Polkadot Pleasures » tips

Baking for best results – source: Joy of making Cookies – Alex Goh

Polkadot Pleasures — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:01:20 +0000

1. Bake all cookies at the middle rack in the oven to receive even heat from both the top & the bottom heat elements. Bake 1 tray at a time, unless otherwise specified. Bar cookies should be baked closer to the bottom of the oven.

2. Line the tray with baking paper or grease the tray with butter, margerine or shortening b4 placing the cookies on. Cookies with high egg white & sugar content shd be baked in baking paper, for instance Macaroons, Almond Tuiles & Florentines.

3. Royal icing & glaze icing makes the cookies soggy. After the ising has set, put the cookies back in the oven & bake at low temperature for 5 minutes to bring back the crispiness.

4. Margerine can be used in place of butter if so desired.

5. When a recipe requires eggs, for best results, use large eggs weighing abt 60g (w/o shell)

6. Use only fresh nuts as nuts turn bad easily.

S U G A R

Polkadot Pleasures — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:27:00 +0000

There are many types of sugar, all of which add their own distinctive character to the recipe.

REFINED SUGARS:-

Granulated Sugar – has large granules and can be used in rubbed-in mixtures or to make a crunchy cookie topping.

Caster/Superfine Sugar – the most frequently used sugar in most baking recipes. It has fine grain so is ideal for creaming with butter. Also used for melted mixtures, meringue toppings & sprinkling over freshly baked cookies.

Icing/Confectioner’s Sugar – Fine, powdery sugar, usually used to make smooth icings & fillings and for dusting cookies/cakes. It may also be added to some piped mixtures.

Soft Brown Sugar – Refined white sugar that has been tossed in molasses or syrup to colour & flavour it. The darker the colour, the more intense the flavour. It makes moister cookies than white sugar, so, NEVER subtitute one for other.

UNREFINED SUGARS:-

Golden caster/superfine sugar & granulated sugar – are pale gold & are used in the same way as their white counterparts.

Demerara/Raw Sugar – Rich golden sugar, has a slight toffee flavour. The grains are large so it is only used in cookie doughs if a crunchy texture is required. It is good sprinkling over cookies before they are baked.

Muscovado/Molasses Sugar – Fine-textured, moist soft brown sugar may have a treacly flavour.

STORING SUGAR:

Sugar should always be stored in an airtight container. If white sugar form clumps, break it up with your fingers. If brown sugar dries out and hardens, warm it in the microwave (low) for about 1 minute.

source: The Big Book of COOKIES

Flours – The common ones you can find, what are their purpose

Polkadot Pleasures — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:05:00 +0000

Plain Flour – also called all purpose flour, has a medium protein content of about 10%. Most baked goods use this flour.

Self Raising Flour (SRF) – has the same protein qualities as plain flour but has baking powder added to it. Self raising flour can be made by adding 2 teaspoon of baking powder to 1 cup (125g) of plain flour & then sifting thoroughly several times. When a recipe calls for SRF, always remember, DO NOT add any more raising agent such as Baking powder or Baking Soda.

Wholemeal Flour – are coursely milled or finely ground and can be used instead of plain flour. If you use wholemeal, the baked product will have a denser crumb & less volume.

Bread Flour – is produced from hard wheat that has a higher protein content abt 12%, than all purpose flour. It is smoother in texture and is used to ensure that the dough is elastic & so strong so that the bread has structure, strenght & elasticity.

Cake Flour – a low gluten flour that has also been chemically altered slightly for better use in cake baking. When baking a cake, most cooks aim to create a light, fluffy cake with a tender crumb. This requires a flour with a low protein content, as protein promotes the production of which can make baked goods more tough. It also means that the flour must be very finely milled, to keep baked goods from getting heavy. Finally, a flour which is starchy and able to hold large amounts of fat and sugar without collapsing is required.

The above flour are usually available in many supermarkets. The best place to shop for bakery ingredients will be Phoon Huat & Co (Pte) Ltd.

*source: The Essential Baking Cookbook

What’s the difference? Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Polkadot Pleasures — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 06:59:00 +0000

Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to ‘rise’. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat!

Baking Powder
Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven.

Substituting in Recipes
Baking powder can be used in place of baking soda (you’ll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you CAN’T use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.

