Rules of Baking #1

Its been a while since I've been posting and I wanted to share some rules I go by when I fancy baking!

Double check you have all your ingredients

Before you even weigh out a single gram of flour. Read the recipe all the way to the end and then re-read.

Baked things are temperamental, so if you stay calm the cake/cupcake/baked thingy will turn out just fine. 

If something doesn't work, then don't worry. It can be made again and it should be done with  more determination then before. Don't give up, just try again.

If you're using molds for sugar paste then make sure that they are safe for food. 

No matter how badly you want to check on your cake and open that oven. DONT! Wait the correct amount of time and then open your oven to check your cake/bakey thing. 

Never be discouraged when a recipe looks to complex or sounds really posh. Until you try, you'll never know.

Gluten Free cakes can be tasty so don't be put off with making them!

Have loads of patience.

Come to terms that if you bake, you will put weight on and so will all your friends and family.

Baking Basics 101: Blind Baking Pastry

Its Baking Basics 101! Sorry its been a little while since I've done a baking basics, I've been waiting for the appropriate moment in pastry class to sharpen my skills. This week its blind baking. This method is used to pre-cook pastry cases and avoid the dreaded soggy bottom!

Ingredients list:
Use the following recipes:
Pate Brisee (sweet pastry ideal for tarts)
Short Crust Pastry (for a quiche)
Pate Sucre (Crisper sweet pastry)

Equipment:

·Baking beans
·Baking sheet lined with silicon paper
·Cling film
·Fork
·Appropriate sized baking ring

Method
1.Make the dough according to the recipe.
2Preheat oven to the appropriate temperature.
3.Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, until about 2 mm thick.
4.Line the metal cases with the dough and roughly chop any remaining edges. Prick the dough base lightly with a fork this allows the steam to escape.
5.Place a little clingfilm into the dough cases and fill with baking beans.
6.Blind bake for 18 minutes or until completely cooked through.
7.Take the baking beans out of the tart, check the base to see if a little soggy. If it is bake a little longer to dry the cases out.
8. Fill the case with your chosen filling and bake according to recipe.

So that's it pastry fans, do you have a different method for baking blind?

Baking Basics 101: Rubbing in

Hello and welcome to another Baking Basics 101! This week its focusing on the rubbing in method, (please keep all jokes to the end).

What is this process? Its using your fingers to rub a dry ingredient, such as flour, into a fat such as butter or lard. So why do you use this technique? As you rub the flour into butter, the flour gets coated in a layer of butter, which creates a sort of protective coat and this changes the texture of the end product to a crumbled texture.

Equipment:

• Sieve
• Bowl
• Knife
• Chopping board
• Microave if needed
• Fingers and Hands

1. Cut up the butter into cubes and place in a bowl, microwave the butter if its still cold.

2. Place the dry ingredients into the same bowl.

3. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour.

4. You should start seeing that the mixture is turning crumbley. This is the butter and flour combining.

Recipe that use this technique:

Cheese and Tomato Quiche

Stained Glass Decoration Cookies

Apple Crumble (Oh yeah I love this recipe!!)
Soda Bread

If there's a method you'd like to learn and want me to write about, please comment below or let me know on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #bakingbasics101

Baking Basics 101: Kneading

Its... so its time for a Baking Basics 101. This week its the method of kneading.

Kneading is a process most commonly associated with bread making. Kneading is process of stretching and, sometimes, punching the dough. Why is this done? Flour, especially bread flour, has gluten in it. The dough needs to be stretched to create an elastic dough, which is what you need to create air pockets in the bread.  This results in a light and fluffy loaf. If the dough isn't kneaded enough, the end result will be a heavy loaf of bread. No one wants that.   

Another term that you may come across is, 'knocking back'. The term that bread makers use to literarily, knock the air of the bread before the proving process. Basically kneading it again.

Why do this? By kneading the dough for a second time, it creates an even texture throughout the bread and removes the big air bubbles.

