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DESIGNEDBYERICHHOBBING

ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica

13579108642

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataValastro,Buddy.

BakingwiththeCakeboss:100ofBuddy'sbestrecipesanddecoratingsecrets/

BuddyValastro.p.cm.

Includesindex.1.Cake.2.Cakedecorating.3.Carlo’sBakeShop(Hoboken,N.J.)I.Cakeboss

(Televisionprogram)II.Title.TX771.V3352011641.8′653—dc23

2011018216

ISBN978-1-4391-8352-6(Print)ISBN978-1-45162891-3(ebook)

Tomymother,MaryValastro.

AfterDaddypassedaway,youandIpromisedeachotherthatwewoulddowhateverittooktokeepCarlo’sBakeShopflourishing.Westrived,togetherwiththeentirefamily,topullthatoff,and—ofcourse—thebakerybecamemoresuccessfulthanever.Intheprocess,youbecamemorethanamothertome;webecamebestfriends.

ItalkalotabouthowIinheritedalotofDaddy’sbesttraits,butIwasfortunatetoreceivemanyofyoursaswell—toputitinbakingterms,youguysweretherecipefor

themanIamtoday.

AndsoIdedicatethisbooktoyou,straightfromtheheart.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter1:GettingStarted:ATouroftheKitchenOrganization

Chapter2:EquipmentAll-PurposeCookwareForCakesandCupcakesTools

Chapter3:NotesonIngredientsButterCocoaandChocolateEggsFloursLardMargarineMilkNutsSaltSugarsVanillaVegetableOilVegetableShortening

Chapter4:TheZoneandHowtoGetThereKitchenSafety

Chapter5:BasicBakingTechniquesMeasuringMixingRediscoveringtheLostArtofRollingWithaPin

Chapter6:CookiesButterCookiesDoubleChocolateChipCookiesPeanutButterCookiesChocolateBrownieClustersPignoliCookiesSeven-LayerCookiesTarellesMakingTwistyTarellesRugelachLinzerTartCookiesBlack-and-WhiteCookiesIceboxChristmasCookies

Chapter7:PastriesChouxPastryÉclairsNapoleonsButterfliesandCassatiniButterfliesRumBabasCannoliCannoliCreamBrowniesRaspberryBarsOld-FashionedDoughnutsMaeWestDoughnutsChocolateTruffles

Chapter8:PiesandTarts

LemonMeringuePiePieCrustPumpkinPieCoconutCustardPiePastieradiGranoApplePieFruttidiBoscoCreamPuffParfait

Chapter9:CakesandCupcakesTheTurntableUsingAPastryBagDecorator’sButtercreamCupcakesSunflowerCupcakePuffFlowerCupcakesFlat-PetalFlowerCupcakesDaisyCupcakesBuddy’sCabbageRoseCupcakesPipingButtercreamRosesRedRoseCupcakesChristmasTreeCupcakesWorkingwithCakesSoakingaSpongeCakeDecoratingTechniquesABoy’sBirthdayCakeMakeYourOwnParchmentPencilAGirl’sBirthdayCakeCreateYourOwnCakesMyFavoriteCakeCombinationsFondantCoatingACakeWithFondantIcingwithCardboardMakingFondantCakesDotandBowCake

GroovyGirlCakeThemeCakesGrown-UpBirthdayCosmoCakeValentine’sDayCakeEasterBasketMother’sDayCakeGraduationCakeFather’sDayCakeSummerBeachCakeFourthofJulyCakeHalloweenFrankensteinCakeThanksgivingTurkeyAutumnCakeBabyShowerCakeSnowflakeWinterWonderlandCakeChanukahCakeSantaChristmasCakeChristmasLightsCakeAnimalSafariCake

Chapter10:BasicCakeRecipesVanillaCakeChocolateCakeWhiteChiffonCakeChocolateChiffonPandiSpagnaCarrotCakeRedVelvetCake

Chapter11:FrostingsandFillingsVanillaFrostingChocolateFudgeFrostingItalianButtercreamItalianCustardCreamCreamCheeseFrosting

MyDad’sChocolateMousseChocolateGanacheLobsterTailCreamItalianWhippedCreamSyrup

Acknowledgments

Index

AbouttheAuthor

Introduction

Itallstartedwithacookie.EverythingIamprofessionally.AllthatI’mcapableofdoinginabakery.Every

weddingandthemecakeI’veeverconceivedandcreated.Itallbeganwiththefirstthing I was ever taught to make when I started working at my family’s bakery:buttercookies.It’sbeenalongtimesincemyfirst“official”dayonthejob—almosttwenty-fiveyears—anditfeelslikealongtime.WhenIlookbackovermylifeandcareer,Irecallmyskillsgrowingatthesameslowpaceatwhichatreegrows.

Abaker’sdevelopmentdoesn’thappenovernight.It’sapainstakingthing.Evenifyouhaverawtalent,youhavetonurtureit,developit.Youhavetopatientlybackup instinct and intuitionwith craft and,most of all, practice.Because inbaking,practicedoesn’tjustmakeperfect.Practicealsoletsyoumoveontothenextlevel,thenextchallenge,thenextthingtobemastered.

Learning tobake is like learning to speak.Youpickup that firstword,even ifyou pronounce it imperfectly, and then pretty soon you learn another, and thenanother. You might not be able to say every word as clearly as a networkanchorman,orputwordstogetherintosentences,butevenasakidyouknowthat’swhere you’re headed, to a place where you can string words into sentences,sentencesintoparagraphs,paragraphsintoanythingyouwant—anessay,astory,amemoir—ifyouputinthetimetogetgoodateachofthecomponentparts.

It’sthesamewithbaking.Thosebuttercookieswerelikemyfirstword.They’renotdifficult tomake, and they’re still oneof the first thingswe assign tobakingnewbies at Carlo’s Bake Shop, my family’s business on Washington Street inHoboken,NewJersey:Youmixadoughofbutter,sugar,almondpaste,eggwhites,andflour;scrapeitintoapastrybag;pipecirclesofitontoaparchmentpaper–linedtray;andbakethem.

Next to themagnificent theme cakes we produce, those butter cookiesmightsoundlikethemostidiotproofgruntworkyoucouldimagine.Butthey’renot.Thebeautiful thing about baking is that it all fits together; just as words lead tosentences,andsentences leadtoparagraphs, thosecookies—aswellas theothersImade inmy firstmonths on the job—laid the foundation for all the baking anddecoratingthatawaitedme,andifyou’renewtobaking,theycandothesamethingforyou.

THEKARATEKIDPRINCIPLE

You’ve probably already made cookies, but I wonder if you have any idea howmuch you’ve learned about pastry and cakemaking from something as simple asmixingandbakingachocolatechipcookie.

Ifyou’vemadecookiesfromscratch,thenyoualreadyhaveexperiencewithoneofthemostimportantthingsaboutbaking:mixingdoughuntilit’sjustthewayit’ssupposed to be. As for the baking itself, you’ve developed an eye and a nose fordoneness, and you’ve learned a little something about how food behaves after itcomesoutoftheoven,liketheeffectofcarryoverheat(thewaythingscontinuetocookbytheirowncontainedheatastheyrest),andthatthecookieswillhardenastheycool.

Those thingsmightnot seem likemuch—Ibet you’venever even given themmuchthought—butifyou’veevermadechocolatechipcookiesfromscratch,thenyou’vealreadybeguntounleashthebakerwithin.

I call this the “KarateKid principle.” In themovieTheKarateKid—both theoriginal and the 2010 remake—the young protagonist is forced by his master,MisterMiyagi, to execute a seriesof seeminglymundane tasks: sanding the floor,paintingahouse,andwaxingacar(intheoriginal)orpickingupandputtingonajacket,thentakingitoffandhangingitup(intheremake).Theboydoesn’tseethevalueofthesetasks—infact,hethinkstheoldmanistoyingwithhim—butwhenit comes time to step up and do some real karate, he finds that he knows all heneeds to know: the brushstrokes he used to paint taught him the motion forblockingablow;bendingovertopickupthejacketpreparedhimtoduck;andsoon.He’sbeenlearningmorethanheeverrealizedjustbydoingthosesimplelittlethings,overandover.

It’s the same with baking: You do small tasks like mixing cookie dough, orpipinganéclairfullofcream,orrollingoutrugelach.It’sassemblylinework,oratleastthat’showitseems.Butwhenitcomestimetodomoreintricatebakinganddecorating,yourealizeyoualreadyknowalotofwhat’srequired.Ifyoudoenoughbaking, thenyoudon’tevenhavetothinkabout itbecauseyoursenses takeover:Your fingers knowwhatdough should feel likewhenyouwork it; your eyes andnosedevelopasixthsensefordoneness;andyourbrainmakesadjustmentsbasedontheendresultsoyoucancorrectyourcoursethenexttimetomakeitevenbetter.

Onceyougetall those tasksdowntoaT,andyoumoveonto thenextones,that’swhen youhave yourKarateKidmoment.All of those cookie-making skillscomeintoplaywhenyoudecidetotacklepastry;themixing,rolling,shaping,andbakinghavebecomesecondnature,soyoucansaveyourmentalenergyforwhat’snew: assembly and decorating. And by the time you get to cake making and

decorating,anddiscover thatyou’vealreadygot the tools todo that…well, it’s atrulymysticalmoment in a baker’s lifewhenwe realize thatwepossess the skillsnecessarytomakeourtoolsandingredientsdowhateverwewantthemto,andthatwe’recapableofmorethanweeverthoughtpossible.Ihopethatthisbookwillhelpyouattainsuchamomentinyourownbakinglife.

I’m living proof of what I’m talking about. Inmy early days at Carlo’s BakeShop,Iwasconfinedtosimplebakingtaskssuchasmakingcookiesandwhatwecall “finishing work,” which means slicing and piping pastries full of cream, ortoppingthemwithmaraschinocherriesorstrawberryhalves.Thosejobsdidn’tseemlikemuch at the time, just yourbasicdues-paying labor.But eventually, I got sogood at these rudimentary tasks that I didn’t evenhave to think about them.Bymakingcookies, I learnedhowtomix,pickedup some simplepiping techniques,andhonedmyeye fordoneness, learning todiscern the fine linesbetween“hot,”“done,” and “burned,”whichweredifferent for each cookie.Bymakingpastry, Ilearnedagreatervarietyofskills,developedgreaterfinessewithdough,andbegantodevelopwhatwecallthe“HandoftheBag,”theonenesswithapastrybagthatyouneedtobeabletodecoratecakes.Andcakeswerethenextstepinmyeducation.

Because repetition leads to mastery, my favorite times at the bakery were theholidays,whenwe’dbangout150pansoféclairsand150ofcreampuffsinasingleday.Iusedtolookforwardtothosecrunchtimes,becausewheneachonewasover,my skillshad risen to anew level and Iwas ready tomoveon to thenext thing.Januarydidn’tbring just thenewyear;on theheelsof theDecembermadness atCarlo’s,italsobroughtmenewchallengesinthekitchen.

I’vedesignedthisbooktotrackthesamepathItookatCarlo’s,theonethatanyyoungbakerstilltakestheretoday.Ofcourse,youdon’thavetobaketheserecipesintheorderI’vearrangedtheminthisbook,especiallyifyoualreadyhaveacertaindegreeofbakinganddecoratingexperience.Butifyoudobakethemoneaftertheother,inorder—andifyoutakethetimetoreallylearneachrecipeuntilit’ssecondnature toyou—whenyouget to the themecakerecipes,you’llbeamazedathowmuchyouknow:Youwillbeanexpertmixer,andbakingwillbeabreeze.Ifyouaregoingtousefondant,you’llhavealreadydevelopedcrucialrollingskills;andifyou’regoingtodoalotofpiping,you’llalreadyknowallthetechniquesrequiredtoproducethevariouseffects.

YOURCARLO’SBAKESHOPAPPRENTICESHIP

To put all of this another way: Think of this book as your own, privateapprenticeship alongside me, the Cake Boss himself. I am going to teach youeverything I learned atmy family’s bakery, in the same order I learned it.We’regoing to start by making cookies, then work our way up through the Carlo’s“curriculum”ofpastries,pies,basiccakedecorating,andthemecakes.

Thereisgoingtobeadifferencebetweenmyeducationandyours,however:I’mnotgoingtomakeyouwaitforthelargerlessonstorevealthemselves.Aswetakeoneachrecipeinthisbook,I’lltellyouexactlyhowitwillhelpyouwithfuturerecipes,soyoucanfliporthinkaheadandstarttoconnectthedotsforyourself.

Ofcourse,ifyoualreadyhavesomebakingexperience—orevenifyoudon’t—youdon’thavetofollowmysuggestedsequence.Youcanmakealloftherecipesinthisbookwithoutcross-referencinganyothersinthebook,exceptfortheoccasional“subrecipe”forafilling,icing,ordough.Butifyou’restartingtobakefromscratch,I’d encourage you to confine yourself to cookies for a while, then move on topastries,thenpies,andfinallytocakes.

THEPEPTALK

Beforewegetstarted,I’mgoingtogiveyoualittletalkIliketogivetoeverybodywho comes to work with me and my family. Baking is hard work, and in aprofessionalkitchen,it’sateameffort.SoIthinkofmyselfasacoach,andpartofmyjobistomotivatepeoplewheneverIcan,startingwiththeirfirstdayonthejob.

Soimaginethat it’ssixo’clockinthemorning.You’vebeenupsincefive.Youtookaquick shower,pulledonyourcheckeredpants andcook’swhites,droveortrained it to Hoboken, and made your way through the predawn streets to thecobblestonealleywaythatleadstoourbackdoor.Youpushitopenandpreparetostepthroughthelookingglass,intoyourbakingfuture.

Thefirstthingthathitsyouistheglare.Thekitchenisbright.Ithastobe.Weneedtobeabletodiscernallthelittledifferencesinbattersanddoughsasthey’remixedandinthewidevarietyoffinalproductsastheycomeoutoftheovens.

You spotmewaiting for you.Even after all these years, I still love these earlymorninghoursandI’mabundleofenergyandexcitement.Itakeprideinbeingupandaboutandhardatworkwhilemostoftheworldisstillfastasleep.MostbakersIknow feel the sameway.Thesehours are sacred—the streetsbeyond thebakerywallsarequiet;thephonesaren’tringingyet.It’stheperfecttimetocommunewith

ouringredientsandourovenswithzerooutsidedistraction.It’stheperfecttimetobake.

“Hey,how’sitgoing?”Isayandwedoahighfivethatturnsintoahandshakeinmidair.“Areyoureadytowork?”

“Yes,”yousay…ifyouknowwhat’sgoodforyou.“That’swhatweliketohear,”Isay.“Butbeforewegetyoustarted,let’shavea

cupofcoffee.”Weheadout to the retail floorandhelpourselves to twocoffees fromthepot

behindthecounter.Onthewayback intothekitchen,wepassthepictureofmyfather—Buddy Sr.—hanging over the staircase. The words “Gone But NotForgotten” are emblazoned across it.And it’s true:To this day, his spirit imbueseverythingwedo.Hispassionandenergyinspireeverybodywhoworkshere—theveteransworkedshoulder-to-shoulderwithhimandtheyoungergenerationreceiveshispassionindirectlyfromtheveterans.It’sachain,acontinuum,thatIhopewillneverend.

Wefindacornerofabench(woodenworktable)wherewearen’tinanybody’sway.Asthebakersmixandrollallaroundus,heavinghugetraysofthisandthatinto the ovens, then hauling them out, golden-brown and smelling of sugar andspices,ItellyouwhatIwanteverynewbakertoknow.

“Within these walls is everything you need to know to be a complete baker.”When I say “complete,” I emphasize the word so much that you jump a little.“Complete baker” is a term that has specialmeaning at Carlo’s. Everybody whoworksheretakesprideinbeingacompletebaker.

“MycakeeducationwasnothingspecialbackwhenIwasakid,”Isay.“Inthosedays, everybody in a bakery knew how to do everything. ‘All-around bakers,’ wecalledourselves.Thoroughbreds.Therewasnothingthatwecouldn’tdo.WebakedTuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, making everything from biscotti to cakes.Then on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, when people had their celebrations, wedecoratedcakesfromsunuptodusk.

“Agemightbeastrikeagainstyouinthecorporateworld,”Itellyou.“Buthere,therehasalwaysbeengreatrespectfortheelders,becausethey’vebeendoingthingslongerthantherestofusandforthemostpartarebetter.”

Younod.You lookaround,andnotice thatolderguys likeDannyDragone—one of our longtime utility players—have no trouble keeping pace with youngerguyslikemybrother-in-lawJoeyFaugno,whorunsthebakingdepartment.Bothofthem are much more than bakers, or even managers; they are fonts of bakingknowledge andwisdom.They spend a goodpart of each and everydaypatiently

nurturingyoungtalentbypointingoutthethingsthattheirchargescanlearnonlythrough firsthand baking experience, like calling their attention to the distincttextures and colors that let youknowwhen eachdough is donemixing.Orhowcertain cookies need to finish baking out of the oven, on their pan, even thoughtheymightseemalittleraw.Orthatyouneedtosmellthefreshricottawestillgetfrom a local farm—in pails, on ice, with no labels or expiration dates—beforemaking cannoli cream, to make sure it’s not spoiled. We also check up on ouryoungcolleaguesinmoresubtleways—forexample,whenIseesomebodymakingawheatpie,Ialwaystakeasniffofthefillingasitcooksonthestovetopbecausemynosewilltellmewhetherornottheyrememberedtoincludetheorangeandlemonzest,bothofwhichgiveoffadistinctandpotentperfume.

Theoldproslooksogooddoingtheirjobsthatnewkidscanbeintimidatedandmakebaddecisions.WhileIwaswritingthisbook,apairofyoungbakersburnedtworacksofcookies.Notburnedblack,butburnedenoughthattheyweren’trighttosell.That’samistakethatanybodycanmake,evenme,eventoday.Whatmattersisn’twhethercookiesburn,butwhatyoudowiththemwhenthathappens.Inthiscase, the guys—maybe afraidwe’dbe crosswith them—put the cookieswith theproperlybakedonesthatwereheadedforthepastrycasesontheretailfloor,whichwasabigmistake.Fortunately,wecaughttheburnedonesbeforetheywentoutforsale.Theyweren’tsohorriblywrongthattheyhadtoendupinthegarbagecan,butwecouldn’t sell them,sowedonatedthemtothehomeless,which iswhatwedowiththebakedgoodsweproducethataren’tquiteuptoourcommercialstandards,butarestillprettydelicious.

Joey,Danny,andalltheotherveteranbakersareeachlikewell-oiledmachinesintheirownright.Andthere’snochit-chat,noclowningaround—theyareallfocusedonwhattheyaredoing,andondoingittothebestoftheirability.Oneguymightbemixingbatchafterbatchofdough,whichwestilldoinanoldindustrialHobartmixer,thebakerrollinguphissleeveandstickinghisarmdownintothedepthsofthebowltoscrapeit;anothermightbepullingtraysofftherotatingshelvesintheoven, thengettingtraysofunbakedcookiesandpastriesontothoseshelvesbeforetoo much heat has escaped; yet another might be doing finishing work, icingcookiesorpipingéclairsfullofcream.

Ithinkabouthoweachoftheseguyscouldswitchrolesorhowtheycouldalldothesametask if that’swhattheproductiondaycalledfor.It’san increasinglyrarewayofdoingthings.

“Timeshavechanged,”Isay.“Thisistheeraofspecialization.Today,thereareguyswhojustbake,andguyswhojustdecorate.ButIthinkit’sbesttodoitall.”

AndthisiswhenIlookupfrommycoffeeandstareyourightintheeye:“That’showwe’regoingtotrainyou.”

ThisisalsoaboutthetimeIcantellthatanewbakerisreadytogetgoing,togethishandsdustywithflourandstartmakingthemagichappen.ButbeforeIsetthatpersontowork,Iliketomakeafewmorepoints,andIwanttomakethemtoyoubeforewebeginbakingtogether.

1.Successinbakingisfoundedonrepetition.Themostimportantthingtorealizeaboutbakingisthatrepetitionisthegatewaytogreatness.Justasathleteshavetotrainandmusicianshavetopractice,ifyouwanttobeaterrificbaker,youneed to learn to love the process—from measuring out your ingredients tomixingbatters anddough tobaking todecorating.There’sno separatingonepartfromanother,becauseallthosestepsadduptosuccessinthefinalproduct,andifanyoneofthemissuspect,thenthewholethingfallsapart.Ialsothinkof greatbakers as soldiers,because it’s all aboutdiscipline, about takinggreatprideinturningyourselfintoahumanmachinethatcanexecutethesameseriesofstepsoverandoverintheexactlysameway.

2. There aremany ways to be creative.OnCake Boss, the theme cakes are thecenter of attention, and with good reason: They are jaw-dropping,showstoppingexamplesofunbridledcreativity.Ourthemecakesmakeanybodywhoseesthem,evenotherprofessionals,say,“Howdidtheydothat?”Buttherearemanywaysofbeingcreative.Ifyoudon’thavethehandsfor,orinterestin,elaboratedecorating,butlovetheflavorsandtexturesofdeliciousbakedgoods—and thepleasure thosequalities give to thepeopleyoubake for—thenyoumight turnout tohave a skill for creating your owndistinct recipes.Or youmightfindthatyouhaveaknackforinstitutingsmallchangesthatmakeabigimpact,likeadaptingmyrecipeforRaspberryBarstomakeapricot,blueberry,or lemon-orange bars; or perhaps making a simple but attention-gettingadjustment likedippinghalfof eachbar in chocolate.Oryoumight take therecipeforButterfliesandrelocatethewingsfromthetoptothebottom,usingthemaslegstofashionadifferentanimal,bringingyourowndistinctsenseofplaytothepastry.

Inotherwords,don’t feel that youhave tobecomea cakeboss yourself inorder to find happiness in baking; there are countless home bakers out therewhotakegreatprideandsatisfaction inmakingnothingbutcookies. If that’swhereyourcomfortzoneandhappinesslie,behappywiththatandgetasgoodatitasyoupossiblycan.

3. Always be willing to try new things. Asmuch as I believe in repetition andconsistency,Ialsobelievethat it’s importanttotrynewthings,tobalancetherequired discipline for bakingwith a chance to be spontaneous and to grow.Whether it’s tinkeringwith a tried-and-true recipe to see if you canmake iteven better, or attempting to design something you’ve never seen before, it’sworth the trouble and relativelyminor expense to innovate, especially if youendupbringinganewrecipeordesignintotheworld.

4.No twobakers are exactly alike.There’s no oneway to do anythingwhen itcomestobaking.TherecipesandadviceIshareworkforme,andformyfamilyand coworkers, and for the customers who line up outside our shop onWashington Street in Hoboken, New Jersey. But—who knows?—you mightcome up with a new way of doing things—from tweaking a recipe todiscoveringanewuseforakitchentool—thatworksforyou.Attheendoftheday, baking is about your own individualistic relationshipwith the tools andingredients;ifyoucancomeupwithyourownwayofdoingsomething,don’thesitatetogogiveitatry.Andifyouchangearecipe,besuretokeepnotesonwhatyoudidsoyoucandoitagain!(See“KeepingaBook,”below.)

5.Believe.Alongwith a good rollingpin andmixer, and awell-stockedpantry,there’ssomethingelseyouneedeverytimeyoubake:confidence.Ifyouwatchseasonedbakersdotheirthing,theyallexudeaneasyconfidence.Youneedtohavethesameslightswaggerwhenyoustepuptoyourworkstationanddustitwithflour.Youneedtoknowinyourbonesthatyouwillnotfail.Whyisthisso important? Because you need to trust all your senses; for example, mostdoughdoesn’tlookanythinglikewhatthefinalproductitproduceslookslike,soyouneedtohavetheconfidencetoknowyou’vemixeditproperly.Similarly,whenyoustepuptoanakedcake,pipingbaginhand,andgetreadytogotoworkonthatblankcanvas,ifyouhaveanydoubtinyourself,itwillbereflectedin imperfect borders and wavy lines. Believe in yourself when you bake anddecorate;it’sasimportantasanythingelse.

KEEPINGABOOK

All professional bakers keep a notebook full of hard-won baking wisdom—everythingfromrecipesforthesignatureitemsintheshopwheretheyworktooldfamily treasures they want to be sure survive through the ages. But you can’t

necessarilypickupabaker’sbookanduse it likeacookbook,becausea lotofus,especially the veterans, keep our notes in a form of code, changing at least oneingredientsothatnobodycanstealfromus.

MyfavoritestoryaboutthistraditioninvolvesoneofthelegendsofCarlo’sBakeShop, Mike Vernola, better known as Old Man Mike. Mike’s encrypted recipeswerealmostasreveredasthemanhimself.Tokeepayoung,up-and-comingbakerfromrippingoffhissecrets,Mikealwayschangedthequantityofoneingredientinarecipe;forinstance,anounceofsaltmightberepresentedastwelveouncesofsalt.Therewasnorhymeorreasontoit;onerecipewouldhavetheflourwrong,anotherthesugar.AndonlyMikeknewthecorrectquantities.

One day, a job applicant was trying out with us, and hemanaged to get hishands on Mike’s book. Somebody saw him take it into the bathroom, and—worried that Mike’s intellectual property was being lifted—reported it to me. Itrackeddownmyfatherwithgreaturgencyandreportedwhatwasgoingon.Ratherthanfreakout,heletloosewitharoaroflaughter.

“What’ssofunny?”Iasked.“He’s got Mike’s book,” my father said. “Nothing’s written down right. He

won’tbeabletouseanyofit!”Now,that’safunnystory,but—inallseriousness—Iencourageyoutokeepyour

ownbook.Attheveryleast,youshouldkeepnotesinthemarginsofthisandothercookbooks.MaybeyoulikealittlemoresugarthanIdoforasweetereffectinsomerecipes;ormaybeyourovenisalittleslower(orfaster)thanmine,soyouwanttoadjustbakingtimes.Maybeyouliketoaddanotherspiceorchocolatechipstosomerecipes,ormaybeyouwanttoremembertomakeadishforaparticularpersonoroccasion.Writethosethingsdown,allofthosethings.

If you do a lot of baking, especially if you’re a professional or aspiringprofessional,youshouldgobeyondmakingnotesinabookandstartkeepingyourownnotebook.Makeitsomethingpersonalthatfitscomfortablyintoyourbagoryourpocket.Keepnotes(theycanbeshorthand)onrecipes,tricks,lessons,andsoon.Anddoyourself a favor:Periodically type thosenotesupandkeep them inabacked-upcomputerfilesothatyouhavethemavailableifyoulosethenotebook.Ifyoucomeupwithalotoforiginalstuff,youmightevendowhattheold-timersdoandwriteincode;justbesureyourememberwhatyouchangedsoyoucanusetherecipesyourself!

GettingStarted:ATouroftheKitchen

When a new kid shows up at Carlo’s Bake Shop, ready to learn and to work,positively smellingofeagerness,I feelthesamewayIdowhenIbegindesigningacake:thatanythingispossible,that—withtheproperguidance—hecangoasfarashewants. Iwantyou tohave the samemind-setasoneof thosekidsaswebeginbakinganddecoratingtogether.

The first thing we do when a new baker shows up is give him a tour of thekitchen.Youmightthinkthatwe’dskipthisstephere,sinceyou’reworkinginyourownhomekitchen.Buttherearethingsfrommyworldthatyoucanapplytoyours.

ORGANIZATION

Amazingly,peoplealmostneverbumpintoeachotheratCarlo’sBakeShop.Evenwhen the place is at its busiest—Easter weekend or the day before Christmas—when it’s all hands on deck and every employee is working day and night, theorchestrationofpeople,ingredients,traysofpastries,andspecialtycakesisneatandorderly.

Thereasonforthis isorganization.Ourkitchenissetupforthemostefficientand—dareIsayit—elegantflowofpeople.

You’reprobablytheonlypersoninyourkitchenwhenyoubake,butletmetellyou something: You can get in your own way if you don’t set up your kitchencorrectly. Of course we all have unique configurations and different amounts ofspacetoworkwith,buthereareafewgeneralsuggestions.

1.Workarea.Ifpossible,dedicatesomecounterspacetoprepwork,whichisthepreliminarywork that takesplacebefore theactualbaking:chopping,mixing,rolling,andsoon.You’llwantsomecounterspace(ortablespace)whereyoucankeepyourbasicequipment,whichinthecaseofbakingistherollingpin,mixer, measuring spoons and cups, spatulas, and so on. If there are drawersbeneathorabovethisarea,that’swhereyouwanttohaveyourparchmentpaperand plastic wrap. The ideal scenario is that once you’ve gathered youringredientsfromthefridgeandpantry,youcandoallyourmixing,rolling,andothertaskswithoutmovingfromonespot.

2. Keep the sink and stove areas clear. If at all possible, keep the counter spaceclosest to your oven and sink free and clear and—just as important—clean.Why?Becauseyouareconstantly setting thingsnext to the sink,or removing

things from the oven, or adding things to a pot on the stovetop, so counterspaceisprecious.Don’tstorethingsthereifyoudon’thaveto.

3.Storage.Keepall yourdrygoods forbaking inoneplace: sugar, flour,bakingpowder,bakingsoda.Youmightevenconsiderkeepingtwocontainersofsaltinyourkitchen: one in yourbaking area andone closer to the stove.Thisway,you can gather all your ingredients swiftly. It alsomakes it easy to prepare ashoppinglistbecauseyoucantakeaquickinventorywithouthavingtosearchalloveryourkitchen to findoutwhatyouhaveanddon’thave;youcan justcalmlycheckyourbakingareaandseewhatneedsreplenishing.

4.Bakingequipment.Equipmentsuchaspans,mixingbowls,andthelikedoesn’tneed tobe storedrightnext toyourpreparea. In fact, I suggest storing thesenear your dishwasher or drying rack, because that’s the last place they’ll bebeforeyouputthemaway.

Equipment

Thesearethepiecesofequipmentandtools thatyoushouldhaveonhandifyouplan to do a variety of baking with any kind of regularity. For tools exclusivelyneededforcakesandcupcakes.

ALL-PURPOSECOOKWARE

BAKINGPANSANDTRAYSBakingtraysareagreatexampleofmybeliefthateverythingmattersinakitchen—they aren’t just vessels that hold things during baking; they are a factor in howevenly and controlled the baking process is. I’m not going to name names, butwhen I visit people’s homes, I’m sometimes shocked that people who haveotherwise top-notch kitchens treat their baking pans as an afterthought, usingpaper-thin aluminum trays, sometimes crusted with baked-on food. These don’tconductheatevenly,andcooked-onfoodwillthrowsmokeinahotoven.(Andthatsmokewillcontaminatewhateveryou’rebakingwithunwantedflavor.)

I suggest you have at least four pans: two regular 13 by 9-inch pans and twononstick. If you don’t want to buy a nonstick pan, you can purchase a Silpat, asilicone liner that canbe laidover thepan. (For a13by9-inchbaking tray, youwantaPetitJellyRollSilpatmeasuring11¾by8¼inches.)Irecommendthatyoupurchasepanswithsomekindofrimbecauseyouwillneeditforsomerecipes,andeven when you don’t need it, there’s no harm in having it there. (The rim alsomakesapaneasiertograb.)Thepansshouldbemadeofheavy-gaugemetalandbelight rather than dark in color (darkmaterial tends to hasten burning), and youshouldkeepthemcleanbyscrubbingwithwarm,sudsywater;usesteelwoolontheregularpanandasoftspongeonthenonstick.

COOKIESHEETSSimilartomysuggestedspecsforbakingtrays,cookiesheetsshouldbemediumtoheavyweightand light incolorbutalso—this is important—rimless, so thatheatcan evenly bathe the cookies as they bake. (Some sheets have a sloping end thatmakesiteasiertograbthem,andtoslidecookiesoffthetrayandontoarack,andthat’sfine.)Rimlesspansdon’tjustallowforbetterairflow;theyalsomakeiteasierto check on cookies when they bake, allowing ease of access with a spatula. (AtCarlo’s,whereourovenhasrotatingshelves,thepansthemselvesbasicallycirculate,soweuserimmedbakingtraysforjustabouteverything.)Agood,readilyavailablesizecookiesheetis17by14inches,althoughothersizesarefinesolongastheyfitinyourovenwithoutblockingtheflowofairfromtoptobottom.

MINIMUFFINTRAYFormakingRumBabasandButterflies,anonstickminimuffintraywith24wellsisessential.

PIEPANSMostofthepiesinthisbookaremadeina9-inchpan.TwonotableexceptionsaretheFruttidiBosco,whichcallsforaflutedtartpan,andthewheatpie,whichcallsfora10-inchpiepan.

DOUBLEBOILERAdoubleboiler,whichkeepsheatfromcomingintodirectcontactwiththebottomofapot,isthesmartchoicetouseformeltingchocolateandmakingicing,andforkeepingthemwarmwithouttheriskofscorchingthem.Ifyoudon’thaveadoubleboiler,youcansetametalorheatproofglassbowl(suchasPyrex)ontopofapotofsimmeringwater;justbesurethebowlcompletelysealsthetopofthepotsosteamandheatdon’tescape,causingthewatertoevaporate.Sealingishardtodo,andyourisk giving yourself a steam burn, so if you plan to make recipes that call for adoubleboiler,justinvestinoneratherthanusingamakeshiftone.You’lluseyourdoubleboilerfornonbakingrecipes,too,eventually.

FORCAKESANDCUPCAKES

CAKEPANSAt home, I generally use a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan. Sincemany of the cakerecipes in this book produce two 9-inch cakes, you’ll want to have two pans forbakingoutofthisbook.Ifyouplantomakethechiffoncakes,youwillneedtwo7-inchroundcakepans.

Ilikealuminumpans.Iknowthatspringformpansarepopular,butIdon’tcarefor them because they’re harder to clean and they’re really not necessary. If yougreaseandflourapancorrectlyandletitcool,itwillunmoldjustfine.

IfyouplantomaketheThanksgivingcakeyouwillalsoneedaBundtorBundt-style form (8 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep). For square and rectangularcakes,youneedtousea13by9by2-inch-deeppan,andfortheValentine’sDayCakeandSantaChristmasCake,youwillneedtwoheart-shapedmolds.

CUPCAKETRAYFormakingcupcakesyouwillneedtwononstickcupcaketrayswith12wellseach.If youhaveonly cupcakepans that arenotnonstick,greasewithbutter,nonstickspray,orvegetableshorteningbeforebaking.

TURNTABLEA turntable is a positively indispensable piece of equipment for frosting anddecoratingcakes.

TOOLS

BRUSHESIrecommendthatyouhavethreetypesofbrushesaspartofyourkitchenarsenal.

A pastry brush is the best way to apply syrups and other soaking liquids tosponge cakes, to workwithmelted butter, and to apply water to fondant if youdon’thave awaterpen. (A squeezebottlewith a sponge tip applicatoror a spraybottlewillalsowork.)

A bench brush has long, stiff bristles and ismade for sweeping flour off yourworksurface. I rarely see these inhomekitchens,but I recommendyouownonebecauseitmakesitveryeasytogetyoursurfaceclean.

A largemakeup brush, sometimes called a powder brush, is useful for patting

down sugar or cornstarch on your work surface when you are working withfondant.Useittogetanylumpsorclumpsoutofthesugarorcornstarch,whetheronyourworksurfaceoronthefondantitself.

MICROPLANEZESTERIn theolddays atCarlo’swemadeour lemonzestby rubbing lemonsononeofthose old-fashioned box graters. It wasn’t the best way to go—the now-familiarrecipe instructionnottoshaveoffanybitterpithwithyourgraterwasn’tevenonourmind—butwedidn’tknowanybetter.(Wealsohadtogarbagetheoccasionalbatchwhenaguygratedalittleofhisknuckleintothebowlalongwiththerind!)ThenalongcametheMicroplanezester.It’sacommonkitchentooltoday,butwasoriginallydevisedasawoodworkingtool.It’sgotdozensofminirazorsthatproduceasnowyzestfromlemons,oranges,andothercitrusfruits.

MIXINGBOWLSCeramicandglassmixingbowlsareperfectlyfineoptions,butIpreferstainlesssteelforaverypracticalreason:Theydon’tbreakifyoudropthem.Getyourselfagoodassortmentofmixingbowlsizes—generallyspeaking,Iliketouseabowlthat’slargeforagiventaskbecauseithelpskeepingredientsfromsplashingorflyingoutofthebowlwhenyouwhiskorstir.

PARCHMENTPAPERAlways have some parchment paper on hand: Youwill use it to line baking andcookie sheets for a variety of items, and I often use a parchment pencil fordecoratingpastries,pies,andcakes.Bytheway,ifyou’veeverwonderedwhysomerecipes call for parchment paper and some don’t, it’s almost always a matter ofpreventingwhatyou’rebakingfromstickingtothebottomofthepan.Parchmentcansometimesbeleftoutifyou’rebakingabatterwithahighfatcontent,becauseitwillreleasejustenoughfattokeepitselffromsticking.(Inthisbook,Idon’tuseparchment in these cases.)Whatever youdo, if youdon’thaveparchmentpaper,don’t substitutewaxedpaper instead.Waxedpaper smokes like crazy andwill fillyourovenandkitchenwiththatsmokeandsetoffyoursmokedetector.

PASTRYBAGSThepastrybagisoneofthemostimportanttoolsforabaker.AtCarlo’sandinthisbook,itisareusedforeverythingfrompipingoutcookiedoughtofillingpastriesto

icinganddecoratingcakes.There are four main types of bag: polyurethane, canvas, disposable, and

makeshift.Idon’tnecessarilyfavoroneovertheother;instead,Ilikedifferentbagsfordifferentjobs.

Forpipingcookiedoughandthick,heavybatters,thegoldstandardisacanvasbag,becauseof itsdurability.Youcanreallysqueeze it,usingasmuchpressureasyoulikeorneedto,withoutfearofbustingitopen.

Fordecoratingandpipingwithbuttercream,IpreferapolyurethanebagbecauseIfinditletsyoufeelclosertothecream,givingyouagreatersenseofcontrol.

If you’reworkingwith anything thatwill stain a polyurethane bag, disposablepastrybagsareperfectlyacceptabletouseinstead.Forexample,darkbuttercreamssuchasblack,red,andgreenwillallstainabag,soIrecommendadisposablebagforworkingwiththem.

Amakeshiftbagisn’treallyan“official”typeofbag,butitcanbea lifesaver ifyoudon’thaveabagonhandandwanttodosomethingthatrequiresit.Youcanfashionamakeshiftbagbyusingalarge(1-or2-gallon)resealableplasticbag:Fillitwithwhateveryou’llbepiping,foldthetopclosed,andsnipoffacornertoactasthe“tip.”Youcan’tgetmuchfinessewithamakeshiftbag,butit’saperfectlyviablewayof frostingacake, fillingcannoli, icingcupcakes,andapplyingmeringuetoapie.

Anoteaboutworkingwithpastrybags:Whenyouareworkingwithmeringue,buttercream,andothersensitivemixtures,thetemperatureofyourhandscancausewhat’s in the bag to soften.Different people’s handshavedifferent temperatures;mine, for example, tend to generate heat, so after tenminutes of piping, I oftensqueezeoutwhatever’sleftinthebag,thenrefillthebagwithmoreofwhateverI’mpiping.Ifyourhandsrunhot,youmayneedtodothesame.

PASTRYBAGTIPSAt the very least, you should have a #6 plain and a #7 star pastry tip for pipingcream, frostings, and fillings. For decorating cakes and cupcakes, a good set ofinterchangeabledecoratingtipsisessential.Therearemanysetsonthemarketthatfeature a variety of tips; you might want to purchase one, or you can amass acollectionasyoubakemoreandmorerecipes,butalwayscheckbeforeembarkingon a new recipe to be sure you have the necessary tips. You can purchase themindividuallyifnecessary,orifyoudon’twanttobuyawholesetrightoff.

Interchangeable tips are small tips shaped to produce specific effects, such asgrass,leaves,ortheshapethatmimicsrosepetals.Youaffixthesetopastrybagswithacoupler thatactsasadockorport for them.Inadditiontoempoweringyoutocreatevisualeffects,tipsandbagsarealsoconvenient:Ifyouneedtocreatedifferenteffects with the same color icing, you don’t need to fill different bags; you justchange the tip. Throughout the book, I indicate when an interchangeable tip iscalled for; if a recipe does not indicate “interchangeable,” then you just drop thedesiredtip(aregularpastrytip)intothebagbeforefillingitwiththedesiredfillingorfrosting.

RACKSYoushouldhaveatleasttworacksforcoolingcookiesandpastriesafterbaking.(Ifspaceonyourcounterislimited,oryouwanttoavoidrestinghottraysonit,youcan let the trays cool on top of the racks until the cookies are ready to betransferred.)Racks are available in a varietyof sizes; I recommendhaving at leasttwononstickracks,17by12incheseach,whichistowardthelargerendofthesizespectrum.

ROLLINGPINEverybodyinthekitchenatCarlo’shashisorherownopinionaboutrollingpins.Thereareonlytwomaintypesofpin(three,ifyoucountpolyurethane),butwe’reaspersonalaboutthemasahustlerisabouthispoolstick.Bothwoodenandmarblepinsarefine;theoverallweightandbalancearemoreimportantthanthematerial.Forrollingoutcookiedough,piecrust,andraspberrybars,Ilikeastraightwoodenrollingpin.(Inreality,Ileanedtorollthoseitemswithabroomstick,butyoudon’twanttodothatathome!)Fortougherjobs,suchasrollingoutrugelach,pastafrollatostripeawheatpie,orpuffpastrydough,awooden,steel,ormarblepinwithballbearingsthatallowthecylindertospinisbetter.Thoseballbearingshelpaspinningpinmakeitswaythroughdenserdough.(ButIgenerallyuseawoodenpinhereaswell.I’vedoneitsomanytimesthatI’mcomfortablewithit.)

Forrollingfondant,Irecommendapolyurethanerollingpinbecauseitstaysatagood neutral temperature and has a terrific weight for pressing out the fondant,which can become uneven. You don’t want to use wood for fondant becausewooden rolling pins tend to develop little divots over time, and these will getimprintedintothefondant.

SCALESSome ingredients are measured by weight rather than volume, so if you don’talready own one, I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale. Digital battery-operatedscalescanbepurchasedforabout$20andmanyaresmallenoughtotuckawayinadrawerorcupboardwhennotinuse.

SCRAPERIn a homekitchen, a rubber spatula fills in formost of the thingsweuse plasticscrapers for in a professional bakery, namely folding ingredients together andscrapingmixturesoutof abowlorapot.But I still recommendowningaplastic

scraper because a spatula keeps you at a bit of a remove from the food you’reworkingwith,andsometimesyouwanttohaveagreaterfeelingofcontrol.

InourkitchenatCarlo’s,wealsouseametal scraper for scrapingourbenches(wooden work tables), especially for removing caked-on flour. But I don’trecommendthistoolathomebecausesomanyhomekitchensurfacesaredelicateorpronetoscratching.

SIFTERFor ensuring the even distribution of leavening agents such as baking soda andbakingpowder,andlooseningupcompactedflourandotheringredients,asifterisessential.Ifyoudon’tyethaveasifterandaredyingtogetstarted,initsplaceyoucan pour your ingredients into a fine-mesh strainer and gently shake it over thebowlintowhichyouaresifting,buttheresultwon’tbeasfine.

SPATULASThe three typesof spatula called for throughout thisbook are sodifferent that itseemsoddtocallthembythesamename.

Cookie spatula or pancake spatula: This is probably the first spatula you everheardof,meantforliftingbakedgoodsoutofpansorturningcookiesorpancakesas they cook. Sometimes also called a “turner,” it’s the one we use for checkingdonenessoncookiesandpastriesandforliftingthemoutoftheirpans.

Icing spatula: Many baking books recommend an offset spatula (aka angledspatula) for icingcakes,but I like aplainold flat icing spatula (wecall it a “bowknife”intheCarlo’skitchen),whichgivesyouagreaterfeelingofcontrolbecauseofitsstraightshape.Ilikean8-inchicingspatula,whichIfindworkswellforanytask.

Rubberorsiliconespatula:Thiscommonkitchentoolgetsusedalotinbaking,mainlyforfoldingtwomixturestogetherorforscrapingmixturesoutofbowls.It’sagoodideatohaveasetthatincludessmall,medium,andlargespatulasinordertobeabletoaccommodateanysizejob.

