Chapter4
TheSecretsofUsingChemicalLeaveners
BakingPowder andBakingSoda
©2006ThePreparedPantry
Chapter4
The Secretsof UsingChemicalLeaveners
Baking Powder andBaking Soda
TheSecretsofUsingChemical Leaveners...... 97
Part1:Chemical LeavenersandHowTheyWork...... 98
BakingSoda...... 98
BakingPowder...... 99
Creamof Tartar...... 99
OtherLeaveners...... 100
Part2:UsingChemical Leaveners...... 101
TheMuffinMethod...... 101
TheCreamingMethod...... 102
TheBiscuitMethod...... 103
Part3:Learning toBakewithLeaveners...... 104
HowtoBakeQuickBreads...... 104
HowtoBakeMuffins ...... 107
HowtoMakeBiscuits...... 109
HowtoMakeScones ...... 111
HowtoMakeCornbread...... 113
Part4--Recipes:ApplyingWhatYouLearned...... 115
TheMuffinMethod--Blueberry CornMuffins...... 115
Toppingsfor Your Muffins ...... 118
TheCreamingMethod--NewEnglandHermits...... 121
TheBiscuitMethod--FrostedLemonPoppy SeedScones...... 123
CheddarandBaconCornbread...... 125
SweetandSavory—ExploreaNewWorldofBiscuits!...... 127
EasiestButtermilkBiscuits...... 128
Cranberry Nut Biscuits...... 129
CheddarCheeseBiscuits...... 130
Course Competency #___:How to Bake – Chapter 4 - Leaveners
Name ______Per. _____ Date ______
- How do baking powder, baking soda and cream of tartar make dough rise? (1)
Powerful chemical reactions create carbon dioxide which lifts the batter
- When baking soda is mixed with acid, what happens?
Causes bubbling and a thickening of the batter that doesn’t require the heat of the oven to start the leavening process.
- When does leavening start with baking soda?
As soon as it’s mixed with an acid
Tounderstandhowbakingsodaworks, trythisexperiment.(Actually,trythiswiththe kidsorgrandkidsandteach themabout chemicalreactions.) Put alittlebakingsodaina cup. Addalittlewater.Asshownin thefirstpicture, therearenobubbles. Nowadda littlelemonjuicetothewater andsodamixture. Immediately,youwill haveachemical reactionwithgasbubblesfizzingoutof thecup.
Carbondioxidebubblesareformedassoonasthealkalineleavenercomesincontact with theacidinthebatter.Toprotect thesefragilegasbubbles,donot stir thebatterany morethanisnecessary. Unless thebatterisverythin, itwill hold thegasbubblesfor sometimeandwill notneed tobebakedimmediately. In verythinbatters,suchas pancakebatters--especiallyas theyare stirred--thegasbubblesmaycollapseandthe batter mayneedtoberejuvenatedwith morebakingsoda.
Generally,onlyrecipescontaininganacidcallforbakingsoda. Ifthereisnoacidinthe batter, thereisnochemical reaction.Buttermilk, juices, unalkalizedcocoa(Dutchcocoa hasbeenalkalizedandisnot acidic), andmolassesarecommonacidsusedtoreact
withsoda.Thereactionofthealkalinebakingsodawithanacidicbatter has twoeffects:
itcreatesthecarbondioxidebubbles thatleaventhebatteranditneutralizes theacidin
thebatter.Neutralizingtheacidchangesthetaste—buttermilk, for example,nolonger hasitscharacteristicacidic tang.
Typically,recipesuse1/4 teaspoonbakingsodafor eachcupof flour.Veryheavy battersorveryacidicones mayusemore.Occasionallydropcookiescallfor more bakingsodabut that istoallowthecookie tobrown moreeasily sinceabatter witha lowerpH will brownquicker.
Inthepracticerecipe,NewEnglandHermits, buttermilkisusedasanacid toreactwith bakingsoda.Thebakingsodaneutralizes thebuttermilkandtheacidicbuttermilkflavor isnotapparent.Therecipecallsforoneteaspoonofbakingsodafor31/2cupsof flour.
