Cakes | Saveur

Tom Roach’s Heavenly Angel Food Cake

Tom Roach — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:30:12 +0000

The late, great American cookbook author Marion Cunningham famously carried with her a photograph of a table loaded with angel food cakes, all slightly different: some tall, some short, some white and fluffy, some in a Bundt shape. The photo was taken at a meeting of the Baker’s Dozen, a group of pro bakers including Alice Medrich and Carol Field who met regularly to exchange problems and solutions. Each of the cakes was baked by the members from the same recipe. “If all our results were this different,” Cunningham sympathized, “think of the plight of the poor home cook.” This recipe in question is this one, from “cookie baker for the stars,” Tom Roach, adapted with a bit of Cunningham’s gentle advice.

This recipe originally ran alongside Christopher Hirsheimer’s 1999 article, Baking Lessons.

Order the SAVEUR Selects Artisan Series Angel Food Cake Pan here.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1½ cup sifted cake flour
1½ cup superfine sugar
1½ cup egg whites (from 11–12 large eggs)
1½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. fine sea salt

Instructions

Sift and measure flour. Add a third of the sugar and sift together three times. (M.C. prefers 1¼ cups granulated sugar to 1½ cups superfine sugar, which she feels makes the cake too sweet. She sifts the flour by itself and adds sugar directly to the egg whites.)
Place into a large mixing bowl the egg whites, 2 tablespoons cold water, cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt—yes, all at once! Whip until barely stiff enough to hold a peak when the beater is lifted, but not dry. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 2–3 tablespoons at a time, whipping gently after each of the first few additions, then folding rather than beating towards the end. (M.C. sprinkles the sugar into the whites in four parts as she beats, until the whites are shiny and hold soft peaks.)
Add the sifted flour and sugar, 3–4 tablespoons at a time, and fold gently until smooth after each addition. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10 tube pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven about 1 hour. (M.C. sifts the flour into the egg whites as she’s folding it in.)
Invert the angel food cake and cool completely before removing from pan. (M.C.: Or invert the pan on a bottle until cake cools.)

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Tartine’s Teff Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Elizabeth Preuitt — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 14:35:56 +0000

Photography by CHRISTOPHER TESTANI; FOOD STYLING: EUGENE IHO

As soon as we decided to put a birthday cake on our cover, I knew just where it should come from: Tartine, the San Francisco bakery behind what Alice Waters described as “the platonic ideal of a birthday cake.” Waters wrote that in her forward to the 2006 book Tartine, in which the bakery’s founders, Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson shared recipes for some of their most beloved treats. In 2019, a rebooted version of the book included 68 new recipes. My favorite addition? The gorgeous carrot cake gracing the cover of SAVEUR’s 25th anniversary issue. When I called, Prueitt actually flew to New York to bake the thing in our test kitchen. Thanks, Liz, for making our 25th birthday such a special one.

For this rich and textured carrot cake recipe, Prueitt uses dark and nutty teff flour as its primary starch, which happens to make it gluten-free. —Kat Craddock

Featured in: Bake Our 25th Anniversary Cake

Yield: 12–16

Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, for greasing
1¾ cups raisins
1 cup sugar
1 cup coconut sugar or ¾ cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 lb. peeled, grated carrots (3½ cups)
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup olive oil
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (5¼ oz.) teff flour
⅔ cup (2½ oz.) potato starch
½ cup (2½ oz.) rice flour
2½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1½ cups (7 oz.) toasted walnuts
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 cup (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
6 Tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups (13 oz.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven (with its rack positioned in the center) to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water, soak to plump for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, use medium speed to whip the sugar, coconut sugar or brown sugar, and eggs until thickened and light in color, about 4 minutes. (When you lift up the whisk, the mixture should fall back into the bowl in ribbons.) Add the carrots, milk, olive oil, and orange zest, and mix well to combine.
In a separate bowl, stir together the teff flour, potato starch, rice flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and, using a rubber spatula, fold just until combined, then fold in the reserved raisins, walnuts, and shredded coconut. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, then transfer them to the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the centers comes out clean, rotating the pans 180° halfway through cooking, 35–40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before unmolding. To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, and then invert the cake onto the wire rack and turn rightside up. Let cool completely, then transfer the cakes to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy and light, 3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and salt and mix until smooth. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Soften to room temperature before using.)
To finish the cake, spread half of the icing on top of one of the cake layers, cover with the second layer, and smooth the remainder of the icing over the top and sides (or leave the sides bare). Cut the carrot cake into wedges and serve at room temperature or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

The post Tartine’s Teff Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting appeared first on Saveur.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Goat Cheese Frosting

Leah Koenig — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:45:13 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID MALOSH; FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES; PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

Softened goat cheese adds delightful tang to these bittersweet chocolate cupcakes from cookbook author Leah Koenig. Vanilla bean gives the frosting a pretty, faintly speckled look. If you prefer a pure-white topping, good quality vanilla extract is a fine substitute.

