April 27, 2017 - 8:35am
Rose Levy Barenbaum's Cakes
I've made several of RLB's cakes and I'm wondering if I'm the only one who thinks the texture is weird. She uses a lot of baking powder and I find they come out with a very unpleasant mouthfeel -- like I'm choking down cotton.
Just wondering if I'm the only one who isn't in love with her recipes.
Share
I'm with you on that. I bought her Pie & Pastry Bible and have found in it few tools to add to my kit, or recipes to add to my repertoire. It was also the first cookbook I've bought in Kindle format and that is a disaster. Never again. In concept, her recipes sound great and the book, comprehensive. But every time I've considered repeating one of her recipes, I feel the need to look (and find) elsewhere to substitute her crust or filling formula/process with someone else's with better flavor, texture, formula. Kind of reminds me of Peter Reinhart: Prolific author, enthusiastic teacher, good starting points for methods, but few recipes that are keepers for the long haul.
Tom
I learned the basics of cake making, which is great, but I've had some dry results. Not sure if it's the baking powder or the fact that you have to overcook the cake to cook the center fully. I'm also not enchanted with the frosting options. I really miss my mom's cakes. Too bad she can't remember how to make them. They were perfectly moist with creamy frosting.
I'd love to try another cake book if anyone has a suggestion.
but we have a little Finn sauna place here with an attached restaurant that makes amazingly moist cakes. I was told that the secret was to poke holes in the baked cake and pour milk overtop and let cool. Then frost and serve. Might be worthwhile trying.
Another method I have heard pros use is doing the same with simple syrup.
and the results are just fine. I've not had any complaints about texture from anyone. I particularly like her cream cheese-based pie crust and it's the only one I use now.
Never used her pie/pastry book. I do have her 2 cake books and her bread book, which I've had some success with. I find that they have lots of useful information but I've yet to make a cake that I like. I mean, cake is cake, so they're not terrible. Guess I'll try a few more.