Baking for Dummies

by Emily Nolan

  Measuring Ingredients

  You probably know someone who bakes a lot, and it seems like she just tosses this in and that in and presto, out come cookies or a pie or something delicious. It seems like magic, so you may wonder how important it is to be accurate in measuring. The answer is: very important. Proper measuring is critical to baking. Baking is a science, and when you mix together ingredients, you’re creating chemistry, albeit edible chemistry, so being precise is important. There is balance with flour, leaveners, fats, and liquids.

  Extra salt or baking soda can ruin otherwise perfect cookies. Too much flour makes muffins taste dry and flavorless. No beginning cook should be nonchalant about measuring. The success of your recipe depends on it.

  As you begin to feel more comfortable with baking, you may feel inclined to experiment a bit, maybe add some chocolate chips to peanut butter cookies, or throw some nuts or dried cranberries into oatmeal cookies, or substitute pecans for walnuts. That’s all well and fine, but give it time. You’re never too good or experienced to measure.

  Packing it in

  Sometimes ingredients, such as brown sugar, shredded cheeses, coconut, or herbs, are called for as lightly or firmly packed. Why pack? Generally, these ingredients are bulkier and can form big air pockets if you use the traditional spoon-and-level method of measuring. If you apply light or slightly firm pressure to the ingredients, you eliminate some of the air pockets and get a more accurate measurement. Never push the ingredients in so much that you actually crush them or pack them in so tightly that you have difficulty getting them out the of cup measure. If you do so, you will overmeasure, adding too much of the ingredient. A good visual cue that you have lightly packed something is that after you pour it out of the measuring cup, it will lose the shape of the cup it was in. If it’s firmly packed, it will slightly retain the shape of the measuring cup after it’s dumped out into the bowl, but it will be easy to stir apart.

  Measuring with teaspoons and tablespoons

  Teaspoons and tablespoons are pretty simple, and you can use the same measuring tools for both liquids and dry ingredients. For liquids, fill the spoon until it’s full. For dry ingredients, pour or scoop into the spoon until it’s full, leveling off the spoon with the straight side of a spatula or knife.

  Never measure over the bowl of ingredients you’re using for the recipe. If you overpour or level extra into the bowl, your measurements will not be accurate.

  Measuring dry ingredients

  To measure flour, sugar, breadcrumbs, and other dry ingredients (with the exception of brown sugar in many cases), spoon the ingredients lightly into the measuring cup. Then level off the cup with the straight side of a butter knife — do not use the cutting side (see Figure 5-1). Leveling it off gives you one level cup. If the recipe calls for a heaping cup, do not level off the cup. Instead, leave a small mounded top of ingredients.

  To measure chopped nuts, shredded cheese, fresh herbs, and coconut, spoon the ingredients into the measuring cup and pack down lightly.

  Figure 5-1: Measuring dry ingredients.

  Measuring fats and other solids

  To measure shortening, spoon the ingredients into a cup and pack down firmly with a spoon or rubber spatula to eliminate any air holes. Lucky for us, we don’t often have to measure fats because butter and margarine come in conveniently measured sticks. One stick equals 8 tablespoons. Two sticks equal 1 cup. You still have to measure solid shortening, but now they make shortening sticks, so even that task has been greatly simplified.

  If you’re measuring fats, an easy way to keep the cup clean (and save yourself time by not having to wash it) is to place a piece of plastic wrap in the measuring cup first. Then, once the shortening is measured, pull the ends of the plastic out of the cup. The measuring cup stays clean and you have perfectly measured shortening.

  Measuring liquids

  Always use a glass measuring cup for measuring liquids For an accurate reading, always rest the cup on a level surface and read at eye level (see Figure 5-2).

  Figure 5-2: Measuring liquids at eye level.

  Sometimes the container in which you purchase an ingredient might be labeled in ounces when your recipe calls for cup or spoon measurements (or vice versa). Check out Table 5-1 for some common equivalencies.

