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Thread: All about baking

  1. #11
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    Any one has the recipe + method of making the ultrasoft black forest cake available in Indian bakeries.

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  3. #12
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    thanks

    Hi Bhargavi!
    Thank u for the explaination of "Thaw"
    I did not know the name of the process to be "Thaw".
    Thank u once again
    Hey Tried Aloo Paratha,Raddish paratha today!
    They came our tasty!
    Will try Dhabha Recipes soon!
    and let u know!

  4. #13
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    Hai
    I have a lot of self raising flour and allpurpose flour with me(my friend gave it to me when they left usa for good and went to india)
    Can anyone please suggest something using these flours..


    Also I was interested in toaster oven recipes. does anybody have toaster oven recipes. still better if its using the S.R. Flour and A.P.Flour.

    Thanks in advance

  5. #14
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    Excellent thread

    Guys,
    I am very happy that you started this thread. I guess we are long due for one like this.

    I am enthusiast for baking several different breads, cakes, now cookies, and other stuff as well.

    Will post my recipes one at a time.

    Minni

  6. #15
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    Measruing ingredients

    Guys,

    I've made lot of mistakes during my numerous experiments intially while baking breads and cakes. So, I learnt a few important things to keep in mind about measuring and mixing ingredients.

    So, I thought it would be helpful to post them here for the new enthusiasts, so that they avoid atleast some of the mistakes.

    Well, either for baking breads or cakes or cookies, the ideal way to post measurements would be by weight rather than volume.
    Let me explain you why.
    1 cup of packed flour is not equivalanet to a cup of scooped flour and again is not equal to a cup into which the flour is spooned in is not equivalent to a cup filled by sifting flour into it.
    Does that make sense?

    Okay, good!

  7. #16
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    To avoid finger pain, I am cut pasting my collected material about various different flours.

    Source: Wikipedia.org

    An ingredient used in many foods, flour is a fine powder made from grain or other starchy food sources. It is most commonly made from wheat, but also maize (aka corn), rye, barley and rice, amongst many other grasses and non-grain plants (including many Australian species of acacia).

    Flour is always based on the presence of starches, which are complex carbohydrates.

    Usually, the word "flour" used alone refers to wheat flour, which is one of the most important foods in European and American culture. Wheat flour is the main ingredient in most types of breads and pastries. Wheat is so widely used because of an important property: when wheat flour is mixed with water, a complex protein called gluten develops. The gluten development is what gives wheat dough an elastic structure that allows it to be worked in a variety of ways, and which allows the retention of gas bubbles in an intact structure, resulting in a sponge-like texture to the final product. This is highly desired for breads, cakes and other baked products.

    A coarser preparation, somewhat granular rather than a fine dust, is often called meal.

    Types of Flour

    * The vast majority of today's flour consumption is wheat flour.

    Wheat varieties are typically known as "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content, and "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low. Hard flour, or "bread" flour, is high in gluten and so forms a certain toughness which holds its shape well once baked. Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and so results in a finer texture. Soft flour is usually divided into "cake" flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and "pastry" flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.

    All-purpose flour is a blended wheat flour with an intermediate gluten level which is marketed as an acceptable compromise for most household baking needs.

    In terms of the parts of the grain (the grass seed) used in flour -- the endosperm or starchy part, the germ or protein part, and the bran or fiber part -- there are three general types of flour. "White" flour is made from the endosperm only. "Whole grain" flour is made from the entire grain. A "germ" flour may also be made from the endosperm and germ, excluding the bran.

    "Whole-wheat" flour is also referred to as "graham" flour in the USA, and is the basis of true graham crackers. Many graham crackers on the market are actually imitation grahams because they contain no whole-wheat flour. Strictly speaking, a true graham flour is a coarse grind of wheat.

    Self-rising or self-raising flour is "white" wheat flour that is sold premixed with chemical leavening agents. Typical ratios are
    U.S. customary: one cup flour : 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder : a pinch to 1/2 teaspoon salt
    Metric: 1 kg flour : 30 g baking powder : 10 g or less salt

    * Maize flour is very popular in the southern United States and in Mexico. In the US, "white" corn (maize) flour is usually referred to as cornstarch; in the UK it is known as cornflour. "Whole-grain" corn flour is usually referred to as corn meal. Corn meal which has been leached with lye is called masa harina and is used to make tortillas and tamales in Mexican cooking.