STANDMIXERIf you can afford it and have the room for it on your counter, there is simplynothing better for mixing than a good, sturdy stand mixer, which is basically aminiatureversionofthemammothindustrialmixersweuseatCarlo’s.You’llneedthepaddle,whip,andhookattachments.

Ifyoudon’thaveastandmixer,youcanalsouseahandmixerformanyrecipes

(I’veindicatedwhichonesinthebook),butthemotorsaren’tgenerallyaspowerfulasthoseonastandmixerandyourarmisn’tasdurableasthestanditself,soyou’llneedtotakethetimetoletingredientssuchasbutter,creamcheese,andshorteningreallysoftenbeforeyoubeginmixingwithahandmixer.

Ifyoudouseahandmixer,setadampkitchentowelunderthemixingbowltohold it in place. It’s a tried-and-true trick that makes mixing much easier thantryingtomixwithonehandwhileholdingthebowlwiththeother,especiallyifyouhavetopourordrizzleliquidsintothebowlwhilemixing.

In some of these recipes, you can simply use your hands tomix. I’ll tell youwhen that’s the bestway. Justmake sure that yourhands are immaculately cleanbeforeusingthem.

THERMOMETERSForcheckingthetemperatureofbattersandbuttercream,akitchenthermometeristheonlyway to go. I suggest that you take advantageofmodern technology andpurchase an instant-read thermometer that gives you quick, exact, digitalinformation.

It’s a good idea to have an oven thermometer to be sure you’re baking at therighttemperature.Evenifyourovenreadscorrectlytoday,itmightbegintorunalittle hot or a little coldover time.Position your oven thermometer on the samerackyou’llbebakingon,whichwillalmostalwaysbethecenterrack.

TIMERDon’trelyonyourmemoryinthekitchen;it’sarecipefordisaster.(“DidIputthecakeintheovenat5:45,orwasit5:54?”)Getatimer.Inparticular,Irecommendatimerwithatleasttwoclocksincaseyou’redoingmorethanonethingatatime.

WHISK(S)It’sagoodideatohavealargeandasmallwhiskonhandforbeatingmixturesofvaryingsizesbyhand.

WOODENSPOON(S)Forstirringmixturesastheycook,awoodenspoonortwoshouldbeapartofanykitchenarsenal.

NotesonIngredients

Youarenodoubtalreadyfamiliarwithmostoftheingredientscalledforinbaking.But I wanted to share some ofmy tips and advice for shopping for and storingthem,andforselectingthebestoptionsforeachbakedgood.

BUTTER

Therecipesinthisbookuseunsalted(sweet)butter.Ifyoulike,useorganicbutter,thoughit’sbynomeansessential.Bytheway,butterisaspongeforotherflavorsinyourrefrigerator;that’swhythere’salittlebutterdrawerbuiltintothedoorofmostfridges. But that door isn’t exactly airtight; keep your butter wrapped in plasticwrap, and freeze any sticks that youwon’t be using for awhile. You don’twantcheeseorsmokedmeatoronionsmellsthatgetinyourbuttertogetinyourcookiesorcakes.

COCOAANDCHOCOLATE

News flash: the rich chocolate flavor in chocolate cakes and other baked goodscomesnotfromchocolatebutfromcocoa.Ofalltheingredientsyou’regoingtouseinyourbaking,theplacewhereitpaystoinvestthemost,Ithink,iscocoa.Buythebestyoucanfindandafford.AtCarlo’sBakeShopweuseCallebaut.(Valrhonaisalso terrific.)Regardless of brand, choose aDutch-process cocoa that has a 22 to24%fatcontent,whichoffersthemostconcentratedflavor.

Asforchocolate,Iliketokeepagoodsupplyofchocolatechipsonhand,even

forrecipesinwhichchocolateismelted,becausestartingwithchipssavesyoufromhavingtochopupblocksofchocolatebeforetossingthemintothedoubleboilerormicrowave.

EGGS

All the recipes in this book call for extra-large eggs. If you have easy access toorganicorlocal,farm-raisedeggs,theywillmakeyourbakingtastebetter.Believeitornot, eggs areone ingredient that are actuallybetter tobakewithwhen they’reolderthanwhenthey’refresh,althoughyoucertainlydon’twanttousethemaftertheir“bestby”date.Inoldereggs,theyolksarefirmer,makingiteasiertoseparatethemfromthewhiteswhenyouneedtodothat;andtheproteinsinthewhitesaremore relaxed, making it easier to achieve a frothy result when whipping them.Having yourwhites at room temperature further relaxes them. So don’t feel youhavetorunoutforafreshhalf-dozenordozeneggseverytimeyouwanttobake.

Ifyoudon’tknowhowoldyoureggsare, there’saneasyway to test if they’restillgood.Fillaglassorameasuringcupwithwaterandgentlyplacetheegginit.Iftheeggsinks,it’sgood.Ifitfloats,thatmeansithasgasintheshellandit’swellonitswaytogoingbad.Toss the floaters.But justbecauseoneegg inadozenfloatsdoesn’tmeanthatallof themwill, sodon’t throwoutawholecarton ifyou findjustonebadegg.

FLOURS

Iknowitsimplifiesthingstohavejustonetypeofflourinyourkitchen,butIamabigbelieverinthevirtuesofcakeflourandpastryflour.Wherepossible,Icallforall-purpose(unbleached)flour*inmyrecipes,butinsomecasesIinsistoncakeorpastryflour.Here’swhy.

CAKEFLOURPlainandsimple,there’sasmooth,refinedmouthfeelyougetwithcakeflourthatjust isn’t possible with any other type of flour. (It’s also not possible with thecombination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch that’s sometimes substituted forcake flour, so I choosenot to include that formulahere.)The scientific reason isthatcakeflourhasalowerproteincontent(8percent)thananyothertypeofflour.Justrunyourhandsthroughsomeall-purposeflour,thenthroughsomecakeflour,andyou’llinstantlyperceivethedifference:All-purposeflourisgrainy;cakeflourisdense and pleasing—running my fingers through it reminds me of running my

fingers through wet sand at the beach. Will the recipes “work” with all-purposeflour?Insomecases,yes…buttheywon’thavethemagicweallwantinourcakes.

PASTRYFLOURThe relatively lowproteincontentofpastry flour (about9percent) is responsiblefor the crusty texture of certain cookies andpastries.Aswith cake flour, you cansometimessubstituteall-purposeflour,buttheproductwon’tcomeoutthesame.

LARD

Backintheday,lard—renderedporkfat—wasusedinjustabouteverypastrymadein a bakery like Carlo’s for the simple reason that it was cheaper than vegetableshorteningorbutter.Today,weusebuttermorethanlardbecause ithasaricher,more refined taste.But I still like lard in some recipes:Nothingmakes a cannolishell crispier than frying it in lard, and lard also imparts that authentic, Italian-Americanbakeryflavorinsomerecipes.

MARGARINE

IwishIcouldtellyouexactlywhyweusethebuttersubstitutemargarineinsomeofour recipes,but the truth is that, like somuchofwhatwedoatCarlo’s, it’s justtradition.Certainrecipeshaveusedmargarinesince theycame intoourrepertoireandwecontinue tomake themwithmargarine inaccordancewith the“if itain’tbroke,don’tfixit”principle.Isuggestthatyouuseonlyregular,unsaltedsticksofmargarine.

MILK

Ifyouhaveapreferenceforlow-orreduced-fatmilk,Irespectthat,butIencourageyoutousewholemilkinyourbakingifatallpossible.Thefinalproductwilltaste

better,andthatfathelpsbindtheingredients.

NUTS

Nutsaredeceptive ingredients.Theyseemtoughandimpenetrable,but inreality,they are among the most sensitive baking ingredients, with a relatively shortwindow of freshness and a tendency to go rancid before you know it. Try topurchase only what you’ll use quickly, or keep any extras in plastic bags in therefrigeratororfreezer.Beforeyouusethem,tastethemtochecktheirfreshness.Arancidnutdoesn’ttastelike,say,rancidbutterormeat;rancidnutstendtohaveaslightlyfishytasteandodortothemthat’sjustnotgood.Throwthemoutforthesquirrelsorbirds.

Wheneveryouareusingnutsinarecipe,it’sagoodideatotoastthemtobringoutalltheirearthyflavor.Toasttheminafryingpanoverlowheatorina350°Fovenuntil fragrant,about10minutes;whetherworkingonthestovetopor intheoven,shakethepantoensureevencookingandpreventscorching.Letthenutscoolcompletelybeforeusingthem.

SALT

Ifyou’reanewbaker,youmightbesurprisedtoseethatsomerecipesinthisbookcall for salt.That’s because salt does for these desserts the same thing it does forsavoryrecipes:Itelevatestheflavorsitcomesintocontactwith.We’veupgradedalot of the ingredients we use atCarlo’s over the years, butwe still use plain oldiodizedtablesalt inthekitchen.WhatcanI tellyou?It’s tradition.Thoseeighty-poundbags thatarepiledup inour stockroomareasmuchapartofourculture(andofmanyotherbakeries)astherecipeswe’vebeenusingforgenerations.

Therecipesinthisbookweretestedwithtablesalt,butyoucansubstitutecoarsekosher salt,or fine sea salt, ifyou like—theamountsare so small in these recipesthatitwon’tmakeadifference.

SUGARS

SUGARS

For sweetening purposes, I usually use granulated sugar, and that’s what ImeanwhenIcallsimplyforsugarinmyrecipes.Foraricher,darkerflavor,Isometimesuse light brown sugar. Powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ sugar or 10X sugar) issomething I use tomakequick icings for black-and-white cookies or pastries likenapoleons. (Powdered sugar alsomakes a cameo in the recipes for theChocolateBrownieClustersandtheSeven-LayerCookies.)TheonlyothersugarIcall for iscrystalsugar,whichisathickergranulatedsugar(theclumps are larger) used to add sweetness and color to meringue in a lemonmeringuepie.

VANILLA

I’mnotkiddingwhenIcallforpurevanillaextractinmyingredientlists;stayfar,farawayfromimitationorartificiallyflavoredvanilla.Thoseimposterssimplydon’ttastelikevanillaandtheirchemicalqualitycanruinanentirebatchofcookiesoranotherwiseperfectlymadecake.

VEGETABLEOIL

Don’tsubstitutecanolaorotherneutraloilsforvegetableoilinmyrecipesbecausethevegetableoilisalreadyasubstitute,astand-inforthefoodserviceproductsthatweuseatCarlo’sbutthatyoucan’tgetathome.Youneedthefatandviscosityofvegetableoiltoattainthedesiredresultintherecipesthatcallforit.

VEGETABLESHORTENING

Weusevegetableshortening,suchasCrisco,inmanyofourrecipesbothbecauseitispartofmanyofourmosttried-and-truerecipesandbecauseitcantakemoreofabeating thanbutter.Over the years, I’ve replaced shorteningwithbutter in some

recipes,butinmanyIreplacedonlyhalftheshorteningbecauseofthestabilitythatshorteningprovidesinthefinishedproduct.

TheZoneandHowtoGetThere

Bakingismywork,butit’salsomyretreat,mywayofmeditatingandfindingmycenter. Of course, there are days when we’re just trying to keep up with theproduction schedule at Carlo’s, but there are also times when baking—andespeciallydecorating—takesmetoanotherplace,aplacewhereI’mremovedfromthephysicalworldandcantakeamentalvacationfrommytroubles.That’swhatIcall“TheZone.”

Whetheryou’reabeginneroranexperiencedhomecook,youcangetintoTheZone,too.TheZonecanmeandifferentthingstodifferentpeople,butattheveryleast,itshouldmeanthatbakingisaretreatforyou,somethingthat’sfunandtakesyououtofyourownhead.

Hereareafewwaystohelpyourselfgettothatplace.

• Dress properly. Obviously, you’re not going to wear a professional baker’suniform inyourhomekitchen,but there is away todress for successwhenbaking.Wearcomfortableclothingthatyoudon’tcaretoomuchabout(youdon’twant to stress out if some foodgets on your chest or sleeve) and thatwon’t make you feel like an overheated marshmallow when the oven iscrankedup.Investinagood,comfortablepairoflight,rubber-soledshoesthatgiveyousupportandtraction,sothatyoudon’tslipifthere’saspill.LotsofchefswearclogsorCrocs,butI’vebeenwearingthesamemakeandmodelofshoes since I started baking, and I just wouldn’t feel right in the kitchenwithoutthem.

•Work in a clean, uncluttered environment. Even if you have a kitchen full ofstuff, make some room for yourself to bake. This extends to equipment aswell:IlovetouseoversizemixingbowlsbecauseIamlesslikelytosprayflourandliquidaroundtheroomwhenIworkinthem.

•Knowwhat you’redoing.Readall recipes (andsubrecipes, if thereareany) intheir entirety before you do anything. If you don’t feel you have a good

comfortlevelbeforestartingtogatheryouringredients,readtherecipeagain.Repeatuntilyouhaveamentalpictureofthe“cookingitinerary”thatwilltakeyoufromstarttofinish.

•Have the ingredients outand if possible in the order youwilluse them.Be sureeach one is in the state it’s supposed to be in—eggs at room temperature,buttersoftenedormelted.Youcanevenprepyourpansbygreasing,flouring,and lining them, and so on. Imagine you’re on a television cooking show,wherealltheingredientsarereadytogointoabowlorpan.Alongthesamelines,besureyouhavetherightsize/materialequipmentthatyouneed.Evenchecktobe sureyouhavewhatyouneedtostore things—plasticwrap, foil,airtightcontainers,andsoforth.

•Havetheovenrackwhereyouwantit(usuallythemiddle)beforeyoupre-heattheoven.Youmightalsoconsiderremovingtheotherracks,especiallythoseabovethe rack you’ll be using, so you can get things into and out of the ovenwithoutworryingabouthittingtherackabove.

•Createamoodofsolitudeandsilence.We’veallseendepictionsofkitchensfullofactionandwisecrackingbakersandcooks;youmightevenhaveseenalittleof that on Cake Boss. But unless you are a professional whose hands knowwhat they’re doing without thinking, I suggest that you bake with nodistractions—that means no conversation and no phone calls. (If you’readdicted to your BlackBerry, you might even put it in a drawer while youwork. This will also protect it from splashes and other damage.) Bakingrequiresconstantfocusonverysubtledetails;giveityourfullattention.Theonegrayareaformehereismusic:Idon’tlikemusiconwhenI’mmeasuring,mixing,andprepping,butI lovemusicwhenIdecoratebecauseithelpsputmeinamoodandgetmeintoaflow.

•Cleanasyougo.Unlessyouhavetokeepmoving,washutensilsandvesselsthatyou’redonewithandgetthemintothedishwasherordryingrack.Acluttered,messy space can have a huge impact on your thinking, reaction time, andoverallpeaceofmind.

•Ifyoumakeamistake,don’tbecomeemotionallyinvolved.Asinlife,wegrowbymaking mistakes. You are going to make mistakes in baking. Learn fromthem,dowhatyoucantocorrectthem,andmoveon.

KITCHENSAFETY

I’dalsoliketoputinawordforkitchensafety.WhileIhopethatnothingwillevergoseriouslywronginyourkitchen,itisgoodtobeprepared.Hereagainisaplacewhere you might learn something from a professional kitchen, where a fireextinguisher isa legalrequirement.Keepanextinguisherclosebyincaseofafire.Bakingsodaisalsoatriedandtruewayoffirefighting:Smotherthefirewithbakingsoda; in thecaseofanoven fire, close thedoor todeprive the fireofoxygenandcauseittodieout.

Along these same lines, don’twear anything that candroopordangle into anopenflameorgetcaughtinyourmixer,likelong,loosesleeves.Idon’tknowwhyyou’dhaveanecktieoninakitchen,butifyoudo,getitouttathere.Ifyouhavelonghair,clampituporwearahat.(Youshouldreallywearahatanyway,justtokeepanystrayhairsfromfindingtheirwayintoyourdough.OryoucandowhatIdoandgetitdownandbackwithplentyofhairgel!)

Finally,Ilovebakingwithmykids,andlovewhenpeopletellmetheymademyrecipeswiththeirkidshelpingout.Butpleasedon’tletyourchildrenuseanyknivesormotorizedequipment,keepthemawayfromhotovens,anddon’tlettheminthekitchenunlessyouarewiththemandabletokeepacloseeyeonthem.Iletmykidsaddthingstomixingbowlsaslongasthebowlsarenotonastandmixer,trytheirhandatrollingwithapin,andpunchoutshapeswithcookiecutters,andnotmuchelse.Dependingontheirage,Isuggestyoulimityourstothesamesafetasks.

BasicBakingTechniques

I’llreinforceallofthesepointsthesamewaywedoatCarlo’sBakeShop—throughtheactualrecipesthatfollow—butIwanttoemphasizeafewthingsbeforewestartbaking.

MEASURING

The most exact way to measure is by weight, and that’s the way we do it inprofessionalkitchens.Butsincemosthomecooksareusedtomeasuringbyvolume(forexample,teaspoons,tablespoons,andcups),that’showwetestedtherecipesinthis book. (We still call forweights of some ingredients like fondant, though, tohelpyoubeas accurate aspossible and tohelpguideyour shopping.)Touse therightamountofdryingredients,whenusinganykindofmeasure,useaspatulaorstraight-edged knife to level off the ingredients. You can use your index finger ifnecessary,butmakesureyoudon’tbrushouttoomuchthatway.

MIXING

Mixing is probably the least understood, most undervalued part of the bakingprocess, because most people don’t appreciate how many variables there are tomixing.It’snotjustamatterofgettingalltheingredientscombined;it’salsoaboutgettingthemtocometogethertherightway.

Unless a recipe calls for ingredients to be hot or cold, it’s best to go theGoldilocksrouteandhavethemjustright,bywhichImeanatroomtemperature.This isespeciallytrueofbutterandeggs,whosetemperaturecanhaveaprofoundeffectonhowdoughcomestogether.

Also,alwaysbeverycarefulnottoovermix:inmanyrecipes,thedryingredientsarethe lasttobeadded;assoonastheyare incorporated,stopmixingoryouriskendingupwithafinalproductthat’stighter,tougher,andmorerubberythanyouwantittobe.Thereason?Overmixingactivatestheproteinintheflourandcanalsoproduceairbubbles.

Be sure touse the attachment called for in each recipe: thehook,paddle, andwhip all produce different effects and are required for specific reasons.Generallyspeaking,thewhipisusedwhenyouwanttoaerateingredients—suchaseggwhites

—asmuch as possible; a hook is called on to produce a kneading-like result (forexample,withthebabas);andapaddleisthedefaultforjustabouteverythingelse.

REDISCOVERINGTHELOSTARTOFROLLINGWITHAPIN

Walk into just about anybakery thesedays, andyou’ll seedoughbeing flattenedout by a sheeter, a powerful piece of motorized equipment that rolls dough—sometimes massive quantities of it—out into flat sheets. There’s nothing wrongwithusingasheeter;it’sefficientandconsistent.ButwhenIwascomingup,everybaker I knew could achieve with a rolling pin what most young bakers need asheetertopullofftoday.

Home cooks don’t have the luxury of using a sheeter, so you really have nochoicebuttobecomeproficientwitharollingpinifyouwanttobakeatacertainlevel,andIthinkthat’sawonderfulthing,areallinktothecraftsmanshipthatusedtodefinemanygreathomebakersandmytrade,andstilldoesatCarlo’sandsomeothertradition-boundbakeries.Rollingdoughaffectseverythingfromhowevenlyitbakestothetextureofthefinalproducttohowitlooks.

Scraping

WehaveasayingatCarlo’s:Bakersscrape.Bythatwemeanthatwheneverwemixsomething,weconstantlystopthemachinetoscrapethesidesandbottom of the bowl, to be sure that no dry or unmixed ingredients areeluding thehook,whip,orpaddle.Athome,whenusinga standmixer, Irecommendthatyouloosenthebowlsoitdropsdownandyoucangetyourspatulaunderthemixingattachment.Wheneveryouseeinstructionsinthisbooktoscrape,Imeantodothis;ittakesonlyafewextraseconds,andtheresultisworthit.

Oneofthekeystoworkingwithapinis:Donotmakethemistakeofflouringthe pin. It looks good, but doesn’t really help until deep into the process (seebelow).Instead,youshouldflourtheworksurfacebeneaththedoughandflourthedoughitself.

Generallyspeaking,whenrollingwithastraightpin—say,rollingoutapiecrust—beginrollingupanddownthecenter,thenturnthedoughsidewaysandrolloverthecenteragain.Thenrolljustrightofcenter(towardthe1or2o’clockposition),then just left of center (toward the 10 or 11 o’clock position). Finally, roll thedoughuponthepin,andunspoolitoverthepiepan.

Whenworkingwithaball-bearingpin,rolloverthecenterofthedoughheavilyto really stretch it out. Then roll the sides down and out to even the dough’sthickness.Roll thedoughupon thepin, reflouryourwork surface, thenunspoolthedoughsothesidethatwastouchingtheworksurfaceisnowfacingupward.Rollit,startingatthefarendandpullingthepintowardyou,thenbackout,firstinthemiddle, then the sides. Continue like this, turning the dough over again andreflouringyourworksurface(andthepin,ifthedoughbeginstopullortear),untilyouachievethedesiredthickness.

GettingtheMostOutofYourOven

Ihavelotsofadmirationforhomebakers.Beinginaprofessionalbakery,Isometimes take forgrantedhowhard it is tobake fromhome.AtCarlo’sBakeShop,ourovensareworksofart.Theylookprimitive:huge,squareboxes that are heated from the bottom. But the secret to their success istheir rotating shelves that eliminate any hot spots; this is especiallyimportant with larger items like cakes, which are more affected by hotspots.

Yourhomeovenmightnotbeas impressive to lookat asourmonsterovens,butifyougettoknowitwell,andlearnitsstrengthsandquirks,youtwocanmakebeautifulmusictogether.Hereareafewtips.•Keep it clean.Whenwas the last timeyou cleanedyouroven? If you’relikemost home cooks, the answer is, “Um,well, I’m not really sure….”(This is especiallyunfortunatebecause Ibet99percentofyouhave self-cleaning ovens that make the job a breeze.) Cooked-on food, especiallythosebitsthatlooklikechunksofcharcoalfusedtothewallorflooroftheoven,willthrowsmoke,andthatsmokecanshowupintheflavorofyourbakedgoods.Sobesureyourovenisclean,anddon’tforget toscrubtheracks as well; they sometimes catch food before it makes it to the ovenfloor,especiallycheeseandotherstickyfoods.

•Sealitup.Anovenislikeyourhome—ifitisnotproperlyinsulated,hotairescapes.Thisprobablywon’taffectyourheatingbill,butitwillthrowoff

your baking time. The cook times in this book assume a nice, steadytemperature throughout theprocess.Awell-sealedoven isoneway tobesure that’s the case. Another is to keep from opening the door duringbaking;usetheovenlightandvisualcuestomonitordonenessas longaspossiblewithoutallowingheattoescape.Whenyoudoopentheovendoor,getitclosedagainasquicklyaspossible.

•Be prepared. Preheat the oven before you start baking so it’s ready toreceivewhateveritisyou’rebaking.Beforeyoupreheat,besuretherackisplacedwhereyouwantit(usuallythecenter).

•Don’tovercrowd.It’sbesttobakeonlyonepanofcookiesorpastriesatatime.At thevery least,youshouldbakeononlyone rack toensureevencooking.Trytobakeatatimewhenyoucanbakeeachtrayonitsownforoptimumheatcirculation.

•Help your oven. If you have a small oven, use trays and pans that aresmallerthantheoven’sracks.Donotusepansthat totallycovertheovenrack,becausethiswillpreventhotairfromcirculatingfreely.Becauseyourovenhashotspots,whenyou’rebakingsheetsofcookiesorpastriesit’sagood idea to turn the pans around midway through the cooking time toensure even cooking.Also, don’t bake partially filled pans of cookies orpastries; theheatwon’tbedistributedevenlyandyou’llbe likely towindupburningwhatyou’rebaking.Ifyouhaveasmallbatch,gatherthepiecesinthecenterofthepan.

Cookies

Mybakingeducationstartedwithcookies.Theytaughtmethefundamentalsofmycraft,andhelpedmedevelopmusclememoryandintuitiontolastalifetime.

But before I get into all that, letme sing the praises of cookies.Carlo’s BakeShop,likemostItalian-Americanbakeries,hasacountersectiondevotedtocookies,andit’stheonlysectionthat’sequallypopularwithadultsandkids.That’sbecausethereareprecious fewnewcookies in theworld;mostof the treatsyouseeunderthat gleamingglass are exactly the sameones thatmoms anddads, grandmothersandgrandfathers,atewhentheywerekids,too.Thecookiesmightbesomethingassimpleasablack-and-whitecookieorrugelach,butI lovewatchingcustomersdigintothem.Theirfacessayitall—kidsareformingtastememoriestolastalifetime;grown-upsarerelivingtheirownmemorieswitheachbite.

Myownmemories of cookiesdateback to longbefore I ever tried to actuallybakeanything.WhenIwasachild,myfatherwouldoftenreturnhomefromourfamily business,Carlo’s Bake Shop,with a box of tarelles (vanilla cookies) or teabiscuitsinhand.DadwasknownaroundHobokenasacakemaster,butitwasthecookies that mesmerized me. Most kids feel that way. Cakes are big, towering,intimidating:Beforeyoucaneatthem,agrown-uphastoslicethemdowntosizeforyou.

But cookies aremanageable—you can eat them in just one or two bites. Andwhen I look back atmy baking education, it’s the same:Cookies were away oftaking in bite-size bits of information about basic skills and techniques, in awaythatevenalittlekidcouldunderstand.ItwasbymakingcookiesthatIfirstlearnedhowtomixdoughproperly,howtousearollingpin,andhowtostarttodeveloptheall-importantHandoftheBag.

Therecipesinthischapterproducesomeofmyfavoritecookies,andit’saprettyvaried bunch that reflects a number of cultures: pignoli (pine nut) cookies fromSicily, black-and-white cookies from New York City, Jewish rugelach, and all-

Americancreationssuchaspeanutbuttercookies,tonamejustafew.

Forhomebakers,agoodcookierecipeisavaluablething.Mostcookiescanbemadequicklyandstoredfordays,ifnotlonger—soyoucanmakethemforguestsand serve them right out of the oven or keep them on hand for unexpectedcompany.Theyarealsoagoodprojectforbakingwithkidswhocandothesimpletasks suchas addingchocolate chips todough. Inaddition tomakingcookies forfamilyandfriends,oneofmyfavoritethingstodowithcookiesistogivethemasgifts.Thinkaboutgivingcookiesat theholidaysor fora friend’sbirthday; there’snothingthatshowsyouraffectionlikebakingsomethingforsomeoneyourself.

Cookies’ simplicity is also the sourceof theirpower to teachus aboutbaking.Themoresimplesomethingis,themoreimportanteachpartofitbecomes.Mostcookie recipes aremadeupof some combinationof the samebasic ingredients—butter,sugar,flour,eggs,andbakingpowderand/orbakingsoda—plusothersthataddflavorandtexture.Howthoseingredientsaremixedhaseverythingtodowithhow the batter will behavewhen baked. You don’t tend to seemixing discussedmuchoutsideprofessionalbakeries,butinaplacelikeCarlo’s,wetalkaboutitlikeitisrocketscience.Everycookierequiresitsownstyleofmixing:Someneedtobemixedquickly, some slowly, some for a long time, somenot somuch. (MyownAchilles’heelasakidwasoverwhippingeggwhites;I’dletthemgountiltheybegantobreakdown,theirstiffpeakscrumblinglikeanavalancheinthebowl.)Thesameistrueofpastryandpiedoughandcakebatter:ThedifferencebetweenanItaliansponge cake batter and a chocolate chiffon batter is profound; being able tounderstand that begins by learning to understand the differences between thedoughsfordifferentcookies.

BakinginBatches

Even ifyouhave twoormorepans,youwillneed tobake inbatches formany of these recipes. Be sure to let the pans cool completely betweenbatches.Puttingrawdoughonawarmorhotpancancausethecookiestodropandcausethebutterorshorteninginsidetomeltprematurely.It’sokaytoletthedoughjustsitwhilethepanscool—andit’sworthitsothecookiescomeoutright.

Cookiesarealsoagoodwaytobeginabakingeducationbecausetherecipesaremoreforgivingthanthoseforpastriesorcakes. (Theyalsomultiplybetter, soyou

candoubleortriplethemeasily.)What’smore,inprofessionalbakeries,cookiesarevaluablecommoditiesbecausemanyofthemareconvenient:Often,doughsandthefinished cookies they produce can be frozen, so we can work them into theproductionschedulewheneverweneedtofitthemin,andalwayshavecookiesonhandorjustafewminutesofbaketimeaway.Throughoutthischapter,I’llpointoutwhenyoucantakeadvantageofthissameconveniencefactorathome,soyoualwayshavecookiesontap.

CoolingCookies

It’simportanttogetcookiesoutoftheirhotpanandontoarackassoonaspossible after they come out of the oven. Test them with the edge of aspatula tosee if theywill liftupeasilywithoutbreaking.Assoonas theydo,movethem.Iftheyareleftonthepantoolongandbecomestuck,don’tuseyourspatulalikeacrowbar;instead,rewarmthembrieflyintheoventoloosenthemup.

StoringCookies

Do not put any cookies into a storage container until they have cooledcompletely. Ifyouput themawaywarm, theirheatwillbe trapped in thecontainerandthesteamwillleavebehindmoisturethatwillcausethemtospoil.

Somecookies also teachyouhow toworkwithdough, rolling andmolding itwithyourhands,andinsomecaseswitharollingpin—whatwecall“benchwork”atCarlo’s.Andtheyteachthedelicatebalancebetweenfollowingarecipeandgoingwithyourgut in thekitchen.Thinkback to the first timeyoubakeda chocolatechip cookie. I bet you overbaked it and ended up with something as hard as amanholecover.That’sbecauseyoudidn’tyetknowthatachocolatechipcookiehastocomeoutoftheovenlookingdoughy,almostraw.Butletitrestforanhouranditfirmsuptoperfection,becausethebakingsodadoesitsthingasthecookiecoolsdown.We all need to learn the same lessonwhen it comes to cookies—that weoftenhavetotakethemoutlookingalittleraw,trustingourbakingexperienceto

knowthat’stherightthingtodo.Theother, andmost overlooked, thing that cookies can teachus is familiarity

with our equipment and our ovens. Bymaking cookies, I gained a real intimacywithourovenatCarlo’s.Thisisevenmoreimportantathome,becauseyourhomeoven almost certainly has hot spots, and will not cook evenly like a professionaloven.MakingcookiesletmelearnthatIlikeworkingwithabroomstickhandleforcertaindoughs(you’dbuyastraightrollingpintogetthesameeffect)andaball-bearing pin for others; and I learned which type of pastry bag I preferred fordifferentjobs.Butthere’snoonewayofdoinganything:Youmighthavedifferentpreferences,andiftheyworkforyou,that’sfinewithme.

But youwon’tbe able to learn anyof thatuntil youget into thekitchen andstartbaking.So,comeon—let’smakesomecookies!

ButterCookies

MAKES48COOKIES(24REGULARAND24CHOCOLATE)

These are softer than the butter cookies that come stacked in doilies and sold inroundaluminumtins.They’realsoa littlechewier, thankstothealmondpaste inthe dough. But what they have in common with their popular, mass-producedcousinsisthattheycanbeformedintoavarietyofshapes.

Thisisoneofthefirstrecipesmyfathertaughtmetomake,soIwantedittobethe first one I sharewith you. I still rememberhim showingmehow tomix thedough,startingbycreamingtogetherthealmondpasteandbutter(thisisacrucialstep; see “Creaming,” opposite), then adding the wet ingredients, and then theflour, mixing and scraping to break up any stubborn lumps. I still hear himcoachingmewhen Imake these. “It’s all about themethod,” he’d say, explainingthatovermixingwouldcause thecookies to lose their shapeandfall likeapuddlewhenbakedorbetoofragile.Hecouldpulleighthotpansfullofthesecookiesoutoftheovensofastthetemperaturebarelydropped,thengetthenextpansinandontheirway.WhenItriedtomatchhisspeedthefirsttimeIbakedthese,removingtwotraysatonce,Iscorchedmyforearmanddroppedthepans.

“That’sokay,Buddy,”hetoldme.“Whenyouuseaknifeforthefirsttimeyoucutyourself;whenyoudothis,yougetburned.”

Note:Thisrecipemakes24plaincookiesand24chocolate.Youcanmakethemallchocolatebydoublingtheamountofcocoa,orallplainbyleavingitout.

2cups(4sticks)unsaltedbutter1cupsugar¾cupalmondpaste4extra-largeeggwhites3½cupscakeflour(nosubstitutions)1tablespoonunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2.Creamthebutter, sugar,andalmondpaste inthebowlofamixer fittedwith

thepaddle attachment. (You canuse ahandmixer if you allow thebutter tosoften at room temperature before beginning.) Starting on low speed, andincreasing tomediumafter2minutes,paddle the ingredientsuntiluniformlysmoothwithamashedpotatoconsistency,about5minutes.

3.Lowerthemixerspeedtolowandpourinaboutonequarteroftheeggwhites.Paddlefor1minute,thenstopandscrapewitharubberspatula.Paddleonlowspeedandaddanotherquarteroftheeggwhites,againpaddlingfor1minute,thenstoptoscrapeagain.Repeatuntilalleggwhiteshavebeenadded,paddlingfor1minuteextraattheendtoensurethedoughissmooth.

4.Addtheflourandpaddlejustuntilitisabsorbedintothedoughandthedoughissmoothagain.(Thedoughmaybewrappedinplasticwrapandrefrigeratedforupto1week,orfrozenforupto1month;letitcometoroomtemperaturebeforeproceedingwiththerecipe.)

5.Transferhalfthedoughtoapastrybagfittedwitha#7startip.6.Workingononeor twononstickcookie sheets,pipe thedough into2½-inch

circles (see “Practice Makes Perfect: Piping with Steady Pressure,”), leavingabout1½inchesbetweencircles,andcreatefourstaggeredrowsofthreecircleseach.

Creaming

Creamingbutter andanother ingredient suchas almondpaste is often thefirst step inmixing cookie dough and it should not be taken for granted.Thisbaseneedstobemixedenoughthatitaerates,whichwillsetthestageforthecookiestoachievetheproperbodyandtextureandhelpkeepthemfrom crumbling too easily. This step often includes a granular ingredientsuchassugarthatactsalmostlikesandpaper,smoothingoutlumpsasearlyintherecipeaspossible.

7. Bake the cookies in batches for about 12 minutes or until the bottoms aretinged golden-brown (lift very gently with a spatula to check underneath ifnecessary) and the star-tip ridges have dropped into a shallow, wavy patern.Removethecookiesheetsfromtheoven.Assoonasthecookiescanbemoved,

usea spatula to transfer themtoa rackand let themcool. (Be sure to let thepanscoolcompletelybeforepipingthechocolatecookiesontothem.)

8.Meanwhile,addthecocoapowertotheremainingdoughandpaddlejustuntilblended. Squeeze out any remaining plain dough from the pastry bag, thenspoon the cocoa dough into the bag. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with the cocoadough.

Thecookiesmaybestoredinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto2weeks.

PracticeMakesPerfect:PipingwithSteadyPressure

These cookies call for piping with steady pressure, which will begintraining your muscle memory for making cake borders, especially loopborders. You can vary the shapes of these cookies, and give yourselfpracticewithotherpipingtechniques;forexample,pipingstraightcookies(about2incheslong)isaperfectwaytoworkonsqueeze-and-pullpiping.

Bytheway,here’sa tip:Pipingconsistentcirclesofanysize isharderthan it seems.This recipedoesn’t call for parchmentpaper, but until youdevelopthemusclememorytodothis,tracecirclesonparchmentpaperinpencilusingthemouthofaglassoracookiecutterasyourguide.Turnthepaper over so the pencil is on the underside (that is, not touching thedough),lineyourcookiesheetwithit,anduseittotracecirclesasyoupipe.Dothisuntilyoufindit’snolongernecessary,whichmightbesoonerthanyouthink!

DoubleChocolateChipCookies

MAKES24COOKIES

Thereisnothingsubtleaboutthesecookies,whichcombinearich,chewy,black-as-night cookie with chocolate chips. You know that popular cake, Death byChocolate?Well, this isDeathbyChocolate thatyoucan fit in thepalmofyourhand. But don’t be fooled by its size; it packs a huge, crowd-pleasing punch oftextureandflavor.

Thestorybehindthiscookieillustratesthewaynewrecipescometobeinabakeshop.To create it, I beganwithmydad’s chocolate chip cookie recipe.The firstorder of business was to figure out how tomake a chocolate cookie, which youachievebyreplacingsomeoftheflourwithcocoa.Butit’snotasimpleone-to-oneratioandtheonlywaytosolvetheproblemisbytrialanderror.Ispenthoursinthebackofthebakerymakingbatchafterbatchofthis,adjustingthequantitiesofflourtococoauntilIgotitjustright.

Finally,Icameupwiththisrecipe,whichIthinkisoneofourverybest,andtoreallyput itoverthetop,Idecidedtomakeitwith justdarksemisweetchocolatechips, rather thana combinationofdark and less-richmilk chocolate,whichgetslost in the midst of all these strong flavors. It’s not often I think I’ve hit uponperfection—mostthingscanbeimproved,evenifyoucan’timmediatelyseehowtodoit—butthis,tome,isaperfectcookie.Ihopeyouenjoyit.

1cup(2sticks)unsaltedbutter1cupgranulatedsugar½cuplightbrownsugar⅓cupunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder1extra-largeegg1teaspoonpurevanillaextract2tablespoonswholemilk1¾cupsall-purposeflour

¼teaspoonbakingpowder1cupsemisweetchocolatechips

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto325°F.2.Putthebutter,sugar,andbrownsugarinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwith

thepaddle attachment. (You canuse ahandmixer if you allow thebutter tosoften at room temperaturebeforebeginning.)Creamon low speeduntil themixture is uniformly blended, with no pieces of butter remaining, 2 to 3minutes.

3.Addthecocoa,egg,andvanilla.Mixonlowfor1to2minutes,thenstopandscrape with a rubber spatula. Mix on low speed until the mixture resembleschocolate frosting, 2 to 3 minutes. Stop and scrape, then add the milk andpaddlefor30secondstoblenditin.

4.Put the flour andbakingpowder in a separatemixingbowl and stir togetherwithaforkorwhisk.Addtothemixerbowlandpaddleonlowspeeduntilwellmixed,about1minute.Scrapeandmixforanotherminuteonlowspeed.Withthemixer running on low speed, add the chocolate chips andmix just untilevenlydistributed,about1minute.(Thedoughcanbewrappedinplasticwrapand refrigerated forup to1weekor frozen forup to2months.Let come toroomtemperaturebeforeproceedingwiththerecipe.)

5.When ready to bake the cookies, break the dough into small pieces and rollbetweenthepalmsofyourhandstoform24meatball-sizeballs.Placeontwononstickcookiesheets,about2inchesapart.

SizingUpYourCookies

When bakers boast of being able to roll or bag portions of dough outuniformly, like amachine, it’smuchmore than a point of pride. All thecookiesinabatchshouldbethesamesizeortheywillnotcookevenly,andthesameistrueofpastries.Thisrecipeisagoodoneforstartingtodevelopthatskillbecauseyoubreakthedoughupbyhand,soifonecookielookstoosmallorlarge,youcanaddtoortakeawayfromit.Justbecarefulnotto overwork it as you make adjustments. If you happen to end up withfewercookiesthantheindicatedyield,thatmeansyouhavemadethemtoobigandthecookingtimewillprobablybeslightlylongerthanindicated;ifyou end up with too many cookies, you made them too small and thecookingtimewillprobablybeshorter.

6.Bakeuntilthecookiesareflatandhot,13to15minutes.Thecookieswilllook

underdone,butwillgentlyfinishbakingafteryouremovethemfromtheoven.Donotleaveintheovenformorethan15minutes,nomatterwhat.Removethe cookie sheets from theoven.As soonas the cookies canbemoved,use aspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

Thecookiescanbekeptinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto3days.Youcancontinue toeat themforup to1week,but theywillhardenafter3days.Ifyouwant,youcansoftenthembywarminginthemicrowavefor5to10secondsonthe“high”setting.

PeanutButterCookies

MAKES30TO36COOKIES

This chewy-gooey cookie was devised by my brother-in-law, Joey Faugno, whoheads up the baking department atCarlo’s, and it brilliantly re-creates the flavorprofileofapeanutbuttercup—that irresistiblecombinationofpeanutbutterandchocolate—by adapting thebakery’s recipe for chocolate chip cookies, takingoutsomeof the liquid,and includingacombinationofpeanutbutterchipsandmilkchocolate chips, which get along better than the dark chocolate we use in theoriginal. (Thanks to Joey’s fondness for “extra chippy” cookies, these have morechipspersquareinchthanourchocolatechipcookies.)

When baking these, it’s crucial to keep carryover cooking (the way foodscontinuetocookbytheirownheataftertheyareremovedfromtheoven)inmind;don’t let them spend toomuch time in the oven.Aswith a great chocolate chipcookie,youwantthemtobecookedthroughbutsoftandpliable.Useaspatulatopeekunderneath:Assoonasthebottomislightlybrowned,getthemout.

MakingtheCut

It’stemptingtofreezedoughincylindersbecausewe’veallseenthatslice-your-own ready-made dough in the supermarket. But it’s better to freezeraw cookies after cutting them because itwill speed the thawing processwhenyou’rereadytobake.Aftercuttingthem,dustthemwithfourtokeepthemfromsticking,puttheminafreezerbag,andfreezethem.Whenreadytobake,letthawcompletely,roll,press,andbakeasdescribedintherecipe.

AtCarlo’s, we store our peanut butter in the basement, where it can get see-your-own-breathcoldinthewintertime,causingthepeanutbuttertoseparateand

producinga layerofoilontop.Soweaddanextrasteptotherecipe,mixingthepeanut butter in the mixer to reincorporate the oil before adding the otheringredients. If you refrigerate your peanut butter or have a house as cold as ourbasement,besuretodothesame.

You can make these with all peanut butter chips, all chocolate chips, or—toreally drive home the peanut butter flavor—an addition of chopped, unsaltedpeanuts.

¾cupcreamypeanutbutter¼cupvegetableshortening(suchasCrisco)¼cuptightlypackedlightbrownsugar1extra-largeeggOne14-ouncecansweetenedcondensedmilk1teaspoonpurevanillaextract1½cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface2teaspoonsbakingpowder½cupmilkchocolatechips½cuppeanutbutterchips½cupunsaltedpeanuts,chopped(optional)

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto325°F.2.Putthepeanutbutter,shortening,andsugarinthebowlofastandmixerfitted

with thepaddleattachment. (Youcanuseahandmixer ifyou let thepeanutbutter soften at room temperature before beginning.) Cream together at lowspeedtoensuretherearenolumps.Addtheeggandpaddleatmediumspeeduntil the ingredients are blended together, about 1 minute. Stop and scrapewitharubberspatula.

3.Addthecondensedmilkandvanillaextract.Paddleonlowspeedfor1minute,stopandscrape, thencontinue tomixuntil themixture is smoothandshiny,aboutanother30seconds.Turnoffthemixer.

RollingbyHand

Handling the cookie dough here is a good way to start to develop yourfeelingforworkingwithfondant.

4.Puttheflourandbakingpowderinasmallbowlandstirtogetherwithaforkorwhisk.Addtothemixerbowl.Mixonlowspeedforabout1minute.Stopandscrape. Continue to mix on low speed for another minute. Then, with themotor running, sprinkle in the chocolate and peanut butter chips. If you’readdingthechoppedpeanuts,addthematthispoint.Keepmixingjustuntilthechips are evenly distributed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (The dough can bewrappedinplasticwrapandrefrigeratedforupto1weekorfrozenforupto2months.Letitcometoroomtemperaturebeforeproceedingwiththerecipe.)

5.Linetwocookiesheetswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutter in each corner to glue thepaper inplace. (If youhavemore than twocookiesheets,lineathirdsheettospeeduptheprocessofbakinginbatches.)

