Two recipes woven together on theme—the same motive, if looked at closely. Mouth is the jury, mind is the judge, I write with a hand that commits constant execution. Taste becomes a sentence, and often goes questioned without a mark. In that light, every delicious thing takes on a tone of supplication—earnest, and pleading. I can confess later, but later it will be gone.
O happy living things! no tongue
Their beauty might declare:
A spring of love gushed from my heart,
And I blessed them unaware:
Sure my kind saint took pity on me,
And I blessed them unaware.
The self-same moment I could pray;
And from my neck so free
The Albatross fell off, and sank
Like lead into the sea.
– Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
BLACKOUT FOREST CAKE
A hybrid, of sorts. This interlaced cake contains all the best from that which I remember, and love—Black Forest and Brooklyn Blackout. It’s rich, but not sweet, and I never slice it too thick or take it too high. You can interrupt the intensity with fresh cherries, if in season, or preserved, if desired. I let the Kirsch do all my heavy lifting.
For the sponge
7 large (140 g) egg yolks, 2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar (sifted and divided), 9 large (360 g) egg whites, 1 cup (85 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder, ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch, 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
For the soak
1/3 cup (80 ml) Kirsch
For the buttercream
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, 6 large (120 g) egg yolks, 1 ½ cups + 1 teaspoon (350 g) unsalted butter (soft at room temperature), 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder mixed with 3 tablespoons of hot water (into a paste)
For the ganache
1 2/3 cup (280 g) dark chocolate (finely chopped), 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven, then pre-heat it to 200ºC (400ºF). Grease an 18 x 13 x 1 ¼-inch (45 x 33 x 3-cm) rimmed half sheet pan, and then line it with non-stick parchment paper, leaving a slight collar up the long sides. Lightly grease the paper, too.
In the bowl of a stand mixer that’s fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the yolks with 1 cup (120 g) of confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until pale, thick, and voluminous, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside. Next, in a separate bowl, whisk the whites on medium speed until soft and foamy. Add in the remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s all used up. Continue to whisk until the meringue holds in glossy-thick peaks. Fold a third into the bowl with the yolks, followed by another third until almost combined, and then the last. Sift over the cocoa, cornstarch, coffee, and salt. Fold, tenderly, until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out to the edges with an offset palette knife.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed, and has started to pull away at the sides. Transfer to a wire rack, and leave to cool completely. Once cool, cut out three rounds using a 5-inch (15-cm) stainless steel cake ring as a guide. Gather the sponge scraps, reserving them aside in a bowl. Soak each round generously with Kirsch. Wrap tight.
Next, pre-heat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Line a large baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper. Crumble over the sponge scraps, scattering them into an even layer. Bake until dry, but not darkened to a crisp, 5 to 7 more minutes. Remove and cool, then blitz to a textured crumb in a food processor. Seal in an airtight container, and set aside for assembly.
For the buttercream, put the sugar and water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally to help dissolve the granules. Continue to cook until the syrup reaches 250ºF (121ºC). Meanwhile, start whisking the yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer that’s set on medium-high speed. As soon as the syrup has reached temperature, stream it into the yolks between the whisk and side of the bowl. Raise the speed to high. Continue to whisk until thick and glossy, like velvet. All of the steam should have escaped, and the bowl no longer hot to the touch. Switch out the whisk for the paddle attachment. Beat in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, waiting until fully blended before adding in the next spoonful. Beat in the coffee paste. Continue to beat the buttercream for a few more minutes, until silky-smooth. Use soon after making.
To assemble, position a sponge round onto a plate, or preferably, a cake board. Spread over a few tablespoons of buttercream, smoothing it out with an offset palette knife. Add the second sponge. Again, spread with buttercream, then top with the last sponge, using light pressure to adhere. Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream, to smooth, patch, and fill. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill for half an hour or so, until firmed. Meanwhile, make the ganache.
Put the chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl, and pour the cream into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then stream the liquid all over the chocolate. Stand for a minute to acclimatize, then stir until smooth. The ganache can’t be applied to the cake hot, so cool it on the kitchen counter, stirring occasionally, until thick but pourable—usually the time it takes for the buttercream to firm in the refrigerator.