BakingPowder
Whilebakingsodaisalkaline,bakingpowderisamixtureofanalkalinebakingsodaand acidsdesignedto createaneutral compound.It thereforereactswithitselfusing the moistureof thebatterasacatalyst.Likebakingsoda, this reactioncreatescarbon dioxidebubbles. It isdesignedsothat itwill not appreciablyalterthepHofthebatteror leaveanaftertasteasbakingsodawill.
Thebakingpowder generallyusedin thekitchenisdouble-acting:itreactsat room temperatureinthepresenceofmoistureandagainin theovenin thepresenceofheat. Theresult istheextraliftingpowernecessarytomakeacakelightandairy.
Differentbrandsofbakingpowderwill reactdifferentlydependingontheacid-alkaline mixtureused. A slowactingbakingpowderwill havelittle reactiontomoisturealonebut will reactrapidlywhenheated. Afastactingbakingpowderwill react significantlyas soonasitismixedwithwater.
Again, tryanexperiment. Addcool water tobakingpowder. Ifyouget onlyafew bubbles,youhaveaslowactingbakingsoda. Nowputyour bakingpowdersolutionin themicrowave. Asit heatsup,youwill seeaveryrapidexpansionofbubbles.
(Incidentally,with thebakingpowdersthat weexperimentedwith,wegot somereaction withaverystrongacidlikelemonjuicebut not nearlythereactionthat we foundwith bakingsoda.)
Oftenaweaklyacidic recipewill call for bothbakingsodaandbakingpowder.The bakingsodawill reactwith theacidinthebatterbut thereactionwill notbestrong enoughandisbolsteredwith theextrabakingpowder.
CreamofTartar
Creamof tartarisaby-productof thewine-makingindustryandisderivedfrom tartaric acid.Asanacid,itisthecounterpart tobakingsodaandwhen thetwoarecombinedin thepresenceofwater,theycreateachemical reactionwhichproducescarbondioxide. Therefore, most recipes thatcallfor creamof tartaralsocallfor bakingsoda. Insome
recipes, creamof tartar isusedtoincreasetheacidity in thebatter topreserve thetang ofbuttermilkorthetasteofanacidic juiceusedinconjunctionwithbakingsoda.
OtherLeaveners
Thereareother chemicalleaveners, thoughtheyarerarelyusedintoday'skitchens.In addition, mechanical meansareusedforleavening.Creamingbutter andsugar together entrainsairinthebatter.Steamisusedtoliftproducts. Eggwhitesarewhipped to capturetinyairpocketsand thereby lightenproducts.
Part2:UsingChemicalLeaveners
Inthissection, wewilllearnaboutthreemixingmethodsusingchemical leaveners.
TheMuffinMethod
TheCreaming orCakeMethod
TheBiscuit Method
Muffins,quickbreads, andcakesare mixedwitheither themuffinmethodor thecreaming method.Inthecreaming method,wecream thefat (butter or shortening) with thesugaruntil light and thenaddtheotheringredients. Inthe
muffinmethod,we mixtheliquidsandthe
dry ingredientsseparatelyand thenstir them together untiljustcombined.While therecipewill specifyone methodor the other, thereisnoreasonwhyyoucan’t use theotherandseewhichyoulike best.Thebiscuit methodisused primarilyfor biscuits,scones,andsome
desserts.Manycookiesuse thecreaming method.
Ifyou master thesethreemixing methods, youwillbepreparedfornearlyall recipes
usingchemical leaveners.
InPart3, wewill learnabout makingspecificproductswithillustrative recipes.
TheMuffinMethod
Themuffinmethodisusedfor making muffins,quickbreads,andsomecakes.Itis quickandeasy. Mixthedry ingredientstogether. Mixthewetingredientstogether includingtheeggsthenadd thewetmixturetothedrymixturewithaspatulaandyou’re readytobake. (Don’t evenbreakout yourelectric mixer—infact,don’tuse theelectric mixer.Stirthetwo mixtures together withaspatulaonlyuntil combined—notlumpfree— so that theglutenintheflourwill notbedeveloped.) If therecipecallsforbutteror shortening, eithersubstitutevegetableoil ormelt thebutterandaddit totheliquids. (In ouropinion,itisbetter touseoil or meltedbutter than meltedshortening.)
