Fine Cooking Soups & Stews: No-Fail Recipes for Every Season

The 50 Best One-Pot Recipes. Chef Michael Smith's Kitchen. The Love and Lemons Cookbook. Raw Food and Superfoods for a Healthy Heart. A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. Gluten Free Weight Loss. This Can't Be Tofu! A New Way to Bake. Sweet Potato Lover's Cookbook. Paleo Cookbook [Second Edition]: Delicious Paleo Recipes for the Paleo Lifestyle. Slow Cooking Crock Pot Creations: The Soup Maker Cookbook.

Fast to the Table Freezer Cookbook: The Everything Soup Cookbook. Paleo Crock Pot Soups and Stews: Crock Pot Recipes Cookbook. James Beard's New Fish Cookery. Going Raw and Going Paleo. The First Real Kitchen Cookbook. Fine Cooking Comfort Food: All Time Best Soups.

About the Author Filled with pages of inspiration and information for cooks of all skill levels, Fine Cooking magazine features hands-on, how-to advice and recipes from America's culinary experts. Taunton Press October 15, Language: Don't have a Kindle? Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers.

Write a customer review. Showing of 14 reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. I love the variety of recipes this book offered. Soups to serve at a elegant dinner to stews served on a curl up on the couch with a crock day. Recipes are simple to follow, even for the inexperienced cooks out there. Christmas gift recipient very happy. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Great recipes are great! Tried a couple them and worked quite well not to mention they were delicious!

One person found this helpful. Has a lot of the same recipes as previous versions but with a different cover photo. Everything I have made ha turned out well. Of course it could just be the cook! Stir the brandy, Grand Marnier if using , and vanilla into the wine and taste.

Add more sugar if needed— use just enough to smooth out the flavors but not so much that it actually tastes sweet. If you want to infuse the wine a day before serving it, go right ahead. Just make sure to remove the spice sachet before storing it for the night. Gently reheat the wine in a medium pot over low heat and then add the brandy, Grand Marnier, and vanilla. Allison Ehri Kreitler is Fine Cooking's assistant test kitchen manager. Instead of popping out of the mortar, cardamom pods and coriander seeds, for instance, are quickly reduced to a powder by the sharp edges of the salt crystals.

I simply reduce the salt in the recipe by a pinch and proceed with my fragrant ground spice and salt mixture. This method also works wonders with garlic and citrus zest. No-mess whipped cream When whipping heavy cream with my hand mixer, some of the cream always splatters onto the counter and me. I set the bowl in my sink and whip away. A rubber mat underneath protects the sink, and any splatters hit the sink walls and are easily rinsed away.

Best of all, my clothes and countertops stay clean. This is also great for beating in dry ingredients like flour when making cakes or cookies. They worked perfectly, gripping and cutting the chicken with ease; scissors would also work for trimming meat and fish. But my salad spinner rarely does the job to my satisfaction.

Now I add a paper towel to the basket of the spinner along with the greens. The towel efficiently absorbs the excess moisture, and it's easy to spin until dry. It's light and easy to handle and is great for filling a measuring spoon worth of oil without spills, coating a piece of parchment, or drizzling oil over food before or after cooking. When I'm not using the squeeze bottle, I store it in a cool, dark place to pro- long the shelf life of the oil.

I've started lightly greasing the inside of the crocks with olive oil before adding the soup, and now cleanup is a breeze. They keep for up to three months, and all I have to do is measure out the amount I need and let the nuts come to room temperature before adding them to my recipe. As I scoured my refrigerator for a substitute, I spied a bottle offish sauce, and voila! A few drops of the fish sauce, which is made from fermented anchovies, made a fabulous Caesar dressing, and my craving was satisfied. But due to limited kitchen space, I don't have room for a potato ricer.

Instead, I press cooked potatoes through a small-holed colan- der with a rubber spatula with very satisfactory results. A good way to deal with this is a traditional Scandinavian technique: Cut a cylinder from the center of a round cake, using a small pot lid or saucer as a guide.

Cut the outside ring into wedges about IV2 inches wide. When the outside of the cake is gone, you're left with a smaller round cake for tea time, another use, or more small pieces. Forgettable wines are so yesterday. For something a little bolder, pour yourself some Ravenswood. Our wines are complex, vivid and expressive. And above all, memorable. Give guests a window of time to drop by, start with a festive cocktail, and fill your biggest table with scrumptious dishes that are mostly make-ahead. The result is an elegant yet low-key party that takes the stress out of entertaining.

