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CHAPTER 1

THE NORTHEAST

WHOOPIE PIE

It's fun to eat (and to say) whoopie pies, and fun is what it's all about with these simple snack cakes. They're popular all over the East Coast and are sometimes called by different names, but in Maine they're definitely known as whoopie pies. The origins of the whoopie pie are said to be in Pennsylvania Dutch country, though no one seems to know how they came to be so ubiquitous in Maine, where they appear in virtually every bakery, sweets shop, grocery store, and country market. Anyone who grew up in the Pine Tree State is familiar with whoopie pies, but in recent years their popularity has spread all over the country. Is whoopie pie the new cupcake?

There isn't really pie in whoopie pie, at least not in the sense, say, of apple pie. The traditional top and bottom chocolate "pies" are really cake, and the filling is like a gooey marshmallow. With the marketing of Marshmallow Fluff in the 1920s, the whoopie pie really took off, as Marshmallow Fluff became a standard filling for home and commercial bakers. In this recipe, I devised my own version of the Marshmallow Fluff filling.

YIELD: Six pies

DRY INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour 7 ounces (1 ½ cups)
WET INGREDIENTS

Milk ¾ cup Molasses 2 tablespoons Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon

CREAMING INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter 4 ounces (1 stick)
FOR THE FILLING

Seven-Minute Frosting (recipe follows) 1 recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack in the middle position. Line two baking pans with parchment paper and spray them with nonstick oil-and-starch spray.

2. Combine the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Whisk each to blend and set aside.

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the egg.

4. Continuing on the lowest speed, alternately add the dry and wet mixtures in 3 to 5 additions each. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter, which could make the final product chewy.

5. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl all the way to the bottom using a flexible spatula. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding at the bottom. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure.

6. Drop the batter by ¼-cup scoops onto the baking sheet, spacing them far apart. The best tool to use is a 2-ounce trigger-release food scooper. That way the whoopie pies will all be the same size.

7. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm. The top of the cake shouldn't look wet or jiggle, and a wooden skewer inserted in the center should show just a touch of crumbs.

8. Let tops and bottoms come to room temperature. Flip 6 cakes over so their flat side is facing up. Use an offset spatula to help release the pies from the baking sheet if any stick.

9. Pipe or use the offset spatula to smear the filling generously on the flat sides.

10. Top each pie with another cake half and sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar if you like. Whoopie!

SEVEN-MINUTE FROSTING

Well known among traditional bakers, this frosting makes a lot of appearances in old Southern recipes. It's used in dozens of varieties of cake, most notably paired with shredded coconut. Because it's fat-free, an unwelcome skin can develop on the outside, so it's best consumed as fresh as possible. I like to flavor it with a combination of amaretto, rum, and vanilla — it makes for a complexity that is more interesting than plain vanilla.

YIELD: Enough for 6 whoopie pies or one 9-inch layer cake

Superfine granulated sugar 10 ounces (1¼ cups)
BAKER'S NOTE: This is one of the rare recipes requiring a handheld mixer. If you don't have one, use a whisk, but get ready to do some hard work. You'll need to whip steadily for at least 5 minutes so that the frosting develops a fair amount of volume. Don't take breaks or the eggs will coagulate. Drag a buddy in to spell you if you need relief!

1. Bring water to a simmer in a large pan that will accommodate a mixing bowl set over it.

2. Combine the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in the mixing bowl over the simmering water. Beat with a handheld electric mixer, beginning on low speed and increasing the speed gradually to high. The meringue should form stiff peaks in about 7 minutes.

3. Beat in the flavorings and use immediately.

PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Why not have pumpkin pancakes? Pancakes are, in fact, mini cakes. They epitomize the magic of baking — the core ingredients of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, along with copious amounts of milk, get mixed and lightly pan fried to yield a totally different result. As for pumpkins, they are super versatile and add a novel heartiness to these cakes.

But, why pumpkins and New Hampshire? For one thing, the pumpkin has had special status since 2006, when state legislators declared it the state fruit at the request of a group of young students. Pumpkin patches dot the landscape in the fall, providing not only nourishment but also loads of fun. The pumpkin catapult has gained popularity as a roadside farm attraction and a pastime at state fairs and festivals. It's harmless fun — unless you stand in the path of the projectiles as they hurtle more than 1,000 feet!

