Baking
Content
History of Baking aking has been many cultures' favorite technique for creating snacks, desserts, and accompaniments to meals for many years. Now, it is very well-known as the method for creating sweets and all sorts of wondrous mouthwatering pastries. In ancient history, the first evidence of baking occurred when humans took wild grass grains, soaked it in water, and mixed everything together, mashing it into a kind of broth-like paste. Then, the paste was cooked by pouring it onto a flat, hot rock, resulting in a bread-like substance. Later, this paste was roasted on hot embers, which made bread-making easier, as it could now be made anytime fire was created. Around 2500 B.C., records show that the Egyptians already had bread, and may have actually learned the process from the Babylonians. The Greek Aristophanes, around 400 B.C., also recorded information that showed that tortes with patterns and honey flans existed in Greek cuisine. Dispyrus was also created by the Greeks around that time and widely popular; was a donut-like bread made from flour and honey and shaped in a ring; soaked in wine, it was eaten when hot. In the Roman Empire, baking flourished widely. In about 300 B.C., the pastry cook became an occupation for Romans (known as the pastillarium). This became a very highly respected profession because pastries were considered decadent, and Romans loved festivity and celebration. Thus, pastries were often cooked especially for large banquets, and any pastry cook who could invent new types of tasty treats, unseen at any other banquet, was highly prized. Around 1 A.D., there were more than three hundred pastry chefs in Rome alone, and Cato wrote about how they created all sorts of diverse foods, and flourished because of those foods. Cato speaks of an enormous amount of breads; included amongst these are the libum (sacrificial cakes made with flour), placenta (groats and cress), spira (our modern day flour pretzels), scibilata (tortes), savaillum (sweet cake), and globus apherica (fritters). A great selection of these, with many different variations, different ingredients, and varied patterns, were often found at banquets and dining halls. To bake bread, the Romans used an oven with its own chimney and had grain mills to grind grain into flour. Eventually, because of Rome, the art of baking became widely known throughout Europe, and eventually spread to the eastern parts of Asia. Bakers often baked goods at home and then sold them in the streets-children loved their goods. In fact, this scene was so common that Rembrandt illustrated a work that depicted a pastry chef selling pancakes in the streets of Germany, and young children surrounding him, clamoring to get a sample. In London, pastry chef sold their goods in handcarts, which were very convenient shops on wheels. This way, they developed a system of "delivery" baked goods to people's households, and the demand for baked goods increased greatly as a result. Finally, in Paris, the first open-air café of baked goods was developed, and baking became an established art throughout the entire world.
CULINARY/BAKING TERMS
The following terms are commonly found in recipes for baking, so whether you are looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe, or a sugar cookie recipe, or maybe even the recipe for a cake, these terms should come in helpful. A A La Mode – In the US, a food that is served with ice cream All Purpose Flour – a powdery wheat or grain substance used in many aspects of cooking and baking Artificial Vanilla – a man made substance used in baking to produce a natural vanilla flavor B Bakers Dozen – Another term for long dozen, 13, or one more than a standard dozen Batter – A measure of liquid, flour, and a number of other possible ingredients that are thin enough too pour Beat – To combine multiple ingredients to which you combine air by stirring in a circular motion with a whisk, wooden spoon, food processor, or electric mixer Blanch – To partially cook food by placing it in boiling water for a brief period, and immediately transferring it to cold water for cooling. Blend – To combine multiple ingredients until smooth using a spoon, whisk, rubber spatula, or an electric mixer Boil – To heat a liquid (usually water) until it is hot enough that bubbles begin to appear C Caramelize – To heat sugar to a point where it melts and becomes brown Cocoa Powder – A fine, brown powder made from crushed up cocoa (the bean that chocolate comes from), and used as a flavoring Combine – To mix together two or more ingredients Confectioners Sugar – Also referred to as powdered sugar, it is a refined sugar, finely ground into a white, easily dissolved powder Cream – To beat multiple ingredients (usually butter, sugar, and eggs) until they are smooth and fluffy D Dash – A very small measurement, normally less than 1/8 teaspoon Dice – To cut any given type of food into small cubes Dolci – An Italian term that means a dish is sweet Dough – A thick, soft mixture of liquids, flour, and any number of other ingredients Dust – To sprinkle lightly with a topping such as flour, sugar, cocoa, or cinnamon
