Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof

From Booklist How many magazine, newspaper, and book recipes have resulted in major dining disasters, or at least less-than-optimum visual and tasty delights? Not content to rely on titles alone, nationally known cook and TV host Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, carefully counsels reader-chefs on turning out perfect dishes and menus every time. Each page, if not featuring a list of foolproof techniques and tips, includes all the right directions as well as photographs. Just a sampling of the ideas that make her 100 dishes work: freeze cookie dough but not already baked cookies; when a dish specifies fleur de sel, don’t use kosher salt; avoid serving appetizers on Thanksgiving, but do cook in abundance, so that guests go home with leftovers. Her treats, as always (and like her packaged mixes), are stomach pleasers: mustard and gruyère batons, lobster mac and cheese, salted caramel brownies, and cinnamon baked donuts, among others. --Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an alternate hardcover edition. Featured Recipe from Ina Garten: Sticky Toffee Date Cake with Bourbon Glaze Makes 1 cake For the cake ¾ pound dates, pitted and chopped ¾ pound dates, pitted and chopped 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¹/³ cup granulated sugar ¹/³ cup granulated sugar 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1½ tablespoons baking powder 1½ tablespoons baking powder For the sauce 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup heavy cream ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons good bourbon, such as Maker's Mark 2 tablespoons good bourbon, such as Maker's Mark 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Sweetened whipped cream, for serving Sweetened whipped cream, for serving Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan. Place the dates in a deep saucepan with 1¾ cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Allow to simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the baking soda (it will bubble up!). Set aside. Meanwhile, in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla, scraping down the bowl. (The mixture may look curdled.) Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer still on low, slowly add it to the batter. With the mixer on low, add the hot date mixture in two batches to the batter, scraping down the bowl. The batter will be runny but don't worry! Stir in the baking powder, which will also bubble up. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Meanwhile, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the bourbon and vanilla and pour into a 2-cup heat-proof glass measuring cup. Set aside. As soon as the cake is done, poke holes all over it with a toothpick. Pour three-quarters of the sauce evenly over the cake while still warm and allow it to soak in for 30 minutes. Turn the cake out bottom side up onto a flat serving plate and pour the remaining sauce on top. Cool completely. Serve at room temperature with sweetened whipped cream. --This text refers to an alternate hardcover edition. A master caterer, TV celebrity, and prolific cookbook author, Garten will delight her legion of fans with this appetizing and welcoming cookbook. Garten focuses on foolproof cooking: recipes that work, are satisfying to eat, and can be made ahead of time… Once again Garten’s culinary wizardry will inspire, delight, and empower readers to entertain in true Barefoot Contessa style.-- Publishers Weekly, starred review --This text refers to an alternate hardcover edition. INA GARTEN is the host of the Emmy Award-winning Barefoot Contessa television show on Food Network. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey. This is her eighth cookbook. Visit Ina at www.BarefootContessa.com. --This text refers to an alternate hardcover edition. Read more