Tales of One Woman's Dreams: An evening with acclaimed pastry chef, author and teacher Nick Malgieri

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend an evening with internationally acclaimed pastry chef, author and teacher Nick Malgieri.

Pastry chef, Author and Teacher Nick Malgieri

Nick Malgieri, former Executive Pastry Chef at Windows on the World, is a 1996 inductee into Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. In 1998 and 1999, he was voted one of the ten best pastry chefs in America by Chocolatier and Pastry Art and Design magazines. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he apprenticed in Switzerland and was subsequently employed at the Hotel de Paris and the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo and at the Reserve de Beaulieu in France. In New York he was Assistant Pastry Chef at the Waldorf Astoria; Executive Chef at Paine Webber, Inc.; and Pastry Chef at the Board Room, a private club.

The stories and insights he shared and passed on would leave even the novice baker in awe! I can't wait to try out my first recipe from BAKE!: Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking - and I am having a hard time picking which one I would to do first. I better do it quickly before it walks away because my Mother and Father seemed very interested in the cookbook!

Those is attendance were none other than well known local food bloggers of the Baltimore area. Each person brought with them a sweet or savory dish to share with the group.

Chef Nick Malgieri is known to a number of you who bake, you probably have one of his cookbooks on your shelf:

BAKE!: Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking (2010)
The Modern Baker: Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes and Cookies (2008)
Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and More Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs, All Under 300 Calories Per Generous Serving (2006)
A Baker's Tour: Nick Malgieri's Favorite Baking Recipes from Around the World (2005)
Perfect Cakes (2002)
Cookies Unlimited (2000)
Nick Malgieri's Perfect Pastry: Create Fantastic Desserts by Mastering the Basic Techniques (1998)
Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers (1998) IACP/Julia Child Award
How to Bake : The Complete Guide to Perfect Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Tarts, Breads, Pizzas, Muffins, Sweet and Savory (1995) James Beard Award
Great Italian Desserts (1990)

That evening we had the privilege to sample two of his latest unpublished recipes and he has allowed us to share then with our readers...

TOZZETTI: ROMAN ANISE, ALMOND, AND HAZELNUT BISCOTTI

Unlike most biscotti that are formed into narrow loaves before baking, tozzetti are spread in a pan. After the initial baking, they are cut into narrow strips and dried in the oven until shatteringly crisp.

Makes about 80 thin biscotti

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted
1 cup whole blanched hazelnuts, lightly toasted
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons Sambuca liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon aniseed, crushed
One 9 x 13- x 2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered foil

Directions:

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. Stir the flour and baking powder together, then stir in the almonds and hazelnuts and set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, continuing to whisk for a minute until somewhat lightened. Whisk in the liqueur, vanilla, and aniseed. Use a large rubber spatula to stir in the flour and nut mixture.

4. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until just firm, about 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack.

5. When completely cool, slide the slab of baked dough to a cutting board. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut into three 3-inch wide bars, then cut across them to make 1/2-inch thick biscotti. Arrange the cut biscotti on 2 paper-lined pans.

6. Dry the biscotti until very crisp but still light in color at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cool and store in a tin.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CAKE

The sweet, mellow flavor of Bourbon has a great affinity for chocolate. Serve this unadorned cake with a little unsweetened whipped cream.

Makes one 8-inch cake, 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70%), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
Pinch of salt
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons best-quality Bourbon
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
One 8-inch round 2-inch deep pan, buttered, bottom lined with a disk of buttered parchment

Directions:

1. Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, allowing it to sizzle and get really hot. Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk smooth.

3. In a bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, flour, and salt together; add all the eggs and Bourbon. Whisk together smoothly.

4. Stir the brown sugar into the butter and chocolate mixture and stir into the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake until the center is still soft, but no longer liquid, 25 to 35 minutes.

6. Cool the cake on a rack.

7. To serve the cake, invert to a platter and remove the pan and paper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap if not serving immediately.