We were all super excited at Ballymaloe Cookery School this week, we’ve just had our first guest chef for almost two years.
Claire Ptak from Violet Cakes and Café on London’s Wilton Way taught a sparkling class for the current 12 Week Course students and it was beamed out to her many fans all over the world on Ballymaloe Cookery School Online.
Claire, who comes from California, started her career on a market stall in Broadway Market in Hackney. This was in 2005, soon she became known as the Cupcake Queen. People flocked to buy her adorable mini cupcakes in many flavours, made with beautiful, mostly organic ingredients. All were cooked in her tiny home kitchen but in 2010 Violet Bakery and Café was born. Claire baked a range of beautiful cakes with exquisitely pure ingredients, best Madagascar vanilla pods, pure cane molasses, Valrhona chocolate and limited-edition buttercream flavoured with freshly brewed espresso, homemade fruit cordials and dark caramel with sea salt. The flavours of the cakes reflect the season. She constantly experiments with flavour combinations as new foods become available.
Claire has a very unique flamboyant icing style which looks effortlessly rustic but is quite difficult to achieve. She is the acknowledged master of the delicious ‘imperfect cake’ – no fondant icing here…!
Claire didn’t just ‘pop-up’. She’s been obsessed with baking since she was little, she had her first holiday job at a local bakery in Point Reyes in California when she was just 14. Some years later, when Alice Waters tasted her baking, she offered her a job on the spot and so Claire became pastry chef at the iconic Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse. Here, she was intrigued by the variety of exquisite seasonal berries and peaches, five different types of limes, and the nuanced flavours that influenced the food.
Word of the flavour of Claire’s cakes and café food spread around London like wildfire. She developed a cult following but it wasn’t until she was chosen to make Harry and Meaghan’s cake that her fame went global.
Claire introduced us to several new ingredients in her class. She used blonde chocolate from Valrhona to make her Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies – it tastes like caramelised white chocolate – a new flavour for me but destined to become a new favourite…
She loves to use spelt and kamut flour and dark brown sugar for some of her cakes and is really into sheet pan cakes at present. Sheet pan cakes are made in a rectangular tin with approx. 5cm (2 inch) and are brilliant for portioning and icing. Try this bubble cake that blew everyone away at the class. The Roast Quince and Mascarpone Cake took quite a bit of making but was so worth the effort for a really special cake. You’ll also love the Autumn Carrot Cake with prunes and walnuts and the killer Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies.
If you’d like to watch Claire’s class, you can sign up on the website to view the recording via ballymaloecookeryschool.online or call the Cookery School on 021 4646785 for more information.
Meanwhile, check
out Violet Cakes on Instagram – @violetcakeslondon
Chocolate Bubble Cake
Makes one layer 20 x 30cm (8 x 11 inch) deep rectangular cake tin.
Serves 20-24
For the cake
330g (generous 11 1/2oz) plain flour
150g (5oz) cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 1/4 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
520g (scant 1.1lbs approx.) caster sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300g (10oz) plain yoghurt
150g (5oz) vegetable oil
340g (scant 12oz) hot water
For the marshmallow icing
5 egg whites (200g/7oz)
340g (scant 12oz) caster sugar
50g (2oz) golden syrup
a pinch of fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Decoration
gold leaf (optional)
fresh flower petals for example Marigolds and/or Johnny Jump Ups
Preheat the oven to 160˚C/320˚F/Gas Mark 3/ (Fan – 140˚C/275˚F/Gas Mark 1). Butter and line your cake tin with enough greaseproof paper to come up the sides of the tin, this will help to remove the cake later.
Measure the dry ingredients, including the sugar, into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk to distribute the salt, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder evenly throughout the other dry ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (except for the hot water).
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Starting in the middle of the bowl, whisk in a clockwise, circular motion. Don’t switch direction or you’ll end up with lumps. Gradually whisk together until you have a smooth but thick batter.
