flours in baking - part3

Self raising flour – exactly what it says it is. It’s essentially white wheat, or wholemeal flour premixed with leavening agents (for the rise). Used when you want a spongy texture. (think muffins and sponge cake).

SELF RISING FLOUR BISCUITS

5 cups. self rising flour
1/3 cup. Crisco
1 cup. buttermilk
Sift self rising flour into a large mixing bowl. Place the 1/3 cup of Crisco in a hallowed out place in the flour. With a fork, mix the flour and Crisco. Do Not use all of the flour. Pour the buttermilk over the flour, Crisco mixture. Gradually, mix until the dough is firm enough to handle. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface, place dough and knead gently. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness, cut and place in a greased pan. Cook at 350 degrees until brown. (About 15 to 20 minutes)

flours in baking - part 2

Cake flour – finely milled grains that make cakes soft. Suitable for cakes or cookies.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

method
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in the sugar, grated lemon rind, and juice. Fold in half of the stiffly beaten egg whites.
Cut in sifted flour and salt, add nuts, and remaining egg whites.
Bake in a slow oven for about one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out nearly clean.

flour in baking - types of flour and thier uses

Types of flour and their uses.

There are many types of flour around but do you know what they are, and what they are used for? Over the coming weeks, I will introduce a type of flour and a recipe to go with it.

Wheat flours

Plain flour – this is the common type of flour. It is a blended mix of flours, and is suitable for general purpose baking.

Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup plain flour (120g)
1 ½ cup castor sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
150g chopped butter
125g chopped dark chocolate
¼ cup cocoa powder (20g)
1 tsp. vanilla essence
pure icing sugar to dust

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 180C ° (355 ° F) Grease 20cm (8”) square tin with oil or melted butter
Line the base with baking paper, extending over two opposite sides (to help you lift the brownies out). Alternatively, grease the sides with butter or margerine

Method:

1. Bring small pan of water to a simmer. Put butter and chocolate in heat proof bowl.
2. Place the bowl oven the pan, but do not let the base of the bowl sit in the hot water. Stir
occasionally until smooth.
3. Remove from heat and cool slightly
4. In a large bowl whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla together
5. Add melted chocolate mixture and whisk together
6. Stir in the combined sifted flour and cocoa. Careful to not over-beat
7. Pour into the greased tin and bake for 40 minutes or until slightly risen and just firm.
8. Leave to cool in the tin (brownie will sink back down on cooling)
9. When cool lift out and cut into squares.
10. Dust with icing sugar and serve

Variations:

For nut brownies, add 1 cup of chopped roasted macadamias, walnuts, or pecans to the mixture.

For white chocolate brownies, use white chocolate melts instead of the dark chocolate.

For marshmallow brownies, add 1 cup of mini marshmallow to the raw mixture.

To make a brownie ice-cream sandwich, cut brownies into small squares and sandwich two squares together with vanilla ice-cream.

Serve with hot chocolate fudge sauce as a dessert.

Chocolate muffins

Chocolate Muffins
Yield: 6 very large muffins or 12 normal size.

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk
2/3 cup (160 g) butter
4 oz (120 g) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Grease 6 large muffin tins or cups (paper muffin bake cups are recommended).
3. Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla and milk.
4. Fold in the melted butter.
5. Add chocolate chips (please note that these might end up in the bottom of the muffin).
6. Bake at 350 degrees until a until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes.

The Chocolate Muffins may be served hot or at room temperature.
Variations

1. If you wish to use less saturated fat, try substituting 1⁄2 the butter with a good quality vegetable oil.
2. If you wish a strong chocolate flavor you can add 1-2 more tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Classic Chocolate Souffle

Classic Chocolate Souffle
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
5 ounces (150 g) bittersweet chocolate (70%)
3 egg yolks
5 egg whites
a pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease one large souffle dish or 6 small souffle dishes.
3. Melt the chocolate over hot water (in a double boiler).
4. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks.
5. Add 1/3 cup of sugar gradually while whisking with the electric mixer.
6. Mix gently the melted chocolate with the egg yolks and approximately one cup of the whisked egg whites.
7. Fold in the remaining part of the whisked egg whites.
8. Bake in the middle of the oven until crusted on top and practically cooked in the middle, approximately 25-35 minutes for a large souffle dish.

Variations

1. You may use bittersweet chocolate flavored with orange or raspberries for a delicious fruity flavor.

Kahlua Fantasy Chocolate Cheesecake

All recipes really are are a set of instructions. They are like a set of directions telling you what to do. Like a set of directions, recipes have been tried by many people, but the taste may be not what you expect. It may be too sweet, too spicy, not spicy enough, etc.
It is OK to tweak a recipe to your liking, as long as you follow the general set of instructions given so you don’t make mistakes when doing so.

Here is this week’s recipe:
Please note this recipe contains alcohol.

Kahlua Fantasy Chocolate Cheesecake

1 1/3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. In a bowl combine chocolate wafer crumbs, melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar. Pat into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with coffee liqueur and 2 tablespoons butter; stir until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, combine eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt. Add cream cheese; blend well. Gradually blend in the chocolate mixture. Turn into the prepared crust. Bake for 40 minutes, or until filling is set. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for 3 hours. Whip cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Garnish cheesecake.

Makes 12 servings.

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

I think I can improve a recipe. Can I do so?
Yes! If you can make a recipe a little better so that it tastes better and looks better, go ahead and do so. If you do, please submit it to your peers and to your friends so they can try and give you feedback. Here is this week’s recipe:


Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies, crushed into fine crumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups whipping cream, divided use
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3/4 cup cherry liqueur
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

1. In a large bowl, combine chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat firmly into a 9-inch springform pan, covering the bottom and halfway up the sides; refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
3. In a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate chips and 11/2 cups cream; stir until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate mixture, cherry liqueur, and vanilla; mix until blended. Pour into the prepared crust.
5. Bake for 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and let stand in oven with door open for 1 hour. Remove from oven, wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6. Spread cherry pie filling over the top of cheesecake 1-inch from the edge. Decorate the edge with remaining cream whipped to soft peaks.

Makes 12 servings.