Steak and Cake – Elizabeth Karmel & Carthage. Co Stoneware Cake Pan
August 5, 2019 by Jenny
This book is the best of both worlds where meat meets sweets
with over 100 plus recipes that takes the guess work out of dinner
and dessert! I have made
Anthony’s grandmother’s “earthquake cake” (don’t judge
this cake from my photo – it was stellar and disappeared!) and the
steak recipe that we are sharing below. This version is
basically what I have been doing for many years but Elizabeth
perfects the technique. My husband and son are devout steak-addicts
and we never say no to cake so this book is one that will be sought
out repeatedly in my kitchen. The Tex-Mex
Chocolate Sheet Cake I made this week and it was one of the
best Texas sheet cakes I’ve tried.
Thanks to Workman Publishing for sharing the following recipes
with our members and providing copies of this gorgeous book in our
giveaway below which includes a grand prize of a Carthage. Co Stoneware Cake Pan (see more
after the recipes).
Red-Hot
Cast-Iron Steak with Perfect Crust
Add this recipe to your Bookshelf (click the blue +Bookshelf
button).
The Steak
If you make this steak according to my directions, I can
guarantee you two things: Your kitchen will get very smoky, and
your steak will be very crusty-in all the right ways! This stovetop
method is like an extreme culinary sport since the pan is preheated
over high heat for about 5 minutes before the steak is cooked. When
the smoke clears, you are left with a gorgeous caramelized crust
that covers the steak from end to end. For that reason, I prefer a
flat-bottomed
cast-iron or carbon steel skillet instead of one with raised
“grill” ridges. Note: This technique is best suited to a boneless
steak served rare.
Serves 1 or 2
- 1 boneless New York strip or ribeye steak (16 to 20 ounces and 1 to 2 inches thick)
- Coarse kosher salt or Maldon sea salt Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (optional; see Note).
- Wrap the steak in paper towels to rid it of excess moisture. Replace the paper towels as needed.
- Meanwhile, place a dry cast-iron skillet on the stove and preheat over high heat until a drop of water sprinkled on the surface “dances” and evaporates instantly.
- Just before cooking, scatter the salt lightly but evenly over the pan. Place the steak at the top edge of the pan. Let the steak cook and sizzle for 1 minute, then, using tongs, flip it so the raw side of the steak is at the bottom edge of the pan. This placement is important because the cooking process cools down the temperature of the cast iron and you want each side of the meat to be exposed to the same hot surface.
- Press down gently to ensure even contact between the steak and the pan. Let the steak cook and sizzle until there is a nice even crust, 1 minute more. Using tongs, hold the steak vertically and brown the fat on the edges. This also allows the pan to heat up again.
- Repeat cooking the first side of the steak at the top edge of the pan for another minute. Flip the steak and place the second side at the bottom edge of the pan for 1 minute more. Repeat browning the edges if necessary, about 30 seconds on each edge.
- At this point, the steak should look done and have a deep-brown caramelized crust on each side. Check for doneness: The meat should feel tight and slightly springy, not raw and mushy, to the touch. If using an instant-read thermometer, insert it horizontally (through the thickness) into the center. Rare is 125°F, and that is the temperature that I prefer. Medium-rare is 135°F. If you want your steak cooked more in the center, once it has the crust on it slip the cast-iron pan into the preheated oven (see Note on page 10).
- Remove the steak to a wire cooling rack set on a sheet pan and let rest for 10 minutes. You can tent it lightly with aluminum foil but not so tightly that the steak will begin to steam. Slice and serve with freshly ground pepper if desired-you shouldn’t need to add any salt.
Baked Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Puffs with Dark Chocolate Bourbon
Dipping Sauce
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button).
The Cake
When I lived on the Upper East Side of New York, I frequented a
fantastic bakery called Yura. As a cook myself, I loved the setup
as much as the pastries. It was an open commissary kitchen for
several restaurants with a walk-up counter for ordering. As you
waited in line, you could watch the bakers make cakes and pies and
all manner of homespun baked goods. Among the array of
deliciousness displayed on the counter, there was one very small
item that looked like a mini muffin coated in cinnamon and sugar.
The texture of the crumb inside was less dense and more like a cake
than a muffin, and it had the telltale cinnamon flavor and a pop of
nutmeg as well. It was called a “puff,” or at least that is what my
friends and I called it. A puff with a double-shot cappuccino was
morning heaven! Once you try these baked doughnut puffs, I
guarantee that they will replace your fried doughnut craving with a
new one! They are so good that I often make them for dessert with a
dark chocolate dipping sauce, because even doughnuts are better
with a little chocolate!
Makes about 33 minis
For the Puffs
Baking spray, for preparing the pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 scant teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the pan with baking spray.
- Make the puffs: Whisk the flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Transfer the batter (which is fairly thin) to a liquid measuring cup and pour it into the cupcake cups, filling them about three-quarters full.
- Bake until the tops of the puffs look dry and a little nubby and a toothpick inserted in the center of a puff comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the topping: Mix the 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt together in a shallow bowl.
- Let the puffs cool on a wire cooling rack for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the tin and let cool on the rack for 1 minute more.
- While the puffs are still warm, dip the tops in the 8 tablespoons melted butter and swirl them all over in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the puffs back on the wire rack to cool completely. Eat when cool, with or without the chocolate dipping sauce, and place any leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep for 3 days.
- 1/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chips or block chocolate, chopped)
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar (optional)
Carthage. Co Stoneware brings handcrafted
Tunisian ceramics with a rich history in the making to our table.
When I was contacted by the company, I had an incredibly difficult
time trying to pick out which item I would like to review and share
with our members and I settled on the above-pictured pale
jade cake pan. Their ceramics are ethnically
sourced while they empower Tunisian artisans and create jobs in the
U.S. Not only is this company doing great work, but their products
are stunning and reasonably priced.
I received the cake pan today and had to put it to work.
The stoneware is of high-quality and looks amazing when you present
your baked goods to your guests. My 15 year old boy attacked the
cake in my photo to the left – he leaves no cake behind.
Carthage. Co is generously offering one of these pans to a grand
prize winner in our giveaway below. It’s a beauty and will be a
welcome addition to your kitchen bakeware.

The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and one grand prize winner will receive a Carthage. Co Stoneware Cake Pan. One of the entry options is to answer the following questions in the comments section of this blog post.
Which recipe in the index would you try first?
Which product at Carthage. Co would you like to own?
Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won’t be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post and this forum post. Once you log in and enter your member name you will be directed to the next entry option – the blog comment. After that, there are additional options that you can complete for more entries.
Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on October 4th, 2019. a Rafflecopter giveawayCategories
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