To glaze, transfer the cake to a wire rack that’s set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the ganache over the top, and in one swift movement, slick it out with a large palette knife so that it drips down to coat the sides. Fill any gaps with residual ganache. Stand until adhered, then gently pat on the crumbs to cover. It’ll be messy and sticky, but delicious—all part of it. Chill again until set.
Serve the cake, slices cut with a warm knife. It’s best eaten on the day of making, but will keep loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
POACHED PEAR TART
A frangipane foundation, this tart relies on tender pears to cut through the tension. I poach them lightly in an aromatic broth that’s made with white wine. There’ll be half a bottle left after this recipe—so choose what you use well, and drink the rest. I like an aged Riesling.
For the pears
1 ½ cups (360 ml) off-dry white wine, 1 ½ cups (350 g) golden caster or granulated sugar, 2 bay leaves, 1 vanilla bean (split), juice from ½ a lemon and a thick strip of rind, 4 large pears (such as Bosc or Comice)
For the pastry
1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup (80 g) confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon (35 g) ground hazelnuts, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (90 g) unsalted butter (cold and cut into ½-inch (1.3-cm) cubes), 2 large (40 g) egg yolks
For the streusel
1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon (45 g) all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, 1 tablespoon ground hazelnuts, a pinch of nutmeg and salt, 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, a small handful of hazelnuts (roughly chopped)
For the frangipane
½ cup + 2 teaspoons (125 g) unsalted butter (soft at room temperature), ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (125 g) caster sugar, 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (100 g) ground almonds, 2/3 cup (65 g) ground hazelnuts, 2 large eggs (lightly whisked together), ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon (35 g) all-purpose flour (sifted)
First, poach the pears. Pour the wine into a large stockpot, along with 4 cups (960 ml) of water. Add in the golden caster or granulated sugar, followed by the bay, vanilla seeds, pod, lemon juice, and its rind. Give it a gentle stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the granules. Meanwhile, core, halve, then quarter the pears—you can leave the skin on for tannic taint, or strip it, depending. Submerge in the simmering liquid, then sheath with a cartouche. Poach, slow and steady, until the fruit is just tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and into a bowl. Leave to cool. (The leftover liquid can then be further reduced down by over a half until syrupy-like, which is wonderful spooned over ice cream or used in drinks, or discarded, time permitting.)
Next, make the pastry. Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar, ground hazelnuts, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add in the butter, and toss to coat. With a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a combination of both, begin to blend the cubes into the dry ingredients until a meal has formed—every bit of flour should be whet by butter. Add in the yolks, and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. At this point, the dough should clump, and then pull together. Gather it into a ball, and pat to form a disc. Wrap, and chill for an hour.
Meanwhile, make the streusel. Put the flour, sugar, ground hazelnuts, nutmeg, and salt into a small bowl. Add in the butter, and with your fingertips, rub it in until uniformly moist clumps have formed. Stir through the chopped hazelnuts. Keep in the refrigerator until needed.
Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven, then pre-heat it to 350ºF (180ºC). Position a 10-inch (25.5-cm) tart tin with a removeable base onto a lined baking sheet.
For the frangipane, in the bowl of a stand mixer that’s fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pause to scrape down the bowl, then tip in the almonds and hazelnuts. Beat until combined, then raise the speed slightly. Stream in the eggs, a little at a time, beating until well incorporated, then beat in the vanilla, and flour. Continue to beat until an aerated frangipane cream has formed. Set aside.
Unwrap the dough onto a floured work surface, and dust the top. With a wooden pin, roll it into an even circle that’s about 1/8-inch (.3-cm) thick. Transfer and fit—it’s a tender dough, so some patch work might be needed. Trim off the excess overhang to neaten. Smooth over the frangipane, then arrange with enough pears. You won’t need to use all of them, and the segments can be sliced smaller if the original seems too large. Scatter with streusel, as light or heavy as desired.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely before removing from the tin. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, before serving. This tart will keep covered on the kitchen counter for 2 to 3 days.
