Pastry Foundations - Two Stage Method

Summary

This video script offers a detailed guide to making a two-stage chocolate butter cake. It emphasizes the importance of melting chocolate carefully to avoid seizing, using unsweetened chocolate, and maintaining a temperature below 120° to prevent bitterness. The script introduces a high-ratio cake method, which involves coating flour with fat for tenderness. It also highlights the significance of room-temperature ingredients for a stable emulsion and the gradual addition of eggs for a smooth batter. The process concludes with tempering the chocolate with a portion of the batter and evenly distributing the final mixture into prepared cake pans for baking.

Takeaways

• 🍫 Melt the chocolate carefully over a water bath, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water to avoid seizing.
• 🥣 Use unsweetened chocolate, also known as baker's chocolate, which contains only cocoa liquor and cocoa butter.
• 🍰 The recipe employs a two-stage mixing method, starting with melting chocolate and then mixing it with other ingredients.
• 🧈 Substitute all-purpose shortening for butter if desired, but use it to coat the flour for a tender cake texture.
• 🍶 Avoid overmixing the flour to prevent the development of gluten, which can make the cake tough and chewy.
• 🥚 Incorporate eggs and the remaining milk slowly to maintain a smooth emulsion and avoid separation.
• 🍶 Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to help maintain the emulsion and achieve a light cake texture.
• 🧁 The cake is a high-ratio cake, meaning it contains a high proportion of fat, which contributes to its rich taste.
• 🎂 Temper the chocolate with a portion of the batter to combine ingredients at different temperatures without curdling.
• 🧊 Be mindful not to overmix the final batter once the chocolate is incorporated to maintain the leavening agents' effectiveness.

Q & A

What is the first step in making the chocolate butter cake?

The first step is to melt the chocolate by chopping it into small pieces and placing it over a water bath, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.

Why should the bowl not touch the water when melting chocolate?

The bowl should not touch the water to avoid creating steam that could come into contact with the chocolate, which can cause it to seize.

What is the ideal temperature for melting chocolate?

The ideal temperature for melting chocolate is below 120°F to avoid developing bitter and unpleasant aftertastes.

What type of chocolate is recommended for the chocolate butter cake recipe?

The recipe calls for unsweetened chocolate, also known as baker's chocolate, chocolate liquor, or cocoa mass.

Why is it important to occasionally stir the chocolate while it's melting?

Occasional stirring ensures that the chocolate melts evenly and prevents it from burning or seizing.

What is the purpose of coating the flour with fat in the recipe?

Coating the flour with fat helps to create a tender cake by preventing the development of gluten, which can make the cake tough and chewy.

Why is it important to mix the sugar, milk, and vanilla into the batter on medium speed?

Mixing on medium speed helps to create a smooth and light batter, which is essential for the texture of the chocolate butter cake.

What is a high ratio cake, as mentioned in the script?

A high ratio cake is one that contains a lot of sugar, which is often associated with a rich and moist texture.

Why should all ingredients be at room temperature when making cakes?

Having all ingredients at room temperature helps to maintain the emulsion, which is crucial for the cake's texture and rise.

What is the purpose of tempering the chocolate with a portion of the batter?

Tempering the chocolate with a portion of the batter ensures that the chocolate is gently incorporated into the batter without losing its smooth texture.

How should the cake pans be prepared before adding the batter?

The cake pans should be lightly greased to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.

What is the significance of filling the cake pans only 2/3 full with batter?

Filling the pans 2/3 full allows for the batter to rise during baking without overflowing the pans.

Outlines

00:00

🍫 Preparing the Chocolate for Chocolate Butter Cake

The paragraph details the process of melting chocolate for a chocolate butter cake using a two-stage mixing method. It emphasizes the importance of chopping chocolate into small pieces and melting it over a water bath without letting the bowl touch the water to prevent steam from causing the chocolate to seize. The ideal temperature for melting chocolate is specified as below 120° to avoid bitter aftertastes. The chocolate used is unsweetened, known as baker's chocolate, which contains only cocoa and cocoa butter. The paragraph also introduces the first stage of mixing, which involves combining butter, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. The goal is to coat the flour granules with fat to maintain a tender cake despite intensive mixing. The addition of sugar, milk, and vanilla is also discussed, with a caution to mix these on medium speed for a smooth, light batter.

05:04

🥚 Incorporating Eggs and Finalizing the Cake Batter

This paragraph continues the process of making the chocolate butter cake by discussing the importance of adding eggs slowly to create an emulsion and maintain the integrity of the batter. It stresses the need for all ingredients to be at room temperature to prevent the emulsion from breaking. The paragraph also touches on the concept of a high-ratio cake, which contains a significant amount of fat. The process of tempering the chocolate with a portion of the batter is explained to ensure a smooth mixture before combining it with the rest of the batter. Finally, the paragraph covers the preparation of cake pans, including greasing the sides, and the technique for evenly distributing the batter in the pans, filling them about 2/3 full to allow for rising during baking.

