Bon Appetit Desserts (12 page)

Decorative piping gives desserts a beautiful bakery-window look—but it’s easier than you’d think. If piping
whipped cream
, use a large pastry bag fitted with a medium or large star tip. For
frostings
and
buttercream
, use desired piping tip and a medium-size pastry bag. (See page 23 for more information on pastry bags.)

1. Insert the tip into the small end of the bag. Place the bag, tip side down, in a tumbler or a large measuring cup for support (this way, both of your hands are free to fill the bag). Fold the top of the bag over the rim of the tumbler like a cuff so that it stays clean while you fill it with cream or frosting.
   

2. Using a large silicone spatula, scoop the whipped cream or frosting into the bag [1]. After the bag is filled, uncuff it from over the tumbler, grab it by the top edge, and shake it gently to release any air pockets and settle the contents.
   

   

3. Twist the top of the bag just above the point where it’s filled. Hold the twist firmly and squeeze to push out a bit of frosting.
   

4. Holding the twisted end of the bag closed with one hand, use the other hand to direct the piping tip while applying gentle pressure with the hand at the twisted end [2]. Practice on a clean plate before piping onto the dessert.
   

   

1. Place the vanilla bean on a cutting board.
   

2. Using a small, sharp knife, slice the pod in half lengthwise, from the stem end to the opposite end [1].
   

   

3. Grasp one end of half of the pod and, using the same knife, scrape down the length of the split pod to remove the tiny, moist seeds [2].
   

   

4. Repeat with the remaining half of the vanilla bean.
   

Don’t let those leftover vanilla beans go to waste. After you scrape out the seeds, turn the leftover pods into
vanilla sugar
—it’s great in baked goods or stirred into your morning cup of coffee or tea.

1. First, dry the pods well, then chop them coarsely.
   

2. Blend 3 cups sugar with the pods in a food processor until the pods are finely ground.
   

3. Store the vanilla sugar in a covered container at room temperature for at least 2 days and up to a year.
   

4. Strain the vanilla sugar through a fine strainer before using.
   

Classic Pound Cake

Deep Chocolate Pound Cake

Hot Fudge-Banana Pound Cake

Cornmeal Pound Cake with Rosemary Syrup, Poached Pears, and Candied Rosemary

Kumquat-Cardamom Tea Bread

Vanilla Chiffon Cake

Angel Food Cake with Strawberry-Blueberry Sauce

Orange- and Vanilla-Scented Bundt Cake

Apple-Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

Maple-Walnut Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

Coconut Bundt Cake with Powdered Sugar Glaze

Raspberry-Yogurt Cake

Almond Butter Crown

Chocolate-Apricot Kugelhopf

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Spiced Crumble Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Sour Cream-Orange Coffee Cake with Chocolate-Pecan Streusel

Poppy Seed Coffee Cake with Cardamom Streusel

Raisin Streusel Cake

Cherry-Vanilla Tea Cake with Vanilla Sugar

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

Chocolate-Pecan Coffee Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Carrot Cake with Buttermilk Glaze and Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Parsnip Spice Cake with Ginger-Cream Cheese Frosting

Glazed Lime Cake

Double-Ginger Gingerbread with Orange-Ginger Sauce

Cranberry-Maple Pudding Cake

Apple-Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

Caramel-Walnut Upside-Down Banana Cake

Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Pumpkin Gingerbread

Upside-Down Spiced Peach Cake with Honey-Sweetened Whipped Cream

Brown Sugar-Almond Cake with Caramel Frosting

Walnut-Orange Cake

Cinnamon-Sugar Plum Cake

Raspberry Cake with Marsala, Crème Fraîche, and Raspberries

Tarte au Sucre

Chocolate Decadence

Chocolate-Pistachio Torte with Warm Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Gâteau with Lemon, Raisins, Almonds, and Muscat Custard Sauce

Semisweet Chocolate Layer Cake with Vanilla Cream Filling

Black Bottom Devil’s Food Cake

Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate-Orange Buttercream Frosting

Chocolate Stout Cake

Cappuccino-Chocolate Layer Cake

Chocolate Cake with Fleur de Sel-Caramel Filling

Chocolate Cake with Caramel-Coconut-Almond Filling

Black Pearl Layer Cake

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake with Cream Cheese and Butterfinger Frosting

Coconut-Chocolate Marjolaine

Pecan Praline Cake

Raspberry-Whipped Cream Truffle Cake

Sour Cream Layer Cake with Pecan Brittle

Tres Leches Cake

Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Cream and Sea Salt-Roasted Pecans

Triple-Ginger Layer Cake

Ginger-Lime Coconut Cake with Marshmallow Frosting

Gingerbread Layer Cake with Candied Kumquats

Apple Cake with Maple-Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

Cranberry-Glazed Orange Layer Cake

Coffee, Hazelnut, and Raspberry Torte

Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Honeyed Kumquats

Apricot-Pistachio Torte with Honey Buttercream

Lemon and Pistachio Praline Meringue Torte

Maple Crunch Layer Cake

Marzipan-Topped Strawberry Layer Cake

Red Velvet Cake with Raspberries and Blueberries

Chocolate Panna Cotta Layer Cake

Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream