Podcast with Jeff Houck

Nov 02, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Podcasts

What a great host. If you click on this link you'll hear what fun we had:

Table Conversations: Rose Levy Beranbaum

Great News!

Nov 03, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

Rose's Heavenly Cakes was just named one of the top 10 cookbooks of the year by Amazon!

Out-Cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes: Butter & Oil Cakes

Nov 04, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in OUT CAKES

Apple Up-Side-Down Cake Uncut

Apple%20Up-side-Down.jpg

Cut Cake Showing the Texture

Plum and Blueberry Up-Side-Down Cake before Baking

Karmel Cake Whole (to show the exceptionally beautiful color of the top crust)

The Lemon Poppy Seed-Sour Cream Cake Whole

Apple-Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake (If you push the crumbs in a little you will get this effect that Woody achieved)

The Cradle Cake Whole (Doesn't it look like Close Encounters of a Third Kind?!)

This Photo is of Me Presenting the Chocolate Tomato Cake for the Campbell's 50th anniversary celebrated at the NY Stock Exchange where they were given the honor of ringing the bell!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry (when I made it for the first time and was trying out different decorating techniques this one reminded me of a starry night.)

The Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Whole

Woody's Magnificent Lacquer Glaze Perfected for the First Time on the Bernachon Palets d'Or Gâteau

Chocolate Velvet Fudge Cake Whole

Classic Carrot Cake Cut (to show texture)

Banana Ripe Enough for a Banana Cake

A Very Special Special

Nov 06, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

What's wrong with this picture?

Lemons on sale at Morton WIlliams this morning 3 for $1. I needed only 2 and after some deliberation decided not to go for the special deal and watch the unneeded lemon rot in the frig.

When I went through checkout I paid attention to the price of the two lemons because i was curious and also because that was all I was purchasing. 60 cents! Are people being penalized for purchasing three at a time? You do the math!

The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant and Hotel Show

Nov 06, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in APPEARANCES

I will be signing my new book at the Kitchen Arts & Letters Booth at the Jacob Javits Center this Monday, November 9, from 12:00 to 1:00.

Hector's Turkey Comes up Roses

Nov 07, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

This posting represents the grand finale of Hector's Take on My Cake Previews because soon he will have a link that will go to his own exclusive blog. Please click on this link before reading the rest so as not to spoil the surprise!

http://myyellowkitchen.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/pumpkin-cake-with-burnt-orange-silk-meringue-buttercream-page-125/

This is my take on the Pumpkin Cake with Burnt Orange Silk Meringue Buttercream: If the legend says that you can turn into a pumpkin, why can't a pumpkin turn into a turkey? This fabulous oil-based pumpkin cake recipe from Rose's Heavenly Cakes turned into a turkey when baked in the Nordic Ware 3D 2-piece turkey pan. Let me share with you a glimpse description of this cake, a full write out will be posted later when Hector's Take project launches... stay tuned...

- what can be done better: touch up with ganache some irregularities/bubbles on the feathers, head, neck, etc, so the Laquer Glaze will have better definition.

- what is a miracle: the turkey didn't collapse when standing, in spite of the cake been an oil-based cake and knowing oil never gets hard with refrigeration, as a butter cake would. In fact, I ran out to dinner and left the glazed cake at 74˚F room temperature for about 3 hours, the two halves were glued with just buttercream.

- what is amazing: the rose turkey tail defeats gravity. This is done with the silk meringue buttercream! Roses were individually piped on parchment, frozen, then attached on the turkey tail with the same buttercream. It remained at 74˚F room temperature for at least 2 hours without anything falling!!!! You pipe extra petals between the gaps of the frozen roses for the full quilt look.

I used mac nuts and mac oil, instead of walnuts and safflower and walnut oils, was GREAT.

Happy Thanksgiving month everyone!

For more information about how this cake was constructed, visit http://myyellowkitchen.com

Super Chef Review of RHC

Nov 10, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Web Appearances

This review is dear to my heart, not just because it is so well written, but because through it I discovered that the author, Juliette Rossant, author, journalist, and poet, is the daughter of the renowned food author and journalist Colette Rossant, and also the renowned architect James Rossant.