E Elastic – When an ingredient such as dough returns to it's original shape after being stretched Espresso – A very strong Italian often times used in baking (Espresso beans are crushed up and used in baking as well) F Flour – A powdery substance made by milling wheat and other types of grains Flute – To press a decorative pattern into the edge of a pastry Fold-in – The process of combining a heavy ingredient, such as beaten egg whites, with a lighter ingredient, such as whipped cream, without losing any air in the ingredients Frost – To coat baked goods such as cakes, and cookies in a sugar mixture G Glaze – To coat food with a liquid substance, such as thin icing Grate – To shred food, either with the use of a food processor or a hand held grater I Icing – Another name for frosting, a sugary mixture used to cover cakes, cookies, and other foods K Knead – To push and fold dough until it has a smooth, elastic texture L Layer Cake – Multiple levels of cake with a filling such as frosting in between Level – To make even and flat, for instance many recipes call for a cup of leveled flour Lukewarm – The temperature (normally referring to a liquid) that is neither cold nor hot M Marble – The process of swirling two different ingredients together such as chocolate and vanilla cake batter Measure – The quantity of any given item, common measurements in baking include cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons Mix – To stir two or more ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined P Preheat – To heat an oven to a desired temperature before placing it in the oven to cook Proof – To allow the yeast in dough to cause it to rise before baking, or to dissolve yeast in a warm liquid until it becomes bubbly and starts to expand
R Rolling Boil – To cook a liquid to the point where it appears to be rolling around the pot (faster than a normal boil) Room Temperature – Another term for lukewarm, when an ingredient is neither hot nor cold S Score – To cut a slit into food with a knife Sift – To remove lumps, blend, and aerate ingredients like baking powder, flour, and confectioners sugar Steam – To cook food in a wire basket or on a rack over boiling water Steep – To let food stand in very hot water to extract the flavor (this is how tea is prepared) T Tablespoon – a measure of volume or amount used in cooking, 1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons, usually comes in a set of multiple measuring spoons Teaspoon – a measure of volume or amount used in cooking, 3 Teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon Toss – To combine multiple ingredients using two utensils and a lifting motion W Whip – To beat rapidly and incorporate air into a mixture through the use of a spoon, or electric mixer Whisk – a utensil used in cooking, made of wire loops for beating and whipping ingredients Z Zest - The grated peel of a citrus fruit, such as lemons and oranges BAKING TOOLS Standard essential baking equipment includes measuring cups: you will need both dry and liquid measuring cups because dry measuring cups do not measure liquids accurately. You will need dry measuring cups that have these measurements: 1/8 cup, ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup, ¾ cup and 1 cup. It can be hard to find a one measuring cup set with all the necessary measurements, so be prepared to buy two different sets. A liquid measuring cup usually comes in a cup or bowl with a handle on the side and the measurements marked clearly in the front. They come in metal, plastic and glass but, I would suggest, buying a plastic measuring cup. They won't break if you drop them like a glass-measuring cup and you will still be
able to see the liquids you are measuring. Measuring spoons are use to measure small amounts of dry and liquid ingredients. Measuring spoons measurements consist of teaspoons and tablespoons. You will need a 1/8-teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, ¾ teaspoon 1-tablespoon measuring spoons. Again, if you can't find all of the measurements in one set, you might have to buy two. Spatula- I am not sure if a spatual is essential baking equipment. I have one and don't use it that often, but they do come in handy and do not cost that much. If you decide to buy one, don't buy a cheap plastic one, they break easily and if you put one into something hot they will melt. Graters-You can buy a four-sided grater that has a different structure on each side. Or a small metal grater. Sifter- A sifter is a good thing to have. A lot of time, baking recipes call for pre-sifted flour. But grocery stores have pre-sifted flour already on their shelves. Or you can throw the ingredients in a bowl and stir them together with a spoon. Or even use a small, metal colander to sift flour, but having a sifter on hand is good especially if you are new baking. Wire Whisk- wire whisks do come in handy especially when a baking recipe calls for "whisking" egg whites. When choosing a wire whisk, pick one that has sturdy wires and a handled you can easily grip. Rolling Pin- If you like to make pies, like I do, than a rolling pin is a must have. Although, one can easily buy pre-packaged piecrust at the grocery store, making your own piecrust is very easy. All you will need is flour, shortening, pinch of salt and water. I like wooden rolling pins, no rhyme or reason to it, I just prefer them. But rolling pins come in metal and plastic also. Baking pans- you can't bake if you have no pans. Most stores like K-mart, Wal-Mart and even Walgreen's sell a variety of baking pans in a one big box. Here are the pans you will need to have: 2 '8' or '9' inch cake pans. I would suggest getting two of each kind. 2 pie plates, 1 Bundt pan with flute design, 2 loaf pans, 6 cup muffin pan, 12 cup muffin pan, 2 cookie sheets, 1 '9' inch square pan. Also, 11X7X12-inch pan, 13X9X2-inch pan and a spring form pan for cheesecakes and tortes. Electronic Mixer- I use a handheld mixer but, if you can afford it, a stand mixer is nice especially if you are interested in baking bread. Food Processor-If you can find a food processor at a reasonable price,which you can, I would say get one. Food processors puree, chop, and slice. But you can do the last two by hand and a good blender could do the first.
