Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Red Wine and Chocolate Sweets

I had bought the ingredients in the town of Eclava and was busy making sweets.

The sweets were both a token of gratitude to Count Fernande, who I was indebted to this time, and to Duke Lenaril.

What I was making was Rotweinkuchen, a sweet made with red wine and chocolate.

It’s a German-origin confection with a plain appearance. It’s more commonly enjoyed at home rather than purchased from a shop.

However, the bitterness and sweetness of the chocolate, the tartness of the red wine, and the fruity flavor of the sour cherries spread throughout your mouth, making it incredibly delicious.

It’s one of my favorite treats, and I used to make it often.

The taste of this dish directly reflects the quality of its ingredients. Particularly, the red wine, which is used generously, must be of good quality, or it won’t taste good.

“As expected, that winery is amazing. Their red is also a fine product.”

I savor the red wine poured into my glass, filling it about one-third.

It’s from a winery that gives me seeds for making grapeseed oil.

Although their main product is white wine, they also produce red.

The quality of the grapes is excellent, and the craftsmanship is superb. Such a high-quality red wine would be hard to come by even in my original world.

With this, I can make the best Rotweinkuchen.

“Kurt-sama, I’m surprised you’re making a cake with alcohol!”

Tina, the silver-haired fox-eared girl, was looking at the red wine with great interest.

Instinctively, I hid the red wine.

I had learned from past experience that I shouldn’t let Tina drink alcohol.

“It’s quite common to use alcohol in sweets. In fact, when I use compotes of pinaru and papuru, I often add the liquor used for cooking the fruit into the batter, don’t I?”

“Ah, that’s right, you were using it.”

“Alcohol adds depth to the flavor. It pairs well with wheat too.”

Alcohol is a versatile seasoning.

Especially in this world, where there are few available seasonings, I tend to rely on it a lot.

Chloe, the elf, also looked at the red wine with curiosity.

“Oh, so there’s alcohol that’s bright red like this. I’d like to try some.”

“There will probably be some left over, so you can drink it then.”

“Yay!”

Chloe quite likes alcohol.

She regularly gets pinaru and papuru delivered from the spirit village, and she always receives a liquor made from a grain similar to rice along with it.

“I want to drink some too!”

“Tina, no!” we both said at the same time.

Chloe, having been caught up in it once before, was desperate to stop her as well.

“Ugh, that’s so mean!”

“You can’t have the alcohol, but I’ll let you have the cake later, so hang in there.”

Tina’s puffed-up cheeks relaxed, and her eyes sparkled.

She’s so simple.

Now, let’s start making the sweets.

I mix cocoa powder and flour together in a bowl and sift them.

Then, I add cinnamon. It’s something I just bought at the market today. It was really lucky that I found it. I bought up everything they had in stock.

Cinnamon is a frequently used ingredient in making sweets. It imparts a unique sweetness, an enchanting aroma, and a slight spiciness that adds depth to the flavor. However, if you use too much, it can disrupt the balance of taste and aroma, ruining everything, so caution is needed.

I put butter in a heat-resistant container and asked Tina to warm it up.

Once the butter started to melt, I added honey, a pinch of salt, and egg yolks, then mixed it all together.

“Kurt, the smell of melting butter is so nice, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it would be great if I could raise cows in my territory.”

In the poor territory of Arnoldt, we raise goats instead of cows.

Cows consume a lot of feed, are susceptible to illness, and are expensive to maintain. Moreover, they take a long time to mature and aren’t easy to increase in number.

Goat milk can be used in sweets, but it has a strong flavor and lacks the richness of cow milk.

You have to consider the compatibility with the sweets when using it.

In a case like this, where I want people to enjoy the aromas of red wine and chocolate, goat butter would clash with the flavors. Moreover, other oils, like grapeseed oil or walnut butter, lack the strength to complement the intensity of the red wine.

That’s why, instead of using ingredients from Arnoldt, I bought butter made from cow’s milk.

“There’s no point in wishing for what we don’t have. Let’s continue cooking.”

I slowly added the flour and cocoa powder mixture into the butter and egg yolk mixture.

The key here is to avoid kneading it too much while mixing. Overkneading will ruin the texture.

“It’s time for the star ingredient.”

After finishing with the flour, next is adding the red wine.

Here’s where a little trick comes into play. Adding a bit of rum enhances the red wine’s flavor even more.

Then, I add powdered almonds. This is not part of the usual Rotweinkuchen recipe.

This makes the dough strong enough to handle the red wine. The aroma and richness of the almonds are powerful assets.

I then added chopped chocolate.

Now, it’s time to use my secret weapon.

“Kurt, you can’t use this. It’s rotten.”

