A Sweet Vietnamese Classic

 Everyone things of spring rolls and pho when Vietnamese food is mentioned. yet the country is also known for a classic South Asian cake.It reflects the ingredients of the area while providing a slice of comfort, not unlike a slice of Bundt cake.

Regular contributor and master pastry maker Genevieve KO wrote about banh bo duong or honeycomb cake in yesterday's New York TImes Food section,This is a dense cake with a verdant jewel green crumb thanks to glossy green pandan leaves. These give a citrus like flavor to the batter an d it's considered the vanilla of Asian cooking.There's also the addition of tapioca and rice flour to give the crumb its' stretchy bite/ It has to be made perfectly which has always been the bane of Vietnamese home chefs.It's a staple of pot luck dinners in teh Vietnamese community with "aunties" judigng and criticizing other's cakes.Los Angeles based Hannah Pham baked it for her mother and three sisters hoping they'd give it high praise. She has spent years refining the recipe , making sure it was up to her family's standards."They were so impressed after their initial clucking that their happy surprise was captured on camera. She now makes the cake for parties , letting others enjoy the cake's "squishy sweetness."The cake was fist recorded in 1895 and its name means grilled cake because it was first made on an open charcoal fire.

What is banh bo duong made ofThere is tapioca starch and full fat coocnut milk for body.Six large eggs are added for extra body and to give it a rich crumb. Then there are those pandan leaves that give the cake it's beautiful lime green coloring.These have been grounded into a paste , much like vanilla beans and can be bought only on Amazon or in some Asian grocery stores. As for the tapioca use the Erawan brand which is commonly found in Asian supermarkets. Erawan also makes rice flour which Ms Ko recommends using in the recipe.It needs finely ground rice powder similar to white refined flour in texture.Never use any rice flour bought outside Asian markets, glutinous rice flour , sticky rice flour or mochiko kind which is also glutenous.The recipe can be a bit labor intensive with all the dry ingredients being whisked together first and then adding in the wet ingredients.It's then put through a sieve two or three times before it's poured into a greased Bundt pan.it's baked in a low oven at 305 degrees Farenheit for forty five minutes. Melted butter is brushed over the top after it'[s been baked It's then cooled and should be nudged out fo the pan with a spatula. Serve with a cup of Vietnamese coffee to balance the sweetness.

Banh bo duong is a tasty alternative to a Bundt cake.It's using new flavors and ingredients to create a classic cake. Try it for a summer time treat.

S]'Mores Any Way

 S'mores a re always a special summer treat but imagine making them year round. They can be put under the broiler or turned into a pie. They cna be gobbled during the dog days of July then or the frosty days of December.

Regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about two variations of this treat in today's New York Times food section.S;m ores are actually almost one hundred years old having first debuted in the 1927 Girl Scout book Tramping and Trailing with The Girl Scouts." even though they were called Some Mores ,one is quite enough the book admonishes. . Ms Clark gives a gooey broiler one and a pie that features a rich pudding like ganache topped with a meringue. The broiler version can be varied. Ritz crackers or even Saltines can be subbed in for the sweet cracker(although I would add chocolate grahams to the list). What is great is that Ms Clark also has the option of dark and light chocolate. Dark chocolate works very well and cuts down on the sweetness of the marshmallows. The snacks are assembled without the tops and then broiled for about two to three minutes Watch them carefully so they don;t burn and create a black gooey mess.(unless you like this).

The pie is more or less similar except the marshmallow topping is homemade as is the graham cracker crust. The crust is a mix of whole wheat flour and white as it is with a graham cracker recipe.Cinnamon and brown sugar are also added for flavor and  half a cup of butter is added to bind the crust together. The ganache is like a homemade pudding that uses chopped bittersweet chocolate instead of chocolate chips. These also melts better too. A pinch of sea salt also helps bringing out the sweetness too. As for the marshmallow filling six eggs whites will be needed along with granulated sugar and cream of tartar.A vanilla bean is also used for flavoring.The crust is baked first and then cooled before the ganache is added.The tart is then placed in the fridge anywhere between one hour and up to twenty four hours for it to firm up.The meringue is then made and whisked constantly in a bowl over simmering water. The mixture has to turn white and the temp should be 175 degrees Farenheit (use a candy thermometer for this)The meringue is then put into a mixer and whipped more as vanilla beans are added. Place the finished fluff on the ganache and use a blow torch to toast it.

S'mores are a true treat. Make then under the broiler on into a pie. Both are tasty treats.