As American as chiffon cake As American as chiffon cake June 29, 2016 12:00 AM Michael Heninger/Post-Gazette Orange chiffon cake is perfect for a Fourth of July picnic. Michael Heninger/Post-Gazette By Arthi Subramaniam / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette When it comes to cakes, it doesn’t get more American than a chiffon. The chiffon cake was born in California and changed the way America baked, says cake cognoscente Anne Byrn, who wrote the runaway best-seller, “The Cake Mix Doctor,” and the sequels, “Chocolate From the Cake Mix Doctor”; “The Dinner Doctor” and “Cupcakes From the Cake Mix Doctor.” Presidential cakes Presidents had their favorite cakes, too, and here are what some of them craved: • George Washington: Martha Washington Great Cake (a fruitcake made with wine). • Thomas Jefferson: An orange-flavored sponge cake. • Chester Arthur: Devil’s Food Cake. • Franklin D. Roosevelt: Fruitcake (dark, dense chocolate cake). • Richard Nixon: Baked Alaska (a sponge cake topped by a thick slab of ice cream and blanketed by meringue.

It is then baked for about 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown). • Jimmy Carter: Lane Cake (a three-layered cake filled and frosted with a boozy custard packed with pecans, raisins and maraschino cherries). It was served in the Carter home during his childhood. — Anne Byrn Instead of butter, the chiffon cake uses vegetable oil for moistness and relies on beaten egg whites for volume and lightness, Ms. Byrn writes in her upcoming cookbook, “American Cake: From Colonial Gingerbread to Classic Layer, the Story Behind Our Best-Loved Cakes From Past to Present,” which will be released Sept. 6 by Rodale Books. The book methodically looks at how cakes have evolved from the Colonists’ era to now. The chiffon cake is quintessential American, Ms. Byrn says, unlike the gingerbread cake that came with the settlers, the sponge cake that had roots in England and France, the pound cake that originated in England and the angel food and crumb coffee cakes that immigrated with the Pennsylvania Dutch. Harry Baker, an insurance salesman whose hobby was baking, is credited to have created the first chiffon cake in 1927, using vegetable oil.

He made it for the famous Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles, which sold the cake to Hollywood stars. The story goes that he held the secret ingredient so close to his heart that he disposed his garbage of himself so that no one could find out why his cakes turned out so moist. He eventually sold the recipe to General Mills in 1948, so that “Betty Crocker could give the secret to the women of America.” Ms. Byrn spoke last week in a phone interview from Nashville, Tenn., on how to master baking a chiffon cake. Q: What do you think prompted Harry Baker to use vegetable oil instead of butter? A: I would have been fascinated to have interviewed Harry Baker about that. Vegetable oil was a key ingredient at that time, and he must have tasted a cake with it. After all, Wesson oil was a 20th-century game changer. Q: In addition to the oil, what are the key basics for a chiffon? A: Flour, sugar, a bit of leavening, salt and a lot of eggs. Also, the egg whites need to be beaten separately from the yolks. Strong citrus flavors like orange and lemon can be added as well.

The cake is a very good keeper. Q: Other than a citrus chiffon, what other flavors appeal to you? A: Instead of oranges and lemons in the batter and an orange glaze, you can add a teaspoon of espresso and top the cake with a chocolate glaze. Or you can add coconut milk and coconut extract and top it with desiccated coconut. The chiffon is a good canvas and can go with anything. It is like an angel food cake in that regard. Q: What’s the best way to slice the cake? A: A serrated knife is the best because it helps to preserve the height of a tall cake. You work so hard on the volume and you don’t want to push it down. Instead saw into it gently. Q: Is it imperative to bake a chiffon in a tube pan or can it be baked in a Bundt, loaf pan or as cupcakes? A: It’s best to bake a chiffon in a tube pan because it offers the height and structure to allow the cake to rise high. The pan allows the batter to grab on to the sides of the pan and thrust up the cake.

You can bake a chiffon in layers or in a Bundt pan or make cupcakes, but the most dramatic presentation for a tall cake is the tube pan. Q: How do you test a chiffon for doneness? A: Check the cake at the earlier end of the baking time specified in the recipe. I always keep the light on in the oven when baking a cake, so I can see when it starts browning. The cake also needs to be firm when you gently press your finger on the top. Q: Do you have any last words of advice for chiffon bakers? A: Don’t cut corners. You do need to beat the egg whites separately and fold them in carefully into the batter with the yolks, sugar and flour to give the cake its volume. So don’t add the eggs as a whole. Q: And your final thoughts about the chiffon? A: It goes anywhere. It’s like a nice pair of jeans or a little black dress. It’s always in season, always appropriate. And uniquely American. Arthi Subramaniam: asubramaniam@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1494 or on Twitter @asub.

■ Fresh Orange Chiffon Cake PG tested The texture of chiffon cake is somewhere between a pound cake and an angel food cake. The original recipe called for baking the cake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes and increasing the temperature to 350 degrees and baking for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. But I found the cake top to be perfectly golden brown when it baked at 325 degrees for about 55 minutes. 2 medium-size lemons 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1½ cups granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 7 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar Grate zest of lemons to yield 1 tablespoon. Grate zest of oranges to yield 3 tablespoons. Cut oranges in half and juice them to yield 3/4 cup of juice. Set the zests and juice aside. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 10-inch tube pan; set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a wide well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

Add oil and egg yolks, lemon and orange zests, and orange juice. With a strong wire whisk, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Set aside. In another large mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on high speed until a still peak holds when the beater is raised, about 3 to 4 minutes. In three additions, fold about three-quarters of the yolk mixture into the whites. Next fold the whites into the remaining yolk mixture. Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 55 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake just comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Spoon orange glaze over top of the cooled cake. If desired, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Makes 12 to 16 servings. — Adapted from “American Cake” by Anne Byrn (to be published Sept. 6, 2016; Rodale Books; $29.99) ■ Olive Oil Vs. Vegetable Oil/canola Oil?

