Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Published February 1, 2007.

Why this recipe works:

Most hot fudge pudding cakes end up looking rich and fudgy but have very little chocolate flavor. For a Hot Fudge Pudding Cake recipe that tasted as good as it looked, we folded semisweet chocolate chips into the batter, which added another layer of chocolate flavor and ensured plenty of gooey pockets in the baked cake. Vegetable oil, which most recipes call for, was flavorless, and we found substituting melted butter improved our Hot Fudge Pudding Cake’s flavor. Using Dutch-processed cocoa, which is less acidic than natural cocoa powder, produced a richer chocolate taste.
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Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

We use an unusual technique to make a rich chocolate sauce for this rich dessert, which is truly part cake and part pudding. Watch the Video

Serves 6 to 8

Do not overbake this cake or the pudding sauce will burn in the pan and the cake will be dry, not fudgy. Store leftovers, covered with plastic, in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in a microwave on high power until hot (about 1 minute).

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup boiling water
• Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square glass or metal cake pan with cooking spray. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl.
   
   2. Whisk flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Whisk milk, butter, egg yolk, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips (batter will be stiff).
   
   3. Using rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into corners. Sprinkle reserved cocoa mixture evenly over top. Gently pour boiling water over cocoa. Do not stir.
   
   4. Bake until top of cake looks cracked, sauce is bubbling, and toothpick inserted into cakey area comes out with moist crumbs attached (see photos), about 25 minutes. Cool on rack for at least 10 minutes. To serve, scoop warm cake into individual serving bowls and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
   
   Baby Cakes:
   Put a fancy spin on this homey recipe by baking up individual pudding cakes. Spray eight 6-ounce ovenproof ramekins or coffee cups with cooking spray. Fill each with 2 tablespoons batter. Top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa mixture, followed by 2 tablespoons boiling water. Arrange cups on rimmed baking sheet and bake until tops are just cracked, 20 to 25 minutes.
   

Kitchen Know-How: Is it Done Yet?

This highly unconventional cake breaks most of the usual rules, including how to judge when it's ready to come out of the oven.

1. When the top is crackled like a brownie and the sauce is bubbling up from the bottom, it's time to start testing for doneness. For the most accurate test, insert the toothpick close to the edge, where the cake is firmest. (Don't insert the toothpick in the center, where the cake should be gooey.)

2. The toothpick should have large, moist crumbs-but no gooey batter- attached.Check at least 2 spots to be certain that what's sticking to the toothpick isn't just a melted chocolate chip.

Texas Sheet Cake

From Cook's Country | February/March 2008

• Print

Why this recipe works:

Texas Sheet Cake is a huge, pecan-topped cake with three distinct layers of chocolaty goodness. We poured sweet chocolate icing over a cake hot out of the oven. When it cooled, we had an icing layer, a fudgy layer where the icing and hot cake had mixed together, and a bottom layer of moist… read more

Texas Sheet Cake

The signature fudgy texture is created when warm icing is spread over a hot cake. Watch the Video

Serves 24

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• Chocolate Icing

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Instructions

1. 1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.
   
   2. Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.
   
   3. For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve.
   

Timing is Everything

The key to perfectly moist Texas sheet cake is to let the warm icing soak into the hot cake. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the warm icing over the cake and use a spatula to spread the icing to the edges of the cake. This creates the signature fudgy layer between the icing and the cake.

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Hearty Vegetable Chowder

Hearty Vegetable Chowder

From Cook's Country | October/November 2013

Why this recipe works:

For this hearty vegetable dish, we start by sautéing leeks, carrots, and celery in bacon fat. After adding russet potatoes, we stir vigorously to release the potatoes’ starch, which gives the finished stew a silky-smooth texture. Chicken broth is the base of the chowder, and thyme, garlic, and bay leaves provide the backbone of flavor. Pureeing a portion of the stew and adding it back in thickens the dish, and finishing with half-and-half for richness, chives for brightness, and lemon juice for tang adds refinement.
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Serves 4 to 6

If your blender lid has a vent, open it (and cover with a towel) when blending so the steam can escape.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
• 4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until fat has rendered and bacon is nearly crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Add leeks, carrots, celery, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until leeks are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until starch begins to release and coat vegetables, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and bay leaf and bring to boil.
   
