The Dark Side of Nick Malgieri
A Trio of Cakes from the Author of “Chocolate”
Chocolatier December 1998
Recipes from “Chocolate’ (HarperCollins, New York, 1998),
© 1998 by Nick Malgieri. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

By Mary Goodbody

“In his [then] latest book, Nick Malgieri reminisces fondly about the first white chocolate he tasted when he was five or six years old, about breaking apart a milk chocolate Hershey bar, square by square, when he spent time with his grandfather
on Saturday afternoons, and about the chocolate pastry cream that filled his grandmother’s pizza di crema. He catalogs his chocolate culinary training both
here and abroad and heaps deserved and lavish praise on his esteemed mentor
Albert Kumin, and his later inspiration, Robert Linxe. All this to explain why he decided to write ‘Chocolate’, a comprehensive collection of chocolate recipes…
But when he comes right down to it, Malgieri wrote this book for essentially one reason: He loves chocolate as much as anyone on the planet.
The difference between Malgieri and most other chocolate lovers is that he has devoted his career to the culinary arts and has focused his dedication and skill
so that today he knows more about cooking and baking with chocolate than
most of us…
For everyone who likes chocolate, Malgieri’s labors surely will be appreciated.
For the more fanatic chocolate lover, the book no doubt will quickly become a
dog-eared kitchen and armchair companion.
“ ‘Chocolate is still a crowd pleaser,’ Malgieri conceded. ‘It’s rare that people
don’t like it.’
Rare indeed – which is why we selected …cakes from ‘Chocolate’ sure to appeal
to all stripes of chocolate lovers.
[Following] is a single-layer Devil’s Food Cake that Malgieri describes as an
old-fashioned cake made by adding boiling water to the batter at the end of
mixing, which was a common technique in the 19th century. The author, who
got the recipe from Copeland Marks but has replaced Marks’ coconut milk with
sour cream, say the cake is ‘very easy’. He also says the batter can be ‘stretched’
to fill a 12-inch pan instead of the 10-inch springform called for in the recipe.”

“My grandmother made lots of delicate cakes and pastries, and although I
never learned a recipe from her, watching her and observing the pleasure
that her baking brought everyone inspired a love of baking in me.”
~ Nick Malgieri, “Chocolate”

Vermont Farmhouse Devil’s Food Cake

Yield: Makes one 10-inch cake, about 12 servings

Cake batter:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted
butter, softened
2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate,
melted and cooled
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Old-fashioned boiled frosting:
3 egg whites, about 6 tablespoons
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
Pinch salt

One 10-inch springform pan, buttered and the
bottom lined with parchment or waxed paper

1. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt once, then set aside. With an electric
mixer set at medium speed, beat butter until soft and light. Add sugar and
continue beating until very light, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate, then
eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until light and smooth.
3. Beat in half the sour cream, then half the flour mixture, scraping bowl
and beater(s). Repeat with remaining sour cream and flour mixture,
scraping again. Combine vanilla and boiling water and gently beat into
batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes,
until firm and well risen. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then un-
mold and cool on rack.
4. For the frosting, combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer. Whisk to combine, then place over a pan of simmering water, gently whisking
until mixture is hot and sugar is dissolved. Use electric mixer on
medium speed to beat until cooled, but not dry.
5. To finish, cover top and sides of cake with frosting, swirling, swirling
it from the center outward.

Serving: Cut the cake with a moist knife, wiping the blade with a cloth
between each cut.

Storage: Keep cake under a cake dome at room temperature.

Aunt Ruby's Devil's Food Cake"

This is one of the oldest family recipes in my files. Aunt Ruby
was my grandmother's aunt, and I ain't no spring chicken!

"1/2 cup hot water, 2 teaspoons soda, 1/2 cup cocoa, dissolve and cool.
Add 1 cup sour milk. Cream 3/4 cup shortening, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs,
1 teaspoon vanilla. Add first mixture alternately with 2 1/2 cups cake
flour. 350."

My grandmother usually baked this scrumptious cake in a rectangular
pan (9x13 inches) and topped it either with mocha, fudge, or penuche
icing, depending on her mood. Or if company was expected, she
would bake it in three layers and crown it with a deliciously fluffy
"Seven-Minute Icing", her favorite.

More from Nick Malgieri:
Best and Easiest Home-Baked Bread
Chocolate Pastry Cake
Chocolate Raspberry Bavarian Cake
High-Ratio Lemon-Buttermilk Pound Cake
Featured Archive Recipes:
Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Cake
Three Chocolate Cakes (Laurie Colwin)
Two Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cakes
(Maida Heatter)
Ultimate Chocolate Cake Collection

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