Oneadvantageofthe muffinmethodisthat boththedryand thewetingredientscanbe mixed thenight before. Storethewetingredients in therefrigerator andthenaddthem to thedry ingredientsinthemorningandyou’rereadytobake.You’ll save timeonthat
busymorning.
Steps intheMuffinMethod
1. Whiskall thewetingredientstogetherincludingtheeggsandoil or meltedbutter.
2. Whiskthedry ingredients together.
3. Add thewetingredients to thedry ingredients.Stir withaspatulauntil justmoistened.
4. Placein tinsandbakeimmediatelyasset forthinthe recipe.
TheCreamingMethod
Thecreaming methodis theother majormixingmethodusedinmanymuffin,cookie,
andcakerecipes.Withthis method, thesugar iscreamedintothefat (butter, margarine, cream cheese, orshortening) tohelpaeratethebatter.Theselittlepocketsexpandwith steam inthehotovenandwith theleaveners,lift the muffin, cookie,orcake.
Thecreaming methodiseasytomasterandopensawidearrayofrecipesfor you to bake. Thismethodworksbestwithanelectricbeater or mixerwhile themuffinmethod worksbestbyhand.Thecreaming methodhas twoadvantages: Thesugarandfatare well-dispersedin thebatterandtheentrainedair tends tomakefor alight, finecrumbin themuffins.Thecreaming methodmakesforlight, airymuffinsthough maybenotas tender asthemuffinmethod.
Inthecreaming method,place thebutter or shorteninginthemixingbowl ofyourelectric mixture.Addthesugar, spices,andsalt andcream themixturetogetherwith thepaddle attachment of themixer. (Ofcourse, recipesthatcallfor oil insteadofbutteror
shorteningcannot becreamedunlessyousubstitutebutterorshortening.)Theobjective is todrive thesharpsugarcrystals throughthebutterorshorteningcreating tinyvoidsof airin themixture. Thisentrainedair will help the muffinsrise.
Steps intheCreamingMethod
1.Withthepaddleattachment ofanelectricmixer,cream togetherthebutteror shorteningandsugars, spices,andsalt until light.
2.Addtheeggsoneat atime, creamingafter each.
3.Addtheliquidingredientsand stir them in. Donotover-stir or you mayreduce the entrainedair inthecreamedmixture.
4.Mixtheflourandleaveningstogether andthenaddthem tothe creamed mixture.Mix until justcombined.
5.Placeintinsandbakeimmediatelyassetforthin therecipe.
TheBiscuitMethod
Thebiscuit methodis usedin most sconeandbiscuit recipesplusmany dessert andpastryrecipes.Itis sometimescalled thepastrymethod becauseit incorporates thesame techniqueasfor mixingpiedough. (Therearesomebiscuit recipes thatcall for using the creamingmethodbut those biscuits turnout tobemorecake-like.)
Withthismethod, thebutter or shorteningiscut intotheflour mixture withapastryknifeandthen theliquids aremixedin justuntil combined.Inthe
heatof theoven, thebutter melts, thewater in thebutter createssteam, and theproduct risesintoflaky layers.
Youwill needapastryblender(sometimescalledapastryknife)or foodprocessor to mixthis. (Manyrecipesindicate that you maycutthebutterintotheflourwith two knives.MaybeIlackdexteritybut Ihavetroubledoingso.)
Iftherearekeystosuccesswith thebiscuit method, theyare: cut thebutterin thoroughly—themixtureshouldlookgranular withnolargeparticles—anduseverycold butter.Thebuttershouldnot melt beforethedough reachestheoven.
Steps intheBiscuit Method
1.Measure thedry ingredientsintoamedium-sizedbowl.Whiskthem thoroughlyto evenlydisperse theingredients.