Chloe said, trying to stop me from cooking as she looked at the jar I pulled out.

“It’s not rotten; it’s fermented. It’s cranberry yeast.”

The jar I took out contained cranberries soaked in water, which had been left to ferment. A white mass, resembling mold, floated on the surface.

“Is this really safe to eat?”

“Yeah, adding this makes the dough rise nice and fluffy.”

One inconvenience I’ve found in this world is the lack of baking powder, or leavening agents, as they’re called.

Without that, cakes don’t rise properly.

Until now, I’ve been making moist cakes, which aren’t a problem even if they’re not fluffy.

But that gets boring after a while.

That’s where yeast comes in.

Yeast and baking powder both cause carbon dioxide to be released when mixed into the dough and baked, which makes it rise.

That’s why I’ve been experimenting with various kinds of yeast, and I’ve had some successful results.

This time, I’m using cranberry yeast made from cranberries.

“Wow, you’re really adding this moldy-looking stuff.”

I poured in the liquid, now stained with the color of the cranberries from the jar.

Chloe looked astonished.

“Well, you’ll see its effect once it’s baked.”

In this world, the concept of yeast hasn’t been discovered yet.

No one knows what fluffy bread or cakes are like.

In this context, just using yeast in pastries gives a tremendous advantage.

I let the dough rest for a while to allow it to ferment.

During this time, I chatted with Tina and Chloe to pass the time. The dough had started to rise. The fermentation seemed sufficient.

Lastly, I added a generous amount of fresh cranberries.

Normally, Rotweinkuchen uses sour cherries, but this time, I’m using fresh cranberries.

There are two reasons for this choice.

The first is the good compatibility with the yeast liquid. The yeast liquid, used as a substitute for baking powder, takes on the flavor and aroma of the fruit used as the base. To create harmony, I used cranberries instead of cherries.

The second reason is for appearance. When you bake large, red fruits like sour cherries into the dough, it doesn’t look very appetizing. The large holes, along with the blackened and wrinkled red cherries, are unappealing. Even if the taste is good, it’s fatal for a gift pastry. This is probably why Rotweinkuchen is loved in homes but doesn’t appear in stores.

“Now for the finishing touch to the dough.”

As I mixed the dough, I gradually added the meringue, which I had whipped from egg whites.

Once all the meringue was incorporated, it was complete.

I poured the mixture into a mold specially made for this occasion.

“Tina, let’s start baking. I’ll need your help.”

“Yes, Kurt-sama!”

I put the mold into the oven and, with Tina’s help, began baking the dough.

Tina’s flames are easy to control, making them incredibly useful for adjusting the heat.

“Tina, Chloe, take a look inside the oven. You’re about to witness the magic unique to cakes made with yeast.”

Now, it’s time for the yeast to work its magic.

“Wow, Kurt-sama, the dough is rising!”

“It’s like magic! I’m amazed!”

The two of them exclaimed in surprise as they watched the Rotweinkuchen swell significantly.

“That’s because the dough is filled with air, making it rise. The air in the dough gives it a light, fluffy texture. No one has tasted a fluffy cake like this before.”

“I can’t wait! I want to eat it soon. And it smells so good. There’s the scent of roasted chocolate mixed with the wonderful aroma of grapes.”

“This scent is almost criminal. Kurt, I can hardly wait any longer.”

Red wine and chocolate.

When baked together, their scents become stronger and more enticing. With the addition of cranberry and cinnamon, the fragrance reached a new level.

It’s a symphony of aromas.

This cake excels not only in taste but is especially focused on its captivating fragrance.

Tina and Chloe were mesmerized, their eyes glued to the cake.

Alright, it’s ready.

“Tina, please take it out of the oven.”

“Yes, Kurt-sama.”

Tina removed the Rotweinkuchen from the oven.

I carefully took it out of the mold.

This time, I used a special mold to enhance the appearance.

It was a half-circle with a hollow center, like a giant donut sliced in half horizontally.

The cake had a wavy texture, reminiscent of a bavarois.

To finish, I dusted it with cocoa powder, giving it a dark, elegant look.

“And there you have it. This is the red wine and chocolate cake, Rotweinkuchen.”

Originally, it was just a humble homemade treat.

But with the addition of rum, cinnamon, almond powder, cranberry yeast, and the incorporation of meringue, I elevated its flavor.

And by paying attention to its appearance, I transformed it into something more refined.

This Rotweinkuchen is a creation I’m confident could be served as a royal dessert.

“Alright, time to taste it. Please enjoy my favorite cake.”

I sliced the cake and served it with whipped cream in front of the two.

Unable to contain themselves any longer, they eagerly reached for the cake.