Minute cake, we meet again.
After my failed attempt at making "The Picayune Creole Cook Book's" minute cake, or tot fait, I thought it was only right to do it justice and try again. Many readers sent in advice, including explaining what a quick oven is.
For those wondering, a quick oven is 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Other oven terms include:
The ingredients for the minute cake (tout fait) recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
- Very slow oven = 275 degrees Fahrenheit
- Slow oven = 325 degrees Fahrenheit
- Moderate oven = 375 degrees Fahrenheit
- Hot or quick oven = 425 degrees Fahrenheit
- Bread or pastry oven = 360 degrees Fahrenheit
"Re: the minute cake, I think my first internal warning bell would have sounded when I read the list of ingredients," Sharon Nossiter wrote. "Six eggs and three tablespoons of flour? That's crazy. You can't make a cake with three tablespoons of flour."
I concur.
Nossiter owns the 1987 edition of the 鈥淧icayune Creole Cook Book,鈥 which was revised by Marcelle Bienvenu. She explained that Bienvenu updated many recipes and put them in a modern format. In the cake chapter, Bienvenu wrote, "After testing, only a few of these recipes were found to be workable."
The minute cake reminded me of a breakup where one person says, "It's not you, it's me.鈥 Usually, the phrase is an excuse to ease the dumpee's feelings. I鈥檒l take it in this case.
Lauren Cheramie separates egg yoke and white in bowls for the minute cake (tout fait) recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
Other readers shared their own baking anxiety with me. Ellen Erwin, 72, wrote that she also has a fear of separating eggs.
"And I have a fear of kneading dough 鈥 have I kneaded too much? Not enough? Cooking seafood 鈥 is it overcooked? Undercooked?" she wrote.
She added that, perhaps, an 8-by-8-inch square pan would keep the minute cake from overflowing. Many others recommend the same thing, so I kept that in mind.
It was heartwarming to receive so many emails with advice on the minute cake and with baking in general. I took everything in stride for round two, starting with the 8-by-8-inch square pan and remembering to beat the egg whites.
Strawberries were cut up and blended for a mixture that created a topping for the minute cake (tout fait) recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
I researched other tot fait recipes and found one from the聽聽that called for "four eggs, 200 grams of sugar, 150 grams of flour, 25 centiliters of milk, two pinches of salt and butter." Right off, I felt better about this one. I compared Elle's recipe聽聽and decided to add vanilla extract as well.
Since April is prime time for strawberries in Louisiana, I decided to make strawberry sherbet, another recipe in聽"The Picayune Creole Cook Book"聽to go with the minute cake.
"Sherbets are among the most pleasant of the Creole summer desserts,鈥 the cookbook reads. 鈥淭hey are also extensively served of a hot summer evening in Creole families and are grateful and refreshing offerings, both for the family and guests, who may drop in for a social half hour.鈥
Charming. How could I resist?
Lauren Cheramie blends a strawberry mixture that created a topping for the minute cake (tout fait) recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
The strawberry sherbet recipe is simple, calling for 鈥1 1/2 pints of strawberry juice or pulp, 1 1/2 pints of picked red strawberries, 1 pound of sugar, 3 drops of cochineal and the juice of 1/2 lemon.鈥
After a quick Google search, I decided that I wouldn鈥檛 be using (nor didn鈥檛 think I could find) cochineal, which is a red dye that is extracted from insects.
Directions for the sherbet read, 鈥淪tem the strawberries and add the sugar and lemon, and stand aside in their juice for an hour and a half. Then strain through a fine sieve, and add the reserved juice.鈥
While I can appreciate the tenacity of straining strawberries, I figured that those who were alive 100 years ago would be satisfied with the modern invention today: a food processor. After blending the strawberry mixture, I got a little creative, as I don鈥檛 have an ice cream maker. About every 30 minutes, I stirred and smashed the sorbet with a fork to smooth and level it.
Lauren Cheramie adds whipped egg whites and whipped egg yolks in a bowl for the minute cake (tout fait) recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
As the sherbet sat in the freezer, I moved on to the minute cake 鈥斅燼lso known as the boyfriend who's trying to let me down easily. Nevertheless, we persist, right? I separated the eggs, beat the egg whites and the yolk (separately) and combined the ingredients.
I poured it into the pan and crossed my fingers as I put the cake into the oven (at 425 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes to start. Things were looking up. Until they weren鈥檛.
The cake was golden at the top. A good sign. But as I took it out of the oven and cut it, it was almost separated into a top, cooked layer and a bottom, uncooked layer. The minute cake was better this time, but not perfect. While I don鈥檛 expect perfection, I鈥檓 still up for trying it again.
Strawberry topping is added to a piece of minute cake made from the recipe found in 鈥淭he Picayune Creole Cookbook鈥 on Monday, April 15, 2024 in 香港六和开奖历史记录, Louisiana.
On a tastier note, before the strawberry sherbet was completely frozen, I used the goopy mixture to top the minute cake, almost like a fruit compote, which was delightful.
When the sherbet was complete, it was sweet, but the lemon juice balanced the flavors. Though, if I were to make it again, I would add less sugar.
I enjoyed the strawberry sherbet on the most perfect April day. I could picture people back then enjoying the dish with friends, under an umbrella, while children ran in the yard and stopped every so often for a spoonful of the cold, sweet treat.
Strawberry Sherbet (Sorbet aux Fraises)
Strawberry Sherbet (Sorbet aux Fraises)聽
By The Picayune Creole Cook Book
1 1/2 pints of strawberry juice or pulp
1 1/2 pints of picked red strawberries
1 pound of sugar
3 drops of cochineal
The juice of 1/2 lemon聽
Stem the strawberries and add the sugar and lemon, and stand aside in their juice for an hour and a half. Then strain through a fine sieve, and add the reserved juice. Turn into the freezer, and proceed to freeze according to directions given under the heading "Ice Cream." Strawberry sherbet is also made by adding one tablespoonful of Strawberry Extract to the sugar and water, when the fruit is not available.聽
How to Freeze the Cream聽
By The Picayune Creole Cook Book
Before putting the mixture into the freezer, see that the dasher is right side up and that everything is in proper condition and adjustment. Have the ice pounded, and a sufficient quantity of rock salt. Put a three-and-a-half-inch layer of ice into the bottom of the freezer, and then a layer of salt, fully an inch and a half deep. Then put in the mixture, and continue to fill around it with alternate layers of ice and salt till the freezer is full. Then turn the crank slowly until it is somewhat difficult to turn it. Let off the water that has accumulated, and refill with ice, and then cover with a thick piece of bagging or carpet. Then let it stand aside in a cool place to ripen, till you are ready to serve.
T么t Fait聽
By Elle聽脿 Table, Elle Magazine聽
4 eggs聽
200 grams of sugar聽
150 grams of flour聽
25 centiliters of milk
2 pinches of salt
Butter
1. Separate the egg yolks from the whites.聽
2. Whisk the yolks and sugar until the mixture whitens, add the milk, stirring with a whisk, the flour, salt and the beaten egg whites.聽
3. Pour the dough into a buttered springform pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes in the oven on 356 degrees Fahrenheit.聽
Note: For a very creamy texture, you can replace half of the milk with liquid cream and flavor the dough with 2 tablespoons of rum or the seeds of a vanilla pod.聽
