The Secret Lives of Baked Goods Read online

  1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, salt, and coconut extract until smooth. On low speed, gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, until your desired consistency has been reached. If the mixture becomes too thick, thin it with the cream or milk. Cover the frosting tightly and keep it chilled until you’re ready to frost the cupcakes.

  THIS CAKE IS NAMED AFTER A GERMAN, but not the Teutonic type. It bears the name of a man called Samuel German, whose Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate was the base for this American classic: multiple layers (usually three) of airy-but-rich chocolate cake filled and then topped off with a spectacular slurry of buttery brown sugar, toasty coconut, and pecans. It’s a pity, though, that German never got to taste the cake that bears his name.

  Her recipe used German’s chocolate, at the time a somewhat obscure ingredient. But it certainly appealed to readers’ taste buds—today, we might say this recipe “went viral.”

  Without Baker’s chocolate there would be no cake, so first let me tell you a little about the company. The business began in 1765, when Dr. James Baker and a partner went into the chocolate-making business to capitalize on chocolate’s growing popularity in the colonies. When the Revolution broke out and importing became decidedly more difficult, the company smuggled shipments of cacao beans on Royal Navy warships in order to continue production (although there is no documentation regarding whether or not the forbidden chocolate tasted better than its lawful counterpart). After Baker’s partner failed to return from a chocolate mission to the West Indies, he formed Baker’s Chocolate Company, which has been in business since 1780—making it America’s oldest chocolate company.

  As the business grew, so did its product offerings. In 1852, employee Samuel German invented a new type of sweet baking chocolate, which was named in his honor. Its unique blend was sweeter than semisweet or bittersweet baking chocolate, and it was considered easier on the palate. In retrospect, this sweet baking chocolate was a precursor to milk chocolate, which would gain popularity later on in the century.

  But oh, if German could have seen what happened a hundred years later.

  In 1957, a recipe titled German’s Chocolate Cake was sent by a Dallas, Texas, homemaker to a local newspaper. Her recipe used German’s chocolate, at the time a somewhat obscure ingredient. But it certainly appealed to readers’ taste buds—today, we might say this recipe “went viral.” Requests started streaming in to General Foods, who had acquired Baker’s, about how to obtain the chocolate; they took note and marketed the recipe to newspapers all around the country. Sales of Baker’s chocolate increased dramatically.

  As for “German”? The possessive form (German’s) was dropped somewhere along the line, making for the German chocolate cake name we know today.

  German Chocolate Cake

  THIS RECIPE IS QUITE TRUE TO EARLY VERSIONS, with chocolate cake layers and a sticky, addictive pecan-coconut-caramel filling. It’s not necessarily a sophisticated-looking dessert, but it makes for some seriously sweet homespun eating. And while, of course, I recommend using the original Baker’s chocolate for this recipe, you can use any chocolate with a cacao content of less than 50 percent.

  Makes one 9-inch layer cake (10 to 12 servings)

  2 ¼ cups cake flour

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  4 ounces sweet baking chocolate (preferably Baker’s German), chopped (about ½ cup)

  ½ cup water

  4 eggs, separated

  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  2 cups sugar

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1 cup buttermilk

  4 cups Coconut Pecan Frosting (recipe follows)

  3 tablespoons Chocolate Drizzle (recipe follows)

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides and bottoms of 3 round 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

  3. In a double boiler, warm the chocolate and water over medium-low heat until the chocolate has melted, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

  4. Using the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.

  5. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition; pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Blend in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in 2 or 3 additions, beating until well blended after each addition.

  6. Fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture by hand until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 pans, smoothing and leveling the tops with a rubber or offset spatula.

  7. Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out mostly clean.

  8. Cool the cakes in the pans for about 20 minutes, then invert them onto wire racks to cool completely.

  9. To assemble the cake, set one of the layers on a plate flat side up. Spread one-third of the frosting on top, stopping a little short of the outside edges of the cake. Add another cake layer, press lightly, and repeat. Place your last cake on top and spread the remainder of the frosting over the top. The sides of the cake will remain exposed.

  10. Drizzle the glaze down the sides of the cake.

  11. This cake will keep, lightly covered at cool room temperature, for up to 4 days.

  COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

  Makes about 4 cups frosting

  2 cups sugar

  2 cups evaporated milk

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter

  6 egg yolks, lightly beaten

  2¾ cups sweetened flaked coconut

  2 cups chopped toasted pecans

  1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

  1. Combine the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and egg yolks in a large saucepan. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture begins bubbling; increase the heat to medium and continue whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened and turned golden in color. This can take about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Cool to lukewarm, or until thick enough to spread.

  CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

  Makes 3 tablespoons drizzle

  ½ teaspoon unsalted butter

  1 ounce semisweet chocolate

  1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth.

  IN SPITE OF WHAT NEW YORKERS may have you believe, they did not invent cheesecake—it’s actually been around since ancient Roman times. In Italy, the cake is coarser and less sweet, usually made with ricotta cheese; some versions are even savory. But New York was the melting pot in which this cake was adopted, wrapped in a cream cheese–coated bear hug, and transformed into the remarkably dense, sweet, creamy dessert we know today. To put it in simpler terms, “Cheesecake wasn’t really cheesecake till it was cheesecake in New York.”

  New York was the melting pot in which this cake was adopted, wrapped in a cream cheese–coated bear hug, and transformed into the remarkably dense, sweet, creamy dessert we know today.

  Oddly enough, the thing that the Empire State can legitimately claim credit for is cream cheese—but ironically, the first (and arguably still most famous) brand, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, takes its name from a city miles away. Cream cheese was invented by accident in 1872 by William Lawrence of Chester, New York, while he was trying to reproduce a French cheese called Neufchâtel (which, interestingly, is now often marketed as low-fat cream cheese). Under the name Empire Company, Lawrence distributed this cheese in distinctive foil wrappers; and in the 1880s, the name was changed to Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese—still the brand favored by ma
ny home bakers today.

  It’s hard to know who first substituted cream cheese for ricotta in an Italian cheesecake recipe. But New York–style cheesecake became famous in the 1920s when it was featured by popular Jewish delicatessens—notably Lindy’s in Manhattan and Junior’s in Brooklyn. The smooth texture of the cream cheese paired with a sweeter filling and crust made it a new thing entirely. Its popularity spread, and soon it became a highly sought-after item on dessert carts around the country.

  As for the graham cracker crust that has become so popular with New York–style cheesecake? It’s not a vital part of the earliest recipes, many of which feature a more cake-like cookie crust, but it quickly caught on—who can resist the crunch of the cracker against the creaminess of the cheese filling? Its popularity spiked following a series of promotional recipes created by Nabisco that appeared in advertisements and on packaging.

  To summarize: No, the cheesecake was not invented in New York City. But that “dear old dirty town” has done a fantastic job of raising the bar and making it into something great. A fat slice of silky-smooth cheesecake is often seen as the most decadent dessert of all: ultimately craveable, it’s the downfall of many a diet. Like the city it calls home, this cake is a big, assertive, and unapologetic salute to excess.

  New York Cheesecake

  EVEN A VERY DENSE CHEESECAKE like this can be somewhat fragile, so be sure to allow plenty of time for baking, cooling, and then thoroughly chilling it. As for serving the dessert, a few small tips may help: slice it by using dental floss (unflavored) rather than a knife, which will immediately create a bit of a mess. And if cracks appear on the surface, do not panic; when in doubt, top it with cherries, strawberries, and whipped or sour cream. This recipe is adapted from the one famously served at Lindy’s in New York City.

  Makes one 9-inch cheesecake (10 servings)

  2½ pounds (five 8-ounce packages) full-fat cream cheese, softened

  1¾ cups sugar

  2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  5 large eggs, plus 2 yolks, at room temperature

  ¼ cup heavy cream

  Shortcrust Cheesecake Base (recipe follows)

  1. Line the bottom of a 9-by-4-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper; grease the bottom and sides.

  2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese at medium speed until it is extremely smooth; this will take several minutes.

  4. Add the sugar in 2 additions, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula with each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and vanilla.

  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, with the 2 extra yolks added last, pausing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the cream, mixing until smooth. When completely smooth and creamy, the filling is ready to be poured into the crust.

  6. To bake the cheesecake, pour the cheesecake mixture into the prebaked crust and bake for 10 minutes; reduce the heat to 250 degrees F, and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden. The center will still appear to be somewhat wobbly; as the cake cools, it will set. Cool completely before cutting, about 3 hours in the refrigerator. To store, wrap the cheesecake well and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

  SHORTCRUST CHEESECAKE BASE

  Makes one 9-by-4-inch crust

  1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

  ½ cup sugar

  ⅛ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

  1 egg yolk

  ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

  ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon whole or 2% milk (optional)

  1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.

  2. Make a well in center of the flour mixture. Add the egg mixture and work together by hand until completely blended. If the mixture is not holding together, add 1 teaspoon of milk. Form the dough into a disk, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

  3. To bake the crust, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-4-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper; grease the bottom and sides.