Yield: Makes 12 Cupcakes

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. fine sea salt
½ cup strong coffee
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup whole milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg

For the frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 oz. goat cheese, softened
1½ cups confectioners sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped (pod reserved for another use)

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the coffee, oil, and milk and whisk until combined, then whisk in the vanilla and eggs to create a thick batter.
Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (each should be about two-thirds full). Bake, rotating halfway through cooking, until the cupcake tops are golden and just firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20–22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours, then unmold the cupcakes.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add ¾ cup of the confectioners sugar, beat to incorporate, then add the vanilla seeds and the remaining confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until thick and creamy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost.
To serve, use a spoon to evenly spread the chocolate cupcakes with the frosting, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. Frosted cupcakes keep well for up to 3 days in the fridge.

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English Sticky Toffee Pudding

Rose Levy Beranbaum — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:49:01 +0000

Photography by Eilon Paz

In this version of the classic English dessert, adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Rose’s Heavenly Cakes, dates are soaked in stout beer and then puréed, resulting in a super-moist crumb. This recipe first appeared in our December 2014 issue in the story England’s Sticky Toffee Pudding Trail. To pull out all the stops, serve it in a pool of vanilla-thyme crème anglaise.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the pudding:

1 cup stout beer, preferably Guinness Extra Stout
1 tsp. baking soda
10 large pitted Medjool dates
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For the toffee sauce:

1 cup packed light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar
16 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and pod reserved
½ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Make the pudding: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside. In a small pot, bring the beer to a boil, then stir in the baking soda and dates and set aside. When warm to the touch, transfer to a food processor and purée.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a silicone spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients alternating with the reserved date mixture. You should have a smooth batter.
Scrape into the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
Make the toffee sauce: In a pot set over medium heat, bring the sugar, butter, and vanilla seeds and pod to a simmer. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, lemon juice, and salt, then strain and set aside to cool until warm to the touch.
To serve, cut the pudding into squares and drizzle with the sauce.

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Molten Chocolate Cake

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:44:48 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

Dense and fudgy along the edges and liquified in the center, this molten chocolate cake recipe resists overbaking due to a cleverly placed ganache truffle. This dessert is intended to be served straight out of the oven; feel free to prepare the ganache and batter up to 24 hours ahead of time so that it’s easy to fire off the cakes “à la minute.”

This recipe is adapted from a version inspired by the Jean-Georges Vongerichten dessert, which originally ran in the 2011 SAVEUR 100.

Featured in “You Don’t Have to Apologize For Loving This 90’s Dessert .”

Yield: 6

Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the chocolate truffles:

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. dark rum
3 Tbsp. heavy cream

For the cakes:

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
¼ cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch fine salt
3 large eggs
Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Make the chocolate truffles: To a small heatproof bowl, add the semisweet chocolate and rum; set aside.
To a small pot over medium heat, add the cream and cook just until it reaches a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat, then immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and rum. Set aside for 1 minute, then, using a silicone spatula, slowly stir until completely melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until firm and chilled, about 1 hour.
Line a large plate with parchment paper. Scoop the chilled chocolate mixture into six equal portions, then roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls on the lined plate and return to the refrigerator; chill until ready to bake the cakes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Grease the bottom and sides of six 6-ounce ramekins with butter and lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Arrange the ramekins about 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet.
Make the cakes: To a small pot, add the butter and bittersweet chocolate, set over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just melted and combined, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar, vanilla, salt, and eggs on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 3–4 minutes. Beat in the melted butter-chocolate mixture until just combined, then add the flour and continue beating until completely smooth.
Divide half the batter among the prepared ramekins. Place a chilled chocolate ball in the center of each ramekin. Cover each chocolate ball with the remaining batter; use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the surface of each cake. Bake until the cakes are fragrant and just barely set, about 15 minutes (a cake tester inserted into the center will not come out clean). Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to cool slightly, 2–3 minutes, before unmolding.
Run a paring knife around the edge of each ramekin and invert onto small dessert plates. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

The post Molten Chocolate Cake appeared first on Saveur.

