I was recently asked to review “Tate’s Bake Shop Baking for Friends”, a new cookbook from Kathleen King of the famous Tate’s Bake Shop in Southhampton, New York.  Since cookbooks, especially dessert based, are among my favorite things, you can imagine that I was beyond excited to receive a copy.  Although I’ve never had any Tate’s baked goods, I’ve read numerous rave reviews from several bloggers about her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Already having my HomeGoods fabulous find, vanilla bean paste, when the book arrived I was thrilled to find a recipe that required vanilla bean paste: Vanilla-Bean Chiffon Cake.  With precise instructions and a generous dose of trouble shooting advice, this recipe was a cinch!  My only problem was being timid about folding in the egg whites~being overly concerned about them deflating~left me my otherwise delicious cake with air pockets.  This was completely my fault.

Being a chiffon cake, it was super light but it had a richer flavor than any chiffon/sponge cake I’ve ever tasted.  The first slices were served with warm chocolate ganache, and was loved by everyone.  A day later, I couldn’t resist trying this cake as a base for french toast….Freaking Yummy!

Tate’s Bake Shop Baking for Friends has many recipes(over 120) that I will attempt in the near future…Sour Cream Lemon Pudding Pie(it has a sugar cookie poppy seed crust!), Rhubarb Brown Betty(the topping included brioche!), Gluten-Free Spice Cake(the frosting for this cake is maple whipped cream…maple whipped cream!!!).  This book not only includes gluten-free recipes, there are also vegan, sugar-free, and heart-healthy recipes.

• If you want your own “autographed” Baking for Friends cookbook, the folks at Tate’s have supplied a discount code for $5 off the purchase of this book. Use the code BAKEOFF when ordering. Go to http://www.tatesbakeshop.com to order.

• Tate’s Bake Shop is also giving you a chance to participate in the Baking for Friends Bake-Off.  Go to their facebook page for the details.  Click here for details.  You could win a $1,000 or other great prizes!

• Tate’s is generously sponsoring a giveaway on ShawnsPlate.  Enter for an opportunity to win a gourmet cookie & bar tower.

To enter, simply leave a comment here or on ShawnsPlate Facebook page by 9:00 p.m. PST on Thursday, October 25, 2012.  That’s all!

The Vanilla-Bean Chiffon Cake recipe is on the next page

Vanilla-Bean Chiffon Cake
Source: “Tate’s Bake Shop Baking for Friends”
Makes 16 servings

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
(not self-rising), preferably unbleached

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste(available at specialty grocers or online) Mine was on the cheap from HomeGoods!  No vanilla bean paste? No problem, just use 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Chocolate Ganache Recipe, below(optional)

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. You will also need a 10-inch plain tube pan(angel food cake pan).  Do not use a nonstick pan and do not butter or flour the pan~the batter will not rise on a  slick surface.

Sift together the cake flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.  In a large  bowl, beat the 7 egg yolks on high speed until the yolks are just thickened.  With the mixer still running on high speed, ad the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla bean paste(or vanilla extract), Turn mixer to low speed and gradually beat in flour mixture and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, beating for 3 minutes(set a timer). Told you the directions are precise!

In another large bowl, using clean beaters, beak the 9 egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy.  Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks.

Gently fold the whites into the batter in 4 additions, taking care to keep the whites as fluffy as possible~this is the key to this cake’s success.  You don’t want to deflate them. Although you don’t want to deflate the egg whites, you do want them completely folded or you’ll end up with air pockets in the finished cake…just saying! Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Bake until a long bamboo skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours(1 hour & 15 minutes).  Invert the pan onto the neck of a wine bottle or any tall bottle with a slender neck.  If your cake has a long center tube that will lift the cake above the counter surface, simply invert the pan onto the counter.  let the cake cool completely upside down in the pan.  I didn’t do this…My tube pan has tabs along the edge, so I turned the pan upside down on the counter and allowed the cake to completely cool in this position…Because the cake was stuck in the pan, it didn’t fall out and the tabs kept it elevated, allowing space between the actual cake and counter.

Run a dinner knife or a thin metal spatula around the inside of the pan and the tube.  Push the cake up from the bottom to release it.  Gently pull the bottom of the cake away from the pan bottom, and set the cake right side up on a serving plate.(The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)  I served the cake with warm chocolate ganache and used left over cake to make french toast!

Chocolate Ganache
makes about 1 cup
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place chocolate and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Heat cream until just boiling. Pour over chocolate and allow to stand for 3 minutes, stir until smooth and shiny.