As a party pro, I've developed a foolproof strategy for building a crowd-friendly buffet. I always suggest that people start with a couple of main dishes that taste great at room temperature, supplement them with simple side dishes, and then fill out the table with store-bought extras that you arrange on your own serving dishes. Festive yet relaxed, this buffet allows you to leave the kitchen and enjoy your own party. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Brush the ham all over with V2 cup of the glaze and wrap loosely in foil. The ham will continue to rise in temperature during the glazing and resting.

Peel back the foil from the top and sides of the ham; brush the ham with 6 Tbs. Bake, brushing the ham again after 5 and then 10 minutes, using 6 Tbs. Remove the ham from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours before slicing.

To give your guests that option, add biscuits store-bought are fine and these two spreads to the buffet. Horseradish cream Mix 2 cups sour cream with V2 cup prepared horseradish or very finely grated fresh horseradish , 2 tsp. Add more horseradish, salt, or pepper to taste. Can be made up to 3 days ahead. Orange-maple mustard Reserve 3 Tbs. Pineapple-Bourbon Chutney Yields about 3 cups. This sweet-tangy condiment provides a wonderful balance to bites of smoky ham, and it's also delightful on its own. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, stir- ring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 1 A hours.

Add more salt and pepper to taste. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The salmon is delicious either warm or at room temperature. A 6- or 8-foot dining table is a good choice, but you can also push two square tables together or set up two separate round tables. Don't put the buffet near the front door or you'll create a bottleneck with arriving and departing guests.

Guests can't serve themselves while juggling a plate and a glass. It's nice to roll it in a napkin, which makes it easier to manage while carrying a full plate. This creates more room on the table and keeps the overall spread from looking flat. Marinate and roast the salmon: In a food processor, combine the buttermilk, basil, cilantro, scallions, vinegar, honey, ginger, 1 tsp.

Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside 3 A cup for the salad. Thirty minutes before roasting the salmon, pour the remaining marinade over the salmon in a large rimmed dish and let sit at room temperature. For the best texture, don't marinate longer than 30 minutes. Line a large rimmed bak- ing sheet with foil. When ready to roast the salmon, remove it from the marinade and set on the baking sheet.

Bake until just firm to the touch and opaque in the center use a paring knife to peek , 20 to 25 minutes.

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Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the cucumbers, onion, olives, cheese, and 1 V2 tsp. Toss with the reserved buttermilk dressing and season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Use two large spatulas to carefully move the salmon to a platter. Spoon some of the cucumber salad around the salmon and serve the rest in a bowl on the side. Prep the cucumber salad up to 3 hours ahead, but do not add the salt or dressing until just before serving. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Serves twenty-four. If you have trouble finding fingerling potatoes, you can substitute baby red-skin potatoes; just cut any large ones in half. Put two large rimmed baking sheets in the hot oven. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, olive oil, 1 V2 tsp. When the pans are hot, divide the potatoes between the pans in a snug single layer they should sizzle.

Roast for 20 minutes, stir- ring occasionally, and then rotate the pans. Continue to roast, stirring occasionally, until they are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes longer. Return the potatoes to the large bowl, add the chives and truffle oil, if using, and toss. Season to taste with more salt and pepper and pour onto a serving platter make sure to pour all the oil in the bowl over the potatoes.

Keep warm until ready to serve. Broccoli with Spicy Gremolata Serves twenty-four. Traditional gremolata garlic, parsley, and lemon zest is given a spicy twist with the addition of crushed red pepper flakes. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half of the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer the broccoli to a colander, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain again. Repeat with the remaining broccoli. Add the broccoli to the gremolata and toss to combine.

FINE COOKING SOUPS & STEWS : No-Fail Recipes for Every Season | YudhaCookBook

Sea- son to taste with salt and pepper and trans- fer to a serving bowl. You can prep the gremolata ingredients and cook the broccoli up to 3 hours ahead. Do not mix the gremolata or combine it with the broccoli until just before serving, as the lemon juice will even- tually cause the broccoli and parsley to turn a dull green. This hearty fireside sup- per is a good reminder. It's easy to pull together and packed with do-ahead tips the main course gets even better if it spends a couple of days in the fridge.

And it's a great excuse to pause, enjoy the season with your favorite people, and cook up some memories. Warm, earthy spices infuse this savory stew, and olives and lemon add bright- ness. It's perfect for casual entertaining because it tastes even better a day or two after it's made. Heat the oil in an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, brown the chicken well all over, about 3 minutes per side, transferring each batch to a plate or bowl— it'll take about 4 batches and 24 minutes total to brown all the chicken.

