Burnt Sugar Chiffon Cake Food

BURNT-SUGAR CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• In a small heavy skillet, heat sugar until golden brown. Gradually add water; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Position oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 325°., In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla and 6 tablespoons reserved syrup. Add to dry ingredients; beat until well blended. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; fold into batter., Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack 45-50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour., Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate., For frosting, in a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour and salt until smooth; gradually add remaining syrup mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Transfer to a small bowl; beat in the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla. Cool to room temperature., In a large bowl, beat remaining butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar mixture. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.

BURNT SUGAR CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F
• Place 1 c sugar in a deep, dry, non-stick pan. Heat slowly until it melts and turns medium-brown. Add the boiling water (stand back in case it boils up) and stir until smooth. Let cool to warm room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 1 1/2 c sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add caramel, oil, egg yolks, cold water and vanilla. Beat with wooden spoon until smooth.
• In a very clean dry bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until very stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into an ungreased 9" or 10" tube pan.
• Bake in preheated oven 65-70 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then remove to a rack until completely cool. Serve with caramel sauce on the side, if desired.

BURNT SUGAR CAKE AND FROSTING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt 3/4 cup sugar in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns into a rich amber color.
• Turn off heat, and very carefully add the boiling water. The mixture will spatter at first.
• Return the syrup to low heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar and water are thoroughly mixed and smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Adjust rack to lower third of oven; preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch layer cake pans. Line pans with buttered parchment or waxed paper rounds.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; set aside.
• Cream butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well blended. To the 1/2 cup of burnt sugar syrup add enough water to make 1 cup; stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the burnt sugar syrup-water mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until well blended and smooth. Divide the batter between the 2 cake pans.
• Bake the cakes for about 25 minutes, or until the surface springs back slightly when lightly touched in the center with a finger. The cakes will contract slightly from the sides of the pans.
• Cool 10 minutes in the pan on wire racks, then invert the cakes onto the racks. Carefully peel off paper liners; turn baked side up, and cool completely before frosting.
• Fill and frost with Burnt Sugar Frosting (instructions below) and decorate with whole pecan halves .
• Gather the ingredients.
• Cream 1/4 cup unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Gradually beat the confectioners' sugar mixture into the butter with the remaining 1/4 cup Burnt Sugar Syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue beating until creamy and spreadable. If the mixture is stiff, add water, about 1 teaspoon at a time.

TAHINI CHIFFON CAKE WITH BURNT HONEY CREAM AND POACHED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Burnt honey
• Bring honey to a boil in a medium saucepan (slightly larger than you think you'll need because the honey will bubble up) over medium heat and cook until golden brown and toasty smelling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Carefully pour in cream (this will help stop the cooking). The honey will bubble and sputter, so be careful. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until homogenous. Let burnt honey mixture cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours. Do ahead: Burnt honey mixture can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• Poached rhubarb
• Bring cardamom (if using), sugar, and ¾ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
• If using cardamom, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 15 minutes to infuse. Set syrup back over medium-high heat and return to a boil.
• Add rhubarb and cook until mixture just starts to bubble again; remove from heat. Cover and let sit until rhubarb pieces are softened but still hold their shape, 70-80 minutes. Do ahead: Rhubarb can be poached 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.
• Cake and assembly
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat cake pan with nonstick spray or lightly oil. Line bottom with a parchment paper round and spray or oil round. Pour sesame seeds into pan and gently shake and tilt pan to coat bottom and sides, pat out any excess. Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
• Whisk egg yolks, tahini, 6 Tbsp. (75 g) sugar, and 3 Tbsp. room-temperature water in a small bowl to combine. Add dry ingredients and whisk well; set batter aside.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed just until foamy bubbles appear, about 15 seconds. With the motor running, sprinkle in remaining 2 Tbsp. (25 g) sugar a teaspoonful at a time, beating 15-20 seconds after each addition to incorporate before adding more. (Take the time to build a strong meringue and your cake will thank you for it.) Beat until meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, add one third of meringue to reserved batter and fold until just streaky, taking care not to deflate meringue. Repeat two more times, dividing remaining meringue in half and mixing the final addition until no streaks remain. Immediately scrape batter into prepared pan and lightly tap pan on counter to evenly distribute and even out size of bubbles.
• Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and top is puffed and bounces back when gently pressed, 30-35 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto a wire rack, peel away parchment round, and turn right side up. Let cool (the top will flatten as it cools). Invert cake onto a cake or other large plate so sesame crust is on top.
• Beat chilled burnt honey mixture and cream in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (a medium bowl and a whisk will also work) until medium firm peaks form. (You want that perfect dollop consistency, where it holds its shape on a plate but still has some slack.)
• To serve, slice cake into six wedges with a serrated knife, using a long, gentle sawing motion. This will help preserve the crumb of the cake and give you a clean wedge. Divide, cut side down, among plates and spoon a couple of heaping tablespoonfuls burnt honey cream alongside. Using a fork, lift 3-4 rhubarb pieces out of the syrup and arrange next to cake. Drizzle a little rhubarb syrup over the cake if desired. Do ahead: Cake can be baked 2 days ahead; keep tightly wrapped at room temperature. Burnt honey cream can be made 3 hours ahead; cover and chill. Beat again briefly before using if needed.

BURNT SUGAR CAKE (BETTY CROCKER: CIRCA 1956)

Steps:

• Syrup: To make syrup first caramelize the 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy skillet over low heat until clear and medium brown, shaking pan gently to keep from burning.
• Remove from heat.
• Add slowly, stirring constantly, 1/2 cup boiling water.
• Stir over low heat until lumps are dissolved.
• Measure and add water to make 1 cup liquid.
• Cool.
• Cake: Sift together into bowl, 2 1/4 cups sifted Softasilk flour, 1 cup sugar, 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Add 1/2 cup soft shortening and 2/3 cup cooled caramel-water mixture.
• Beat 2 minutes.
• Add remaining 1/3 cup cooled caramel-water mixture, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Beat 2 more minutes.
• Pour into greased and floured pans (2 8-inch pans, or 2 9-inch pans, or 1 9 X 13 oblong pan).
• Makes a small cake.
• Bake until cake tests done.
• Cool.
• Finish with Creamy Burnt Sugar Icing.
• Preheat 350°F (moderate oven) 8-inch layers 30-35 minutes 9-inch layers 25-30 minutes oblong 9 X 13 35-40 minutes.
• Creamy Burnt Sugar Icing: First make another caramel sugar-water mixture following directions in recipe above.
• Caramelize 1/2 cup sugar.
• Add 1/4 cup boiling water.
• DO NOT ADD any more water!
• Melt in saucepan 1/2 cup shortening (part butter).
• Remove from heat and add 2 1/2 tablespoons Softasilk flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Stir in slowly caramel-water mixture.
• Bring to boil stirring constantly.
• Boil 1 minute.
• If mixture curdles, do not be alarmed.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat in alternately, 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and about 3 tablespoons water.
• Set saucepan in bowl of cold water.
• Beat until consistency to spread.
• Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
• If it becomes too thick to spread, add a little water.