Keywords

💡Chocolate Butter Cake

Chocolate Butter Cake is the main theme of the video, a type of cake that combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the tenderness of butter. The video script details a two-stage mixing method, which is crucial for achieving the desired texture and taste. The script mentions melting chocolate and incorporating it into the batter, which is a key step in creating this dessert.

💡Water Bath

A water bath, also known as a bain-marie, is a cooking technique used in the script to melt chocolate gently. It involves placing a heatproof bowl with chocolate over (not in) simmering water. This method is essential for preventing the chocolate from burning or seizing due to direct heat, as mentioned in the script where it warns against the water being too high or creating steam.

💡Seize

To 'seize' in the context of chocolate making refers to the process where chocolate becomes grainy and loses its smooth texture due to the introduction of water or heat. The script emphasizes that chocolate's worst enemy is water, and even a few drops can cause it to seize, which would ruin the cake's texture and flavor.

💡Unsweetened Chocolate

Unsweetened chocolate, also known as baking chocolate or cocoa mass, is a key ingredient mentioned in the script. It is pure chocolate without any added sugar, consisting only of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. This type of chocolate is used in the recipe to provide a deep, unadulterated chocolate flavor to the cake.

💡Two-Stage Mixing Method

The two-stage mixing method is a technique highlighted in the script for making the chocolate butter cake. It involves first creaming the fat (butter) with some of the dry ingredients, then gradually adding the remaining ingredients in a specific order to create a smooth, well-aerated batter. This method is essential for the cake's final texture and rise.

💡High Ratio Cake

A high ratio cake, as mentioned in the script, is a type of cake that contains a high proportion of sugar and fat relative to the other ingredients. This results in a rich, moist, and tender crumb. The script explains that the chocolate butter cake is an example of a high ratio cake, which is achieved by the significant amount of sugar and butter in the recipe.

💡Emulsion

An emulsion in baking refers to a mixture of two liquids that are normally immiscible, such as oil and water, which are combined to create a stable mixture. The script discusses the importance of maintaining an emulsion when making cakes, which is crucial for the cake's texture. The emulsion can be broken by adding ingredients too quickly or at温差 too different temperatures.

💡Room Temperature

In the script, it is mentioned that all ingredients should be at room temperature before mixing to ensure a stable emulsion. Ingredients at room temperature blend more easily and help in achieving a smooth batter, which is essential for the cake's rise and texture.

💡Tempering

Tempering, as used in the script, is the process of gently combining two ingredients of different temperatures to avoid curdling or separation. In the context of the chocolate butter cake, a portion of the batter is mixed with the melted chocolate to bring it to a similar temperature before combining it with the rest of the batter, ensuring a smooth, uniform mixture.

💡Chemically Leavened

Chemically leavened refers to the use of chemical leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda to create air pockets in the batter, causing it to rise during baking. The script specifies that the chocolate butter cake is chemically leavened, which contributes to its light and airy texture as opposed to cakes that rely solely on eggs or yeast for leavening.

💡Greasing the Pan

Greasing the pan is a step mentioned in the script to prepare the cake pans before pouring in the batter. This process involves applying a thin layer of fat, such as butter or non-stick spray, to the pan's surface to prevent the cake from sticking, ensuring easy removal and a clean presentation of the finished cake.

Highlights

Melt chocolate in small pieces over a water bath without touching the water to avoid seizing.

Ensure water bath temperature is not too high to prevent bitter aftertastes in chocolate.

Use unsweetened chocolate, also known as baker's chocolate, which contains only cocoa and cocoa butter.

The first stage of the two-stage mixing method involves combining butter, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Coat flour granules with fat to maintain a tender cake despite intensive mixing.

Add sugar, 2/3 of the milk, and vanilla for flavor during the mixing process.

Combine remaining milk with eggs, but do not mix completely to avoid over-beating.

Chocolate butter cake is a high-ratio cake, meaning it contains a lot of sugar.

Stop the mixer frequently to scrape the bowl for a thorough mix.

Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to maintain a stable emulsion.

Add eggs and remaining milk slowly to the batter to create a nice emulsion.

Grease cake pans lightly to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.

Temper the chocolate by combining a portion of the batter with it before adding back to the main mixture.

Chemically leavened batters rely on baking powder or baking soda for air pockets.

Fill cake pans about 2/3 full to allow for rising during the baking process.