B A K I N G – Jargons

Polkadot Pleasures — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Terms used in recipes for baking sometimes seem mysterious but once understood, help you cook with confidence.

Bake Blind – To partially or totally cook a pastry case before filling it.This prevents the pastry going soggy. Pastry should be partially cooked when when its going to be filled with an uncooked mixture (such as eggs in quiche), or fully cooked for fresh fruit flans. The uncooked pastry should be “poked” with a fork to prevent it from raising. In some techniques, the uncooked pastry are lined with baking paper or foil n filled with dried beans, uncooked rice or special purpose beads.

Batter – An uncooked mixture of flour, liquid & sometimes a leavener such as baking powder. It can be thick, spooning consistency as with a cake batter, or thin, pouring consistency such as the batter made for pancakes, crepes or pikelets.

Beat - To briskly combine ingredients, usually with electric beaters but sometimes with a wooden spoon, to induce air into a mixture to make it smooth & light. Beating also helps to create a finer texture for cakes, biscuits & other baked products.

Cream together – To beat one more more ingredients, usually butter & sugar, until light & fluffy. Electric beaters or a wisk can be used. The creaming process dissolves the sugar, resulting in a light texture in the baked product.

Dough - A paste made out of any cereals (grains) by grinding it with a small amount of water/butter/shortening.

Dust – To cover lightly, usually referring to icing sugar or cocoa powder that is sifted over the top of a cake or pie for presentation.

Gluten - Protein found in wheat flour, is the mucular substance of great elasticity that strengthens the cellular structer of the dough.

Knead – To work a bread/pastry dough with your hands on a flat floured surface. The dough is rhythmatically pushed, stretched & folded in order to develope the gluten in the flour. It takes about 10 minutes for the gluten to be fully develope.

Knock Back – After the 1st raising, bread dough is ‘knock back’ or punched down. This allows all the bubbles of carbon dioxide to be expelled, thus preventing the gluten walls from overstretching and collapsing. The dough is then ready to be shaped & left to rise a second time.

Leavened – A term describing baked products such as breads & cakes that contains a raising agent such as yeast or baking powder, to increase the volume of the goods.

Meringue – Stabilized egg white foam & dissolved sugar crystals, brought about by whisking.

Proving – (also known as second rise) describes the process of the bread dough being knock back, then shaped & left to rise on its baking tray until doubled in bulk, before baking. Test by gently pressing a finger into the dough & if the imprint remains, the dough is proved & ready for baking.

Ribbon Stage – Eggs & Sugar are beaten, either with electric beater or hand whisk until the sugar has dissolved & the eggs becomes pale & firm with very small bubbles. The beater or whisk will leave a raised mark on the top of the mixture with the ribbon stage is reached. The term is used when a sponge cakes are being made. The results of beating is a very light aerated cake. Usually only small amounts of flour & maybe ground nuts are gently folded into the mixture before baking.

Rub in – To combine usually butter & flour using the tips of your fingers (fingertips is the coolect part of your hands) to form breadcrumbs like mixture. Cold or iced water is then added to form a dough.

Zest or Rinds – The outside rind of any citrus fruit. Grated or shredded rinds rind is used to flavour cakes, biscuits, syrups & dough. The rind can also be thinly peeled from the fruit, leaving
the white pith behind, then thinly shredded with a small sharp knife.

10 Tips Before U Start

Polkadot Pleasures — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:47:00 +0000

1: Read through the recipe & gather the ingredients, make sure all pans and equipment are clean and dry, wash & dry hands before starting.

2: Pre-measure the flour & other ingredients. Use the best & freshest ones you can find. Prepare any in advance, if necessary.

3: Use the appropriately sized baking pans & properly prepare them.

4: Adjust oven shelves & preheat the oven. Use an oven thermometer.

5: Carefully follow each mixing step in the recipe. DO NOT Over- or Under-Mix. Each step has a purpose. Use a kitchen timer to help you keep track of how long to mix, etc.

6: Don’t crowd the oven & avoid opening the oven door during baking. With certain recipes, rotate pans halfway through baking.

7: Pay special attention to baking times. Let your eyes, nose, as well as other indicators be your guide.

8: Cool baked goods thoroughly before serving or storing.

9: Finishing Touches

10: Store baked goods properly.

Source : http://www.baking911.com/howto/baking_tips.htm