2.Cut intheshortening, margarine,orbutterwithapastryblenderuntil themixtureis granularwithparticles nolarger thankernelsof grain.
3.Combine theliquidingredientsinanotherbowl.
4.Addtheliquidstothedry ingredients. Stir themixturetogetherwithaforkuntil the doughbeginstoagglomerate.
5.Remove thedoughtoacounterlightlydustedwithflour.Kneaditbypatting thedough flatandfoldingit inhalf. Turnit ninetydegreesand repeat theprocess.Continuedoing thisforacoupledozentimesuntil themixtureiskneaded together.Donotover knead.
6.Cut thesconesorbiscuits toshapeandbake.
Part3:LearningtoBakewithLeaveners
Sofar inthischapter,wehaveexamined thechemical leavenersandhowtheywork. In part two,we reviewed the major mixing methodsthat areusedwithchemical leaveners. Nowin thispart,wewilllearnhowtomakeparticulartypesofproductsusingchemical leaversand themethodswelearnedinPart2. Finally,in thispart, wewillexamine recipesthat illustrate these methods.
HowtoBakeQuickBreads
It’snowonder quickbreadsaresopopular.Theyareeasy, fast—asthenameimplies, nearlyfoolproof,versatile,andoh, sogood.Wecommonlyknowthem assweetened loaveswithfruit or nuts,somewherebetweenyeastbreadsandcakesintextureand sweetness. Theyareleavenedwithbakingpowderandbakingsoda.Bananabreadand datenutbreadaretypical thoughsomebooks list recipesfor savoryvarieties.
Quickbreadshavelesssugarandlessfat than cakes. Thenutsoftenfoundinquick breadsaddtothefat content. Thefruitaddstothemoistureaswell as theflavor. Becausequickbreadstend tobedrier thancakes, theyareoftenspreadwithbutter, cream cheese,or jam. Peanutbutterisoneofourfavoritetoppings.
Quickbreadstendtobemoredenseandmoist than muffinsthoughthebatter forquick breadscanbebakedinmuffintins. Generally,muffinbatteristhinner thanquickbread batter.
Quickbreadsarewonderfullyversatile,appropriatewhenevertherichnessofacakeis undesirable. Theyareoftenservedat breakfastandbrunch, for snacks, and theyfinisha meal well inplaceofa sweeterdessert.Whenusedforadessert, theycanbetopped withicecream or asyrup.SlicescanbetoastedordippedineggsandmadeasFrench toast. Theymakegreat sandwiches—thoughabitfragileunless“stuck” together with cream cheeseor peanutbutter.Tryafruit filledquickbreadtoppedwithshavingsofham or turkey.
Therearetwo methodsfor mixingquickbreads: thecreaming methodandthemuffin method,bothofwhichwerecoveredinthepreviouspartof thischapter.Ifyouneed to reviewthosemethods,youcandosothere.Inreview,with thecreamingmethod,sugar andfat (butter, margarine,orshortening) arebeat together toentrainairinthemixture andprovideaddedlift tothe batter.Withthemuffin method, theliquidsarecombinedin onebowl,thedry ingredientsinanother, andthenthetwoaremixed together.The creaming methodtends to makeamorecake-likebread.
PointersforSuccesswithQuickBreads
1. Donotover mix. Over mixingwill develop theglutenandmakethebreadtough insteadof tender.
2. Chooselowglutenflour,eitherpastryorall-purposeflour.Breadflour will makea toughloaf.
3. Donot scooptheflour.Siftorwhisk theflour tomakeitlight andfluffy, not packed, thenspoonit into themeasuringcup.
4. Thecreaming methodproducesamorecake-likeproduct andiswell-suitedfor
thoserecipesthat haveahighfator sugar content. Consider thecreaming methodfor thoserecipesthatcallfor morethanfour tablespoonsofbutter per loaf.
5. Bakesoonafter mixingbeforetheeffect of theleaveningsbeginstodissipate.
6. Ifyouusedrymilkinyourrecipe,addit toliquidingredientssothat it canbe stirredandthoroughlydissolved.
7. Commercial muffinstendtobeveryhighinfat andsugar—morelikeateacake thanabread.Your quickbreadshouldbemorebread-likeandnot asrichas commercialmuffins.