The bottom of the pan will be brown, but that's OK. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft- ened and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chiles, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, and V2 cup of the lemon juice. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Return the chicken and any accumu- lated juices to the pot. Carefully stir in the chickpeas and olives. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened somewhat and the chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes more.

Stir in 1 Tbs. Serve over the Saffron Couscous, sprinkled with the cilantro or mint. This stew can be prepared and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead or frozen up to 1 month in advance. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding V2 cup water if the stew seems too thick. Saffron Couscous Serves ten to twelve. Baking the couscous helps it cook evenly and frees up your stovetop too. Put the couscous in a 9x1 3-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth, butter, saffron, and 1 tsp.

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Pour the mixture over the couscous and mix well. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the liquid has been absorbed by the couscous, 10 to 1 2 minutes. Let sit at room temperature, covered, for 5 minutes. Drizzle the olive oil over the couscous. Using a fork or your fingers, gently mix to coat the couscous in oil and break apart any clumps. Transfer to a serving dish. If not serving immediately, loosely cover the dish and keep warm for up to 30 minutes. Rich and creamy, these gingery custards can be prepared and baked a day or two ahead, but wait until you're ready to serve them to caramelize the sugar topping.

You'll need a mini blowtorch for this step; see Where To Buy It on p. Cover, remove from the heat, and steep for 20 minutes. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks and 1 A cup of the sugar until smooth and combined. Lightly whisk about V2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the yolk mixture and then gradually whisk in the remaining cream mixture.

Stir rather than whip with the whisk— you don't want a frothy mixture, or the baked custards will have a foamy-looking surface. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large Pyrex measuring cup or a heatproof bowl with a spout. Divide the custard among the ramekins. Slowly pour hot water from the kettle into the baking pan don't get any water in the ramekins until it comes about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins.

Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the custards are set around the edges but still slightly jiggly like Jell-O in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the ramekins to a cooling rack and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refriger- ate the custards uncovered. Once the custards are refrigerator-cold, wrap each ramekin with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days before proceeding. To serve, sprinkle 1 V2 tsp.

Wipe any sugar off the rim of the ramekins. Light a mini blowtorch and hold the flame 2 to 3 inches from the top of the custard, slowly gliding it back and forth over the surface until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown. Allow the sugar to cool and harden for a few minutes, and then serve immediately. Heidi Johannsen Stewart is a food editor, recipe developer, and food stylist living in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and 3-year-old son.

For a nonalcoholic pairing, the complex, not-too-sweet herbal flavors of Fentiman's botanically brewed beverages are a perfect match. You actually like to buy presents, bake cookies, and, well, cook. Instead, what about a holiday meal that's fun to make and impressive to serve?

It's got all the classics you want for the ultimate Christmas dinner including a juicy roast beef , updated with a stylish, modern flare. And never mind the 12 days of Christmas. We have an easy plan see p. Champagne Cosmo Serves eight. Sip this festive sparkler— a Champagne twist on a Cosmopolitan— before dinner or while you enjoy the first course. Hold a lime strip over a tall Champagne flute, twist or tie it into a single knot to release the essential oils, and drop the zest into the flute. Repeat with the remaining zest and seven more flutes.

Divide the juice mixture equally among the flutes. Top each flute with the sparkling wine depending on the size of your flutes, you may not need all of the wine. For this recipe, avoid shrimp that's already been deveined; because it's been slit down the back, it can't be butterflied properly. Worcestershire sauce Two drops Sriracha hot sauce or other Asian chile sauce Vz cup mayonnaise 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard Freshly ground black pepper V2 lb.

In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbs. Add the scallions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 min- utes don't brown. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1 Tbs. Stir in the cooled scallion mixture. Add the crab and mix gently but thoroughly.

In a inch skillet, melt the remaining 1 V2 Tbs. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the remaining 1 Tbs. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and rub lightly with butter. Arrange the butterflied shrimp on the baking sheet. Using a spoon or your hands, mound a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture onto each shrimp. Sprinkle and pat the breadcrumbs over the crab.

This will be messy; don't worry if there are crumbs on the baking sheet. Flip the tail of each shrimp up and over the crab. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through, the crabmeat is hot, and the crumbs are golden brown, 1 2 to 1 4 minutes. While the shrimp are in the oven, toss the frisee and the whole parsley leaves with the remaining V2 tsp. On 8 small plates, arrange a small pile of the salad and two shrimp. You can butterfly the shrimp, make the stuffing and breadcrumb topping, and stuff the shrimp up to a day ahead.

