Posts Tagged ‘Baking’

Selecting And Baking Your Holiday Ham

November 30th, 2011 admin

Keywords:
, , , cured, how to, , water content, types, , prosciutto, serrano

Article Body:
Use this guide to help you select and prepare your baked ham for that special meal. With this guide, you will be able to identify and understand the various types of hams and select the best ham for your family. We’ll even tell you how to bake your ham.

This guide is organized in a question-and-answer format for reference.

What are the different types of hams that I should consider?

A ham is cured pork, specifically the entire back leg of a hog. But ham is very different than uncured pork. It’s the curing process that changes the flavor and texture of the meat. Cured hams can be either cured in brine—the most common—or dry cured. There are four major types of brine-cured hams: fresh, cured, canned but not pasteurized, and canned and pasteurized. With the exception of some dry-cured hams, any ham that is not pasteurized must be refrigerated.

Dry cured hams are usually more expensive, are quite salty, have a unique flavor, and are not commonly used as dinner hams. A country ham is a dry cured ham that is usually heavily salted and is usually soaked to remove some of the salt before it is cooked and eaten. Dry cured hams are not generally found in grocery stores. Dry cured hams include prosciutto, serrano, and like types.

Hams may be whole or half. A half will be labeled either as a rump half or a shank half. In some cases, a half ham has had a cut removed and is therefore a rump portion or a shank portion. A shank portion will have more connective tissue and will be less meaty.

What about water content?

Except for dry cured hams, hams absorb moisture from the curing brine either by soaking or injection. In smoking and drying, that moisture may be removed. The government dictates that the moisture level must be indicated by the labeling. The driest product labeled “Ham” will not exceed ten percent added water. A product labeled “Ham with Natural Juices” is the next driest, then “Ham Water Added” and finally a “Ham and Water Product” which has as much as 35% water.

Should I be concerned about nitrites?

The brine used for curing is a combination of water, sugar, salt, and sodium nitrite. After several days of curing, the ham is washed free of brine, cooked, and is sometimes smoked. According to government allowances, the finished product cannot contain more than 200 parts per million of nitrite. All processors are regularly inspected by the USDA to assure compliance.

The nitrites used are approved by the FDA as safe in the concentrations allowed.

How do I select a quality ham?

Hams may be one of those items where you usually get what you pay for. Mass produced, inexpensive hams may be processed in as little as twelve hours. More expensive hams may not be ready for market with less than two weeks of processing. Additionally, the best hams come from selected pigs that have been fed high protein diets prior to slaughter.

Processors may vary the amount of salt or sugar in a ham to meet company specifications. Additionally, the smoking process may vary. When you find a ham that has the flavor that you like, stick with it.

Color and appearance are important considerations in selecting a ham.

Select a fresh ham that is a bright grayish-pink. Those fresh hams that have a pale, soft, watery appearance are less desirable. A fresh ham that has a greenish cast may indicate bacterial growth and should be avoided.

Select a cured ham that has a bright pink color. A lighter-colored pink or a non-uniform coloring may be the result of improper curing or exposure to lights. Again, a greenish cast may reflect the presence of bacterial growth. Avoid those hams that have a multi-colored appearance. It may suggest the presence of bacteria.

Avoid those hams that have excessive marbling. These may have a greasy taste.

The general rule is to plan on six to eight ounces of boneless ham per serving and eight to twelve ounces of bone-in ham per serving.

It is the opinion of some that bone-in hams taste better.

How do I prepare my ham?

Most hams, including many canned hams, require refrigeration before baking. Unless it is pasteurized and states that refrigeration is not required, keep your ham in the refrigerator.

As with all meat , make certain that your ham is properly baked–though a ham marked “fully cooked” does not need to be cooked again. A meat thermometer is essential. Measure the baked temperature of the meat in the thickest portion of the ham and in at least two spots to make sure that the thermometer is not inserted into a pocket of hotter fat. Make certain also that the thermometer is not placed against the bone.

To be safe, a fresh ham should be baked to 170 degrees and a cured uncooked ham baked to 160 degrees—many bacteria can survive to temperatures of 140 degrees. If you are warming a fully cooked ham, heat it to 140 degrees.

If you are purchasing a bone-in ham, be certain of your carving skills. Carve at right angles to the bone. Let the baked ham set for five minutes before beginning to carve.