Whisk in the hot water until smooth.
Pour the batter into your pan right away and bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is springy to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.
Once the cake has cooled, prepare the marshmallow. Have ready your mixer with a whisk attachment.
Measure all of the ingredients into a metal bowl and place over a saucepan of boiling water (do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or it will cook the egg whites). Whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very warm to the touch. Use a thermometer and whisk continuously until it reads 72°C or 70°C (162˚F or 158˚F) for two minutes, whichever comes first. Transfer the mix into the bowl of your electric mixer and whisk on high speed until nearly stiff peaks form.
Put the icing into a piping bag with a large round nozzle and pipe 20-24 big bubbles in rows over the top of the cooled cake. Use a tiny sieve to dust a strip of cocoa powder lengthwise across the cake. Decorate with flakes of gold leaf and a scattering of fresh flower petals.
Quince and Mascarpone Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream
All Claire’s cakes at Violet are based on the seasons, this luscious confection could also be served as a dessert.
Serves 12-14
For the Roasted Quince
2 quinces
150g (5oz) sugar
4 tablespoons water
100g (3 1/2oz) fresh orange juice
peel from 2 oranges
8 cardamom pods, pounded open to release the black seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, scraped
For the Sponge
500g (18oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened
100g (3 1/2oz) sunflower oil/vegetable oil
4 eggs (240g/8 1/2oz in weight)
320g (generous 11 1/2oz) milk
1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
500g (18oz) plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
For the Mascarpone Filling
400g (14oz) mascarpone cheese
200g (7fl oz) double cream
60g (2 1/2oz) icing sugar, sifted
For the Buttercream (can be frozen)
1 vanilla bean
9 egg whites (350g/12oz in weight)
600g (1 1/4lbs) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
900g (2lbs) unsalted butter
3 x 23cm (9 inch) cake tins
Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/Gas Mark 7.
Peel the quince and cut them into wedges by cutting them in half from top to tail and then cutting each half into three. Spread the wedges out in a single layer in a large, heavy-bottomed gratin or roasting dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and cover with water and orange juice. Add the zest, cardamom seeds and pods, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean pod and seeds. Toss all the ingredients together in the roasting tin to make sure the quince is nicely coated in the spices. Cover tightly with a lid or upturned tin. Roast in the preheated oven for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until a deep pinky-orange and tender to the touch. If it’s still firm, leave it in a little longer. Cool completely in the tin.
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325˚F/Gas Mark 3 (Fan – 150˚C/300˚/Gas Mark 2). Grease and line three 23cm (9 inch) cake tins.
In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and oil until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until combined.
In a jug weigh out milk and vanilla and set aside. Add half of the dry flour mix to the butter mix and combine. Then add half of the milk mixture, mix well, scrape down thoroughly. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix. Add the remaining milk mixture and combine.
Divide the batter between the cake tins. Tap gently on the worktop to release the air bubbles and bake for 25-28 minutes or until golden and springy to touch.
While the cake is baking, make the mascarpone filling. Whisk all the ingredients together until fluffy, being careful not to overmix. Keep this in the fridge until ready to use.
Next prepare your icing.
Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until soft and pale, set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites, sugar and salt over a bain-marie until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture is frothy and it reaches 75°C/167˚F.
Fit the bowl to your mixer and whisk until cool and peaks form. Add the soft butter in batches, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth, it may break but it will come together again, whisk until stiff.
Once the cakes are completely cool you can begin to assemble the cake. Use a paring knife to remove the core of the quince and thinly slice the quince. Line a deep 23cm (9 inch) cake tin with parchment paper, place one layer of sponge inside the lined tin and drizzle with some of the sieved roasting liquid from the quinces. With a round nozzle, pipe a ring of Swiss meringue buttercream around the edge of the cake and then Put a thin layer of the sliced roasted quince within the centre. Spoon half the mascarpone filling over the cake. Repeat with the second layer of sponge, border of icing, fruit and mascarpone.
