Instructions
Mnemonic.
It’s one of my favourite words, if only I could remember what it means.
Actually, a mnemonic is a technique you use so that you don’t forget something important. It could be a rhyme, a simple connection, or even a basic rule. The idea of tying a piece of string around your finger (so that you remember to buy milk on the way home) is a good example, although you may look a little silly. For that, I’d recommend using the alarm in your phone instead!
There are plenty of examples of mnemonics from your school days. “’I’ before ‘e’, except after ‘c’”, comes to mind. Unless you’re trying to spell the word ‘weird’, that is. Damned exceptions to the rule!!!
In the kitchen we use mnemonics as well, particularly for baking. This is because there are reliable relationships between ingredients that don’t really change over time.
“1.2.3 cookies” are a favourite of mine. 1 part butter, 2 parts sugar, and 3 parts egg. Add 1 egg for every 200g butter and you have the formula for a perfect biscuit. Or how about “5 x 5 cake”? Take equal parts of chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and almond meal for the simplest and richest treat you’ll ever try.
Of course, these modern formulas have a more ancient lineage. It was the French pastry chefs who first cottoned on to this simple way of teaching apprentices, and thereby made famous the loveliest teacake of all time. The pound cake.
The basic idea for a pound cake is pretty simple. You’ll need exactly equal parts (usually a pound a piece) of just four ingredients – butter, sugar, eggs and flour, while other flavours can be added where required. As with so many cake recipes, you simple beat the butter and sugar until they are really light. If you’re unsure, keep beating. Beat in the whisked eggs a little at a time, until smooth, then fold in the flour gently.
For a chocolate version, replace 10% of the flour with an equal amount of cocoa, and I always add a little vanilla to the eggs for that delicately-sweet perfume.
Even if you can’t remember the formula, I guarantee you’ll never forget the taste!
Chocolate-vanilla marbled pound cake