6.Flouraworksurfaceandturnthedoughoutontothesurface.Dividethedoughinhalf.Rollonehalfoutintoacylinder20incheslongand1inchindiameter.Useaknifetocutthedoughcrosswiseinto1-inchsegments.(Youshouldhave15to18segments.)Quicklyrolleachsegmentintoaballandpressdownwiththepalmofyourhanduntilthedoughissqueezeddownto½inchhigh.(Youdon’twanttotaketoomuchtimerollingeachoneoryourhandswillwarmupthedoughtoomuch.)Arrangethediscsonthepans,about12perpan,about1inchfromtheedgeand2inchesapart.

7.Repeatwiththeremainingdough.

BakingSodaVersusBakingPowder

Haveyoueverwonderedwhysomerecipescallforbakingsoda,someforbakingpowder,andsomeforacombination?Bakingpowdercausesbattersto rise (the best example is pancakes—they’d be really flat without thatsmidgen of baking powder in the recipe), while baking soda causes it todrop and spread. It’s important to carefully measure all ingredients, butespeciallysomethingthathassuchascientificeffect,sobesuretoleveloffthesodainyourmeasuringspoonbeforeaddingittothebowl.

8.Bakethecookiesinbatchesuntilgolden-brownontopandbrownattheedges,about8minutes.(Iftheycrackalittlebitontop,that’sallright.)Thecookieswill stillbe soft,but thecarryoverheatwill finishcooking them.Remove thecookiesheetsfromtheoven.Assoonasthecookiescanbemoved,afterabout

10minutes,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

These cookies arebest enjoyedas soonas theyhave cooledenough tohandleand eat, but will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at roomtemperature.

ChocolateBrownieClusters

MAKES18CLUSTERS

In a bakery like Carlo’s, everybody contributes some recipes at some time oranother.Thesecookies—whichreplicatetheflavorsandtexturesofabrownieinameringue-like cookie that’s miraculously crisp on the outside and gooey in themiddle—weretheinventionofthelate,greatbakerSalPicinich(whopassedawaywhileIwaswritingthisbook)andthey’reprettyingenious.

What impressesmeabout thesecookies is thecomplex,deeply satisfying resultachievedwithjustahandfulofingredients:eggwhites,sugar,cocoa,andnuts.Thebatter looks likeanunholy,goopy-gooeymess.Whenyoumakethese,youmighteven think you did something wrong—how could it transform into somethingappetizing?Yourdoubtmightevenbeincreasedbythefactthatthesecanonlybespoonedontoyourbaking sheet; thedough is too sticky forapastrybagand toomessytoworkwithbyhand.

But trust me: Once these get into the oven, something magical happens andtheseuglyducklingsturnintoperfectlittleswans—andeverybodywilllovethewaytheymimictheflavorandtextureofbrownies.It’sacookietodiefor.

3extra-largeeggwhites½teaspoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice1½cupspowdered(10X)sugar¼cupunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder1½cupsunsaltedrawwalnuthalves

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto325°F.2.Puttheeggwhitesandlemonjuiceinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththe

whipattachment.(Besurethebowlisimmaculatelyclean;see“EggWhites,”.)Whip on low speed for 2minutes, then onmaximum speeduntil stiff peaksform,about5minutes.

3.Siftthesugarandcocoapowderintothebowltogether,thenfoldintothebatterwitharubberspatulauntilthebatterissmoothandshiny.Foldinthewalnuts,untiltheyarewellcoatedwiththebatter.

4.Linetwocookiesheetswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutter ineachcornertogluethepaper inplace.Dropheapingtablespoonsofdough½inchapart,beingsuretoincludeaboutthesamenumberofwalnuts(3or4)ineachone.

5.Bakeuntiltheoutsidehascrispedandthebottomstartstopullawayfromtheparchmentpaper,15to20minutes.

6.Removethecookiesheetfromtheoven.Assoonastheclusterscanbemoved,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

Enjoy the cookies right away, or store when completely cool in an airtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto1week.

Sifting

Isiftingredientsfortworeasons:(1)Tobesuredryingredientsaren’ttoocompacted; sifting helps ensure a lighter result in the baked good beingmade.(2)Tobettercombinetwoormoredryingredientsthatwillbeaddedto a recipe at the same time. This is especially important when you areusingleaveningagentssuchasbakingpowderandbakingsoda—youwantthose strong-acting ingredients to be as evenly distributed as possible toensureanevenresultacrosstheentirebakedgood.(Allofthatsaid,insomecookierecipesIdon’tcallforsiftingbecausethedoughgetsmixedenoughthattheingredientscan’thelpbeingevenlydistributed.)

EggWhites

Eggwhitesareoneofthemostimportantingredientsinbaking.Morethanalmost anyother ingredient, they candetermine thedensityof everythingfrom a cookie to a cake. If you want to understand the effect cooks arelooking for in the finished product, note how they tell you towhip yourwhites:stiffpeaksusuallymeansthedesiredeffectisafull-bodiedfinishedproduct.

Inthisrecipe,thewhitesshouldbewhippeduntiltheyarestiff,andthatiswhatallowsthebattertoexpandthewayitdoes.

Howeveryouwhipthem,thereareafewimportantthingstorememberaboutworkingwitheggwhites:

Firstofall,yourbowlmustbe immaculatelyclean.Wipe itdownwithdistilled white vinegar to get rid of all traces of grease and oil; fat willpreventthewhitesfromstiffening.

Whenyouarewhippingeggwhites,theadditionofanacid(thisrecipeuseslemonjuice;insomeotherrecipes,creamoftartarhasthesameeffect)helpsproducemaximumpeaks.Believeitornot,usingeggsthatareolder(butnotpasttheir“bestby”date)alsohelps;theproteinsaremorerelaxed,so they froth up better.And for the best results, startwhippingwhites atroom temperature, on low speed.Keepyourmixer on low for 2minutes,thenincreasethespeed.Besuretousethewhitesassoonaspossibleafterwhippingthem;theywillbegintodropbeforetoolong.

PignoliCookiesPineNutCookies

MAKESABOUT48COOKIES

PinenutsarearealdelicacythatmostofushereinAmericaareusedtoseeinginsavory cooking—they’re one of the key ingredients in pesto and are often tossedintopastasandotherItalianstaplestoaddearthycrunch.

IdiscoveredanotheruseforpinenutsonatriptoSicilyyearsago:usingtheminacookiethattreatsthemasnuts,thesamewaywe’dusealmondsorwalnutshere.These cookies would be delicious even without the pine nuts—almond paste,cinnamon,andhoneylendanaddictivelyaromaticqualityandchewytexture—butthenutsreallyputtheseoverthetopandmakethemsomethingtrulyspecial.

Notethat therawcookiesneedtorestovernightbeforebaking;otherwise theywon’thold their shape andwill dropwhenbaked, a lesson thatmore than a fewimpatientyoungbakershavelearnedthehardwayatCarlo’s.

2½cupstightlypackedalmondpaste(1pound9ounces)1¼cupsgranulatedsugar½cuppowdered(10X)sugar1heapingteaspoongroundcinnamon1tablespoonhoney,preferablyclover1teaspoonpurevanillaextract5extra-largeeggwhites5cupspinenuts(about1½pounds)

1.Putthealmondpaste,granulatedsugar,powderedsugar,cinnamon,honey,andvanillainthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.(Youcanalso use a hand mixer.) Paddle at low-medium speed until the mixture issmoothwithnolumpsremaining,about1minute.

2.Withthemotorrunning,addtheeggwhites in three installmentsandpaddleuntilabsorbed,30secondsto1minuteperaddition.

3.Cut five12-inch squaresofparchmentpaper.Arrange a squareofparchmentpaperonaworksurface.Putthedoughinapastrybagfittedwitha#6plaintipandpipethedoughoutintocircles,2inchesindiameterandabout1½incheshigh,leavingabout2inchesbetweencircles.Repeatonfourremainingpiecesofparchment.

4.Spread thepinenutsoutona cookie sheet in a single layer.Takeoneof thecookiedough–coveredparchmentsheetsintwohandsandslowlyinvertitoverthenuts.Pressdownsothatnutsadheretothedoughandremove,verygentlyshaking the parchment to loosen any extra nuts. Set the nut-coated doughaside.Shakethecookiesheettoredistributethepinenuts,andrepeatwiththeremaining dough-covered sheets until all cookies are coated with pine nuts.Saveanyunusednutsforanotheruse.

5.Leavethepreparedcookiesoutuncoveredatroomtemperatureovernightorfor8hourstodry.

6.Whenreadytobakethecookies,positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.

PineNuts

I recommend thatyoubuySpanishorPortuguesepinenuts,because theyhavethebestfavor.Theyareexpensive,butyouwillnotusealloftheminthisrecipe.The5cupscalledforwillcoatthecookieswhenyoupresstheminto the nuts. Alternatively, you could buy just 2½ cups of nuts (1¼pounds) andpress them into thecookiesbyhand,but thatwouldbeverytime-consuming.

7.Setoneoftheparchmentsheetsonabakingtrayandbakeuntilthecookiesarenicely golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, carefullytransfertheparchmenttoaheatproofsurfacetoletthecookiescool,andbakethenextsheetonthetray.Repeatuntilallcookiesarebaked,and letcool forapproximately20minutesbeforeserving.

Thecookiescanbeheldinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto1week,orwrappedinplasticandfrozenforupto1month.Letcometoroomtemperaturebeforeserving.

What’sinaName?

Donotbuymarzipanfor this recipe; it’snot thesameasalmondpaste—marzipanissweeter!

Seven-LayerCookies

MAKES32COOKIES

Youmightknowthesecookiesby theirothernames, tri-color cookiesor rainbowcookies.TheyareoneofthemostpopulartreatssoldinItalian-Americanbakeries—pink,green,chocolate,andwhitelayerswithraspberryjamspreadbetweenthem,cutintolittlesquaresorrectangles.

Fromabakingstandpoint,thesecretofthesecookiesisthateachlayerismadewiththesamebase,sotheymightbeeasiertomakethanyoueverimagined.Youdivide the batter into five equal batches, leaving two white, coloring one pink,coloring another one green, and flavoring the last with cocoa, turning it darkbrown.Thenyouspreadeachdoughoutinapan,bakeit,andassemblethecookie.My personal twist is to sometimes layer semisweet chocolate or the chocolate-hazelnutspread,Nutella,betweenthedifferentcakesratherthanjam.

Be especially careful not to overbake the individual layers; because they are sothinanddelicate,theycandisintegrateiftheyspendtoomuchtimeintheoven.

You can layer the colors in whatever order you like, but according toCarlo’sBake Shop tradition,we always put the chocolate in themiddle, so that’s how Imakethemhere.

Note that youwill need five 8-inch-square disposable aluminumbaking pans.Alsonote thatyoumustweighdownthecookiesas indicated in the recipebeforecoatingthemwithchocolateandcuttingthem.Afewyearsback,onaparticularlybusyday,wedidn’thaveroomforfreshlybakedandassembledseven-layercookiesupstairs, so I instructed an intern to take the batch to the basement and put ahundred-pound sack of sugar on top of them overnight. He thought we werepullinghis leg, sohe took themdownstairs,but skipped the sugar-sack step.Thenextday,aftercoatingtheminchocolate,weslicedthecookies…andthestackfellapartlikeahouseofcards.LikeIalwayssay,everystepmattersinbaking!

1½cups(3sticks)unsaltedbutter,plusmoreforgreasingthepans2cupspowdered(10X)sugar¼teaspoonpurevanillaextract¼cupfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice7extra-largeeggs2cupsall-purposeflour¼teaspoonpinkfood-coloringgel¼teaspoongreenfood-coloringgel1teaspoonunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder4heapingtablespoonsraspberryjam2cupssemisweetchocolatechipsorcoarselychoppedsemisweetchocolate(12ounces)

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Greaseeachofthealuminumpanswithbutterandlinethemwithparchment

paper,pressingthepaperdownintothepansoitiswellsealed.3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the

butter, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice at low speed, gradually increasing tomedium.Add the eggs (two at a time, one in the last batch) and paddle forabout1minute, stopping to scrapeaftereverybatch.Afterall eggshavebeenadded,addtheflourandpaddleuntilitisfullyabsorbed,withoutanylumps,1to2moreminutes.

4.Spreadabout¾cupofthebatterintoeachoftwopans,⅛to¼inchdeep,andsmoothwitharubberspatula.Thiswillmakeyourwhitecake.

5.Transferanother¾cupofthebatterfromthemixerintoabowlandaddthepink gel. Stir in with a rubber spatula until the mixture is uniformly pink.Spreadthemixtureintooneofthebakingpans,⅛to¼inchdeep,andsmoothwitharubberspatula.Thiswillmakeyourpinkcake.

6.Transferanother¾cupofthebatterfromthemixerintoanotherbowlandaddthegreengel.Stirinwitharubberspatulauntilthemixtureisuniformlygreen.Spreadthemixtureintooneofthebakingpans,⅛to¼inchdeep,andsmoothwitharubberspatula.Thiswillmakeyourgreencake.

7. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining batter in the mixer. Stir in with arubber spatulauntil themixture isuniformlybrown.Spread themixture intothelastbakingpan,⅛to¼inchdeep,andsmoothwitharubberspatula.Thiswillmakeyourchocolatecake.

8.Bakethecakesonthecenterrackoftheoven;twopansineachofthefirsttwobatches, and one pan at the end.Bake until the cakes are just set andbarely

golden(iftheyoverbake,theywillfallapartwhenyoutrytoworkwiththem),about15minutes.

9.Removethetraysfromtheovenandletthecakescoolcompletelyinthepans.

TreatYourChocolateRight

I’ll never forget theway the old-timers at Carlo’s used to leave a pot ofchocolateboilingawayforeternityonthestovetop.You’dneverknowthatthiswasn’treallythewaytotreatchocolate,whichshouldbewarmedoververy lowheat.Forallofourdevotion to the time-honoredwaysofdoingthings,thiswasonetraditionthatwestopped—andwesavedgoodmoneyandmadeevenbetterbakedgoodsasaresult.

Tomeltchocolate,coarselychopitandputitinadoubleboilersetoversimmering(notboiling)water.(Toskipthechoppingstep,youcanbeginwith chocolate chips.) Stir it with a rubber spatula until it’s uniformlymelted, and check the water periodically to be sure it isn’t bubbling tooaggressively.

Here’sanold trick formonitoring thewaterwithout lifting the toppotofftheboiler:putacoininthebottompot;you’llhearittappingagainstthemetalasthewatersimmers.Ifthetappingistoofast,thewaterisbubblingtooaggressively.Itit’stooslow,youcanturntheheatupalittle.Ifitstopstapping,youhaveprobablyrunoutofwaterandyouneedtoaddmore.Beverycarefulnottoletanywaterfinditswayintothepotwiththechocolate;itwillcausethechocolatetoseizeup.(Forthesamereason,donotcoverchocolateasitmelts;thecondensationthatformsontheinsideofthecoverwilldripintothechocolate.Gameover!)

You can also melt chocolate in a microwave. Put the chocolate in amicrowave-safebowlandmicrowave it for30seconds.Remove thebowlfromthemicrowaveandgivethechocolateastirwitharubberspatula.Ifitis not warm and soft enough, heat for another 30 seconds. Continue torepeatandstiruntilthechocolateisnicelymolten.

10. Unmold one white layer and turn it over so the parchment paper is on itsdownward-facing side.Spread1heaping tablespoonof raspberry jamover thelayer,asthinlyanduniformlyaspossible,usinganoffsetspatula.Invertthepinklayeroveritandpulltheparchmentoff.Topwithanotherheapingtablespoon

ofjam,againspreadingitoutasthinlyaspossiblewiththespatula.Continuetobuild the layers in thisway,unmolding cake layers, removing theparchment,andtoppingeachlayerwithaheapingtablespoonofjamandspreadingitout,adding thechocolate,green, and secondwhite layer, in thatorder. (Leave theparchmentpaperontheoutsideofthewhitelayer,sothetopandbottomofthestackareprotectedbyparchment.)

11.Pressthecookies:Putthecookiesonapanandtopwithanotherpan.Weightthe top panwith heavy cans (such as cans of tomatoes) and refrigerate for atleast1hour,orovernight.

12.Whenreadytoproceed,melt thechocolate inthetopofadoubleboileroversimmering water. (For more, see “Treat Your Chocolate Right,” opposite.)Remove the parchment paper from thewhite layers.Use an offset spatula tospreadthechocolateoverthetopofthestack.Letitharden,about5minutes.(Toquickenhardening,youcanputthetraybackintherefrigerator.)Flipthestackoverandspreadchocolateoverthenewtop.Letharden.Refrigeratebrieflytofirmupthecookiesandfacilitateslicing.

13.Cutthecookies:Trimall fouropensidesofthestackwithaserratedknifetosquare them.Cut four2-inch-wide stripsoutof the stack, then cut the stripscrosswiseinto1-inchpieces.

Thecookiesmaybekeptinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto1 week, or frozen for up to 3 weeks; let thaw to room temperature beforeserving.

Chill!

Whenever you need to trim or cut a cakey cookie, it’s very helpful torefrigerate itbriefly to firm itupand facilitatenice, even slices.FreezingcakesisastepIhighlyrecommendforthesamereason.

TarellesVanillaCookies

MAKESABOUT40COOKIES

Thisbasiccookie—oneofthefirstonesIeverlearnedtomake—isawonderfuloneforgaugingwhereyouareinyourearlydevelopmentasabaker.Becauseit’ssuchano-frills affair, there’s nowhere to hide; its success depends entirely on propermixingandbaking.

WhenIwasakid,myfathertaughtmetousebothhandsatthesametimetorolltheseout,soIwasabletomakemoreofthem,faster,thananybodyelseinthekitchen.ThismemorycomesupformeoftenbecausethesealsohappentobemysonBuddyJr.’sfavoritecookiestorollatthebakeryontheweekends,andthefactthathe’sabletodosuchagreatjobwiththematsuchayoungageshowsmethathe’sclearlygotthesamegiftedhandsthatIhave—andthatmyDadhadbeforeme.

1¼cupssugar2extra-largeeggs1teaspoonpurevanillaextract1¼cupsvegetableshortening½cupwholemilk2¼cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface2¼cupspastryflour,oradditionalall-purposeflour2teaspoonsbakingpowder

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2. Put the sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a standmixer fittedwith the

paddle attachment and paddle on low-medium speed until combined,approximately 2 minutes. With the motor running, add the shortening andpaddle for 30 seconds. Pour in the milk and paddle until it’s thoroughlyabsorbedintothemixture,approximately2minutes.

3.Stopthemotorandaddthefloursandbakingpowder.Paddleonmedium-highspeeduntilitcomestogetherintoasmoothballofdoughandpullsawayfromthesidesof thebowl,3 to5minutes, thenscrapedownthebowlandpaddle

witharubberspatula.4.Lightlyflouraworksurface.Transferthedoughtothesurface,andseparateit

into2equalpieces.Roll1piece intoaropeabout1 inch indiameterand30incheslong.Cutthedoughintoabouttwenty1½-inchpieces.Rolleachpieceintoaropeabout5 inches longand½inchindiameter,andbendtomakearing,pressingtheendstogetheruntiltheystick.(Foranicevisualflourish,givethese a twist effect; see “Making Twisty Tarelles,” opposite.) Put asmany aspossibleonanonstickcookiesheetabout1inchapart.

5.Bakeuntilgoldenbrownonthebottom(checkbygentlyliftinganedgewithaspatula),approximately15minutes.Meanwhile,rollouttheremainingpieceofdoughandformaboutanother20cookies.

6.When the firstbatch isdone, remove the cookie sheet from theoven, andassoonasthecookiescanbemoved,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandlet them cool. Once the cookie sheet has cooled, arrange another batch ofcookiesonthesheet,andrepeat.

7. Continue to repeat until all the cookies have been baked and cooled,approximately20minutesafterthelastbatchhascomeoutoftheoven.(Ifyouhavemore than one cookie sheet, you can alternate, always having one sheetreadytogo.)

Thecookieswillkeepinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforatleast1week.

MakingTwistyTarelles

Tomaketwistytarelles,instep4,rollthedoughoutinto10-inchlengths,foldeachlengthinhalf,androllagainstyourworksurfacetocauseittospiral.Bendintoacircleandpinchattheendstokeepitfromcomingapart.

Rugelach

MAKES60RUGELACH

Whenevermyfatherhiredanewbaker,hewouldaskhimifhehadanythingnewhewantedtoaddtoourrepertoire.Havingbeenahiredhandhimselfforanumberofyears,myfatherknewthatmostoftheotherbakersouttherehadagreatrecipeortwointheirbackpocket.WhenwehiredJimmyLee,heoffereduphisversionofthe Jewish-American classic rugelach,which he had picked up, of all places, in aGreekdinerwhereheusedtowork.

On slower days, when there was extra time, Jimmy taught me how to makerugelach.Notonlywasitachancetotakemyrollingskillsupanotch(see“PracticeMakesPerfect:Rolling,”), but thedoughwas a thingof insane, addictivebeauty:creamcheese,butter,sugar,flour—Imusthaveeatenpoundsofrawdoughovertheyears.It’sthatdelicious,andafterit’sbaked…well,you’llsee.

But you have not truly had rugelach until you’ve eaten them right out of theoven(letthemsitforabout10minutestocoolslightly).Thedoughisstillwarm,theflavorsmelttogether,andeachbiteisatasteofheavenonearth.

1¼cups(2½sticks)unsaltedbutter¾cuppowdered(10X)sugar⅓cup(⅔stick)margarineOne8-ouncepackagePhiladelphiacreamcheese1¼cupscakeflour(nosubstitutions)1¼cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface1cupbake-proofraspberryjam(youcanuseregularjamifyouspreaditsuperthin;

see“NoBake-ProofJam?,”)½cupgranulatedsugar½teaspoongroundcinnamon1cupcrushed,unsaltedwalnuts(4ounces)1cupraisins

½cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter,melted

1.Put1¼cupsbutter, thepowdered sugar, and themargarine in thebowlof astandmixer fittedwith thepaddle attachment and cream together for 2 or 3minutes,startingonslowandgraduallyincreasingthespeedtomedium.(Youcanuseahandmixerifyouallowthebutterandmargarinetosoftenatroomtemperaturebeforebeginning.)Breakupthecreamcheeseandwiththemotorrunningonmediumspeed,add it to themixture inpieces.Paddle for2 to3minutes, then stop and scrape. Paddle until all ingredients are well blended,about3minutesmore.Addthecakeflourandall-purposeflourandmixonlowfor 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as the fats arehomogenizedandthedoughissmooth,withnolumps.

2. Transfer the dough to a 1-gallon storage bag and flatten it out by hand topreshapeitandgiveyourselfaheadstartwithrollingitoutasthinaspossible.(You can alsowrap it inplasticwrap and flatten it outbyhand.)Refrigerateovernightorupto1week.

3.Whenreadytoproceed,letthedoughcometoroomtemperature,atleast1to1½hours.

4.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.5.Generouslyflouraworksurface.Unwrapthedoughandset itonthesurface.

Flattenandshapeitbyhandintoa15by12-inchrectangle,thenusearollingpin (I prefer a ball-bearing pin for this), to roll it out to a 24 by 18-inchrectangle,about⅛inchthick.Useabenchbrushtobrushoffanyexcessflourfromontopofthedough.

6.Topthedoughwiththejamandspreaditoutthinlyandevenlywithaplasticscraperorthebackedgeofyourknife.

MeltingButter

Themostfail-safewaytomeltbutteristodoitinapanoververylowheat.Youcanalsomelt it inamicrowave,butbecareful:If itgets toohot, thewater content can explode (that’s the “popping” sound you heard if youever overnuked your butter). Put the butter in a wide, shallow dish andcoveritwithplasticwraptosaveyourselfamessincasethathappens.

7. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Scatter the nuts andraisins over the dough, then dust with half the cinnamon sugar. Lightly rolloverthetopwitharollingpinjusttopressthenutsandraisinsintothedough.

8.Cut the dough lengthwise into four 6-inch strips, ideallywith a pizza cutter.Cutthestripscrosswiseintothree6-inchpieces.Youshouldhave12pieces.

9.Rollupeachpiecetautlyintoapinwheelabout1inchindiameter,endingwiththeseamonthebottom.

10.Grouptherollsintothreesanduseapastrybrushtopaintthetopswithmeltedbutter.Quicklysprinklesomeof thecinnamonsugarover thetop,andrepeatthesestepswitheachgroupofthree,untilyouhavecoatedalltherugelachwithbutterandcinnamonsugar.

11.Flouryourscraperorknifeandcuteachtriointo1½-inchpieces.Youshouldhave60pieces.

12.Linetwocookiesheetswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutter in each corner to glue the paper in place. Arrange the rolls, seam-sidedown,onthesheets,leaving½inchbetweenthem.

13.Bakeinbatchesuntiltherugelacharebrownedonthebottom(notethatthesewill not be very brown on top), 18 to 22minutes. Remove the cookie sheetfromtheoven.Assoonas thecookiescanbemoved,useaspatula totransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

Eat the rugelach as soon as they are cool enough to handle, or let coolcompletely,thenstoreinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto1week.Theycanalsobefrozenforupto2weeks;letcometoroomtemperaturebeforeserving.

Variation:Thesearealsodeliciouswithapricotjam.

NoBake-ProofJam?

Bake-proof jam can be hard to find if you don’t have access to afoodservicepurveyorliketheoneswhosupplyCarlo’s.It’sfinetousejamorpreservesifyouspreadthemverythin,butstayawayfromjelly,whichistoounstableandwillleakwhenbaked.

PracticeMakesPerfect:Rolling

Because the dough is relatively soft and pliable, this recipe offers aforgivingwaytoimproveyourskillswitharollingpin.Aswithsomuchinbaking,youcanlearnonlysomuchbybeingtold:Therealskillsdevelopthroughpractice,bydevelopingmusclememoryandaneyeforaccuracy.

LinzerTartCookies

MAKES15COOKIES

Linzertartcookieslookcomplicated—thetwolayersofcookie,thelittleholeinthecenter through which the raspberry jam shines through—but the truth is thatthey’re made with a simple shortbread dough that forms both the top and thebottom layer.Usually flavor is all-important, but you really do eat this onewithyoureyesfirst.It’scrucialtodogood,cleanworkwiththecookiemoldandtobakethecookiejustenoughtosetitwithoutbrowningit.

Anotherdetailthat’salsoimportant:makesureyoupowderthetopsbeforeyouputthemontopofthejam-coveredbase;otherwise,it’stoohardtokeepthesugarfromlandingonthejam.Itmightnot lookthathardtodo,butbelieveme, it is.WhenIwasateenagebaker,I thoughtIwasgoodenoughtopowderthecookiesafteraddingthetops.Forall theabilityIshowedatthatage,I failedmiserablyatthatshortcut,landinghalfthesugaronthejamthatshowedthroughinthecenterandhavingtodonatetheentirebatchtothegarbage.(Youdon’thavetotrashyourcookiesoveralittlesugarinthejam,ofcourse,butCarlo’sdoesn’tsellcookiesthathavethisdefect.)Eversince,andtothisday,Imakethesetheproperway,which—afterall—doesn’ttakeanymoretimethanthewrongway.

1¾cupsvegetableshortening(suchasCrisco)½cupgranulatedsugar½teaspoonsalt½teaspoonbakingpowder½teaspoonpurevanillaextract½teaspoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice¼cupcoldwater2extra-largeeggs1cupall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface3cupspastryflour(seeNote)

Heapingcupofraspberryjam½cuppowdered(10X)sugar

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2.Put the shortening, granulated sugar, salt, bakingpowder, vanilla, and lemon

juiceinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddle.(Youcanuseahandmixer if you allow the shortening to soften at room temperature beforebeginning.)Startonslow,thenincreasetomediumspeedtogetoutalllumps,about2minutes.Withthemotorrunning,addthewaterslowly.Addtheeggsoneatatime,paddlingfor1minuteaftereachegg.Stopandscrape.Addtheall-purposeandpastryflours.Restartthemixerslowlyandblendjustuntilthefloursareabsorbedandthemixtureisfreeoflumps,2to3minutes.

3.Flouryourworksurfacegenerously.Dividethedoughintotwoequalpiecesandrollhalfouttoarectangleabout20by15inchesand¼inchthick.Cutfifteen4-inch circleswith a cookie cutter. Punch 1-inch circles in the centerwith apunchingtoolorthebackofa#7pastrytip.

4. Return any scraps to the bowl with the remaining dough and briefly kneadtogether.Rollthedoughfromthebowlouttoformarectangleabout20by15inchesand¼inchthick.Cutfifteen4-inchcircleswiththesamecookiecutteryouusedinstep3.

5.Linetwocookiesheetswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutter in each corner to glue the paper in place. Arrange the circles on thesheets. Bake in batches until the edges are golden-brown and the cookies arefirmtothetouch,10to12minutes.Removethecookiesheetsfromtheoven.Assoonasthecookiescanbemoved,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

6.Spreadthebottomcookies(theoneswithnoholesinthecenter)withraspberryjam.

7.Sprinklepowderedsugaroverthetops(theoneswiththeholes),thenapplyonetoptoeachjam-coveredbase.(Sprinklingthesugaronthetopsbeforeaffixingthemtothecookiesensuresthesugarwillstayoffthejam.)

Thecookiesmaybeenjoyedrightaway,orkeptinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto3days.

These are also delicious spreadwith the chocolate-hazelnut spreadNutellainsteadofjam.

Note:Youmayreplacethepastryflourwithall-purposeflourbutyouwilllosesomeelasticity.

Black-and-WhiteCookies

MAKES12COOKIES

Black-and-whitecookies,toppedwithhalfwhitefondantandhalfchocolate,haveadeepheritageinNewYorkCity,buttheirpopularityhasspreadovertheyears,andthey’reaconstantgoodselleratCarlo’s.

If you’ve ever had a black-and-white cookie, then you might have noticedsomethingdifferentaboutthem.They’respongierthanmostothercookies,almostspringy to the touch.WhenMikeVernola, known aroundCarlo’s Bake Shop asOldManMike,broughtthisrecipetothefamily,heexplainedtomewhatmadeitunique: It’s a cake recipe that’s been adapted tomake a cookie by increasing theratioof flour towet ingredients so itdoesn’t riseasmuchasa cakewould in theoven.

¾cupplus2tablespoonsgranulatedsugar½cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter2extra-largeeggs½cupmilk¼teaspoonpurevanillaextract⅛teaspoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice1¼cupscakeflour1¼cupsall-purposeflour½teaspoonbakingpowder¼teaspoonsalt¼cupwater2cupspowdered(10X)sugar2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or ½ ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely

chopped

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto340°F.

2.Creamthesugarandbuttertogetherinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment,startingonlowspeedandgraduallyincreasingtomedium.(You can use a handmixer if you let the butter soften at room temperaturebeforebeginning.)Addtheeggs,oneatatime,paddlingabout1minuteaftereacheggisadded,thenstoppingaftereachonetoscrape.Addthemilk,vanilla,andlemonjuiceandpaddlejustuntiltheyareabsorbedintothemixture.

3. Sift the cake flour, all-purpose flour, bakingpowder, and salt together into aseparatebowl.Addthemtothemixerbowl.Paddleonlowspeedjustuntiltheyhavebeenabsorbedbythemixtureanditissmoothandconsistent.

4.Linetwocookiesheetswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutterineachcornertogluethepaperinplace.

5. Use a 2-ounce ice cream or ¼-cup measure scoop to scoop batter onto theparchmentpaper,leaving2inchesbetweenthecookies.

6.Bakeinbatchesuntilthecookiesare lightlygoldenbrown,about18minutes.Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and as soon as the cookies can bemoved,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

7.Transferthecookiestoplatesandplaceinthefreezerforabout10minutestofirmthemup.

8. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in the top of a double boiler set oversimmering water. Whisk in the 10X sugar until the mixture is a uniformlysmoothandwhite.Useaspatulatoicehalfofthetopofeachcookie,usingtheedgeofthespatulaorthetipofathin-bladedknifetomakeastraightedge.(Iftheicingseizesup,simplyreturnthepottothedoubleboileroverlowheatandwhisktoreinvigorate.)

9.Return thepot to thedoubleboilerandstir thechocolate into the remainingicing until itmelts and is blended in. Spread the chocolate frosting over theotherhalfofeachcookie.

Thecookiesmaybeenjoyedrightaway,orkeptinanairtightcontaineratroom

temperatureforupto3days.

WhyFreezeBeforeFrosting?

These cookies are frozen before being frosted, to keep their delicate,spongy texture from tearingwhenyou smoothout the fondant.Also, thismethodwon’tmeltyouricing.Youcanalsokeepsomecookiesfrozenuntilreadytoicethem.Youcanadjusttheicing,makingathickeronebyaddingmoresugartotheboilingwater,orathinneronebyusinglesssugar.

Aswith theSeven-LayerCookies, this technique is a bit of a previewinto how we work with full-size cakes, which we also freeze beforetrimmingandfrosting.

PracticeMakesPerfect:WorkingwithIcing

Thesecookiesarefrostedwithacombinationofwhiteandchocolateicings.Workingpreciselyonsuchasmallscalewillhelpprepareyouforthelargerjoboficingentirecakes,anddevelopyourconfidencewithaspatula.

IceboxChristmasCookies

MAKESABOUT40COOKIES

Icebox cookies, also sometimes called refrigerator cookies, are popularwithhomebakers because they can be cut into whatever shapes you like: squares, circles,pinwheels, or anything you can imagine. (Often the final cookies resemble thoselittlebuttercookiesyouseeinroundtins.)IassociatethemwithChristmas,whichiswhenwealwaysmade thematCarlo’sBakeShop,wheremydadtaughtmetomaketheminouroriginallocationonAdamsStreet.We’dmakebatchafterbatchof dough together, and then I’d cut it into holiday shapes such as reindeer,Christmastrees,stars,andbells.ThosearetheshapesI’vefeaturedhere,butyoucanofcoursemaketheminwhatevershapeyoulike.

Bytheway,theseareaspopularnowasthey’veeverbeen:Wesellabout20,000poundsofthemduringthemonthofDecemberalone.

4cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurfaceandhands1¼cupsvegetableshortening(suchasCrisco)1¼cups(2½sticks)unsaltedbutter1cuppowdered(10X)sugar4extra-largeeggs¼teaspoonsalt½cupcoldwater

1.Put the flour, shortening, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt in the bowl of a standmixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (You can use a hand mixer if youallow the butter and shortening to soften at room temperature beforebeginning.)

2.Paddleatlowspeeduntilthemixtureresemblescreamycookiedough,about3minutes; it should be tacky and should not rundown the side of the paddlewhen themotor is stopped.With themotor runningon low, slowly add the

waterandmixuntilfullyabsorbed,about2minutesmore.3.Wrapthedoughinplasticwrapandchillintherefrigeratorfor1hour,orupto

3days, butdonot freeze.Remove thedough from the refrigerator and let itcometoroomtemperaturebeforeproceeding.

4.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto325°F.5. Note that this is a very sticky, difficult dough to handle, so you have to

generouslyflouryourworksurfaceandyourhands.Afterflouring,transferhalfthedoughtoyoursurfaceandgentlyrollitintoalog,reflouringthetopofthedoughasnecessaryasyouworktokeepitmanageable.Workthedoughintoa12-inchsquare,½inchthick.

6.Cut about 12 cookies from the first batch (thenumberwill dependonwhatshapecutteryouareusing; seeheadnote), then return the scraps to thebowl,chillagainandrecut,cuttinganother12orsocookies.Continuetoreturnthescraps to the bowl and repeat with the remaining dough. Youwill get fewercookiesfromeachsuccessivebatch,andshouldendwithatotalofabout40.

7. Arrange the cookies on the cookie sheets, about 1 inch apart, and bake inbatchesuntillightlygoldenandfirm,12to15minutes.

8.Removethecookiesheetfromtheoven.Assoonasthecookiescanbemoved,useaspatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.

9.Thereareanumberofoptionsforfinishingthecookies:• To coat with chocolate, melt 2⅔ cups chocolate chips or coarsely chopped

chocolate(1poundofchocolateisagoodamountforthenumberofcookieshere)inadoubleboilerandpartiallydipthecookies,thenletthemdryonarack.

•Tocoatwithcoloredcrystalsugar,spraythecookieslightlywithwaterbeforebakinganddustwithredand/orgreensugar.

•Youcanalso,ofcourse,leavethecookiesplainandtheywillstillbedelicious.

AvoidaStickySituation

Whenusingacookiecutter,dipit inflourperiodicallytokeepdoughandbattersfromstickingtoit.

What’sinaName?

These are called icebox cookies because the dough is traditionallyrefrigeratedbeforebeingcutandbaked.

50/50

Therecipecallsforequalpartsshorteningandbutter.Weoriginallymadeitwith just shortening, but when I began tinkering with the recipes in the1990s,Ibeganusingbutter,whichmakesthecookieslesslikelytocrumbleandcontributestheirunmistakableflavor.

Pastries

In the development of a baker, if cookies are the childhood phase and cakes areadulthood,thenpastriesareadolescence,whenwetransitionfromonetotheother.

IntheCarlo’sBakeShopkitchen,pastriesarewhereyoutakethefundamentalsyoulearnedincookiemakingtoawholenewlevel.Whenitcomestopastries,youneed to askmore of every part of the process: of the dough, of the bag, and ofyourself.

Therearemoredimensions inplaywhen itcomes topastries.Cookiesare, forthe most part, flat—almost two dimensional—and with the exception of anoccasionalicing,ortheapplicationofsprinkles,aredoneoncetheyhavebeenbakedand allowed to cool. Many pastries, on the other hand, like cakes, involve anelementofdesign andassembly:Thebaking isoften justone in a seriesof steps,followedbyjoiningtwoormoreelementsandperformingdelicatepipingwork.

Thischapterfeaturesmanyofmyfavoritepastries.SomeIloveforsentimentalreasons,liketheéclairsthatwerethefirstfinishingworkIeverdid,orthebutterfliesthat still bring out the little kid in me. Others I admire for their longevity andingenuity:myrootsmaybeSicilian,butIrecognizebrilliancewhenIseeit,andtheFrench Napoleon never fails to amaze me with its simple perfection. Ditto theCannoli. We can learn a lot from those two pastries: Just as a great sandwichdependson the right ratioofbread to filling,greatpastrieshave to strike just therightbalancebetweenthepastryandthefilling,usuallycream.Inanapoleon,theflakylayersprovidejustenoughsupportforthelight-as-airpastrycream,whereasina cannoli, a hard shell is called for, not just to carry thedense creambut also tomatchitwithathick,crunchycounterpart.

Similar considerations come into play when we conceive and make cakes—certain typesof frostingrequiremorecake toproperlybalance them,whileothersrequireless.Solookatthesepastriesasmorethanjustachancetotakeyourskillstothenextlevel;theyalsoofferanopportunitytohoneyoursenseofproportionandbalance. Like somuch about baking, these are sensibilities that can be developedonlythroughpersonalexperience,byactuallydoingtheworkandtastingtheresultsforyourself.

ChouxPastryÉclairDoughorCreamPuffDough

MAKESENOUGHFOR24ÉCLAIRORCREAMPUFFSHELLS

Thisversatiledoughisusedforanumberofclassicpastries,primarilycreampuffsandéclairs.It’salsothedoughusedtomakeFrenchprofiteroles.

1cupwater6tablespoons(¾stick)unsaltedbutter⅛teaspoonsalt1cupall-purposeflour4extra-largeeggs

1.Putthewater,butter,andsaltinaheavysaucepanandbringtoaboiloverhighheat.Add the flour and stirwith awooden spoonuntil the ingredients cometogetherintoasmooth,uniformdough,about2minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddleattachment.(Youcanalsouseahandmixer.)Startpaddlingonlowspeed,thenadd the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly absorbed,mixing for 1minutebetweeneggs,andstoppingthemotorperiodicallytoscrapedownthesidesandbottomofthebowlwitharubberspatula.Finishwiththefinaleggandmixforanadditional2minutes.

Usethedoughimmediately.Itdoesnotrefrigeratewell.

Éclairs

MAKES24ÉCLAIRS

Anéclair is a cousin to the creampuff.Both aremadewith chouxpastry (“pastachoux”or“creampuffdoughmix”intheCarlo’sBakeShopvernacular),andbotharefilledwithcustardcream.Buttheyhaveverydifferentcharacters:Wherecreampuffs are round, éclairs are shorter and straighter;where creampuffs are finishedwith,atmost,adustingofpowderedsugar,éclairsaretoppedwithpoured,meltedchocolate.

Cutting and filling éclairswas one of the first jobs Iwas ever saddledwith atCarlo’s,wheretheoldproswouldcuptheshellinonehandandslicethoughitwithaknifeheldintheother(pleasedon’ttrythisathome).Itwasoneofmyfirstandmost vividmemories of how a great baker canmimic the timing, efficiency, andexactitudeofamachine.NotthatIwasabletofunctionlikethatrightoffthebat;IwassoafraidofcuttingmyselfthatIwouldsliceawayfrommybody,andmakethecut crooked. At home, where you’re not concerned with generating hundreds oféclairsinoneafternoon,youcansimplysetthebakedéclaironacuttingboardandsliceitlikeapieceofbread.

Inadditiontoprovidingsomeusefulbagwork,éclairswillhelphoneyourabilityto discern more subtle signs of doneness. Unlike most cookies, which can beassessed with the eyes, éclairs require a gentle assessment by hand; generallyspeaking, theyaredonewhenyoucanpickoneupandhave it comeoff thepaneasily.

ChouxPastry3cupsItalianCustardCream¼cupwater2cupspowdered(10X)sugar¼cupsemisweetchocolatechipsor1ouncesemisweetchocolate,coarselychopped

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto450°F.2.Transfer thedough intoapastrybag fittedwith the#6plain tip.Pipeéclairs

ontononstickbakingtrays instrips1inchwideand3inches long.(Youmayneedmore than 2 trays; if so, save some batter until after one tray has beenbaked,cleared,andcooled.)Youshouldbeabletomake24éclairs.

3.Baketheéclairsintheoven,inbatchesifnecessary,untiltheyaregoldenbrownandtheyhavesetenoughthatyoucanpickthemup(testbygentlypinchingonewithyourthumbandforefingertoseeifitcanbelifted),15to20minutes.Remove the tray from the oven and let the éclairs cool on the tray for 20minutes;youdon’tneedtotransferthemtoaracktocool.(Theéclairshellscanbe frozen in a plastic freezer bag for up to 1 month; let come to roomtemperaturebefore cuttingand filling.)4.Workingona cuttingboard,use aserratedknifetoslicetheéclairsopenlikehotdogbuns,withoutcuttingallthewaythroughthepastry.

5.Spoonthecustardcreamintoapastrybagfittedwiththe#7startip.(Youcanrinseout,dry,andreusethesamebagyouusedforthedough.)Pipefillingintoeachéclair.

6.Toicetheéclairs,bringthewatertoaboilinthetopofadoubleboilersetoversimmeringwater.Whiskinthesugaruntil themixture isauniformlysmoothandwhite, then stir in the chocolateuntil itmelts and isblended in.Use anicing spatula to ice the topsof the éclairs. (If the icing seizesupwhile you’re

working,simplyreturnthepottothedoubleboileroverlowheatandwhisktoreinvigorate.)

PracticeMakesPerfect:SteadyPressure

The technique for piping éclairs is called “steady pressure”—it involvessqueezing thebagandpulling it tocreatea lineof icingorbatter.Éclairsareagreatwaytopracticesteadypressurebecausetheyusethetechniquetwice:firsttopipethepastrydough,andthentofilltheéclairswithcream.(Inacreampuff,on theotherhand, the technique is “squeeze-and-pull.”)Steady pressure is exactly the same pressure-motion combination used tocreate swags anddrop lines on a cake.The elders aroundCarlo’s alwaysusedtosay,“Themorepansoféclairsyoupull,thebetteryourswagsanddroplineswillbe.”

Serve the éclairs right awayor refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2days.

CREAMPUFFSTomake creampuffs insteadof éclairs, use the samepastry bag tip.Pipe roundsontotwononstickbakingtrays,about2inchesindiameterbyabout½inchhigh,leaving2 inchesbetweenpuffs.Youshouldbeabletomake24puffs.Bakeatthesametemperatureandforthesamelengthoftime.

FillthepuffseitherbycuttingtheminhalfhorizontallywithaserratedknifeandpipingthemfullofItalianCustardCream,orbyusingyourpinkietohollowoutthepuffsfromthebottomandpipingthecreamintothemthroughthehole.

