The Secret Lives of Baked Goods Read online

  In 2008, Smith Island cake was designated the official state dessert of Maryland. It’s in good company, along with the state cat (calico) and the state crustacean (blue crab)—but it probably pairs best with the state drink (milk).

  In terms of timing, I suggest preparing the frosting before the cakes. This way, you can use the icing to begin assembling the layers while you bake. Doing so will keep your counter from getting too crowded, and it also keeps the cake layers nice and moist.

  Smith Island Cake

  TAKE A DEEP BREATH: This cake takes quite some time to make and assemble. But you’ll regain all of that spent energy quickly when you see the delight on the faces of those you’re serving as those magical layers are revealed … and even more so when you get a few bites of this over-the-top sweet treat. This recipe is adapted from the version popularized in 1981 in Mrs. Kitching’s Smith Island Cookbook.

  Makes one 9-inch 10-layer cake (16 servings)

  3¼ cups cake flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

  1¾ cups sugar

  5 large eggs

  1 cup evaporated milk

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  ½ cup whole or 2% milk

  6½ cups Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven; reheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  2. Gather as many 9-inch round baking pans as you can (you’ll be baking 10 layers), then grease and line them with parchment paper circles. If you don’t have 10 pans, you can re-use the same few pans; you’ll just have to cool and clean them between batches. Have 10 sheets of parchment paper ready to let the cakes cool.

  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

  4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, pausing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed after each addition just until incorporated. With each addition, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

  5. With the mixer running, pour in the evaporated milk, then the vanilla and milk. Mix just until incorporated. Pour 1/10 of the batter into each of your prepared pans, using the back of the spoon to spread the batter evenly so that it covers the entire bottom of the pan. If you run out of batter before you’ve made 10 layers of cake, do not despair; you can just make thicker layers of frosting between the cake layers.

  6. If you have room in your oven, bake several layers at a time for 6 to 8 minutes. You’re looking for a dull finish on top and just slightly golden edges—not golden brown or crispy. Let the layers cool for a couple of minutes in the pan before removing; then run a spatula around the edge of the pan and gently transfer the layers onto sheets of parchment paper. If it tears slightly, don’t panic: you can cover up a lot with the icing.

  7. To assemble, set the first slightly cooled layer on your serving plate and spread it with a thin layer of frosting, covering the entire surface of the layer. Add the next layer, frost, and repeat the process until the batter is gone (hopefully, you’ll have 10 layers!). Finish by frosting the sides and then the top of the cake; I find that starting on the top, and smoothing the frosting that has dripped down the sides, is the way to go with frosting this cake.

  8. Let the finished cake chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving, so that the frosting can set. Slice while still lightly chilled. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

  SMITH ISLAND FUDGE FROSTING

  Makes about 6½ cups frosting

  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

  Two 12-ounce cans evaporated milk

  ⅔ unsweetened cocoa powder

  8 cups confectioners’ sugar

  1. Melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat, and add the cocoa powder and whisk slowly until smooth.

  2. Return to the heat, this time on medium-low, and cook for approximately 10 minutes, but don’t let the mixture come to a boil. Stir continuously so that it doesn’t scorch. Once warm and just beginning to thicken, remove from the heat.

  3. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, until it’s all incorporated. Return the pan to low heat, stirring constantly until it has thickened to the point that it forms a ribbon when you drizzle a spoonful back onto the mixture. The mixture may bubble, but don’t let it boil. You want to keep the frosting slightly warm to keep it from setting in the pan; it is OK to return to low heat or add a small quantity of water to the mixture to keep it spreadable.

  TIMELESS COOKIES & BARS

  COOKIES ARE THE SYMBOL OF EVERYDAY SWEETNESS. They punctuate our daily lives: the quick snack, the cookies and milk after school, the accompaniment for afternoon tea. They can dress up for holidays too, of course—what would Christmas be without the cookies, after all? But mostly, they keep us company on a daily basis, a simple but powerful way to sprinkle a little magic on an otherwise ordinary day.

  BLONDES MAY HAVE MORE FUN, but in the world of baked goods, blonde brownies (blondies, for short) are largely viewed as the less desirable albino cousin of the famous chocolate brownie. When you look at the history of these bar cookies, though, you’ll find that we wouldn’t even have brownies without their blonde sisters.