Colette and I met over 21 years ago on a culinary trip to Japan. As a result of this trip Colette wrote a book on Japanese/French fusion cuisine and I wrote my first article for the New York Times on eating desserts in Tokyo. What a great treat to be acquainted with her daughter through the internet.

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

Devil's Food Cake on Page 99 of Rose's Heavenly Cakes

Nov 11, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in OUT CAKES

This is one of the most delicious chocolate cakes in the book but I found it a bit too tender so I have gone back to my original way of mixing layer cake batter (please see below). I also thought it would be of interest to know that the acidity of the brown sugar, crème fraîche, and unsweetened chocolate fully activates the baking soda leaving no characteristic slightly soapy taste.

Continue reading "Devil's Food Cake on Page 99 of Rose's Heavenly Cakes" »

A New Baking Author on the BLock!

Nov 12, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Cookbooks

i love the title of this new cookbook and I love the author, Beth Lipton, even though we haven’t yet met except through this delightful book. At last, an author who has written her first cookbook, and even though it’s geared toward the beginning baker, is on the same page as I am concerning weights!

This bodes very well indeed for the increased trend toward weighing ingredients for baking rather than the far less efficient and potentially inaccurate measuring method. Not to worry, she also lists the traditional volume.

Continue reading "A New Baking Author on the BLock!" »

Heavenly Cake Strip in Canada

Nov 13, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Equipment

Forgot to mention on the Montréal posting that the cake strips are carried by Ares:
http://www.arescuisine.com

Tumbador Je T'Adore!

Nov 14, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

I've been wanting to see my friend Jean François Bonnet's chocolate factory for a few years now but the perfect opportunity finally presented itself when Woody was here in October for the Food Network's Sweet Night. JF, who made the chocolate ingots (financiers)--the recipe that he contributed to Rose's Heavenly Cakes, insisted that I bring Woody out to Brooklyn for a visit. And what a visit it was: We tasted many things and were sent home with two shopping bags filled with more!

When I first met JF he was a very young pastry chef from Provence France, working at The Monkey Bar in New York City. I was blown away by his chocolate financiers aka ingots served at the end of the meal--innocent looking little rectangles of dense chocolate cake that exploded with flavor in my mouth. They inspired me to write an article for Food Arts Magazine on the different varieties of financiers and when I interviewed JF about his I was stunned by his technical knowledge. He also confided in me that he was newly arrived in the country and that it was very difficult for people under 30 years of age to get immigration status. I immediately did everything I could to ensure he would stay in this country, including writing to the White House that we must not lose this culinary treasure. Stay he did and went on to become pastry chef, first at the wonderful restaurant Cello under chef Laurent Tourondel and then at one of the country's top restaurants Daniel (chef/owner Daniel Boulud).

Continue reading "Tumbador Je T'Adore!" »

Cookstr.com

Nov 16, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Web Appearances

I'm delighted to share a new link with you where you will find tons of recipes from many of my favorite colleagues. Here's the link to mine:

http://www.cookstr.com/users/rose-beranbaum/profile

Rose's Tips for Cake Baking

Nov 16, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Baking & Cooking Tips

Before beginning to bake, read the recipe through and note plan ahead’s.

If at all possible, make the recipe the way it is indicated. Don’t substitute ingredients before making it at least once to see the way it’s supposed to come out.

When preparing ingredients ahead, cover them with plastic wrap so that they don’t dry out or evaporate.

When a recipe calls for softened butter it means the butter should still feel cool but be easy to press down. This usually takes about 30 minutes at room temperature but slicing it in smaller pieces speeds up the process.

Unless a cake recipe indicates otherwise, it is important to use bleached flour for the best texture.

Cocoa should be sifted to remove lumps and make it easier to measure accurately.

If measuring flour rather than weighing it avoid tapping or shaking the cup. This would pack in much more flour and the cake would be heavy and dry.

To combine flour, salt, and leavening such as baking powder or baking soda evenly use a whisk.