BreakingtheRules

I’veneverbelievedinblindlyfollowingtheruleswhenitcomestobaking.Askmostbakerswhytheydothingsthewaytheydo,andthey’llshrugandtell you, “Because that’s the way I was taught.” Spend enough timeexamininganythinginabakeryandyou’llfindawaytoimproveit.Thatwascertainlythecasewiththeseéclairs,whichbreakwithtraditionintwoways.First, rather thanpiping themfullofcream,weslice themopen,sothecreamsitsinsidelikeahotdogonabun.Thisiscalledan“openéclair”

andIthinkit’smoreappetizingtolookat.Themoredramaticbreakwithtraditionisthat,ratherthanusingpoured

chocolate,wetopouréclairwithicingsoitdoesn’tcrackwhenchilledorbitteninto.

Napoleons

MAKES7NAPOLEONS

We sell thousands of these every Christmas at Carlo’s Bake Shop. The originalname of this dessert is millefeuille, a French word that means “thousand leaves”(millefoglieinItalian),areferencetotheincrediblenumberoflayersinwell-madepuffpastry.MuchasIlovehomemadeeverything,thisisonecasewhereIurgeyoutogothestore-boughtrouteandmakeyournapoleonswithpremadepuffpastry.

Traditional napoleons are made with three layers of pastry and two layers ofcream,butwegoa littleoverboardwithfour layersofpastryandthreeofFrenchcream, amixture ofwhipped cream and custard. (If you like, you can alsomakeminiaturenapoleonswith just3 layersofpastryand twoofcream.)Thepastry isalmost justavehicle for thecream.Thetoppingofmarbledvanillaandchocolateicing (see “Creating ‘Feathered’ Icing,” is wonderful overkill, but for a simplealternative,topthiswithjustpowderedsugar.

Payextraspecialattentiontothesewhentheybake—theeffectyou’relookingforisalight,barelygoldenbrown.Ifthepastryburnsatall,thenapoleonswillhaveaburnedtaste.Andhere’sa trickmydadtaughtme:Toensure that thenapoleonsholdtogether,justbeforeslicingthem,setaclean,drypanontopandpressdownfirmlybutgentlytobesurethecreamandpastrylayersareintact;thiswillalsokeepthepastryniceandmoistandkeepitfromdryingout.

All-purposeflour,forflouringyourworksurface2 sheets frozen puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package, such as Pepperidge Farm),

thawed3cupsItalianCustardCream2½cupsItalianWhippedCream¼cupwater2cupspowdered(10X)sugar2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or ½ ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely

chopped

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto400°F.2.Lightlyflouryourworksurfaceandrolloutonepuffpastrysheetintoa14by

12-inchrectangle.Setitonabakingtrayanddockitwithafork.(Formore,see“WhyWeDockNapoleonDough,”below.)Rolloutthesecondsheetanduseapizzacuttertocuta4by14-inchstripandaddittothebakingtrayalongsidetherectangle,dockingitwithaforkaswell.(Returntheunusedpuffpastrytoitspackagingandreturn to the freezer.)3.Bake thepuffpastryuntil it crispsand isvery lightlygoldenallover (theedgeswillbeslightlymoregolden,butshouldnotbeallowedtoturnbrown),25to35minutes.Removethepanfromtheovenandletcool.

4.Meanwhile,put the custard creamandwhippedcream in amixingbowl andfoldtogetherwitharubberspatulatomakeFrenchcream.

5.Oncethepastryhascooled,useaserratedknifetocuttherectanglelengthwiseintothree4-inch-widestripssoyouhaveatotaloffour4-inch-widestrips.

6.Useacakeicingspatulatospreadthecreamoveroneofthestripsofpuffpastry.Topwith another layer and press down gently. Spread the second layerwithpastry cream.Topwith a third layer of puff pastry and top thatwith pastrycream.

WhyWeDockNapoleonDough

Thoughdockingpastrydough(pokingsmallholesinit)seemslikeacasual,random act, there’s actually a science to it. The number of perforations

affects howmuch the doughwill rise—or not. The holes allow steam toflowbetweenthelayers,makingthenapoleonflaky.If therearenoholes,thepastrywill simplyrise likeasoufflé; if thereare toomany,all theairwillescapeanditwillcomeoutflat.

Dockingisdonewiththetinesofafork.Forme,theperfectnumberof“stabs”foralargerectangleofdoughisten:Imagineeachrectangleofpuffpastryisapooltableandpokethetinesoftheforkaboutwhereeachpocketwouldbe,thendockthedoughatfourintervalslengthwisedownthecenteroftherectangle.

7.Settheremainingstripofpuffpastryonarack.8.Bringthewatertoaboilinthetopofadoubleboilersetoversimmeringwater.

Whisk in the sugar until themixture is uniformly smooth andwhite. (If theicing seizes up, simply return thepot to thedouble boiler over lowheat andwhisktoreinvigorate.)Useacakeicingspatulatoicethestripofpuffpastryontherack.

9.Workingquickly,returnthepottothedoubleboilerandstirthechocolateintotheremainingicinguntilitmeltsandisblendedin.Fashionaparchmentpencilandcarefullyspoonsomeofthewarmchocolateintothepencil,firstcheckingtoensure it isnothotenough toburnyou.Pipe thin linesofchocolate icingacross the vanilla and draw the edge of a paring knife or spatula across it tocreate a feathered effect. (Formore, see “Creating ‘Feathered’ Icing,” below.)10. Let the icing cool briefly, then top the napoleon with the iced layer,pressingdowngentlytoensurethelayersholdtogether.

Creating“Feathered”Icing

American napoleons are topped with feathered fondant icing. The whitebaseismadebywarmingwaterandpowderedsugartogetherandspreadinghalf of it over the napoleon. The chocolate fondant is made by stirringsemisweetchocolate into thewarmwhite icing.Makeaparchmentpencilandspoon thechocolate into it.Use thepencil todrawlineson thewhiteicingwithchocolate,thenpullthetipofasmall,thin-bladedknife,suchasaparingknife,acrossthetoptomakeripples,3inchesapart.(Youcanalsoaccomplish the featheredeffectwithan icingspatula.)Youcanadjust theicing on top of the napoleon to your taste: the more sugar you add, thethickeritwillbe.YoucanalsoomittheicingandtopthesethewaytheydoinFrance,withpowderedsugar.

11.Carefully transfer the napoleon to an airtight container and refrigerate for atleast1hourorupto4hours(anylongeranditwillbecomesoggy).Whenreadytoserve,removethenapoleonfromtherefrigeratoranduseaserratedknifetoslicecrosswiseintoseven2-inch-wideslices.

Ifdesired,youcanskipsteps8through10andsimplydustthenapoleonswithpowderedsugar.

ButterfliesandCassatini

MAKES12BUTTERFLIESOR6CASSATINI

I’vegroupedthesetwopastriestogetherbecausetheyshowhowmuchispossibleinpastrymakingfromthesamebaserecipe.Inthiscase,therecipeproducesasponge-like,cakeypastrythatcanbeusedtomakebothbutterflies(pastriesshapedlikethewinged insects for which they’re named) or cassatini, miniature versions of thetraditional Sicilian cassata cake, a spongy cakemoistenedwith liqueur syrup andfilledwitharicottacheesemixture.

Thetricktogettingthesetocomeoutjustrightistogettheeggwhitesniceandstiffwithoutovermixing.

ButterflyandCassatiniBatter

2extra-largeeggsplus3extra-largeeggwhites⅓cupsugar¼teaspoonpurevanillaextract¾cupplus2tablespoonsall-purposeflourDistilledwhitevinegar,forwipingthebowl⅛teaspoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto330°F.2.Putthe2wholeeggs,sugar,andvanillainthebowlofastandmixerfittedwith

thewhipattachmentandwhiponlowspeed,graduallyincreasingtomedium,until foamy, frothy, and almost ribbony, about 12 minutes. (You can use ahandmixerifyouprefer.)Removethebowlfromthemachineandfoldintheflour with a rubber spatula; the mixture will be pasty, but that’s all right.Transferthemixturetoacleanbowl.Washanddrythemixerbowl,thenwipeitwithdistilledwhitevinegartoremovealltracesofgreaseandoil.

3.Puttheeggwhitesandlemonjuiceinthemixerbowl.Whiponlowspeedfor2minutes,thenonmaximumspeeduntilstiffpeaksform,about5minutes.

4.Foldonequarterofthewhitesintotheegg-flourmixture,thenfoldintherest.5a.Forbutterflies:Setpapercupcakecupsinto12wellsofaminimuffintray.Pipe

orspoonthebatterintothemoldsuptothetopofthepapers.5b.Forcassatini:Linetwobakingtrayswithparchmentpaper,usingnonstickspray

oradabofbutterineachcornertogluethepaperinplace.Putthebatterinapastrybagfittedwitha#6plaintipandpipe12roundsofthedough,about2inchesindiameterbyabout½inchhigh,leaving2inchesbetweenpuffs.

6.Bakeuntilgolden-brownandspongytothetouch,about20minutes.(Bakingtimewillbethesameforbutterfliesandcassatini.)7.Removethetray(s)fromthe oven and let the pastries cool slightly. For the cassatini, use a spatula totransfer them to a rack to cool. Once cooled completely, proceed with thedesiredfinishingtouchestomakebutterfliesorcassatini.

Folding

WhenIwasakid, first learningmycraftatCarlo’s, Iwasshownhow tofold egg whites together with other ingredients in the old-school way,rolling upmy sleeve, taking a plastic scraper in hand, and having at it—stickingmyarmintoanindustrialbowluptotheshoulderandworkingthewhitesinbyhand,achievingsomethinglikeanintimacywiththewhites.Athome,youcandothiswitharubberspatula;you’llbesomewhatremovedfrom the whites, so it’s important to pay close visual attention to thechangesinthemixture,stoppingassoonasthewhitesareincorporated.

Butterflies

Thesedesserts employ awhimsicalbit ofdesign: a conicalpiece is cutoutof thepastrywithaparingknife.Theinsideofthepastryisdousedwithrumsyrup,thenfilledwith custard.The cone is halved and the pieces are stuck in the custard tomakelittlewings.Acherryorstrawberryinthecentercompletesthepicture.

Don’tbediscouragedifyourfirstbutterfliesdon’tcomeoutjustright;thefirsttimeImadebutterflies,Itotallybotchedthem—it’sharderthanitlookstocutthat

cone out of the pastry—but as I improved, so didmy overall knife skills, whichmadeitallworthwhile.

12bakedButterflypastries1⅓cupsSyrup,madewithlightrumHeaping¾cupItalianCustardCream¼cuppowdered(10X)sugar12unhulledstrawberryquartersormaraschinocherries

1.Workingwithonepastry at a time,use aparingknife to cut a conicalpiece,about¾ inchdeepwitha1-inch-diameter circle at its top,outof thepastry.Repeatwiththeremainingpastries.

2.Brushrumsyrupintotheholesandletitsoakin.3. Put the custard cream into a pastry bag fittedwith the #7 star tip and pipe

creamintothehole,about1tablespoonperbutterfly.

4.Cuteachconeinhalfacrossitsdiametertomake“wings”forthebutterfliesandsettheminthecream.

5.Putthesugarinasifteranddustthepastrieslightly.6.Setastrawberryquarterwherethewingsmeetoneachbutterfly,andserve.

Enjoyatonceorcoverlightlywithplasticwrapandrefrigerateforupto2days.

Cassatini

SICILIANPASTRIESWhenmakingthese,becarefulnottolaytheicingontoothick;thatcanleadtoacloying,syrupyeffect.Thisusedtohappenatthebakeryonceinawhile,untilthenightIbroughtaboxofcassatinitoafriend’shousefordinneranddiscoveredtheywereunbearablysweet.Aftermy“talk”withthebakersthenextday,theproblemneverhappenedagain.

PracticeMakesPerfect:Assembling

Therearetimesindessertmakingwhenyou’renotconcernedwithrollingorpipingorbakingordecorating,butyou’llneed toassemble.For themecakes,whether it’sstickinganoseonFrankensteinorcarvingupaBundtcakeandreassemblingitasaThanksgivingTurkeycake,havingadeftsetofhandsthatcanusepastrycreamasglueandneatly,symmetricallyapplypiecestoabaseisanimportantskill.

This Italian-American dessert is the perfect way to begin developingtouchwithaknife,andyourskillsforassemblingpastriesandcakes.

12bakedCassatinipastries1⅓cupsSyrup,madewithStregaorRosolio¼cupplus2tablespoonsCannoliCream¼cupwater2cupspowdered(10X)sugar2tablespoonsassortedminceddriedfruitsuchascherry,melon,papaya,ororange

1.Digouttheinsideofall12piecesofpastrybyhand,leavingjustenoughthattheymaintain their shapewithout collapsing; youwant to create half-dome–shapedpieces.Discard(orsnackon)thepiecesyoupulledout.

2.Brushsyrupintotheinsideofeachhalf-domewithapastrybrushandletitsoakin.

3.Fill6ofthepieceswith1tablespooncannolicream.4.Bringthewatertoaboilinadoubleboilersetoversimmeringwater.Whiskin

the sugar until themixture is uniformly smooth andwhite. Remove the potfromtheheat.

5.Sandwich togetherone filled andoneunfilledpastrydome.Dip in the icing,firstdippingonehalf,thencarefullydippingtheother,holdingthepastrywithyourthumbandforefingertoavoidgettingburned.Transfertoaracktolettheicingcoolandset.Repeatwiththeremainingpiecestomake6cassatini.

6.Beforetheicingdries,topeachcassatiniwith1teaspoonofthedriedfruits.

Enjoyatonceorcoverlightlywithplasticwrapandrefrigerateforupto2days.

PracticeMakesPerfect:SoakingCakes

Everybodywho learns how to soak a cakewith syrup has to get over aninitialhump:Italwaysseemsthatthere’smoresyrupthanthecakecanorshould be able to hold. The trick is to learn to brush—almost baste—thecake evenly, adding more syrup as soon as the previous addition haspenetrated to the center. Making these pastries is a good way to begindevelopingasenseofhowmuchsyrupadessertcanabsorb.

RumBabas

MAKES24BABAS

TherumbabaisanirresistibledessertthatItaliansknowfromNaples,althoughitwas brought there by French bakers. It’s a very simple dessert, and as with anysimplerecipe,ingredientsmatter:inthiscase,therumitself.Isuggestahigh-qualitylightrumforthebestflavorandbalance.

Ifyouhavebabamolds,youcanbyallmeansusethem,butImakethemhereinaminimuffinorcupcaketray,whichismuchmorecommon.Thetricktomakingtheseislearningtomanipulatethedough,whichisrubberyandstretchyandmustbesqueezedthroughyourfingersinordertogetthedesiredamountintothewellsoftheminimuffinorcupcaketray.Ifyouhavetroubledoingthis,anoldtrickistodipyourfingersinvegetableoilbeforebeginning.

Besuretogenerouslysoakthebabas inthesyrup;theycan looksoakedbeforethesyruphasactuallypenetratedtothecenter.Whenyousqueezeaproperlysoakedbaba,itshouldfeellikeawetsponge,andliquidshouldcomepouringout.

1/6cupfreshyeast(seeNote)½cuplukewarmwater3½cupsall-purposeflour¼cupsugar½cupvegetableoil2tablespoonsmilk5extra-largeeggsNonstickcookingspray1⅓cupsSyrup,madewithrum,preferablylight1½cupsCannoliCreamorItalianCustardCream

1.Makeastarterbyputtingtheyeast,water,and½cupoftheflourinabowlandmixtogetherwithyourfingersuntilnicelyspongy.Coverthebowlwithadamp

towelandletproofuntildoubledinsize,about15minutes.2. Put the sugar and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle

attachment. (Youcanalsouse ahandmixer.)Paddle justuntilblended, thenaddthemilk,thenalloftheeggsatonce.Addtheremainingflourandpaddleuntil themixture comes together, about 5minutes. Add the starter, scrapingand folding to incorporate it. Paddle onmedium speed for about 1minute,thenonhighspeedfor30seconds.

3.Spraythewellsofaminimuffintraywithnonstickspray(evenifyou’reusinganonsticktray).

4.Removethebowlfromthemixer.Putyourhandintothebowlandliftoutasmall handful of dough, then pinch it between your thumb and forefinger,causing a small blob to form. Working quickly to prevent the blob fromdropping,guidethedoughwiththeblobontopintoawelloftheminimuffintrayanddeposititinside.(Thedoughshouldnotcomeallthewayupthesidesofthewell.)Continueuntilyouhavefilledall24wells.

5.Coverthetraywithadamptowelandletproofinacool,dryplaceforhalfanhouroruntilthedoughhasaboutdoubledinsize.

6.Meanwhile,positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.7.Bakethebabasuntil lightlygolden-brownandspringytothetouch,about20

minutes.Removethetrayfromtheovenandletthemcool.8.Pourthesyrupintoasmall,heavypotandheatoverlowheatto140°F.Remove

thepotfromtheheatand,workingwithoneatatime,lowerthebabasintothepot,holdingthebottomanddippingthewidertopintothesyrup.Letsitinthesyrupfor5minutes,thenliftout,squeezegentlytoreleaseanyextrasyrup,andlet rest on a baking tray or large plate for a fewminutes to allow any excesssyruptodrainout.

9.Put thecream inapastrybag (youdonotneeda tip in this case).Sliceeachbabainhalfverticallywithaserratedknifeandpipefullofcream.

Thebabasmaybe enjoyed right awayormaybe covered looselywithplasticwrapandrefrigeratedforupto2days.

Note:Ifyoucannotfindfreshyeast,orwouldratheruseactivedryyeast,use1packet (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast and start the recipe by pouring thepacketintoaheat-proofvessel.Heat¼cupwateroverlowheatuntilwarmbutnottrulyhotorboiling.Pouritovertheyeast,add1teaspoonsugar,andstir.Letthemixturesituntilfoamy,about5minutes.Proceedwithstep1,lowering

theamountofwateraddedto¼cup.

Cannoli

MAKES10CANNOLI

ThisistheCarlo’sBakeShoprecipeforauthenticcannoli;westillmakethemwiththe recipemy father retained fromhis family’s bakery back in theOldCountry.Considermakingthese in largerbatches;becauseofthewaytheshellsarefriedinthelardtheyareabletostaypreserved,soyoucansavethemforalongtimeandfillwhenyou’rereadytoservethem.

Takecaretogetthetipdeepintothecannoliwhenyoupipethesefullofcream—the most common cannoli mistake made at Carlo’s is when a young bakerdoesn’tfillthemallthewaytothecenter.WhenIusedtomakethatmistakeasakid,myDadtookaspoonandfilledthecannolitherestoftheway,andIstillhavetodothesamethingonoccasion.

Notes:Youwillneedfour6-inch-long,¾-to1-inch-diameterwoodendowels.Youcanreplacethelardforfryingwithvegetableshortening;theexactamountwilldependonthesizeofyourpot1cupall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringthedoughandyourworksurface3tablespoonsgranulatedsugar2tablespoonsleaflard,plusenoughforfrying(see“WhyLard?”2tablespoonsdistilledwhitevinegar2extra-largeeggs¼teaspoongroundcinnamon¼teaspoonfineseasalt3cupsCannoliCreamPowdered(10X)sugar,fordustingthecannoli

1.Puttheflour,granulatedsugar,2tablespoonsofthelard,thevinegar,1egg,thecinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hookattachment.Mixonlow-mediumspeeduntilwellcombined,approximately10

minutes. (There isnoneed to stop themotor to scrape the sidesbecause thisdoughwillpulltogetherintoaballwhenit’sready.)

2. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest atroomtemperatureforatleast30minutesorupto3hours,tosoftenthedoughandmakeitlesselastic.

3.Lightlycoatthedoughwithflourandrollitthroughapastamachinesettothethickestsetting(usuallynumber1).Ifyoudonothaveapastamachine,usearollingpintorollthedoughoutasthinaspossibleonalightlyflouredsurface,to nomore than⅛ inch thick.Make 5-inch-long ovals from the dough (see“ShapingCannoli,”below).Gatheruptheexcessdough,kneadittogether,rollitout,andcutovalsagain.Youshouldhave10ovals.

4.Beattheremainingegginasmallbowl.Fillawide,deep,heavypottwo-thirdsfull of lard (thepot shouldbewide and/ordeep enough tohold fourdowelswithoutcrowdingor touching)andsetovermedium-highheat.Heat the lardto350°Fto375°F.Linealargeplateorplatterwithpapertowels.

5.Wraponeovallengthwisearounda6-inch-long,¾-to1-inch-diameterwoodendowel. Be very careful to wrap it loosely, leaving a little space between thedowel and thepastrydough so that,when fried, the insidewill be cooked aswell.Use apastrybrush topaintoneendof the shellwith egg.Pull the egg-brushedendover theopposite end, andpress themtogether, sealing the shellaroundthedowel. (Tospeedtheegg-washingprocessyoucandoaswedoatCarlo’sandarrange theshells inoverlapping fashion, thenbrusheggwashonthe“lips”asshown.)Repeatwithtwomoredowelsandshells.

ShapingCannoli

Howtomakethetrademarkcannolishape:Usea4-inchroundcookiecutter

(orthemouthofa4-inchbowl)topunchcirclesoutofthedough.Workingwithonecircle at a time,grasp thecircles at the3o’clockand9o’clockpositionsandgentlypullintoanoval5incheslong.Ifyouplantomakealotofcannoli,youcanalsobendaroundcookiecutterintoanovalshapebypressingonitfromtwosides.

6.Carefully lower thedowels into theoil and fry the shellsuntil golden-brown,turningthemwithaslottedspoonastheyfry,approximately10minutes.Usethespoontocarefullyremovethedowelsfromthelardandtransferthemtothepapertowel–linedplatetocool.

7.Whentheshellsarecoolenoughtotouch,approximately10minutes,pullthedowelsout.

8.Repeatshaping,frying,andcoolingfortwomorebatches,fryingthreemoreinthe second batch, and four in the last, until all shells have been fried andremovedfromthedowels.

9.Whenreadytofillandservethecannoli,putthecannolicreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#7plaintip.Carefullyinsertthetiphalfwayintooneshellandpipethecreamin,pullingthetipouttofillallthewaytotheend.Insertthetipintheothersideoftheshell, tothecenter,andpipeandpullagaintoensuretheshelliscompletelyfilledfromendtoend.Repeatwiththeremainingshells.

10.Dustthefinishedcannoliwithpowderedsugarandserve.

Theshellsmaybeheldinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto3months. I urge you not to fill the cannolimore than 1 hour before serving:Theymaybecomesoggy.

Don’tFeelLikeFrying?

YoucanpurchasecannolishellsandfillthemwiththeCannoliCream.

WhyLard?

Thebest,mostauthenticcannoliaremadewithlardandfriedinlard.Youcanusevegetableshortening instead,but ifyouwant that resilientcrunchandclassic flavor thatyouassociatewithcannoli fromCarlo’soranothertrueItalianbakery,youneedlard.

CannoliCream

MAKESABOUT3CUPS

Thisistheclassicricotta-basedfillingforcannoli.It’salsowonderfulforfillingRumBabasorasacakefilling.Ifyoucanfindcocoadrops,replacethechocolatechipswiththem;theyaremadespecificallyforcannolicream.

2cupsfreshricotta⅔cupgranulatedsugar¼teaspoongroundcinnamon⅓cupsemisweetchocolatechips,preferablyminichips

1.Put thericotta, sugar,andcinnamoninthebowlofa standmixer fittedwiththe paddle attachment. (If youdon’t have a standmixer you canuse a handmixer.)Paddleonlowtomediumspeeduntilthesugariscompletelydissolved,2to3minutes.Thebestwaytotellifit’sdissolvedistotastethemixtureuntilyoudon’tdetectanygraininess.Takecarenottoovermix,orthemixturewillbecomesoftandrunny.

2. Add the chips and paddle just until evenly distributed, approximately 30seconds.Stoptokeepfrombreakingupthechips.

Use the cream immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to5days.

Brownies

MAKES24BROWNIES

Whodoesn’t love a brownie?Rich and fudgy, these aremade in the classicway,witharecipefromOldManMike.(Mikemadehiswithnuts,butwe’vecutbackonthose,owingtotheincreasingnumberofallergiesouttheretoday.)Oneofthesignature flourishes of these brownies grew out of somethingwe do for practicalreasons:whenweturnapanofbrowniesoverontoparchmentpaper,wesugarthetopsoitdoesn’tsticktotheparchment.Thesugarcreatesabitofacrustthatmakesanimpression,evenifyoutopthebrownieswiththefudgeicing.

Trustyoursenseoftimingwhenyoumakebrownies:Forthemtobefudgy,youhavetotakethemoutoftheoveninanalmostrawstate.

1cupplus1tablespoonsugar½cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter4extra-largeeggs2cupschocolatesyrup1cupall-purposeflourNonstickspray,forthebakingtrayBrownieIcing(recipefollows;optional)

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto325°F.2.Cream1cupsugarandthebutterinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththe

paddleattachment.(Youcanuseahandmixerifyouallowthebuttertosoftenatroomtemperaturebeforebeginning.)Paddleonlowspeed,thenmedium,foratotalof2to3minutes.Addtheeggsallatonce,andpaddleatlowspeeduntilblended, about 1minute.Add the syrup andpaddle for anotherminute; themixture will be very wet, but that’s okay. Paddle on low speed for about 1minute,thenstopandscrape.Addtheflour,paddleonlowfor1minute,thenscrape.Paddleonlowuntilthoroughlymixed;themixturewillstillbeverywet

andlookalittlegrainy.3.Spray a13by9by2-inch-deepbaking traywithnonstick spray and line the

bottomwithparchmentpaper.Pourthebatterintothepan.Itwon’tevencomehalfwayupthesides,andthat’sallright.

4.Bakeuntil crispyon top, thebatterbegins topull away fromthe sidesof thepan,andatoothpickinsertedtothecentercomesoutclean,about30minutes.

5.Removethetrayfromtheovenandletthebrowniescool inthepan.Coveracuttingboardwithparchmentpaper.Sprinklethebrownieswiththeremaining1tablespoonsugarandgentlyturnthebrowniesoutontotheparchmentpaperbyinvertingthetray.Peelofftheparchmentifitisstucktothebrownies.

6. If desired, ice thebrownies using anoffset spatula and let the icing cool andstiffen.

7.Cut thebrownies into6even strips (1½ inches each) along the lengthof thebatch,thencrosswiseat3¼-inchintervalstomake24brownies.

Thebrowniesshouldbeenjoyedassoonaspossible,butcanberefrigeratedinan airtight container for up to 3 days. Theymay also be frozen for up to 1month;letcometoroomtemperaturebeforeserving.

BrownieIcing

Usethisfudgyicingtodecadentlycoatbrownies.

1¼cupssugar6tablespoons(¾stick)unsaltedbutter6tablespoonswholemilk1cupsemisweetchocolatechipsorcoarselychoppedsemisweetchocolate(6ounces)

1. Put the sugar, butter, and milk in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring, overmedium-highheat.

2.Removethepotfromtheheatandwhiskinthechocolateuntilmelted.3.Letthemixturecoolslightly,thenicethebrownieswhiletheicingissoftand

pliable.Userightaway;donotletstiffen,anddonotstore.

RaspberryBars

MAKES12BARS

One of the great bakers inCarlo’s history, JimmyLee, taughtme tomake theseelegantbarswhenIwasa teenager.The technique is simple—you fashion logsofdough,thenformaravineinthecenterintowhichjamisspreadbeforebaking.

These should bemadewith bake-proof jam, but if you can’t find it, you canbakethebarswithoutthejam,thenspreadthemwithjamafterthey’vecooled.Thebetter the jam, thebetter thebarswill be:A salesmanonce tried to sellmeon acheaperbrandofjamand,likeanygoodbusinessman,Iwashappytogiveitatry,butthebarsweresimplygrossandI’venevertriedanalternativebrandagain.

1cup(2sticks)butter½cupsugar1tablespoonmilk1extra-largeegg2½cupspastryflour(nosubstitutions)All-purposeflour,foryourworksurface¾cupbake-proofraspberryjam(seeheadnote)

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing tomedium, cream the butter

andsugarinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.Addthemilkandeggandcontinue topaddleuntil themixture is smooth,2 to3minutesonlowspeed,stoppingthemotortoscrapewitharubberspatulaabouthalfwaythrough.

3.Stopthemotor,lowerthebowl,andaddthepastryflourallatonce.Paddleonmedium speed for 1minute, then increase to high. Continue to paddle justuntilthemixtureissmoothandhomogeneous.

4.Flouryourworksurfaceandtransferthedoughtothesurface.Cutthedough

intothirds.Rolleachthirdoutintoablockabout12incheslongand3incheswide.

5.Linetwo13by9-inchbakingtrayswithparchmentpaper,usingnonsticksprayoradabofbutterineachcornertogluethepaperinplace.Arrangetheblockson the pans (2 in one pan and 1 in the other), with several inches of spacebetween them.Use your fingers tomake a ravine in the center of each one,pressingdownonthedough.Spreadthejamoutalongtheravines.

6.Bakeuntilthebarsaregolden-brown,18to22minutes.7. Remove the trays from the oven. As soon as the bars can be moved, use a

spatulatotransferthemtoarackandletthemcool.Transfertoacuttingboardandcutthebarscrosswiseinto4piecesperbar.

Enjoythebarsrightawayorrefrigerateinanairtightcontainerforupto4days.Wholebars,withthejamonthem,canbewrappedlooselyinplasticwrapandfrozen,thenthawedandcut.

Old-FashionedDoughnuts

MAKES12DOUGHNUTSAND12ORMOREHOLES

Myfatherdidn’tmakedoughnutsallthetimeatCarlo’sBakeShop,buthehadagreatrecipeforthem,andmadethemonceinawhileasaspecialtreat.That’showIthink of them at home—it’s unlikely that you’ll make these as often as, say,pancakesorwaffles,butasanoccasional indulgence, they’reawonderful thing tohaveinyourrepertoire.They’regreatonweekends,andespeciallyperfectforwinterholidayget-togetherswhenthefestivearomaofcinnamonwillfillthehouse.

Howyoumakedoughnutsinaprofessionalbakerygivesawayyourage.Theold-timers atCarlo’susedamachinecalledaDutchess (named for themanufacturer)thatcutthedoughintolittlerectangles;theguyswouldmakeaholeinthecenterandfoldthedoughnutthroughitself,thendouseitinflour.Whenithitthehotoil,it magically turned into a doughnut thanks to the way the shape and the flourinteractedwiththeoil.Guysmyageuseadropper,butwhenIshowedupwithitoneday,Ithoughttheveteransweregoingtokillme.

At home, there are two shapes I recommend: one is the classic tire shape,producedbypunchingcirclesofthedoughandthenpunchingoutthecenter.Theother is theMaeWest,named for its curvaceous shape,which isdescribed in thevariation.

Butdon’tbemarried to the shape;youcanmake these inwhatever shapeyoulike.

3cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurfaceandhands1cupgranulatedsugar¾cupbuttermilk2extra-largeeggs2tablespoonsvegetableshortening(suchasCrisco)2teaspoonsbakingpowder1teaspoonbakingsoda

1teaspoonsalt

½teaspoongroundcinnamonAbout2quartsvegetableoil,forfryingAbout1cuppowdered(10X)sugar,fordusting(see“FinishingTouches,”

1.Put1½cupsof the flour in thebowlof a standmixer fittedwith thepaddleattachment. (Youcanuseahandmixer instead ifyouusea rubber spatula tofold in the flour in step 2.) Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, eggs,shortening, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Start themixerslowly to avoid spraying the flour. After 30 seconds, stop and scrape with arubber spatula, thenpaddleonmediumspeeduntilblendedtogetherwithnolumps,1to1½minutes.

2.Addtheremainingflourgradually(holdingitoutuntilthistime,whichkeepslumpsfromforming)toavoidsprayingflour.After30seconds,stopandscrapewith a rubber spatula.Mixonmedium speeduntil blended togetherwithnolumps,1to1½minutes.Itwillresembleaeratedcookiedough.

3.Wrapthedoughinplasticwrapandchillintherefrigeratorforatleast1houror up to 3 days, but do not freeze. Let it come to room temperature beforeproceeding.

4. Note that this is a very sticky, difficult dough to handle, so you have togenerouslyflouryourworksurfaceandyourhands.Afterdoingso,transferhalfthedoughtoyoursurfaceandgentlykneadit,flouringthetopofthedoughasnecessary as youwork to keep itmanageable.Work the dough into a 7-inchsquare,½inchthick,rollingitoutgentlywithapintosmooththetop.Foldthedoughinthirds,likealetter,flourtheworksurfaceandthedough,androlloveritagainwiththepintoforma7-inchsquare.

5.Punchaboutfive3-inchcirclesoutofthedoughwithadoughnutcutter.Ifyoudo not have a doughnut cutter, use a 3-inch cookie cutter and an invertedpastrytip(witha1-inchdiameteratthewideend)topunchoutthecenterofeachcircle.

6.Addthescrapstothereserveddoughandrepeatsteps4and5,makinganother5doughnuts.Reroll the scraps½ inch thick and cut another doughnut.Youshouldgetfewerdoughnutsfromeachsuccessivebatch,andshouldendwithatotalofabout12.Ifyouhaveanyextradough,butnotenoughtomakeanotherdoughnut,youcanmakedoughnutholesinstead,punchingthemoutwiththepastrytipandrollingthembyhandintospheresthesizeofaPing-Pongball.

7. Transfer the doughnuts to a plate or a sheet of waxed paper, gently shakingthemfreeofflour,whichcandirtythefryingoil.

8.Fillapotatleast6inchesdeepandatleast10incheswide,withvegetableoiltoadepthof1½inches.Heatoverlowheatto350°F.Coveraplatterortraywithpapertowels.

9.Lowerthedoughnutsintotheoilinbatchesofthreeorfour,takingcarenottodrop them from too high (this can cause the hot oil to splash). Fry, using awooden spoon to gently turn the doughnuts over twice, until they are darkgoldenoneachsideandtheyfeelspongywhenyoupressagainstthemwiththespoon (don’t be afraid to let them get good and dark if necessary), about 2minutes.Don’toverfryortheywillbecomehard.Removethedoughnutswiththe spoon and drain on the paper towels. Repeat with the remainingdoughnuts,lettingtheoilreturnto350°Fbetweenbatches.(Itisbesttochangetheoilafterevery12doughnuts.)10.Oncetheyarecool,dustthedoughnutswith the powdered sugar by putting the sugar in a sifter and sifting it overthem.

The sooner these are eaten, the better, but theymay be stored in an airtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto24hours.

FinishingTouches

You can also dust the doughnuts with cinnamon sugar, made by stirringtogether2cupsgranulatedsugarand2 tablespoonsgroundcinnamon.Putthemixture in a bowl and roll the doughnuts in it. This is the traditionalcoatingforMaeWestdoughnuts.

MaeWestDoughnuts

1.Afterformingdoughnuts,cuteachdoughnutandstraightenitout.Rollitouttoacord15incheslongand½inchindiameter.

2.Foldthecordinhalfandpressthehalvestogether.Takeeachendinonehandandtwistinopposingdirections,asthoughwringingatowel,toformatwisty,cruller-likeshape.

3.Gentlypressdownontheendstoholdtheshape.4.Frythedoughnutsforabout1minutetotalcookingtime,flippingthemthree

orfourtimeswithawoodenspooninonequick,deftmovementtokeepthemfrom overbrowning. Remove the finished doughnuts from the oil with twospoons.

Thisrecipewillalsoproduce12doughnuts.

Munchkins

Youcanmakedoughnutholes,akaMunchkins,bypunching1-inchcirclesoutofthedoughandrollingthemintoballs.Fryinbatchesof8to10,fryingforabout1minute,turningthemonceduringthattime,andremovingthemfromtheoilwithaslottedspoon.Thisrecipewillyieldabout96Munchkins.

PracticeMakesPerfect:MakingDoughnuts

Thesetwovariationsofdoughnutmakingofferaprogressionintheirownright. The classic, hole-in-the-middle doughnut shape is very forgivingbecause the hole ensures even cooking, allowing oil to bathe the doughfrom the outside and the center. The long, double-helix shape of aMaeWestismorechallenging—theoiltemperaturehastobejustright,andthedoughnuthastobeturnedmoreoftentoensurecorrectandevencooking.Solearnyourdoughnutmakingwiththeclassicshape,thengraduatetotheMaeWest.

ChocolateTruffles

MAKES12TRUFFLES

Theseminiatureflourlesschocolatetortesaresinfullyrichandsupereasytomake.Ifyoulike,youcanskiptheganacheandtopeachtrufflewithascoopoficecream.

Takecarenottooverwhiptheeggwhitesortheywillbreakdown.

1cup(2sticks)unsaltedbutter½cup(1stick)margarine3¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips or 1½ pounds semisweet chocolate, coarsely

chopped3extra-largeeggs,separatedNonstickspray,forthecupcaketray2cupsChocolateGanache24raspberriesAbout4cupsChocolateFudgeFrosting4ounceswhitechocolate

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto320°F.2.Inasmallpot,meltthebutterandmargarineovermediumheat.Oncemelted,

remove thepot from theheat and stir in the chocolatewith a rubber spatulauntilmelted,thenstirintheeggyolks.Setaside.

3.Puttheeggwhitesinaverycleanbowlandwhipuntilstiffpeaksform.Foldinthechocolatemixture.

4. Spray the wells of a cupcake tray with nonstick spray. Pour ⅓ cup of themixtureintoeachwell.

5.Bakeuntil the truffles riseupover the topof thewells like little soufflés andstarttocrackatthetop.Removethetrayfromtheovenandletcoolcompletelybefore unmolding them; the truffles will drop. (If you want to speed theprocess,aftertheyhavecooledslightly,putthecupcaketrayintherefrigerator.)

6.Unmold the truffles and pour the ganache into the sunken tops, about 1tablespoonpertruffle.

7.Topeachtrufflewith2raspberries.8.Putthefrostinginapastrybagfittedwiththe#32tipandpiperosettesaround

theedgeof the truffles. (Youwillnotuseall the frosting.)This ismosteasilydoneonaturntablefollowingtheinstructions.

9.Meltthewhitechocolateinthetopofadoubleboilersetoversimmeringwater.Dip the tines of a fork in the chocolate and drizzle the chocolate over thetruffles.

Thetrufflesarebesteatenrightaway.

PiesandTarts

Intheeducationofabakeranddecorator,piesandtartsarefunnythings.Insomeways,theyseemdisconnectedfromothercategoriesofbakedgoodsbecausetheyareconstructed differently from everything else: usually as a shell with cream, fruit,custard,orsomeotherfilling.

But pies and tarts are actually the perfect bridge betweenmaking cookies andpastriesandmakingthequantumleaptocakesbecausetheyoffercruciallessonsintwo areas: working on a larger scale and developing your own personal style ofdesignanddecorating.EvensomethingasbasicasaLemonMeringuePieoffersachancetoexperimentwithapipingbag,tryingoutdifferenteffectseverytimeyouapplythemeringuetoanewpie.

Onadeeperlevel,makingadessertlikeFruttidiBosco,startstrainingyoureyesandhands towork together tomake somethingdistinctlybeautiful anddistinctly“you”—theratiosofthedifferentfruitstoeachotherandhowyouarrangethemonthe tart are things that no twobakers do the sameway; every time youmake it,you’ll find yourself making adjustments until you hit on your own signatureversion.ACreamPuffParfaitpresentssimilaroptions—whetheryoufinishitwithcocoa powder, chocolate shavings, a drizzle of melted chocolate, or all three isentirelyuptoyou,andhowyouintegratetheeffects,ormakeonestandoutonitsown,issomethingeachbakerhastofigureouttobestreflecthisorherownvision.I learned that dessert from my father, who invented it at Carlo’s. He made theparfaitdifferently every time,basing itonhismoodoronnew ideas, like addingespressobeans as a finishing touch.When Ibeganmaking theparfait, Inaturallymimickedhisstyle,butintimebegantodevelopmyownparfaitstyle,justasIdidforanydessertthatinvitedpersonalexpression.

From a technical standpoint, pies and cakesmight not look very similar, butthere are skills called for inpiemaking thatwillhelpyouwhen it comes time tomakecakes.For example, rolling andcutting the lattice to topawheatpie is theclosestthingtoworkingwithfondantyouwillencounteroutsideofactuallydoing

it.Ditto rollingout apie crust,whichuses exactly the same technique, includingthefinalstepofrollingthedoughuponthepin,thenunspoolingitovertheshell.

Ofcourse,allofthisistheicingonthe…well,onthepie,Iguess.Doyoureallyneeda reason tomakeanyof thedesserts I justnamed,or theotherones in thischapter,suchasappleandpumpkinpie,twoclassicsthatIcannevergetenoughof?Ihopenot.Butthenagain,atthesametime,Ihopethatyourincreasingmasteryofallpartsof thebakingprocessmakes the end result taste just a little sweeter eachstepoftheway.

LemonMeringuePie

MAKESONE9-INCHPIE,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

If you’re new to baking and looking to develop some baseline comfort, a lemonmeringuepieisagoodplacetostartbecauseyoudon’tbakethefillinginthepie.Instead, you make the crust, lemon curd filling, and meringue separately, thenassemble them.Soyouonlyneed tobeable to successfullybake thecrust topullthisoff.Theonlyotherbakingisaquickflashintheoventocaramelizethecrystalsugar that we dust themeringue with at the end. (We originally used powderedsugar,buthavechangeditovertheyears.)Becauseitwashiswife’sfavoritedessert,the late, greatCarlo’s baker Sal Picinich used to say, “If you bring home lemonmeringuepie,yougetlucky!”Ihearitalsoworkswellforgettingamanoutofthedoghouse.

½cupcornstarch1½plus⅓cupswater4extra-largeeggs,separated½cupfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice2cupsgranulatedsugar1¼teaspoonssalt3tablespoonsunsaltedbutter2teaspoonsfinelygratedlemonzestDistilledwhitevinegar,forwipingthebowl1PieCrust,blindbaked1tablespooncrystalsugar(optional)

1.Putthecornstarchand⅓cupwaterinasmallbowlandstirthemtogether.2.Puttheeggyolksandlemonjuiceinanotherbowlandwhiskthemtogether.3.Put1½cupsofthesugar,1teaspoonofthesalt,and1½cupswaterinasmall,

heavysaucepanandsetitovermedium-highheat.Bringtoaboil,thenwhiskin

thecornstarchmixture.Continuetowhiskuntilthemixturebecomesthickandclear, then whisk in the lemon-yolk mixture. Continue to whisk until themixtureboilsandthickens,about3minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat andwhisk in the butter and lemon zest. Setaside.

5.Cleanthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththewhipattachmentwithvinegar.(Youcanalsouseahandmixer.)Addtheeggwhitesand¼teaspoonsaltandstart whipping on low speed. Once the mixture becomes frothy, add theremaining½cupsugarandcontinuetowhipuntil stiffpeaks form,graduallyincreasingthespeedtohigh,about5minutes.Ifyouaddthesugartooearly,itslowsthepeaks’formation.

6.Preheattheovento325°F.7.Transfer the lemon filling to thepiecrust.Spreadhalf themeringueover the

topwithaspatula.8.Transfertherestofthemeringueintoapastrybagfittedwiththe#7startipor

Frenchtipandpipethemeringueontop.(See“PracticeMakesPerfect:ExpressYourself,”below).

PracticeMakesPerfect:ExpressYourself

What can you learn about yourself from a lemonmeringue pie?When itcomes to decorating,more than youmight think. Because how you pipemeringuehasnoeffectonflavor,anydessertsusingmeringueareaterrificopportunity for low-risk experimentation. During the holidays at Carlo’sBakeShop,whenweproduceddozensofthesepieseveryday,Iusedtotrydifferent styles and designs—making puffs with a pastry bag, or hittingglobsofmeringuewithaknifetomakeitspiky,whichbecamethebakery’ssignature presentation. (This particular motion can also be used to spikechocolate fudgefrosting.) Ineverdid twopiesexactly thesameway,andtheexercisehelpedmegetasenseofwhatworkedandwhatdidn’tandtodevelopmyownintuitionandpersonalstyle.

Wheneveryouaremakingthispie,trysomethingalittledifferent.Havefun.Ifyouownaturntable,youcandoasIdidwhenIwasakidandgetsomepracticeusingitaswell.

9.Ifusing,sprinklethecrystalsugaroverthemeringue.

10.Put thepieonabakingtrayandfinish in theoven justuntil themeringue issinged,about12minutes.