Sources: University of Minnesota, http://About.com, House of Hams

Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission

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Basic Baking Tools Needed

November 28th, 2011 admin

cookware

Article Body:
So you are ready to take up . You are all excited to skim through that recipe book and find yourself the ideal recipe to guide you into making scrumptious cookies that you can impress your family and friends with. But hold on. Are you armed with the appropriate for your cookie mission? Let us look into the list and check your gear.

Measuring cups

One cannot possibly assume that a regular cup or mug can be used in measuring the amount of or sugar that you will use for your batter. In baking, one needs to be precise. This means using accurate well defined measurements in sorting your . These cups aid in measuring liquid components like water, milk, juice in milliliters, ounces, pints or fractions of a liter. Measuring cups also offer level measures for dry such as sugar and flour.

Sifter

It essential that your ingredients especially flour is devoid of any foreign matter. You simply cannot rake through your flour to do this. That would be like finding a needle in a haystack. You go get a sifter. The sifting process not only would break up the clumps but it aerates your flour thus giving it more volume. For best results, sift only small quantities at a time. This does not only prevent spills but it makes sifting easier and faster.

Spatula

A spatula appears to be a combination of a spoon and a knife. It takes on the shape of a spoon but it has a blade which is blunt and far from being sharp. This kitchen utensil is indispensable in baking as it is used for mixing batter, dough and applying frosting. Spatulas are popularly made of silicone, rubber or bamboo.

Rolling pins

In shaping and flattening your dough, using a rolling pin is more practical so you might as well forget about the ides of kneading or molding it with your bare hands. Rolling pins are usually made up of wood, glass, marble, stainless steel or plastic. It is thick, cylindrical and has two handles on each end. There are basically two types of rolling pins: the rod and the roller.

Cookie cutters

You’re done with your dough and are now ready to shape your cookies. Go artistic and use cookie cutters! Cookie cutters which are typically made up of tin, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic or copper are designed to cut cookie dough in specific distinctive shapes. Designs include stars, hearts, moon shapes, circles and squares to name a few. Kids will surely be enticed to grab one of these cookie characters.

Cookie press

Cookie press is a known baking tool used to press designs on cookies. It is usually composed of a cylinder which has a plunger on the other end. Designer plates are attached to the press to mark the cookies.

Oven mitt

Baking means having to work with a hot oven so it is best that your hands are protected from heated surfaces like the stove or baking pans. To avoid getting burns, oven mitts should always be worn in the kitchen. These mitts are often made out of fabric and are usually insulated. Although these oven mitts can offer you protection in the kitchen, they are not invincible from hot liquids which may still seep through the fabric.

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How To Buy And Store Baking Ingredients

November 27th, 2011 admin

, , guide, , cake, gluten, pastry, bleached, , white, how to, storing

Article Body:
Fresher is nearly always better

Food deteriorates over time. Sometimes it does so very slowly but it does deteriorate. Expiration dates and “best by” dates are misleading. Food does not stay magically fresh up until the expiration date and then it’s suddenly bad. Think of it as straight-line event. The fresher, the better.

Generally, expiration dates and “best by” dates are not governed by regulations. They are set by the processor who has its own agenda, are subject to judgments, and storage conditions. Comparing expiration dates between brands is not reliable. Manufacturing dates are a much better guide but are rarely available.

It is a good idea to check the expiration dates of a particular product on the shelf. The oldest tend to get shoved to the back of the shelf where they get older still.

Buy from suppliers that have a higher turnover. Chances are their will be fresher. Buy from processors and distributors when possible.

Know what makes food go bad.

Vitamins deteriorate over time. Of greater concern to most of us, is the oxidation that creates rancidity. Rancid, stale-tasting products don’t just taste bad, they can be bad for you. If it tastes stale or smells rancid, throw it out.

Products with high levels of fat are more susceptible to oxidation. Flour, especially white flour, with low fat levels will keep a long time in the right conditions. High-fat products like butter will not.

Oxidation is accelerated by heat, light, and exposure to oxygen. Packaging is important. Mylar and metal containers are much better than most plastics and paper. Storage conditions are critical. Fatty foods are very susceptible to heat. Ten degrees can make a real difference. Nuts will last a long time in the refrigerator but will deteriorate very rapidly in a warm cupboard above the stove.

For our personal use, we store oils, nuts, and dried fruits (once opened) in the refrigerator. We store cornmeal and flour products in a cool room downstairs which was built for storage and rarely gets above 55 degrees. Many baking mixes will last a very long time in that room. By the way, if you refrigerate chocolate, it will get a white dusting called bloom. While not attractive, the chocolate is still good.