  Generally, brownies fall into three categories: cakey, chewy, or fudgy; I’m pretty sure a fistfight or two has broken out over which style is superior.

  So what’s the difference? Blondies are a soft and chewy bar cookie, generally made using a vanilla or butterscotch base instead of chocolate. Although opinions will certainly differ on this subject, many agree that texture-wise, a successful blondie will fall between cakey and fudge-like: that is to say, delightfully chewy, rich, and dense. So for all of you tempted to call the blondie the bland version of the brownie: Quit it.

  According to old cookbooks, blonde brownies predated chocolate brownies, though under different names. The primary ingredients of blondies (brown sugar or molasses and butter) compose butterscotch, a candy that was popular in America in the mid-nineteenth century. Cookbooks from that time contain recipes that combined traditional butterscotch ingredients with flour and a leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda); possibly these were adapted from gingerbread cake recipes. Presumably, these recipes would have produced something similar to the blonde brownies we enjoy today.

  Brownies, of course, are characterized by their most important ingredient: chocolate. Early recipes depended on cocoa powder; as time went on, adding melted chocolate or sometimes cocoa and chocolate became the favored method for attaining a deep, rich chocolate flavor. Generally, brownies fall into three categories: cakey, chewy, or fudgy; I’m pretty sure a fistfight or two has broken out over which style is superior.

  Brownies are a relatively new invention. But where, you might be wondering, did they come from?

  There is a place that claims to have dreamed up the brownie: the kitchen of Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel. It happened during the 1892 Columbian Exposition, when Bertha Palmer requested that the chef make a “ladies’ dessert” that would be easier to eat than a piece of pie, and make a smaller serving than a slice of layer cake. She wanted it to be included in the box lunches at the Women’s Pavilion at the fair, thank you very much. What was presented was a brownie, although it’s not known if that’s what they were called right from the start. Apparently the reaction was good—the recipe is still served today at the Palmer House Hilton on State Street and remains a popular confection.

  The 1896 edition of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book was among the first known publications to feature brownies—but this version was all about little individual butterscotch-flavored cakes. However, the 1905 version of the book had a brownie redux, and this time, they had chocolate.

  The recipe was further ref
ined in Bangor, Maine, when a woman named Maria Willett Howard famously enriched Fannie Farmer’s chocolate brownie recipe with extra egg and chocolate. This tricked-out version of the brownie was widely circulated and adopted, and is the forefather of the decadent, chewy squares that are favored today. By the 1950s, butterscotch or vanilla brownies were described as “blonde brownies,” underscoring the primacy of chocolate.

  Today, while blondies and brownies are both still delicious, brownies definitely dominate bakery shelves. Here is a pair of contemporary recipes for each; they’re much richer than the earlier versions—but in my opinion, much more delicious.

  Blondies

  I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE BLONDIE to appreciate her for what she is: a deliciously toothsome, rich bar cookie with a warm and satisfying butterscotch taste. These are simple to make, with a short ingredient list that won’t require a special trip to the store. I love using toasted pecans in this recipe because their buttery taste perfectly complements this bar cookie’s other defining flavors.

  Makes 2 dozen blondies

  1¾ cups all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  1 teaspoon salt

  ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

  2 cups packed dark brown sugar

  3 large eggs, lightly beaten

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1½ cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

  2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 additions, mixing well after each addition and pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions. Fold in the nuts.

  4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, leveling the batter using an offset or rubber spatula, level the top of the batter.

  5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. If anything, it’s better (taste-wise) to err on the side of slightly underbaked. Let the blondies cool completely before cutting into squares.

  Brownies

  THESE BROWNIES FALL FIRMLY INTO THE “FUDGE-LIKE” CATEGORY, with a crispy top. You can add chunks of chopped chocolate or lightly toasted nuts (about three-quarters cup of each would be a good place to start) if that’s your style.

  Makes 2 dozen brownies

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon salt

  1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

  2 cups granulated sugar

  ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

  5 large eggs, lightly beaten

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment paper.

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and the sugars; on a slow speed, beat them together until they form a cohesive, slightly gritty mixture.

  4. Beat in the egg mixture in 2 to 3 additions, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, bit by bit, beating on low speed and continuing to scrape down the sides of the bowl until well blended.