When you purchase a digital subscription to Cake Central Magazine, you will get an instant and automatic download of the most recent issue. Olive Oil Vs. Vegetable Oil/canola Oil? Olive Oil Vs. Vegetable Oil/canola Oil? LukeRubyJoy Posted 14 Aug 2006 , 8:25pm post #1 of 18 Hello all, I would like to present a question. I found a thread on vegetable oil versus canola oil, but I would like to go one step further. I ususally use olive oil (virgin or extra virgin) for all my cooking. Can I use it in my baking recipes that call for vegetable oil as well (an olive is a veggie after all) I have been, and the cakes seem fine, but maybe I am missing something. The only problem I worry about is that my extra virgin olive oil is green, not yellow. It hasn't changed the coloring of anything I have done yet, but I am really new at this,so..... Also, special flour for cakes versus all purpose. I heard that if the all purpose is sifted, then you don't really need cake flour (which is way more expensive in my store).

Thanks for all your help. 17 replies post #2 of 18 Extra virgin olive oil can be used in baking if the recipe calls for it. A regular vegetable oil is flavourless so it is ideal for most baking recipe. If you notice the olive oil has some pungent smell to it so it might affect your cake. Also, canola oil is a good substitute too. I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour by mixing 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 2 tablespoon cornstarch. This works for me everytime. Goodluck to you. I hope this helps. czyadgrl Posted 14 Aug 2006 , 8:56pm post #3 of 18 Cake flour question... I've been wondering the same thing. I did buy some cake flour and used it for a few recipes. I can't say that I noticed a difference really. I recently posted this on a similar thread: This is from and believe it's the same thing that's on the back inside cover of the betty crocker cookbook: For 1 cup of cake flour, substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

You also can try substituting 3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch for every 1 cup of cake flour called for in a recipe. To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every 1 cup all-purpose flour called for in a recipe. If a recipe for a delicate cake, such as angel food or sponge cake, calls for cake flour, do not try substituting all-purpose flour. Such a substitution could cause the delicate cake to collapse. Olive oil question: I have used Olive oil in my baking, mostly because we just don't usually keep regular vegetable oil around the house at all. I was very nervous when I used it as the ONLY oil in a brownie recipe, and they came out just fine. I didn't notice a difference in taste at all. I guess this is really a bump because I would love more information on both q's too! kjgjam22 Posted 16 Aug 2006 , 11:17pm Quote: Originally Posted by vanz Extra virgin olive oil can be used in baking if the recipe calls for it.

A regular vegetable oil is flavourless so it is ideal for most baking recipe. If you notice the olive oil has some pungent smell to it so it might affect your cake. Also, canola oil is a good substitute too. I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour by mixing 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 2 tablespoon cornstarch. This works for me everytime. Goodluck to you. I hope this helps. thats my thinking too...i think it will overpower or change the taste of what ever it is yuo are baking. we8cake Posted 16 Aug 2006 , 11:53pm post #5 of 18 I have used olive oil in a few cakes, not as a substitution but rather an accent flavor. I used a very fragrant almost floral-like scented olive oil in a lemon cake recipe. The results were delicious.

newlywedws Posted 23 Aug 2006 , 3:06am post #6 of 18 This might be of interest (regarding baking w/ olive oil) This is the link - but I will also include the actual article ( as sometimes the articles are prone to disappearing, especially when it's from a newspaper) Quote: Quote: "Olive oil is aromatic in a salad dressing, it adds great flavor to the saute pan, but in a cake? "I think of olive oil as melted butter," says Faith Willinger, who has written about food and taught cooking in Tuscany for more than 25 years. The American native describes herself as an "olive oil obsessive." She uses it for cooking, drizzling, and baking, having all but eliminated butter from her home. Willinger is not the only one using oil in ways diehard butter lovers would not venture. A surprising number of pastry chefs in local restaurant kitchens are scaling back on butter and mixing sweet batters with the green-gold elixir. "People use olive oil because it is healthier [than the alternatives], and it lets the genuine flavors stand up for what they are," says Willinger.

"Butter coats the whole palate and makes everything sweeter. Olive oil complements, rather than hides, flavor." She adds it to brownies, breads, and pancakes. For baking, she prefers lighter, sweeter olive oils, like those produced in southern Italy or other temperate climates. In this country, vegetable oil in cakes has been popular for decades, especially in fruit and vegetable quick breads. Recipes for old-fashioned pumpkin or zucchini breads and apple cakes, for example, often call for oil. But oil can't be used spoon for spoon in place of butter. To convert butter cakes into olive-oil cakes, Willinger recommends using less oil (see below)* Most olive oils fall into one of these four categories: delicate and mild, fruity and fragrant, olive-y and peppery, or leafy green and grassy. The first two are best for baking. According to Deborah Krasner, author of "The Flavors of Olive Oil," delicate and mild oils have a subtle quality, fine not only for baking and frying but also for infusing with vanilla or herbs. Fruity and fragrant oils, which have more personality, can be fruity like apples or fragrant like green leafy vegetables.