Non-stick Baking Paper: You need these for lining cake tins and baking sheets when baking cookies, biscuits and meringues. Wooden Spoons: You will require these in order to mix ingredients for creaming purposes for cakes, icings and frostings. Blender - Helpful for blending certain sauces and soups and for finely grinding bread crumbs, nuts, sugar and other items. Cake tester - A thin metal wire which is inserted into cakes and muffins to determine if they are finished cooking. Cookie Cutters Whether it's for the holidays or just everyday baking, it's fun to have a variety of cookie cutter shapes to choose from. You can also use cookie cutters to make shapes out of piecrust scraps, which you brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar, bake and use as decorations on the pies. Using Oven Mitts for Safety Don’t risk burning your hands or arms when removing baked items from a hot oven. Always wear long oven mitts that are sturdy and long enough to cover most of your forearm. Citrus Juicers and Zesters For fresh lemon juice Cookie Dough Scoops The best way to drop cookie dough is by using a dough scoop that looks like a small ice cream scoop BASIC INGREDIENTS IN BAKING 1. Flour 2. Baking Powder 3. Eggs 4. Baking Soda 5. Sugar 6. Vanilla Extract 7. Salt 8. Butter
BASIC BAKING INGREDIENTS Apples When choosing apples look for well-colored, firm apples with a fresh smell, never musty. Apples should be smooth and free of soft spots or holes. When baking with apples using a blend of tart and sweet or spicy and mild will give your baked goods added flavor, texture and dimension. Apples can be baked, frittered, poached, saut?d, and steamed.... Baking Powder and Baking Soda Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause batters to rise when baked. The leavener enlarges the bubbles which are already present in the batter produced through creaming of ingredients.... Blueberries Most of the blueberries sold in grocery stores are cultivated. When choosing blueberries look for firm, plump, fragrant, dark blue berries with a dusty white bloom. The white bloom is the blueberry's natural protection against the sun and is a sign of freshness. Always check the underside of the container for any wet spots or staining. Discard any soft, moldy, or crushed berries Butter Butter is produced by churning cream until the fats separate from the liquid (buttermilk) and the butter is in a semi-solid state. In North America butter must contain at least 80 percent butterfat, a maximum of 16% water and 2% milk solids Chocolate Chocolate is made from a blend of different types of cocoa beans. The blends with higher amounts of Criollo and/or Triniatrio beans will have a more aromatic and complex flavor Cranberries This small, firm, smooth-skinned, shiny red, round to oval-shaped berry is also known as the craneberry, bounceberry, bearberry, cowberry, or lingonberry. The tartness of the cranberry make it one of the few berries never to be eaten raw. They are used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as juices Cream Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. Heavy cream or heavy "whipping" cream, has 36 - 40% butterfat and when whipped it holds its form and doubles in volume. Heavy cream is used for filling and decorating pastries
Eggs Eggs, as well as flour, are the structural ingredients in baking. Eggs provide leavening; add color, texture, flavor and richness to the batter. They are very important in helping to bind all the other ingredients together. Beaten eggs are a leavening agent as they incorporate air into the batter, which will expand in the oven and cause the cake to rise Flour When used in baking flour contributes body and structure, texture and flavor to baked goods. The type of flour used will ultimately affect the finished product. Flour contains protein and when it comes in contact with water and heat it produces gluten, which gives elasticity and strength to baked goods Lemons When choosing lemons look for ones that are fragrant with brightly colored oily yellow skin, no green spots or blemishes, firm, plump, and heavy for their size. Avoid lemons that have blemishes, soft spots, or are hard and wrinkled. If removing the outer rind (zest) make sure you wash the lemon thoroughly (soap and water is best) as some commercially sold lemons are sprayed with insecticide Nuts Nuts are sold in various forms: shelled and unshelled; raw, toasted, toasted and salted, smoked, candied and with various flavorings. To toast the nuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for anywhere between 8-20 minutes Peaches When choosing peaches look for fragrant, smooth, firm and brightly-colored fruit that gives slightly to gentle palm pressure. Avoid hard wrinkled peaches or ones with soft spots, blemishes or green tinges (a sign that the fruit was picked too early). The amount of red blush on a peach is a sign of its variety, not its ripeness Pumpkins When choosing pumpkins look for ones that feel solid and are heavy for their size, free of blemishes, cracks, and soft spots. In a cool, dry place they should keep for about a month Raspberries When buying raspberries look for fragrant, deeply colored, plump and juicy berries without the cores attached. If the core is still attached the raspberry was picked too early and the berry will be sour. Avoid berries that are soft and mushy or have any bruises, black spots or mold. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or red stains
Rhubarb The rhubarb you find in markets today can be either field grown or hothouse grown. Field grown rhubarb is identified by its bright rosy red and green tinged stalks with green leaves and has a very pronounced tart flavor. It is available from late winter to early summer. Hothouse rhubarb, on the other hand, has pale pink to pale red stalks and yellow green leaves. The stalks are not as tart as field grown but has the advantage of being available year round Strawberries When choosing strawberries look for fragrant, plump, firm, uniformly sized, bright-red berries with no white or green "shoulders" at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and not brown or wilted. There should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew Sugar When using sugar most people think of it only as a sweetener. For example, adding a teaspoon to your coffee or sprinkling a little over strawberries. But when sugar is used in baking its role becomes more complex as it also adds volume, tenderness, texture, color, and acts as a preservative Vanilla Vanilla, is the fruit of a thick green orchid vine (v. planifolia) that grows wild on the edge of the Mexican tropical forests. Pure vanilla, with its wonderful aromatic flavor, is the most widely used flavoring in pastries, confections, and other desserts. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, after saffron. The three most common types of vanilla pods (beans) are: Madagascar or Bourbon- Madagascar vanilla pods, Mexican vanilla pods, and Tahitian vanilla pods. Vanilla is sold in different forms: extract or essence, pods (beans), powdered, or mixed with sugar called vanilla sugar Yeast Baker's yeast, like baking powder and baking soda, is used to leavened baked goods (breads, Danish pastries, brioche, croissants). The difference between these two leaveners is that baking powder/soda react chemically to produce the carbon dioxide that makes the baked goods rise. Yeast, on the other hand, is a living organism and the carbon dioxide it produces is the result of the yeast feeding on the dough. The two forms of baker's yeast are; compressed cakes (also called fresh yeast) and dehydrated granules (dry yeast)
CULINARY/BAKING TERMS
The following terms are commonly found in recipes for baking, so whether you are looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe, or a sugar cookie recipe, or maybe even the recipe for a cake, these terms should come in helpful. A A La Mode – In the US, a food that is served with ice cream All Purpose Flour – a powdery wheat or grain substance used in many aspects of cooking and baking Artificial Vanilla – a man made substance used in baking to produce a natural vanilla flavor B Bakers Dozen – Another term for long dozen, 13, or one more than a standard dozen Batter – A measure of liquid, flour, and a number of other possible ingredients that are thin enough too pour Beat – To combine multiple ingredients to which you combine air by stirring in a circular motion with a whisk, wooden spoon, food processor, or electric mixer Blanch – To partially cook food by placing it in boiling water for a brief period, and immediately transferring it to cold water for cooling. Blend – To combine multiple ingredients until smooth using a spoon, whisk, rubber spatula, or an electric mixer Boil – To heat a liquid (usually water) until it is hot enough that bubbles begin to appear C Caramelize – To heat sugar to a point where it melts and becomes brown Cocoa Powder – A fine, brown powder made from crushed up cocoa (the bean that chocolate comes from), and used as a flavoring Combine – To mix together two or more ingredients Confectioners Sugar – Also referred to as powdered sugar, it is a refined sugar, finely ground into a white, easily dissolved powder Cream – To beat multiple ingredients (usually butter, sugar, and eggs) until they are smooth and fluffy D Dash – A very small measurement, normally less than 1/8 teaspoon Dice – To cut any given type of food into small cubes Dolci – An Italian term that means a dish is sweet Dough – A thick, soft mixture of liquids, flour, and any number of other ingredients Dust – To sprinkle lightly with a topping such as flour, sugar, cocoa, or cinnamon