  5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

  6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (it’s better to underbake than to overbake!). Let the brownies cool completely before cutting.

  CAN YOU REALLY IMAGINE A WORLD in which there is no such thing as a chocolate chip cookie? Well, believe it or not, that world existed not so very long ago: the chocolate chip cookie was only born in 1937. I know, I know. It’s become such a symbol of American sweets that it’s hard to imagine the pilgrims on the Mayflower not enjoying an afternoon drop cookie studded with ye olde chocolate chips, along with a glass of cold milk. How quickly it has become part of our everyday lives: a staple in bakeries across the nation, a favorite of home bakers everywhere, and really, an important symbol of American baking.

  With this cookie in particular, I find that it’s helpful to view the history in a timeline format: this way, it’s a little bit easier to see how the cookie has become such a big part of our lives in such a relatively short period of time. Chocolate chip cookie, this is your life:

  1937: The chocolate chip cookie makes its first appearance. There’s a famous story about the invention of the cookie by Ruth Wakefield of the Toll House Inn of Massachusetts: While preparing a batch of Butter Drop Do cookies, a favorite recipe dating back to colonial days, Wakefield cut a bar of chocolate into tiny bits and added them to her dough, expecting them to melt and make the cookies chocolate. But instead of melting, the chunks of chocolate held their shape, softening just enough to give them that particularly addictive texture and flavor that is the hallmark of the chocolate chip cookie. The resulting creation became very popular at the Inn. Soon, Wakefield’s recipe was published in newspapers throughout the New England area. Regional sales of the chocolate bar skyrocketed.

  1937–39: Wakefield makes a deal with the Nestlé company: she receives free chocolate for life, and they get to print her recipe on the back of their semisweet chocolate bar.

  1939: The chocolate chip cookie is featured on the Betty Crocker radio program, Famous Foods from Famous Places. Suddenly, the cookie jumps from regional specialty to national superstar. It is also this year that, in an effort to make the cookies easier to make, Nestlé debuts their semisweet chocolate morsels. Yep, you heard that right: chocolate chips were invented in response to the cookie’s popularity.

  1940s: The cookie’s popularity is confirmed during the war years: an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that “when the boys in service are asked about the kind of cookie they’d like to get from home, this kind still rates high. …”

  1948: The term “smart cookie” is first documented.

  1957: The phrase “That’s how the cookie crumbles” is first documented.

  1963: Chips Ahoy! cookies make their supermarket debut; chocolate chip cookies hit the mass market.

  1969: The Cookie Monster (at this point unnamed) makes his debut on Sesame Street.

  1977: The first Mrs. Fields cookies-only store opens in California. Shortly thereafter, a large number of franchise cookie–specific shops start opening in cities around the country.

  1984: The original Toll House building burns down; the photo caption accompanying a New York Times article describing the fire that destroyed Ruth Wakefield’s kitchen reads, “Wreckage of Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Mass. It was where the chocolate chip cookie was invented.”

  1997: The chocolate chip cookie is declared the official state cookie of Massachusetts, after losing the battle for official state dessert (that honor is assigned to Boston cream pie)

  Also this year, Neiman Marcus puts an end to an urban myth about their shop charging a customer $250 for their chocolate chip cookie recipe (see Urban Legend Cookie).

  2013 AND BEYOND: People all over the world—especially Americans— continue their obsession with the chocolate chip cookie. It is the most popular cookie in America.

  Chocolate Chip Cookies

  WHAT FOLLOWS IS A RECIPE THAT’S FAIRLY LOYAL to the original Toll House– style cookie. For a real taste of the past, be sure to use chocolate cut into small chunks rather than chocolate chips—that’s the way it would have been when they were invented!

  Makes 3 dozen cookies

  2⅓ cups all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 cup (2 sticks)
unsalted butter, softened

  ½ cup granulated sugar

  1 cup packed light brown sugar

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  2 large eggs

  16 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small chunks (about 2 cups)

  1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts or pecans

  1. Position 2 racks in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

  3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

  4. Add the flour mixture in 2 to 3 additions and continue mixing, just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and nuts by hand.

  5. Using rounded tablespoons, place the dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving 1½ inches on all sides to allow for spreading. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown at the edges and set in the middle. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

  6. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 7 days.