Pear Cake with Honey and Spelt

Georgia Goggi — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:02 +0000

Photography by Eva Kolenko

“Between chocolate and fruit desserts, I always choose fruit,” says Georgia Goggi, the cook at Puglia’s Masseria Moroseta. She makes this simple pear cake recipe from memory. “I brush it with honey and lemon glaze to keep the top moist and shiny.” In fall, pears or apples work well, or in summer, peaches, apricots, and berries do too. Spelt, an ancient grain, lends a hearty crumb and golden color.

Featured in “This Garden-Driven Cook is Shaking Things Up In Southern Italy”

What You Will Need

7 oz. unsalted softened butter (14 Tbsp.), plus more for greasing
1⁄2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
1⁄3 packed cup light brown sugar
1 tonka bean, peeled and finely grated (optional)
1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup plus 3 Tbsp. spelt flour
1 1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
1⁄3 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. sliced almonds
1 firm-ripe pear, cored and sliced lengthwise
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Chamomile gelato, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugars, tonka bean if using, and the salt until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed and making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before adding the next.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flours and baking powder. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed. When mostly incorporated, stream in the buttermilk while continuing to mix. Scrape the bowl and paddle, then add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the almonds, then fan out the pears on top. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–40 minutes. Remove the pan to a rack to cool completely. Unmold the cake and remove the parchment paper.
In a small pot over low heat, stir the honey and lemon juice until smooth. Brush the cooled cake lightly with the glaze. Slice and serve with chamomile gelato if desired.

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Strawberry-Brown Butter Snacking Cake

Fatima Khawaja — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:12:56 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Summer Moore

Welcome to SAVEUR’s column on how to cook local produce according to our test kitchen manager, Fatima Khawaja. This is where you’ll find creative, unfussy meal ideas plus plenty of cooking advice—like what to do with that bumper crop of zucchini or how to store delicate heirloom tomatoes. Every other week, Fatima hits the farmers market and chooses a peak-season ingredient to explore in depth. Follow along, and you’ll learn how to turn the season’s bounty into easy plant-based meals that’ll be on the table in under an hour.

How do you feel about supermarket strawberries? Because they consistently let me down. Strawberry season is in full swing, yet the packaged ones at my neighborhood grocery are somehow bitter, mealy, and white inside. Those aren’t the bright red jewels I’ve been buying by the truckload at the farmers market. I always grab an extra pint at my favorite stall to share with my daughter on the way home, the berries’ crimson juices dripping down her arms and shirt.

Make this cake with those market-fresh berries, or—as I like to do—with the mushy ones forgotten in the back of the fridge, so they don’t go to waste. You can use stone fruit instead of strawberries, or a mix of both. Revived with a quick maceration, the berries bake into a simple but delicate cake fragrant with brown butter, lemon, and vanilla.

When shopping for berries of any type, give the container a light shake to make sure the fruit on the bottom moves (that way you know it’s firm and not crushed). And enjoy them quickly: Farmers market berries last only a day or two before they start to turn. For longer-term storage, I destem and freeze berries in a freezer bag or turn them into preserves and jam.
By the way, if it’s too darn hot to turn on the oven, bookmark this cake for cooler weather—it’s equally delectable made with frozen berries—and check out our collection of strawberry recipes for additional ideas.

Yield: serves 6

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
8 oz. strawberries, hulled and cut into ½-in. pieces (1 cup)
1 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp., divided
½ cups milk
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
In a small pot set over medium heat, melt the butter until it smells nutty and is light brown, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of sugar and coarsely mash with a fork. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, and lemon juice. Once combined add the cooled butter, egg, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar. Using a silicone spatula, fold in the flour until no white streaks remain.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, then top evenly with the strawberries and their juices and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the heat to 325ºF and continue baking until golden brown and the edges begin to pull away from the pan, about 45 minutes more. Cool completely before inverting onto a serving plate.

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Swedish-Style Strawberry Cheesecake

Asa Johansson — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:37:08 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Ground almonds and full-fat cottage cheese lend body and flavor to this delicate and creamy strawberry cheesecake from Asa Johansson, a gardener and writer who lived on the Swedish island of Oland. For the Midsummer holiday, she served the cake with clouds of whipped cream and ripe berries.