  Table 5-1Measurement Equivalents If a Recipe Calls You Also Can Measure It This Way

  or This Amount

  Dash 2 or 3 drops (liquid) or less than 1/8 teaspoon (dry)

  1 tablespoon 3 teaspoons or 1/2 ounce

  2 tablespoons 1 ounce

  1/4 cup 4 tablespoons or 2 ounces

  1/3 cup 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon

  1/2 cup 8 tablespoons or 4 ounces

  1 cup 16 tablespoons or 8 ounces

  1 pint 2 cups or 16 ounces or 1 pound

  1 quart 4 cups or 2 pints

  1 gallon 4 quarts

  1 pound 16 ounces

  Preparing Pans

  For many basic recipes, you need to grease the pan. Always prepare your pan before you start mixing up the batter. The only exception to this is if you use nonstick spray. Then just quickly spray the pan just before you pour the batter into it. That way, the coating won’t slide down the sides of the pan while you mix up the batter. You also can dust the greased pan with flour for an added barrier of protection. When you grease a pan, you’re essentially creating a thin barrier that keeps the cake from sticking to the pan.

  When you grease a pan, it’s best to use solid shortening. Many people use the residue of butter or margarine wrappers, which is okay, but if you have shortening, use it. Shortening does not contain water, which can cause the batter to stick to the pan, and it also can withstand higher temperatures without burning. Flour you use to dust with also adheres better to shortening than to butter or margarine.

  Place about 1/2 tablespoon of shortening in the pan that is to be greased and spread it into a thin layer with your fingers or a piece of waxed paper. Professional bakers use a medium-stiff pastry brush to apply grease, but I think fingers work just as well, and you already have them at the ready. If your recipe tells you to dust with flour, place about 1 tablespoon of flour in the bottom of your pan. Rotate and tap the flour around in the pan until it clings to the bottom and sides of the pan (this is also a good way to see that you have completely coated the pan with grease, because the flour won’t cling if you missed a spot).

  If you’re making a chocolate cake, dust your pans with sifted cocoa. Then you won’t have the telltale marks of flour on your cake when you turn them out of the pans.

  Nonstick cooking spray is a baker’s best friend, particularly if you’re making muffins (greasing a muffin tin can be cumbersome) or greasing a decorative Bundt pan that has lots of nooks to get into. Nonstick sprays contain emulsified oil beads that literally rest on the pan’s surface creating a barrier between the batter and the pan. A nonstick flour/oil spray on the market called Baker’s Joy does two jobs with the press of a button.

  If a recipe calls for greased pans, always do it even if the pans you’re using have a nonstick coating. It’s up to you which method of greasing you use. Nonstick spray is quick and easy, but I enjoy the ritual of greasing and flouring pans by hand. Plus, it’s the perfect task to give the little ones when they want to help out in the kitchen.

  Occasionally, a pan has to be lined with parchment, waxed paper, or other liner to prevent a cake from sticking to the pan. Sometimes liners are used if the batter is very sticky and greasing the pan won’t be sufficient. Other times, you won’t want to grease the pan, but you want to ensure that the baked item won’t stick. Many professionals prefer to line their pans because it’s the surest of ways to prevent baked goods from sticking to the pans. If you need to line a pan, the recipe will tell you. To hold the liner in place, place a dab of shortening on the pan, and then place the liner on top. Figure 5-3 shows you how to line a variety of pans.

  Figure 5-3: Making liners for baking pans.

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nbsp; To cut a liner to fit a round pan: Place the pan on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and trace the shape of the pan onto the paper. Cut out the circle and place it in the pan. You can grease and flour the paper and the sides of the pan, too, to ensure that it will not stick to the cake once it is baked and it will be easy to remove.

  To prevent paper liners from slipping out of place, grease the pan with shortening or butter and then insert the paper. The liner will stick in place.

  To cut a liner to fit a loaf pan: Take two long pieces of parchment or waxed paper. Cut one to fit the length of the pan and the second to fit the width of the pan. Allow extra for overhang. Grease the pan, then fit both pieces of paper.