11.Removethepiefromtheovenandletcool.

Serveatonce,orcoverlooselywithplasticwrapandrefrigerateforupto3days.

PieCrust

MAKESONE9-INCHPIECRUST

There’snothingwrongwithbuyingapreparedpie crust,but it’s so easy tomakeyourownthatIurgeyoutodosowheneverpossible.

2cupsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface¾cupvegetableshortening(suchasCrisco)1tablespoonsugar1teaspoonfineseasalt7tablespoonsice-coldwater(seerecipestep1)

1.Puttheflour,shortening,sugar,andsaltinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.Paddleatthelowestspeedjustuntilthemixtureholdstogether, about 30 seconds. (You can use a hand mixer if you allow theshorteningtosoftenatroomtemperaturebeforebeginning.)Add6tablespoonswater,andpaddleuntilabsorbed,about30seconds.Ifthedoughseemsdryorfailstocometogether,addthelasttablespoonofwater.

2. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60minutes.

BlindBaking

Ifyouneedtobakethecrustwithnofilling,fillthecrustwithdrybeansorrice,orsetanotherpiepaninthewell,invertthewholeassemblageontoabakingtray,andbakeonthecenterrackofanovenpreheatedto350°Funtilthecrustisfirmandgolden,about25minutes.

3. Lightly flour yourwork surface, and roll out the dough in a circle about 14inches in diameter (see “How to Measure for a Pie Pan Without a Ruler,”below)andabout¼ inch thick.Roll ituponto the rollingpin (see“HowtoRoll Pastry onto a Rolling Pin,” below), and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan,unspooling it over the top. Tap the pan gently on thework surface and thedough will fall into place. Put your hands at the 2 o’clock and 10 o’clockpositionsonthesideofthepan,androtatethepanfromjustundertheliptocause the excessdough to fall away. (Ifmolded in an aluminumpiepan, thedoughcanbewrapped inplasticand frozen forup to2months.Let thawto

roomtemperaturebeforefillingandbaking.)

Note:Ifyouaremakingthisinthesummer,use6tablespoonswatertoaccountforincreasedhumidityaffectingthemoisturecontentoftheflour.

HowtoMeasureforaPiePanWithoutaRuler

Ifyoudon’thavearulerinthekitchen,invertyourpiepanoverthedough,centeringit,makingsureyouhaveatleasta2-inchborderofdougharoundthepan.(Youcaneyeball2inchesmuchmoreaccuratelythanthe14inchesmentionedintherecipe.)

HowtoRollPastryontoaRollingPin

Puttherollingpinatthefarsideofthedoughanduseyourfingerstocoilitaroundthepin,thensimplyrollitupontothepin.

PumpkinPie

MAKESONE9-INCHPIE,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

Ithinkthere’snomoreAmericancategoryofdessertsthanpies,readytoreflecttheseasonswithberriesandstonefruitsinthesummer,andautumnbountyinthefallandwinter. The first pie I think of is pumpkin pie because that’s the one that’sassociatedwithThanksgiving,whenwemakemorepiesinoneweekatCarlo’sthanwedotherestoftheyearcombined.

Youmightbesurprisedthatweusecannedpumpkinforthisrecipe,andthatIsuggestyoudothesameathome.Thereasonissimplythatfreshpumpkinistoovariableandwaterytobehaverightinapie,letaloneenableyoutofollowarecipewithanyconsistency.

One15-ouncecanpumpkinpuree(IlikeLibby’sPurePumpkin)¾cupsugar1½teaspoonscornstarch½teaspoonfineseasalt1teaspoongroundcinnamon¼teaspoongroundcloves¼teaspoongroundginger¼teaspoongroundnutmeg¼teaspoongroundallspice¼teaspoongroundmace1teaspoonpurevanillaextract1½cupswholemilk2extra-largeeggs1unbaked9-inchPieCrust,homemadeorstore-bought

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto450°F.2. Put the pumpkin, sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg,

allspice,mace,andvanilla inthebowlofastandmixer fittedwiththepaddleattachment.Paddleatlow-mediumspeedforapproximately2minutes.

3.With themotor running,pour in themilk in twoadditions.Stop themotor,scrapethesidesof thebowlwithawoodenspatula, restart,andpaddle foranadditional2minutes.Addtheeggsandpaddleuntilabsorbed,approximately2additionalminutes.

4.Pourthemixtureintoa9-inchpiecrustinapanandbakefor15minutes,thenlowertheheatto375°Fandbakeuntilafingerdabbedontothesurfaceemergesclean,30to40minutes.

5.Removethepiefromtheovenandletcoolfor1to2hours.

Sliceandserverightaway,orcoverwithplasticwrapandrefrigerateforupto3days.

CoconutCustardPie

MAKESONE9-INCHPIE,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

Coconutcustardpieisarealcrowd-pleaserthatblendsarichfillingwiththelightflavorandfragranceofshreddedcoconut—thecombinationalwaysremindsmeofatropical vacation, or of a piña colada,minus the pineapple. It happens to bemysister Mary’s favorite dessert. It’s also one of the last recipes that Sal and Ireformulatedtogether.Wehadtoaddressanoccasionalproblem:Thecustardhadatendencytoeruptlikeavolcanointheoven.Addingsomemoreheavycreamtotherecipecalmedthemixturedownandstoppedthatfromhappening.

Beverycarefulwhenfillingthispie,astepthatyoucompletewhilethepieisintheoven.AtCarlo’s,westilluseanancient,hand-craftedtool—abroomstickontowhichapothasbeen tied.Forallof themodernequipmentand technology thathavebeendevisedinthepastdecades,thisremainsthebest,safestwaytodoit.Athome,pouringthefillingfromameasuringcupisthebestwaytogo.

1 unbaked 9-inch Pie Crust with the edges crimped (see the instructions in theApplePierecipe

4extra-largeeggs¾cupplus2tablespoonssugar⅓cupcornstarch1cupheavycream¼teaspoonpurevanillaextractPinchgroundnutmeg1½cupswarmmilk1cupunsweetenedshreddedcoconut

1.Ifmakingyourownpiecrust, inspectittobesuretherearenoholesortears;thecustardfillingisaddedinliquidformandifthere’sahole,itwillleakout.

2.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto400°F.

3.Puttheeggs,sugar,andcornstarchinabowlandwhiskthemtogether.Addtheheavycreamgradually,whilewhisking.Whiskinthevanilla,nutmeg,andmilk.

4.Putthepiepanonabakingtray.Sprinklethecoconutintothebottomofthepiepan,beingsuretodoitevenly.

5.Pourinenoughofthecustardtocomethreequartersofthewayupthesidesofthepiepan.Asyoupourinthecustard,thecoconutwillrise;useatoothpicktostirthecustardandevenlydistributeit,beingcarefulnottocutintothebottomofthepiecrust.TransfertheremainingcustardintoaPyrexmeasuringcuporotherheatproof,spoutedvessel.

6.Putthetrayonthemiddlerackoftheoven.Pourinenoughcustardtocomejustuptothetopofthepiepan.(Youmayhaveextracustard;don’tworryifyoudobutdon’toverfillthepiepan.)7.Bakeuntilthetopofthepieisgoldenanddoesn’tshakeatallwhenyouagitatethepan,30to35minutes.Removethetrayfromtheovenandletthepiecool,thencoverlooselywithplasticwrapandchillintherefrigeratorforatleast1hour.

Thepiemaybeservedatonce,orrefrigeratedforupto2days.

PastieradiGranoWheatPie

MAKESONE10-INCHPIE,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

This ItalianEaster specialty ismy favoritepiebecause there’snothing else like it.Madewithwheatberriesthatareboileddown,enrichedwithbutter,andenlivenedwithorangeblossomwater,ithasanorangey,citrusy,floralflavor.

IwastaughthowtomakethispiebymygrandmotherGrace,whousedtosaytome, “Make sure you cook itnice, thewheathas tobe cookednice inside,darkerthanlighter.”Wedon’tmakeasmanyoftheseasweusedtobecausetheyoungergenerationdoesn’treallyknowwheatpie,anditlooksdifferentfromanyothertypeofpie.AndIhavetoadmit,ifIdidn’tknowthispiemyself,andsawitinthepastrycase,I’dpickanapplepieoveritanydayoftheweek.ButsinceIknowit,Iloveit;Ialsolovetastingtherawmix(eventhoughithasraweggyolkinit).

1poundricottacheese1cupsugar3tablespoonsorangeblossomwater½teaspoonfinelygratedlemonzest½teaspoonfinelygratedorangezest3extra-largeeggs1poundcookedwheatberries,cooled(about3cups)1unbaked10-inchPastaFrolla(recipefollows)

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2.Putthericottacheese,sugar,orangeblossomwater,lemonzest,andorangezest

in thebowlofa standmixer fittedwith thepaddleattachmentandpaddleatlow speed until well blended. (You can also mix in a mixing bowl using awoodenspoon.)Addtheeggsoneattime,mixinguntilthemixtureissmooth,thenfoldinthewheatberriesuntilwellmixed.

3.Pourthemixtureintoapiepanlinedwithpastafrolla.Createa latticetopbyarranging three parallel strips at even intervals, then laying three strips overthemataperpendicularangle.

4.Bakeuntilpuffed,goldenbrown,andsetbutnothard in thecenter,about1hour. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely to roomtemperaturebeforeserving.

The pie can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3days.

PastaFrolla

MAKESONE10-INCHPIECRUSTWITHLATTICETOP

In addition to wheat pie, this Italian short dough is used to make a variety ofpastries includingpasticiotti (smallcustard-filled tarts)andcrostata.Toadda littlemore flavor, substitute½cupalmondorpistachio flour for½cupof all-purposeflour.

1cup(2sticks)unsaltedbutter,softened1cupsugar½teaspoonfinelygratedlemonzest½teaspoonpurevanillaextract½teaspoonhoney,preferablycloverPinchofbakingsodaPinchofbakingpowder¼cupwater2cupsall-purposeflour

1. Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddleattachment andpaddle atmediumspeeduntil thebutterbegins toget fluffy,about 3minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowlwith a rubberspatula.

2.Addthelemonzest,vanilla,honey,bakingsoda,andbakingpowder.Paddlefor1minute,thenstopandscrape.

3.Addthewaterandpaddleatmediumspeedtoworkinthewaterandcreateabatter, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and paddle until the dough comestogether,about1minute,takingcarenottoovermix.

4. Remove the dough from the bowl, form into a disc, and wrap tightly with

plasticwrap.Refrigerateuntilwellchilled,about30minutes.5.Separateoutonequarterofthedoughandsetasideforthelatticetopping.Roll

out remainingdough to a 14-inch-diameter circle andplace in a 10-inchpiepan.

6.Rolloutthereserveddoughtothesamethicknessandcutintosix¾-inchstripsforalatticetopping.

ApplePie

MAKESONE9-INCHPIE,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

This is a good, old-fashioned American apple pie, with plenty of brown sugar,spices,andamixofapplevarietiestobalancethesweet,tangy,andtartflavors.Oneofmyfavoritethingsaboutthispieisthedoublecrustwiththeholeinthemiddle,which gives a little peek at the apples inside. It’s easier tomake than youmightthink,althoughweoccasionallyhaveaproblematthebakerythatyouwon’thaveathome: One of our egg washes has more yolks than the other; the yolkier washbrownsmuchmorequicklythantheother,andcangivetheimpressionthatapieisfullybakedeventhoughthefillinginsideisraw.

3tablespoonsall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface2recipesPieCrust½cupgranulatedsugar½cuplightbrownsugar1teaspoongroundcinnamon¼teaspoongroundginger¼teaspoongroundnutmeg7cupsthinlysliced,peeled,andcoredapples(seeNote)1tablespoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice2tablespoons(¼stick)unsaltedbutter1extra-largeegg,beaten

1.Flouryourworksurface.Rolloutonerecipeofthedoughandlinea9-inchpiepan.Trimoffasmuchoverhangingscrapaspossible.Refrigerateforatleast1hour.

2.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto375°F.3. Put the 3 tablespoons flour, the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon,

ginger,andnutmeginalargemixingbowlandmixtogetherbyhand.

4. In a separate bowl, toss the apple slices and lemon juice. Sprinkle the sugarmixtureoverthetopandtosstocoattheapplepieces.

5.Roll out the remainingpiedough to a14-inchdiameter.Use a cutter or thewide end of a #7 star pastry tip to punch a 1-inch hole in the center of thedough.

6.Putapplesinthepiecrustanddotthetopwithpiecesofbutter.Useapastrybrushtobrushtheedgeoftheshellwiththebeatenegg.

7.Foldthetoppieceofdoughinhalfsotheholeformsahalfcircleatoneedge.Laythedoughovertheapplesinthepiepan,usingthecircleasyourguidetobesurethetopiscentered.Unfoldthedoughanddrapeitovertherestofthepie.Patdowngentlyontop.Setthepanonanelevatedsurface,suchasalargecanoftomatoesoryourturntable,androtatethepanbyhand,usingthethumband forefinger of one hand to crimp the edges as the pan rotates, creating atrough-likeedge.Continuetorotate,pressingthedoughagainsttheedgeofthepiepan,andtheexcesswillfalloff.

8.Paint the topof thepiewith theeggwash,paintingaroundbutnotover thehole.

9.Setthepieintheoven,rightontherack,andbakefor30minutes,thenturntheheatup to400°Fandcontinue tobakeuntil the top isadeep,burnishedgolden-brown and the edges have pulled away from the sides a bit and arelightlygolden,about5moreminutes.

10.Removethepiefromtheovenandletcool.

Enjoyorcoverandstoreatroomtemperatureforupto2days.

Note: Ideally, you would use 1 Red Delicious, 1 Golden Delicious, and 1GrannySmith.Ifyouuseonlyonetype,makeitGrannySmith.Themostevenwaytosliceapplesisonamandoline.

FruttidiBoscoItalianFruitTart

MAKESONE9-INCHTART,ENOUGHTOSERVE10TO12

Ifirsthadaversionofthisdessert—afruittartmadewithabutterdough,Frenchcream,andfreshberries—ataNewYorkCityrestaurant,andlikeditsomuchthatI decided I wanted to create our own version of it at Carlo’s. It’s a perfectsummertime dessert because you can use whatever berries you have on hand;raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or a combination would all berightathomehere.

In addition to the summertime, we make this during the holidays, when itselegancemakesitjustrightforanygatheringfromThanksgivingtoNewYear’sEve.

1½cups(3sticks)unsaltedbutter¾cupgranulatedsugar2extra-largeeggs¼teaspoonfinelygratedlemonzest¼cupcoldwater3cupspastryflour1cupall-purposeflour,plusmoreforflouringyourworksurface1teaspoonsalt1teaspoonbakingpowder1cupItalianCustardCream¾cupItalianWhippedCream1cupblackberries1cupblueberries1cupraspberriesPowdered(10X)sugar,forserving

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheovenandpreheatto350°F.2. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing tomedium, cream the butter

andsugarinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.Add

theeggs,oneatatime,paddlinguntilabsorbedintothemixture.Addthezest,thenaddthewaterinathinstream,lettingitrundownthesideofthebowl.

3.Stopthemotorandlowerthebowl.Putthepastryflour,all-purposeflour,salt,andbakingpowderinasifterandsiftintothebowl.Startingonlowspeedandgraduallyincreasingtomedium,mixuntilthedoughcomestogether.

4.Dustyourworksurfacewithflourandrolloutthedoughtoathicknessof⅛inch.Fitthedoughtoa9-inchflutedtartpan.Dockitalloverwiththetinesofafork.

5. Bake until the dough is lightly golden brown on top and bottom, 15 to 20minutes.Removethepanfromtheovenandletthetartshellcoolcompletely.

6.Inamixingbowl,foldtogetherthecustardcreamandwhippedcreamtomakeFrenchcream.

7.Use a rubber spatula to transfer theFrench cream to the tart, smoothing thetop.Artfullyarrangetheberriesontop.Dustwithpowderedsugarandserve.

Thefruttidiboscoshouldbeservedrightaway,butcanberefrigerated,coveredlooselywithplasticwrap,forupto1day.

CreamPuffParfait

SERVES24

My father made this eye-catching dessert for Viennese Hours, the receptions weused tocaterat localweddinghalls. It’saone-of-a-kindoffering that turnscreampuffs intothebasisofapyramid-liketower,heldtogetherwithcreamandtoppedwith chocolate shavings, drizzledwithmelted chocolate, or both.Dad sometimesinfusedthecreamwithespressoandscatteredespressobeansover thedessert;youcan certainly do that. Or experiment with other flavoring agents and finishingtouchestopersonalizethisparfait,suchasgrindingespressobeansandaddingthemtothecream,whichI liketodobecauseaddingbrewedespressomakesthecreamtooloose;thelongerthecreamrests,themoreintensetheespressoflavorwillbe.

2cupsheavycream½cupsugar3cupsItalianCustardCream,chilled2teaspoonsFrangelico,coffeeliqueur,GrandMarnier,orBailey’sIrishCream24bakedandcooledCreamPuffshells2ouncesmilkchocolateorsemisweetchocolate,forshavingovertheparfait

1.Inastandmixerfittedwiththewhipattachment,whipthecreamandsugaronmedium speed until stiff, about 5minutes.Transfer thewhipped cream to abowl.

2.Transferthecustardcreamtothemixerbowlandwhipbrieflytosmoothoutthecreamandensurethereareno lumps.Pour intheFrangelico, thenslowlyadd thewhippedcream.Stopand scrape the sides andbottomwith a rubberspatula,thencontinuetowhipuntilsmoothandairy.

3.Transferthefillingtoapastrybagfittedwiththe#5plaintip.Useyourpinkietohollowoutthepuffsfromthebottomandpipecreamintothepuffsthroughthehole.Pipethecreampuffsfullofcream.

4.Pipecirclesofcreamintothebottomofa9-inchpiepan.Arrange5or6creampuffs around the circumference of the bottom, and 1 in the center. Build apyramid of cream puffs, piping cream on top of each layer and around eachpuff,andsmoothingitwitharubberspatula.

5.Refrigeratetheparfaitatleast4hoursorovernighttosetitandallowtheflavorstodevelop.Justbeforeserving,shavethechocolateovertheparfaitwithaboxgrater.

6.Toserve,usetwospoonstotransfer1creampufftoeachof24plates.Spoonsomemorecreamoverthepuffandserve.

FinishingTouches

Youcanalsofinish theparfaitwithadrizzleofmeltedchocolate(melt¼cupdarkchocolatechipsor2ouncescoarselychoppedchocolateinthetopofadoubleboiler)pipedfromaparchmentpenciland/orwithadustingofcocoapowder.

CakesandCupcakes

LongbeforeIhadanyideathattheywouldleadtomyowntelevisionshow,cakeswere thePromisedLandofmybaking existence.Whenyou’re a youngbuck justlearning thebasics ofmixing,baking,decorating, andpiping, cakes arewhat youaspireto,whatyourentireprofessionalarcisdirectedtowardachieving.

Forme, cakes felt like a certainkindofdestinybecausemy father,BuddySr.,wassorenownedforhisdefttouchwithapastrybag,andforhisdistinctdesigns.Dad didn’t do the kind of theme cakes we’re famous for today—nobody did inthose days—but he had a remarkable ability to decorate cakes the way a painterpaints on canvas. There was an effortlessness, a weightlessness, to his work—buttercreamandwhippedcreamalmostseemedtohoverabovethecakelikeclouds;chocolate shavings, too, appeared to dance in the air like confetti; and when hewroteonacake,well,thewordspoppedlikeaneonsign.Youcanteachabakeralot,but at somepoint eitheryou’rebornwithgreathandsoryou’renot.Hehadthem.SodoI.

Thegoodnewsisthatyoudon’thavetobebornwiththehandsofamastertoachievesuccessincakemakinganddecorating.It’s likeanythingelseinbaking:Ifyoutakethetimeandefforttogetgoodatthecomponentparts,thebigpictureiseasierthanyoumighthaveeverimagined.

Thatsaid,cakemakingdoesrequireyoutopassanumberoflevelsbeforeyou’rereadytoreallygoforit.BeforewegettothethemecakesthatanyCakeBossfanwillwant to try, I urge you to have a little patience and develop your basic skills,especially the two most important ones: working on a turntable and developingconfidenceandaccuracywithapastrybag.Infact,beforewegoanyfurther,Iwantto explain a little aboutbothof themandhowcrucial they are to thedecoratingprocess.

THETURNTABLE

Thesinglemostimportantskillyouhavetodevelopforicingcakesandcupcakesislearning to synchronize the trio of yourself, a turntable, and a pastry bag. Thatprobablysoundsdaunting,butitshouldn’t.Becauseasyou’reabouttofindout,theturntabledoesallthework.

Ifyouwanttoseethevalueofaturntable,justtrytopipeaneat,evencircleonthetopofacake,orevenaroundtheside.It’sallbutimpossibletopulloff,becauseyou’dhavetocontinuallychangetheangleofthepastrybag,andyourwristsimply

isn’t built for that kind of motion and adjustment. When you use a turntable,however,youcreateadynamicsimilar toamachine:yourarmstays inoneplace,the table turns, and thepressureyouplaceon thebagbasicallydeposits creamoricingonthecakeinauniformmanner.Yourwristmightturn,oryourhandmightmove up and down to create certain effects, sometimes helped by your leaningforward or back, but your armwill always be stationary. That’s why you need agood,sturdy,stainless-steelprofessional-caliberturntable.Becauseaturntabledoessomuchofthework,youwantonethatwillendureforyearsofcarryingcakesandspinningroundandround.

It doesn’t matter which way you rotate a turntable; it can go clockwise orcounterclockwiseandstillproduceterrificresults.AsIsaidupfront,attheendofthe day, baking and decorating are largely about your individualistic relationshipwithyourtoolsandingredients;whicheverdirectionworksforyouwillgetthejobdone.Thatsaid,generallyspeaking,right-handeddecoratorstendtoturnclockwise;leftiescounterclockwise.Bytheway,beforebeingsetonaturntable,cakesshouldbe set on adoily on topof a roundpiece of cardboard the samediameter as thecake.

USINGAPASTRYBAG

Whenyouuseapastrybag,youshould fill it about two-thirds full,being sure tosqueezethecontentsasfardownintothebagaspossiblesotheycanbeforcedoutofthetipwithjusttheslightestpressure.

Theproperwaytoholdapastrybagiswithonehand,restingtheweighty,fullpartofthebagonyourforearmandleaningthebackofthebagagainstyourupperarmorshoulderforsupport.Thiswillkeeponehandfreeforturningaturntableorperformingothersidetasks.

Usingapastrybageffectivelyisallaboutpressure.Generallyspeaking,whenyouusethebag,youwillapplyeithersteadypressure,forcreatinglonglinesorpipingfillingand/orfrosting,orapulsatingpressureforcreatingbordersandshapes.

Therearefourmainpressuretechniquesforworkingwithapastrybag.

•Squeeze-and-pull: Justwhat it sounds like.This technique involves squeezingand pulling the bag upward to deposit the contents in a dab or blob. Theclassic example is piping cream puff batter; in cake decorating, we use this

techniquetocreatebulbsanddotsthatpunctuatecakesandcupcakes.•Steadypressure:Thistechnique,whichinvolvesholdingthebagforasustained

period of a few seconds, is used to produce a continuous line or circle offrostingorcream,suchasthefillingforanéclairortheborderonacupcake.

• Steady-pressure-and-movement: This technique involves applying continuouspressuretothebagwhilemovingyourhandtocreateaflourishsuchasadropline,aswag,oraloopborder.

• Pulse: This technique involves all of the above, squeezing and pulling withpulse andmovement—for example, to create a shell border (see, topphoto)aroundthebaseofacake.

Decorator’sButtercream

MAKESABOUT6CUPS

Unlessotherwiseindicated,allofthepipinginthissectionshouldbeexecutedwithdecorator’s buttercream.To color the cream,mix food coloring inwith a rubberspatulauntil thecreamisuniformlycolored.Amountswillvaryandwillbebasedonthebrandoffoodcoloringandhowlightordarkyourwantthecreamtobe.Irecommendfood-coloringgel,availableinsmalltubes,becauseit’s lesswateryandeasier toworkwith.Startwith a fewdrops and addmore as youmix. If you aremakingadarkcolor,likeblack,thecreamcanbecomelooseorwateryinwhichcaseyoushouldmix in someextrapowdered sugaruntil the texture resembles shavingcream.Forwhitedecorator’sbuttercream,or todirty-iceacake (Carlo’s-speak forapplyingacrumbcoat)beforeapplyingfondant,youdonotneedtoaddanycolor.

7½cupspowdered(10X)sugar2¼cupsvegetableshortening6tablespoons(¾stick)unsaltedbutter1½tablespoonspurevanillaextract¼cupplus2tablespoonscoldwater

1.Putthesugar,shortening,butter,andvanillainthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachmentandpaddleatlow-mediumspeeduntilthemixtureissmooth,withnolumps,about3minutes.

2.Withthemotorrunning,addthewaterinathinstreamandcontinuetopaddleuntilabsorbed,about3minutes.

Thebuttercreamcanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto2weeks.

HowMuchDecorator’sButtercream?

In the cake and cupcake decorating instructions that follow, estimatedamounts of each color of buttercream required are provided. But no twodecorators will use exactly the same amount of buttercream—your rosesmightbelargerorsmallerthanmine,forexample—sodon’tbeworriedifyouuseabitmoreor less than is indicated.Formostof thecakerecipes,

the first step is to dirty-ice the cake, which should take approximately 4cups of buttercream, leaving you 2 cups to color as needed for otherpurposessuchaspipingdesignelementslikeleavesandgrass,andpipingaborder on the cake. I suggest you dirty-ice the cake before coloring theremaining decorator’s buttercream because you can return the icing youscrapeoffthecakewhileicingitandmakingasmoothcoatingtothebowlwith the other uncolored buttercream,whichwill give youmore toworkwith.

This recipe can be multiplied or divided to produce larger or smallerbatches,andleftoverbuttercreamcanberefrigeratedrightinthepastrybagorpipedoutintoanothercontainerandrefrigerated.

Cupcakes

Believe itornot, theperfectway topractice synchronizingyourself, apastrybag,and a turntable is bydecorating cupcakes. In fact, if you’veneverworkedwith aturntable before, I suggest spending a little time decorating cupcakes because—ratherthantheall-or-nothingprospectof icinganddecoratingacake—abatchofcupcakesgivesyoutwenty-fourchancestogetbetter,withminimaldamagedoneifyoumessoneup.

Carlo’s flower-themedcupcakes areoneofour signatureofferings.Created forMother’sDayyearsago, theyhavebecomesopopular thatwenowoffer themallyear long.Not only are they visually pleasing and delicious, but they give you achancetopracticeyourpipingskills,specifically,usingaturntableandapplyingthefourdifferenttypesofpressure.TherosecupcakeandChristmastreecupcakesalsoprovideachancetopracticemorethree-dimensionalpiping,whichhelpstrainyouforsimilartaskscalledforincakedecorating.

AllofthesecupcakesaregenerallymadewithVanillaCakeorChocolateCake,althoughyoucouldalsomakethemwithRedVelvetoranyotherofthebasiccakesinthisbook,withtheexceptionofchiffoncakesorspongecake.

Note that each cupcake calls for at least three different colors/types ofbuttercreamorfrosting.Whenpossible,youshouldhaveeachofthemmadeandinits bagwith the proper tip attached before beginning. I have provided estimatedamounts called for to make twenty-four of each type of cupcake, but you willprobably want to make a variety of types each time you decorate a batch ofcupcakes,andyoucanchange thecolorsasyousee fit, sodon’tbeboundbymyquantities—trydifferentcolorcombinationstocreateyourownsignaturecupcakes,makingmorebuttercreamandcoloringitasneeded.

StayingCentered

Whenworkingonaturntable,besuretocenterthecakeorcupcakebeforegoingtoworkon it. If it’snotcentered,youwillendupwitha“wobble”effect.

CupcakeNotes

•Allcupcakesmaybekeptinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforup

to3days.• Most of these call for only 4 cups of decorator’s buttercream; you can

refrigerate the remaining 2 cups produced by the recipe, or reduce eachingredientbyone-thirdtoproducejust4cups.

•Thesecupcakescallforbothtypesofpastrytips:The#126rosetipisaregularpastrytip(thatis,thetypethatyoudropintothebagbeforethebuttercreamisadded);allothersareinterchangeabletipsthatrequireacoupler.Setupallthepastrybags,icings,andtipsbeforeyoustart.

SunflowerCupcake

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip2½cupsyellowbuttercream,#70interchangeableleaftip½cupbrownbuttercreamorChocolateFudgeFrosting,#133interchangeablegrass

tip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3. Switch to the yellow buttercream bag, and employ the squeeze-and-pull

technique to pull leaves from just inside the border (not the center of thecupcake)tojustovertheedge.

4.Switchtothebrownbuttercreambagandsqueezeandpulllittlestrandsinthecenterofthecupcake.

5. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remainingcupcakes.

Note: The colors used for this and the other cupcakes in this section aremysuggestedcolors;feelfreetoexperimentwithothercolorsandcombinationstocreateyourownsignaturelookanddevelopyoureyeforcoordination.

PuffFlowerCupcakes

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip2½cupspinkbuttercream,#10interchangeableplaintip½cuporangebuttercream,#8interchangeableplaintip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3.Switchtothepinkbuttercreambag,andusethesqueeze-and-pulltechniqueto

form bulbous shell-like petals, pulling in from the inner edge of the greenborder.

4.Switchtotheorangebuttercreambagandsqueeze-and-pulladotinthecenteroftheflower.

5. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remainingcupcakes.

Flat-PetalFlowerCupcakes

Unlessyouhavetworosetips,youwillneedtosetupandfilltheorangebagafterusingthegreenbag.Besuretocleananddrythetipbeforedroppingitintothebagthatwillholdtheorangebuttercream.

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip2½cupsorangebuttercream,#126rosetip½cupyellowbuttercream,#8interchangeableplaintip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3. Switch to the orange buttercream bag and apply the steady-pressure-and-

movementtechnique(rotatingyourwrist)tocreatewidepetals,startinginthecenterandendingjustinsidetheborder.

4.Switchtotheyellowbuttercreambagandsqueeze-and-pullonceinthecenterofthecupcaketomakeadot.

5. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remainingcupcakes.

DaisyCupcakes

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip2½cupswhitebuttercream,#79interchangeablelilyofthevalleytip½cupyellowbuttercream,#33interchangeablegrasstip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3.Switch to thewhitebuttercreambagand squeeze-and-pull from thecenterof

thecupcaketoformpetals.4. Switch to the yellowbuttercreambag and finishwith a few squeeze-and-pull

applicationstofilloutthecenteroftheflower.5. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remaining

cupcakes.

Buddy’sCabbageRoseCupcakes

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip5cupspurplebuttercream,#104interchangeablerosetip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3.Switchtothepurplebuttercreambagandpipeaconicalshapeinthecenterof

thecupcake.Whilerotatingtheturntable,applysteadypressure, turningyourwristtorotatethepastrytipandcreatearuffledeffect.

4. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remainingcupcakes.

PipingButtercreamRoses

Asyoucanseefromthecupcakeillustrations,wepipetheflowersdirectlyontothecupcakesatCarlo’s,butyouwillwanttousearosenailformakingrosesforbothcakesandcupcakes.Pipingdirectlyontocupcakesisbestlefttotheprofessionals.

1.Takeabuttercreambag fittedwith the#126 rose tip inyourdominanthandandarosenailinyournondominanthand.Pipeaconicalbase,1½incheshighby1½inchesthick,beingsuretoreleasethepressurebeforeliftingthebagfromthetopofthebase.

2.Asyourotatetherosenail,holdthebagataslightangletothebaseandapplysteady pressure, turning the bag downward to pipe the first rose petal layer,pipingallthewayaroundthebase.

3.Withthebagataslightlylowerangle,pipethreemoreoverlappingpetals,butthistimepipeonlyabouthalfwayaroundthebaseforeachpetal.

4.Withthebagperpendiculartotherose,pipefivemoreoverlappingpetals,widerthistime,andpipingonlyaboutonethirdofthewayaroundtheroseforeachpetal.

5.Finishbypipingfivemoreoverlappinglayersjustunderthefivepipedinstep4.6.Totransferarosetoacupcakeorcake,putdownthepastrybagandpickupa

pairofscissors.Opentheshearsandverygentlyclosethemundertherose.Lifttheroseoffthenailanddeposititinthedesiredlocationonthecake,usingtheedgeoftherosenailtogentlypulltheroseoffthescissors.

RedRoseCupcakes

Unlessyouhavetworosetips,youwillneedtosetupandfilltheredbagafterusingthegreenbag.Besuretocleananddrythetipbeforedroppingitintothebagthatwillholdtheredbuttercream.

24cupcakes1cupgreenbuttercream,#126rosetip5cupsredbuttercream,#126rosetip

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,apply

steadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3.Switchtotheredbuttercreambag,pipearose,andtransferittothetopofthe

cupcake.(Formore,see“PipingButtercreamRoses,”.)4.Removethecupcakefromtheturntableandrepeatwiththeremainingcupcakes.

ChristmasTreeCupcakes

24CUPCAKES

1cupgreenbuttercream,inabagfittedwiththe#126rosetip5½cupsgreenbuttercream,inabagsetupforaninterchangeabletip½cupredbuttercream,#2interchangeableplaintip½cupyellowbuttercream,#3interchangeableplaintip¼cupnonpareils½cupwhitebuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

1.Centeracupcakeontheturntable.2.Takethefirstgreenbuttercreambaginhandand,whileturningtheturntable,

applysteadypressuretopipeaborderaroundtheedgeofthecupcake.3.Attacha#12plain tip to the couplerof the secondbagofgreenbuttercream

and pipe a 2-inch-high cylinder. (If you have another color of icing alreadybagged, youcanpipe the cylinderwith another color, likewhite, aspictured.The cylinder will be covered by the leaves, so its color doesn’t matter.) 4.Replace the #12 plain tip with the #69 leaf tip and squeeze-and-pull greenleavesalloverthecylinder.

5.Switchtotheredbuttercreambag,andsqueeze-and-pullsmalldotsalloverthetree,representingornaments.

6. Switch to the yellow buttercream bag, and squeeze-and-pull a “star” (a small“kiss”-likeaccent)onthetopofthetree.

7.Sprinklenonpareilsoverthetree.Ifdesired,topeachtreewithasugarstar,aspictured.

8.Taketheparchmentpencilinhandandapplysteadypressuretopipe2strandsofwhite“glitter”inthebranchesofthetree.

9. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remainingcupcakes.

Note: These cupcakes call for about 8 cups, or 1½ batches, of Decorator’sButtercream.

WorkingwithCakes

Okay,nowit’stimetobeginworkingwithcakes.Inthissection,I’llshowyouhowto make the natural progression from trimming and icing cakes to pipingtechniquestothebasicsoffondant,andthensomehomeversionsoftheCakeBoss–stylecakeswemakeontheshow.

Thebasiccakerecipesarefoundstarting,andbasicfrostingsandfillings.

TRIMMINGANDCUTTINGCAKESWhetheryou’reworkingwithicingorfondant,thefirststepindecoratinganycakeistrimmingandcuttingit.Useaserratedknifetoremovethetoplayerofdiscolored“skin”ofbrownedcaketomakeaflattop.Becauseitmakesthecakeeasiertocutevenly,Iliketoworkwithafrozencake.Now,freezingsometimesgetsabadrapinthefoodworldbecausepeopleassociateitwithTVdinnersandfrozenpizzas.Butthere are timeswhen a freezer canbe yourbest friend. I don’t insist on it in therecipes,but freezinga freshlybakedandcooledcake isoneof thebest thingsyoucando.Itsealsinallthemoisture,whereascakestendtodryoutintherefrigerator.Also, if youplan to ice and/ordecorate a cake, itwill be firmerwhen it emergesfromthefreezer,andyou’llhaveaneasiertimetrimming,halving,andicingit.

Cakesshouldbefrozenfor1to2hoursforoptimumtrimmingtexture.Youcanfreeze them for longer, but theywill becomeveryhard and shouldbe allowed tothawslightlybeforeyoutrytocutintothem.Donottrytotrimacakethat’shardasarockbecausetheknifecanslip,verydangerously.Besurethecakehasa littlegivetoitbeforeyoustarttrimming.

Ifthecakeyou’remakingrequiresyoutocutitinhalfhorizontally,firstsetitonyour turntableorwork surface.Kneelorbendso that thecake isat eye levelandyoucangetagoodhead-onlookatit.Keepyoureyefixedonthepointwheretheknife enters the cake and as you apply pressure to the top with your free hand,rotatethecakeagainsttheknife,keepingitstraighttogetanice,evencut.Ifyouwillbefillingacake,alwaystrytomakethelayerslevelwitheachother,trimmingifnecessarysotheywillreststraightwhenstacked.

FILLINGANDICINGCAKESIliketouseapastrybagtofillcakesbecauseit’stherighttoolnomatterwhatfillingorfrostingyouareusing—itreducestheamountofspreadingandscrapingrequiredtoneatlyfillandiceacake.Ifyou’reusingathickcreamforafilling,thenusinga

spatulamight cause the cake to break. Similarly, a soaked sponge cakewill comeapartifyouspendtoomuchtimeworkingonitwithaspatula.

FillingCakesTofillacakeusingapastrybag,fitthebagwiththe#6plaintip.Setthefirstlayerof cake on the turntable. Apply steady pressure to pipe the filling in concentriccircles,stoppingtoliftthebagaftercompletingeachcircle.Afterthelayeriscoveredwithfrostingcircles,useyourcakeicingspatulatogentlysmoothitoutintoanevenlayer.Carefully set thenext layeron top,gentlypressingdown toensure it’sniceandlevel.Thenlaydownthenextlayeroffillinginthesamemanner.

Icing(Frosting)CakesBefore icingacake,double-check tobe sure the layers lookniceand straightandaligned,andbesurethecakeiscenteredonyourturntable.Evenafour-layercakeshouldhavethesameshapeasanuncutcake.Ifnecessary, trimthe layers to levelthem,orusealittleextraicingunderunevenlayerstostraightenthem.

Putthefrostinginapastrybagfittedwitha#6or#7startip.Youcanuseeithertip for icinga cake; the#7will give a slightly largerpipingeffect.Fordirty-icingwithdecorator’sbuttercream,described,the#6tipisthemorelogicalchoice.

Spinningtheturntable,applysteadypressuretothebagtopipeconcentriccirclesontopofthecake,stoppingandliftingthebagbetweencircles.Then,alsospinningthetable,pipefrostingaroundthesides,startingatthetopandworkingyourwaydown.

RatiosofFillingtoCake

Theappropriate balanceof flavors and texturesvaries fromcake to cake,buttherearesomeguidelinesthatapplymostofthetime.

Chocolate Ganache, Italian Buttercream, Vanilla Frosting, ChocolateFudgeFrosting,andCreamCheeseFrostingareallratherdenseandrich,sotheproperratiooffillingtocakeis1:2,meaningalayeroffillingshouldbeapproximatelyhalftheheightofalayerofcake.

ItalianCustardCream,CannoliCream,ItalianWhippedCream,LobsterTailCream,andMyDad’sChocolateMoussearerelativelyairyanddonotthreatentooverwhelmtheflavorortextureofthecake,sotheproperratiooffillingtocakeis1:1,meaningalayeroffillingshouldbeapproximatelythesameheightasalayerofcake.

Usethecakeicingspatulatosmooththecirclesontopofthecaketogether,byholding the spatulaparallel to thecake top,and spinning the turntable,graduallylowering the surface of the spatula close to the cake. Turn your spatulaperpendiculartothecakeandsmooththesides,againgraduallymovingthespatulaclosertothecake.(Notethatadecorator’scombwasusedtoproducetheridgesonthesideofthecakepictured;forinstructionsonusingadecorator’scomb.)Finally,while spinning the turntable, hold the spatulaparallel to the topof the cake andlower it just to smooth the top one last time to level it off and ready it fordecorating.

SOAKINGASPONGECAKE

Astheirnamesuggests,ItalianspongecakesaremadetobesoakedwithSyrup.Youmight snack on a vanilla, chocolate, or carrot cake with no frosting, but youwouldn’tdothesamewithaspongecakebecauseit’sdenseanddryuntilit’sbeensoaked.

Tosoakaspongecake,useapastrybrushtogenerouslyapplythesyruptothecake,pausingperiodically to let the cake soak itup.Youmightbe surprisedhowmuchsyrupacakecantakeon.

Inlayeringaspongecake,donotapplythesyruptothelayersuntiltheyareonthecake;theywillbreakifyoutrytoliftthemaftersoaking.

Aspongecakewilldeepeninflavorduringadayortwointherefrigerator.Storeonaplate,coveredlooselywithplasticwrap.

DECORATINGTECHNIQUES

There’snolimittowhatdesignsandpatternsyoucanmakeonacake,butherearesome of the techniqueswe usemost often atCarlo’s Bake Shop. If you’ve neverworkedwith a pastry bag, fondant, ormodeling chocolate before, you should bepreparedforaperiodofgrowthanddevelopment,butmostpeoplefindthattheyimprove quickly. Just be patient, and remember what my father always said:“There’snothingindecoratingthatyoucan’tfix.”

BASICPIPINGTECHNIQUESOnicedcakes,Iliketoapplyabordertoboththetopandthebottom.Topborderscanmakeacakelookbiggerorsmaller:Iftheborderispipedinsidetheedgeofthe

cake,itmakesthecakelook smaller.Iftheborderispipedoutsidetheedgeofthecake,itmakesthecakelooklarger.Myfavoriteborderforthebottomofacakeisashellborder(seenextpage).Ashellbordercanbemadewithanumberofdifferentregularorinterchangeabletips,andinjustaboutanysizeorshape.

To pipe a shell border (at left), position the tip at the bottom of the cake.Squeezeandpull asyou slowly rotate the turntable.Continueall thewayarounduntilyoureturntothestartingpoint.

OtherBorders:

ForwardLoop

ReverseLoop

DoubleReverseLoop

LoopLoopSkip

Shell

Rope

Dot

“S”

DECORATIONFORSIDESOFTHECAKE

SwagsUseasmallinterchangeabletip,suchas#103.Applysteadypressureandanup-and-downmotionwithyourwrist.Moveonlythewrist/hand;thearmstaysstill.

Swag

SimpleSwag

ShellSwag

PulseSwag

RuffleSwag

LeafSwag

DropLinesFordroplinesyouneedperfectlysmoothbuttercreamwithnoairinit;itshouldbefluffyandsmoothasshavingcream.Usea#2,#3,or#4plaininterchangeabletip.

Keepyourarmstillandleanawayasyouturnthetable.Letthelinedrop,then……leanforwardandplacetheotherendofthelineonthecake.Release.Repeatuntilyoureturntothestartingpoint.Tomakeadoubledroplinerepeatthesamesteps,makingslightlyshorterdrop

linesjustabovethefirstlines,butendingeachdroplineatthesamepoint.Youcanmakevariationsbyaddingintersectingdroplines.

FiligreePipingIcallfiligreepiping“drawingonthecake.”Generallyspeaking,youwanttousea#2or#3plain tip.Filigreepiping is freestylepiping,but the ruleof thumb is tokeeptheindividualdesignelementsfromtouchingeachother.Herearesomeofmyfavoritefiligreepatterns.

OtherDesignPossibilities:

Rosette

Heart

Children’sBirthdayCakes

Classicbirthdaycakesaresomethingeverybakershouldbeabletomake.Theyofferachancetoputmanyofthebasiccakedecoratingskillsjustdescribedtouse.

ABoy’sBirthdayCake

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,andyourchoiceoffilling6cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip1½cupsbluebuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#126rosetip½cupgreenbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#67interchangeable leaf

tip½cupbluebuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Decorator’scomb(optional)

1.Preparethecake:Prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoice,andicingitwithwhitebuttercream.Ifyouhaveadecorator’scomb,useittocreatearidgedeffectalongthesideofthecake(see“Decorator’sComb,”).

2.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Pipealargeshellborderaroundthebottomofthecakebyrotatingtheturntableandpulsingthewhitedecorator’sbuttercreambag.

3.Pipeaborder around the top:Use the samebag topipea single reverse shellborder(akaFigure8Loop)ontopofthecake.

4.Pipebuds:Takethebluebuttercreambaginhandandpipebudsbetweeneveryother loop of the top border, squeezing as you rotate your wrist. Pipe budsalongtheshellborderatthebottomofthecake,aligningthembetweeneveryotherbudatthetopofthecake.

