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The Food Guys for November 18, 2007
11:10 AM - 11:17 AM
Today's Highlight: The Original Kentucky Whiskey Cake
Adapted from “Maida Heatter’s New Book of Great Desserts” (Knopf, 1982).
1. One day to 1 week before baking, soak 1 1/2 pounds raisins--half dark, half golden--in 1 cup bourbon whiskey in a large zip-top bag.
2. To bake, put an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a two-piece angel food cake pan. Line the bottom with a ring of waxed paper or cooking parchment cut to fit, and butter the paper. Dust all over--side, bottom, and tube--with fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs. Tape out excess crumbs.
3. Sift together 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Beat 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature until smooth and creamy. Add 1 whole grated nutmeg (2 teaspoons) and 1 3/4 cups sugar. Beat 5 minutes on medium speed until very creamy. Stop to scrape the bowl and beater as necessary. Add 6 egg yolks all at once and beat 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and beat only until incorporated. Mix in half the raisins + any unabsorbed bourbon. Mix in half the remaining dry ingredients, the rest of the raisins, and then the last of the dry ingredients. Remove from the mixer and stir in 1 pound pecan halves or large pieces.
5. Beat 6 egg whites with 1/4 teaspoon salt until they hold a soft shape. While beating on medium speed, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites hold a definite shape but are not stiff or dry. Stir 1/4 of the whites into the batter and gently fold in the rest in 2 or 3 additions.
6. Spoon the stiff batter into the prepared pan, packing it down to remove air pockets. Bake 2 1/2 hours or until a wooden skewer comes out clean and dry. If top of cake darkens too much during baking, cover loosely with foil.
7. Cool cake in pan 30 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack, 3 to 4 hours. Wrap airtight and refrigerate a few days before serving. Cut with serrated knife into thin slices and serve cold.
Copyright©2007 by Greg Patent.
From favorite seasonal recipes, to the roots of our food traditions, to the politics of food, Jon and Greg illuminate the wonderful world of food each Sunday, in this 10 minute program produced by Montana Public Radio.
Greg Patent won the Pillsbury bakeoff when he was 19 years old. His cookbook, "Baking in America," won the 2003 James Beard Award for best baking book of the year. Jon Jackson is a mystery writer and jazz music expert with a passion for great food. The Food Guys have also been featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
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