   2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer 1 cup of vegetables (using slotted spoon) and 2 cups of soup broth to blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir processed soup back into pot. Stir in half-and-half, chives, and lemon juice and gently rewarm soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
   

Eliminate the Guesswork

The best chowders have a smooth, creamy base punctuated by chunks of vegetables. We achieved this by pureeing precisely measured amounts—1 cup of the softened vegetables and 2 cups of liquid—and using the puree to thicken the chowder.

Hot Cocoa Cake

From Cook's Country | December/January 2015

Why this recipe works:

Reminiscent of a steaming hot mug of cocoa on a cold winter morning, this rich layer cake gets its name from the combination of chocolate cake and marshmallow filling. To make the filling, we stabilize marshmallow crème with gelatin and then stir in butter and vanilla for creaminess and flavor. For the frosting, we use a combination of cocoa powder and white chocolate chips added to fresh whipped cream. The top of the cake (like the top of your hot chocolate) gets a garnish of marshmallows and a dusting of cocoa.
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Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon plain gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups marshmallow crème
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 3 (8-inch) chocolate cake layers (see related content)
• 24-36 large marshmallows

Instructions

FOR THE FILLING: Sprinkle gelatin over water in large bowl and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Microwave mixture until bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 15 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until combined. Let mixture cool until just warm to touch, about 5 minutes. Whisk in marshmallow crème until smooth; refrigerate marshmallow filling until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
FOR THE FROSTING: Bring 1/2 cup cream and cocoa to simmer in small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking until smooth. Pour cream mixture over white chocolate chips in small bowl and whisk until melted and smooth. Let white chocolate mixture cool completely, about 30 minutes. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip remaining 1 cup cream with cooled white chocolate mixture on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 60 to 90 seconds.
TO ASSEMBLE: Place 1 cake layer on plate or pedestal. Spread half of filling in even layer over top. Top with second cake layer and remaining filling. Place third cake layer on top. Spread top and sides of cake with even layer of frosting. Arrange marshmallows on top in large mound; dust with extra cocoa. Serve.

Grandma Pizza

From Cook's Country | February/March 2012

Why this recipe works:

Using bread flour and lengthy kneading gave us the open-structured chewy crust we wanted, but it was difficult to stretch. Proofing the dough on the same oiled sheet pan that we were using to bake the pizza allowed it to stretch on its own as it proofed (and saved us a dish at cleanup time). For an easy and fresh-tasting chunky tomato topping, we simply stirred drained diced tomatoes together with salt, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Baking the pizza on the lowest rack and cooling it on a wire rack yielded the crisp bottom crust we sought.
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Grandma Pizza

Grandma pizza is well-known and loved on Long Island, but like some grandmas, it doesn’t get out much. We wanted a recipe good enough to introduce to the rest of the country. Watch the Video

Serves 4

If the dough snaps back when you press it to the corners of the baking sheet, cover it, let it rest for 10 minutes, and try again.

Ingredients

• Dough

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 ounces) bread flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Topping

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE DOUGH: Coat rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Combine water and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined. With mixer running, slowly add water mixture and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes.
   
   2. Transfer dough to greased baking sheet and turn to coat. Stretch dough to 10 by 6-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours. Stretch dough to corners of pan, cover loosely with plastic, and let rise in warm place until slightly puffed, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
   
   3. FOR THE TOPPING: Place tomatoes in colander and drain well. Combine drained tomatoes, oil, garlic, oregano, and salt in bowl. Combine mozzarella and Parmesan in second bowl. Sprinkle cheese mixture over dough, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Top with tomato mixture and bake until well browned and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Slide pizza onto wire rack, sprinkle with basil, and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
   

Easy Rise

Our method lets the dough proof right on the sheet. Spread the dough on an oiled baking sheet and then set it aside to rise.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

From Cook's Country | December/January 2013

Why this recipe works:

Quickly frying scallion whites, cilantro, and red curry paste is a fast route to potent Southeast Asian flavor.

