A recipe for Sachertorte

This recipe was mentioned in the "Gâteaux versus tortes" article (page 16) of the August 2009 issue of Chef Educator Today.

Sachertorte
Jim Quinter, CWPC, Sullivan University, Louisville, Ky.

Yield: 1 torte

5 oz. Barry Callebaut bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. powdered sugar
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. pastry flour (spoon gently into cup and level top)
Liquor and simple syrup, as needed
1 c. apricot glaze or strained jam, warmed
Chocolate glaze or ganache, warm

Method (1) Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Dust sides of pan with flour, and tap out excess. (2) Set up a double boiler over very hot water, but not simmering; melt chocolate. Remove from heat; let stand, stirring often, until cool. (3) Beat butter in bowl of a standing mixer with paddle on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar. Return speed to medium-high, and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. (4) In separate bowl, beat the egg whites and granulated sugar with a mixer on high speed just until they form soft, shiny peaks. Do not overbeat. Stir about 1/4 beaten whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in remaining whites, leaving a few visible wisps of whites. Sift half of flour over chocolate mixture, and fold in with a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula. Repeat with remaining flour. (5) Spread evenly in pan, slightly spin cake pan to prevent from doming. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove sides of pan, and invert cake onto rack. Cool completely. (6) To assemble: Using a long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place one cake layer on an 8-inch cardboard round. Macerate the cake with some type of liquor and simple syrup to keep the cake moist. Spread liberal amount of apricot glaze on bottom layer. Place second cake layer on top; macerate and spread more apricot glaze on top layer. Spread top and sides of cake with the remaining apricot. Transfer to wire rack placed over a jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper. Let cool until the glaze is set (may place in the cooler until glaze is set). (7) Pour ganache to enrobe top of cake. Using a metal offset spatula, gently smooth glaze over cake, allowing it to run down sides, being sure that glaze completely coats the cake (patch any bare spots with spatula and icing that has dripped). Cool until ganache is barely set, then transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate until the ganache is completely set, at least 1 hour. Remove cake from refrigerator about 1 hour before serving. Use any remaining ganache to write SACHER on the top center of the cake. (8) To serve, slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water. Goes well with a fresh raspberry sauce.

Gluten-free baking and cooking classes open at HCCC this fall

Gluten sensitivity and intolerance affects 15 percent of the U.S. population, and 1 percent suffers from celiac disease. In an effort to help those sensitive to gluten, Jersey City, N.J.-based Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is offering four-week gluten-free baking and cooking classes starting in October in the school's Culinary Arts Institute.

"Gluten-Free Desserts" will meet Saturdays, beginning Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. "Gluten-Free Artisanal Breads and Savories" will meet on Wednesdays, starting Oct. 21. Lisa Roberts-Lehan, a classically trained chef who was diagnosed with sever gluten intolerance 12 years ago, will teach the courses, which will be held in the conference center at the Culinary Arts Institute.

More information about the courses will be available at a special Open House in the conference center on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. Visit www.hccc.edu to learn more.

U.S. Potato Board announces winners in CIA recipe contest

The United States Potato Board (USPB) has awarded three students at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) for their innovative potato recipes. As part of their support of CIA programs, the USPB invited students to submit their recipes for three categories: Ethnic, Healthy and New Classics.

"Cheesy Southwestern Potato Crisps," a Latin-inspired recipe with fresh jalapeño-cilantro pesto and cheese enveloped in crisp shredded potatoes, captured the Ethnic Category and overall Grand Prize in the Potato Innovation Recipe Contest. The fresh and flavorful recipe was created by William "Trey" Smith, a student of the CIA in Hyde Park, N.Y. The USBP is awarding Smith with a trip to the CIA Worlds of Flavors conference in St. Helena (Napa Valley) taking place Nov. 12 to 14, 2009.

"Indian Spiced Potato and Spinach Bajé" earned Adam Kaswiner the $1,000 prize for the Healthy Category. Inspired by his Peace Corps travel in Bangladesh, his recipe demonstrated the versatility of the nutrient rich potato with bold craveable flavors.

Marissa Hines won the New Classics category with her recipe, "Not Your Grandmother's Pierogi." The student's sophisticated updated take on the classic comfort food with goat cheese and prosciutto in a leek and morel sauce also earned a $1,000 prize.

For copies of these recipes and for more recipe inspiration, please visit www.potatogoodness.com/foodservice.

Lexington College to honor McDonalds' Fields at fall gala

Lexington College, the nonprofit, all-women hospitality college in Chicago, will host a fall benefit dinner on Nov. 2 to honor Jan Fields, executive vice president and chief operating officer of McDonalds USA. The event aims to raise scholarship funds for future women leaders in the hospitality industry.

Mia Martinez, co-anchor and reporter for CBS Channel 2, will be the master of ceremonies for the benefit dinner, which takes place at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. For more information, visit www.lexingtoncollege.edu.

NRAEF and CHART honor scholarship recipient

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) along with the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) was pleased to award Charles Eng, a ManageFirst student from The Ohio State University, with a $2,500 scholarship to support his education and career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. The scholarship was presented during CHART's 76th Semi-Annual Hospitality Training Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 27.

(l to r) Jennifer Kovacs, director, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation; 2009 NRAEF-CHART scholarship recipient Charles Eng, hospitality and finance student at The Ohio State University; and Curt Archambault, FMP, CHART Scholarship Chair, and regional training and development manager, Jack In The Box

This scholarship is presented annually to a student pursuing a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Charles Eng is a junior at The Ohio State University pursuing a dual degree in Hospitality Management and Finance. He is also studying the NRAEF's ManageFirst Program, which will further prepare him for a successful career. He believes his education along with the experience he is gaining while working at the ViewPoint Restaurant will serve him well in today's growing global economy. Eng's ultimate goal is to work in foodservice and provide people a place to dine that is relaxed and culturally enriching.

The National Restaurant Association’s ManageFirst Program is a management development program that equips students with the key competencies they need to begin or advance their management careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. ManageFirst is in use at more than 350 colleges and universities and in a variety of restaurant and foodservice companies. For more information, visit www.managefirst.restaurant.org.

Go wild with wild rice

The California Wild Rice Advisory Board is calling on all chefs-in-training and culinary professionals in California and Nevada to compete in the "California Wild Rice Rocks My World Recipe Rumble" for up to $5,000 in cash and prizes.

The California Wild Rice Advisory Board, which is sponsoring the event, is challenging culinary professionals to create interesting new ways to incorporate and serve wild rice in restaurants, catering operations and other foodservice settings.

The rumble kicks off Sept. 1 with the start of California Wild Rice Month and closes Feb. 28. The winners will be notified no later than March 31. Contest entry forms and rules can be found online at www.cawildrice.com.

*Photo courtesy of the California Wild Rice Advisory Board

Four top OC chefs to participate in scholarship fundraiser

Four of southern California's top chefs will participate in the inaugural Orange County Celebrity Chefs Culinary Arts Scholarship fundraiser at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar at The District in Tustin to help five aspiring chefs earn their associates degree in culinary arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Yvon Goetz, executive chef and partner at The Winery--along with Pascal Olhats, executive chef and owner of Tradition by Pascal and Brasserie Pascal; Andrew Sutton, executive chef of Napa Rose at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.; and Rob Wilson, executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel--will prepare a six-course dinner for the guests. A portion of the proceeds from the dinner will be added to The Winery Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund. In February, The Winery's owners will review all scholarship applications, and the winners will be announced at a campus-wide ceremony in May.

The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 23. For more information or to make reservations, send an e-mail to Rochelle@TheWineryRestaurant.net.