According to Willinger, some people like to mix peppery oils with chocolate and let the two flavors play off each other. Olive oil on the savory table became popular for its flavor and its health properties. In "Olive Oil: From Tree to Table," Peggy Knickerbocker writes that olive oil in baking dramatically reduces the cholesterol and saturated-fat content. Goods baked with the fat taste lighter, she says. Like Willinger, Knickerbocker has used olive oil in breads, pizzas, brownies, biscotti, citrus cakes, and quick breads. Pastry chef Jackie Boisse has been offering an apple cake made with olive oil on Il Capriccio's menu. "This cake is really moist," says the Waltham baker. "You couldn't use butter." Though corn or safflower oil would work in the recipe, Boisse notes that "olive oil changes the character of the cake in a subtle way. It gives [the cake] a moisture and particular flavor that is not so pronounced." Boisse also uses olive oil in her sweet, moist vanilla chiffon white cake, which she likes to serve with complementary foods such as sauteed figs.

In keeping with the tradition of beating oil into quick breads, Tom Ponticelli of Davio's makes carrot cake with olive oil. He also recommends substituting olive for generic oils in other vegetable breads because, he says, "olive oil gives a little more character." Following their lead, I experimented on my unsuspecting family, substituting olive oil for butter in my grandmother's brownie recipe. The squares looked beautiful, with a shiny top. Their good flavor was well received, even after I told my tasters about the oil. I still had reservations. An olive-oil cornbread was spectacular, with a crisp crust, soft crumb, and robust flavor. I'll never go back to using butter in it. One of my sons declined to taste my cakelike carrot ring, adapted from another family recipe, because he thought he wouldn't like it (he ate the brownies because he wasn't on to my experiments at the time). Though the carrot ring's flavor was different than what we were used to, the oil made it less sweet and gave it a pleasing and satisfying richness. Lemon almond polenta cake, a traditional Italian dessert, was the best of the baked goods. And it should have been.

The pairing of oil, cornmeal, and crushed almonds is an old combination. The moist, intensely flavorful cake had a nice crunch. A side of whipped, sweetened ricotta provided the perfect finishing touch. Next time you take out your baking supplies, if you reach for the olive oil, you're in for a pleasant surprise." © Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company. *Butter-to-olive-oil conversion chart Cookbook author Peggy Knickerbocker says that you can't substitute olive oil for butter spoon for spoon, so she has worked out the proportions. Quote: For 1 teaspoon butter, substitute 3/4 teaspoon olive oil. For 1 tablespoon butter, substitute 2 1/4 teaspoons olive oil. For 1/4 cup butter, substitute 3 tablespoons olive oil. For 1/3 cup butter, substitute 1/4 cup olive oil. For 1/2 cup butter, substitute 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil. For 2/3 cup butter, substitute 1/2 cup olive oil. For 3/4 cup butter, substitute 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil.

For 1 cup butter, substitute 3/4 cup olive oil. Source: "Olive Oil: From Tree to Table" Phoov Posted 23 Aug 2006 , 3:20am post #7 of 18 I use olive oil in all of my baking that calls for "oil". It is very good for you- unlike canola, vegetable, corn, sunflower....etc. ad nauseum. The other mentioned oils are rancid. You cannot taste the rancidity...but studies have proven that they are. Canola is cheaply made....and thus a goldmine for it's producers/marketers. It slipped in under the F&DA in this country because of $$$$$.... AND CRISCO IS HORRIBLE!!! LOL Butter and olive oil are equally "good" for you. I get rave reviews on my cakes....with either of these. jkandell Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 1:43am post #8 of 18 Virgin vegetable oils like walnut and sunflower can work well too. The flavor so are not subtle but do go well with many other ingredients.

cake_goddess Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 3:29am I also use avocado oil which works beautifully . CatPoet Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 5:40am post #10 of 18 I been told by a Greek chef that extra virgin olive oil is for fine cooking and salads since the heat destroys the flavour and the flavour is the reason you use extra virgin olive oil and lower grade olive oil is for baking, since the flavour will be destroy and it doesn't matter. I don't dare say no to him, because he will most likely hit me with a spatula again. I don't bake with olive oil since it too expensive I use rapeseed oil which is European word for canola oil. My cakes comes out moist, yellow and lovely. costumeczar Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 11:42am post #11 of 18 Cake flour and AP flour are made from different types of wheat and have different protein contents. This makes cake flour have less gluten when it's mixed with liquids, so the resulting product is softer.

Substituting AP for cake flour is fine in a pinch but it does make a difference. I could tell when I used pastry flour (which is between the two in terms of protein content) and it does make a difference. You don't need to add the corn starch, by the way, just remove the extra AP flour from the measuring cup. But the best thing is to use the flour the recipe calls for and not make substitutions. SquirrellyCakes Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 12:35pm post #12 of 18 In Canada, our Crisco oil has been canola oil for many years. I have baked with it with great results. Several years ago on the egullet.com site, several pastry chefs were substituting extra virgin olive oil for vegetable oil called for in several cake and loaf recipes. I remember some recipes being for carrot cake and chocolate cake. Quite frankly I thought they were nuts because I assumed that the oil would give things an odd taste. I tried it and today I use it in all of my baking that calls for vegetable oil. It works well in everything from vanilla cakes to chocolate cakes and carrot cakes and everything else and does not affect taste.