So once your bread has been left to risen
Ingredients:

• Bread dough
• A little flour for dusting the sides

Equipment:

•  Your clean hands

1. Using floured hands, scrape the risen dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.

2.The process of kneading is stretching the dough, pressing it against the surface and folding it in on
 itself.

3. Knead the dough roughly for a few minutes until it looks well rounded and not as wet. It should be
soft, smooth and elastic. This is the stage when you let the bread prove until the dough has risen.

4.Knead the bread one more time and let the dough prove for the second time.

5. The dough should be ready to bake.

Recipe that use this technique:

Traditional Doughnuts

Fougasse and Bread Sticks
Fennel and Thyme Bread
Basic White Bread
Foccacia
Soda Bread

If there's a method you'd like to learn and want me to write about, please comment below or let me know on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #bakingbasics101

Baking Basics 101 Infusing Milk or Cream

Welcome to another Baking Basics, this week we're looking at infusing milk or cream.

Why do this? Well its a simple natural way of infusing a flavour of a herbs, tea or spices without subjecting your biscuits and cakes to small grainy bits, which some people find unpleasant.

I will say that my Nana taught me the recipe how to do this and it went something like this:
1. Shove the milk/cream in the pan with the herbs or whatever and bring it almost to the boil. Done
2. Make a cup of tea.

However, I am one of those people who likes to have a recipe. I'm using the recipe provided in The Cake Book as its a simple recipe and its the closest recipe to what my nan uses. So here it is:

Ingredients:

• 200ml whole milk/ double cream
• 2-3 tablespoons of your chosen flavouring. Ideas can include mint, lavender, loose leaf tea, rosemary, thyme.

Equipment:

• Small pan
• Wooden pan
• Strainer
• Airtight container

1. Boil the milk on medium heat and bring almost to the boil.
2. Place the flavouring into the milk, stir and turn the heat down to low to simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Drain into an airtight container and leave to cool, then place in the fridge. Or use straight away in a recipe.

You don't have to limit this just cakes and bakes. I use this to make infused milk for smoothies. Instead of whole milk I use soy milk for my smoothies.

If there's a method you'd like to learn and want me to write about, please comment below or let me know on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #bakingbasics101

Baking Basics 101 Creaming Butter and Sugar

Hello and welcome to the first Baking Basics 101! This week we're focusing on the method of creaming.

Creaming is used in most cupcake and cake recipes. It's the method of mixing a fat and sugar together until the the mixture turns really light and fluffy. Nowadays everyone uses electric hand whisks, but it can be achieved with a classic wooden spoon. 

Unsalted butter and caster sugar are the most commonly used in cakes. But other types of fat can be used such as margarine, or lard. The same goes for sugar, sweetener, and other varieties of sugar can be used.

Equipment Needed:

• Bowl
• Wooden Spoon/Electric Hand-Whisk
• Micro-wave

Step by Step Example: Caster Sugar and Unsalted butter

Step 1. Warm Unsalted Butter

 Step 1. Place your unsalted butter in a microwavable bowl. If the butter is still fridge cold, pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds. It should be warm because this way it's easier to work with. 

Step 2. Caster Sugar in the same bowl as the Unsalted Butter

Step 2. Next place the caster sugar in the same bowl and begin to beat with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk until the mixture changes to a light yellow. 

Step 3. Your looking for  a colour change and a fluffy texture.

Step 3. When all the sugar and butter has been thoroughly combined. Your looking for a lighter colour and for a fluffy texture. 

That's all there is to creaming! There are so many recipes that this can be used in. Go over to the Recipe Index to see them all but here are some of my favourites that use the creaming method:
50 Cupcakes for a 50th Birthday (Chocolate and Lemon Cupcakes)
Valentine Heart Biscuits
Red Velvet Cake with Blue Lacy Butterflies

Join us next time for Baking Basics 101
If there's a method you'd like to learn and want me to write about, please comment below or let me know on facebook or twitter with the hashtag #bakingbasics101