Be willing to experiment.

When we started this business, we spent over a year working on ingredients and products. If there are lessons from all that trial and error, they are: There is great deal of difference in quality and you don’t know which products are best without trying them. It may be tedious to keep trying different flours or chocolates but the quest is worth it.

The more you know about ingredients, the easier it is to find the best.

Understanding flour or cinnamon or chocolate is essential to buying the right product and makes buying quality products easier. That’s beyond the scope of a short article but our How to Bake e-book covers baking ingredients extensively. It’s free. If you don’t have a copy, we recommend that you get one.

Copyright 2003-2007, The Prepared Pantry (http://www.prepraredpantry.com ). Published by permission

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Baking Flexibility

November 21st, 2011 admin

Everywhere you look, there is a lot of emphasis on cutting the fat out of our daily diets, but who wants to cut out the fat if it means cutting out the flavor? When it comes to , there is a way to cut down on your fat intake without changing the in your favorite recipes. If you switch to nonstick silicone , you can cut down on your fat intake with minimal effort. Because the is nonstick, you never have to use butter, shortening, or grease on your pans or sheets to ensure food removal.

The first silicone items made exclusively for baking were small silicone mats that fit nicely on your cookie sheet and allowed you to bake cookies with out greasing the cookie sheet or worrying about the bottoms getting burned. These little mats were a huge success and stores were hard pressed to keep them in stock.

As the popularity of these mats grew, manufacturers decide to explore the idea of making more bakeware from silicone. They began making spoons, spatulas, and whisks that could withstand high heats and could be used with nonstick cookware with no fear of ruining the coating. Silicone utensils were the perfect choice for candy making or any other project that required a boiling and sticky liquid to be stirred.

Kitchen supply manufacturers also introduced silicone potholders and oven gloves. Because they can withstand heats up to 500 degrees, they are the perfect insurance that you won’t get burned when you pull a hot from your oven. They don’t conduct heat the way that a cloth potholder does and they are much sturdier and easy to keep clean than traditional potholders. Home canners fell in love with silicone baker’s mitts because they could actually reach into a pot of boiling water to remove a hot jar of food once it was done processing. As an added bonus these durable potholders do double duty as lid grippers making opening jars a snap.

Once silicone hit kitchens in the form of baking mats, utensils, and pot holders, kitchen experts began to see the potential of this material in everyday baking. Suddenly almost any type of bakeware that could traditionally be found in stainless steel, aluminum, glass, or stoneware was being offered in brightly colored silicone. Stores began selling muffin tins, loaf pans, cake pans, and pie pans. The most popular pieces tend to be the specialty designed cake pans that allow you to make cakes shaped like everything from roses to pumpkins. They even have mini cake pans that make individual, fancy shaped cakes.

The popularity of silicone bakeware skyrocketed as cooks began to see the benefits of using this material in their kitchens. Foods pop out of silicone pans with amazing ease. You never need to grease, , or even use spray on a silicone pan and that adds up to lots of calories and fat grams saved with each meal. Because silicone is very flexible, it is easy to bend and twist it so that cakes and breads pop out easily. You never have to force baked goods out of the pan, so they retain there shape and you don’t see a lot of split and broken cakes.

Silicone is a bakers dream when it comes to making evenly cooked delicacies. The material distributes heat evenly, so you never end up with a cake that is burned around the edges and still not cooked in the middle. It also cools down quickly ensuring that you foods will not continue cooking and possibly drying out once you remove them from the oven.

Because silicone is nonstick, cleanup is a breeze. A little soap and water and any crumb left on your bakeware disappears. It is nonporous, so it never retains any odors from the foods you cook. Completely versatile it goes from oven to table to freezer and can even be thrown in the dishwasher. Once you are done cleaning it, storage is a snap. With its , you can twist it, bend it, fold it or mash it up so it can fit in the smallest of drawers or cupboards.

If you haven’t tried silicone bakeware, add a piece or two to your kitchen. You will be surprised at its quality and flexibility.

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Breadmakers For Easy Baking

November 19th, 2011 admin

Article Body:
A maker is a home appliance that has revolutionized the process of making breads. First manufactured in 1986 in Japan, breadmaker since then moved its way to homes in the United States and United Kingdom. By means of a breadmaker, automatic has become possible and more convenient.