I have used sunflower oil, corn oil and peanut oil in the past also with good results. I have recently used coconut oil in gluten-free recipes with good results also. I would try any of the other oils mentioned too. You won't know the results until you experiment and compare. But yes, extra virgin olive oil is expensive. As far as flour goes, I totally agree with costumeczar that you should use the flour called for in a recipe to get the best results. And just from personal experience, when making piecrust if a recipe gives you different options for using either all purpose or cake and pastry flour, go with the cake and pastry flour. This will produce the flakiest piecrust of the two. CatPoet Posted 18 Jun 2015 , 3:44pm post #13 of 18 And it sad to destroy a good extra virgin olive oil in a cake. Yes the cake will not taste because the flavour dies. Like I wouldnt use cold press rapeseed oil in cake because it would just taste like normal rapeseed oil so why waste such a good produce.

littlejewel Posted 11 Aug 2015 , 1:34am post #14 of 18 Ditto what costumer said. I love the flavor butter gives to baked goods. Of course countries who love olive oil are going swear by olive oil be cause they love the taste of it. The first time I used olive to substitute vegetables many years ago, and does have a noticeable flavor that will off in you cakes. But one day I was watching Giadia at home and she used olive oil in cupcake batter she was making, it wasn't a typical flavor cupcake. Jenny BakesAlot Posted 11 Aug 2015 , 3:19am post #15 of 18 I substituted olive oil for vegetable oil once in my chocolate cake. Never again. It tasted completely different, for the worse. And my taste testee agreed. imagenthatnj Posted 11 Aug 2015 , 4:17am post #16 of 18 I've been told the same CatPoet says: extra-virgin olive oil for salads and for dipping your bread in, light olive oil for cooking.

Mostly because you don't want to waste your money using extra-virgin olive oil at high temperatures. It will taste the same as the light one, which is less expensive. I've only used olive oil in cakes that specifically call for it, like the Italian olive oil cake. I've made many versions of it, some with orange, some with lemon, others with almond. It's called "olive oil cake" so I figure I can't use any other oil. Now that I think about it, I don't taste any odd flavor on those cakes, so it might be OK to use it in others. I would use the light, though. I'm only afraid to be too used to olive oil because I hardly cook with anything else. Perhaps to someone not used to it, the taste would be off. oftheeicing Posted 11 Aug 2015 , 4:59am post #17 of 18 I have to agree . . .

Though I go through EVOO by the gallon when it comes to cooking our favorite dishes on low heat or in a salad dressing, my recipes are tried and true and not only would I never risk altering the flavor, I don't want to lose money as EVOO costs quite a deal more than my tried and trusted Crisco Veggie. Unless they're dealing with an allergy or medical condition, when people are buying a cake, they're not looking for healthy. They're looking for something yummy and sweet, or a once-in-awhile treat. I say save ypur $$$ and stick with the original recipe. Shockolata Posted 11 Aug 2015 , 11:37am Orange Chiffon Cake Recipe - Allrecipes.com hope03 9/25/2003 Oh, oh, oh! This was sublime! I searched for this recipe for years. We would savor this cake as kids growing up in Hawaii. Loved it more than the guava version. I did punch up the orange flavor ... Chrisa 4/23/2006 Very good.

The only reason that I gave it a four was because on the recipe, it said to place the cake in an ungreased tube pan- and I had a lot of trouble getting it out. I was able to salvage... johnzer 2/11/2010 This is a wonderful, light cake. To make the recipe a little better, use castor sugar instead of the white sugar. If you can't find castor sugar in your market, which is simply super fine suga... Lonnie 5/1/2000 This is a great "keeper cake" -- perfect to have on hand for serving with summer fruits and berries. It dresses up nicely with custards or creams and quickly becomes an Old Standby Cake. Can't... LaChecha Sheppard 6/11/2011 This was my first time making any type of "chiffon" cake. I must say this recipe ROCKED!!! The cake was light and fluffy and big enough to serve many, many folks! I served this cake with whipped... kyla 9/16/2006 This cake was perfect. Just how how a real cake should be. Will definitely use again and again.

I made it in a greased 10 inch round and lined the bottom with parchment and it worked fine. CRN 9/13/2000 I WOULD NOT MAKE THIS CAKE AGAIN. I THINK "BETTYY CROCKER " ORANGE CAKE IS MUCH BETTER. TO SPONGY OR SOMETHING. NOT FLAVORFUL ENOUGH. TOO MUCH FUSS FOR NOT ENOUGH FLAVOR. Neeta Chowdhry 8/21/2011 I tried this cake because a friend specifically requested an orange cake. It was then added that it should be "angel food cake" like and this picture looked like it so I tried it. First, let me ... Brittskydoodlepoodlepie 7/6/2011 I made a grapefruit chiffon cake instead of orange, and the flavor turned out really good. The texture was not as light and fluffy as I was hoping but I think that was more my heavy handedness ... Chiffon Cake History, Whats Cooking America Chiffon Cake photo from the Betty Crocker website According to General Mills, Chiffon Cake is the first really new cake in 100 years.

It uses vegetable oil in place of conventional shortening. 1927 – Harry Baker, a Los Angeles insurance agent, is said to have invented the original chiffon cake in 1927. As word spread of this wonderful airy cake, he was continually asked for the recipe. But for two decades he carefully guarded his secret recipe, making his special cake only for the reigning royalty of the silver screen. Baker sold the cake to Hollywood stars and made it for the famous Brown Derby Restaurant. The secret to Baker’s light and airy chiffon cake is that the egg whites are beaten separately from the yolks, and it uses vegetable oil instead of butter or conventional shortening. 1947 – In 1947, General Mills bought the recipe from Harry Baker. He agreed to sell the recipe to General Mills so “Betty Crocker could give the secret to the women of the America.” 1948 – General Mills released the secret recipe for chiffon cake in the May 1948 Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, and it became a nationwide sensation. The secret ingredient, vegetable oil, was then revealed.

