Previous Features
Featured Chef Carole Walter
Bio
If you love baking, you'll love getting to know Carole Walter, award-winning cookbook author, master baker, and accomplished baking and food professional specializing in American and European pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, desserts and breads.
Her latest cookbook, Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins and More, is the latest in her series of "Great" baking books available at all major bookstores and online. Great Cakes was the winner of the coveted James Beard Foundation Best Baking and Dessert Cookbook. Great Cookies won the International Association of Culinary Professional (IACP) Award in the "Bread Baking, Other Sweets," category, Great Pies & Tarts was a finalist for the IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards, and Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins, and More,'' was one of the top eleven holiday picks from the New York Times for 2007.
Carole has worked with renowned chefs in Austria, Denmark, France, Italy and the United States. Her passion for baking is rivaled only by her passion for teaching, both backed by alifetime of dedicaiton to her craft. In her 30 years of teaching experience, Carole has shared her baking skills with over 25,000 students, at a variety of venues including The New School Culinary Arts Center, The Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Kump's New York Cooking School,) The James Beard Foundation Workshop Series, Sur La Table Culinary Schools, the World Pastry Forum, and Kings Cooking Studio in Short Hills, NJ.
She has appeared on Good Morning America and many other television programs to talk about baking. Under the banner "Good things come to those who bake," her website, carolewalter.com includes recipes and information for home cooks.
We welcome Carole Walter as our Guest Chef for this holiday season, the best baking season of the year.
Interview
How did you first get interested in baking?
I've had a curiosity about what happened to batters and doughs when they went into the oven for my entire life, probably from the time I was three years old.
Please tell us about your latest cookbook.
My latest book Great Coffecakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More is a work containing recipes that I have long wanted to get into print. They are based on pastries that I learned how to make in Europe. I studied the art of making Danish pastry in Copenhagen, French pastries at Lenotre in Paris, and strudel and other Viennese pastries in Vienna.
In addition, the book has many recipes than I have had in my files that were popular from coast to coast in the US in the 1940's and50's. Also included are terrific chapters on pound cakes, homestyle coffee cakes, muffins, quick breads, biscuits and scones.
Also featured is a chapter on Coffee Break Bites with recipes such as rugalah, brownies, and biscotti. Of great use to the baker is a chapter on a variety of streusels, glazes and spreads. There are 32 pages of beautiful photographs and many line drawings that are helpful when shaping pastries.
What trends do you see in baking today, and how have baking trends changed over the years?
I have not seen many changes in the art of baking throughout my more than 23 years of teaching, baking and cooking. While certain pastries and desserts will surface in popularity, such as the molten chocolate cake, free form rustic fruit tarts, oversized muffins and cookies, and beloved biscotti, the art of baking seems to be relatively untouched in this era of calorie counting and instant gratification. The majority of my students love to bake and are willing to take the time to refine their skills At times I get the feeling that the richer a pastry is, the more appeal it has; it's almost like an aphrodisiac.
What's your favorite type of cookie and why?
Rich, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Spritz has long been one of my favorites. I love the versatility of the cookie press. Not only can you create beautiful shapes with the various plates, you can also make exciting free-form cookies such as wreaths, batons, and even pipe your initials by using the star tips. These type of cookies have even wider appeal when dressed up by partially dipping them in melted chocolates and garnished with sprinkles and chopped nuts.
What makes Spritz cookies special and what recipe variations do you like?
It's the cookie family I turn to when I want to dress up a cookie platter. Whether it is vanilla, chocolate, lemon or almond, it's the perfect choice for holiday baking as well as any special occasion throughout the year.
What kitchen tools do you like for decorating cookies, cakes and cupcakes?
For cookies, I like to use squirt bottles and small parchment cones. For cakes and small cakes such as cupcakes, both large and small offset spatulas are essential. Other tools that create simple but pretty designs are a pastry comb and ruler with steel ridges, which gives cakes a professional touch. For all cakes, canvas pastry bags or bottles fitted with a variety of decorating tips are a must.
What tips do you have for adding a decorative touch to baked goods?
Simple glazes, candied or toasted chopped nuts, coconut toasted or plain, chocolate shavings, chocolate covered coffee beans and candied violets or rose petals.
How important are exact measurements in baking?
In one word, ESSENTIAL.
What are your top three favorite flavors?
High-quality chocolate, vanilla and gianduja.
You've worked with many exciting chefs and appeared on many television shows. Who are some of the most interesting people you've met in your culinary career?
The students that are memorable are difficult to define on an individual basis. Throughout the years I've acquired a huge student base and for the most part, I love each and every one of them. They are the inspiration behind all of my writing.
High profile chefs and personalities have limited time to interact when you are a guest on media. There are few names that come to mind that have influenced me or taken the time to be kind when I have done media: Jacques Pepin, Chocolatier's Albert Kumin, Richard Olney, Arthur Schwartz, Charlie Gibson, Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford.
Where do you find inspiration and ideas for the creativity of developing new baking recipes?
Most by instinct, and some through feedback that I receive from interaction with my students.
What projects will you be working on next?
Redesigning my website.
More Info
Buttery Crispy Spritz
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Strain together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium-low speed until creamy and lightened in color. Add the sugar in a steady stream, mixing for 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and mix to combine, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Mix in the almond extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing only to combine after each addition.
- Place desired forming plate into the cookie press. Following the manufacturer's instructions, fill the press with the dough and press the cookies onto the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the bottoms are very lightly browned. To ensure even browning, toward the end of baking time rotate the pans top to bottom and front to back. Let rest for 2 or 3 minutes before loosening with a thin metal spatula. Cool on wire racks.
Recipe from "Great Cookies: Secrets to Sensational Sweets" Copyright 2003.
Reprinted by permission of Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
