Baking - General Group - Most Recent Comments | BigOven.comhttp://www.bigoven.com/?refer=rssfeeden-ushttp://www.bigoven.comSun, 22 Nov 2009 19:06:53 GMT110LANGOSTINOS ALEXANDRA STYLEhttp://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxDoes anyone know how to make this?

- Glorygirl]]>cooking commentsRe: Pastryhttp://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxIf you bake a lot of pies, you might be interested in the following convenience mix for flaky pie crusts.  The recipe makes enough mix for 12 singe-crust pies or 6 double-crust pies.  Stored in a large airtight container (large enough to hold 16 cups), this pie crust mix will  keep for 3 months in a cool, dry place.  Or it can be frozen for up to 12 months in freezer bags (divide mix between 6 freezer bags--2-1/2 cups of mix per bag).  

Make-your-own Flaky Pie Crust Mix

12-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. salt

5 cups vegetable shortening

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.  Mix.  Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender until it resembles conmeal.  Store in airtight container until ready to use.

Flaky Pie Crust (using make-your-own mix)

2-1/2 cups pie crust mix (above)

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. cider or white vinegar

1/4 cup ice water

Place pie crust mix in large bowl.  (If frozen, crumble it.)  Combine egg, vinegar, & ice water in a small bowl.  Sprinkle pie crust mixture with a spoonful of water and toss with a fork.  Continue sprinkling spoonfuls of water and tossing until dough begins to cling together.  Divide dough into two portions.  Roll out each portion between sheets of wax paper.  For single-crust pies calling for baked crusts, place in two 9-inch pie plates, flute edges, and bake for 10-15 minutes at 425F.  Otherwise, fill and bake according to directions for you favorite filling.

- Petrushka]]>cooking commentsRe: Where can I find yeast cakes?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxAccording to the Red Star Yeast website, 1/3 of a 2 oz. cake of yeast is equal to 1 packet (2-1/4 tsp.) of dry yeast.  In other words, it would take 3  packets of dry yeast (2/14 oz. per pkt.)  to equal 1 (2 oz.) cake of yeast.

http://www.redstaryeast.com/lessons/yeast_types_usage/cake_yeast.php

Also:  The conversion table at that website indicates that 1 pkg. dry yeast = 2-1/4 tsp. = 2/3 oz. cake yeast , which is enough yeast to use for up to 1 pound (4 cups) of flour . . . except when the ratio of sugar to flour is more than 1/2 cup sugar to 4 cups flour and an additional packet of yeast should be used because excessive sugar slows down the fermentation of yeast. 

  [AND:  All of THAT explains why my aunt's olde Hungarian Nut Roll recipe didn't  "work" for me:  I should have used 3 packets of dry yeast to substitute for the 1 cake of yeast in her recipe!]

- Petrushka]]>cooking commentsRe: Where can I find yeast cakes?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxYou might be able to find it at a Whole Foods store. Fresh yeast spoils rapidly and is probably the reason why many stores do not carry it. I always use SAF instant yeast and have wonderful results.  

- ellie36]]>cooking commentsRe: Where can I find yeast cakes?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxhello friends i think this link will help you for any type of question about yeast.

 

http://www.baking911.com/pantry/leaveners_yeast.htm#Cake, Fresh or Compressed Yeast

- sidu]]>cooking commentsRe: Where can I find yeast cakes?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxI would just use the package yeast or the yeast in a jar.  One package equals one yeast cake.  The jar yeast-which is what I use - has the conversion on the jar.  You need to leave the jar out of the freezer to let it come to room temperature before using.  Or do you need the cakes for a special reason??

- buffyg]]>cooking commentsRe: Where can I find yeast cakes?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxRed Star still makes yeast cakes but it's available only in limited areas . . . and, sometimes, in other areas during holiday baking seasons.

Do a google.com search for "Red Star yeast cakes" for more information . . . and be sure to enter your zipcode at that site to see if (and where) their yeast cakes are available in your area.  Their website also indicates how to convert a recipe calling for yeast cakes to dry yeast. 

--Petrushka

- Petrushka]]>cooking commentsBaking time saving tips.http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspx

To soften cream cheese quickly, unwrap it and place in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Let stand 1 minute before using.

To soften butter quickly, just grate it on the large holes of your grater, and it will soften almost immediately!

Spray the insides of measuring spoons or cups with cooking spray before measuring sticky ingredients like honey, corn syrup or molasses. The ingredient will slip right out.

When making cookies, double the batch, then divide it in two. Roll half into logs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Store the rolls in the refrigerator to slice and bake later for fresh cookies anytime!

When makeing pies, double the pastry recipe, divide into portions, then form each into a flattened disk, like a pancake. Wrap and freeze the extra recipes. Next time you need a pie, thaw on the counter about 10 minutes, and you are ready to roll into a pastry crust!

 

- sgrishka]]>cooking commentsRe: Crystalline fructose?http://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxYour question as to suitable substitues for crystalline fructose should be evaluated against your particular goals for the product you are making. Do you desire to keep the nutritionals the same? The product characteristics? The shelf life? The gylcemic index? Etcetera.... Your point of view is helpful for properly evaluating the range of acceptable alternatives. There are often several alternatives but one would need to know the range of acceptable tradeoffs you are willing to accept.

 If you approach the substitutability question from the point of view that desires keeping the finished product characteristics as close to the original product, the number of options are smaller (and often impractical) than if you are willing to accept some changes. Many sweetener products can be substituted for another but one should be prepared for various tradeoffs that become apparent when switching ingredients.

Sweetness is just one characteristic that you may or may not want to hold constant. If you decide that you want the sweetness to be the same, and you decide you want to use say, sucrose (sugar), you will need more sugar (sucrose)  -  that of course means that you will end up with more mass - that may be good or bad - that is for you to decide. There are a number of other things that will change for such a switch. 

Crystalline fructose is +99 % fructose - roughly 1/2 the sucrose molecule that is 1/2 glucose & 1/2 fructose but typically (and commercially) the crystalline fructose is derived from corn (very simplified ---- corn to starch to syrup then dried) whereas sucrose is typically, though not always derived from sugar cane or sugar beets.   

 

 

- WheatFlourStarchGluten]]>cooking commentsRe: baking sodahttp://www.bigoven.com/groups.aspxThe writers above are indeed correct about baking soda and baking powder being quite different. Baking soda is quite common many places ---

Perhaps you could overcome the language barrier by writing NaCHO3 on a piece of paper.... this is baking soda.. a pharmacist should recognize this and may have on hand..

 

- WheatFlourStarchGluten]]>cooking comments