The two-stage mixing method is crucial for achieving a tender texture in the chocolate butter cake.

Chocolate's worst enemy is water, which can cause it to seize; hence the careful melting process.

The goal of mixing is to coat flour with fat to prevent a tough and chewy texture.

Flavorings like vanilla are added to enhance the taste of the cake batter.

Maintaining an emulsion in the cake batter is key to a successful texture.

The chocolate is added to the batter in a process called tempering to ensure a smooth mixture.

Transcripts

[Music]

our chocolate butter cake is two-stage

[Music]

cake for our chocolate buttercake we

want to go ahead and melt the chocolate

chop the chocolate into small pieces and

place it over a water bath be sure that

the bowl is not touching the water down

below when you melt chocolate in a water

bath you want to be sure that the water

is not so high that it's creating steam

that will come up over the side of the

bowl and possibly seize your

chocolate chocolate's worst enemy is

water and just a couple of drops will

make it seize into a tight ball you want

to be sure to occasionally stir your

chocolate as it's melting and bring the

melted chocolate up and push the

chocolate that hasn't melted down to the

bottom where the heat is again

be very careful when you're melting

chocolate not to get it hotter than

120° Beyond 120° some bitter unpleasant

aftertastes begin to develop the

chocolate called for in this recipe is

an unsweet chocolate otherwise known as

baker's chocolate chocolate laor or

cocoa

Mass this refers to the cocoa chocolate

product that contains no sugar only

ingredients are cocoa cor and cocoa

butter once your chocolate is completely

melted remove it from the Heat and place

it to one

side our chocolate butter cake is

two-stage cake this is considered the

first stage of the two-stage mixing

method we place our butter in the bowl

you may substitute allpurpose shortening

in this

recipe next we are going to place our

flour our baking powder and our salt

into the bowl this cake will be beaten

or mixed therefore we're going to use a

paddle turn it on low if the flow begins

to puff up turn it off briefly and turn

it back on again

normally mixing flour for a long period

of time creates gluten which makes the

product tough and

chewy the goal in this step is to coat

the granules of flour with the fat in

this case with the butter doing this

will allow us to continue to have a

tender cake even though we will be

intensively mixing the flour

once our mixture has starts to become a

paste turn the mixer off add your

sugar and about 2/3 of the

milk this is also an excellent time to

add your flavoring in this case our

flavorings will be vanilla

begin to mix in the sugar 2/3 of the

milk and your vanilla you want to mix

this on medium speed until you get a

nice smooth light batter in the

meantime go ahead and combine your

remaining milk and your

[Music]

eggs these do not have to be completely

mixed I'm just breaking up the eggs a

little bit so that they'll mix

in this chocolate buttercake is also a

good example of what we refer to as a

high ratio cake when we say high ratio

we mean that it contains a lot of trigar

[Music]

you frequently want to stop your mixer

scrape your paddle the sides and the

bottom of your

[Music]

bowl once you have a light and Airy

batter you will slowly begin to add the

eggs and the other

milk slowly add your liquid allowing it

to completely blend in the rest of the

mixture before adding any more

slowly adding your eggs allows it to

create a nice Emulsion anytime you're

making cakes you want to be sure that

all of your ingredients are at room

temperature so that your Emulsion is

maintained and Emulsion can be broken

which means that the water has now

separated from the

fat by adding the liquids too

quickly by adding ingredients that are

too different in

temperature or over

[Music]

mixing once you've added your final

little bit of egg be sure to scrape the

bowl

[Music]

and then beat the batter for 3 to 5

minutes while your batter is mixing you

want to go ahead and get your cake pans

ready you want to lightly Grease the

sides of the

pan remember pan spray is just there to

release the cake it's not an

ingredient once your batter has beaten

for 3 to 5 minutes it's now time to add

your

chocolate once you take it off the

mixure is when you want to go and get

the chocolate that you set to one side

earlier take 1/4 to 1/3 of your batter

and add it to your chocolate this

process is tempering with which is

combining two ingredients that are

different

temperatures be sure when you're mixing

this to get the bottom and the sides of

the bowl really

well this is the good

stuff be sure to mix this in completely

before adding it in to the rest of your

batter when it's completely mixed return

it to the to the

bowl and mix it in well we don't have to

worry about folding the batter in

because this is a heavy batter that is

chemically leavened when we say

something that's chemically leavened it

means that the air pockets in it are

provided by either baking powder baking

soda once your batter is completely

mixed together it's time to get your

cake pants

take your batter and evenly divide it

between the two cake

pans this this batter will rise during

the baking process you want to fill your

Pan about 2/3 of the way full

[Music]