Serves 4

You will need 2 cans of coconut milk. The soup will separate as it sits. If reheating, whisk well to recombine before serving.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
• 6 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 4 teaspoons fish sauce
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 sweet potato, peeled, quartered, and sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add scallion whites, 3 tablespoons cilantro, and curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons fish sauce, broth, and coconut milk and bring to boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium-high, add chicken and sweet potato, and cook until chicken is no longer pink and potato is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat and stir in lime juice and remaining 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Portion soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with scallion greens and remaining 3 tablespoons cilantro. Serve.

Colorado Green Chili

From Cook's Country | October/November 2013

Why this recipe works:

Unlike Texas chili, this Colorado dish is based on pork and lots of green Hatch chiles. Since you have to mail-order real Hatch chiles, we approximate the flavor with Anaheims and jalapeños. Halving the Anaheims before roasting means no tedious flipping, and pureeing half of the chiles (along with a can of diced tomatoes) while chopping the other half by hand creates texture. Pork butt is rich and meaty, and starting it in a covered pan with water until the fat renders lets us brown it all in one batch. Using the oven to cook the chili provides gentle heat—and hands-off cooking—and finishing the stew with the chopped, roasted jalapeños adds a fresh hit of heat.
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Colorado Green Chili

More than 2 pounds of chiles go into this mildly spicy stew, making it as much about the green chile peppers as the pork. Watch the Video

Serves 6

The chiles can be roasted and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt
• 2 pounds (10 to 12) Anaheim chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeded
• 3 jalapeño chiles
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Cayenne pepper
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. 1. Combine pork, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon salt in Dutch oven over medium heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until liquid evaporates and pork browns in its own fat, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer pork to bowl and set aside.
   
   2. Meanwhile, adjust 1 oven rack to lowest position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element. Heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange Anaheims, skin side up, and jalapeños in single layer on prepared sheet. Place sheet on upper rack and broil until chiles are mostly blackened and soft, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet and flipping only jalapeños halfway through broiling. Place Anaheims in large bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let cool for 5 minutes. Set aside jalapeños. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
   
   3. Remove skins from Anaheims. Chop half of Anaheims into ½-inch pieces and transfer to bowl. Process remaining Anaheims in food processor until smooth, about 10 seconds; transfer to bowl with chopped Anaheims. Pulse tomatoes and their juice in now-empty food processor until coarsely ground, about 4 pulses.
   
   4. Heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, Anaheims, tomatoes, and pork with any accumulated juices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover pot, transfer to lower oven rack, and cook until pork is tender, 1 to 1¼ hours.
   
   5. Without peeling, stem and seed jalapeños and reserve seeds. Finely chop jalapeños and stir into chili. Season chili with salt, cayenne, and reserved jalapeño seeds to taste. Serve with lime wedges.
   

Test Kitchen Technique: Easier Roasted Chiles

Roasting chiles whole and then seeding them—the usual procedure—makes a mess: The wet seeds stick to everything. We halve and seed the raw Anaheims. It’s neater and lets us skip the usual flipping step. We leave the jalapeños whole; they soften but don’t deeply roast.

READY FOR ROASTING: Arrange the chiles head to foot for the best fit.