8. Greasepanswell andconsiderdusting thepanswithflour aswell.(Ifyouuse butter, alwaysdustyour panstoabsorbthewater in thebutter.)Withthehigh sugarcontent, theloaves tendto stickinthepans.Non-stickpansarehelpful.
9. Breadsareeasier to remove from thepaniftheyset forfiveor tenminutes beforeremoving thebread.
10.Test for donenessbyinsertingatoothpickintoa crackinthecenterof theloaf. If thebreadisdone, thetoothpickshouldcomeoutclean.
11.Quickbreadsarebest iftheyare tightlywrappedandstoredintherefrigerator
overnight. After thebreadhascompletelycooled, wrapit tightly inplasticor foil. As thebreadchills,boththeflavorandthemoisturepermeatethebread.The breadcanbestoredinthe refrigeratorfor fivetosevendays.
12.Quickbreadscanalsobefrozen.Placethewrappedbreads infreezer-grade plasticbagsandfreezethem for uptothreemonths.Whenreadytouse, thaw theloavesin therefrigerator whilestillwrapped.
Troubleshooting TipsforQuickBreads
1. Cracked top:Acrackedtopisdesirableandnotafault.
2. Tunnelsand voids: Tunnelsandvoidsin thebreadareasymptom ofover mixing.Mixonlyuntil thedry ingredientsaremoistened. Somelumpsmay remain.
3. Tough texture: Atoughtextureinsteadofatender textureisanothersymptom ofover mixing. Occasionally,toohighofbaking temperaturewill cause toughness.
4. Soggytexture: If thebatter isleft for toolongbeforebaking, it maybesoggyor sunkinthemiddle. Ifthethereis toomuchliquidornotenoughleavening, the breadmaybesoggy.
5. Coarse,crumblytexture: Thebreadshouldbemoist anddense. Toomuchfat or toomuchleaveningwill cause thebreadtobecrumbly.
6. Bitter, soapyaftertaste:Toomuchbakingsodaorbakingpowderwill createan aftertaste.
7. Too thickortoobrownofacrust:Atoughthickcrustmaybecausedby havingyouroven temperaturetoohighor toomuchsugarin the recipe.
8. Greasycrumb: Toomuchfatwill createagreasytexture.
9. Crisp edges: Toomuchfat or toomuchfat andsugarwill createcrispedges.
HowtoBakeMuffins
Muffinsareamainstayaroundourhouse. Theyareasnourishingastheyaregoodto eat.Theyarequicker andeasier tomakethancookiesandusuallycontainmuchless sugarandfat.Weusuallyeatthemforbreakfastbutlikethem withanymeal. (For Easter,weservedcranberrynut muffinswithahamdinner.) Theyworkwell forsnacks anddessertsaswell.Extrascanbefrozenandheatedinthemicrowave forhot muffins anytime.
Aswithquickbreads, muffinscanbemadewith thetwo major makeupmethods:the muffinmethodandthecreamingmethod. Asyourecall,inthemuffinmethod, theliquids and thedry ingredientsaremixedseparatelyandthenstirredtogetheruntil just combined.Inthecreaming method, youcreamthebutter andsugar together. Review thesemethodsfoundearlierin thechapterifneedbe.
PointersforSuccesswithMuffins
Tomakeperfect muffins, employthetechniquesoutlinedherealongwith the techniques describedinthemixing methods:
1. Inpreparation, greasethe muffintins.Welikethesprayoilsfromanaerosol canto reachthecornersof thetins.Besure tocover thetopedgeswherethemuffinswill flowwhenbaking.(Youcanusepaper linersbut since thebatter adheresslightlyto thepaper, youwill haveslightly lessvolume tothe muffins.)