E Elastic – When an ingredient such as dough returns to it's original shape after being stretched Espresso – A very strong Italian often times used in baking (Espresso beans are crushed up and used in baking as well) F Flour – A powdery substance made by milling wheat and other types of grains Flute – To press a decorative pattern into the edge of a pastry Fold-in – The process of combining a heavy ingredient, such as beaten egg whites, with a lighter ingredient, such as whipped cream, without losing any air in the ingredients Frost – To coat baked goods such as cakes, and cookies in a sugar mixture G Glaze – To coat food with a liquid substance, such as thin icing Grate – To shred food, either with the use of a food processor or a hand held grater I Icing – Another name for frosting, a sugary mixture used to cover cakes, cookies, and other foods K Knead – To push and fold dough until it has a smooth, elastic texture L Layer Cake – Multiple levels of cake with a filling such as frosting in between Level – To make even and flat, for instance many recipes call for a cup of leveled flour Lukewarm – The temperature (normally referring to a liquid) that is neither cold nor hot M Marble – The process of swirling two different ingredients together such as chocolate and vanilla cake batter Measure – The quantity of any given item, common measurements in baking include cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons Mix – To stir two or more ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined P Preheat – To heat an oven to a desired temperature before placing it in the oven to cook Proof – To allow the yeast in dough to cause it to rise before baking, or to dissolve yeast in a warm liquid until it becomes bubbly and starts to expand
R Rolling Boil – To cook a liquid to the point where it appears to be rolling around the pot (faster than a normal boil) Room Temperature – Another term for lukewarm, when an ingredient is neither hot nor cold S Score – To cut a slit into food with a knife Sift – To remove lumps, blend, and aerate ingredients like baking powder, flour, and confectioners sugar Steam – To cook food in a wire basket or on a rack over boiling water Steep – To let food stand in very hot water to extract the flavor (this is how tea is prepared) T Tablespoon – a measure of volume or amount used in cooking, 1 Tablespoon = 3 Teaspoons, usually comes in a set of multiple measuring spoons Teaspoon – a measure of volume or amount used in cooking, 3 Teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon Toss – To combine multiple ingredients using two utensils and a lifting motion W Whip – To beat rapidly and incorporate air into a mixture through the use of a spoon, or electric mixer Whisk – a utensil used in cooking, made of wire loops for beating and whipping ingredients Z Zest - The grated peel of a citrus fruit, such as lemons and oranges BAKING TOOLS Standard essential baking equipment includes measuring cups: you will need both dry and liquid measuring cups because dry measuring cups do not measure liquids accurately. You will need dry measuring cups that have these measurements: 1/8 cup, ¼ cup, 1/3 cup, ½ cup, ¾ cup and 1 cup. It can be hard to find a one measuring cup set with all the necessary measurements, so be prepared to buy two different sets. A liquid measuring cup usually comes in a cup or bowl with a handle on the side and the measurements marked clearly in the front. They come in metal, plastic and glass but, I would suggest, buying a plastic measuring cup. They won't break if you drop them like a glass-measuring cup and you will still be
able to see the liquids you are measuring. Measuring spoons are use to measure small amounts of dry and liquid ingredients. Measuring spoons measurements consist of teaspoons and tablespoons. You will need a 1/8-teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, ¾ teaspoon 1-tablespoon measuring spoons. Again, if you can't find all of the measurements in one set, you might have to buy two. Spatula- I am not sure if a spatual is essential baking equipment. I have one and don't use it that often, but they do come in handy and do not cost that much. If you decide to buy one, don't buy a cheap plastic one, they break easily and if you put one into something hot they will melt. Graters-You can buy a four-sided grater that has a different structure on each side. Or a small metal grater. Sifter- A sifter is a good thing to have. A lot of time, baking