Featured in: “A Midsummer’s Dream.“

Yield: serves 8

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

¾ cups sugar, divided
6 cups quartered strawberries
½ cups finely chopped fresh mint
Unsalted butter, for greasing
¾ cups blanched almonds
2¼ cups cottage cheese, drained overnight
¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cups whole milk
¼ all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir 1⁄3 cup sugar, the strawberries, and the mint; set aside to macerate at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 3-quart oval baking dish with butter and set it aside.
Pulse the remaining sugar and the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add the cottage cheese, cream, milk, flour, and eggs and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, then transfer to the oven and bake until browned and slightly puffed, 45–60 minutes.
Cool the cake slightly, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve with the reserved strawberries and whipped cream.

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The Revival of an Under-the-Radar Idli from Kerala

Sonal Ved — Mon, 16 May 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Photography by Vinayak Grover

In 2018, S Jeevanandan migrated from the Kerala village of Ramassery to Chennai, a sunny city in the state of Tamil Nadu over 300 miles away. A former tea stall owner, Jeevanandan now has a job at the one-of-a-kind restaurant Kappa Chakka Kandhari. The kitchen there is partly run by a motley group of home cooks who specialize not only in skills, but also in specific Kerala-style dishes. Jeevanandan’s forte is Ramassery idlis, of which he makes 300 every day, and his family is one of only two in the world that still makes them in the traditional way, and in the dish’s place of origin.

Chef Regi Mathew is the co-founder of the restaurant Kappa Chakka Kandhari. Photography by Sanjay Ramchandran

Kappa Chakka Kandhari is an award-winning restaurant co-founded by chef Regi Mathew that specifically employs “special-skill cooks” like Jeevanandan. On a given day, approximately 20 chefs work together to cook their signature dishes for patrons. The restaurant came as a result of Mathew’s research tours that brought him to 265 homes and 70 toddy shops across Kerala over a three-year period. He embarked on these trips to procure the best-quality tapioca, pepper, coconut, chiles, rice, and other ingredients emblematic of Kerala—and also to archive approximately 800 homestyle recipes from across the state. It was during one of these trips that he chanced upon Jeevanandan and his Ramassery idlis.

Idlis are steamed savory cakes made from rice and lentils and probably originated on the Indian subcontinent—though theories about the dish’s creation do vary. Some believe it arrived in India from present-day Indonesia around 800-1200 CE. Other historians claim Arab traders introduced it to Indians in the southern belt of the country during the 7th century; to avoid confusion around what food was halaal and what was haraam (forbidden), the traders began to roll rice balls, which were easy to make. But Mathew says he has a hunch that it was in the 10th century, during the Chola Dynasty’s expedition to East Asia, that South Indians acquired the technique of steaming black gram and rice—which eventually became the earliest idlis.

Ramassery idli is one of more than 50 varieties that can be found across India. Photography by Vinayak Grover

Today, there are more than 50 varieties of idli across India, including both modern and traditional interpretations. According to Vijay Kumar, a chef and partner at the Indian restaurant Semma in New York City, “One of the oldest uses of the idli batter led to Kanchipuram idlis that come from the city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. It used to be served as prasadam—sacred food of the temples—and what separates them is the flavoring of black pepper, cumin seeds, ginger powder and mustard seeds.”

Like Kanchipuram idlis, the majority of India’s idli varieties come from the state of Tamil Nadu, where most are made from rice. “Then there are others like rava idli—made out of semolina—which originated in a popular eatery in Bengaluru, Karnataka called Mavalli Tiffin Rooms,” says Sanjay Rawat, chef de cuisine at The Ritz-Carlton in Laguna Beach, California. “During World War II, when India was under a political emergency, the shortage of rice led to the chefs innovating and creating a new version of the dish. Another variety from Karnataka is thatte idli, which is made on a plate instead of an idli cooker.” (Thatte is the Kannada word for plate.) In South Kerala, Rawat adds, another variety is millet-based and uses no rice.

As for Ramassery idli, this variety is made from rice, lentils, and fenugreek soaked for a few hours, then ground in a wet stone grinder and fermented for six to eight hours. What separates it from other varieties is that it is flatter and spongier than regular idlis. It also uses a scented variety of rice called Iruppu chamba (more common idli varieties are usually made from a rice called ponni). When the Ramassery idlis are ready to be served, they are turned directly onto a plachi leaf instead of a plate or a bowl.