2. Settheoven topreheat. Temperatureisoneof thesecretstothosenicelydomed muffinsthat youfindinthebetter bakeshops.Commercial ovensusepreciseheat settingsandtimers. Inthekitchen,wecanapproximate thoseresultsby:
a. Makingsurethat theoveniscompletelyheatedbeforebaking.Weliketolet theovensit atfulltemperaturefor at least tenminutesbeforebakingsothat the heatiswell-absorbedinto thestructureoftheoven.
b. Closingthedoor asquicklyaspossible tokeeptheheattrapped. c. Setting thetemperatureatahigherinitial settingandloweringthe
temperaturelater.Thehigher heat createsaburstofsteamthat liftsthebatter.
d. Placingthemuffins intheupper thirdoftheovenwhereittendstobehotter andtheheatmoreconstant.
3. Always measureflourpreciselyusingascaleifyouhaveone.Muffinrecipesare sensitive to the ratioof flour toliquid.Toomuchflourandthemuffinwill not rise properlyandwill bedry.Toolittleflourandthemuffinwill flowovertheedgesofthe muffincuprather thandomenicely.Ifyouneedtofinetuneyourfavoriterecipe, changetheflourbyatablespoonor two.
4. Tomakecake-likemuffins,usealowerproteinflour—cakeor pastryflour. Higher proteinall purposeorbreadflourswill makeamuffinthatischewierand morebread- like.
5. Ifyouareusingfruitin your muffins,foldthemingentlyat theendofyour mixingwith a minimumnumber of folds.Fruit crusheseasilyin thethickbatter andthejuicewill stain thebatter.
6. Fill the muffintinswithalargespoonoricecream scoop.Makesurethat the muffin tinsareevenlyfilledsothat theybakeevenly.Most recipesdirect that the muffintins befilled2/3'sfull toallow room for expansion.Ifyourbatterisat theright consistency,youcanfill the tinsfor anicedomeon themuffins.(Ourmixesare designedforfull tins.)
7. Bakethemuffinsuntiltheyarealightgoldenbrown.Themuffintopshouldspring backwhengentlypressedwith thefingerandatoothpickinsertedinthecenter shouldcomeout clean.Over-bakedmuffinswill bedryandtough. Under baked muffinsmaybemoistandheavy.
8. It iseasytotearapart hot muffinstrying tolift them from thetins.Instead, let the muffinssitforafewminutesand youshouldbeable toeasily lift them out intact. Place them onwire racks tocontinuecooling.
9. Muffinsarebest servedhotanddonot keepwell beyond thefirst day.Freezeany extras.
HowtoMakeBiscuits
I grewupin theWest. Mymother made biscuitsoftenbut always for breakfast. (Thoughoccasionallyshe made“Pigsina Blanket”byfoldingsausageandcheeseinto thebiscuit doughbeforebaking.We’ll share
therecipelaterinthischapter.)ThenI wentto theSouthfor twoyears.Thosegoodpeople madeanartofbiscuitsandserved themfor dinnerandlunchaswell asbreakfast.I fell in lovewith theSouthandmost things Southern, includingthosetall, light biscuits. Inthis section, we’ll teachyouhowto make yourown tall,lightbiscuits.
Herearethebasicstepstomaking thosegreat biscuits.
1. Preheat theoven to425degrees.Itis important thatyouhaveahotoven.Thehot ovencreatesaburst ofsteam thathelps lift thebiscuits. Oil abakingsheet.
2. Measuretheflourbyscoopingsomeintoabowl and thenspooning theflourintothe measuringcup.Ifyoumeasurepackedflourbyscooping, youwill have too much.
3. Add theleavening,sugar,salt,andanyotherdry ingredientstotheflourandstirin
thoseingredients.
4. Cutthecoldbutterintochunks.Thebutter shouldberock-hard.Ifyouareusing shortening, it will mixbetter ifchilledbeforeuse.Slice thecoldbutteror shortening into theflourmixtureusingapastryknife.Work thebutter intotheflour mixtureuntil youhaveacoarse,grainymixture.
