I know Andrew is good, I mean really good. But his baking skills really hit an all-time personal best with the making of this sinfully rich, fudgy, bittersweet cake. As Melissa Clark, who co-wrote “The Perfect Finish” (W.W. Norton and Co. (2010) the cookbook it came from wrote, “If this is not the ultimate birthday cake, I can’t imagine what is.” Its inventor is a pastry chef named Bill Yosses. While his may not be a household name, in one household, he was the king of all pastries. That household was the White House, where he presided as Pastry Chef for both the Bush Family and the Obamas. Chef Yosses trained in France and then was scooped up by Daniel Boulud and later, Thomas Keller. From there he went on to work at Bouley Restaurant and Bakery. Chef Yosses left the White House in June, a departure he says was “all Michelle Obama’s fault.” The First Lady, it seems, piqued his interest in the relationship between food and health. “Mrs. Obama’s quest to improve the way children eat was done “ with humor and good will, without preaching, just the way you would hope the ‘Mom-in-chief’ would do,” he said. Yosses said Mrs. Obama is “definitely an inspiring boss, a combination of spontaneity and seriousness.” She inspired the Chef to such an extent that he’s headed back to New York to educate children about nutrition. But I am sure he’ll be forever remembered there for his Red Eye Devil’s Food Cake alone. Why “Red Eye”, you may wonder ?
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| Pastry Chef Bill Yosses |
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| The Bridgehampton Florist’s Incomparable Birthday Party Decorations in our Garden above and at left. |
Chef Yosses updated the American Classic Devil’s Food Cake with a double shot of expresso. He took the name “Red Eye” from Expresso Coffee Bars. Now coffee in a chocolate cake isn’t new. But in this case, the cake itself has slightly bitter edge. Then, the coffee-enhanced cocoa layers are separated by layers of a glorious bittersweet chocolate ganache. This is no half-hour-in-the-kitchen cake. I reckon a half hour alone was spent curling the block of bittersweet chocolate that decorates the top and sides of this 6 layer cake. This is truly a labor of love. In this case, we were celebrating the birthday of a dear friend named Huey, whom we adore, and whose birthday was cause for a great celebration. I shared the “Best Ever Ribs” recipe that we served at the same party last week. I also want to share the spectacular décor that Jim and Michael of The Bridgehampton Florist (631-537-7766) put together in the garden. I cannot tell you how happy Huey was with the party. And it was truly beautiful as you can see. And here’s the recipe:
Recipe for Red Eye Devil’s Food Cake from Bill Yosses.
This is listed as taking 50 mins to prepare with a total of 2 hrs. 30 minutes for the whole process. (I think that’s on the low side…). As does the “Serves 10”…very big cake fans.
For the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake:
3 cups (12.75 ounces, 363 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2.45 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) salt
1 cup (3.2 ounces, 92 grams) Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups (16 ounces, 460 grams) strong brewed coffee
1/2 pound (8 ounces, 227 grams) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans
3 cups (21 ounces, 600 grams) granulated sugar
4 large (6.8 ounces, 193 grams) eggs, at room temperature
For the ganache :
14 ounces (397 grams) coarsely chopped extra-bitter chocolate (minimum 70 percent cacao content)
3 cups (24.36 ounces, 696 grams) heavy cream
For decorating and serving
About 1/2 pound block bittersweet chocolate for chocolate curls for decorating, optional
Ice cream for serving, optional
First, make the devil’s food chocolate cake
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Butter two 9-inch round cake pans with unsalted butter. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or waxed paper rounds and butter the rounds.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Set aside.
3. Place the cocoa in a small bowl and whisk in the coffee, a little at a time, until smooth.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until fluffy, then beat in the sugar. Mix on high speed until very light and fluffy, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Add the cocoa-coffee mixture and beat to incorporate. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake on the center rack, turning the pans from back to front during the baking, until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out completely clean, about 45 minutes.
7. Let the cakes cool in the pans on racks for about 30 minutes. Slide a thin knife or offset spatula around the sides of the pans and turn them over to unmold the cakes onto the racks. Carefully peel the parchment or waxed paper rounds from the bottoms of the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely, at least 30 to 40 minutes more. Cover and refrigerate the layers. This will make the cake less crumbly and easier to slice when cutting the layers. While the cake is baking:
8. Use a vegetable peeler to create the chocolate curls that will decorate the cake.
Now make the ganache:
8. While the cakes cool, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
9. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes. Whisk until the cream and chocolate are thoroughly combined and smooth and slightly cooled. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Once the ganache is chilled, whisk just until fluffy.
Next, assemble the cake
10. Using a long, serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally into 3 thin layers. To do this, place 1 hand flat on top of a cake. Slice into the cake about 1/2 inch from its top and use a sawing motion to slowly move the knife into the cake about 1 inch. Then, still slicing back and forth, turn the cake (counterclockwise if you are right-handed, clockwise if you are left-handed) on the table, going
around the circumference of the cake but not cutting into its center. After the first full outer circle is complete, hold the knife level, dig into the cake another inch, and turn the cake again in the same direction. Repeat until you have sliced all the way through the cake. Carefully remove this top layer and repeat to obtain 3 layers from each of the 2 cakes.
11. Place 1 of the bottom cake layers on a serving platter and spread a thin layer of ganache over the top. Repeat with the rest of the layers. Use some of the remaining ganache to apply a very thin coat on the sides of the cake, giving it a “crumb coat” that seals in the crumbs and prevents them from appearing on the outside of the finished cake. Refrigerate the cake with its crumb coat for an hour, then slather the cake with the remaining ganache.
12. Finish by sprinkling the chocolate curls on the top of the cake and gently pressing them against the sides. Voila. ( I could not resist posting yet another shot of this incredible cake!)
The faint grey type on your site and recipes is utterly unreadable.
Hi Amy, Can I ask what device you are using to see the site? That would be a help in fixing the problem. Thanks so much for taking the time to write. Monte