  To line a jelly roll pan: Trace the pan onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment. Secure the paper onto the jelly roll pan by greasing it first, and then flatten the liner onto the pan to fit.

  To line a tube pan: Trace the pan on a piece of waxed or parchment paper. If possible, stick the pencil inside the tube and draw around its base. If you can’t reach, hold the pan upside down and press the paper onto the base to mark the outer and inner edges of the pan. Cut out the paper and ring. Don’t line the sides of a tube pan if it’s a sponge cake or an angel food cake. Those batters need to climb the walls of the pan.

  The simplest and most common liners are those that you use when you prepare cupcakes or muffins. You can purchase muffin cup liners at the grocery store to fit the cup and pour the batter directly into the paper cup.

  Working with Eggs

  Eggs are important ingredients in baking. They add leavening, texture, color and richness. Plus, they also add an element of nutrition. Eggs help with binding and hold batters together, and the protein in eggs help the structure of the dough hold its shape.

  Separating an egg

  Baked goods often call for egg whites or egg yolks without their counterpart. You can buy egg whites without the yolks, but separating the eggs yourself is nearly as fast and is much cheaper.

  Eggs separate best when they’re cold. Not having any egg yolk in the whites is important, but it’s okay if the whites get mixed into the yolks. If you will be separating many eggs, minimize your risk of leaking egg yolk into the whites by doing one at a time over a small bowl and then adding the clean white into a large bowl. Transfer the egg white after each separation to prevent any accidental egg yolk breakage from contaminating the whole batch of whites.

  When working with raw eggs, keep in mind that eggs can carry a bacteria that may be present in the porous shells of the eggs, which can cause salmonella poisoning. Although this is rare, it is helpful to know that nearly every box of eggs sold in the United States has a toll-free number on it, as well as an expiration date for the eggs. You can call the supplier to see if any cases of salmonella have been reported. (Not many have.)

  That said, you can choose how you want to separate your eggs. Look at Figure 5-4 to see these methods in action.

  The most common practice is to crack the egg cleanly in half over a bowl and pass the yolk from one shell to the other, allowing the white to gradually fall into the bowl below. This method can be a bit messy, and you run the risk of the yolk getting punctured. It’s important that you not let any yolk contaminate the whites, because egg yolk will prevent the whites from whipping to their full volume. Also, some whites will be lost to the shell.

  Note that most food safety experts would not recommend this practice due to the risk of introducing salmonella into the egg product even though the risk is quite small and people have been doing this safely for decades. If you do use this technique, make sure your egg shells, particularly eggs from a farm stand, do not have any foreign matter sticking to the shells.

  My favorite method is to crack and break the egg into your cupped hand held over a bowl. Gently relax your fingers, which allows the white to spill through and drop into the bowl below. After all the white has separated, you’re left with a perfect, round yolk. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after using this method.

  You can also separate an egg by using an egg separator. Place the egg separator over a small bowl or glass. Crack the egg open, and let it fall into the center of the separator. The whites will slip through the slots of the separator and into the bowl, and the yolk will stay in the separator, which can be transferred easily into another bowl.

  Figure 5-4: A few ways to separate an egg.

  Whipping egg whites

  The purpose of whipping egg whites is to incorporate as much air as possible into the whites, which gives good lift to your cakes or meringues. If you have good arm strength, the best tools are a copper bowl and a whisk with a large balloon. The most common method of whipping egg whites is with a mixer with a whisk attachment. A pinch of salt helps break up the gelatinous texture of egg whites; a pinch of cream of tartar helps to stabilize them. If you use a copper bowl, you don’t need the cream of tartar or salt, because the copper of the bowl helps stabilize the egg whites naturally.

  Egg whites increase their volume best if they come to room temperature first. Remember that egg whites can expand up to six times their natural volume, so make sure the bowl you choose can accommodate them. Also, be sure the bowl and whisk you use are perfectly dry and clean; any amount of moisture, egg yolk, or other debris will prevent the egg white from whipping up properly.