As with ordinary baking, must first be measured according to the recipe. The mixture is then poured into the bread pan that is placed in the machine. The breadmaker will then take some hours to bake the bread by first turning the mixture into dough and eventually baking it. The process of making dough is helped by a built-in paddle. Once the baking is done and has been allowed to cool down, the bread is then freed from the bread pan. The paddle at the bottom of the loaf should be removed from its place.

Breadmaker breads are much easier to get spoiled as compared with the commercial breads due to the absence of additives. However, it is possible that sourdough starter may be added to the ingredients to prolong the shelf life of the breads.

have built-in timers that may be set for easier baking. Other machines can be programmed to only prepare the dough and not to bake the bread later, in this case the dough is baked in an oven. have other uses as well. They may be set to make jams, pizza bases, wheat-free loaf, cakes, and pasta and in some instances, mochi- a Japanese rice bread.

Considerations in choosing a breadmaker:

- the over-all capacity of baking loafs
- the quality of bread produced
- the duration of time it takes to make one loaf
- the featured programs
- type: may either be single loaf breadmaker or multi loaf breadmaker

However, like with normal baking there may arise several problems concerning the quality of the bread produced. These may either be caused by the process of baking or the quality of breadmaker itself.

Doughy loaf

This problem basically concerns the temperature of the breadmaker. The built-in thermometer must read 190 F. Once the baking is over and the loaf is still doughy, you may choose to continue baking it in a conventional oven or wait till the breadmaker cools down and start the whole process over.

Small bread

Lack of liquid added to the dough. The problem starts with the dissolving of the yeast. If too little liquid is used, the yeast may not be stimulated to produce the necessary carbon dioxide, which is instrumental in making the dough rise. Without this, the loaf may become dense and will be much smaller.

Collapsed or flat-topped bread

Collapsing is mainly due to too much addition of liquid to the dough. The yeast in this case is overly stimulated, producing more gluten than the dough may withhold. This leads to the collapsing of loaf structure.

Bread sticking in the breadmaker pan

This can be resolved by brushing the breadmaker pan with oil before adding the water into the dough. This works well in the majority of conventional ovens as well.

Too much rising of the loaf

This problem may be controlled with the use of salt. Adding one half teaspoon of salt may be sufficient to keep the rising of the bread in balance.

One need not be an Einstein to run a simple machine such as the breadmaker. For more instruction and self-help , users may check the manual of the machine.

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Tips on Cooking, Baking With Heart-Healthy Spreads

November 13th, 2011 admin

You may already know that heart-healthy margarine are great for topping foods to give them a tasty, buttery flavor. But did you know that they are good for and , too?

To check if a spread is heart-healthy, look for a cholesterol-free soft tub spread that is made from 50 percent to 60 percent vegetable oils, has 2 grams or less of saturated fat and contains no trans fat per serving.

Dana Jacobi, author of the “12 Best Foods Cookbook,” offers these for cooking and baking with margarine spreads:

* To measure soft tub spread correctly, make sure to level the cup or spoon.

* When sautéing, use medium heat to maintain the flavor and to avoid burning the spread.

* For baking, chill the spread in the freezer before measuring it if the recipe calls for creaming it with sugar.

* When melting a spread for baking, remember that it melts quickly. In the microwave, 3 tablespoons of tub spread melts in 15 seconds, versus 30 seconds for butter.

Now that you know which spreads to choose and how to cook with them, try it for yourself. The following recipe uses a heart-healthy spread and produces perfect results.

DANA JACOBI’S OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES

(Makes 36 cookies)

1/3 cup chilled Promise Buttery Spread

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon mild molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream Promise Buttery Spread with sugar until it is pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Mix in egg, molasses, vanilla and salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon until almost blended. Add raisins and almonds, mixing gently until are combined.

Drop the dough 1 tablespoon at a time onto the baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart.

Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. – NU

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Baking Priest Says Bread Brings Meaning And Tradition To Easter

November 12th, 2011 admin

When immigrants from the four corners of Europe came to America, they brought a variety of traditional recipes. Now chocolate bunnies, yellow marshmallow chicks and jelly beans signify the but at one time families served breads, which are rich in symbolism and history.