YIELD: Nine 3-inch pancakes

DRY INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour 2 ounces (¼ cup)
WET INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons, melted Milk ½ cup, warmed Egg, room temperature 1
FOR COOKING

Canola oil 1 to 2 tablespoons

FOR SERVING

Maple syrup, warmed

Unsalted butter

BAKER'S NOTE: These cooking times are a rough guide only and will vary depending on your equipment. Don't stress out about burning or undercooking pancakes. It takes a round or two to adjust the heat or the cooking time — the first two or three usually aren't keepers. These pancakes cooked rather slowly for me, but I tend to err on the side of caution and usually cook with low heat.

1. Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Melt the butter and warm the milk in a saucepan, or microwave them together for 30 seconds. Run the egg under warm water for 20 seconds, and then crack it into a medium-size bowl. Add the butter and milk, vanilla, and pumpkin to the bowl. Lightly stir to combine.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just blended. Allow to sit for 3 or 4 minutes before cooking.

4. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.

5. Drop the canola oil in the pan and distribute it by shaking or with a metal spatula.

6. When you can feel the heat about 3 inches off the pan's surface, it's ready for use. Ladle about ¼ cup of batter onto the pan — it should sizzle when it contacts the hot oil.

7. Flip the pancakes when bubbles appear and pop across their tops, 3 to 4 minutes later.

8. Cook the pancakes for another minute and either serve immediately or transfer to a plate warming in the oven.

9. Serve with warmed maple syrup and butter.

MAPLE CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Vermont leads the nation in maple syrup production, so it's only fitting that maple lead the recipe for the Green Mountain State. I've made plenty of maple pound cakes, and while they're very tasty, if you're a real purist like I am, you'll notice that the flour blocks a lot of the flavor. Remove the flour from the baking equation, and it's a whole different scenario. Maple's rich, faintly sweet flavors are a perfect match for a creamy custard, served hot or cold. If you can get maple cream (thickened, spreadable maple syrup), then try baking with a 50–50 combination of maple cream and maple syrup where the syrup is called for.

YIELD: 6 servings

Vanilla bean 1
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place six 4-ounce ramekins in a baking pan with 2-inch sides and set aside.

2. Slice open the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a heavy-bottom pot. Drop the pod into the pot, then add the cream. Bring the mixture to a light simmer and turn off the heat. Remove and discard the pod.

3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and maple syrup until smooth. Slowly pour the cream into the mixture while whisking.

4. Pour the contents through a fine-mesh sieve (to collect any egg solids) into a vessel with a spout.

5. Fill each ramekin with custard. Carefully pour simmering water into the baking pan so the water reaches at least halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the custards are firm and don't jiggle.

7. Cool the custards to room temperature, then cover and chill.

8. Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Sprinkle on an even coating of turbinado and maple sugars (if using) and place the ramekins under the broiler for 3 minutes. (Or you can use a chef's blowtorch, if you have one.) Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

Toll House cookies come from Ruth Wakefield, who operated the famous Toll House bed and breakfast in Whitman, Massachusetts, with her husband, Kenneth. They welcomed visitors weary from long days at the shore with warm, homemade cookies. Once, while preparing desserts for guests, she ran out of dark Baker's chocolate and substituted chunks of semisweet chocolate folded into her basic cookie dough. She was surprised to see that when the cookies were baked, the chocolate hadn't distributed into the dough; instead, blobs of semi-melted chocolate were hugged by cookie dough. This delicious new treat was instantly popular and quickly became an iconic American dessert. It also led to the development of the chocolate chip as the ideal nugget of chocolate for cookies.

Since this is one of the most famous, recognizable cookies ever made, I decided to pay tribute to it in a cake. Because I wanted to mimic the original, this batter is really just a fancy cookie dough plus milk. It won't pour at all, so scoop it into the center of the pan and push gently until it's an inch or two from the edges. Like a cookie, it will spread while baking.