Better Homes and Garden Magazine advertised the cake as “The first really new cake in 100 years.” In the 1950s, General Mills sponsored chiffon cake contests. People came up with all flavors of this cake during that time. Back to the History of Cakes . Glossary C-G - Joyofbaking.com Glossary C-G C Cakes - Broadly defined, cakes are any flat, round disk of food. The earliest cakes are believed to come from ancient Egypt but they were really sweet breads. Cake recipes that are similar to today and contain beaten eggs date from the 17th Century. Most of us think of cakes as a sweet, baked confection made with or without fat (butter, oil, or shortening) and usually containing a mixture or batter of flour, sugar, eggs, flavorings and sometimes another leavener such as baking powder or baking soda. The mixture is then poured into a pan and baked until the exterior is firm with a crust, and the interior sets with a crumb..... More on Cakes Cashews - Cashews are a smooth, tan-colored, kidney-shaped nut. The hard shell of the cashew is toxic and that is why they are sold shelled.

The toxic oil is destroyed when the nuts are bleached or roasted. The raw cashew has little flavor but roasting brings out its rich, sweet, nutty, buttery flavor. Sold whole or in pieces, they are eaten as snacks but can also be used in both sweet and savory dishes. They turn rancid quickly because of their high fat content, so they are best stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator or up to 9 months in the freezer. Cheesecake - Cheesecakes have a filling made from cream cheese, cottage cheese or ricotta cheese mixed with eggs, sugar, and other flavorings. The crust can be made from graham cracker crumbs, wafer crumbs, gingersnaps, finely ground nuts, or pastry. They are baked in a springform pan or cheesecake pan and can have a layer of sour cream on top. The texture varies from light and airy to heavy and rich.... Recipe for New York Style Cheesecake Chestnuts - Chestnuts have a glossy, mahogany-colored hard shell, and the nutmeat has a mild, subtle flavor. They need to be cooked and are fantastic roasted and eaten while still warm.

Chestnuts are available in many forms; fresh in their shells; preserved in sugar (marrons glaces) either whole or in pieces; sweetened or unsweetened purï¿½es in cans or tubes; chestnut flour; and dried chestnuts.... More on Chestnuts Chiffon Cake - A moist and tender, light and airy cake that has the richness of a butter cake but the springy texture of a sponge cake. Similar to a butter cake in preparation and formula (although oil is used instead of butter), it relies on the whipped egg whites for its leavening, along with baking powder. A quick and easy batter to make as there is no creaming of the fat and sugar because the fat is in liquid form (vegetable oil). The dry ingredients are mixed together and then the oil, egg yolks, water, and flavoring are beaten in. The egg whites are first beaten separately until stiff, but not dry, and then folded in to the batter. The batter is quite thin and is traditionally baked in a tube pan. Chiffon Cakes were developed in the 1920's as an easy variation to the angel food cake but didn't appear in print until the 1940's.

Flavorings include extracts, chocolate, cocoa powder, nuts, zests, spices or chopped fruits..... Recipe for Orange Chiffon Cake Chocolate - Chocolate comes from the Aztec word xocolatl which means bitter water. The tropical tree from which cocoa and chocolate originate is called Theobroma which translates to "food of the gods". All chocolate begins with tropical cocoa beans. The flavor and quality of the chocolate depends on the type(s) of beans used, how they are harvested and fermented, the roasting procedures, quality and amounts of ingredients added, and the time of conching...... More on Chocolate Chocolate Chips - Chocolate chips are small rounds (1/8 to 1/2 inch) (.6 to 1.25 cm) of semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate that contain less cocoa butter than other chocolates. They are made to withstand moderate oven heat so they retain their texture and shape in cookies, muffins, and other baked desserts without appearing to melt (even though the cocoa butter has melted). Primarily used in the making of cookies and brownies..... More about Chocolate Chips Chocolate Chip Cookies - Ruth Wakefield is credited with inventing the first chocolate chip cookie.

In 1930 at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts she decided to cut up chunks of Nestlï¿½'s Semisweet Yellow Label Chocolate bar and add them to a rich butter cookie dough. The Nestlï¿½ company discovered her delicious cookie and made a deal for the rights to her recipe. Subsequently by 1939 Nestlï¿½ had invented chocolate morsels and packaged them in a Yellow Label bag and, upon buying the Toll House name, printed Ruth Wakefield's recipe for "The Famous Toll House Cookie" on the back. Reported to be the favorite cookie of Americans, Ruth Wakefield's recipe has been the springboard for numerous adaptations. The original recipe: 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 white granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved into 1 teaspoon hot water, 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup chopped nuts, and 1 pound cut up chocolate has only been slightly changed by Nestlï¿½ to accommodate the changes in baking soda and use of chocolate morsels.

Once made with a mere 1/2 teaspoon of dough, chocolate chip cookies now range from miniature to jumbo and Nestlï¿½ has met this demand by producing various size morsels from mini-chips to large morsels..... Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies Clarified Butter - Also called drawn butter. Simply defined, clarified butter is unsalted butter that has the milk solids and water removed so all that remains is pure liquid golden-yellow butterfat. The advantages of this type of butter is its long keeping quality (several months refrigerated) and its high smoke point (can be used in frying without burning). To make clarified butter gently melt unsalted butter over low heat until the butter breaks down and three layers form...... More on Clarified Butter Clotted (Devonshire) Cream - A clotted cream produced commercially in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset England. A thick, rich, yellowish cream with a scalded or cooked flavor that is made by heating unpasteurized milk until a thick layer of cream sits on top. The milk is cooled and the layer of cream is skimmed off. Clotted cream has 55-60 percent fat content and is so thick it does not need whipping.