If stuffing ahead, don't top with the crumbs or flip up the tails until ready to bake. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp and stuffing; store the crumbs airtight at room tempera- ture. Remove the stuffed shrimp from the fridge while the oven is heating. Roasting the beef at a low temperature cooks the meat slowly and evenly and gives you time to finish preparing the other dishes. Put the tender- loin on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or in a small roasting pan and rub the oil mixture all over it.

Transfer to a carving board, tent with foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with the ragout. You can season the ten- derloin up to 6 hours ahead and refrigerate. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter into a small bowl and set aside. In a inch straight-sided saute pan, heat 2 Tbs. Add the cremini and 1 tsp.

Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring more fre- quently, until the mushrooms are shrunken and very well browned, 8 to 10 minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and the remaining 1 Tbs. Add the Marsala, thyme, porcini, and 1 A cup porcini-soaking liquid reserve the remaining soaking liquid if making ahead.

Cook and stir until most of the liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cream and cook until reduced to a saucy consis- tency, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. You can make and refrigerate the ragout up to 2 days ahead. Just before serving, reheat it in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 or 2 Tbs. Stir in the parsley. Lemon-Thyme Spinach Serves eight. A generous amount of lemon zest adds a touch of brightness to sauteed spinach. Put several large handfuls of the spinach in a 1 2-inch nonstick stir-fry or saute pan. Sea- son with V2 tsp.

Turn the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is mostly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add another few handfuls of spinach and another V2 tsp. Repeat until all of the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner.

Add the butter mixture and toss just until it melts and coats the spinach. Sea- son to taste with salt and serve immediately. You can make the butter mixture up to 2 days ahead cover and refrig- erate , and you can wilt the spinach up to 2 hours before dinner. Reheat it gently with the butter before serving. For this menu, you will need only 8 puddings, but you'll have 4 extra for anyone who wants seconds. Grease a 1 2-cup nonstick muffin tin with the butter.

In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, thor- oughly whisk the cream and eggs. Whisk in the horseradish, 1 tsp. Portion half of the bread cubes evenly among the 1 2 muffin cups. Portion half of the parmigiano and half of the chives evenly among the cups. Repeat with the remaining bread, cheese, and chives. Whisk the custard again and carefully pour it into the muffin cups, distributing it evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Bake until the puddings are set and the tops are nicely browned and puffed, 1 8 to 22 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 20 min- utes. Carefully remove the puddings from the pan, running a paring knife around the edge of the puddings if they stick. The puddings can be assembled and refrigerated up to 6 hours before baking. They can also be baked a day ahead, refrigerated, and reheated, wrapped in foil, in a low oven. Here's a three-day plan that takes you from start to finish with ease. While these trifles are delicious made with warm gingerbread and warm apples, they are equally good made a few hours ahead and chilled, which makes serving dessert a snap.

In a inch straight-sided skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and 1 A tsp. Add half of the cranberries, the maple syrup, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 2 Tbs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium low, and simmer until the syrup has thickened a little and most of the cranberries have popped, about 2 minutes.

Add the other half of the cranber- ries and simmer until about half of the new cranberries have popped, 2 to 3 minutes more. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool to room temperature. Make the whipped cream: Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip the heavy cream and vanilla with a hand-held or stand mixer on medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute.

Slowly sprinkle in the sugar and continue whipping until soft peaks form, another 1 to 2 minutes. Refriger- ate if not using right away. Using a serrated knife, cut the ginger cake into 3 A-inch cubes. Portion about half of the cake among eight ounce glasses. Portion about half of the whipped cream among the glasses, spooning it over and around the cake, and top with about half of the apple mixture. Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream, and apples.

You may have some leftover cake. The apple mixture can be made a day ahead and refrigerated return it to room temperature before using. The cream can be whipped an hour before using. The trifles can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 hours ahead. Ginger Cake Yields one 8x8- inch cake; serves eight. This cake is very much like a traditional gingerbread, except that it's made with buttermilk and is extra tender and moist.

V2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature; more for the pan 6 3 A oz.

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Butter the sides of an 8x8-inch square cake pan and line the bot- tom of the pan with parchment. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the fresh ginger and mix until just combined. Add both sugars and beat on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the egg and mix on medium speed until well combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the molasses. Add about one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add one-third of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry and wet ingredients in four more additions, finishing with the buttermilk and mixing until just com- bined after each addition.