Ramassery idli is one of the lesser known dishes in Kerala’s vibrant cuisine. Photography by Vinayak Grover

Ramassery idli is a rather unusual dish for Kerala, where the cuisine is known for aromatic meat curries, parotta and appams. “Ramassery idli was brought to Kerala by the Mudaliar sect, a weaver community who journeyed from the Thanjavur region in Tamil Nadu to Kerala around 200 years ago,” says Mathew. As these artisans moved around selling their weaves, they needed to carry sustenance on their long journeys, and idlis had a shelf life of three to four days. Eaten along with podi and gingelly oil, it was their ideal meal for the road. Today, idlis continue to be a source of nutrition during long journeys. “The Defense Food Research Laboratory in India declared that moistureless idlis, with sides of sambar powder and coconut chutney [are] to be packed for astronauts to take to space,” notes chef Rawat.

The Mudaliar weaver families eventually settled in Ramassery, a small village on the outskirts of Palakkad, and this style of idli became a village staple. Over the years, the industrialization of weaving in India threatened the artisans’ livelihoods, so Mudaliars shifted their source of income to focus on running tea shops and selling idlis to villagers and travelers who passed through Ramassery.

Ramassery idlis are prepared in earthenware spots. Photography by Sanjay Ramchandran

Ramassery idlis are cooked not in metal steamers but in curve-necked earthen pots. Because earthenware is porous and holds moisture better, these pots result in spongier idlis. The pot is lined with earthen rings, which are woven with thin cords to create a web-like structure on which a muslin cloth rests (a clear connection to the Mudaliars’ former vocation as weavers). The fermented idli batter is ladled onto the muslin-clad ring, and these rings are then stacked inside a pot filled with water. When it’s time to cook the idlis, the pots rest over a live fire made of tamarind wood. “In such a vessel, the steam travels right through the thin cloth, all the way to the top, and then the trapped steam comes running down, which results in air-soft idlis,” Mathew explains.

Today, only two families descended from the original Mudaliars are preserving this legacy and passing it on. Both these families have a combined 17 descendants who are involved in running stalls that sell the Ramassery idlis. S Jeevanandan’s brother Shankara Narayana Mudaliar currently heads their family stall, Shankar Vilas, while Chithrayan Mudaliar is the successor running the other family’s Saraswathi Tea Stall.

For Mathew, including dishes like Ramassery idli on the menu of his restaurant not only gives diners a taste of a bygone era of Indian cuisine, but also preserves foods that may otherwise be lost to time. “The generation before me made them, and the next generation will have no access to them,” he says. Feeling responsible to preserve those unique slices of culture and cuisine, he decided to help them live on—“before it goes extinct.” Mathew feels that Ramessary idlis are especially at risk of fading away because they are complex to make. Each earthen pot can only make three idlis at a time, while a regular steamer can usually accommodate many more.

Similar to how the Mudaliars paired their idlis with gingelly oil and podi powder, Mathew’s restaurant serves Ramassery idlis with a helping of podi, a dry powder made from Palakkadan matta (a variety of red rice) and spices like chillies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. According to Mathew, other modern ways to serve Ramassery idlis are with dishes like sambar (a stew of lentils and vegetables) or chicken curry.

Across India today, Ramassery idlis are beginning to spread—thanks in large part to Kappa Chakka Kandhari, which was among the first to serve Ramassery idlis in a restaurant format. Idlis are now popping up in eateries across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, on wedding menus, and several home cooks on YouTube have been demonstrating the technique for their viewers.

Whenever he gets the chance to return to Ramassery, Jeevanandan trains his eager 16-year-old son, who is next in line for his role at Kappa Chakka Kandhari, to make Ramassery idlis: “Of course, once he completes his studies, he will be offered the job—and if he is still in the mood to make idlis,” says Mathew.

Over the last 28 years that he has been cooking, little has changed about the way 50-year-old Jeevanandan makes idlis. “The cooking technique has not changed at all, but the crop of rice from the same paddy field in Ramaserry has changed. It’s less starchy these days. Also, we used to grind the batter in a manual grinder, now it’s mechanical,” he says. And he is happy and proud to be cooking this dish for the rest of his life. “This was handed over to me by my father. It is a legacy recipe. These idlis saved us when weaving stopped, and I consider myself lucky, the chosen one, its guardian,” he says.

Recipe

Thatte Idli with Podi

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Get the recipe >

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Our Favorite Passover Dessert Recipes Offer a Chance to Pause, Reflect—and Try Out New Ingredients

Ellen Gray — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:42 +0000

Photography: David Malosh; Food Stylist: Simon Andrews; Prop Styling: Summer Moore

Passover is a celebration that recalls the Jews’ enslavement in Egypt and subsequent exodus into freedom. The Passover Seder—an elaborate meal dominated by symbols and rituals—also poses challenges, particularly to us bakers who are asked to forego so many ingredients taken for granted throughout the rest of the year. In addition to flour and yeast, nothing can be used during Passover that contains barley, wheat, rye, oats, or spelt. These grains are considered chametz, leavened foods that are forbidden during the holiday.