Traditionally served with scones and fruit.... More on Clotted Cream Coat a Spoon - A technique used mainly as a way to test when an egg-based custard or sauce is done. A spoon, usually wooden, is placed in the custard and, when the spoon is raised, the coating on the spoon will stay in place even when you draw a line with your finger through the middle of the custard. Cocoa Butter - Cocoa butter is the ivory-colored natural fat of the cocoa bean extracted during the manufacturing process of producing chocolate and cocoa powder. It has a very subtle mellow flavor that gives chocolate its creamy smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The quality of the cocoa butter depends on the quality of the bean it came from and the process of separating it from the chocolate liquor. Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature but it has a low melting point (just below body temperature) and it does change from a solid to a liquid quickly (i.e.. sharp melting point).... More about Cocoa Butter Cocoa Powder - Cocoa powder is made when chocolate liquor is pressed to remove three quarters of its cocoa butter. The remaining cocoa solids are processed to make fine unsweetened cocoa powder.

There are two types of unsweetened cocoa powder: natural and Dutch-processed. Dutch-processed or alkalized unsweetened cocoa powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acids. Because it is neutral and does not react with baking soda, it must be used in recipes calling for baking powder, unless their are other acidic ingredients in sufficient quantities used. It has a reddish-brown color, mild flavor, and is easy to dissolve in liquids. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder tastes very bitter and gives a deep chocolate flavor to baked goods. Its intense flavor make it well suited for use in brownies, cookies and some chocolate cakes. When natural cocoa (an acid) is used in recipes calling for baking soda (an alkali), it creates a leavening action that causes the batter to rise when placed in the oven..... More about Cocoa Powder Coconut - The largest of the nuts, the average coconut weighs 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams), and one tree will produce thousands of coconuts over its 70 year life span.

A coconut is round or oval-shaped and has several layers: the outer layer is smooth and brownish-green (removed before shipping to market); next is a hard, hairy, brown fibrous shell that has three "eyes" at one end; inside the shell a thin brown skin encloses a milky white meat; and at the very center of the coconut is a sweet, watery, opaque liquid called coconut water.... More about Coconuts Coffee cake or Coffeecake - A chemical- (baking powder/baking soda or yeast-leavened sweet, rich, cake-like bread that is usually served at Breakfast, Brunch, or Afternoon Tea. Oftentimes frosted with a streusel mixture or glaze , coffee cakes can contain fruits, nuts, spices, and chocolate. Can also be filled with a layer of cream cheese, fruit, streusel, lemon curd, jam or preserves, etc. Best served warm....... Recipe for Coffeecake Confectioners Sugar - (Also known as powdered or icing sugar) It is granulated sugar that has been ground to a powder with cornstarch added to prevent lumping and crystallization.

It comes in 4X, 6X and 10X but 10X is the one generally found in stores. 10X means that the granulated sugar has been processed ten times. Confectioners sugar is used in meringues, icings, confections, and some sweet pastry. Cookbook Journals - As early as the 17th century, women have been sharing and recording recipes in book form. But the books they made were not merely a compilation of recipes. They were really a journal of a woman's domestic life. You would sometimes find household and gardening advise, as well as formulas for making medicines, as a place to save clippings on events taking place in their neighborhood, a place to save letters from friends and family, to record or even write poetry and quotations, and as a place where children practiced their writing of letters. Some women kept adding to their journals throughout their lives so these books became a diary of their domestic development. As the years went by you could see the progress of their cooking skills by the increasing complexity of the recipes and their abilities to adapt the recipes to their own tastes. Some women were so pleased with their accomplishments that they went on to publish their personal recipe books.

Cookies - "Cookie" comes from the Dutch word "koekje or koekie" and refers to a small cake. 'Cookies' in North America are defined as small, sweet, flat or slightly raised baked goods. In the U.K. they are called biscuits; in Spain they are called galletas; in Germany they are called kels; and in Italy they are called biscotti. Every country has its favorite. In the United States and Canada it is chocolate chip, in the U.K. its shortbread, in France its sablï¿½s and macaroons, and in Italy biscotti...... More on Cookies Cornstarch (Corn flour) - it is a fine white powder that comes from the inner grain (endosperm) of corn and is used in baking (can replace some of the flour in recipes to produce a finer textured cookie or cake) as well as in cooking (as a thickener for gravies and sauces). The British term 'corn flour' is often used synonymously with the North American term 'cornstarch'. Couverture - Couverture Chocolate is a high quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter (32-39%).

The higher percentage of cocoa butter, combined with the processing, gives the chocolate more sheen, firmer "snap" when broken, and a creamy mellow flavor. Couverture is used by professionals for dipping, coating, molding and garnishing. When melted is becomes very fluid, giving a smooth, thin coating to dipped truffles and candies. Must be tempered before use to stabilize the cocoa butter..... More about Couverture Cranberries - This small, firm, smooth-skinned, shiny red, round to oval-shaped berry is also known as the craneberry, bounceberry, bearberry, cowberry, or lingonberry. The cranberry is the fruit of a small shrub with trailing vines from genus Vaccinium that likes cold climates. It grows best in poor acid soil in flooded areas called bogs or on moors or mountainsides. The tartness of the cranberry make it one of the few berries never to be eaten raw. They are used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as juices...... More about Cranberries Cream - Is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. It has a smooth, satiny texture and is labeled according to its butterfat content (heavy to light).