5.Makebuttercreamroses:Make3bluebuttercreamrosesandapplythemtothebackofthecake(see“FaceFront,”),anglingthemtowardthefrontbypipingadabofbluebuttercreamunderneath.

6.Addleavestotheflowers:Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandandsqueeze-and-pull leaves onto the cake, beginning under the edge of the flowers andpullingoutward.Pipesmallerleavesbetweentheflowers.

7. Write Happy Birthday: Use the parchment pencil to write Happy Birthday,holdingthepencilatanangleandwritingwithcontinuouspressure.(Formore,see “Towritewithaparchmentpencil,”.)8.For anoptional finishing touch:Usetheparchmentpenciltofurtherdecoratethecakewithlittlebluedots.

Decorator’sComb

Adecorator’scomb,alsosometimescalleda“triangle,”canbeusedtoadd

ridgestothesideofacake.Holdthecombflushagainstthecake,withthebottomedgeagainsttheturntable,androtatetheturntable.

MakeYourOwnParchmentPencil

Ifyoudon’thaveapastrybagonhand,orifallofyourbagsarefilledwithcolorsyouaren’tusing,youcanfashionaquickparchmentpencil forsmall jobssuchaswritingoncakes,drizzlingmoltenchocolate,orfashioningsmallleaves.

Tomakeaparchmentpencil:

1.Make a parchment triangle: Cut a 12-inch square piece of parchment paperdiagonallyinhalf,eitherwithscissorsorbylayingitonacuttingboardorworksurfaceandslicingthroughitwiththetipofaverysharpknife, tocreate twotriangles.Youwilluseonlyone triangle; save theother for thenext timeyouneedaparchmentpencil.

2.Makeaparchmentcone:Withonehand,holdthetriangleinfrontofyouwiththe point facing down.Use your other hand towrap the paper around itselfintoacone,comingaroundtwicetouseupallthepaper.

3.Tightenthecone:Pinchthewide,openendoftheconewithyourthumbandforefinger and rub your fingers together repeatedly to tighten the cone. Itshouldstillbewideattheopenendandtightenedintoafirm,conicalshape.

4.Fillthecone:Useatablespoonorsmallrubberspatulatofilltheconeabouttwothirdswithbuttercreamicingormeltedchocolate.Holdtheconesecurelysoitdoesn’tunravelandthetipdoesn’tbecomewiderthanyouwantit.

5.Close the open end:Roll the open end closed over the buttercream,pressingdowntopackthecreamintightlyallthewaytothetip.

6.Cut the tip:Use scissors to snipoff the tip of the cone and approximate theeffectofapastrytip.Foraplaintip,cutasfarupasyouneedtoforthewidthyoudesire. For a leaf tip, flatten out the tip bypressing on it and cut a “V”shape.

Note:Theparchmentpencilcanbekeptatroomtemperatureforupto2days.

Towritewithaparchmentpencil:

Hold the pencil at a 45-degree angle, slightly above the cake, and applyingcontinuous pressure, let icing drop onto the cake as you write. If you cannotmaintaincontinuouspressure for the lengthof time it takes towriteaword, stopafteraletter,flexyourhand,thencontinue.

Tomakeleaveswithaparchmentpencil:

Cuta“V”atthenarrowendofthecone.Topipeleaves,employthesqueeze-and-pulltechnique,makingtheleaveswideratthebackandtaperingtowardthefront.Tip:Put themiddle fingerofyournondominanthandabout1 inchup fromthepointofthepencilforsupportandguidance.

FaceFront

There’salwaysafrontandabacktoacake.Unlessyouaretryingtodivert

attentionfromanimperfection,itdoesn’tmatterwhichsideisthefront,butit’simportanttoestablishitsothateverythingflowsinthesamedirection.Forexample,whenyouputflowersdown,youwanttotiltthemtowardthefront.

AGirl’sBirthdayCake

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling6cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip1½cupspinkbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#126rosetip½cuppinkbuttercreaminaparchmentpencil1cupwhitebuttercreaminapastrybag fittedwith the#6plain interchangeable

tip½cupgreenbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#67interchangeable leaf

tip

1.Preparethecake:Prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,filling it with the filling of your choice, and icing it with white decorator’sbuttercream,usingthebagfittedwiththestartip.

2.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Pipealargeshellborderaroundthebottomofthecakebyrotatingtheturntableandapplyingpulsepressuretothesamewhitebuttercreambag.

3.Pipeaborderaroundthetop:Stillusingthesamewhitebuttercreambag,pipeadoubleloopborderjustinsidetheedgeontopofthecake.

4.Addswagstothesideofthecake:Switchtothepinkbuttercreambagandmakeswags from the top of the cake about halfway down the side, applyingcontinuouspressureandawavymotion,turningyourhandupanddownatthewrist,butkeepingyourarmstill.

5.Pipeaborderontopofthecake:Usetheparchmentpenciltopipeaborderjustinside the edge of the cake. Angle the pencil toward the cake and squeeze,rotatingtheturntableandmovingyourhandtocreatethedesignoftheframe.

6.Pipecircleswhere swagsmeet the topof thecake:Use thewhitebuttercreambagwith the #6 plain interchangeable tip to pipe overlapping circles (two orthreeontopofeachother)wheretheswagsmeetthetopedgeofthecake.

7.Makebuttercreamroses:Usethepinkbuttercreambagtomakethreeflowersona rosenail.Makeeach flower slightly smaller than thepreviousone.Contourthe flowers along the inner edge of the cake and angle each one upward bypipingadabofbuttercreamundereachonebeforesettingitdown.

8.Addleavestotheflowers:Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandandsqueezeleaves onto the cake, beginning under the edge of the flowers and pullingoutward.Pipesmallerleavesbetweentheflowers.

9.Write“HappyBirthday”:UsetheparchmentpenciltowriteHappyBirthdaytotheleftoftheflowers,lettingthepinkborderframethewords.

CreateYourOwnCakes

Thetwobirthdaycakesshouldgiveyouasolid,basicfoundationinthetechniquescalledfortofill,ice,anddecorate.Usingtherecipesattheendofthischapterasaguide,youshouldfeelfreetoexperimentwithdifferentcombinationsanddesigns.To get you started, here’s a chart of possible combinations that you can use toproducesomeofthecakeswe’vemadeatCarlo’sovertheyears.

MYFAVORITECAKECOMBINATIONS

Herearemyfavoritecombinationsofcakes,fillings,andfrostings,withtipsonhowtomakethem.

Fondant

Fondant is a sugar dough that can be purchased in different colors. Because youusuallyseeitonlyonprofessionallydecoratedcakes,mostpeopleassumethatit isdifficulttoworkwith,butthetruthisthatformanyhomebakersanddecorators,Idare say it will be easier tomanipulate than frosting and buttercream. I stronglyrecommendSatinIcebrandfondantbecauseitscolorsareespeciallyvibrantanditstextureisalwaysconsistent.

There’salottorecommendfondant:Youdon’thavetomixityourself,itcanbeheldatroomtemperature,andyoucansimplycutshapesfromittomakedesigns—aninfinitelyeasierprocessthandevelopingthatelusiveHandoftheBag.

If you have kids, fondant is also a great way to involve them in decoratingbecause theycancut shapes, evenusingcookiecutters,whichgive themagreaterchanceforsuccess.

FONDANTTOOLSThere’s almost no end to the tools you can use to make fondant cakes, and anumberofthecakesthatfollowcallforspecificcuttersandimplements.Butagoodbasicsetoftoolsforworkingwithfondantincludesthefollowing.

•Waterpen:Thisprofessionaltoolallowsyoutoapplydabsofwaterthatactasglue with fondant. (If you don’t have one, in most cases—except whenworkingwithverysmallpieces—youcanuseapastrybrushtoapplywater.)•Pizza cutter and/or sharp, thin-bladed knife, such as an X-Acto or paringknife:Fortrimmingfondantandcuttingshapes

•Stripcutterset:Essentialforcuttingstripsofvarioussizesfromfondant• Smoother: This iron-shaped device is used to smooth the top of fondant-

drapedcakes.•Ruler:Forprecision•Paintbrush:Forapplyingpetaldust•Steamer:Tofinishanyfondantdesign,youcansteamthefondantinorderto

evaporatethecornstarch(orpowderedsugar)andgiveitasmooth,shinylook.Youcandothiswithafabricsteamer,orevenaninexpensivetraveliron.Passthe steamer 1 or 2 inches over the cake, gently waving it to distribute thesteam,until the fondant glistens slightlywithmoisture.Let the fondant air-dry;thisshouldtakeonlyafewseconds.Becarefulnottoletthesteamerspit

orspraywaterontothecake.

STORINGFONDANTKeepfondantintheairtightcontaineritcomesin,atroomtemperature,untilyouuse it. After removing the portion you plan to work with, store the remainingfondant,ifany,inanairtightplasticbaginthetubatroomtemperature.

WORKINGWITHFONDANTWorkingwith fondant is easier than itmight seem.Onceyougetover the initial“newness” of the medium, you might even find it easier than working withbuttercream.Herearethebasicsofgettingstartedwithfondant.

•Washyourworksurface.Fondantisamagnetforanythingandeverything—crumbs,debris,oranythingelseonyourworksurfacewillbecomeembeddedinthefondant.Evenifyoumanagetogettheseparticlesout,theywill leavelittle divots in the surface that cannot be patched over cleanly. So beforebeginning,brushyour surface,wipe itdownwith adampcloth, thendry itthoroughly.

•Beforeworkingwithfondant,kneadit for1minuteto loosenitandactivatethegums.

COATINGACAKEWITHFONDANT

Thisisthestepthatallfondantcakeshaveincommon,andit’sactuallyaseriesofsmallsteps.

DIRTY-ICETHECAKEThefirststepthatmustbetakenisto“dirty-ice”thecake,readyingittoreceivethefondant. “Dirty-icing” is Carlo’s Bake Shop–speak for what most bakers call a“crumbcoat.”ItreferstoathinlayerofDecorator’sButtercreamthat’slaiddownasafrostingtohelpfondant“stick”tothecake.(Itmightbehelpfultothinkofitasaprimercoatofpaint.)Thepropername,“crumbcoat,” refers to the fact thatyoucan see crumbs through the icing. It’s not important that your dirty-icing beperfect,justthatitbethinandcovertheentirecake.

To dirty-ice a cake, first ice it as you usually would; see “Icing (Frosting)Cakes,”. Then use a piece of poster board to finish the job (see “Icing withCardboard,”),gettingasclosetothecakeaspossible.

After dirty-icing a cake, refrigerate it until the buttercream stiffens, 30 to 60minutes.

SavingBags

Manyofthethemecakesinthisbookcallforwhite(uncolored)decorator’sbuttercreamtobeusedbothdirty-icingthecakeandforpipingsomedesignelements,usuallywithaninterchangeabletip.Toavoidusingtwodifferentbags—one fitted with the #6 star tip for dirty-icing, the other with aninterchangeable tip—pipe thebuttercreamfordirty-icingwithabag fittedwiththecoupler,butnotip,thenattachtheinterchangeabletipcalledforinthe decorating instructions. This alternative is noted in directions for thecakestowhichitapplies.

IcingwithCardboard

Ifyoudon’thaveacakeicingspatulaonhand,youcandoaverycleanjobusingapiece of poster board. In fact, when you dirty-ice a cake prior to working withfondant,finishingthejobwithapieceofposterboardisessential.

Todothis,cuta4by3-inchpieceofposterboardwithverysharpscissors.Asyourotatetheturntable,holdtheedgeofthecardboardflushagainsttheedgeofthecake.Thenturnyourattentiontothetopofthecake,combinginwithbrushstrokesfrom the edge of the cake, only halfway across at first, then all the way across.Professionaldecoratorsactuallypreferthistechniquebecauseitputsyourhandsincloser contactwith the cake itself, giving yougreater control thanwith a spatula,althoughlessseasoneddecoratorswillprobablyhavegreatersuccessicingtheircakesintwosteps—firstusingacakeicingspatula,thenfinishingwiththeposterboard.

ROLLOUTTHEFONDANTThis isoneofthemost importantsteps inworkingwithfondant.Asproudasweareofourrollingskills,atCarlo’sweuseasheetertorolloutourfondant.Athome,youcangetagoodresultworkingbyhand,butittakessomepracticeandfocus.

1. Dust your work surface with cornstarch or powdered (10X) sugar. Somepeopleuse flour,which is a finealternative,but cornstarch is smootherandlighter,andeasiertobrushorsteamoffwhenyou’refinished.

2.Removethefondantrequiredfromitsstoragebag/tub.Tocoatatwo-layer,9-inchcake—whichiswhatmostofthecakesinthischapterare—beginwitha3-pound piece. This will be more than you need, but the excess can bereturnedtothestoragebag.

3. Knead the fondant for about 1 minute to activate the gums and make itpliable. If you’reworking in coldweather,wash yourhands inwarmwaterbefore beginning; warm handsmake this job go faster. Just be sure to drythemthoroughlybeforestartingtoknead.

4.Dust yourwork surfacewithmore cornstarch; do this as often as necessarywhenyouworktokeepthefondantfrompullingorsticking.

5.Flattenouttheballoffondantwiththepalmofyourhand.Beginrollingit,preferablywithapolyurethanerollingpin(secondchoicewouldbeasturdy,ball-bearing rolling pin), really putting your forearms and weight into therollingmotion.The trickhere is to lift the fondantupoff thework surfacefrequently to keep it from sticking; cornstarch helps here, but you need tostrike adelicatebalance: toomuchcornstarchwill cause the fondant todryoutbydrawingout itsmoisture.Theheat fromyourhandshelpswiththis.Get intothehabitofrubbingthefondantconstantlytokeepit fromdrying

out.6.Onceyouhaverolledthefondantouttoalengthof18inches,turnthepiece

horizontallyandfluffit,movingitaroundtopickupexcesscornstarchfromthe work surface on the bottom. Then roll the other way. As the fondantbeginstotakeonacircularshape,varytheangleofyourrolling,firstinonedirection, then the other. Continue in this fashion until you have rolled anear-perfectcircle,20to22inchesindiameterand⅛inchthick,orthinnerifyou’reable.Themoreyouturnthe fondant, thethinnerandmoreuniformtheresultwillbe.

7.Checkthefondantforairpockets(bubbles),pokingwithaneedletool,oratoothpick. After doing this, smooth out the fondant by hand or with asmoother.

APPLYTHEFONDANTTOTHECAKE

1.Settherollingpinatthefaredgeofthefondantcircleandrollitbacktowardyou,spoolingthefondantupontothepinandgentlyknockingoffanyexcesscornstarch.

2.Bringthepinoverthecake,unspoolingthefondantandloweringitovertheotherside,lettingitdrapeoverthesidesandontoyourworksurfaceSmooththe top with a smoother, then pull and press down gently on the sides tomakethefondanttautallaround.

3.Caressthefondantwithyourhandstosmoothitagainstthecake,stretchingandpulling it tautlyover the topanddownthe sides, turning thecakeandusingyourfingerstobesureit’ssmoothallover.

4.Useapizza cutteror sharp, thin-bladedknife suchas aparingknife, to cutaroundthebaseandremoveanyexcess fondant.Lift theexcess ringupandoverthecake.Balluptheexcessfondantandreturnittoitsstoragebag;itcanbereused.

5.Putthecakeonaturntable.Useasmoothertosmoothoutthefondantonthetopandsides.Inspectthecake;ifyoufindanydryspots(theywillappeararidandveined),rubalittlevegetableshorteningoverthem,thensmoothwiththesmoother.

Youarenowreadytodecorateyourcake!

Note:Mostofthecakesinthisbookmasktheedgewherethefondantendswithapiped-onshellborder.Ifdesigningyourowncakes,youcanselectyourownbordertype,orcutastripoffondantinanothercolorandmakeaband.Pipeathinlineof

buttercreamaroundthebottomofthecakeandwrapthebandaroundit;thecreamwillcausethefondanttoadheretothecake.

MAKINGFONDANTCAKES

Readytomakeafewfondantcakes?Beforewebegin,afewnotes:

•The choiceof cake and fillings for the following cakes is entirelyup toyou.Mostarebestmadewithvanillaorchocolatecake,butyoucantrythemwithothertypesofcake,suchasredvelvetorcarrotcake.

•ThecolorsoffondantcalledforinthesecakesareallavailablefromSatinIce,andthenamesIusetracktheirproductnames.(Inafewcasesyouwillhavetokneadtwopremadecolorstogethertocreateacolorcalledforinaparticularcake.)Theyareavailable in1½-and5-poundboxes.Youshoulddecidehowmuchofeachcolortobuy;thisdependsonwhatcakesyouplanorarelikelytomake.Oneargumentforbuying5-poundboxesisthatproperlystored,thefondantwilllastfor1year.If you buy another brand of fondant, use the pictures that accompany the

cakestodeterminetheclosestapproximationtothedesiredcolor.NotethatSatinIcemakestwowhitefondants,vanillaandbuttercream.When

Icallforwhitefondantintheserecipes,Imeanthevanillavariety.•There is a list of ingredients, tools, and equipment included for each recipe.

Buttherearecertainitemsyouwillneedforallrecipes,sotheyarenotlisted.Theseare:•cornstarchorpowdered(10X)sugarfordustingyourworksurfacewheneveryouarerollingoutfondant,orasotherwiseindicated•aturntable•acakeicingspatula•apolyurethaneorball-bearingrollingpin•asmoother•adoily-linedcardboardcircle

TwoBasicFondantCakes

Aswiththeprogressionofstepsthatleadsfromcupcakestofull-sizecakes,Isuggestmaking a simple fondant cake first, then moving on to more intricate, complexdesigns.TheDot andBow andGroovyGirl cakes are onesweuse to teachnewdecoratorsthewaysoffondantatCarlo’s,sothey’reagoodplaceforyoutostartas

well.Asyoucansee,bothofthesecakesareverymakeable,evenbyfirsttimers.

DotandBowCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,frostedandfilledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundspinkfondant14ouncesdark-chocolatefondantAbout1cupChocolateFudgeFrostingorbrownbuttercreaminapastrybagfitted

withthe#6plaininterchangeabletip

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

StripcutterWaterpenorpastrybrush½-inch,1-inch,and1½-inchpunchesSteamer

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithpinkfondant,smoothit inplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Makethebow:

•Rollthedark-chocolatefondantouttoa⅛-inch-thickrectangleabout6by10inches.

•Setthecutterto1½inchesandcut:

•One10-inchstrip•One2½-inchstrip•Two5-inchstrips

•Turnthe10-inchstripoverandusethewaterpentoapplyathinlayerofwatertothecenterinch.

• Lift the outer ends of the strip and bring them to the center, setting themdown end to end and forming loops. Press down gently tomake sure theyadheretothedampcenterportionofthestrip.

• Turn over the 2½-inch strip and use the water pen to dampen the entire

upward-facing surface.Set itbetween the loops,perpendicular to the looped10-inchstrip.

•Putyourthumbandindexfingersintheloopsandfliptheribbonover.Foldthe2½-inchcenterstripoveranddabwithwatertosealitneatlyaroundthecenterofthebow.

•Flipthetwo5-inchstripsoverandcut1-inchtrianglesatoneendofeachstriptomakethemlookliketheendsofribbons.

4.Affixthebowtothecake:

•Positionthe5-inchstripslikeribbonsafewinchesfromoneedgeofthecake,leaving room for the bow, and positioning the triangle-ends farthest fromwhere the bow will rest. Use the water pen to cause the ribbons to ripple,fixingthemtothecakeintwoorthreeplacesforsupport.

•Positionthebowtowardthetopofthecake,alongsidetheribbons,fixingitinplacewithadabofwater.

5.Makepolkadots:Use thepunches tomakepolkadotsofvarying sizes in theremaining rolled-out dark/chocolate fondant, then use the water pen to affixthemtothetopandsidesofthecake.

6. Steam the cake (optional): Steam the cake, paying particular attention to thebowanddots,tomaketheelementslookcleanandshiny.

7.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Usethechocolatefudgefrostingbag,rotatetheturntable,andpulsethebagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

GroovyGirlCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundspurplefondant7ouncespinkfondant7ouncespastelgreenfondant7ouncesyellowfondant2ouncesdark-chocolatefondant1cupyellowbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6interchangeabletip

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

SteamerDaisycutters,assortedsizesWaterpenorpastrybrush

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.

2.Coverthecake:Drapethecakewithpurplefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Steamthecake:Usethesteamertosteamthefondantandmakeitshiny.4.Makedaisies:

• Roll out the pink, pastel green, yellow, and dark-chocolate fondant⅛ inchthick.

•Usethedaisycutterstocutdaisiesofvarioussizesoutofeachcolorfondant.•Overlapthedaisies,includingdifferentcolordaisiesineachstackandusinga

waterpentogluethemtoeachother,thenontothecake.Makesuretohaveoneortwooverlappingdaisiesflopfromthetoptothesideofthecake.

5. Pipe a border around the base: Using the yellow buttercream, rotate theturntable and pulse the bag to pipe a shell border around the bottomof thecake.

THEMECAKES

Nowthatyou’vehadachance togetcomfortablewith fondant, tryyourhandatsomeofthethemecakesliketheoneswemakeonCakeBoss.

Manyofthefollowingcakesappearedontheshowinlargerform.Tosetyouupforsuccessathome,I’vescaledthemalldown—mostarepresentedhereas9-inchcakesorasrelativelysmallrectanglesorhearts.

Mostofthecakesaremeantforaparticularseasonorholiday,soI’vearrangedthemmoreorlessinchronologicalorderastheeventsoccurintheyear.

Grown-UpBirthdayCosmoCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

I developed this as a birthday cake for grown-ups, specificallywomen in the late1990s,attheheightofthepopularityoftheshowSexandtheCity.AlotofyoungwomeninandaroundHobokenrelatedtoCarrieandherpals,andmoreandmoreof them came in looking for a special event cake for birthdays and bachelor-etteparties.SoIdevisedthiscakefeaturingtheiconiccocktail,theCosmopolitan.

AtCarlo’s,weuseamoldtomakethemartiniglass;butyoucansimplymakeoneinthe“freestyle”mannerdescribedhere.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #7

interchangeableplaintip3poundswhiteorivoryfondantPearllusterdustPinkpetaldust4ouncesgreenfondant1ouncelime-greenfondant(seeNote)4ouncesblackfondant4ouncespinkfondant½cupredbuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

ParchmentpaperPaintbrush½-inch,¾-inch,1-inch,1¼-inch,1½-inch,1¾-inch,and2-inchpunchesWaterpenorpastrybrushX-Actoknifeorsharp,thin-bladedknife,suchasaparingknifeSteamer

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice. Dirty-ice the cakewithoutthetip.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithwhitefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.Donotreturntheunusedfondanttothe

tub;youwillneedittomakethecocktail.3.MaketheCosmopolitan:

•Startwitha3-ouncepieceofwhitefondant.Breakofftwothirdsofitandrollitintoaball.Flattenitslightlyandshapeitintoatrianglewedge.

•Takeanothersmallpieceofthewhitefondantandroll it intoacoil2incheslongand¼inchindiameter;thiswillbethestem.Usetheremainingfondanttomakea“home-plate”–shapedpiecethatwillbecomethebaseoftheglass.

•Workingonasheetofparchmentpaper,arrangethepiecesintoaglass.4.Color theCosmopolitan:Useapaintbrushtobrushpearl lusterdustover the

surface of the glass and give it a sugary shine. Brush pink petal dust on thevesselportionoftheglass,leavinga½-inch“lip”atthetop.

5.Affixtheglasstothecake:Pipeadabortwoofbuttercreamtothecakewherethetopoftheglasswillgo,andgentlypressthevesselontoit,gluingitinplace.Repeatwiththestemandthenthebasetoformtheglassonthetopofthecake.

6.Makethelime:Rolloutasmallpieceofgreenfondantto⅛inchthick.Punchouta1¾-inchring,thenpunchoutthecenterwitha1½-inchringtocreatethepeel.Roll out a small piece of lime-green fondant and punch out a 1½-inchcircle.Applywatertotheedgeofthelime-greencirclewithawaterpenandputthelime-greencircleintothegreenring.

7.Affixthelimetotheglass:UsetheX-Actoknifetomakeanincisionthatrunshalfwayupthelime.Pipeadabofbuttercreamontotherimoftheglass,andtwistthelimeontotherim,gluingitinplacewiththebuttercream.

8.Makepolkadots:Rollouttheblack,green,andpinkfondantto⅛-inchsheets(the shapedoesn’tmatter).Dust themwithcornstarch.Punchoutpolkadotsandrings.

•Makepolkadotsbyusingpunchesrangingfrom½-inchto2-inchcircles.• Make rings by punching out circles, then punching out a circle within the

circleusingasmallerpunch;forexample,bypunchinga1¾-inchcircle,thenpunchingout the centerwith a1½-inch ringor1¼-inch ring (the edges ofdifferentcirclescanvary).Savethepunched-outcenterpieceforuseasapolkadot.

9.Steamthecake:Steamthecakeallover,includingtheglassandlimetosettheircolorandmakethemshiny.Whileitisstillmisty,arrangethecirclesandpolkadots decoratively on the top and sides of the cake, being sure to drape someovertheedge,gentlypressingthemontothefondant.Steamthecakeagaintofix the circles anddots onto the cake.Be sure to leave room towriteHappyBirthday.

10.WriteHappyBirthday:UsetheparchmentpenciltowriteHappyBirthdayonthecake.

11. Pipe a border around the base: Affix the #7 plain interchangeable tip to thewhitebuttercreambag.Rotate theturntableandpulse thebagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

Note: Make the lime-green fondant by kneading together ½ ounce each ofgreenandyellowfondant.

HappyBirthday,Baby.

ACakeforGuys

Foraguy’scake,changetheCosmopolitantoaMartini,usinggreenpetal

dust insteadofpink,replacingthelimewithanolivefashionedfromdarkgreenfondant,andmakingthepolkadotsandringsoutofmasculinecolorssuch as blue, green, and black. If you like, make a cigar out of dark-chocolatefondantandglueittothecakejustbeneaththeMartini.

Valentine’sDayCake

MAKESONEHEART-SHAPEDCAKE

Valentine’sDayisoneofthemostsacreddaysforacakedecoratorbecauseofhowpressure-filled it is for our customers. I consider it an honor when somebodydecides to make our creations a token of affection for his or her loved one anddecides togowithacake insteadof (or inadditionto) long-stemmedrosesandabox of chocolates. As a result, our Valentine’s Day cakes are almost like miniwedding cakes, featuring someof the samedesign touches,namely filigreepipingandbuttercreamroses.Ifyouhaveanyambitiontomakeweddingcakes,orifyoujustwanttoreallyshowyourloveforsomebody,makethiscake.

Note that heart cakes can bemade with the recipes for vanilla and chocolatecakes.

EDIBLES

Oneheart-shapedcake,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4½ cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #67

interchangeableleaftip3poundswhitefondant1½cupsblackbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#3plaininterchangeable

tip1cupredbuttercreaminapastrybagfitwiththe#126rosetip½cupblackbuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Parchmentpaper

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layerheartcakeonadoily-lined cardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice.Dirty-ice thecakewithoutthetip.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithwhitefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3. Pipe filigree patterns around the cake: Rotating the turntable, use the blackbuttercreambagto“draw”onthesideofthecakeinawavepatternallthewayaround. Embellish the pattern with “9” and “6” figures, then with series ofshrinkingdots,aprogressionfromlargertosmallerdots.

4.Pipea shellborderaroundthebase:Rotate the turntableand,usingthesameblackbuttercreambagandtip,pulsethebagtopipeablackshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

5.Maketheroses:Usetheredbuttercreambagtomakethreebuttercreamrosesand arrange them along the right contour of the heart. Affix the #67interchangeable leaf tip to thewhite buttercreambag and pipe leaves aroundandbetweentheroses.Decoratewithblackdotsusingthesamebagandtipyouusedtodecoratethesideofthecake.

6.Write “BeMine”:Use theparchmentpencil towriteBeMine inblack icingalongtheleftcontouroftheheart.Embellishitbydrawinglittleheartswiththepencil.

LoveConquersAll!

EasterBasket

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Kids love thisEaster-themed cake that captures the colors, energy, and funof anEasteregghunt.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundspastelgreenfondant3ouncesbabybluefondant3ounceslavenderfondant3ouncesbabypinkfondant3ounceswhitefondant3ouncespastelyellowfondant2cupsgreenbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#133grasstip½cuppastelcolor(yourchoice)buttercreaminaparchmentpencil,optional20to25jellybeans,assortedcolors

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Stripcutter,withruffled-edgeattachmentifpossible¼-inchpunchOvalcutter(2¼incheslong)

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithpastelgreenfondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.MakeEastereggs:Rollrectanglesofbabyblue,lavender,babypink,andwhitefondant,¼inchthickandroughly3by7inches.Rolloutsmallpiecesofthesamecolorsoffondantintosquares,addingpastelyellow,andcut¼-inchstripswith a strip cutter, making some with ruffled edges if you have the properattachment,and¼-inchcircleswithapunch.Rolloverthepieceswitharollingpin.Laythedotsandstripesoverthe3by7-inchrectanglesandrolloverthemwithapintomakepatternedfondant.Useanovalcuttertocuteggsfromthesquares.Youshouldhave12to14eggs.

4.Decoratethesideofthecake:Affixtheeggsalongthesideofthecakeatvariousheightsandangles,pipingdabsofbuttercreamtoholdtheminplace.

5.Createthegrassyborders:Takethegreenbuttercreambaginhandandsqueeze-and-pull “grass” around the border, varying the height to come up to thebottomofeachegg.

6.Finishthetopofthecake:Usedabsofwhitebuttercreamtofixtheremainingeggs to the top of the cake, confining yourself to one side. Squeeze-and-pullgrassaroundtheeggsonthatsideofthecake.(Ifyoulike,usetheparchmentpencil to write Happy Easter on the other half.) 7. Decorate the cake with“Easter eggs”: Arrange the jelly beans in the grass and around the border tofurther representEastereggs. (Ifyoudon’thaveany jellybeansonhand,youcanmakethemoutoffondant.)HappyEaster!

Mother’sDayCake

MAKESONE8-INCHSQUARECAKE(3LAYERS)

ThiscakestarteditsowntrendatCarlo’sBakeShop—the“presents”trend.IwantedtodosomethingdifferentforMother’sDayoneyear,andithitmethat

itwouldbe fun to reverse expectations andcomeupwith a cake thatwas squareinsteadofround.WhenIthinkofMother’sDay,Ithinkofgivingyourmotherapresent,somynextthoughtwastomakeacakethatlookedlikeagift.

The result exceeded my wildest dreams, both the execution—this cake reallydoes look like apresent—and its popularity.People couldn’t get enoughof thesecakes,anditwasn’tlongbeforewebeganmakingthemfordifferentoccasions,eachwithitsowncolorscheme.NexttoMother’sDay,Christmasbecameaverypopulartimeforthiscake.

EDIBLES

Three8-inch-square,2-inchhighcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling6 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #8 plain

interchangeabletip4poundspinkfondant3poundswhitefondant

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

14-inchsquarewoodenplatform,about¼inchthick3-inchpegora3-inch-highcanPastrybrushKitchenscissorsX-Actoknife,orsharp,thin-bladedknifesuchasaparingknifeSteamerStripcutterWaterpenGluegun58inches¼-inch-wideribbon

1.Preparethecake:Setthewoodensquareonyourturntable.Topwithan8-inchcardboard squareandpreparea triple-layer8-inch-squarecake (three layersofcake,twooffrosting,fora4½-inch-highcake)onthesquare,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingitwithoutthetip.

2.Coverthecake:Drapethecakewithpinkfondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.Donotreturntheunusedfondanttothetub;youwillneedittomakethe“boxtop.”

3.Scorethecake:Usea3-inchpegasaguidetoscorethesideofthecake,rollingitaroundtheperimeterofthecaketomarkwheretheboxtopwillgo.(Ifyoudonothave apeg,use another3-inch-highobject suchas a canof food.)Besuretousetheplatformforsupporttoensureanevenscoring.

4.Createtheboxtop:Applyasecondlayeroffondanttothetopofthecake:Rolloutapieceofpinkfondantto¼inchthickandcutouta12-inchsquare.Useapastrybrushtobrushwaterabovethescorelineandoverthetopofthecake.(Abrushisbetterthanawaterpenherebecauseofthelargesurfaceareainvolved.)Lay the fondant squareevenlyover the topandbring itdownthe sideof thecake, conforming it to the cake.Trimasmuchof the excess as you canwithscissors,andpressthefondantdownonthecake.Itwillhangabitlowerthanthe score line.Use thepeg toagain scoreover the score line, thenuse theX-Acto knife to follow the score line, turning the turntable to cut away anyremainingexcessfondant.Beverycarefulnottocutthroughthebottomlayeroffondant.

5.Steamthecake:Steamthecakealloverwiththesteamertogivetheboxtopandboxanice,shiny,uniformlook.

6.Fashionaframearoundthecake:Attachthe#8plaintipandpipesomewhite

buttercreamonto thewood around the cake. Spread it outwith a cake icingspatula.Cutfourstripsof fondant,each14by4 inches,and laythemontheplatform around the cake. (After laying down the first piece, trim eachsuccessive piece prior to laying it down to keep from overlapping them; youwantthemtobeflushwitheachother.)Steamtheseamswherethepiecesmeetandgentlypresstogetherwithyourfingerstosmoothouttheseam.

7.Makeandapplystreamers:Rolloutabouthalfthewhitefondanttoatleast18inches long and 6 incheswide.Use the strip cutter to cut four 18-inch-longstrips, each 1½ inches wide, and cross them over the top of the cake. Pressdowntoadherethestreamerstothecake.

8.Makethebow:• Roll all remaining white fondant out to a ¼-inch-thick rectangle about 6

inchesby9inches.•Withthestripcutterstillsetto1½inches,cut:

•One9-inchstrip•One3-inchstrip•Two6-inchstrips

•Turnthe9-inchstripoverandusethewaterpentoapplyathinlayerofwatertothecenterinch.

• Lift the outer ends of the strip and bring them to the center, setting themdown end to end and forming loops. Press down gently tomake sure theyadheretothedampcenterportionofthestrip.

•Turnoverthe3-inchstripandusethewaterpentodampentheentireupward-facing surface. Set it between the loops, perpendicular to the looped 9-inchstrip.

•Putyourthumbandindexfingersintheloopsandfliptheribbonover.Foldthe3-inch center strip over anddabwithwater to seal it neatly around the

centerofthebow.•Flipthetwo6-inchstripsoverandcut1-inchtrianglesatoneendofeachstrip

tomakethemlookliketheendsofribbons.9.Affixthebowtothecake:

•Positionthe6-inchstrips likeribbonsextendingfromthecenterof thecake,where the streamers cross, and positioning the triangle-ends farthest fromwhere the bow will rest. Use the water pen to cause the ribbons to ripple,fixingthemtothecakeintwoorthreeplacesforsupport.

•Position thebow in the centerof the cake,where the ribbons and streamersmeet,fixingitinplacewithadabofwater.

10. Pipe a border around the base:Using the decorator’s buttercream, rotate theturntableandsqueeze-and-pulladotborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

11.Applytheribbon:Useaglueguntoapplyribbontotheedgeoftheplatform.Donotcutuntilyouhaveappliedtheribbonallthewayaroundit.

HappyMother’sDay!

GraduationCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Whetherit’sgraduationfromhighschoolorcollege,thiscakeistheperfectwaytohonorsomebodywho’sworkedhardandcrossedtheacademicfinishline.

Note that tomake the tassel youwill need a clay gun, an extruding toolwithinterchangeablediscsthatallowyoutocreateallkindsofshapesbysimplyapplyingpressuretothetool.

EDIBLES

Three9-inchcakesfilledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundsblackfondant1cupblackbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6interchangeabletip4ouncesgoldfondant(seeNote)

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Serratedknife8-inchcardboardsquarePizzacutterClaygunfittedwitha6-holediscWaterpen

1. Prepare the cake:On a turntable, prepare a triple-layer cake on a doily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoice,butdonotdirty-iceityet.

2.Trimthecake:Useaserratedknifetotrimthecakeintoadome,creatingabaseonwhichthecapwillsit.

3.Coverthecakewithfondant:First,dirty-icethecake.Thendrapethecakewithblackfondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.Don’treturntheexcessfondanttoitsstoragecontainer;youwillneedmuchof ittoencasethemortarboard.

4.Preparethemortarboard:Gatheruptheexcessblackfondant,kneadittogether,and roll it out to ⅛ inch thick. Pipe white buttercream on one side of thecardboardsquare.Laythefondantovertheboardanduseapizzacuttertotrimaroundit.Pipewhitebuttercreamovertheothersideandalongtheedges,rerollthefondant,andcovertheotherside,thistimecomingdownalongthesidesofthesquare.Usethepizzacuttertocutofftheexcess.

5.Affixthemortarboardtothecake:Tofixthecaptothecake,pipesomewhitebuttercreamontothetopofthecakeandleanthemortarboardonit.

6.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Usingtheblackbuttercream,rotatetheturntableandpulsethebagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

7.Makethetassel:Breakoffasmallpieceofthegoldfondantandsetitaside.Putthe remaininggold fondant in theclaygunandturn thehandle tocreate thetassel,processing2setsofstrands.Useawaterpentogluethemtothecap.Rollthe small piece of fondant that was set aside into a ball and flatten into abutton.Affixthegoldbuttontothecapatoneendofthetasselswithadabofwaterorwhiteicing.

Note: Make the gold fondant by kneading together 3 ounces yellow and 1ouncedark/chocolatefondant.

GoodLuck,Graduate!

Father’sDayCake

MAKESONE6½BY9-INCHCAKE

Ihavetobehonest:IwasalittletickedoffwhenIcameupwiththiscake.Everyyear,Carlo’sBakeShopistwiceasbusyforMother’sDayasFather’sDay.Now,IloveMother’sDayasmuchasthenextguy,butasadad,andasaguywholoveshisdad, this inequality really gotundermy skin andmademewant to create a coolcakeforFather’sDay.

IdecidedtoplaywiththequintessentialFather’sDaygift,atie.Theguysatthebakerylovemakingthiscake—ourprofessionisoftenthoughtof

asagirlypursuitbecausesomanyofthedesignswepumpoutaredefinedbyfrillyaccents, flowers, and so on. In addition to being fun to make and serve, thismasculinecakecombatsthatimage.

EDIBLES

13by9by2-inchcake,cutinhalftomaketwo6½by9-inchlayers, filledwithyourchoiceoffilling

4 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #6interchangeableplaintip

3poundsbabybluefondant2½ouncesyellowfondant2½ouncesdarkgreenfondant3ounceswhitefondant

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

X-Actoknifeorothersharp,thin-bladedknife,suchasaparingknifeStripcutterWaterpenorpastrybrushSteamerPizzacutterStitchingtool

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layerrectangularcakeonadoily-lined cardboard rectangle, filling it with the filling of your choice anddirty-icingitwithoutthetip.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithbabybluefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Makethetie:

•Roll a smallpieceof yellow fondantout anduse theX-Actoknife to cut anoval,9inchesatitswidestpointand¼inchthick.

•Rolloutasmallpieceofdarkgreenfondantandcutstrips½inchwidewithastripcutter.Useawaterpenorpastrybrushtoaffixthestripestotheyellowoval,½inchapart.Rollovertheovalwitharollingpintoembedthestripesintotheoval.

•UsetheX-Actoknifetocutatieoutofthestripedfondant;thetieshouldbe5incheslongand2incheswideatitswidestpoint.

•Makethetie’sknotbyrollingasmallpieceofyellowfondantintoaballandpressingdownonittoflattenitslightly.Useawaterpentofixastripofdarkgreenfondanttotheball,cuttingoffanyexcess.

4.Makethecollar:Rolloutapieceofwhitefondantintoanarrowstrip,¼inchthickand8½incheslong.Setastripcutterto1inchandcutastripoutofthefondant.Setitontopofthecakelooselyandbendtoshapeitintoacollar,thencarefullyremovethecollar.Steamthesurfaceofthecake,oversteamingabittodampen it.Return thecollar to thecake, reestablish thecorrectposition, andpressitdownontothesurface.(Themoistsurfacewillallowyoutomovethecollaronthecakebeforepressingitdownintoplace.)5.Affixthetieandknottothecake:Whilethesurfaceisstilldamp,applytheknotandthenthetietothecake,makingsuretheendofthetiedrapesslightlyovertheedge.

6. Make the pocket: Roll out baby blue fondant into a 2-inch square, ⅛ inchthick. Use a pizza cutter to cut the fondant into a “home plate” shape,simulatingashirtpocket.Cuta2by¼-inchstripoutofthefondantanduseawaterpenorpastrybrushto fix it to thepocket.Useastitchingtool todocksmallholesallaroundthebordertosimulatestitching.

7. Steam the right side of the shirt and carefully affix the pocket to the shirt,makingsurethesidesareparalleltothetopandsideofthecake.Gentlypress

thepocketinplacetohelpitadhere.8.Steamthecake:Steamthecakeagaintofixthedesignelementstothecakeand

dissipateanylingeringcornstarch.9.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Takethewhitebuttercreambaginhand,fitted

withthe#6tip,andpulsetopipeashellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

ForAlltheDadsOutThere!

SummerBeachCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

One of the great things about living in the Northeast is that we really get toexperiencealltheseasons,eacharrivingwithitsownexcitement,whichIlovetryingto capture in a cake.This one brings to life all the fun in the sun that everyoneassociates with summer by conjuring a beach scene—blue fondant stands in forwater,brownsugarissand,andcoralpipingalongthesidesrepresentstheocean’sdepths.

If you can find them, I suggest purchasing ready-made edible sandals andsurfboards, but by all means you can make those and other summery shapes(starfish,seashells)outoffondantifyoulike.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling5 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #6

interchangeabletipWhite,blue,andgreenfondant,atotalof3pounds1½cupslightbrownsugar½cupbluepipinggel,availableinprepackagedtubes½cuppurplebuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#4plaininterchangeable

tip2umbrellas,2sandals,and2surfboards(purchasedorfashionedfromfondant;see

headnote)

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice and dirty-icing itwithoutthetip.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:

•Gatheratotalof3poundsofaquatic-tonedfondantsuchaswhite,blue,andgreen. Twist and knead the colors together until they are marbled andstreaked.Gatherthefondantintoanegg-shapedmound.

•Cuttheegginhalf lengthwise;theinsideshouldlooklikeamarble.Rolloutthe fondant andcover the cake.Note that youwillhave about2poundsofextra fondant; save it for another beach cake, or knead it together until it

formsauniformshadeofblue;sealitinanairtightplasticbagandsaveitforanotheruse.

3.Applythesand:Fitthewhitebuttercreambagwiththe#6tipandpipelinesofbuttercreamover the top and side of one third of the cake.Use a cake icingspatulatomakeawavypatternintheicing.Sprinklebrownsugarovertheicingevenlytocreatea“sand”effect;youwillnotuseallthesugar.

4.Createthewater:Applybluepipinggeltothetopbutnotthesidesofthecakeinashorelinepatterntocreateawatereffect.

5. Pipe a border around the base: Rotate the turntable and pulse the white

decorator’sbuttercreambagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

6.Pipethecoral:Pipepurplebuttercream“coral”alongthesideofthecake.7.Decorate the cakewith seasonal tokens:To complete the beach vibe, stick 2

umbrellasand2surfboardsinthesand,andrest2sandalsbesideeachotherinthesand.

Surf’sUp!

FourthofJulyCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

As Carlo’s Bake Shop has become more and more popular over the years, wedeveloped a great need for cakes that could be easily replicated by anybodywhoworkedintheshop,evenournewbies.Thiscakewasdevelopedwiththatinmind:aspiritedbutuncomplicatedbitofdesignthataddsuptomorethanthesumofitsparts.Thecolorsandshapesdoalltheworkhere,butthathasn’tstoppedthiscakefrombeingpopularwhenIndependenceDayrollsaroundeveryyear.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling5 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #7

interchangeabletip3poundswhitefondant8ouncesbluefondant4ouncesredfondant

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

9-inchcardboardcirclePizzacutterStripcutterKitchenscissorsSteamerStarcutters,varioussizesWaterpenorpastrybrush

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle, fill itwiththefillingofyourchoice,anddirty-ice itwithoutthe tip. (Note: After dirty-icing, keep the buttercream in the bag for affixingdesign elements to the cake and creating the shell border.) 2.Cover the cakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithwhitefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.Donotreturntheunusedfondanttothetub;youwillneedittomakestars.