This interruption of day-to-day baking gives us pause, a time for reflection and gratitude. Today, many products and alternative flours are available that meet kosher-for-Passover guidelines, providing dessert options well beyond those embraced by our grandmothers. (Do note, however, that these products cannot always be used interchangeably; for best results, always match recipes with flours for which they are intended.)

Food memories and cherished family recipes play an integral role in any Passover celebration, linking multiple generations to those who came before. The homemade Passover desserts of my childhood made a lengthy Seder bearable. My grandmothers followed Ashkenazic practices mirroring their ancestors’ ties to Central and Eastern Europe. They relied on a number of trusted cookbooks and recipe pamphlets created in tandem with various advertising campaigns of the times. The combination of old and new recipes kept traditions alive while also Americanizing our grandmothers’ kitchens.

Maxwell House Coffee published a Haggadah in 1932, making it free with a purchase of their coffee. Other companies quickly capitalized on the Jewish holiday, publishing recipe pamphlets highlighting their products. Among them Borden’s Farm Products, whose slim Passover Cook Book from 1940 is one to which I still refer. Based on the faded spatters and smudges, “Borcas Eingemachts” and “Chremslach” have clearly been the best-loved recipes in the book.

A favorite of my maternal grandmother Dorothy, borcas eingemachtes (Russian-style beet preserves) are traditional in eastern Ashkenazic households. A ruby-colored sweet enjoyed by the spoonful alongside a “gleyzele tay,” (Yiddush for “glass of tea”), the jam-like confection is made from sliced or grated beets, honey, and vinegar. Commonly part of Passover preparations, when the tradition was brought to America, lemon juice replaced vinegar and different families added their own spins on the slow-cooked preserves. Eingemachtes can even be cooked down beyond the jam stage, resulting in more of a candy texture. Over the years, commercially prepared kosher-for-Passover versions became available, and for many, the homemade tradition faded.

My father’s mother, Minnie, never fretted over the health ramifications of using a dozen eggs in a single sponge cake, or of feeding several pints of heavy cream to the Sunbeam mixer as she whipped up the filling for her Passover schaum torte. Minnie also had in her repertoire a recipe for sweet fritters known as chremslach. Made from crumbled matzo, eggs, dried fruit, and almonds, chremslach are common among many cultures and recipes date as far back as the Roman Empire. It’s the Ashkenazi Jews, however, who are credited with incorporating this treat into their Passover tradition. One of the earliest recorded recipes for Pesach chremslach can be found in Esther Levy’s Jewish Cookery Book on Principles of Economy Adapted for Jewish Housekeepers (1871), considered the first Jewish cookbook published in America.

For me, adaptation is an important part of the Passover tradition too; I like to swap out Mama Minnie’s dried fruit for seasonal fresh rhubarb. The crispy fritter can serve as dessert at the conclusion of the Seder or for breakfast the next morning, with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and fresh berries—or a side of Dorothy’s earthy, crimson eingemachtes.
The Passover holiday spans eight days, offering plenty of time for experimentation in the kitchen. When preparing your menu, be mindful of the varying degrees of observance amongst your Seder guests. The orthodox union provides a list of permissible Passover products here. Fresh fruit, chewy macaroons, and a tray piled high with matzo brittle should satisfy even the most devout celebrants’ cravings. For more tempting options, check out these recipes from our archives.

Chocolate Sorbet

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Vegan and dairy free, this rich sorbet has an intensity of flavor to satisfy the most serious of chocolate hankerings. Get the recipe >

Roasted Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart with Mascarpone Cream

Photography by Fatima Khawaja

The true harbingers of spring, strawberries and rhubarb shine in a crunchy tart shell with a rich layer of mascarpone cream. Get the recipe >

Poached Pears

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Fernet Branca, a bitter, aromatic spirit, is made from more than 40 herbs and spices, among them myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, saffron, and parsley. Technically not kosher for Passover, the liquor is grape-, not grain-based, making it appropriate for those less strict with kosher laws. Get the recipe >

Flourless Pistachio Cakes with Rosewater

Photography by Thomas Payne

Forsaking the flour, these petite cakes are enhanced with the addition of pistachios and rosewater, then gussied up with rose petals. Stored in an airtight container, these elegant bites hint at spring while sweetening Passover’s eight-day holiday. Get the recipe >

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