Creamy Cheese Grits

Why this recipe works:

Grits are a southern staple made with little more than water, salt, and sometimes butter. For our purposes, we began by building flavor with sautéed scallion whites. After slow-cooking our grits for 15 minutes in a combination of water and milk for richness, we stirred in the cheese: a mixture of Monterey Jack for creaminess and sharp cheddar for tang. Finally, to boost the corn flavor of our grits, we finished them with pureed corn.
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Creamy Cheese Grits

How do you unlock the most corn flavor from creamy cheese grits? Watch the Video

Serves 4 to 6

The grits are ready when they are mostly creamy but still retain a little bite. If the grits get too thick, whisk in a little water. If you are using frozen corn, thaw it first.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup old-fashioned grits
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Instructions

1. Puree corn and 1/4 cup water in blender until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 1/4 cups water, milk, hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil.

2. Slowly whisk grits into saucepan until no lumps remain. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

3. Off heat, stir in Monterey Jack, cheddar, pureed corn, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with scallion greens.

Chocolate Angel Pie

From Cook's Country | February/March 2013

Why this recipe works:

For a pie with a balance of chocolate filling, crisp meringue, and fluffy whipped cream, we needed to boost the chocolate flavor. By making a cooked custard, we were able to load nearly a pound of chocolate into the filling, and using part milk and part bittersweet chocolate lent depth and complexity. True meringue takes time, and we found that 2½ hours in the oven was necessary for the lightest, crispest crust. To prevent the crust from sticking to the pan, we rely on a double dose of cornstarch—in the egg whites and as a coating for the pie plate. To finish, we go with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
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Chocolate Angel Pie

In our early experiments, this pie was no angel: The meringue crust stuck and the chocolate flavor was faint. Watch the Video

Serves 8 to 10

Serve the assembled pie within 3 hours of chilling.

Ingredients

• FILLING

• 9 ounces milk chocolate, chopped fine
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 3 large large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, chilled

• MERINGUE CRUST

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for pie plate
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• TOPPING

• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE FILLING: Microwave milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in large bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until combined, about 1 minute. Bring half-and-half to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, slowly add hot half-and-half to egg yolk mixture in 2 additions until incorporated. Return half-and-half mixture to now-empty saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened slightly, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir half-and-half mixture into melted chocolate until combined. Let cool slightly, about 8 minutes.
   
   2. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Gently whisk one-third of whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to assemble pie. (Filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance.)
   
   3. FOR THE MERINGUE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate and dust well with extra cornstarch, using pastry brush to distribute evenly. Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar mixture and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla to meringue and whip until incorporated.
   
   4. Spread meringue into prepared pie plate, following contours of plate to cover bottom, sides, and edges. Bake for 1½ hours. Rotate pie plate, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees, and bake until completely dried out, about 1 hour longer. (Shell will rise above rim of pie plate; some cracking is OK.) Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
   
   5. FOR THE TOPPING: Spoon cooled chocolate filling into cavity of pie shell, distributing evenly. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream and sugar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over chocolate. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 1 hour. Dust with cocoa. Slice with sharp knife and serve.
   

Don’t Make This Mistake: Busted Crust

The egg white crust is part of what distinguishes angel pie. To avoid a sticky, broken meringue shell, we added cornstarch to the whites, and we greased the pie plate and dusted it with more cornstarch. We also figured out the ideal baking time and temperatures to ensure that the interior and exterior of the meringue cooked properly.

MERINGUE MESS: Don't let this happen to you.

California Fish Tacos

California Fish Tacos

From Cook's Country | August/September 2013

Why this recipe works:

Simple, satisfying, fresh fish tacos from the West Coast combine fried fish, sliced cabbage, and a creamy white sauce in a corn tortilla. We chose mild but sturdy white fish for our tacos and tossed it in an ultrathin beer batter to avoid a thick, bready coating. Cornstarch and baking powder in the batter ensure that the fish fries up golden brown and crispy. A quick pickle of red onions and jalapeños adds color and spice to the tacos, and we use a portion of the vinegary pickling liquid to dress shredded cabbage. Our creamy white sauce gets tang from lime juice and sour cream, and fresh cilantro leaves are the finishing touch.
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California Fish Tacos

You can’t just wrap a fish in a tortilla and call it a California-style taco. You need light, crisp fried fish, the perfect toppings, and high-contrast flavors and textures. Watch the Video

Serves 6

Although this recipe looks involved, all the components are easy to execute and most can be made in advance. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best here. Cut the fish on a slight bias if your fillets aren’t quite 4 inches wide. You should end up with about 24 pieces of fish. Serve with green salsa, if desired.