3.Makeabluefondanttopforthecake:Rollout8ouncesofbluefondanttoa10-inchsquare.Laya9-inchcardboardcircleoverthedoughandcutaroundit

withapizzacutter tomakeacircle.Returnanyunusedfondantto its storagecontainer.

4. Apply the top to the cake: Pipe buttercream onto the top of the cake inconcentric circles and spread it out smoothly and evenly with a cake icingspatula.Thelayershouldbethinbutcompletelycoverthetopofthecake;thiswill allow you some flexibility when you apply the top. Carefully slide thecardboardcircleunderthebluefondantcircleanduseittotransferthecircletothetopofthecake,slidingitoffthecircle.

5.Makeredflagstripes:Rollredfondantouttoarectangleabout5incheswide,15 inches long, and¼ inch thick.Set a stripcutter to1¼ inchesandcut12stripsfromthefondant.

6.Applythestripestothesideofthecake:Steamthecake.Workingquicklywithonestripatatime,letithangdownfromthetopedgeofthecake,andcutofftheexcessatthebottomwithscissors.Pressthestripontothemoistcakeandrepeatwith the remaining strips, arranging them1¼ inches apart. Steam thecakeagaintofixthestripestothecakeanddissipateanylingeringcornstarch.

7.Makethestars:Rollout2ouncesofwhitefondant.Useavarietyofsizesofstarcutterstocutstars.(Ifyoudonothaveasetofstarcutters,youcancutfreestylewithasharp,thin-bladedknifesuchasaparingknife,butstarcutterswillmakethejobmucheasier.)Applythestarstothetopofthecakewithawaterpenorbrush.Steamthecakeagaintofixthestarsontothecake.

8. Pipe a border around the base: Rotate the turntable and pulse the whitedecorator’sbuttercreambagtopipeashellborderalongthebottomofthecake.

GodBlessAmerica!

HalloweenFrankensteinCake

Thiscakehasevolvedovertheyears,trackingCarlo’sevolutionfrombuttercream-focusedtofondant-focused.ThecakedecoratingteamatCarlo’scameupwiththeidea ofmaking amonster cake forHalloween, creating our original Frankensteincake.Intime,IdevelopedDraculaandwerewolfcakestoexpandourofferings;howcould I resist?These cakes are a lot of fun tomake and kids love them.Makingsmoothfacesandhairwiththebuttercreamwasarealchore,butwhenweturnedourattentiontofondant,thesebecomemucheasiertoproduce.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundslime-greenfondant(seeNotes)3ouncesblackfondant3ounceswhitefondant2cupsChocolateFudgeFrostinginapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip1 cupChocolateFudgeFrosting inaparchmentpaperpencil or pastrybag fitted

withthe#3plaininterchangeabletip

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

¾-inch,1½-inch,and2½-inchpunchesWaterpenorbrush⅞-inchpoker

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.

2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithlime-greenfondant,trimit,andsmooth it inplace.Donotstoretheunusedfondantuntilafteryouhavefinisheddecoratingthecake;youwillneedabout6ouncesofittomakesomeofFrankenstein’sfeatures.

3.MakeFrankenstein’seyeballs:Rollasmallpieceofblackfondantoutto⅛inchthickandpunchtwo¾-inchcircleswithacutter.

4.MakeFrankenstein’seyes:Rollwhite fondantout to⅛inchthickandpunchtwo1½-inchcircleswithacutter.

5.Assembletheeyes:Dabsomewaterinthecenterofthewhitecirclesandapplytheblackcirclestothem,pressingdowngentlysotheyadhere.

6.MakeFrankenstein’sears:Rollasmallpieceoflime-greenfondantout¼inchthickandpunchtwo2½-inchcircleswithacutter.

7.Make theelectrodes:Make somegray fondantbykneading together½ounceblack fondant and½ouncewhite fondant.Roll the gray fondant out 1 inchthickandpunchtwo⅞-inchknobsoutwiththebackofapoker.

8.MakeFrankenstein’snose:Rollapinball-sizepieceoflime-greenfondantintoaquenelle(elongatedegg)shape.

9.MakeFrankenstein’smouth:Rollapieceoflime-greenfondantintoa3-inch-longcoil,½inchindiameter.

10.ApplyFrankenstein’sface:Usingawaterpenorbrush,gluethenosetothesideof thecake, thenglue themouthunder it,bending itupward.Apply theeyesnexttothenose.Foldtheearsandgluethemtothesideofthehead.Finishbygluingtheelectrodesbetweenthemouthandearsonbothsides.

11.CreateFrankenstein’shair:Usethechocolatefudgefrostingbagtopipelines

of“hair”startingatthefarsideofthecakeandpullingallthewaytowardyou,spikingthehairupoverhiseyes.Useanup-and-downmovementtopipeicingfromtoptobottomalongthesidesofthecake,creatingawavyeffect.

12.CreateFrankenstein’s stitchmarks:Use theparchmentpencil topipe“stitchmarks”underbothofFrankenstein’seyesandoverhismouth.Finishbypipingbushyeyebrowsoverhiseyes.

Notes:Makethe lime-greenfondantbykneadingtogether1½poundseachofyellow and green fondant. If youhave only one star tip, assemble the bag offudgefrostingafterdirty-icingthecake,beingsuretocleananddrythetipafterremovingitfromthebuttercreambag.

HappyHalloween!Aaarrrgh!

ThanksgivingTurkey

MAKESONE8-INCHBUNDTCAKE

NothingsaysThanksgivinglikeaturkey,andthiscakedoesagreatjobofbringingtheholidayicontothedessertcourse.Notethatyouneedtousea#126rosetipforallof thecolorscalledforhere,soyouwillneedseveralbagsandrosetips.Ifyoudon’thaveenoughtips,youdonotneedtouseeverycolorcalledfor,althoughthemorecolorsyouuse,thebetteryourturkeywilllook.

EDIBLES

1Bundtcakeintheflavorofyourchoosing,8inchesindiameterand3inchesdeepChocolateFudgeFrostinginapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startipA total of 6 cups white, red, black, yellow, brown, and orange Decorator’s

Buttercream, each in its own party bag fitted with the #126 rose tip (seeheadnote)

¼cupblackDecorator’sButtercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Serratedknife

1.Fillthecake:Pipethecakefulloffudgefrosting.2. Shape the turkey:Use a serratedknife to cut the cake at one edgewhere the

centralholemeetsthecake.Setthelargerpieceofthecake,frostingsidedown,on a doily-lined cardboard circle on your turntable. Pipe a dab of whitebuttercreamandseal thesmallpiece inplace infrontofthe largerpiece.Pipewhitebuttercreamoveranygapsbetween the twosections tocreatea smoothworkingsurface.

3. Pipe the plumage: Pipe red buttercream around the high, open end of theturkeyinarufflepattern.Movingtowardthelower,narrowerfrontendofthecake,pipearuffledblackringinfrontthered,overlappingslightly.Continueinthisway,pipingoverlappingruffledringsofwhite,yellow,brown,andorangefrosting,untilyouhavereachedtheveryfront(narrowend)ofthecake,startingoverwithredifnecessary.Besuretofinishwithwhiteattheveryfrontofthecake.Then cover over the open back of the cake (that is, where the frostingshows)withoverlappinglayersoffrosting,ideallyorange,white,red,andblack.

4.Featherthefrosting:Pulltheedgeofacakeicingspatulathroughthefrostingat1-inchintervals,startingatthebackcenter-topofthecakeandpullingall thewayforwardtothenarrow,lowerfronttocreateafeatheredeffectintheicing.

5.Pipethebeakandcomb:Usingthewhitebuttercream,pullupandoutfromthebottomfrontofthecaketomakeabeak.Usetheredbuttercreamtopipethecomb.Usetheparchmentpenciltopipetheeyes.

HappyThanksgiving!Gobble!Gobble!

AutumnCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Here’sanotherofoursignatureseasonalcakes,thisoneatributetothecomingoffall,whichtomemeanswatchingtheleavesturntobright,fierycolors.Toreplicatethose hues on a cake, we use different colored fondants and apply petal dust orlusterdust—thesamepowderweusetopaintsugarflowers—toproducea lifelikeeffect.

Notethattheleavesneedtoair-dryfor24hours.

EDIBLES

Red,yellow,green,andorangefondant,afewouncesofeachtotaling4ounces12to16ouncesorangefondantformakingpumpkinsRed,green,orange,andbrownpetaldustTwo9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling5cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3pounds(combined),ivoryanddark-chocolatefondantChocolateFudgeFrostingorbrownbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#3

plaininterchangeabletip

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Double-sidedleafcutter-veiners,varioussizesBalltoolPetalpadAluminumfoilDresdentoolorsharp,thin-bladedknifesuchasaparingknifeWaterpenorpastrybrush

1.Maketheleaves:• Roll small balls of red, yellow, green, and orange fondant as thin as you

possiblycan.Useaplungercutter-veiner,oracutterandpress,tomakeleavesofvaryingsizesandcolors.

•Useaball toolandpetalpadtoroll theedgesof the leaves,causing themtocurl.Settheleavesinasinglelayeronapieceofaluminumfoilandletdryatroomtemperaturefor24hours.

• When ready to proceed, paint the leaves with petal dust, using red, green,orange,andbrownpetaldust.Usedarker-colordustontheedgesoftheleavestoaccentuatetheirshape.

2.Preparethecake:Prepareadouble-layer9-inchcake,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.3.Coverthecakewithfondant:•Gatheratotalof 3 pounds of ivory and dark-chocolate fondant. (If you can’t find ivoryfondant, mix some molasses into white fondant, adjusting the color to yourliking; the more molasses, the darker it will be.) • Twist and knead themtogetheruntiltheyaremarbledandstreaked.

Gatherthefondantintoanegg-shapedmound.•Cuttheegginhalf lengthwise;theinsideshouldlooklikeamarble.Rollout

the fondant andcover the cake.Note that youwillhave about2poundsofextra fondant; save it for another autumncake, or knead it togetheruntil itformsauniformshadeoflightbrown;sealitinanairtightplasticbagandsaveitforanotheruse.

4.Make the pumpkins:Make 6 to 8 pumpkins by rolling orange fondant intoballs,makingsomethesizeofPing-Pongballsandothersslightlysmaller.Pressdown on the tops to flatten them slightly andmake them plump. Score thepumpkins from top to bottom with a Dresden tool or the back of a paringknife.Fashionsmall stems fromgreen fondant,curl them,andapply themtothecentertopofthepumpkinswithadabofwaterfromawaterpenorbrush.

5. Pipe a border around the base: Rotate the turntable and pulse the chocolatefudgefrostingbagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

6.Pipetreeandbranchpattern:Usethesamebagandtiptopipeavein-liketreeandbranchpatternontopofthecake.

7. Affix the leaves to the cake: Stick the leaves to the chocolate fudge piping,addingmoreasglueifnecessary.Setabigleafinthecenterofthecake.

8.Decoratewithpumpkins:Arrangeafewpumpkinsaroundthebaseofthecakeandafewontop.

ChillOut…It’sFall!

ChillOut…It’sFall!

BabyShowerCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Icameupwiththiscakesothatmoms-to-becouldhaveaspecialcakefortheirbabyshowersandothermaternitycelebrations.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #6 plain

interchangeabletip3poundsyellowfondant13ounceswhitefondant2½ouncespastelgreenfondant2½ounceslavenderfondant

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Pizzacutterorsharp,thin-bladedknifesuchasaparingknifeWaterpenorpastrybrushDaisyplungercutterCircleplungercutter(¼-inch)Stripcutterwithwavyorfrilledgeattachment

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice and dirty-icing itwithoutthetip.(Note:Afterdirty-icing,keepwhitebuttercreaminthebagforaffixing design elements to cake and creating the shell border.) 2. Cover thecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithyellowfondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.(Donotreturnthefondanttoitstub;youwillneedasmallamount,about½ounce,forthe“ribbon”onthedress.)

3.Makethemom:

•Roll2marble-sizeorbsandoneegg-sizeorboutofwhitefondant.•Rolloutwhitefondant,⅛inchthickand8by4inches.Useapizzacutterora

sharp, thin-bladed knife to cut out a triangle. Drape the triangle over the“breasts”and“belly”anduseyourhandstohelpitconformtotheshape.

•Carefully pick up themom and set on one side of the cake.Create a ruffleeffectbygluingthefoldsinplacewithadabofwaterfromthewaterpenorpastrybrush.

•Addribbonstothedress:Cuta½by3-inchstripofpastelgreenfondantwitha ruffled-edge pizza cutter or ruffled-edge strip cutter. Use a water pen orpastry brush to fix it along the waistline on themom and trim any excess.Repeat,makinga¼by6-inchpiece,andaffixthistothebottomedgeofthedress.

4.Makethedaisies:Rollasmallpieceoflavenderfondantouttoan8-inchsquare,¼inchthick.Useadaisyplungercuttertocutout20to24daisies.Repeatwithasmallpieceofpastelgreenfondant.Rolloutasmallpieceofyellowfondantto¼inchthickanduseacircleplungercutter topunchoutsmallcircles.Useawaterpenorpastrybrushtoapplyadabofwatertothecenterofeachdaisyandpress theyellowcircles intoplace, thenuse thepen to affix thedaisies to thecake.

5.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Rotatetheturntableandpulsethebagtopipea

smallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecakewithdecorator’sbuttercream.6. Add kisses: Use the same icing, bag, and tip to squeeze-and-pull kiss shapes

alongtopedgeandsideofthecake.

Congratulations,Mom!

SnowflakeWinterWonderlandCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Anotherofourseasonalcakes,thisonepaystributetothewondersofwinterwithsnowflakes, frost, andablue-and-white color scheme.Whetherornotyou live intheNortheast, I thinkeverybody responds to these imageswhen theholidays rollaround.As soon asThanksgiving comes and goes, I look forward tomaking thiscake,andIhopeitmightbecomeasimilartraditionforyouandyourfamily.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #7

interchangeabletip3poundsbabybluefondant6ounceswhitefondant½cupcrystalorcoarsesugarPearllusterdust

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Snowflakecuttersorplungercutters,assortedsizesPaintbrushSteamer

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-lined

cardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice and dirty-icing itwithout the tip. (Note: After dirty-icing, keep the buttercream in the bag foraffixing design elements to cake and creating the shell border.) 2. Cover thecake: Drape the cake with baby blue fondant, smooth it in place with thesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Makesnowflakes:Rollthewhitefondantouttoa10-inchsquare,⅛inchthick.Uselargeandsmallsnowflakecuttersorplungerstomake18to20snowflakes.Useasmallbrushtopainttheflakeswithlusterdust.

4.Applyfrosttothecake:Steamthecakeandsprinkle¼cupofthesugartomakea1-inchborderaroundthetopedgeofthecake;steamitinplace.Sprinkletheremaining¼cupsugararoundthebottomofthecaketomakea2-inchborder,thensteamitintoplace.

5.Applythesnowflakestothecake:Pipebuttercreamdabsontothetopandsidesofthecakeanduseittoaffixthesnowflakestothecake.

6.Pipekisses:Usethesamebagtosqueeze-and-pullkissesaroundthecake.

EnjoytheMostWonderfulTimeoftheYear!

ChanukahCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Imightnothave grownup celebratingChanukah, but I enjoymaking this cake,with ahugemenorahon top.My favorite effect is the flames, createdbyputtingyellowandorangebuttercreaminthesamepastrybagwithouthavingblendedthemtogether.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffrosting5 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream, in a pastry bag fitted with the #6

interchangeabletip3poundslightbluefondant(seeNote)½ cup orange buttercream and½ cup yellow buttercream in a pastry bag fitted

withthe#27interchangeabletip1½ouncesyellowfondant

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

SmallrectangleofcardboardorposterboardTrianglecutter(1½-inchsides)Waterpenorpastrybrush

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboard circle, filling it with the filling of your choice and dirty-icing itwithoutthetip.(Note:Afterdirty-icing,keepwhitebuttercreaminthebagforaffixing design elements to cake and creating the shell border.) 2. Cover thecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithlightbluefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3. Mark the cake for the menorah: Using the white buttercream and #6interchangeabletip,pipe9smalldotsacrossthecake,evenlyspacingthem.

4.Pipethemenorahbase:Pipeasmallwhitebuttercreamtriangleatthebottomofthe cake, aligning its top tip with the middle dot. Use a small square ofcardboardorposterboardtosmoothoutthetopofthetriangle.Pipe linesofbuttercreamfromthetopofthetriangletotheotherdots,creatingthe“arms”ofthemenorah.

5.Pipethecandles:Usingwhitebuttercream,pipesmallreceptaclesatthetopof

eacharmofthemenorah,thenpipecandlesfromthereceptaclestoafewinchesfromtheedgeofthecake.

6.Pipeaborderaroundthebase:Stillworkingwiththewhitebuttercream,rotatetheturntableandpulsethebagtopipeasmalldotborderaroundthebottomofthecake,leavingspacebetweendots.

7.Pipethe flames:Usetheyellowandorangebuttercreambagtopipe flamesatthetopofeachcandle,thenpipesmallflamesbetweenthedotsoftheborder.

8.MakeaStarofDavid:Rollouttheyellowfondantandpunchout2triangleswith1½-inchsides.UseawaterpentomoistenthebottomofonetriangleandaffixittotheothertomakeaJewishstar,thengentlybutfirmlyaffixthestartowherethearmsofthemenorahmeetthebase.

Note:Kneadtogether1½poundseachofblueandwhitefondanttomatchthecolorinthephotos;youcanalsousepremadebluefondant.

HappyChanukah!

SantaChristmasCake

MAKES1HEART-SHAPEDCAKE

Kids love this Santa cake,made with the ingeniously simple trick of inverting aheart-shapedcaketoreplicatetheshapeofSanta’shead.

YoucanpersonalizeyourSantabyvaryingthetipsyouusetomakehiseyebrowsand beard; for example, using a grass tip produces a hairier beard. Santa’s beard,mustache, and eyebrows offer plenty of opportunity to practice your piping bychallenging you to go up and down the side of the cake and to create designelements that seem to flow. My advice is not to overstrive when you do this;establishamentalpictureofwhatyouwantthesepartstolooklikeandtrustyourhandstodothework.

Ifyoulike,youcanicethiscakewithItalianButtercreamratherthancoveringitwithwhitefondant.

EDIBLES

Two-layeredheart-shapedcake,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling3poundswhitefondant3ouncesredfondant6 cups white Decorator’s Buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with the #32

interchangeablestartipBluepipinggelRedpipinggelor½cupredbuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Pizzacutter#6interchangeablepastrytip

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layerheart-shapedcakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingitwithoutthetip.(Note:Afterdirty-icing,keepwhitebuttercreaminthebagforaffixingdesignelementstocakeandcreatingtheborder.)2.Coverthecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithwhitefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Make Santa’s hat:Roll out and cut a 10-inch square of red fondant,⅛ inchthick.Pipeandthinlyspreadoutalayerofbuttercreamaroundthepointofthe

heartcake.Laytheredfondantsquarediagonallysothatitpointsrightbetweenthetworoundededgesoftheheartandrestsabout1inchfromthepoint.Useapizzacuttertotrimawaytheexcessfondantandcreatethehat.Savetheexcessfondant.

4.Framethehat:Rotatetheturntableandpulsethebuttercreambagwiththe#32startiptopipeashellborderalongthebottomedgeofthecake.Pipesidewaysupfromthebaseoverthetopofthecakeanddowntheothersidetoframethehat.Thenapplyasmall,swirlydabatthepointofthehat.

5.PipeSanta’smustacheandbeard:Usingthesamebagandtip,andbeginningatthecenteroftheheart,pipeamoustache,thenabeard.

6.PipeSanta’snose,eyebrows,andbeard:Changetothe#6plaininterchangeabletipandpipeSanta’snose.Switchbacktothestartipandpipefluffyeyebrows,thenthebeard.

7.MakeSanta’seyesandmouth.PipeSanta’seyeballswithbluepipinggel,then“draw”Santa’smouthinhisbeardwithredpipinggel.

MerryChristmas!Ho!Ho!Ho!

ChristmasLightsCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

What’s the first thing you think of when you picture Christmas? For me, thequintessentialimagesoftheholidayareflashingChristmastreelights,andredandgreen everywhere. This cake captures all of that in a festive, colorful design thatinstantlyevokesallthejoysoftheseason.

EDIBLES

Two9-inchcakes,filledwithyourchoiceoffilling4cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip3poundswhitefondant3ouncesredfondant3ouncesbluefondant3ouncespurplefondant3ouncesyellowfondant3ouncesgreenfondantSilverlusterdust1cupredbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6plaininterchangeabletip1cupgreenbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6plaininterchangeabletip½cupredbuttercreaminaparchmentpencil

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

LightbulbcookiecutterPaintbrush

1.Preparethecake:Onaturntable,prepareadouble-layercakeonadoily-linedcardboardcircle,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingit.

2.Coverthecake:Drapethecakewithwhitefondant,smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,andtrimit.

3.Makethelightbulbs:Rolloutred,blue,purple,yellow,andgreenfondanttoathicknessof⅛inch.Usealightbulbcuttertopunchoutthreelightsfromeachcolor.Useapaintbrushtopaintsilverlusterdustontothelights.

4.Pipeaborderaroundthebaseof thecake:Rotate theturntableandpulse theredbuttercreambagtopipeasmallshellborderaroundthebottomofthecake.

5. Pipe light strands around the top of the cake: Rotate the turntable and use

steady pressure on the green buttercream bag to pipe a free-form border,weavingonandofftheedgeofthecaketoformstrands.

6.Applythelights:Stickthefondantlightbulbstothestrands.7.Write“MerryChristmas”:UsetheparchmentpenciltowriteMerryChristmas.

MerryChristmastoAll,andtoAllaGoodNight!

AnimalSafariCake

MAKESONE2-TIERCAKE

Thisisthemostambitiouscakeinthebook—atwo-tieredbeautyfeaturinganimalfigurines, piped trees and leaves, nature touches such as bushes and rocks, and a

waterfallthatflowsfromtoptobottom.Itlookscomplicated,butifyoutakeitonestepatatime,youmightbesurprisedathowmakeableitis,evenathome.

This cake also offers a chance to use modeling chocolate (see “ModelingChocolate,”),whichcanbeusedtomakefigurinesofjustaboutanythingyoucanthinkof.

Ihavebrokenoutthequantitiesofmodelingchocolate,fondant,andicingcalledfortomakeeachanimal—aswellasanyspecialtoolscalledfor—tomakeiteasyforyoutoproducethesameanimalsforothercakes,ormakemoreofonethananotheronthiscake.

EDIBLESANDEQUIPMENTFORTHEANIMALS

FORTHEELEPHANTORHIPPO

3 ounces gray modeling chocolate (make by adding a few drops of black foodcoloringtowhitemodelingchocolateandkneadingtoformgray)

Toothpick2ounceswhitefondant2ouncesblackfondant1ouncepinkfondantSmallpunches

FORTHELION

3ouncesorangemodelingchocolate1ouncewhitefondant1ounceblackfondant½ cup Chocolate Fudge Frosting in a bag fitted with the #133 interchangeable

grasstip

ModelingChocolate

ModelingchocolatehasbeenapartofsomeofthemostpopularcakesonCakeBossbecausemostof thefigurineswemakearefashionedfromit.Thetruthisthatthere’snogreatsecrettoworkingwithmodelingchocolate;it’sjustlikeworkingwithclayorPlay-Doh—justhavefunanddoyourbesttosculptwhateveryouwant tomakeforyourcake.Themoreyousculpt,thebetteryou’llget,andifyoumessup,youcanjustkneadthechocolatetogetherandstartover.

Thatsaid,herearesomeusefultips:

•Modelingchocolateissoldinchocolate(brown)andwhite.Youcancolorthewhitewithfoodcoloringtocreateanycolorsyouwant,justaswithdecorator’sbuttercream.

• Before working with modeling chocolate, microwave it for 10 seconds andbrieflykneadittoloosenitup.

•Whenworkingwithmodelingchocolate,youneedtopaycloseattentiontothetemperatureof yourhands. If theyget toowarm, theywill start tomelt thechocolate. If yourhands get toowarm,dip them in cornstarch tominimizethiseffect.Atthesametime,yourwarmhandscanbeausefultool.Justbeforefusingpiecestogetherwithawaterpen,rubthemodelingchocolatetowarmandloosenit.

FORTHEMONKEY

3ouncesbrownmodelingchocolate1ounceivoryfondant1ouncewhitefondant#10pastrytip1¼-and1-inchcirclecuttersToothpickBlackediblemarker

FORTHEGIRAFFE

3ouncesyellowmodelingchocolateWaterpen1ouncewhitefondant

2ouncesdark-chocolatefondant¼-and½-inchplungercuttersBlackediblemarker

FORTHEZEBRA

1½ouncesivorymodelingchocolate1½ounceswhitefondant1ouncepinkfondantToothpick1ounceblackfondantBlackediblemarker

EDIBLESANDEQUIPMENTFORTHECAKE

EDIBLES

12ounces(total)whiteandblackfondant24ouncesgreenmodelingchocolateTwo6-inchcakescutoutofsheetcakefilledwithyourchoiceoffilling8cupswhiteDecorator’sButtercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#6startip5poundsivoryfondantTwo9-inchcakesfilledwithyourchoiceoffilling3cupsbrownbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#7interchangeabletip3cupsgreenbuttercreaminapastrybagfittedwiththe#7interchangeabletip2cupsbluepipinggel

TOOLSANDEQUIPMENT

Toothpick16-inchroundwoodenboard,¼inchthickX-Actoknifeorsharp,thin-bladedknifesuchasaparingknifeFour5-inchplasticair-conditioningtubes(¾-inchdiameter)or4chopsticks#133interchangeablegrasstip

1.Tomaketheelephant:

• Form 4 marble-size pieces of gray modeling chocolate and roll gently intosausage shapes tomake the legs. Set them on their ends right next to eachothertomakethebase.

•Make a smallball ofmodeling chocolate and roll at the center toproduce aheadwithatrunk,curvingit.Ifdesired,affixasmallpieceofpinkfondantto

theendwiththewaterpen.•Rollaslightlyoval-shapedbody,largerthanthehead.•Form3pea-sizepiecesofmodelingchocolate:rolloneintotheelephant’stail;

flattentheothertwotomakeears.•Rolloutthewhiteandblackfondantsandpunchoutsmallcirclestomakethe

elephant’seyesandeyeballs(theeyesshouldbejustsmallerthantheeyeballs),gluingthemtogetherwithawaterpen.Roll2tusksoutofwhitefondant.

•Useawaterpentomoistenthetopoftheelephant’s legsandpressthebodydownontop.Gluethetailontheback.Snapthetoothpickinhalf,stickitinthebodytowardthefrontofthehead,anduseitforsupport,stickingtheheadontop.Gluethetusksandeyestothefaceandtheearstoeithersideofthehead.

2.Tomake the hippo, follow the same steps, but vary them tomake a slightlylargerheadandbody,affixingtheearstothebackoftheheadandfashioningwhitetoenailsandpinknostrilsandaffixingthemwithawaterpen.

3.Tomakethelion:

•Fashionagolfball–sizeballoforangemodelingchocolateforthebodyandasmallerballforthehead.Useawaterpentomoistentheheadandaffixittothebody,smoothingitintoplace.

•Roll4marble-sizeorangepiecestoformthearmsandlegsanduseawaterpentomoistenthemandaffixthemtothebody.

•Roll a smallorange tail anduseawaterpen tomoisten it andglue it to thebackofthebody.

•Use the white and black fondant tomake eyes and eyeballs.Make the eyesmorelikelittleballs,whereastheyareflatfortheelephant.Useawaterpentogluetheeyesandeyeballstogetherandtogluethemtothehead.Rollasmallwhitedotforthenoseanduseawaterpentoglueittothehead.

•Rollavery thincoilofblack tomakeamoustache,andglue iton the lion’shead,underthenose,withawaterpen.

•Pipethemanewithfudgefrosting.4.Tomakethemonkey:

•RollaPing-Pongball–sizepieceofbrownmodelingchocolateforthebodyanda smaller ball for the head. Roll 4 small coils, 2 long and 2 short, for themonkey’sarmsandlegs.Rollout2smallcirclesforitsears.

•Mixtheivoryfondantwithjustapinchofmodelingchocolatetomakeatanmixture. Roll it out to ⅛ inch thick. Punch out a 1¼-inch circle for themonkey’sbellyanda1-inchcircleforitsface.

•Make2eyeballsbypunching thewhite fondantwith the tipofa#10pastrytip.

•Gluethemonkey’slegstothelowersidesofitsbody.Gluethe1¼-inchcircle(belly)toitsstomachandthe1-inchcircle(face)toitshead.Gluethearmstoits sides, bending them tomake themwavy.Glue on the ears.Glue on theeyeballs.

• Use the toothpick to poke small indentations for the monkey’s nose andmouth.

•Drawoneyeandeyelasheswiththeediblemarker.5.Tomakethegiraffe:

•Roll4marble-sizepiecesofyellowmodelingchocolateandshapethemintothelegs.

•Rollalong,bulbousbodyandbendcarefullyatthetoptoformthehead.Usethewaterpentogluethelegstothebody.

•Rollsmallballsthatwillbecometheeyesoutofwhitefondantanduseawaterpentogluethemtothehead.

•Rolloutthedark-chocolatefondantto⅛inchthickandusethe¼-inchand½-inchplungercutterstomakeatotalof18polkadots.Usethewaterpentogluethespotsalloverthegiraffe’sbody.Alsofashionasmall,heart-shapedtuftofhairtogoontopofthegiraffe’shead.

•Usetheediblemarkertodraweyeballsandeyebrows.

6.Tomakethezebra:

• Knead together the white modeling chocolate and white fondant just untiluniformlymixed.Roll4marble-sizepiecesandgentlyrollthemintothelegs.Fashionthebodyandhead,thenattachtheheadtothebody,smoothingthechocolatewhere theymeet.Make 2 small triangular ears.Make 4 tiny ballsthatwillbecometheeyesandnostrilsofthezebra.

•Fromthepinkfondant,fashion2smalltrianglesanduseawaterpentogluetheminsidetheears,thenfashionathincoilanduseawaterpentoglueitasthezebra’smouth.Usethewaterpentoglueontheeyesandnostrils,usingatoothpicktohelpsettheminplaceifnecessary.

•Fashionablacktail fromblackfondantanduseawaterpentoglueittothebackofthezebra.

•Draweyesonthezebrawiththeediblemarker, thenusethemarkertodrawstripesonitsbody.

7. To make the rocks: Knead together the white and black fondant and makerocksofvaryingsizes.Theexactratioofonecolortoanotherdoesnotmatter,butit’sessentialthatyouusemorewhitethanblacktogetgray.

8.Tomakethebushes:Shapethegreenmodelingchocolateintobushesofvaryingsizes.Scratchthebusheswithatoothpicktotexturethem.Atthebakery,weuseahandcraftedwiretool(seepicture); ifyoulike,youcanfashiononeyourselfbyadaptingapaintbrush.

9.Preparethesmallcake:Onaturntable,prepareatwo-layer6-inchcake,fillingitwiththefillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icingitwithwhitebuttercream.Coverthe cakewith ivory fondant, smoothing itwith a smoother and trimming it.Removethecakefromtheturntableandsetitaside.

10.Preparetheplatformandlargecake:Prepareadouble-layer9-inchcakeonthewoodenboard, filling itwith the fillingofyourchoiceanddirty-icing itwithwhitebuttercream.

11.Coverthelargecakewithfondant:Drapethecakewithivoryfondant,lettingitflowdownandontotheplatform.Smoothitinplacewiththesmoother,butdonotcutofftheexcessaroundthecake;instead,letitextendtotheedgeoftheboardandcutitflushwiththeedge.RuntheX-Actoknifearoundthebaseofthe cake where the fondant meets the base, but leave the fondant on theplatforminplace.

12.Positiontheuppertier:Centera6-inchcardboardcircletowardthebackofthe9-inchcake.Use theX-Actoknife tocutaroundthecircle,creatinga shallowindentationtomarkwheretheuppertierwillgo.Pushfourtubesintothecircle

tosupportthetopcake.(Weuseavarietyofsizesofair-conditioningtubesatCarlo’s to support cake tiers; if you cannot get tubes, use chopsticks, cuttingthemafterembeddingthemintothecakesotheyareflushwiththecake.)Pipea small amount of white buttercream over the area defined by the pegs andsmoothitwithaspatula.Setthesmallcakeontopofthelargercake.

13.Pipethetrees:Usethebrownbuttercreambagtopipetreebranchesalongthesideofbothtiersofthecake.Pipingtreesonthebackofthecakesisoptional.Ifyoudonothavetwo#7tips,youwillneedtomovethetipfromthebrownbagto the green after piping the tree branches; be sure to clean and dry it afterremovingitfromthebrownbag.

14. Pipe the leaves: Use the green buttercream bag fitted with the #7interchangeabletiptopipeshell-shapedleavesonthetrees.

15. Create the waterfall: Ice a portion of the top cake with white buttercream,piping down the side, along the bottom of the cake, and down to the base.Smooththebuttercreamwithacakeicingspatula.Topwithbluepipinggelandsmoothitoverwiththespatula.

16.Pipegrassalloverthecake:Switchtothe#133interchangeablegrasstiponthegreenbuttercreambagandsqueeze-and-pullagrassborderaroundbothtiersofthe cake, aswell as alongside thewaterfall.Vary the angle to create a “wild,”naturallook.

17.Decoratethecakewithbushesandanimals:Arrangebushesandanimalsaroundthecake,pipingadabofbuttercreamdownbeforeapplyingeachonetoholditinplace.

18.Decoratethecakewithrocks:Arrangerocksaroundthecake,beingsuretoputsomeinthegrassonthesideofthecake.

BorntoBeWild!

BasicCakeRecipes

Thefollowingrecipesproducethebasiccakescalledforinthebook.Becauseit’sthemostcommonsizecalledforthroughoutthebook,therecipeyieldsindicatetwo9-inchcakes,buttheserecipescanalsobeusedtoproducetwoheart-shapedcakes,a13by9-inchrectangularcake,ortwoBundtcakesusing8-inch-wide,3-inch-deepmolds.

Note thatoventemperaturesdiffer, sobesure to followthesigns fordoneness(not just cooking time); depending on elevation, weather conditions, and otherfactors, baking times can vary. And remember, unless otherwise indicated, it’s agoodideatohaveallingredientsatroomtemperature;seethenoteonmixing.

BakingCupcakes

Manyoftheserecipesfeatureayieldforcupcakesaswell.Bakecupcakesat360°Ftopreventthemfromcrowning.

VanillaCake

MAKESTWO9-INCHCAKESOR24CUPCAKES

This is ahomeversionof thebasic vanilla cakeweuse atCarlo’s.The custard isoptional,butreallymakesthecakeunfailinglymoist.

2½cupscakeflour,plusmoreforflouringthecakepans2cupssugar,plusmoreforunmoldingthecakes2cupsItalianCustardCream,optional¾cupvegetableoil2¼teaspoonsbakingpowder1teaspoonpurevanillaextract½teaspoonfineseasalt4extra-largeeggs1cupwholemilkUnsaltedbutter(about2tablespoons),nonstickspray,orvegetableoilmaybeused

forgreasingthecakepans

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2. Put the flour, sugar, custard cream (if using), vegetable oil, baking powder,

vanilla,andsaltinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.(Ifyoudon’thaveastandmixer,youcanuseahandmixer,buttakeextracarenot to overmix.) Mix on low speed just until the ingredients are blendedtogether, a few seconds, then raise the speed to low-mediumandcontinue tomixuntilsmooth,approximately1additionalminute.

3.Withthemotorrunning,addoneeggatatime,addingthenextoneafterthepreviousonehasbeenabsorbed into themixture.Stopthemotorperiodicallyand scrape the bowl from the bottomwith a rubber spatula to integrate theingredients,andreturnthemixertolow-mediumspeed.

4.Afteralltheeggsareadded,continuetomixfor1additionalminutetoensure

theeggshavebeenthoroughlymixedin.Thiswillhelpguaranteethatthesugarisdissolvedand that the flourhasbeen thoroughlymixed in,whichwillhelpproducealuxuriousmouthfeelinthefinalcake.

5.Withthemotorrunningonlowspeed,addthemilk,½cupatatime,stoppingthemotortoscrapethesidesandbottombetweenthetwoadditions.Continueto mix for another 1 minute or until the mixture appears smooth. Beforebaking,besurethebatterisbetween70°and73°F,orthecakewillcrown.(Testby plunging a kitchen thermometer into the center of the batter; if it is toowarm,putthebowlintherefrigeratorforafewminutes;iftoocool,letitrestatroomtemperature.)6.Grease two9-inchcakepans (2 inchesdeep)andflourthem. (For more, see “To Flour a Cake Pan,” below.) 7. Divide the batterevenlybetween the twocakepans,usinga rubber spatula to scrapedown thebowlandgetasmuchbatteraspossibleout.

8.Bakeuntilthecakebeginstopullfromthesidesofthepanandisspringytothetouch,25to30minutes.

9.Removethecakesfromtheovenandletcoolforatleast30minutes,preferably1 hour. The cakes should be at room temperature before you remove themfromthepan.

10.Putapieceofparchmentpaperonacookiesheet,sprinklewithsugar,andoneatatime,turnthepansoverandturnthecakesoutontoparchment;thesugarwillkeepthemfromsticking.

Refrigerateorfreezeuntilreadytodecorate.

ToFlouraCakePan

Toflouracakepan,firstgreasewithathin,evenlayerofunsaltedbutter,nonstickspray,orvegetableoil,tocoatitjustlightly.Addasmallfistfuloffour(about¼cup)tothecenterofthepan,tipthepanonitsside,androtatethe pan to coat the inside with four. Tap the pan gently on your worksurface to loosen the excess four, and return the excess to your fourcontainer.Tapagainanddiscardanylingeringfourintothesinkorgarbagecan.

ChocolateCake

MAKESTWO9-INCHCAKESOR24CUPCAKES

Anotherofourmostpopularbasiccakes.Aswithallchocolate recipes,be sure touseahigh-qualitycocoa.

1½cupscakeflour,plusmoreforflouringthecakepans1½cupssugar,plusmoreforunmoldingthecakes½cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter,softenedatroomtemperature⅓cupunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder1teaspoonbakingsoda¼teaspoonbakingpowder⅓cupmeltedunsweetenedchocolate(suchasBaker’s),fromtwo1-ouncesquares½cuphotwater2extra-largeeggs½cupbuttermilkUnsaltedbutter(about2tablespoons),nonsticksprayorvegetableoil, forgreasing

thecakepans

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Puttheflour,sugar,butter,cocoa,bakingsoda,andbakingpowderinthebowl

ofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.(Ifyoudon’thaveastandmixer,youcanuseahandmixer,buttakeextracarenottoovermix.)Mixonlow speed justuntil the ingredients areblended together, a few seconds, thenraise the speed to low-medium and continue to mix until smooth,approximately1additionalminute.

3. Stop themotor and pour in the chocolate.Mix for 1minute on low speed.With themotor running, pour in the hotwater. Add the eggs, one egg at atime,addingthenextoneafterthepreviousonehasbeenabsorbed.Withthemotor still running, pour in the buttermilk. Stop themotor periodically and

scrapefromthebottomwitharubberspatulatobesurealltheingredientsarefully integrated,andreturnthemixerto low-mediumspeed.Continuetomixfor1additionalminutetoensuretheeggsarefullyabsorbed.Thiswillalsohelpensurethatallthesugarisdissolvedandtheflouristhoroughlymixedin,whichwillhelpproducealuxuriousmouthfeelinthefinalcake.Beforebaking,besurethebatterisbetween70°and73°F,orthecakewillcrown.(If it istoowarm,put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes; if too cool, let it rest at roomtemperature.)4.Grease two9-inchcakepans (2 inchesdeep)and flour themthem. (For more, see “To Flour a Cake Pan,”.) 5. Divide the batter evenlybetweenthetwocakepans,usingarubberspatulatoscrapedownthebowlandgetasmuchbatteraspossibleout.

6.Bakeuntilthecakesbegintopullfromthesidesofthepanandarespringytothetouch,25to30minutes.

7.Removefromtheovenandletcoolforatleast30minutes,preferably1hour.The cakes should be at room temperature before you remove them from thepan.Putapieceofparchmentpaperonacookiesheet,sprinklewithsugar,andturnthecakesoutontoparchment;thesugarwillkeepthemfromsticking.

Refrigerateorfreezeuntilreadytodecorate.

WhiteChiffonCake

MAKESTWO7-INCHCAKES

Whenitcomestochiffon,Iamapureclassicist.Weonlydotwothingswithvanillachiffon at Carlo’s Bake Shop: lemon chiffon and strawberry chiffon (one of mymother’sfavorites),andthosearetheonlytwooptionsyou’llfindinthechart.

Forthiscake,youwillneedtwo7-inchroundcakepans(3inchesdeep).Notethattheyshouldbealuminum,andmustnotbenonstick,orthecakeswillcollapsewhilecooling.

2½cupscakeflour2¼teaspoonsbakingpowder¼teaspoonfineseasalt1½cupsplus⅓cupsugar6extra-largeeggs,separated¼cupvegetableoil1teaspoonpurevanillaextract¾cupwarmwaterDistilledwhitevinegar,forwipingthebowl1teaspoonfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Sifttogethertheflour,bakingpowder,salt,and1½cupssugarintothebowlof

a standmixer fittedwith thewhip attachment. (You canuse ahandmixer ifyouprefer.)Startthemixerslowlytoavoidsprayingtheflour.

3.Inaseparatebowl,combinetheeggyolks,oil,vanilla,andwaterbyhandwithawhiskandcontinuewhiskinguntilwellmixed.

4. With the motor running on low, pour the egg yolk mixture into the mixerbowl.After30seconds,stopandscrapewitharubberspatula.Mixatmediumspeed until blended together with no lumps, 1 to 1½minutes. Transfer the

mixturetoacleanbowl,usingarubberspatulatoscrapedownthemixerbowlandgetasmuchbatteroutaspossible.

5.Washanddrythemixerbowlandwhipattachment,thenwipethemdownwithdistilledwhitevinegartoremovealltracesofgreaseandoil.Pourtheeggwhitesandlemonjuiceintothemixerbowlandstartwhippingonlowspeedforabout2minutes.Slowlyaddtheremaining⅓cupsugarandwhiponhighspeeduntilstiffpeaksareformed.

6.With a rubber spatula, fold one third of themeringue into the firstmixture.Foldintheremainingmeringueintwoadditions.

7.Gentlyfilltwodeepungreased7-inchcakepanshalfwayup.8.Bakeuntilthesidesofthecakespullawayfromthepans,30to40minutes.9.Remove fromtheovenandallowtocool.Release thecakes fromthepansby

flippingthemupsidedownandtappingfiercelyagainstaworksurface.

Thecakescanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto3daysorfrozenforupto2months.

ChocolateChiffon

MAKESTWO10-INCHCAKES

Forthiscake,youwillneedtwo10-inchBundtorBundt-stylepans,3inchesdeep.Note that they should be aluminum, andmustnot be nonstick or the cakeswillcollapsewhilecooling.

6extra-largeeggs,separated1½cupssugar¾cupplus1½tablespoonscakeflour¾cupwater½cupvegetableoil2½tablespoonsunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder2¼teaspoonsbakingpowder1¼teaspoonfineseasalt1teaspoonpurevanillaextract½teaspoonbakingsodaDistilledwhitevinegar,forwipingthebowl

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Puttheeggyolks,1cupofthesugar,theflour,6tablespoonsofthewater,the

oil,cocoa,bakingpowder,salt,vanilla,andbakingsodainthebowlofastandmixer fittedwith thewhipattachment. (Ifyoudon’thavea standmixer,youcanuseahandmixer.)Beat startingon lowspeed, thenraise tomediumandwhipuntil themixture is thick and shiny andhasmultiplied several times involume,approximately5minutes.Pourintheremainingwaterinathinstreamjustuntilabsorbedbythemixture.Itwillseemwatery,butthat’sokay.Transfertoanotherbowlandsetaside.Wipeoutthemixerbowlwithvinegar.