Place the final layer of cake into the tin and bring the sides of the parchment paper up. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour, this will make it much easier to ice.
Remove the cake from the fridge and place on to a plate or stand
and ice the top and sides with the rest of your Swiss meringue buttercream.
Chill or serve right away.
Autumn Carrot Cake with Prunes and Walnuts
A delicious riff on the usual carrot cake.
1 Sheet Cake – serves 12
For the cake
4 eggs, separated plus 1 whole egg
100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) light brown sugar
125g (4 1/2oz) unsalted butter, softened
120g (scant 4 1/2oz) oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
500g (18oz) grated carrots (700g/1 1/2lbs before peeling)
150g (5oz) walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
150g (5oz) Armagnac-soaked prunes, turn into quarters
zest of 1 orange
315g (10 1/2oz) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout
For the frosting
375g (13oz) unsalted butter, softened
600g (1 1/4lbs) cream cheese, brought to room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
200g (7oz) icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 walnuts for decoration (untoasted)
Butter and line a deep baking tin (24cm x 32cm/9 1/2 x 11 3/4 inch) and heat the oven to 170°C/325˚F/Gas Mark 3 (Fan – 150°C/300˚F/Gas Mark 2).
Separate your eggs. Put the whites aside to whip up later with the 100g (3 1/2oz) of caster sugar.
In another bowl, add the yolks, whole egg, brown sugar, soft butter, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well together and to this add your grated carrots, toasted chopped walnuts, torn prunes and orange zest. Mix well with a wooden spoon and set aside.
In a large bowl, weigh out the remaining dry ingredients and whisk them together well. To this add your wet mixture. Mix together well.
Finally whip your egg whites with the caster sugar into lovely soft peaks. Fold this mixture into the cake mixture until fully combined. Spoon into your prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the cake has some spring. Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. Once cool, remove from the tin and place on a serving plate.
To make the icing, whip together the very soft butter and cream
cheese. Add the remaining ingredients and whip with the whisk attachment until
fluffy. Cover the cake with the frosting. Decorate
with grated walnuts. Alternatively, with
a sharp serrated knife, slice the cake into 12 squares before frosting and pipe
a wiggle of cream cheese icing diagonally with a petal tip or your favourite
nozzle. Then grate a little fresh walnut
over the top with a fine microplane zester.
Serve on flatted cupcake cases if desired.
Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crisp outside, gooey inside…these might just be the ultimate choc chip cookies – plus they can be cooked from frozen.
Makes 21
200g (7oz) light brown sugar
150g (5oz) caster sugar
350g (12oz) plain flour
100g (3 1/2oz) cocoa powder (Dutch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate powder
3/4 teaspoons sea salt
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, soft
350g (12oz) blonde (caramelised white chocolate)
OR USE 180g (6 1/4oz) blonde Valrhona chocolate (caramelised white chocolate) or white chocolate (Valrhona is our favourite)
AND 180g (6 1/4oz) milk chocolate (Valrhona is our favourite)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Maldon sea salt for sprinkling on top
Preheat the oven to 190˚C/375˚F/Gas Mark 5 (Fan – 170˚C/325˚F/Gas Mark 3).
Combine the dry ingredients in your mixer on a low speed with the paddle attachment fitted, don’t overmix.
Add the soft butter and mix until a sandy texture forms.
Add the chocolate discs, eggs and vanilla extract and mix until a dough forms.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough into balls.
You can bake right away or from frozen.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange just 6 cookies on the tray to allow them to spread during cooking. Sprinkle each with a few flakes of sea salt.
Bake for 14 minutes, tapping the tray on the oven rack twice during the baking time. This helps the cookie to flatten and the chocolate to spread, whilst remaining gooey in the middle. Leave to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Serve chocolate chip cookies warm or a room temperature
Note: Uncooked dough keeps for up to 3 months in the freezer.
