THE KOSHER BAKER
By Paula Shoyer
With over 160 dairy-free recipes from traditional (Biscotti) to trendy (Challah Beer Bread Pudding With Caramel Sauce), one does not have to be kosher to appreciate and use the recipes in The Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer. Those with lactose intolerance, who follow a dairy-free diet, or need nut-and gluten-free or vegan recipes will also find this cookbook valuable.
The Kosher Baker has four sections: Quick and Elegant Desserts, Two-Step Desserts, Multiple-Step Desserts and Passover and No Sugar Added Desserts. Bakers can choose recipes that are within their baking skills and fit their time restrictions.
Lowell, the challah baker in our family, found the chapter on challah fascinating, as it included ways to make this bread with garlic, za’atar or chocolate chips giving him new recipe options to explore.
Shoyer is the owner of Paula’s Parisian Pastries Cooking School in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and received her pastry diploma from the Ritz Escoffier Ecole de Gastronomie Francaise in Paris.
Here is a perfect summer recipe to try:
Upside-Down Raspberry Cake
Makes one 9-inch cake; serves 8 to 12
You will like the combination of fresh and baked raspberries in this dessert. Plan to make this when you can find good quality raspberries. When I was in cooking school in Paris, we used gorgeous raspberries in our desserts that were the size of quarters.
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft
3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, plus 1 cup fresh raspberries to decorate
1-1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
5 large eggs, separated
1/4 ounce (1 envelope) active dry yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Take a 9-inch Springform pan and detach the bottom. Cover the top of the pan bottom with aluminum foil and then wrap the excess foil under the bottom. Attach the pan sides to the bottom, lock in place, and then unwrap the foil and wrap up around the sides of the pan. Use 1 tablespoon of the margarine to grease the bottom and sides of the pan.
In a small bowl, toss the 3 cups of raspberries with the 3 tablespoons of sugar. Place in the bottom of the pan and spread to evenly cover the bottom.
With a stand or hand-held electric mixer or by hand with a whisk, beat the egg yolks with the 1-1/2 cups sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes on high speed, or until the mixture is thick. Scrape the bowl down halfway through.
In a separate small bowl, mix the yeast with 1 teaspoon sugar and warm water. Let sit 5 minutes. Add to the egg and sugar mixture and mix. Add the remaining 7 tablespoons of soft margarine and whisk well.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the batter.
Pour the batter on top of the raspberries. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let cool.
To serve, run a sharp knife along the sides and then remove the outer ring of the spring form pan. Place a serving plate on top of the cake and then turn the cake over onto the plate. Remove the bottom of the pan. Just before serving, scatter the 1 cup of fresh raspberries on top. Store covered with plastic in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Recipe copyright: Paula Shoyer, The Kosher Baker: 160 dairy-free recipes from traditional to trendy (Brandeis 2010); photography credit : Michael Bennett Kress
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