    * 100% Rye flour is used to bake the traditional sourdough breads of Germany and Scandinavia. Most rye breads use a mix of rye and wheat flours because rye has a low gluten content. Pumpernickel bread is usually made exclusively of rye, and contains a mixture of rye flour and rye meal.

    * Rice flour is of great importance in Southeast Asian cuisine. Also edible rice paper can be made from it. Most rice flour is made from white rice, thus is essentially a pure starch, but whole-grain brown rice flour is commercially available.

    * Chestnut flour is popular in Corsica, the Périgord and Lunigiana. In Corsica, it is used to cook the local variety of polenta. In Italy, it is mainly used for desserts.

    * Chickpea flour (besan) is of great importance in Indian cuisine, and in Italy, where it is used for the Ligurian farinata.

    * Flour can also be made from soy beans, arrowroot, potatoes, taro, cattail and other non-grain foodstuffs.

  8. #17
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    Wheat Flour

    OKAY, OKAY, I know its boring to read all that material. Now lets get to that interesting flour most widely used for baking:

    Wheat flour

    To understand what flour is used to make what ....here is the relevant information.

    Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the entire wheat berry. It is used in baking but typically mixed with other "white" flours to add nutrition, texture, fiber, and body to the finished product. Usually, whole wheat flour is not the main ingredients of baked goods due to its quality to add texture and a certain "heaviness" to baked goods which prevents them from rising as well as white flours. This adds to the cost of the baked item as it requires more flour to obtain the same volume due to the fewer and smaller air pockets trapped in the raised goods.

    The word "whole" refers to the fact that all of the berry is used and nothing is lost in the process of making the flour, rather than referring to the complete berry in its natural grown state. Because the flour contains the remains of all of the berry it has a textured, brownish appearance.

    "Brown" bread made from whole wheat flour is more nutritious than "white" bread made from white, refined, flour even though nutrients are added back to the white flour. Thus, brown bread is more natural than white because it is less refined and retains more of the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. This is important to nutrition because while we have identified many of the vitamins and minerals occurring naturally in foods, there remain doubts that we have identified them all. Much less confidence attends our understanding of minimum daily requirements of these vitamins and minerals and any such published numbers can only be used as guidelines.

    Protien Content in Flours:

    All-purpose flour has a 10-12% protein content and is made from a blend of hard and soft wheat flours. It can be bleached or unbleached which are interchangeable. However, Southern brands of bleached all-purpose flour have a lower protein content (8%) as they are made from a soft winter wheat. All-purpose flour can vary in its protein content not only by brand but also regionally. The same brand can have different protein contents depending on what area of the country in the United States you are buying it. Good for making cakes, cookies, breads, and pastries.

    Cake flour has a 6-8% protein content and is made from soft wheat flour. It is chlorinated to further break down the strength of the gluten and is smooth and velvety in texture. Good for making cakes (especially white cakes and biscuits) and cookies where a tender and delicate texture is desired. To substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour for every cup of all-purpose flour. Make your own - one cup sifted cake flour can be substituted with 3/4 cup (84 grams) sifted bleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch.

    Pastry flour is similar to cake flour, although it has not been chlorinated, with an 8-10% protein content and is made from soft wheat flour. It is soft and ivory in color. Can find it in health food stores or through mail order catalogs. To make two cups of pastry flour, combine 1 1/3 cups (185 grams) all-purpose flour with 2/3 cup (90 grams) cake flour. Good for making pastry, pies and cookies.

    Self-Rising flour has 8-9% protein and contains flour plus baking powder and salt. I do not use this type of flour because I prefer to add my own baking powder and salt. Also, if the flour is stored too long the baking powder will lose some of its strength and your baked goods will not rise properly. If you want to make your own add 1 ˝ teaspoons (7.5 grams) baking powder and ˝ teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt per cup (140 grams) of all-purpose flour.

    Bread flour has a 12-14% protein content and is made from hard wheat flour. The high gluten content causes the bread to rise and gives it shape and structure. Comes in white, whole wheat, organic, bleached and unbleached. Good for making breads and some pastries.

    Store your flour in a cool dry well-ventilated place for up to six months. To prevent insects you can store flour in the refrigerator or freezer making sure the flour is defrosted before using.

    Flour is sometimes labeled pre-sifted. This means that the flour was sifted before packaging but it compacts during shipping and handling and therefore is no longer sifted by the time you get it home. So if your recipe calls for sifted flour make sure you sift it again. (If your recipe calls for 1 cup sifted flour this means you sift the flour before measuring. However, if the recipe calls for 1 cup flour, sifted this means you sift the flour after measuring.) Sifting flour removes lumps and aerates it so that when liquid is added the dry ingredients will be fully moistened.

