Informant: Roland R. Mesnier, Executive Pastry Chef for five presidents.
JIMMY CARTER - Splurged on chocolate cake and strawberry napoleons.
RONALD REAGAN - Had a sweet tooth. Loved a crunchy chocolate cake.
GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH - Liked cheesecake served with lemon curd.
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON - Low-calorie strawberry cake and carrot cake.
GEORGE W. BUSH - A fan of chocolate cherry cake and cherry trifle.
What do these presidential cake favorites tell us about the personalities of our past and present leaders? Check out The Cakes Quiz to find out.
Mesnier's Quick Chocolate Mousse (with crystalized ginger), a Reagan favorite.
Many chocolate mousse recipes are unnecessarily complicated. Simpler is better. There is nothing more satisfying than the combination of cream and chocolate, with a little bit of crystallized ginger added for excitement.
Although there are only three ingredients in this recipe, you must handle them carefully for the best results. The chocolate should be a little warm to the touch; otherwise it may set before you have a chance to fold it into the whipped cream, resulting in a grainy mousse. For the same reason, let the cream come to room temperature before you whip it. If it is too cold, it might cause the chocolate to harden too quickly.
4 ounces semisweet OR bittersweet
chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
6 chocolate cups (optional)
Pour 2 inches of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Place chocolate in a stainless steel bowl that is big enough to rest on top of the saucepan, and place it over the simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Heat, whisking occasionally, until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool until chocolate is just warm to the touch, between 95 and 100 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
Whip cream with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks. Add whipped cream and ginger to chocolate all at once, and quickly whisk together. Scrape mousse into a serving bowl or individual goblets, or pipe it into chocolate cups, if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 1 day before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Serve this cake for afternoon teas or for dessert alongside fruit compote or chocolate mousse. This recipe calls for less butter than traditional pound cake recipes, but it makes up in richness with the addition of creme fraiche. For the lightest cake, do not overmix the ingredients. Beating the batter too much will make the cake greasy and heavy.
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup creme fraiche OR sour cream, at room temperature
Grease an 8x4-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom and longer sides with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest. Stir until well-combined, but do not overmix. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Then stir in butter and creme fraiche.
Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until cake begins to form a crust on top, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and make a 1/2-inch-deep cut down center of cake to allow it to rise without cracking.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, return cake to oven, and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes.
Invert cake onto a wire rack and unmold it. Then re-invert it onto another wire rack so it's right side up. Let cake cool slightly, then remove parchment. Serve slices warm or at room temperature. Lemon Pound Cake will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 2 to 3 days. Makes 8 servings.
-- From "Dessert University," by Roland Mesnier.
Mesnier's will be sharing many more of his cake recipes in an upcoming cookbook focused solely on cake.
