LET THEM EAT (FRENCH) CAKE

The dinner party had snuck up on me.  Too much time with the dissertation – theorizing the nation state, coming to terms with self-other binaries, critiquing my own master narrative – had dried me of inspiration.  Luckily, it was a gem of a spring day.  Blue skies, warm sun and cool breeze combined to dictate simplicity.  Instantly, I knew: salmon, white wine, something green and to top it all off, the French cake. 

We started out on the deck, tossing back blueberry brew with olives, cheese and labneh.  As the breeze picked up, we moved inside, switched to white wine, and within minutes had the salmon basting in a lemon-garlic-dill marinade.  Ten minutes would suffice for the asparagus, which we decided to blanch and pair with a dual dipping of 1) melted butter and 2) grated parmesan cheese, and the couscous (our one boxed item) needed just 5 minutes.  Main course prep aside, I got to work on the cake while the fish soaked.

A great dessert in a pinch and on a dime, quatre quarts (French for four fourths, also known as ‘the French cake’) is by far the easiest confection in my arsenal, and a consistent crowd pleaser to boot.  I learned to make this cake while studying abroad in the south of France many moons ago, and it has remained a faithful standby since.  Quatre quarts requires the 4 most basic baking ingredients - butter, sugar, eggs and flour.  Even at the ‘end of the world,' where pastry chefs don’t differentiate between 60% and unsweetened chocolate, the French cake is a dessert within reach.  A cinch to reproduce whether you’re near or far, the shopping is painless, and the prep takes mere minutes.

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar (slightly less ok)
2 eggs
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
powdered sugar for dusting 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan.

Soften the butter.  Mix in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, and then the flour, blending fully at each step.  Add a pinch of salt and blend.  Pour batter into greased & floured pan and spread evenly.  The batter should be thick, not at all runny like cake mix from a box.  Bake 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Slide a knife around the perimeter of the pan to loosen.  Cool ten minutes in pan, then remove and cool on a rack or serving dish.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving (use a mini sieve to avoid clumping).  Also great with fresh berries and, for those with willpower, it's even better the morning after with coffee.

Carolyn Merritt

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