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Bob's Red Mill introduced two great new mixes, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Cake at
www.bobsredmill.com.
Cocoa: Choose the
Right Kind
Last week, I demonstrated
gluten-free Brownies in a cooking class at Bob's Red Mill and stressed
the importance of using the right cocoa. If the recipe calls for unsweetened
cocoa or just "cocoa" it means natural cocoa, which is more acidic. If the
recipe calls for alkalized cocoa which is sometimes called Dutch process or
European style, you should be sure to use it because the other ingredients in
the recipe are based on the alkalinity of this cocoa. Don't interchange the two
cocoas unless the recipe says it is OK to do so. The ingredient list on the cocoa
box will usually say "alkalized" if it's Dutch or European style. If it doesn't
say "alkalized", then it's most likely natural cocoa.
Basic Tips for
Successful Baking
I often notice that
many cooks are not aware of the most basic principles for successful baking.
Here are some of my tips from my book, Gluten-Free 101: Easy, Basic Dishes
without Wheat:
•
First, read the recipe completely to make sure you have all the ingredients
you’ll need, along with the right pans and utensils. Planning ahead is critical
to success.
•
Organize everything.. I place all the ingredients on
one side of the counter and, after I use them, I transfer them to the other side
of the counter. This way, interruptions such as phone calls, the doorbell, or
other distractions won’t make me forget the xanthan gum—or add the salt twice.
•
Measure correctly. Before measuring your flour, stir with a whisk. As flour sits
in canisters over time, it tends to settle and become more compacted. Stirring
aerates it. Lightly spoon into dry measuring cup and level with knife. Don’t
shake or tap cup and don’t force flour down into cup. Not following these tips
can yield up to 20% more flour than you need.
• Use
liquid measuring cups to measure liquids. How do you know which cups are right?
Liquid measuring cups usually have a pour spout and are plastic or glass so you
can see through them. Set the measuring cup on the counter-top and bend down to
read it at eye-level. Never use dry measuring cups to measure liquids. This
yields up to 20% more liquid and can ruin a recipe.
• Use
real measuring spoons—not spoons from the silverware drawer. Make sure measuring
spoons are from a reputable manufacturer.
•
Preheat oven for at least 20-25 minutes to make sure it reaches the
specified temperature.
• Use
middle oven rack, unless directed otherwise. Place baking pan in center of rack
so heated air can circulate freely around it.
• Cool
baked goods in pan 10-15 minutes. Then remove them by running knife along edge
of the pan. Finish cooling on a rack. To avoid sogginess, don’t leave in the pan
longer than 15 minutes.
• Unless otherwise specified
in the recipe, you can assume that:
- butter is unsalted
- eggs are large (each
should be about ¼ cup in volume)
- sugar is granulated
white—not brown, raw, or turbinado
•
Follow the recipe as directed. This means exactly as written. I’ve
already made the ingredient substitutions for you. Don’t make any others, unless
you know they will work.
•
Following the recipe also means using the right utensil or pan. If the recipe
says “whisk” then you should use a whisk, not a spatula. If it says to use a
food processor to mix the dough, it will blend together better than if you use
an electric mixer. The reason is that a food processor distributes liquid more
quickly and evenly than an electric mixer—making a smoother, more consistent
dough.
• Pan
size is also important. If you use an 11 x 7-inch pan instead of an 8-inch square
pan, the batter is distributed over a larger area. As a result, it will probably
bake in a shorter period of time, won’t rise as high, and might burn more
quickly.
• Use
the oven temperature specified in the recipe. And, use an oven thermometer to be
sure your oven is actually heated to the right temperature. Some ovens
need to be calibrated and not all ovens operate the same way.
• Start
checking doneness a few minutes before the time specified in the recipe. There
are so many variables that can affect the baking time (oven temperature
variations, pan size, ingredients, temperature of ingredients, humidity, ambient
temperature, etc.). The wise cook knows to use other techniques to judge
doneness such as an instant-read thermometer, the appearance of the baked item,
and the physical feel (e.g., crispness of crust when tapped). |