Some creams are labeled "ultra-pasteurized" which means the cream has been briefly heated to kill the bacteria that cause cream to sour. This process gives the cream a longer shelf life, but since artificial emulsifiers are added to restore its whipping qualities, taste is affected..... More on Cream Cream of Tartar (Potassium Tartrate) - Lining the inside of wine caskets after fermentation is a white sediment (tartaric acid). Once this sediment is removed, purified and then ground, it becomes a fine white powder which we call cream of tartar. Cream of tartar (an acid) is used in making commercial baking powders, one part baking soda to two parts cream of tartar. It is also added when beating egg whites as it stabilizes the whites and gives them volume and strength. The rule of thumb when beating egg whites is to add 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar for each egg white. When beating the egg whites, add the cream of tartar to the whites once they are foamy. You may also notice that some cake recipes call for cream of tartar. It is used to give cakes more volume with a finer whiter crumb.

In frostings it is used to give added creaminess. It is also used in both confectionery and sugar syrups to prevent crystallization. Cream of tartar can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores and should be stored in a cool dry place. Cream Puff - Catherine de Medici's (an Italian who married France's Henry II) pastry chef invented choux pastry in the 1540s. Since then this pastry has been the springboard for many desserts. One favorite is the cream puff which is a hollow round of crisp choux pastry that is split in half, filled with a cream or custard, and dusted with powdered sugar. Two other desserts that are closely related to the cream puff are the Eclair (long finger-shaped pastry that is filled with cream and glazed with chocolate) and the Profiterole (small puffs of choux pastry split and filled with cream or ice cream and topped with chocolate)..... Recipe for Cream Puffs Creaming or 'to Cream' - How often have you seen a recipe begin with the words 'cream the butter' or 'cream the butter with the sugar'?

This mixing or beating technique not only combines ingredients to make a uniform mixture, but also incorporates air into this mixture. A whisk, wooden spoon, or electric mixer with paddle attachment can be used. The butter should be at room temperature so it incorporates the sugar sufficiently to produce a smooth and creamy batter that is light and fluffy. Follow your recipe's instructions, as this step can vary in length from seconds to minutes, depending on how much air needs to be incorporated into the batter so it rises properly in the oven. Creme Anglaise - A French term for a pourable vanilla custard sauce served hot or cold with desserts. Also used as a base for making ice cream. Consists of whole milk flavored with a vanilla bean, sugar and egg yolks. It is a rich sauce that can accommodate other flavors such as liqueurs, melted chocolate and fruit purï¿½es...... .More on Creme Anglaise Creme Fraiche - Pronounced 'krem fresh'. It is a thick and smooth heavy cream with a wonderfully rich and velvety texture. This matured cream has a nutty, slightly sour taste produced by culturing pasteurized cream with a special bacteria.

In France, where it originated, the cream is unpasteurized so it naturally contains the bacteria necessary to make crï¿½me fraï¿½che. The butterfat content varies (usually 30%), as there is no set standard so you will find every brand tastes a little differently........ More on Creme Fraiche Creme Patissiere - Also known as Pastry Cream. It is a rich, thick custard made from a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, flour and cornstarch (a thickener) cooked on the stove. Vanilla beans, liqueurs, chocolate, coffee and fruit purï¿½es are some complementary flavorings added to pastry creams. It is a very versatile cream used to fill cakes, cream puffs, eclairs, Napoleons, tarts, and other pastries. If a lighter pastry cream is desired heavy whipping cream can be added...... Recipe for Creme Patissiere Crisps - Crisps are defined as a baked fruit dessert that has a topping (streusel-like) made from flour, sugar, butter that has been combined until it is crumbly and looks like coarse meal. Nuts, spices, and oats can also be added.

Most crisps are made with sliced apples but other firm fruits, such as pears, can be used. Crisps do not have a bottom crust and the topping, when baked, becomes crisp and crunchy. They are best served warm with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream...... Recipe for Apple Crisp Crystallized Ginger - Crystallized ginger is ginger that has been cooked in a sugar syrup and then coated with sugar. It has a wonderful sweet spicy taste . You can buy crystallized or candied ginger in small tins at specialty grocery stores or in bulk form from health food stores. It will last indefinitely if stored in a cool dry place Cupcake - The name given to a small individual cake that is baked in a cup-shaped mold (usually a muffin pan). For ease of removal, fluted paper or foil cup liners can be used. Cupcakes can be frosted with icing and decorated with sprinkles and are very popular at Children's Birthday Parties. The name 'cupcake' originated in Britain and North America in the 19th century and is believed to come from the American system of measuring in 'cups'.

Just as the name "pound cake" was derived from using one pound of sugar, butter, flour, and eggs; "cupcake" comes from using 'a cup' to measure the ingredients. The first recipe for cup cakes was in a book by Miss Leslie, dated from 1828, which called for one large coffee cup of cream or rich milk, one cup butter, two cups sugar, four cups flour. The batter was them baked in small tins. Curdle - I still remember the first time I was making a cake and the mixture curdled i.e. separated into a liquid and a fat. The butter and sugar had been beaten together and the eggs were being added. You look in the bowl and all you see are pieces of fat amongst the liquid mixture. Why did this happen and what do you do? This can happen because too much liquid, albeit eggs or milk, are added at once or added too quickly. It can also happen when the ingredients being added are not the same temperature as the other ingredients. Solving this problem is accomplished by simply continuing with the recipe and adding the flour. Or sometimes it can be remedied by just beating the mixture until it comes together again.

The third way is to heat the mixture so that all the ingredients are the same temperature and then beating. Curdling can also happen when making sauces or custards either when heating mixtures containing eggs, or when adding a hot liquid into an egg mixture. To prevent this from happening always heat egg mixtures over low heat and stir gently but continuously. When adding a hot liquid to an egg mixture be sure to "temper" first, that is, add a little of the hot liquid into the egg mixture to warm the eggs up. Then you can safely add the rest of the hot liquid. Also, when baking a dessert that contains a custard sauce, such as a bread pudding, it is sometimes advisable to place the dessert in a water bath to prevent the sauce from over heating and curdling. Cut or Cutting In - A technique used in pastry making (scones, biscuits) involving the mixing of a cold solid fat (butter, margarine, shortening) into dry ingredients (flour mixture) until the mixture is blended but still contains small flour-coated pieces of cold fat. This combining of the cold fat and dry ingredients must be done quickly and with a light hand so the the fat does not melt.

For light and fluffy scones or biscuits, the fat should not become too soft or cut too fine. A pastry blender, two knives, fingers, food processor, or an electric mixer with the paddle attachment can be used. D Dash or Pinch - As in "a dash or pinch of salt". This is an inexact measuring term referring to a very small amount of a dry ingredient that can be held between the tips of your thumb and forefinger. This is used when the amount of the ingredient needed is so small that it really is irrelevant to the recipe. Technically, you could say its volume is somewhere between 1/16 and 1/8 of a teaspoon. Desserts - The last course of the meal where something sweet is served. It includes cakes, confections, cookies, custards, fruit, ice creams, mousses, pastries, pies, puddings, sorbets, soufflï¿½s, and tarts. The dessert course can also include cheese. Dessert comes from the French word 'desservir' meaning 'to remove the dishes' or 'clear the table'. Once the table was cleared, the dessert, either fruit or sweets was served.

'Dessert' replaced the word 'banquet' which was the English name given to this course during the 18th century. Trivia - 'Desserts' is 'stressed' spelled backwards. Quote "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." - Ernestine Ulmer Dollop - An imprecise volume measurement used when placing a small spoonful or mound of a soft food (whipped cream, sour cream, mascarpone, custard, etc.) on the top or beside another food. For example, placing a dollop of whipped cream on top or beside a slice of pie, tart, or strawberry shortcake. Dot or Dotting - A term used when small pieces of butter (usually) are evenly distributed over the top of a pie, gratin, etc. just before being placed in the oven. As the food bakes the butter melts and helps to provide moisture, richness and aids in browning. Dough - Pronounced 'DOH'. The terms 'dough' and 'batter'' are oftentimes used interchangeably as the main difference between the two is only in their consistencies. That is, a dough is thicker in consistency than a batter.

This is because a dough normally has less fat, liquid and sugar than a batter. A dough is defined as an unbaked mixture of flour and a liquid(s) (water, milk and/or eggs), that when combined with other ingredients (i.e. sugar, fat, salt and a leavener) produces a mass that is normally stiff enough to hold its shape when kneaded and/or rolled. There are breads, biscuits, and pastries that fall under the classification of doughs and they can vary in consistency depending on their ratio of flour to liquid. Drizzle - Breads, coffee cakes, cookies, cakes are some of the baked goods that can be enhanced by a drizzle of glaze, icing, or melted chocolate. Other times, a baked good is drizzled with melted butter just before being baked. Drizzle means to slowly pour a very thin stream of liquid in a random pattern over the surface of food. The tines of a fork, paper cone, pastry bag, squeeze bottle can be used to accomplish this task.

Dust or Dusting - Can be used to lightly coat food, (cakes, pastries, and/or confections) pans, or surfaces with a powdery substance such as flour, confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, cocoa powder, or nuts. Flour is often lightly sprinkled (dusted) on a work surface before rolling out a dough to prevent it from sticking. Likewise, after greasing a pan, it is dusted with flour to prevent the baked good from sticking to the pan and making it hard to remove. Confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar or cocoa powder is lightly sprinkled on cakes, pastries and confections to enhance their appearance. E Eau-de-Vie - Pronounced oh-deuh-VEE. French for brandy and translated it means 'water of life' which is derived from the Latin 'aqua vitae'. Eau-de-vie is a clear and colorless, aromatic, and strong (80 to 90 proof) brandy that is distilled from fermented fresh fruit. This is why their flavors are so wonderful but they do tend to be expensive.

These brandies are not distilled in wood, but are aged in pottery or glass which gives them their clear color. The most popular ones are made from cherries (Kirsch or Kirschwasser), raspberries (Framboise), and pears (Poire Williams) and the best eau-de-vies come from France, Germany, and Switzerland. Kirsch originated in the Black Forest region of Germany and has a subtle cherry flavor. Framboise is French for raspberry and it takes about 9 pounds of raspberries to make one bottle of Framboise. Bottles that are labeled 'Framboise Sauvage' are made from wild raspberries. Poire Williams is made from the Williams pear (equivalent to the American Bartlett pear) and has the wonderful aroma of fresh pears. Eau-de-Vies are used to flavor desserts, sauces, pastries, and confections. The rule of thumb is to add no more than 2 tablespoons of eau-de-vie to every 1 cup of sauce or batter. When using alcohol in desserts match the eau-de-vie's flavor to that of the other ingredients in the dessert. The flavors should complement each other. See also liqueurs and

Question: The Chiffon cake, made with vegetable oil instead of butter, originated in which country?
Answer: USA