  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Once it has warmed just enough so that it is easily handled, transfer it to the pan. Using your fingers, press into the bottom of the pan, working the edges up onto the sides of the pan just a little; this will help avoid cream cheese leakage on the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden color. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

  EVEN IF YOU’RE A PERSON WHO CAN’T FACE a single Monday morning without a sugar-coated doughnut paired with hot coffee, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about these holey rings of delicious fried dough. To start, the doughnut is very old—possibly ancient. Did you know, for instance, that petrified remains of what resemble doughnuts have been found in Native American communities in what is now the US Southwest?

  As much as it might hurt to admit that less is more, in the case of the doughnut, it’s true: the hole in the middle promotes more even frying, ensuring that the middle is not doughy and undercooked.

  This is not to say that the art of frying dough is a uniquely American phenomenon. In fact, just about every culture has its own variation. Among the doughnut’s many international relatives, you’ll find koeksisters in South Africa, donat kentang in Indonesia, sufganiyot in Israel, Berliner pfannkuchen in Germany, loukoumades in Greece, zeppole in Italy, pączki in Poland, malasadas in Portugal, and churros in Mexico.

  The American-style doughnut is most directly a descendant of the Dutch olykoek (that’s “oily cake”). Immigrants brought the recipe to New York in the 1800s.

  Washington Irving is credited with introducing the term “doughnuts” to the common vernacular in his History of New York, in which he describes “balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called doughnuts, or olykoeks.” One problem with these fried rounds of dough: the center didn’t seem to fry at the same rate as the outer edges. Sometimes, to offset the uneven cooking, apples, raisins or other fruit were stuffed in the center.

  As much as it might hurt to admit that less is more, in the case of the doughnut, it’s true: the hole in the middle promotes more even frying, ensuring that the middle is not doughy and undercooked. And when it comes to crediting the person who thought up the idea, signs point to Hanson Gregory, a seafarer who apparently loved telling any number of versions of the story. (See How Did Doughnuts Get Their Holes)

  But it was going to take a lot more than a hole in the middle to make the doughnut a vital—if slightly lowbrow—part of American cuisine. And mass production was what was needed to bring the fried dough to the public eye. Up until that point, doughnuts were not primarily a breakfast food—they were a snack, sold in theaters and at carnivals. But a Russian expat living in New York City noticed the public demand for doughnuts and created the first automated doughnut machine. His machines began to sell extremely well to commercial bakeries, and at last, the supply could keep up with the demand! This spike in production coincided with coffee becoming a staple in bakeries, which certainly contributed to the doughnut’s association as a morning food.

  Doughnuts show no signs of slowing down in popularity—and in fact, there’s been a resurgence of enthusiasm in recent years for handcrafted, small-batch doughnuts as opposed to the chain-store variety. A healthy trend, if you ask me.

  Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

  THESE DOUGHNUTS ARE PLEASINGLY OLD-FASHIONED TASTING and rich in flavor thanks to buttermilk and sour cream. They’re a dream served warm with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and of course, a cup of hot coffee on the side.

  Makes about 18 doughnuts, plus doughnut holes

  4 cups all-purpose flour

  2 teaspoons baking powder


  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ⅔ cup sour cream

  ⅓ cup buttermilk

  ¾ cup sugar

  3 large eggs

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  6 to 8 cups vegetable or canola oil, for deep-fat frying

  Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  2. In another large bowl, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, and sugar until combined. Whisk in the sugar; stir until the mixture is smooth and lump free. Beat in the eggs and vanilla just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed.

  3. In 2 to 3 increments, add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until completely chilled.

  4. Turn the dough out on a very generously-floured surface; knead for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Let the dough chill again for about 30 minutes (this will ensure that it will not spring back when you cut it). Roll the dough out to ½-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2-inch doughnut cutter. Set the “holes” to the side. You can also roll the doughnuts by hand for an “artisan” look.

  5. In a heavy medium pot or a deep-fat fryer, put enough oil to achieve a depth of 4 inches; heat it to 375 degrees F. Fry the doughnuts, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown on each side (less than 3 minutes). Remove with tongs or with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to blot excess oil. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts, making sure to let the oil return to 375 degrees F before frying a new batch.

  6. Fry the doughnut holes until golden brown—they’ll take less time to fry than the doughnuts.

  7. Cool the doughnuts for about 5 minutes; while they’re still warm, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature; doughnuts are best eaten the day they are made.