3.Puttheeggwhitesinthebowlofthestandmixerandwhipfor30secondsonhighspeed.Withthemotorrunning,addtheremaining½cupsugarandwhip

onhighuntilstiffpeaksform,5to6minutes.4. Fold half the white mixture into the yolk mixture, a little at a time, until

uniformlycombined.Thenpourthecombinedmixtureintothewhitemixturebowlandfoldwitharubberspatula.

6.Do not grease the pans for this recipe. Run some cold water into the pans,rotate them, and shake out thewater over the sink. Pour the batter into thepans(itwillcomeabout¾of thewayupthesides),andbakeuntil firmandspongy,30to40minutes.

7.Removefromtheovenandletcoolslightly.8.Manuallyloosenthecakesbyhandfromthesidesandcentertubeofthepans,

theninvertandspankthepantoloosenthecake.

Thecakescanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto3days,ormaybewrappedinplasticwrapandfrozenforupto2months.

PandiSpagnaItalianSpongeCake

MAKESONE9-INCHCAKE

Asdiscussed,youwouldnevereatthiscakewithoutsoakingit;it’sjusttoodryonitsown.Butwhenyouspoonorbrushaliqueurorsyrupoverit,itdrinkstheliquidinandistransformed.Thisrecipeproducesonlyonecakebecause,conventionally,you cut this cake in half, usually filling it with a cream infused with the sameliqueuryouusedtosoakit.Forthemostpart,youwillmakethiscakewithlayersoffillingthatareequalinheighttothelayersofcake,butifyouusearichfillinglikeChocolate Ganache or Chocolate Fudge Frosting, use half asmuch, to keep thefillingfromoverwhelmingthecake.

1½cupssugar,plusmoreforsprinklingtheparchmentpaper5extra-largeeggs1teaspoonpurevanillaextractDropoflemonoil(optional)1½cupscakeflour,sifted,plusmoreforflouringthecakepan⅓cupvegetableoilUnsaltedbutter(about1tablespoon),nonstickspray,orvegetableoil, forgreasing

cakepan

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Putthesugar,eggs,vanilla,andlemonoil(ifusing)inthebowlofastandmixer

fittedwiththewhipattachment.(Ifyoudon’thaveastandmixer,youcanuseahandmixer.)Beatstartingonlowspeedandraisetomedium.Whipuntilthemixtureisthick,shiny,andivoryincolor,andhasmultipliedseveraltimesinvolume,approximately15minutes.Removethebowlfromthemixerandusearubber spatula to scrapeasmuchmixtureaspossibleoff thewhipattachmentandintothebowl.

3.Addtheflourandpatientlyfolditinwitharubberspatula.Pourintheoil,andfoldinuntilfullyabsorbedintothemixture.

4. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan pan. (For more, see “To Flour a Cake

Pan,”.)Pourthebatterintothepan,scrapingdownthesidesofthebowlwitharubberspatula.

5.Bakeuntilthecakebeginstopullfromthesidesofthepanandisspringytothetouch,30to40minutes.

6.Removefromtheovenandletcoolforatleast30minutes,preferably1hour.Thecakeshouldbeatroomtemperaturebeforeyouremoveitfromthepan.

7.Putapieceofparchmentpaperonacookiesheet,sprinklewithsugar,andturnthecakeoutontotheparchment;thesugarwillkeepitfromsticking.

Refrigerateorfreezeuntilreadytodecorate.

CarrotCake

MAKESTWO9-INCHCAKESOR24CUPCAKES

Goldenraisinsandwalnutsaddburstsofsweetnessandtexturetothisclassiccake.Notethat thecarrotscarrya lotofmoisture, sosqueezeouttheirexcess liquidbyputtingtheminacolanderandpressingonthemwithapapertowelaftergratingtokeepthebatterfrombeingtoowetorloose.

3cupsfinelygratedcarrots(fromabout5largecarrots)2½cupscakeflour,plusmoreforflouringthecakepans2cupssugar,plusmoreforunmoldingthecakes2cupsItalianCustardCream;optional)¾cupvegetableoil2¼teaspoonsbakingpowder2teaspoonsgroundcinnamon1teaspoonbakingsoda1teaspoonpurevanillaextract½teaspoonfineseasalt4extra-largeeggs1cupmilk½cupchoppedwalnuts¼cupgoldenraisinsUnsaltedbutter(about2tablespoons),nonstickspray,orvegetableoil,forgreasing

thecakepans

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Putthecarrots, flour,sugar,custard(ifusing),oil,bakingpowder,cinnamon,

bakingsoda,vanilla,andsaltinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachment.(Ifyoudon’thaveastandmixer,youcanuseahandmixer.)Mixon low justuntil the ingredients are tossed togetherwell, a few seconds, then

raise the speed to low-medium and continue to mix until the mixture issmooth,approximately1additionalminute.

3.Withthemotorrunning,addoneeggatatime,addingthenextoneafterthepreviousonehasbeenabsorbed.Stop themotorperiodically and scrape fromthebottomofthebowlwitharubberspatulatoincorporate.Returnthemixertolow-mediumspeed.

4. Continue to mix for 1 additional minute to ensure that the eggs are fullyabsorbed.Thiswillalsohelpensurethatallthesugarisdissolvedandtheflouris incorporated, which will help produce a luxurious mouthfeel in the finalcake.

5.Withthemotorrunning,pourinthemilk,½cupatatime,stoppingthemotorto scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl between the two additions.Continue tomix for another 1minute or until themixture appears smooth.Addthewalnutsandraisinsandmixjusttointegratethem.

6.Grease two9-inch cakepanswith thebutter, and flour them. (Formore, see“To Flour a Cake Pan,”.) 7. Divide the batter evenly between the two cakepans,usingarubberspatulatoscrapedownthebowlandgetasmuchbatteraspossibleout.Beforebaking,besurethebatterisbetween70°and73°F,orthecakeswill crown. (Testbyplungingakitchen thermometer into thecenterofthebatter;ifitistoowarm,putthebowlintherefrigeratorforafewminutes;iftoocool,letitrestatroomtemperature.)8.Bakeuntilthecakebeginstopullfromthesidesofthepanandisspringytothetouch,25to30minutes.

9.Removefromtheovenandletcoolforatleast30minutes,preferably1hour.Thecakeshouldbeatroomtemperaturebeforeyouremoveitfromthepan.

10.Putapieceofparchmentpaperonacookiesheet,sprinklewithsugar,andoneata time, turn thepansoverand turn thecakesoutonto theparchment; thesugarwillkeepthemfromsticking.

Refrigerateorfreezeuntilreadytodecorate.

RedVelvetCake

MAKESTWO9-INCHCAKESOR24CUPCAKES

This classic of theAmerican South is just as popular inHoboken,New Jersey. IneverfrostthiswithanythingotherthanCreamCheeseFrosting.

1¼cupsvegetableshortening2cupssugar,plusmoreforsprinklingtheparchmentpaper1tablespoonunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder4½teaspoons(2tubes)redfood-coloringgel3cupscakeflour,plusmoreforflouringthecakepans1¼teaspoonsfineseasalt1¼teaspoonspurevanillaextract1¼teaspoonsbakingsoda1¼teaspoonsdistilledwhitevinegar3extra-largeeggs1¼cupsbuttermilkUnsaltedbutter(about2tablespoons),nonstickspray,orvegetableoil,forgreasing

thecakepans

1.Positionarackinthecenteroftheoven,andpreheatto350°F.2.Puttheshortening,sugar,cocoa,foodcoloring,flour,salt,vanilla,bakingsoda,

and vinegar in the bowl of a standmixer fittedwith the paddle attachment.(You can use a hand mixer if you allow the shortening to soften at roomtemperature before beginning.) Paddle, starting at low speed, then raise thespeedtolow-mediumandmixforabout1minute.Addtheeggs,oneatatime,mixingfor1minuteaftereachisabsorbedintothemixture.Addthebuttermilkintwoportions,stoppingtoscrapethesidesofthebowlbetweenadditions.

3.Grease two9-inchcakepans (2 inchesdeep)with thebutter, and flour them(see“ToFlouraCakePan,”).

4.Dividethebatterevenlybetweenthetwocakepans,usingarubberspatulatoscrapedownthebowlandgetasmuchbatteraspossibleout.

5.Bakeuntilthecakesbegintopullfromthesidesofthepansandarespringytothetouch,35to40minutes.

6.Removefromtheovenandletcoolforatleast30minutes,preferably1hour.The cakes should be at room temperature before you remove them from thepan.

7.Putapieceofparchmentpaperonacookiesheet,sprinklewithsugar,andoneata time, turnthepansoverandturnthecakesoutonto theparchment; thesugarwillkeepthemfromsticking.

Refrigerateorfreezeuntilreadytodecorate.

FrostingsandFillings

VanillaFrosting

MAKESABOUT4CUPS,ENOUGHTOFILLANDICEONE9-INCHCAKE

Foracreamierfrosting,usemilkinsteadofwater.Youmustrefrigeratethisfrosting,aswellasanycakesfilledor icedwithit.Let itcometoroomtemperaturebeforeusing,andwhiskbrieflybyhandtorefreshit.

2½cups(5sticks)unsaltedbutter,softened5cupspowdered(10X)sugar1tablespoonpurevanillaextract¼teaspoonfineseasalt3tablespoonslukewarmwater

1.Putthebutter inthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachmentandmixonlowspeeduntilbutter is smoothwithnolumps.Withthemotorrunning,addthesugar,1cupatatime,addingthenextcuponlyafterthefirstadditionhasbeenintegratedintothemixture.

2.Stop themachine andadd thevanilla and salt.Paddleon low-mediumspeeduntilcompletelysmooth,approximately2minutes.Addthewaterandcontinuetomixuntillightandfluffy,2to3minutes.

Thefrostingcanbekeptinanairtightcontaineratroomtemperatureforupto2days.

ChocolateFudgeFrosting

MAKESABOUT4CUPS,ENOUGHTOFILLANDICEONE9-INCHCAKE

Foracreamierfrosting,usemilkinsteadofwater.Youmustrefrigeratethisfrosting,aswellasanycakesfilledor icedwithit.Let itcometoroomtemperaturebeforeusing,andwhiskbrieflybyhandtorefreshit.

2½cups(5sticks)unsaltedbutter,softened5cupspowdered(10X)sugar⅔cupunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder1tablespoonpurevanillaextract¼teaspoonfineseasalt3tablespoonslukewarmwater

1.Putthebutter inthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththepaddleattachmentand paddle on low speed until smooth, with no lumps, approximately 3minutes.Withthemotorrunning,addthesugar,onecupatatime,addingthenextcuponlyafterthefirstadditionisabsorbed.

2.Stopthemachineandaddthecocoa,vanilla,andsalt.Paddleonlow-mediumspeed until completely smooth, approximately 2minutes.Add thewater andcontinuetopaddleuntillightandfluffy,2to3minutes.

The frosting will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container at roomtemperature.

ItalianButtercream

MAKESABOUT7CUPS

IadaptedthisrecipefromoneusedatTheCulinaryInstituteofAmerica,showntomebyagroupofstudentsforwhomIdidademonstration.

8extra-largeeggwhites2cupssugar½cupwater4cups(8sticks)unsaltedbutter,atroomtemperature,cutintosmallcubes1tablespoonpurevanillaextract

1.Putthewhitesinthebowlofastandmixerfittedwiththewhipattachment.2.Put1½cupsofthesugarandthewaterinaheavysaucepanandbringtoaboil

over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar.Continuetocook,withoutstirring,andbringtothesoftballstage(240°F).

3.Meanwhile,whipthewhitesathighspeeduntilsoftpeaksform,approximately5minutes.Withthemotorrunning,addtheremaining½cupsugargradually,continuingtowhipuntilmediumpeaksform.

4.When the sugar reaches240°F,with themotor running,pour it into the eggwhites,veryslowly,inathinstream,toavoidcookingtheeggs.Raisethespeedto high, and continue to whip until the mixture has cooled to roomtemperature,10to15minutes.

5.Stoppingthemotorbetweenadditions,addthebutterin5increments,scrapingthebowlwitharubberspatulabeforeaddingeachadditionofbutter.Withthemotorrunning,addthevanilla,andwhipjustuntilitisblendedin.

Thebuttercreamcanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto1week.Letitcometoroomtemperatureandpaddlebrieflybeforeusing.

ItalianCustardCream

MAKESABOUT3CUPS,ENOUGHTOFILLANDICEONE9-INCHCAKE

Thelongeryoucookthiscream,thethickeritwillbecome,soyoucan—andshould—adjustthetexturetosuityourtaste.

2½cupswholemilk1tablespoonpurevanillaextract1cupsugar⅔cupcakeflour,sifted5extra-largeeggyolks2teaspoonssaltedbutter

1. Put themilk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer overmediumheat.

2. In a bowl, whip together the sugar, flour, and egg yolkswith a handmixer.Ladleacupof themilk-vanillamixture into thebowlandbeat to temper theyolks.

3. Add the yolkmixture to the pot and beat overmedium heat with the handmixeruntilthickandcreamy,about1minute.Asyouarebeating,movethepotonandofftheflamesothatyoudon’tscrambletheeggs.

4. Remove the pot from the heat, add the butter, and whip for 2 minutes tothicken the cream.Transfer to abowl.Let cool, coverwithplasticwrap, andrefrigerateatleast6hours.

Willkeepforupto1week.

Tomakechocolatecustardcream,add1½ouncesmelted,cooledunsweetenedchocolatealongwiththebutter.Foraricherchocolateflavor,addalittlemore.

CreamCheeseFrosting

MAKESABOUT3CUPS,ENOUGHTOFILLANDICEONE9-INCHCAKE

Ialwaysmakethisfrosting—theclassicfillingandtoppingforCarrotCakeandRedVelvetCake—withPhiladelphia brand cream cheese,which I think is simply thebest.Usethisassoonasyoumakeitbecauseitgetsverystiffintherefrigerator.Ifyouhave to refrigerate it,donotmicrowave it to freshen it. Instead, let it rest atroomtemperaturefor4hourstosoften.

Two8-ouncepackagescreamcheese½cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter,softened1teaspoonpurevanillaextract2cupspowdered(10X)sugar,sifted

1.Put the creamcheese andbutter in thebowlof a standmixer fittedwith thepaddleattachmentandpaddleatmediumspeeduntilcreamy,approximately30seconds.

2.With themotor running,pour in thevanillaandpaddle for30 seconds.Addthesugar,alittleatatime,andmixuntilsmooth,approximately1minuteafterthelastaddition.

Userightaway,orrefrigerateinanairtightcontainerforupto2days.

MyDad’sChocolateMousse

MAKESABOUT3½CUPS,ENOUGHTOFILLANDICEONE9-INCHCAKE

Thischocolatewhippedcream,whichwestillmakewithmyDad’srecipe,isfluffyandrich,andgetsalongwithawiderangeofcakesandfillings.

2cupsheavycream½cupsugar3tablespoonsunsweetenedDutch-processcocoapowder1tablespoonKahlúaorcoffeeliqueur

Put the cream, sugar, cocoa powder, and Kahlúa in a stainless-steel mixingbowl.Blendwithahandmixerathighspeeduntilfluffy,about1minute.

Useimmediatelyorrefrigerateinanairtightcontainerforupto3days.

ChocolateGanache

MAKESABOUT2CUPS

This ganache can be used as a filling and/or poured over a cake. To use it as afilling, refrigerate it, transfer it to a pastry bag, and pipe it out following thedirections.

Topourganacheoveracake,meltitinadoubleboilerandsimplypouritoveracake or layer. To top layers of French cream or chocolatemousse with ganache,pouritonandsmoothitwithacakeicingspatula.

1cupheavycream9ouncessemisweetchocolate,coarselychopped1tablespoonlightcornsyrup

1.Puttheheavycreaminasaucepanandsetitovermedium-highheat.Assoonasitbeginstosimmer,removethepotfromtheheat.Addthechocolateandstirwithawoodenspoontomeltthechocolate.Stirinthecornsyrup.

2.Tocoveracakewithpouredganache,setawirerackinoroverabakingtray.Setthecakeontherack.Carefullyladlethemoltenganacheoverthecakeinasteadystream,lettingitrunoverthecakeuntiluniformlycovered.

3. Otherwise, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour. If using forfilling,softeninadoubleboilerovermediumheatuntilpourable.

4.Letanyunusedganachecool, transfer toanairtightcontainer, and refrigeratefor up to 3 days.Reheat gently in a double boiler set over simmeringwater,stirringwitharubberspatulauntilwarmandpourable.

LobsterTailCream

MAKES5½CUPS

Weusethisdecadentcreamtofilloursignaturelobstertailpastries,butitcanalsobeusedtofilland/orfrostcakes;it’sespeciallydeliciousonourVanillaCake.

TheamountofBailey’sIrishCreamisnegligible,butitaddsasubtleelegance.

ItalianCustardCreamItalianWhippedCream2tablespoonsBailey’sIrishCreamliqueur,plusmoretotaste(optional)

1.Putthecustardcreaminamixingbowl.Addthewhippedcream,a littleatatime,foldingitinwitharubberspatula.

2.DrizzletheBailey’sIrishCream(ifusing),overthemixture,gentlymixingitin.Addmoretotaste,ifdesired,butdonotovermixthecream.

Thecreamcanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto4days.Whiskbrieflybyhandtorefreshbeforeusing.

ItalianWhippedCream

MAKESABOUT2½CUPS

This sweetenedwhipped cream canbeused to fill and/or ice cakes, and is also acomponentofFrenchcreamandlobstercream.

1½cupsheavycream¼cupplus2tablespoonssugar

Putthecreamandsugarinabowlandwhiponhighspeedwithahandmixer.Donotovermixoryou’llendupwithbutter.

Thecreamcanberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto3days.Whiskbyhandtorefreshbeforeusing.

Syrup

MAKESABOUT1⅓CUPS

Usethisrecipetomakesyrupstosoakthespongecake.Inadditiontotheliqueurscalledforinthebook,youcanusetheformulatocreateothersyrups.Agoodruleofthumbforselectingabrandofliqueuristopickwhatyouliketodrink,andsteerclearofthecheapstuff.

Forastrongerflavor,increasetheamountofliqueurupto½cup.

1cupwater1cupsugar¼cupliqueur,suchasRosolio,Strega,orrum(seeNotebelow)

Put the water, sugar, and liqueur into a saucepan and bring to a simmer overmedium-highheat.Whiskuntilthesugardissolves,approximately3to4minutes.Letcoolbeforeusing.

Thesyrupmayberefrigeratedinanairtightcontainerforupto2weeks.

Note: Rosolio and Strega can be hard to find. There is no truly comparablereplacementforthem,butyoucansubstituteothersweetliqueursifyoucannotgetyourhandsonthem.

Acknowledgments

Nobodywrites a bookbyhimself, and I’d like to thank the followingpeople fortheirhelponthisproject,andinthegrowingfamilyofCakeBossshows:

Mywife,Lisa.Thankyouforsharingallthegreatadventureswithme,boththewonderful and wild ride we’ve enjoyed with Cake Boss, and the even greateradventureofLife.There’snobodyI’dratherhaveasmypartnerthroughitall.Iloveyou.

MySofiaBear,Buddy,Marco, andCarlo—my four incredible kids.Youguysmakemeproudeveryday,andcontinuetobemyinspiration—you’rewhyIgetoutofbedandgotoworkeverymorning,andthereasonIcan’twaittocomehomeattheendoftheday.

Myfather,BuddyValastro,theoriginalCakeBoss.Asitsaysonthatpictureinourbakery,youmaybegone,butyouarenotforgotten.Weallmissyou,andworktohonoryoueverydayofourlives.

MaryValastro(Mama).YoumaynotbeasinvolvedwithCarlo’sBakeShopasyouusedtobe,butyourpresenceisstill feltthereeveryminuteofeveryday,andthepersonalandprofessionalexamplesyousetwillguidemealways.

Myfourbigsisters,Grace,Madeline,Mary,andLisa.It’stoughtoputwordstohowmuchIcareaboutthefourofyou.You’vebeenthere,literally,myentirelifeandIloveknowingyou’rethere,inmycorner,everydayoftheyear.

My brothers-in-law, Mauro, Joey, and Joe. You guys will always be like thebrothersIneverhad.AsfarasI’mconcerned,weshouldjustdropthe“in-law”—you’remyrealbrothers.Ihavetoalsogivetremendous,special thankstoJoeyfortesting the recipes for thisbook—and inhisownhomekitchen,no less. (Idon’tknowhowhetalkedmysisterGraceintolettinghimdothat,butIwasimpressedthat he did!) The crew at the bakery for helping the place run like a well-oiledmachine,especiallyFrankieandDanny,andspecialthankstoFrankie,Liz,Rachael,and Melanie for their help with the photo shoots for this book. Also, a huge

appreciativeshout-outtoGermanforhelpingwiththerecipetesting.AdamBourcier,thanksforallthehelponthebook,andforcontinuingtohelp

managethisempire’sgrowth.We’vegotbigthingsonthehorizonandI’mhappytohaveyouontheteam.

NikkyO’Connell,mypersonalassistant.Youdosomuch,andIappreciateallofit.Icouldn’taccomplishwhatIdowithoutyou.

SalPicinich.A lotof thewisdominthisbookI learnedfromyou.Imissyou,butI’mcomfortedtoknowthatyou’reinheaven,bakingwithmydad.

Andrew Friedman. Once again, you’ve taken my thoughts and magicallytransferredthemtothepage.I’mhappytocallyoumyfriend.

MarcusNilsson,thanksforyourgreatphotographyandforbeingapleasuretowork with on those long shoot days. To Stephanie Hanes for her lovely propstyling.AndtoBridgetStoyko,MelissaStonehill,andTracyCollinsfortheirexpertproductionandmanagementofthephotoshoots.

The team at my publisher, Free Press: our editor, Leslie Meredith, for hercontinued support and encouragement; publisher Martha Levin for her abidingbelief; editorial assistant Donna Loffredo for her help during the editing andproduction stage;VPdirector ofpublicityCarisaHays, for getting thewordout.And to editorial director Dominick Anfuso and associate publisher SuzanneDonahuefortheirveryspecialsupportofthisproject.

JonRosenandtheteamatWilliamMorrisEndeavorEntertainment.Thanksforatrulyfantasticyear;can’twaittoseewhatwepulloffnext!

ErinNiumata of Folio LiteraryManagement,who agented this book—thanksfor your friendship and for making this project happen the right way. And mylasting appreciation toMauraTeitelbaum atAbramsArtists Agency for her earlydirectionandguidance.

The Brooks Group, Carlo’s Bake Shop’s public relations agency—thanks forgettingthewordoutaboutalltheexcitingnewswe’vehadoverthelastyear,andforyourterrificadviceandenthusiasmalongtheway.

Tomyextendedfamily—myauntsanduncles,cousinsandsecondcousins—andtoallmyfriends(youknowwhoyouare),thanksforeverythingandforhelpingmestaygroundedduringtheselife-changingcoupleofyears.

TheloyalcustomersofCarlo’sBakeShop—thanksforlininguptovisitus,andforalltheenthusiasmyoubringtoourshop.Whenwebakeanddecorate,wethinkofyouandhowmuchpleasurewehopeourproductsbringtoyou.

I have to also thank God, for giving me a blessed life—my family and ourbusinesswouldhavebeenrichesenoughforanyman;alltherestisjusttheicingon

thecake.And to the rest ofmy extended family at TLC andDiscovery:David Zaslav,

presidentandCEO,DiscoveryCommunications;EileenO’Neill,grouppresident,Discovery and TLC Networks; Joe Abruzzese, president, Advertising Sales, USNetworks;NancyDaniels,EVP,ProductionandDevelopment,DiscoveryChannel;Howard Lee, SVP, Production and Development, TLC; Dustin Smith, VP,Communications, TLC; Sue Perez-Jackson, director, Licensing, DiscoveryCommunications;EdwardSabin,groupCOO,DiscoveryandTLCNetworks;andJenWilliams,VP,TalentManagementandStrategy.Andtwoessentialfigureswhono longerworkon the show,butwhohelped shape it and its success: JohnPaulStoopsandJonSechrist.Iloveworkingwithallofyou.Thankyouforhelpingmerealize my dreams and for all we have achieved together, and will continue toachieveinthefuture.

To my fans. Without you guys, I wouldn’t be the Cake Boss. Thanks forwatching, for writing, for coming to the live shows, and for buying my books.You’rethebestandIloveyouall.

Index

Note:Pagereferencesinitalicsindicatephotographs.

A

almondpastebuttercookies,42–44comparedwithmarzipan,60pignolicookies,57–60,58

animalsafaricake,281–94,282applepie,141–42,143autumncake,258,259–62

B

babas,rum,103–4babyshowercake,263–66,264bake-proofjams,about,73baking(general)

beingcreativewith,7Carlo’s“curriculum,”4withchildren,noteabout,31cleaningupasyougo,30comfortableclothingfor,29developingskillsfor,1–3findinghappinessin,7

findingnewwaystodothings,8gettinginto“TheZone,”29–30importanceofconfidence,8andtheKarateKidprinciple,2–3keepingnotesandnotebooks,8–9learningfrommistakes,30minimizingdistractions,30peptalkfor,4–8preparingingredientsfor,30repeatingbasicskillsandsteps,7willingnesstotrynewthings,8seealsobakingtechniques

bakingpansandtrays,13bakingpowder,about,51bakingsoda,about,51bakingtechniques

bakingcookiesinbatches,39blindbakingcrusts,130choosingjamforbaking,73coolingcookies,40creamingbutterwithotheringredients,43dockingpastrydough,94flouringacakepan,297foldingwhippedeggwhites,98freezingcookiedough,49keepingcookiecutterfromstickingtodough,84makingdoughnuts,119measuringforpiepanwithoutruler,131measuringingredients,33meltingbutter,72meltingchocolate,64mixingingredients,33–34rollingoutdough,74rollingpastryontorollingpin,131scrapingsidesofmixingbowl,34shapingcannoli,107siftingingredients,55

sizingupcookies,47slicingcakeycookies,65soakingcakeswithsyrup,102toastingnuts,27whippingeggwhites,56workingwitharollingpin,34–35

barsbrownies,110–11raspberry,112,113–14

benchbrushes,16berries

chocolatetruffles,120,121–22Italianfruittart(fruttidibosco),144,145–46raspberrydreamcake,190strawberrychiffoncake,193strawberryshortcake,190

birthdaycakesaboy’s,183–84agirl’s,187–88grown-up,forguys,217grown-upcosmo,212,213–17

black-and-whitecookies,78,79–81blindbaking,130boy’sbirthdaycake,183–84brownieicing,111brownies,110–11brownsugar,27brushes,16Buddydelight,191Buddy’scabbagerosecupcakes,163,163butter

cookies,42–44creamingwithotheringredients,43melting,72notesabout,23

buttercreamdecorator’s,154

estimatingquantitiesneeded,155Italian,314roses,piping,164–65,164

butterflies,97–102,101

C

cabbagerosecupcakes,Buddy’s,163,163cakeflour,notesabout,25–26cakeicingspatula,203cakepan,flouring,297cakepans,forrecipes,15–16cakes

applyingicing(frosting)to,172–73bakingequipmentfor,15–16basicskillsfor,151chartoffavoritecombinations,189–93decoratingtechniques,173–80“dirty-icing”(crumb-coating),155,197establishingfrontandbackof,186estimatingfillingamountsfor,172filling,171freezing,170–71soakingwithsyrup,102,173sponge,soaking,173trimmingandcutting,170–71seealsocakes(basic);cakes(decorated);cupcakes

cakes(basic)carrot,306–7chiffon,chocolate,302–3chiffon,white,300–301chocolate,298–99Italiansponge(pandispagna),304–5recipeyields,295redvelvet,308–9signsofdoneness,295

vanilla,296–97birthday,aboy’s,183–84birthday,agirl’s,187–88Buddydelight,191carrot,193chocolatechiffon,193chocolatefudge,191chocolatemousse,191chocolatetruffles,120,121–22thecontinental,190dotandbow,204,205–7groovygirl,208,209–10Italianrum,old-fashioned,192Italianwedding,traditional,192lemonchiffon,193Lisa’sdream,192newagecassata,192theoklahoma,190raspberrydream,190redvelvet,193strawberrychiffon,193strawberryshortcake,190vanilladevil’sfood,191seealsocakes(decorated,themed)

cakes(decorated,themed)animalsafari,281–94,282autumn,258,259–62babyshower,263–66,264birthday,grown-up,cakeforguys,217birthday,grown-up,cosmo,212,213–17Chanukah,270,271–73Christmaslights,278,279–80Easterbasket,222,223–25Father’sDay,238,239–41fourthofJuly,246,247–49graduation,232,233–37halloweenfrankenstein,250,251–53

Mother’sday,226,227–31SantaChristmas,274,275–77snowflakewinterwonderland,267–69,268summerbeach,242,243–45Thanksgivingturkey,254,255–57Valentine’sday,218,219–21

cannoli,105–8,106cannoli,shaping,107cannolicream,109cardboardcircle,doily-lined,203carrotcake(basic),306–7carrotcake(decorated),193cassatini,97–102,101Chanukahcake,270,271–73cheese

cannolicream,109cream,frosting,316wheatpie(pastieradigrano),137–39,138

chiffoncakeschocolate,302–3favoritefillingandfrostingcombinations,193white,300–301

children,bakingwith,31chocolate

black-and-whitecookies,78,79–81browniecluster,53–55,54brownieicing,111brownies,110–11Buddydelight,191buttercookies,42–44cake,298–99cakes,favoritefillingandfrostingcombinationsfor,191–92cannolicream,109chiffoncake(basic),302–3chiffoncake(decorated),193chipcookies,double,45–48,46custardcream,preparing,315

fudgecake,191fudgefrosting,313ganache,318–19Lisa’sdreamcake,192melting,methodsfor,64329modeling,workingwith,283mousse,myDad’s,317moussecake,191notesabout,23peanutbuttercookies,49–52seized,avoiding,64seven-layercookies,61–65,62truffles,120,121–22vanilladevil’sfoodcake,191

chouxpastry(éclairdoughorcreampuffdough),88Christmascake,Santa,274,275–77Christmascookies,icebox,82,83–85Christmaslightscake,278,279–80Christmastreecupcakes,167–69,168cinnamonsugar,dustingdoughnutswith,118circles,piping,44cocoapowder,notesabout,23coconutcustardpie,135–36coloring

addingtodecorator’sbuttercream,154coloredfondant,buying,203

thecontinentalcake,190cookiedough

keepingcookiecutterfromstickingto,84rollingout,74sliced,freezing,49

cookiesbakinginbatches,39basicingredients,39black-and-white,78,79–81butter,42–44cakey,slicing,tipfor,65

chocolatebrowniecluster,53–55,54cooling,40doublechocolatechip,45–48,46freezing,beforefrosting,81iceboxChristmas,82,83–85lessonslearnedfrom,40–41linzertart,75–77,76memoriesof,37mixing,39peanutbutter,49–52pignoli,57–60,58rugelach,70,71–74seven-layer,61–65,62sizing,importanceof,47storing,40vanilla,66,67–69versatilityofrecipes,39–40seealsobarscookiesheets,15

cornstarchorpowderedsugar,203cosmocake,grown-upbirthday,212,213–17creamcheese

frosting,316rugelach,70,71–74

creamingbutterwithanotheringredient,43creampuffdough,88creampuffparfait,147–49,148creampuffs,91crystalsugar,28cupcakes

bakingequipmentfor,15–16bakingtemperature,295Buddy’scabbagerose,163,163buttercreamquantityfor,158Christmastree,167–69,168daisy,162,162decorating,notesabout,157decorating,pastrytipsfor,158

flat-petalflower,161,161madewithcakerecipes,295puffflower,160,160redrose,166,166storing,158sunflower,159,159

cupcaketrays,16

D

daisycupcakes,162,162decoratingtechniques

applyingfondanttocake,201–2assemblingpastriesandcakes,100basicsforworkingwithfondant,196creating“feathered”icing,95forcupcakes,158“dirty-icing”cakes(crumb-coating),155,197dustingdoughnutswithsugar,118establishingfrontandbackofcake,186estimatingbuttercreamquantities,155fillingcakes,171freezingcakesbeforedecorating,170–71freezingcookiesbeforefrosting,81icingacakewithposterboard,198icing(frosting)cakes,172–73makingaparchmentpencil,185–86ratiosoffillingtocake,172rollingoutfondant,199–200savingpastrybags,197trimmingandcuttingcakes,170–71usingadecorator’scomb,184workingwithicing,81,95,172–73,184,198seealsopipingtechniques

decorator’sbuttercream,154decorator’scomb,using,184

devil’sfoodcake,vanilla,191“dirty-icing”cakes(crumb-coating),155,197dockingtechnique,94doily-linedcardboardcircle,203dotandbowcake,204,205–7dots,piped,174,175,176doubleboilers,15doublereverseloop,piped,174,176doughnuts

dusting,withcinnamonsugar,118old-fashioned,115–19,116shapesfor,119

Dragone,Danny,5droplines,piped,178,180

E

Easterbasket,222,223–25éclairdough,88éclairs,89–91egg(s)

notesabout,25whites,whipped,folding,98whites,whipping,56

equipmentallpurposecookware,13–15bakingpansandtrays,13forcakesandcupcakes,15–16cookiesheets,15doubleboilers,15minimuffintrays,15piepans,15storagefor,12seealsotools

F

Father’sdaycake,238,239–41Faugno,Joey,5,49filigree,piped,179,180fillings

applyingtocakes,171cannolicream,109chocolateganache,318–19estimatingquantitiesforcakes,172Italiancustardcream,315Italianwhippedcream,321lobstertailcream,320myDad’schocolatemousse,317

fires,kitchen,31flat-petalflowercupcakes,161,161flour

cake,notesabout,25–26flouringacakepan,297pastry,notesabout,26

fondantabout,195applyingtothecake,201–2buying,202–3coatingacakewith,197–202colored,notesabout,203makingcakeswith,tipsfor,202–3rollingout,199–20storing,196toolsfor,195–96,203white,noteabout,203workingwith,basicsfor,196seealsocakes(decorated,themed)

foodcolorsaddingtodecorator’sbuttercream,154coloredfondant,buying,203

forwardloop,piped,174,176fourthofJulycake,246,247–49frostings

applyingtocakes,172–73chocolatefudge,313creamcheese,316Italianbuttercream,314Italiancustardcream,315Italianwhippedcream,321lobstertailcream,320myDad’schocolatemousse,317vanilla,312seealsoicings

fruittart,Italian(fruttidibosco),144,145–46fruttidibosco(Italianfruittart),144,145–46

G

ganache,chocolate,318–19girl’sbirthdaycake,187–88graduationcake,232,233–37granulatedsugar,27groovygirlcake,208,209–10grown-upbirthdaycosmocake,212,213–17

H

halloweenfrankensteincake,250,251–53heart,piped,181

I

iceboxChristmascookies,82,83–85icings

applying,withposterboard,198applyingtocakes,172–73,198brownie,111

chocolateganache,318–19creating“feathered”effect,95decorator’sbuttercream,154estimatingbuttercreamquantitiesneeded,155practicingwith,81usingdecorator’scombon,184seealsofrostings

ingredientsbasic,forcookies,39butter,23cocoaandchocolate,23eggs,25flours,25–26lard,26margarine,26measuring,33milk,26mixing,33–34noteson,23–28nuts,27salt,27sifting,55sugars,27–28vanilla,28vegetableoil,28vegetableshortening,28

Italianbuttercream,314Italiancustardcream,315Italianfruittart(fruttidibosco),144,145–46Italianrumcake,old-fashioned,192Italianspongecake

favoritefillingandfrostingcombinations,192recipefor(pandispagna),304–5

Italianweddingcake,traditional,192Italianwhippedcream,321

J

jamsbake-proof,about,73seealsoraspberryjam

K

KarateKidprinciple,2–3kitchenorganization,11–12kitchensafety,31

L

lardforcannoli,108notesabout,26

leaf,piped,176leafswag,piped,177,180leaves,madewithparchmentpencil,186Lee,Jimmy,71,113lemon

chiffoncake,193meringuepie,126,127–29

linzertartcookies,75–77,76Lisa’sdreamcake,192lobstertailcream,320looploopskip,piped,174,176

M

MaeWestdoughnuts,119makeupbrushes,16margarine,notesabout,26

marzipan,versusalmondpaste,60meringue,pastrybagsfor,19microplanezester,17milk,forrecipes,26minimuffintrays,15mixingbowls,17modelingchocolate,workingwith,283Mother’sdaycake,226,227–31muffintrays,mini,15munchkins,119myDad’schocolatemousse,317

N

napoleons,92,93–96newagecassatacake,192notebooks,8–9nuts

carrotcake,306–7chocolatebrowniecluster,53–55,54notesabout,27peanutbuttercookies,49–52pignolicookies,57–60,58pine,buying,59rugelach,70,71–74toasting,27seealsoalmondpaste

O

oil,vegetable,notesabout,28theoklahomacake,190old-fashioneddoughnuts,115–19,116old-fashionedItalianrumcake,192ovens

avoidingovercrowdingin,36cleaning,35–36hotspotsin,36keepingwell-sealed,36ovenracks,30preheating,30,36

P

paintbrush,195pandispagna(Italianspongecake),304–5parchmentpaper,17parchmentpencil,making,185–86parfait,creampuff,147–49,148pastafrolla,139–40pastieradigrano(wheatpie),137–39,138pastries

butterflies,97–102,101cannoli,105–8,106cassatini,97–102,101chouxpastry(éclairdoughorcreampuffdough),88creampuffs,91éclairs,89–91lessonslearnedfrom,87napoleons,92,93–96rumbabas,103–4

pastrybagsparchmentpencilsubstitutefor,185–86saving,whiledecorating,197typesof,17–19workingwith,152–53

pastrybagtips,19,158pastrybrushes,16pastrydough

docking,94rollingontorollingpin,131

seealsopiecrustspastryflour,notesabout,26peanutbuttercookies,49–52Picinich,Sal,53,127piecrusts

blindbaking,130pastafrolla,139–40recipefor,130–31piepans,15pies

apple,141–42,143coconutcustard,135–36lemonmeringue,126,127–29lessonslearnedfrom,123pipingmeringueon,128pumpkin,132,133–34wheat(pastieradigrano),137–39,138pignolicookies,57–60,58pinenuts

buying,59pignolicookies,57–60,58

pipingtechniques,173–80basicskills,173–76bottomborders,173–74buttercreamroses,164–65,164circles,44dots,174,175,176doublereverseloop,174,176droplines,178,180filigree,179,180forwardloop,174,176heart,181leaf,176leafswag,177,180looploopskip,174,176makingleaveswithaparchmentpencil,186pipingmeringueonpie,128

pipingwithsteadypressure,44,90,152–53pulseswag,177pulsetechnique,153reverseloop,174,176rope,174,175,176rosette,180,181ruffleswag,177,180shellborders,173–74,175,176shellswag,177simpleswag,177squeeze-and-pulltechnique,153“S”shape,174,175,176swags,177,180topborders,173workingonaturntable,152,158workingwithpastrybags,152–53writingwithaparchmentpencil,186

pizzacutter,195polyurethaneorball-bearingrollingpin,203posterboard,icingcakewith,198powderbrushes,16powderedsugar,27,203puffflowercupcakes,160,160puffpastry

docking,94napoleons,92,93–96

pulseswag,piped,177pulsetechnique,153pumpkinpie,132,133–34

R

racks,forcoolingbakedgoods,20raisins

carrotcake,306–7rugelach,70,71–74

raspberry(ies)chocolatetruffles,120,121–22dreamcake,190Italianfruittart(fruttidibosco),144,145–46

raspberryjamlinzertartcookies,75–77,76raspberrybars,112,113–14rugelach,70,71–74

redvelvetcake(basic),308–9redvelvetcake(decorated),193reverseloop,piped,174,176ricotta

cannolicream,109wheatpie(pastieradigrano),137–39,138

rollingpins,20polyurethaneorball-bearing,203rollingpastryonto,131

rope,piped,174,175,176roses,buttercream,piping,164–65,164rosette,piped,180,181ruffleswag,piped,177,180rugelach,70,71–74ruler,195rumbabas,103–4rumcake,old-fashionedItalian,192

S

safety,inkitchen,31salt,notesabout,27SantaChristmascake,274,275–77scales,20scrapers,20–21seven-layercookies,61–65,62SexandtheCity,213shellborders,piped,174,175,176

shellswag,piped,177shortening,notesabout,28Sicilianpastries,97–102,101sifters,21siftingingredients,55simpleswag,piped,177smoother,195,203snowflakewinterwonderlandcake,267–69,268spatula,cakeicing,203spatulas,21,203spongecake

Italian,favoritefillingandfrostingcombinationsfor,192Italian,recipefor(pandispagna),304–5soakingwithsyrup,173

squeeze-and-pulltechnique,153“S”shape,piped,174,175,176standmixers,21–22steamer,195–96strawberry

chiffoncake,193shortcake,190

stripcutterset,195sugar

brown,27cinnamon,dustingdoughnutswith,118crystal,28granulated,27notesabout,27–28powdered,27,203

summerbeachcake,242,243–45sunflowercupcakes,159,159swags,piped,177,180syrup,322

T

tarelles(vanillacookies),66,67–69tarts

fruit,Italian(fruttidibosco),144,145–46lessonslearnedfrom,123

techniques. See baking techniques; decorating techniques; piping techniquesThanksgivingturkeycake,254,255–57

thermometers,22timers,22tips,forpastrybags,19,158tools

brushes,16cakeicingspatula,203cornstarchorpowderedsugar,203doily-linedcardboardcircle,203microplanezester,17mixingbowls,17paintbrush,195parchmentpaper,17pastrybags,17–19pastrybagtips,19pizzacutter,195polyurethaneorball-bearingrollingpin,203racks,forcooling,20rollingpins,20ruler,195scales,20scrapers,20–21sifters,21smoother,195,203spatulas,21,203standmixers,21–22steamer,195–96stripcutterset,195thermometers,22timers,22turntable,203waterpen,195

whisks,22woodenspoons,22forworkingwithfondant,195–96,203X-Actoknife,195

traditionalItalianweddingcake,192trays,baking,13truffles,chocolate,120,121–22turntables,16,152,158,203twistytarelles,69

V

Valastro,Buddy,Sr.,5,151,317Valentine’sdaycake,218,219–21vanilla

cake,296–97cake,favoritefillingandfrostingcombinationsfor,190cookies,66,67–69devil’sfoodcake,191frosting,312notesabout,28

vegetableoil,notesabout,28vegetableshortening,notesabout,28Vernola,Mike(“OldManMike”),9,110

W

walnutscarrotcake,306–7chocolatebrowniecluster,53–55,54rugelach,70,71–74

waterpen,195wheatpie(pastieradigrano),137–39,138whippedcream,Italian,321whisks,22

whitechiffoncake,300–301woodenspoons,22writing,withparchmentpencil,186

X

X-Actoknife,195

Z

zester,microplane,17

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR

BuddyValastroisanaccomplishedfourth-generationbakerborninHoboken,NewJersey.Atanearlyage, itwasclearthathewasanaturalbakerandwouldgointothefamilybusiness.Helovedspendingtimewithhisfather,amasterbaker,asanapprenticeworkingforcountlesshoursinthebakerylearningtheOldWorldsecretsof baking. They dreamed that together they would make Carlo’s Bake Shop ahouseholdname.Sincehisfather’spassingwhenBuddywasseventeen,andwiththehelpofhisfamily,hisfather’srecipes,andhisowninnovativedecoratingandsugararttechniques,BuddyhastakenCarlo’sBakeShoptonewheights.

Today, Buddy is often asked to demonstrate, compete, and teach his craftaroundthecountry.AtCarlo’s,Buddyandhisstaffturnoutthousandsofweddingcakes, specialty cakes, and pastries weekly.His award-winning designs have beenfeatured numerous times in different bridal and baking magazines. His memoircookbook,CakeBoss:TheStories andRecipes fromMiaFamiglia,was aNewYorkTimesbestsellerandCarlo’sBakeShophasbeenfeaturedinbooks,newspaperssuchastheNewYorkTimes,andtelevision,mostlyTLC’shitCakeBoss.HeandhiscakeshavealsobeenfeaturedontheTodayshow,GoodMorningAmerica,TheView,andHBO’shitseriesTheSopranos.

*Bytheway,stayawayfromself-risingall-purposeflour,whichhasleaveningagentsadded.

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