Eggs vary greatly in size and also in proportion of yolk to white. Either use weight or volume especially when a recipe calls for all yolks. A recipe requiring 4 yolks may need as many as 7 if the yolks are very small.

To break eggs the most evenly without shattering the shell, set a paper towel on the counter top to absorb any white that will spill out and rap the side of the egg sharply on top of the towel. It will break more neatly than if rapping it against the edge of a bowl.

When separating eggs, pour each white into a smaller bowl before adding it to the larger amount of whites. If even a trace of yolk or grease gets into the white it will be impossible to beat stiffly. If a small amount of yolk should get into the white, use the eggshell to fish it out.

If the bowl in which you are beating the whites is not totally grease free, wet a paper towel, add a little vinegar to it and wipe out the bowl. Then rinse it and dry it well.

Continue reading "Rose's Tips for Cake Baking" »

A Great & Instructive Cake Story from the LA Times Blog

Nov 17, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Press Mentions

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2009/11/most-bakers-know-that-if-theyre-about-to-tackle-a-complicated-cake-its-a-smart-idea-to-turn-to-rose-levy-beranbaum-whose.html#comments

BIG NEWS!!!

Nov 17, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

In honor of the Blog's 4th birthday, and my dear editor Pam Chirls's birthday, this Thursday November 19th the blog will be down for several hours in the afternoon. When it reappears it will be with an exciting brand new design--more functional as well as beautiful!

Out-Cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes: Deep Chocolate Passion

Nov 18, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in OUT CAKES

The Deep Chocolate Passion Cake is one of the most exciting, revolutionary, and versatile cakes in this book. It serves as the base for:

The German Chocolate Cake

The Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

The Designer Cupcakes

The Deep Chocolate Passion Wedding Cake

Preparing the Cake Pan for the Batter

The exceptionally liquid batter fills the pan only 1/4 to 1/3 full.

But, the batter rises to the top of the pan when baked.

Coating the sides of the pan with Baker's Joy (oil and flour) gives the smoothest sides but shrinks in slightly at the top.

Not coating the sides of the pan results in a rougher crumb but perfectly straight sides. If coating with butter cream this is the best choice but if using a non-stick pan and care the sides will look fine uncoated as well

The New Blog Design is Here!!!

Nov 19, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

Do give us your feedback.

Everything's Coming up Roses for Heavenly Cakes!

Nov 20, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

Rose's Heavenly Cakes has been nominated as one of six best covers on Amazon in the cooking category!

The first round of voting goes through December 7 and then you'll be able to vote for one of the 10 finalists as the Best Book Cover of 2009. Please vote today!

please click on this link or paste it into your browser:

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_86106491_2?ie=UTF8&node=2233760011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0XYHQ1ERNE5H4059ANKS&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=500810671&pf_rd_i=283155

On the left hand side, click on Best in Cooking, Food & Wine.

Of Brothers, Bauhaus, and Broccoli

Nov 21, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

A year ago August I wrote about the novelist and chef Nancy Weber of "Between Books She Cooks. Her memoir Life Swap, precursor to the current trendy reality shows, was my first introduction to her brother Nicholas whom I then was longing to meet in person. The opportunity finally presented itself at, perhaps the least opportune time for me--in the midst of my new book promotion. But Nicholas (to whom Nancy refers fondly as Nicky) does not live full time in the US and he happened to be in town doing a 'reading' of his newly published book The Bauhaus Group at a small independently owned bookstore in Chelsea called 92 Books (which is the address not the number of books they house or should I say haus?!). This provided a double temptation. My great uncle Nat, as an industrial designer, was a great advocate of the Bauhaus school. His design for the Movado Museum Watch exemplified the Bauhaus mantra "form follows function," by eliminating what he perceived as unnecessary numbers or markings, gracing the dial simply with a large gold dot to represent the sun at noon or the moon at midnight.

