure out what I did wrong. I knew I must have messed up somewhere. To make a long story short, I cut all the ingredients in 3 except for the baking soda. You won’t believe me, but I could swear my recipe said “1 1/2 tsp baking soda” and so I used 1/2 tsp. My theory is, the ingredient above the baking soda is “1 1/4 tsp baking powder” and I must have “seen” a “1” in front of the “1/2 tsp baking soda”. Oh well. I took the cake to work and everybody gobbled it up. One person said they needed to find a way to interrupt my baking more often :o)

I took pictures along the way which I’ll post on my blog shortly (I hope). When I do, I’ll post it here.

At the risk of sounding “mushy”, I have to admit that while baking this cake, I felt flattered I was baking a recipe from a book that’s not on bookstore shelves yet :o)

Sandra
07/09/2009 01:52 PM

Hi Rose,

I've been a baker for years and years and I have all of your Bibles - they are wonderful - so thankful for your research. My question is about chocolate cake, I can never seem to get that non-devil's food cake. And I don't want flourless, i'd like it to be somewhere in between. Basically I want a rich dark chocolate cake with an almost chewy fudge frosting? Any advice would be fantastic.

Thank you, Sandra

Janknitz
07/07/2009 01:39 AM

Hi Rose,

I made your sourdough challah--started last night and finished this evening. Smells divine and it's hard to have to wait until Shabbat to taste!

Although I'm a big bread baker, we aren't such big bread EATERS in my house, so I made the single recipe into four smaller challahs that will be wrapped and frozen--a month's worth of challahs. We take one out of the freezer on Friday morning, and by dinner (sometimes with a little warming) we have what tastes like freshly baked challah.

It was my first time using my home- made wild yeast culture as a firm starter, and I'm anxious to see how it affects the taste and the "shelf life" of the challahs. It was fun making the firm starter and tearing it up into the first stage of fermentation.

I borrowed the Bread Book from the library, and it has soared to the top of my birthday wish list. Thanks for a lovely baking time!

nina
07/06/2009 10:46 PM

i want to try the orange glow chiffon cake from the cake bible book. is it possible to bake the cake on a regular cake pan, not a tube pan? if so, should i cool it upside down? i would appreciate your advise. thanks.

Hanaa
07/06/2009 08:08 PM

Thanks Rose. Will probably cut the recipe in half. Then make the batter without nuts. Divide the batter in half. Fold in the ground almonds into only one half at the very end. Will let you know how it turns out.

Rose
07/06/2009 02:47 PM

i'm sorry but this cake was carefully created using the nuts and i've never made it without then. nuts don't absorb moisture the way flour does so you can't just add flour and i'm sure the texture will be quite different without the nuts. you'd have to experiment. you could use almonds but i have no idea what would happen without the nuts!

Hanaa
07/06/2009 02:27 PM

Rose,
I would like to make the Black Chocolate Party Cake from your new book for next week's potluck at work. With all the nut allergies (myself included, except for almonds - don't ask me why almonds are OK :o)), can I leave out the walnuts without any problems? Or do I need to substitute some flour in their place?

Thanks much,
Hanaa

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