YIELD: One 9-inch layer cake

WET INGREDIENTS

Milk ¼ cup Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons

DRY INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour 10 ounces (2 cups)
CREAMING INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter 3 ounces (6 tablespoons)
FOR THE FILLING

Chocolate Icing (see this page) 1 recipe

FOR SERVING

Confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 335°F and place the rack in the middle position. Line the bottoms of two 9-by-2-inch round pans with parchment.

2. Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl; combine the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Set aside.

3. Using a flexible spatula, toss 2 tablespoons of the wet ingredients with the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Add ¼ cup of the dry ingredients. Toss again to coat evenly.

4. Mix the butter, shortening, and sugars in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until the combination is well creamed, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the egg and yolk one at a time.

6. Alternately add the dry and wet mixtures about a quarter at a time without pausing between additions. Ease the resistance against the mixer's paddle by lowering the bowl or raising the mixer's head.

7. Remove the bowl and fold in the chocolate chips with the flexible spatula, using the handle if necessary. The dough will be thick — more like cookie dough than cake batter.

8. Divide the dough into the prepared pans. It will be too thick to fill the pan to the edges, but it will spread under the heat of the oven. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the edges crown slightly and become crispy and the top surface is evenly browned.

9. Cool the cakes in the pans to room temperature, then invert them, using a small offset spatula to release the edges, if needed.

10. Spread a thick layer of Chocolate Icing between the two cakes. Leave the top bare, or dust with confectioners' sugar, then add a handful of chocolate chips.

BOSTON CREAM PIE

Boston cream pie is the Bay State's official state dessert and has a lot of fans well outside New England. The name is a little misleading, since this "pie" is really two layers of vanilla cake filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with a glaze of chocolate. It's a delicious dessert, with a simple appearance.

The homemade pastry cream sets this recipe apart. Make sure to allow time for the pastry cream to cool in the refrigerator before using.

YIELD: One 9-inch layer cake

FOR THE VANILLA PASTRY CREAM

Egg yolks 4
FOR THE VANILLA CAKE

DRY INGREDIENTS

All-purpose flour 12 ounces (2 ½ cups)
WET INGREDIENTS

Milk ¾ cup Buttermilk ¾ cup Vanilla extract 1 ½ teaspoons

CREAMING INGREDIENTS

Unsalted butter 3 ounces (6 tablespoons)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Heavy cream ¾ cup Unsalted butter 1 tablespoon Bittersweet chocolate, small chunks or pistoles 6 ounces

1. Start by making the pastry cream. Place the yolks in a large bowl set on top of a damp towel.

2. Bring the milk to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat.

3. Meanwhile, briskly whisk the yolks and sugar together until pale yellow in color, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour.

4. When the milk begins to simmer, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture while whisking quickly.

5. Transfer the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scorching or curdling. When bubbles that burp steam begin to form, reduce the heat and continue whisking quickly for another 30 seconds.

6. Scrape the pastry cream into a shallow bowl and whisk in the vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface and refrigerate for 2 hours.

7. Meanwhile, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 335°F and place the rack in the middle position. Line the bottoms of two 9-by-2-inch cake pans with parchment.

8. Measure the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into separate bowls. Whisk each to combine.

9. Measure the butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine on medium to low speed for 3 to 4 minutes.

10. Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next.

11. Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients a quarter at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl to the bottom and mix for 20 seconds on low speed.

12. Scoop the batter into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the top surface looks blond, with slightly browned edges, and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs.

13. Let the cakes cool for about 15 minutes before removing them from the pan. Use extra care — the texture of cake made with shortening (or oil) will be noticeably softer and more fragile than one made exclusively with butter.

14. For the glaze, bring the cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and whisk to combine. Let the glaze rest for about 5 minutes before use.

15. Spread the pastry cream on top of one cake layer with an offset spatula, then place the second layer carefully on top.

16. Pour the warm glaze from the center over the cake. Gently rock the cake back and forth to make the chocolate drip off the sides — it'll look even more delicious.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "United Cakes of America"
by .
Copyright © 2010 Warren Brown.
Excerpted by permission of Abrams Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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