Continue reading "Of Brothers, Bauhaus, and Broccoli" »

The New York Times Topics

Nov 23, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

I now have a new second home on the internet: Times Topics, Cake: The Essentials (all about cake). Do check it out!

www.nytimes.com/info/cake/

Out-Cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes: Basic Chocolate Layer Cake Process

Nov 25, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in OUT CAKES

Mise En Place (Preparation of Ingredients)

Cocoa and Boiling Water Mixture

Weigh or Measure the Eggs

Mixing the Dry Ingredients

Adding Butter and Part of the Chocolate Mixture

Start Mixing on Low Speed to Keep the Flour and Liquid from Flying Out of the Bowl

Batter after 1 1/2 Minutes of Beating

Scraping the Sides of the Bowl

Adding the Rest of the Chocolate Mixture

Finished Batter

275B8completedmixedbattertotaltimeof2.5minutes.jpg

Scraping Batter into the Prepared Pans

Batter 1 1/2 inches from the Top of the Pan (half full)

Spacing the Two Pans in the Oven

The Baked Cake Side View

The Baked Cake--Taking the Temperature

Cakes Cooling on Racks

Showing the Slight Doming of the Cake Top

Comparing Cake Made with Butter with One Made with Butter and Oil (Note how much more even the crumb and less the doming of the butter and oil cake. The small addition of oil results in a higher cake layer with finer, moister crumb.)

Top Ten!

Nov 27, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Announcements

(Click on the link and then click to enlarge)

It feels like the lottery: updated every hour Amazon lists the top 100 bestsellers in Cooking, Food & Wine and Rose's Heavenly Cakes just hit #10!

A Sneak Peek

Nov 28, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

An Extraordinary Baking Book Is on the Horizon

I know that you are all (including me) overjoyed finally to have Rose's Heavenly Cakes in your hands after all the months/years of waiting. But isn't it true that there is something deliciously magical about anticipation? So I have a special gift I've just been given permission to share with you:

My dearest friend, fellow baking author, and writer of my new book's Foreword, Lisa Yockelson, is coming out with a new book of her own to be published in 2011.

bakingStyle will be a personal lifestyle book on the art and craft of baking at home, with 180 full-color visual images capturing the diary-like format of recipes and prose. And prose there will be, as Lisa is the most poetic writer on baking I know. Additionally, there is quite simply no-one who is more detail oriented. Her recipes are exquisitely crafted, thoroughly tested, and meticulously proofed. And talk about style Lisa does all her own styling for the food and the setting. The book could not be more aptly titled or reflective of the author.

Here's a preview of one image to prove my point:

Photo credit: Ben Fink

The image represents a recipe for rolls in the essay titled "learning to knead."

An Afternoon Devoted to Pleasure

Nov 30, 2009 | From the kitchen of Rose in Special Stories

The Austrian Wine Salon

The Invitation

Pleasure is an under-utilized word. When is the last time you used it?

The dictionary defines pleasure as:
A feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment
Enjoyment and entertainment, contrasted with things done out of necessity

I actually remember the last time I used the word. It was several years ago and mostly for shock appeal. My internist had retired and I was giving my health history to the newly appointed one--a colleague of my husband at NYU. When he asked me the routine question: "What business are you in?" expecting no doubt to jot down something within the realm of ordinary/acceptability, he looked up in shocked surprise when I innocently but forthrightly said "The pleasure giving business!" It certainly grabbed his attention. And when I explained more specifically what I do that justifies such a descriptor I knew I had a sympathetic ear as he turned out to be a great connoisseur and appreciator of wine.

My delightful friend and colleague, Fred Plotkin, has been described as a "pleasure activist" for the way he shares his encyclopedic knowledge of food, wine, travel, music, and art through best-selling books on music and food.

When I saw on the invitation to the Austrian Wine Salon that he and esteemed sommelier of Le Bernadin Aldo Sohm were joining the Haydn Trio from Eisenstadt Austria on a recent Sunday afternoon, I couldn't resist cutting short my weekend in Hope to race back to the city. Had I known that my favorite Austrian chef, Wolfgang Ban, was providing the food we would have driven even faster! It turned out to be such an extraordinary event I am moved to share some of the highlights with you.

Continue reading "An Afternoon Devoted to Pleasure" »

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

Spend A Moment with Rose, in this video portrait by Ben Fink.

Heavenly Cake Bake Along

Hector's Take on Rose's Cakes