Ingredients

• PICKLED ONIONS

• 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
• 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

• CABBAGE

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup pickling liquid from pickled onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• WHITE SAUCE

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons milk

• FISH

• 2 pounds skinless whitefish fillets, such as cod, haddock, or halibut, cut crosswise into 4 by 1-inch strips
• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup beer
• 1 quart peanut or vegetable oil
• 24 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS: Combine onion and jalapeños in medium bowl. Bring vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and salt to boil in small saucepan. Pour vinegar mixture over onion mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes. (Pickled onions can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
   
   2. FOR THE CABBAGE: Toss all ingredients together in bowl.
   
   3. FOR THE WHITE SAUCE: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. (Sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
   
   4. FOR THE FISH: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth. Transfer fish to batter and toss until evenly coated.
   
   5. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Fry fish, stirring gently to prevent pieces from sticking together, until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to prepared wire rack and place in oven to keep warm. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining fish.
   
   6. Divide fish evenly among tortillas. Top with pickled onions, cabbage, white sauce, and cilantro. Serve.
   

Easier than It Looks

This recipe has several parts, but they come together faster than you might think.

Quick Pickled Onions: Just slice the onion and jalapeños, pour the vinegar mixture over, and let sit for at least 30 minutes. This can be done up to two days ahead.

No-Cook Cabbage: Simply shred the cabbage (by hand or in a food processor) and toss with the onion pickling liquid.

Simple White Sauce: Measure ingredients and whisk together. This can be done up to two days ahead.

Quicker Cinnamon Buns

Quicker Cinnamon Buns

From Cook's Country | October/November 2013

Why this recipe works:

Most recipes for quick cinnamon buns result in something more like a biscuit—they rely on chemical leaveners (baking powder and soda) instead of yeast. To get the soft sweet-bread texture and yeasty flavor of a true bun with a quicker timetable, we use both yeast and baking powder. After shaping, the buns need only 30 minutes of rise time. A low oven temperature ensures that they have enough time to rise high before the tops set, creating a fluffy interior. A buttery brown sugar filling and tangy cream cheese glaze make these buns irresistible.
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Quicker Cinnamon Buns

Making cinnamon buns is a project. Most shortcut recipes use quick biscuit dough, but the results just aren’t the same. We wanted to find a way to make yeast hurry. Watch the Video

Makes 8 buns

Since the filling, dough, and glaze all require melted butter, it’s easier to melt all 10 tablespoons in a liquid measuring cup and divvy it up as needed. Stir the melted butter before each use to redistribute the milk solids. We developed this recipe using a dark cake pan, which produces deeply caramelized buns. If your cake pan is light-colored, adjust the oven rack to the lowest position, heat the oven to 375 degrees, and increase the baking time to 29 to 32 minutes.

Ingredients

• FILLING

• 3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• DOUGH

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 3/4 cups (13 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• GLAZE

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. 1. FOR THE FILLING: Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Stir in melted butter and vanilla until mixture resembles wet sand; set aside.
   
   2. FOR THE DOUGH: Grease dark 9-inch round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease parchment. Pour ¼ cup milk in small bowl and microwave until 110 degrees, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir in yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and let sit until mixture is bubbly, about 5 minutes.
   
   3. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 5 teaspoons sugar together in large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, yeast mixture, and remaining 1 cup milk until dough forms (dough will be sticky). Transfer dough to well-floured counter and knead until smooth ball forms, about 2 minutes.
   