recipes call for pre-sifted flour. But grocery stores have pre-sifted flour already on their shelves. Or you can throw the ingredients in a bowl and stir them together with a spoon. Or even use a small, metal colander to sift flour, but having a sifter on hand is good especially if you are new baking. Wire Whisk- wire whisks do come in handy especially when a baking recipe calls for "whisking" egg whites. When choosing a wire whisk, pick one that has sturdy wires and a handled you can easily grip. Rolling Pin- If you like to make pies, like I do, than a rolling pin is a must have. Although, one can easily buy pre-packaged piecrust at the grocery store, making your own piecrust is very easy. All you will need is flour, shortening, pinch of salt and water. I like wooden rolling pins, no rhyme or reason to it, I just prefer them. But rolling pins come in metal and plastic also. Baking pans- you can't bake if you have no pans. Most stores like K-mart, Wal-Mart and even Walgreen's sell a variety of baking pans in a one big box. Here are the pans you will need to have: 2 '8' or '9' inch cake pans. I would suggest getting two of each kind. 2 pie plates, 1 Bundt pan with flute design, 2 loaf pans, 6 cup muffin pan, 12 cup muffin pan, 2 cookie sheets, 1 '9' inch square pan. Also, 11X7X12-inch pan, 13X9X2-inch pan and a spring form pan for cheesecakes and tortes. Electronic Mixer- I use a handheld mixer but, if you can afford it, a stand mixer is nice especially if you are interested in baking bread. Food Processor-If you can find a food processor at a reasonable price,which you can, I would say get one. Food processors puree, chop, and slice. But you can do the last two by hand and a good blender could do the first.
Non-stick Baking Paper: You need these for lining cake tins and baking sheets when baking cookies, biscuits and meringues. Wooden Spoons: You will require these in order to mix ingredients for creaming purposes for cakes, icings and frostings. Blender - Helpful for blending certain sauces and soups and for finely grinding bread crumbs, nuts, sugar and other items. Cake tester - A thin metal wire which is inserted into cakes and muffins to determine if they are finished cooking. Cookie Cutters Whether it's for the holidays or just everyday baking, it's fun to have a variety of cookie cutter shapes to choose from. You can also use cookie cutters to make shapes out of piecrust scraps, which you brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar, bake and use as decorations on the pies. Using Oven Mitts for Safety Don’t risk burning your hands or arms when removing baked items from a hot oven. Always wear long oven mitts that are sturdy and long enough to cover most of your forearm. Citrus Juicers and Zesters For fresh lemon juice Cookie Dough Scoops The best way to drop cookie dough is by using a dough scoop that looks like a small ice cream scoop BASIC INGREDIENTS IN BAKING 1. Flour 2. Baking Powder 3. Eggs 4. Baking Soda 5. Sugar 6. Vanilla Extract 7. Salt 8. Butter
BASIC BAKING INGREDIENTS Apples When choosing apples look for well-colored, firm apples with a fresh smell, never musty. Apples should be smooth and free of soft spots or holes. When baking with apples using a blend of tart and sweet or spicy and mild will give your baked goods added flavor, texture and dimension. Apples can be baked, frittered, poached, saut?d, and steamed.... Baking Powder and Baking Soda Both baking powder and baking soda are chemical leavening agents that cause batters to rise when baked. The leavener enlarges the bubbles which are already present in the batter produced through creaming of ingredients.... Blueberries Most of the blueberries sold in grocery stores are cultivated. When choosing blueberries look for firm, plump, fragrant, dark blue berries with a dusty white bloom. The white bloom is the blueberry's natural protection against the sun and is a sign of freshness. Always check the underside of the container for any wet spots or staining. Discard any soft, moldy, or crushed berries Butter Butter is produced by churning cream until the fats separate from the liquid (buttermilk) and the butter is in a semi-solid state. In North America butter must contain at least 80 percent butterfat, a maximum of 16% water and 2% milk solids Chocolate Chocolate is made from a blend of different types of cocoa beans. The blends with higher amounts of Criollo and/or Triniatrio beans will have a more aromatic and complex flavor Cranberries This small, firm, smooth-skinned, shiny red, round to oval-shaped berry is also known as the craneberry, bounceberry, bearberry, cowberry, or lingonberry. The tartness of the cranberry make it one of the few berries never to be eaten raw. They are used in both sweet and savory dishes, as well as juices Cream Cream is the fat that rises to the top of whole milk. Heavy cream or heavy "whipping" cream, has 36 - 40% butterfat and when whipped it holds its form and doubles in volume. Heavy cream is used for filling and decorating pastries