    Proper measuring of your flour is important, as too much flour will result in a tough and/or heavy baked good. When measuring flour spoon your flour into a measuring cup and then level off the cup with a knife. Do not pack it down. As stated above, flour gets compacted in the bag during shipping, so scooping your flour right out of the bag using your measuring cup will result in too much flour.

    Flour, when packaged, has about a 14% moisture content. When stored, however, its moisture content will vary. In general, the longer flour is stored the more moisture it loses. This is why on a dry day using old flour your pastry will require more water than on a wet day using new flour.

    Flour

    All-Purpose Flour:

    1 cup = 140 grams

    1 cup sifted = 115 grams

    Cake Flour:

    1 cup = 130 grams

    1 cup sifted = 100 grams

    Bread Flour:

    1 cup = 160 grams

    1 cup sifted = 120 grams

  9. #18
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    Substitutions:



    1 cup All Purpose Flour:
    Can be substituted with

    (a)1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour

    (b)1 cup self-rising flour (omit baking powder and salt from recipe)

    (c)7/8 cup rice flour (starch) (do not replace all of the flour with the rice flour)

    (d)1/2 cup white cake flour plus 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

    1 cup Bread Flour
    Can be substituted with

    (a)1 cup all purpose flour

    1 cup Cake Flour
    Can be substituted with

    (a) 3/4 cup all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

    2 cups Pastry Flour
    Can be substituted with

    (a) 1 1/3 cup all purpose flour plus 2/3 cup cake flour

    1 cup Self-Rising Flour
    Can be substituted with

    (a) 1 cup similar grade flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder plus 1/4 teaspoon salt

    1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
    Can be substituted with

    (a) 7/8 cup all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoon wheat germ

    (b)1 cup graham flour

  10. #19
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    Measuring:

    Baking is an exact science or can term it 'Precise' science. Hence measurements as well as the way we take them are very IMPORTANT.
    As I mentioned earlier, by weight is ideal measurement, but for this we need a $30-$40 DIGITAL SCALE. And also, unfortunately, most recipes give the measurements by volume rather than by weight.
    So, we need to know a few things about Volume measurements.

    I know, we buy a set of four measuring cups(1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup), and may be some 4 measuring spoons(1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 tsp, 1/4 tsp)

    But there are recipes where you encounter 1/8th cup, 7/8th cup, or 1/3 tbsp. Then what do you do?

    You need to know the following equivalents so that you can make up for that required quantity with your existing set of spoons and cups.


    A few grains/pinch/dash, etc. (dry) = Less than 1/8 tsp
    3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
    1/2 tablespoon = 1-1/2 teaspoons
    1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
    2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce
    2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
    4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces
    5-1/3 tablespoons = 5 tbsp+1 tsp = 1/3 cup
    8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
    8 tablespoons = 4 fluid ounces
    10-2/3 tablespoons = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp = 2/3 cup
    12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
    16 tablespoons = 1 cup

    Another way you can see the same is

    1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
    1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
    1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces
    1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
    1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
    1 cup = 16 tablespoons

    More about Liquid measures:

    A dash (liquid) = A few drops
    16 tablespoons = 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup
    1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces
    1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

    1 cup = 1/2 pint
    2 cups = 1 pint
    2 pints = 1 quart
    4 quarts (liquid) = 1 gallon
    8 quarts (dry) = 1 peck

    I hope this helps.

  11. #20
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    One last posting before some recipes:

    Now about measuring various ingredients:

    Eggs (large)

    * 1 = 1/4 cup
    * 4 to 5 = 1 cup
    * 9 = l lb
    * 7 to 9 whites = 1 cup
    * 12 to 15 yolks = 1 cup

    Figs l lb = 3 cups chopped
    Flour

    * All purpose 1 lb = 4 cups sifted
    * Cake flour 1 lb = 4-1/2 cups sifted
    * Graham flour l lb = 3-1/2 cups
    * Whole wheat l lb = 3-1/2 cups

    Milk, canned

    * Evaporated 5 oz can = 2/3 cup; 14-1/2 oz can = 1-2/3 cups
    * Sweetened Condensed 14 oz can = 1-1/4 cup

    Sugar

    * Granulated 1 lb = 2 cups
    * Brown 1 lb = 2-1/4 cups
    * Confectioners' lb = 3-1/2 cups sifted
    * Cubes 1 lb = 96 to 160 cubes

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