5. Makeawell in the middleoftheflour andpour thebuttermilkor otherliquidsintothe
flourmixture. Stir untiljust moistened.Removethedoughtothecounter andworkit until it just comestogether. Asyouwork thedough, foldit overitself.Thoselayers will help makelight, layeredbiscuits. Donot over work thedough.Workquicklyso that thebutter doesnotmelt. Youshouldseebitsofstillfirm butter inthedough. Thosewill createpocketsandbuttery layersin thebiscuits.
6. Pator rollthedoughtoathicknessof3/4inch. Youcannot have tall biscuitswithout thickdough.Thebiscuitswill rise toabout twicetheheightinbaking.
7. Cutthebiscuitstoshape. Place them side-by-sideonthepreparedbakingsheet.
Withthebiscuitsside-by-side,theywill tend toraise morerather thanspread.
8. Bakefor12to14minutesor untilthebiscuitsjust begin tobrown. Donot overbake them or theywill tend tobedry. Removethebiscuits from thebakingsheetand place themonawire rack tocool.
PointersforSuccesswithBiscuits
1. Usealowproteinflour.Wepreferunbleachedpastryflour.
2. Don’tovermixthedough. Over-mixingthedoughwill develop theglutenand makeachewyrather thanflakeybiscuits.
3. Roll thedoughtoauniform thicknesssothat theywill bakeevenly.
4. Space thecutsasclosetogether aspossible.Reworkedscrapswill notbeas tender asthefirstcut biscuitssincethedoughhasbeenworkedmore.Consider cuttingsquaresor trianglessothatyouhavefewerscraps. Ifyoudoso,usea ruler for uniform biscuits.Ifyouusearoundcutter, don’t twistthecutter asyou cutout thebiscuits; pressthecutterstraight down.
5. Make thebiscuitsofuniform sizeandshapesothat theywill bakeuniformly.
Protrudingbitsof doughcanbepushedbackinwithawet finger.
6. Useagreasedorparchment paper-linedbakingsheet.
7. Ifyouwantcrustybiscuits,placethemabout1/2-inchapart. Ifyouwantsoft- sidedbiscuits, placethemcloserandbreak them apartafterbaking.
8. Forbrownerbiscuits, brush thetopswithbutter or milk.Donot overbakeyour biscuits.
9. For tallerbiscuits,bakeasquicklyaspossibleafter forming. That isespecially importantifyouareusingbakingsodaandbuttermilkforpart oftheleavening.
10.Coolthebiscuitsonwireracks.
HowtoMakeScones
Ah,there’snothinglikeatender, steamingsconeinthe morning. (Pronounced“skawn”like“fawn”or “scone” like “tone”–Webster sayseither isokay.) They’requick, they’reeasy,and withafewtips, theyareabsolutely delectable.
Mostsconesaremadeusing thebiscuit methodofmixing.
Sconesareamongtheeasiestand quickestofbreads. Once youget the ingredientsassembled,most recipesonly
requirefifteenminutesofpreptimeandanother fifteenminutesor soofbaking time.A
mix isevenquicker.
Buttherearesomekeystomaking thoseflakey,tendersconesthat you’vebeen dreamingabout.
PointersforSuccesswithScones
1. Use therightflour. Useasoft, lowproteinflour—weuseaqualitypastryflour.
Youwantsoft, tendersconesandtoomuchproteinleads totoomuchgluten
which makesyoursconeschewy.
2. Keepyouringredientscold. Temperatureiscritical tobuttery, flakeyscones. Start withverycoldbutter—itshouldchipwhenyoucutit intochunksandyourliquids shouldbeicecold.Beforeyoustart, measure your milkor waterandput it in the freezerfor tenminutes.Considerchillingyour mixingbowl beforemixing.
Whydo youringredientsneed tobecold?Theobjectiveis tokeepthebuttera solidandnot letit meltintoaliquid. Ifyourdoughiskept cold,itwill have little bitsofdispersedbutter. In theheat oftheoven, thatbutter melts intothedough butleavespocketsandlayersin thescones.
Workwiththedoughquicklytokeepitcool.
3. Don’tworkyour doughtoo much.Kneadingconvertstheproteintogluten. Mix onlyuntil theingredientscometogetherintoacombinedmass.
