French cake pan dimensions

[alexia]

Could anyone give me the other dimensions of a 28 cm moules a' cake? The recipe calls for that or a 9x5" pan. The photo of the cake, using the French pan. shows a much taller, thinner cake than the 9x5" pan will produce. I made the cake once and found the cake a bit dry on the sides when the center was fine; perhaps the different shape makes a difference. Also, what I've read suggests the sides are slightly flared on the pan, but the photo of the cake seem straight and one of the online sites showing a pan (without the width & height measurements) seemed to be straight sided

I'm going to make some pots, so thought I might start with this.

[Isa]

A moule à cake is what you know as a loaf pan it is just that the French model is thinner than what you would find in an American store. The French have different sizes of cake mould. I looked it up in three books and all gave me a different size of mould.

In La pâtisserie des frères Roux the standard french cake mould is 23cm by 9cm or 9inc. by 3.5inc. The heigh is 7cm or or 8 inc.

Pierre Hermé, in Le Larousse des desserts, recommand an even smaller mould, 18cm by 8cm or 7inc. by 3inc. mould.

In The French version of Pierre Hermé's chocolate book, the cake mould is usually 28 cm by 9cm or 11 inc. by 3.5inc.

[alexia]

Thanks Isa, 29 x 9 cm it is.

Have you baked anything from his book yet? I've made the chocolate pound cake a couple times. Very rich, almost puddinglike on the bottom where the goodies tend to accumulate. (In one version, I slightly floured the goodies to keep them afloat, but I think I like it better when they cluster near the bottom.) But I find the outermost edges a bit dry and think the thinner, higher loaf may give a better consistency. If I get the other pan, I'll report back.

[Isa]

Baked from what book Alexia? The chocolate one by Pierre Herme? I just got it a few weeks ago. I tried the pistachio waffles last weekend and they were heavenly. It got rare reviews by my friends who came for breakfast. Some even asked for chocolate ice cream...

[alexia]

Yes, it's from Chocolate. It's not a show-stopper kind of cake, but intensely flavored and perfect for a 1-2 person household as it keeps very well. I think it might also work as an element in a more complex dessert.

The first one I made I served to my son and his family. They weren't wild for it because of the ginger, even though I had halved the amount. This time I made it full strength. In the future I intend to try different additions, orange peel, cherries go well with chocolate.

I think "pound cake" is a misnomer, however, as the texture is quite different.

[Isa]

I know the cake Alexia. It looks too good to resist. I’ll have to find a excuse to make it….

In the Larousse des desserts, there is chocolate loaf cake, just like this one, that is strutted with candied oranges slices and candied clementine. The cake is glistening with orange syrup.

[Isa]

Do you have any of his other English books Alexia? I'm quickly developing an addiction to Hermé's books...

[alexia]

I have his Desserts book, but haven't made anything from it yet. I don't know the Larousse des desserts.

[kthull]

I've made at least a dozen of the recipes from the Desserts book and they are truly sublime. His balance of texture and teasing of flavor has been enlightening.

Quite the opposite of the American style of clobbering you over the head with
flavor.

Of all the desserts, my favorites were the Philadelphia cake, the Autumn Meringue cake, Chocolate Dome, Carioca, Ligurian Lemon cake, Chocolate Banana tart...ok they're practically all my favorites.

Melody was very intriguing, but I don't think I'd make it again. And the Blueberry Marscapone cake was a bit too light on flavor.

I'm just sad I didn't get to the Riviera or the Rice Treat before my wife decided it was time for us to start dieting.

I also love that he uses some truly hard to find ingredients. It's helped me build quite a database of resources. If anyone needs help tracking down sites with some of the harder to find items (e.g., Ligurian olive oil or griottes), let me know!

[alexia]

Thanks for the heads up on the recipes you've tried. It's always a help to know which ones others have found successful, particularly when the recipes are so complex and time consuming.

[kthull]

Alexia, you're not kidding on the time consuming part. The payoff is definitely there with his desserts. And it helps build the anticipation level.

Enjoy!