Gateaux Jos. Louis

Home-made versions of this best selling commercial snacking cake turn up in recipe collections throughout the Beauce. A product of the giant Vachon bakery at St. Marie, it was launched by founder-bakers Arcade and Rose-Anna Vachon who named it for their eldest two sons Joseph and Louis and not, as some believe , after the heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Louis. Home recipes use a drop-cookie method and -sometimes- a marshmallow filling. The baking cake is made automatically with a diameter of 3 1/2 inches (9 cm). To achieve a symmetrical look and a light texture, I adapted a recipe belonging to Mariette Scully Bourque of Notre Dame des Pins to the muffin tin.

Cake: Grease 12 medium muffin tins or 24 small ones. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Measure milk into a 1 cup measure and stir in vinegar, then baking soda. In another bowl, sift or mix together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. Combine dry ingredients with butter mixture with milk; stir in vanilla. Fill prepared muffin tins half full of batter. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 10 minutes or until a tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Vanilla Filling: In top of a double boiler, set over boiling water, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, salt and water. With an electric mixer, beat until stiff and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.

Chocolate Icing: Cream soft butter with cocoa powder. Blend in cream and vanilla. Stir in sifted icing (confectioner's) sugar until icing is of spreading consistency.

Slice cakes in half horizontally. Fill with Vanilla Filling and spread tops and sides with Chocolate Icing.

Quebec_ by Julian Armstrong