Eggs Eggs, as well as flour, are the structural ingredients in baking. Eggs provide leavening; add color, texture, flavor and richness to the batter. They are very important in helping to bind all the other ingredients together. Beaten eggs are a leavening agent as they incorporate air into the batter, which will expand in the oven and cause the cake to rise Flour When used in baking flour contributes body and structure, texture and flavor to baked goods. The type of flour used will ultimately affect the finished product. Flour contains protein and when it comes in contact with water and heat it produces gluten, which gives elasticity and strength to baked goods Lemons When choosing lemons look for ones that are fragrant with brightly colored oily yellow skin, no green spots or blemishes, firm, plump, and heavy for their size. Avoid lemons that have blemishes, soft spots, or are hard and wrinkled. If removing the outer rind (zest) make sure you wash the lemon thoroughly (soap and water is best) as some commercially sold lemons are sprayed with insecticide Nuts Nuts are sold in various forms: shelled and unshelled; raw, toasted, toasted and salted, smoked, candied and with various flavorings. To toast the nuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for anywhere between 8-20 minutes Peaches When choosing peaches look for fragrant, smooth, firm and brightly-colored fruit that gives slightly to gentle palm pressure. Avoid hard wrinkled peaches or ones with soft spots, blemishes or green tinges (a sign that the fruit was picked too early). The amount of red blush on a peach is a sign of its variety, not its ripeness Pumpkins When choosing pumpkins look for ones that feel solid and are heavy for their size, free of blemishes, cracks, and soft spots. In a cool, dry place they should keep for about a month Raspberries When buying raspberries look for fragrant, deeply colored, plump and juicy berries without the cores attached. If the core is still attached the raspberry was picked too early and the berry will be sour. Avoid berries that are soft and mushy or have any bruises, black spots or mold. Always check the underside of the container to make sure there are no squashed berries or red stains
Rhubarb The rhubarb you find in markets today can be either field grown or hothouse grown. Field grown rhubarb is identified by its bright rosy red and green tinged stalks with green leaves and has a very pronounced tart flavor. It is available from late winter to early summer. Hothouse rhubarb, on the other hand, has pale pink to pale red stalks and yellow green leaves. The stalks are not as tart as field grown but has the advantage of being available year round Strawberries When choosing strawberries look for fragrant, plump, firm, uniformly sized, bright-red berries with no white or green "shoulders" at the stem end. The green leaf-like cap or hull should still be attached and not brown or wilted. There should be no soft spots, bruising or mildew Sugar When using sugar most people think of it only as a sweetener. For example, adding a teaspoon to your coffee or sprinkling a little over strawberries. But when sugar is used in baking its role becomes more complex as it also adds volume, tenderness, texture, color, and acts as a preservative Vanilla Vanilla, is the fruit of a thick green orchid vine (v. planifolia) that grows wild on the edge of the Mexican tropical forests. Pure vanilla, with its wonderful aromatic flavor, is the most widely used flavoring in pastries, confections, and other desserts. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, after saffron. The three most common types of vanilla pods (beans) are: Madagascar or Bourbon- Madagascar vanilla pods, Mexican vanilla pods, and Tahitian vanilla pods. Vanilla is sold in different forms: extract or essence, pods (beans), powdered, or mixed with sugar called vanilla sugar Yeast Baker's yeast, like baking powder and baking soda, is used to leavened baked goods (breads, Danish pastries, brioche, croissants). The difference between these two leaveners is that baking powder/soda react chemically to produce the carbon dioxide that makes the baked goods rise. Yeast, on the other hand, is a living organism and the carbon dioxide it produces is the result of the yeast feeding on the dough. The two forms of baker's yeast are; compressed cakes (also called fresh yeast) and dehydrated granules (dry yeast)