  Beating whites to soft peaks means the whites flop gently over when the beater is removed; stiff peaks hold their shape when the whisk is lifted (see Figure 5-5).

  Pasteurized egg whites are being sold in the refrigerated sections of many grocery stores. Do not use these egg whites if the recipe you’re using requires you to beat them. The pasteurization process breaks down the egg whites’ ability to whip up and hold their shape. If you try to do this, you’ll end up with a frothy top and liquid on the bottom of your bowl.

  Figure 5-5: Soft and stiff peaks.

  Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites, or else they will become dry. If you’re nervous about overbeating egg whites, you can always stop using the electric mixer when the whites reach soft peaks and finish beating them by hand with a wire whisk. Also, be sure not to beat the egg whites until you’re ready to use them. If you let them stand around, they’ll deflate.

  Whipping Heavy Cream

  Many types of cream are on the market. The best cream for whipping is called heavy whipping cream (which is different from plain whipping cream, which has less fat — only 30 percent — and will whip up, but won’t hold its shape well). Heavy whipping cream contains 36 to 40 percent butterfat and will whip up and hold its form without much effort. Remember, it doubles in volume, so if a recipe calls for 2 cups of whipped cream, you just need to whip up 1 cup of heavy whipping cream.

  Use a whisk or handheld or electric mixer. Pour the cream into a chilled metal bowl and whip until it thickens and just forms soft peaks (do not overbeat). Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar or 4 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla when the cream begins to thicken but before it forms soft peaks.

  To prevent whipped cream from deflating, store it in the fridge with a paper towel covering the container. Tupperware containers work great for this if you put the paper towel under the lid before closing. You’ll be amazed at how long you can keep whipped cream this way.

  Be very careful not to over-whip heavy cream, or else it will turn into butter. This will happen suddenly, especially with electric mixers, so be careful. To avoid overbeating your cream, if you use an electric mixer, stop beating the cream when it begins to thicken, and finish whipping it by hand with a wire whisk.

  Working with Fruits

  Fresh fruits are a wonderful filling for pies, cakes and many baked desserts. Refer to the tips in this section the next time you’re working with a recipe that calls for fruit.

  Peeling and pitting fruits

  Keep these tips in mind to get the best fruit for your recipes:

  Apricots or nectarines: You do not need to peel apricot
s or nectarines. Just slice them in half and pop out the pits.

  Apples and pears: Peel off the skin with a standard vegetable peeler, cut the fruit into quarters, then remove the core and stem bits from the center.

  If you need the fruit to stay whole, remove the stem and core using an apple corer, which has a handle attached to an elongated curved piece of metal with a cylindrical bottom and a cutting edge. (See Chapter 3.) Just press down vertically with a slight twisting motion until you reach the bottom.

  Cherries: While cherry pitting can be tedious, it is actually quite easy. Simply make a slit, north to south, around the circumference or the cherry and pull it apart, and then pop out the pit with the tip of a paring knife or your finger. This method will result in the cherries being both pitted and halved, which is the way most recipes require them. A cherry pitter tool is unnecessary unless you’re preparing large quantities for canning or jam.

  Peaches: If your peach is perfectly ripe, sometimes the skin will slip right off, without even so much as a knife, but that’s not always the case. This method will makes peeling peaches a snap, leaving the beautiful flesh unmarked.

  Have ready a medium-sized bowl of ice water. Set a 2-quart pan on the stove to boil. While you wait for the water to boil, lightly cut a small X on the bottom of each peach. Try not to cut into the flesh, but just the skin. When the water is boiling, gently drop the peach into the water. Wait about 30 seconds (you will see the cut skin start to loosen and flutter a bit in the water). Remove the peach from the water and plunge it into the ice water for 1 minute. The skin should slip right off. If not, return the peach to the hot water for 30 more seconds. This method also works for plums and tomatoes.