Scrape the batter into the cake pan and spread it evenly. Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, at least an hour. Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking. The cake can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature. I have yet to serve this cake and be greeted with anything but raves — and crumb-filled plates thrust my way with requests for another wedge. As delectable as it is, this cake is not difficult. It hinges on three important techniques see below , and it needs no icing. It also lends itself to variation, which means you get the bonus of adding three cakes to your repertoire with this one classic recipe.

Good to know Master these three key techniques, and impressive results are guaranteed. Layering the batter and filling Layers are key to this cake's great flavor and sublime appearance. There are four layers of batter and three of filling. Using a large soupspoon for the batter, start by smoothing it to the sides of the pan and then work towards the center tube.

Don't lift the spoon, or you'll disturb the filling. Marbling the batter Once the layers are complete, run a table knife through the batter in two circles around the tube, spacing them about an inch apart, without lifting up the blade. This distributes the filling but still keeps it clearly defined. Forming the streusel For the topping, form streusel clumps by squeezing the mixture together and break- ing the mass into smaller pieces to sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Press the streusel lightly into the batter.

Generously butter a inch tube pan with a remov- able bottom. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until almost melted. Remove from the heat and cool to tepid. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pecans, both sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and stir with a fork.

Add the flour mixture to the butter and stir until evenly moistened and crumbly. In a food processor, pulse the pecans, both sugars, cinnamon, and cocoa 4 to 6 times to combine and chop the pecans. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar slowly, beating until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending each one completely before adding the next. Scrape the bowl and blend in the vanilla.

On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream, adding the flour in four parts and the sour cream in three parts, beginning and ending with the flour, and scraping the bowl as needed. Layer and marble the batter and filling: Spoon 2 generous cups of the batter into the prepared pan.

Smooth with the back of a soupspoon, spreading the batter to the side of the pan first and then to the center. Sprinkle about V2 cup of the filling evenly over the batter. Cover the fill- ing with about 2 cups of batter, dropping dollops around the pan and smoothing with the spoon. Sprinkle another V2 cup filling evenly over the batter and cover with 2 more cups batter. Layer on the remaining filling and then the remaining batter. You'll have four layers of batter and three layers of filling. Insert a table knife 1 inch from the side of the pan straight into the batter going almost to the bottom.

Run the knife around the pan two times, without lifting up the blade, spacing the circles about 1 inch apart. Smooth the top with the back of the soupspoon. Top and bake the cake: Take a hand- ful of the streusel crumbs and squeeze firmly to form a large mass. Break up the mass into smaller clumps, distributing the streusel evenly over the batter. Repeat with the remaining streusel. Press the streusel lightly into the surface of the cake.

Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, the sides are beginning to pull away from the pan, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 70 to 75 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least an hour before removing from the pan. For tips on turning out the cake, see From Our Test Kitchen, p.

This cake keeps at room temperature, well wrapped or under a cake dome, for up to 5 days; you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Chocolate Ripple V2 cup toasted pecans 6 oz. Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder Prepare the streusel topping from the main recipe without any changes. Substi- tute the ingredients above for the filling ingredients, and pulse them in a food processor until the chocolate is finely chopped, 1 2 to 1 4 pulses.

Reserve V2 cup as an additional topping and proceed with the layering instructions, using one-third of the remaining mixture for each filling layer. After topping the bat- ter with the streusel crumbs, clump the reserved chocolate mixture together with your hands and sprinkle over the streusel, pressing lightly. Substitute the remaining ingredients above for the filling ingredients: Empty the mixture into a medium bowl and mix in the crystallized ginger.

Proceed with the layering and baking instructions, using one-third of the filling for each layer. The sugar secret It may seem silly that I call for three types of sugar in this recipe superfine, granulated, and light brown , but there is a reason for each. Superfine is used in the batter, which is dense and doesn't get hot enough in the center during baking to dissolve the larger crystals in granulated sugar. Superfine ensures a fine crumb and lighter texture. You don't have to buy a special package of it, though — make your own by spinning granulated sugar in a food processor until it is as fine as sand.

Granulated sugar adds a nice texture to the topping and filling, and the molasses in the brown sugar adds depth of flavor. The right pan Key to this cake's success is the pan it's baked in. You need a shiny aluminum tube pan also known as an angel food cake pan. Don't use a Bundt or a fluted pan, because they have rounded bottoms and are meant for cakes that will be served inverted. Dark nonstick tube pans are not a good choice for a cake like this; because it bakes for more than an hour, over- browning or burning may result.