Father Dominic Garramone, a Catholic , cookbook author and host of the TV show “Breaking Bread with Father Dominic,” would like to ensure that Easter bread traditions are not forgotten. “Bread for Easter is one way of bringing some and back to the holiday,” he says. Here are two of his tried-and-true brunch recipes:

French Toast

Custard Casseroles

For each casserole, you will need:

1 egg

2 Tbs. whole or reduced-fat milk

2 thick or 3 medium slices of day-old bread (- bought bread works well)

2 Tbs. chopped pecans

1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup

1 Tbs. butter

1 small ovenproof bowl, about 5″ across and 2″ deep (a small soup bowl with a handle works well.)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly coat the interior of the ovenproof bowl with cooking spray or butter. Trim bread slices to a shape and size that will fit the bowl. In another larger bowl, whisk egg and milk, then place bread slices in egg mixture until liquid is absorbed. Combine nuts and syrup in the bottom of the ovenproof bowl, and dot the surface with the butter.

Place the soaked bread slices on top-they should not reach past the lip of the bowl. Place bowl on a sheet to prevent drips, and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until top is lightly browned and center is firm. Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10 minutes. Invert bowl onto a plate, remove bowl and serve.

and Cheese Braid

1 pkg. active dry yeast

11/4 cups warm milk (100° to 110° F)

1 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

11/2 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 to 31/2 cups all-purpose

11/2 cups ham, coarsely chopped

11/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1 egg white, beaten with 1 Tbs. water

Put warm milk into a medium-size bowl. Add yeast, stir to dissolve. Add sugar, egg, salt and oil. Add 3 cups of flour and beat well. Work in enough of remaining flour to form a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil the surface of the dough and place in the bowl. Cover with a clean, dry towel, and let rise in a warm place free from drafts for about one hour, or until doubled in volume.

Mix ham, cheese, and nuts (if desired) in medium-size bowl. Roll out dough 10″ x 18″. Spread filling lengthwise in the center third of the dough; press filling together slightly. Using a sharp knife, cut each outer third of the dough (the part not covered by filling) into 5 to 7 diagonal strips, cutting from the edge of the dough to about 1″ from the edge of the filling. Brush the strips lightly with water. Fold the dough strips over the filling, alternating left and right, being careful not to stretch the dough. Tuck in the ends of the last strips to seal. Carefully transfer loaf to a lightly greased nonstick 9″ x 13″ cake pan. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Brush the surface of the dough with the egg white wash. Bake at 400° in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the temperature of the filling is about 160°.

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Pamela’s Products Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix, 24-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)

October 31st, 2011 admin

Pamela’s Products Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix, 24-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)

  • Case of six 24-ounce (total of 144 ounces)
  • Use to make waffles, cookies, cakes, pie crust, and more
  • Wheat-free, gluten-free
  • All-natural, kosher-certified
  • Product of USA

Pamela’s -to-use mix creates light and fluffy pancakes and waffles, as well as delicious breads, cakes and muffins. Also, a great substitute for .

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Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour, 22-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

October 30th, 2011 admin

Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour, 22-Ounce Packages (Pack of 4)

  • Case of four 22-ounce (88 total ounces)
  • A unique blend that includes garbanzo, fava bean, and tapioca flours
  • An excellent source of protein and fiber
  • For use in all kinds of baked goods
  • Packaged in Milwaukie, Oregon

Wheat free; gluten free; dairy free. All natural product; you can see our quality. Specially designed for those sensitive to wheat and gluten, this mix can be made into delicious homemade cakes, cookies, breads, muffins, pancakes and waffles. Contains a blend of gluten-free flours from potatoes, sorghum, tapioca, garbanzo and fava beans. Bob’s Red labeled gluten free are batch tested in our quality control laboratory. We use an Elisa Gluten Assay test to determine if a product is g

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Pyrex Bakeware 4.8 Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear

October 26th, 2011 admin

Pyrex Bakeware 4.8 Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear

  • 15-inch x 10-inch x 2-inch rectangular
  • Larger dish measures 15 inches long by 10 inches wide by 2 inches deep
  • Glass won’t leach odors or metallic tastes into food
  • Safe for oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher
  • Made in the USA

A kitchen staple for more than 80 years, is as relevant today as it was in 1915.  Made of a durable, high temperature material, Pyrex is classically beautiful and versatile enough to use in the refrigerator, freezer, oven, microwave, dishwasher and on the table in style.Pyrex was the first to create a line of glass so cooks could actually see how their food was . At the time, the idea was revolutionary; now–like all great innovations–we take it for gran

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