Have you seen the new CBS show “The American Baking Competition” that is hosted by Jeff Foxworthy? I met (and ate the cooking of) Marcela Valladolid, one of the judges of the show, back in 2010. While I haven’t tasted her baking, she sure can cook!
If you haven’t caught the show yet, you can see clips on the American Baking Competition site http://www.cbs.com/shows/american-baking-competition/. Recently, I was invited to interview Marcela by my good friend Beth. Although, I wasn’t able to attend, I was able to ask a question. Read what Marcela had to say…
My question: If you were participating in the show, what would be your “signature bake” (the baking recipe that is her specialty)?
Marcela’s answer: There are a few but you gotta know that it would have to be something Mexican. The most popular recipe I’ve had in my career and the most requested is called the triple threat flan, which is half traditional chocolate cake or sponge, and half vanilla flan with caramel on the top. You make the traditional chocolate cake batter, pour it into a greased pan and take the traditional flan batter, pour it into the same pan, and it appears to marbleize and all mix but because of the different densities of the batter, when you pop it in the oven they separate. So when you pull it out of the oven and you flip it, you have beautiful white flan custard on the top and the bottom half is perfectly baked chocolate cake. In every bite you get rich creamy light delicate vanilla flan at the same time you get that wonderful sweet chocolate.
Hmmm….what would your signature bake be? Personally, I have a “Not too sweet” sweet potato pie that is especially popular…
You can watch The American Baking Competition on Wednesdays 8/7c.