Nut Snacks: Perfect for the Mad Men Season Premier

Somewhere along the way, perhaps about the time Don and Betty Draper divorced, meringue fell out of favor in American home kitchens.  Judging by the sheer volume of meringue recipes in my vintage recipe collection, it seemed that housewives whipped up meringues on a whim, covering a lemon pie with the confection here or folding it into a custard for a chiffon pie there.  They recognized that meringue brings classic style and panache, elevating baked goods to something a bit more ethereal.  

While meringue is no longer in the repertoire of most home cooks, it is truly easy to prepare -- after all, it's simply whipped egg whites and sugar.  And sometimes, it plays the starring role, as it does in these two-layer nut snacks, a retro dessert and the perfect, period-appropriate treat to enjoy while glued to the much anticipated fifth season of Mad Men.

First, a simple butter crust is pressed into the pan.  Next the meringue -- made with brown sugar, a very unusual addition, and nuts -- is placed on top.

Spread the layer of meringue to cover the entire crust.  Pop it into a 350 degree the oven.

When cool, cut into squares. Serve and enjoy.  And be glad you're not Don or Betty Draper.

Production note: I used an 8 x 8 square pan, though you can use one a bit larger.  Set the oven to 350 degrees, and the whites will whip up with more volume if they're at room temperature.

The Best of 2011: A Baker's Dozen

Why are we all so obsessed with lists?  Is it because no one has the time to read narratives any more? I think so, especially after a friend who wrote for several national women's magazines told me that the editors wanted to turn every story into a chart!

Having said that, I do love reading lists.  Compiling them is another matter altogether. There were so many wonderful recipes this year that it was difficult to choose but I managed (mostly by adding a number of honorable mentions, all of which are good enough to make the list).

And so, in no particular order, I present The Best of A Cake Bakes 2011:

1) Eleanor's Amazing Date Cake
Not an easy cake to make, but well worth the effort. And it's an important reminder of the deliciousness of dates.http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/07/amazing-date-cake.html

2) Lemon Meringue Pie
If my lemon chiffon pie had turned out better, it would have made the list.  But this c. 1935 lemon meringue pie shows that good taste never goes out of style. Light and lemony, this overlooked pie should be revived in the home kitchen.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/02/is-pie-new-black.html

3) Gingerbread Waffles
Just a wonderful way to start your Sunday morning and perfume your kitchen, without messing up more than one bowl.  In the unlikely event that you have extras, they freeze beautifully.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/11/gingerbread-waffles.html

4) Chocolate Pudding
Is there anything more comforting or evocative of childhood?  I think not.  This old-fashioned recipe will transport you back to the days before blogs, cell phones, and even Mighty Fine pudding mix.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/08/chocolate-pudding-under-influence.html

6) Cookie Kisses
The absolute simplicity of these (just egg whites, sugar, vanilla and chocolate chips) make them perfect for Christmas and whenever you want a light and delicate meringue cookie. Did I mention how addicting they are?
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/12/cookie-kisses-wonderful-christmas.html

7) Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Fruit and cake make a lovely combination, and this one is a classic for a reason. Delicious, fun and dramatic.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/06/pineapple-upside-down-cake.html

8) Buttermilk Pie
When I originally wrote about this, I called it the Crack Pie of the 1950s.  And even though it didn't win a prize at the Daisy Flour pie contest, I'm a believer in "first thought, best thought" and stand by my initial assessment.  Fantastic.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/04/buttermilk-pie-crack-pie-of-1950s.html

9) My Best Gingerbread
Of all the gingerbread recipes I've tried (and there have been many), this truly is the best.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/12/my-best-gingerbread.html

10) Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings
For an absolutely adorable way to serve fall's fruit bounty, this high crust to fruit ratio dessert can't be beat.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/11/old-fashioned-apple-dumplings.html

11) Aunt Jenny's Favorite Cake
The perfect cake for a birthday party or any occasion.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/12/aunt-jennys-favorite-cake.html

12) Lemon Cake Pie
This vintage pastry delivers a pudding, a cake and a pie in one dessert. Deliciously.

13) Betty's Chocolate Cake
A simple, classic one-layer cake topped by a new-to-me (but very old-fashioned) foolproof vanilla icing.  Why this frosting ever disappeared from the American kitchen is puzzling.
http://www.acakebakesinbrooklyn.com/2011/01/bettys-chocolate-cake-and-gravy-icing.html

And a few honorable mentions:
Praline Cookies
Lazy Daisy Cake
Grandma's Poundcake
Baked Custard
Television Almond Pastry

Is Pie the New Black?

I've been reading a lot about pie lately, how its popularity is soaring. A lovely new bakery, specializing in pies (appropriately named Four & Twenty Blackbirds) opened not far from my house.  And there was even a pie contest last month in  hipsterville Brooklyn, aka Williamburg, and *only* the first 50 pies would be judged.  Who knew that there are so many pie bakers that the contest needed to be limited to 50.  (I also can't believe that so many people want to run the NYC Marathon that tickets need to be won in a lottery, but that's another story.)

I couldn't enter the pie contest because I was working that Sunday, but I did decide to try my hand at lemon meringue pie. (The winning pie was a Shaker lemon pie.)  I made it twice in the past few days.  The first was gorgeous, but a failure as the filling never quite set, so we all *enjoyed* meringue-topped lemon soup.  The second pie was much better, but I overbeat the egg whites rendering the meringue a bit tough.  Plus, I had a fight with my pie crust and in retaliation, it shrunk in the pie pan.

I'm posting the second recipe I used, which was far superior.  The filling was easier to make and was smooth and custard-y.  Ironically, the pie soup recipe was published in a c. 1955 cookbook (where recipes, often subject to testing, are usually more reliable) but the successful one was hand-written in a composition book belonging to Ida Mai Van, a cooking school student in 1935.

To pre-bake the pie crust, line it with parchment paper or foil and fill with beans to keep it from puffing up.

The crust with lemon filling.

The meringue is pure white before baking for 8 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Don't overbeat the egg whites!

Pie soup.