   4. Roll dough into 12 by 9-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge. Brush dough all over with 2 tablespoons butter, leaving ½-inch border on far edge. Sprinkle dough evenly with filling, then press filling firmly into dough. Using bench scraper or metal spatula, loosen dough from counter. Roll dough away from you into tight log and pinch seam to seal.
   
   5. Roll log seam side down and cut into 8 equal pieces. Stand buns on end and gently re-form ends that were pinched during cutting. Place 1 bun in center of prepared pan and others around perimeter of pan, seam sides facing in. Brush tops of buns with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover buns loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
   
   6. Discard plastic and bake buns until edges are well browned, 23 to 25 minutes. Loosen buns from sides of pan with paring knife and let cool for 5 minutes. Invert large plate over cake pan. Using potholders, flip plate and pan upside down; remove pan and parchment. Reinvert buns onto wire rack, set wire rack inside parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and let cool for 5 minutes.
   
   7. FOR THE GLAZE: Place cream cheese in large bowl and whisk in butter, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Pour glaze evenly over tops of buns, spreading with spatula to cover. Serve.
   

Test Kitchen Discovery: Twice the Power, Half the Time

By adding a lot of yeast to an ordinary biscuit dough, we combine some of the speed of biscuit-making with the flavor and texture of sweet yeast dough. With both yeast and baking powder, our Quicker Cinnamon Buns take just 2 minutes to knead and 30 minutes to rise.

FOUR TEASPOONS OF YEAST: Add to biscuit dough for a biscuit-bun hybrid that’s the best of both.

Test Kitchen Discovery: Light Pan Makes Underdone Buns

We’ve long known that dark cake pans produce more deeply browned cakes, but it wasn’t until we tested our Quicker Cinnamon Buns recipe in both light and dark cake pans that we understood how great the difference can be. We developed our recipe using a dark cake pan, which absorbs heat more efficiently. Made in a light-colored pan, the same recipe yielded doughy, pale, and sunken buns.

Milk Can Supper

Serves 6 to 8

If your Dutch oven is slightly smaller than 8 quarts, the lid may not close all the way when you start cooking. But as the contents of the pot cook, they will decrease in volume, so you’ll soon be able to clamp on the lid. Use small red potatoes, measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Light-bodied American lagers, such as Budweiser, work best in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 pounds bratwurst (10 sausages)
• 2 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 head green cabbage (2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges
• 3 ears corn, husks and silk removed, ears cut into 3 pieces
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 onion, halved and cut through root end into 8 wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups beer
• 2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch-wide strips

Instructions

1. 1. Heat oil in 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add bratwurst and cook until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Transfer bratwurst to cutting board and halve crosswise.
   
   2. Place potatoes in single layer in now-empty Dutch oven. Arrange cabbage wedges in single layer on top of potatoes. Layer corn, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper over cabbage. Pour beer over vegetables and arrange browned bratwursts on top.
   
   3. Bring to boil over medium-high heat (wisps of steam will be visible). Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add bell peppers and continue to simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. (Use long skewer to test potatoes for doneness.)
   
   4. Transfer bratwurst and vegetables to large serving platter (or roasting pan, if your platter isn’t large enough); discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Pour 1 cup cooking liquid over platter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing remaining cooking liquid separately.
   

Layers of Flavor

Cooking all the vegetables and sausage in one pot has advantages: It’s easy, the flavors mingle, and the beer and sausage drippings season the lot. But you have to plan ahead to make sure that everything is done at the same time. Knowing that the pot is hottest at the bottom (closest to the heat source), we put the longest-cooking items in first and layer everything else accordingly.

TAKE IT FROM THE BOTTOM: Potatoes, cabbage, corn, carrots, onions, bratwurst, and peppers (added halfway through).

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Serves 10 to 12

For a sturdier crust, use (thinner) pretzel sticks not (fatter) rods. Thaw the strawberries in the refrigerator the night before you begin the recipe. You’ll puree 2 pounds of the strawberries and slice the remaining 1 pound.

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 ounces pretzel sticks
• 2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 pounds (10 1/2 cups) frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Pulse pretzels and ¼ cup sugar in food processor until coarsely ground, about 15 pulses. Add melted butter and pulse until combined, about 10 pulses. Transfer pretzel mixture to prepared pan. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crumbs into bottom of pan. Bake until crust is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Set aside crust, letting it cool slightly, about 20 minutes.

2. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream cheese and ½ cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and, with mixer still running, slowly add cream in steady stream. Continue to whip until soft peaks form, scraping down bowl as needed, about 1 minute longer. Spread whipped cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, process 2 pounds strawberries in now-empty food processor until pureed, about 30 seconds. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium saucepan, using underside of small ladle to push puree through strainer. Add remaining 1½ cups sugar and salt to strawberry puree in saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles begin to appear around sides of pan and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle gelatin over water in large bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Whisk strawberry puree into gelatin. Slice remaining strawberries and stir into strawberry-gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until gelatin thickens slightly and starts to cling to sides of bowl, about 30 minutes. Carefully pour gelatin mixture evenly over whipped cream cheese layer. Refrigerate salad until gelatin is fully set, at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve.

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti ATK

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces (2 1/2 cups) ziti
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 8 ounces (1 cup) whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

1. 1. Make aluminum foil collar for slow cooker by folding 2 (18-inch-long) pieces of foil to make 2 (18 by 4-inch) strips. Line perimeter of slow cooker with foil strips and spray with vegetable oil spray.
   
   2. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook sausage, breaking up pieces with spoon, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
   
   3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add ziti and cook, stirring constantly, until edges of pasta become translucent, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until pasta is tender, about 3 hours.
   
   4. Using tongs, remove foil collar from slow cooker and stir gently to redistribute pasta. Dollop ricotta over ziti and sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes to let cheeses melt. Garnish with basil and serve.
   

Key Steps To Great Slow-Cooker “Baked” Ziti

1. To prevent burning, fold aluminum foil into two strips and use them to line the perimeter of the slow cooker.

2. After hours in the slow cooker, pasta turns slimy and bloated. To avoid that, we first sauté it with the sausage and onion.

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  Taste Test
  Crushed Tomatoes
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  Taste Test
  Mozzarella Cheese

Slow Cooker minestrone ATK

Serves 6 to 8

You can use any small pasta, such as orzo, ditalini, or small elbows. We recommend great northern or cannellini beans. Serve the minestrone with grated parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried medium-sized white beans (see note), rinsed and picked over
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup pasta, small soup

Instructions

1. 1. COOK BEANS: Bring beans and enough water to cover by 1 inch to low boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until beans are just beginning to soften, about 20 minutes. Drain beans and transfer to slow cooker.
   
   2. SAUTÉ AROMATICS: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and carrots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juice and cook until pan is nearly dry, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in broth, water, 1/2 cup basil, oregano, and pepper flakes and bring to boil; transfer to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, 6 to 7 hours (or cook on high 5 to 6 hours).
   
   3. FINISH SOUP: Stir zucchini, chard, and pasta into slow cooker and cook, covered, on high until pasta is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in remaining basil and remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
   
   TO MAKE AHEAD: Soup can be made through step 2 and refrigerated in airtight container for 2 days. To finish, bring to boil in Dutch oven. Stir in zucchini, chard, and pasta; reduce heat to low; and simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
   

Timing Is All

One batch of vegetables slow-cooks with the broth to create a rich backbone of flavor. We add the quick-cooking zucchini and Swiss chard at the end of cooking (with the pasta) so they don't turn to mush.

HEAD STARTSauteed vegetables and canned whole tomatoes season the broth.

LAST MINUTEThe more delicate vegetables are added with the pasta near the end of cooking.