4. Useafolding technique.For flakey,layeredscones,useafolding technique.Roll thedoughout toabout 3/8-inch thick.Foldthedoughinhalfandinhalfagainand again. Roll thedoughout toabout 3/4-inchthickbeforecuttingthescones.
5. Usearuler. Ifyouwouldlikenice, neat scones, usearulerbothasa straightedgetocutagainstandtomeasureequally-sizedscones.
6. Leave thecutedgesofthesconesalone.Patting theedgeswithyour fingers meldstheedgessothat thesconewill notriseasnicelyorhaveaflakey, layered structure.
7. Don’tover-bakeyour scones. Over-baking for evenaminuteor twowill dryyour sconesout. Assoonas theedgesbegintoturnbrown,remove them from the oven.Immediately,placethesconesonawire rack—thehot panwill continue to drythescones.
MoreIdeasfor Your Scones
1. Sconescanbefrozenfor uptothreemonths.Reheat them at 300degreesfor 10 to15minutes. Probetheinsideofthesconeto makesurethat itiswarm.
2. Youcanbake yourdoughinasingleflattenedloaflikeabannock.
3. Sconesarebest freshoutof theoven.Recipeswithmorebutterkeepfresh longer.
4. For thebest shape, don’t roll yourdoughthinner than1/2-inch.
5. Sconeswill rise todouble their unbakedheightintheoven.If theyareproperly cut, theywill spreadverylittleso youcanplacethemclosetogether onthe bakingsheet.
6. Youdon’tneedtocutyoursconesintotriangles. Youcanuseacookiecutteror free-handcutother shapes.Heart-shapedsconesforMothers DayorValentinesDayareperfect.
HowtoMakeCornbread
Youcantell thatwelovecornbread.Youcando so muchwithcornbread.Thinkofitas anemptyeasel,addingtheflavorsandcolorsthat fityour fancy.
It helpstounderstandthe typesofcornbread. It’seasier toanticipatethefinished cornbreador modifyarecipe tomatchfamily’s tastes.
•Sweetened cornbread:Thisis Yankeecornbread,slightlysweettothetaste. Lookfor oneortwo tablespoonsofsugarintherecipe.
•Southerncornbread:Thisistheclassic, traditional cornbreadwith justa teaspoonor twoofsugar (andinsomecases,none). Drizzlehoneyorsyrupover thiscornbreador serveitwith jam.
•Flourlesscornbread:Flourlesscornbreadreliesontheproteins ineggstoprovide structureinsteadofthe starches inflours. Mostcornbreadrecipeshaveabout thesame amount of flour ascornmeal.
•Sweet orsavorycornbread:Youcanmixsweetorsavoryadditionsintoyour cornbread. Inthisissue, youwill findbacon, cheddar, peppers,andonionsassavory additions.Blueberries,apples,nuts, anddriedfruitall workwell incornbread.
•Yeasted cornbread:Yeastedcornbreadischewyandwonderful.Thegluteninthe breadflourisdevelopedso thatit hasatexture morelikebreadthancornmeal. AnadamaBreadhasasmall portionof cornmealadded.
PointersforSuccesswithCornbread
Cornbreadhasbeennominatedtheofficial AmericanBreadandwhynot?It’soriginal to theAmericas. (CornoriginatedintheNewWorld.) AndAmericanscertainlyhavealove affair withcornbreadwith regionsadopting favorite typesandaworldofvariations. Whateveryourpreference, thefollowing tipsandtechniqueswill helpyoubuildbetter cornbread.
1. Alwayscheckyour cornmealfor ranciditybeforebaking. Rancidcornmealwill smell staleandmusty;goodcornmeal will haveasweetersmell.
2. Whenmixingbatterforcornbreador muffins,put awayyourelectricmixer.Mixing byhandhelpseliminateovermixing. It isdesirable tohaveafewlumps inthe batter.Theywill hydrateduringbakingandthelumpswill helpgiveacraggy appearancetoyour breads.
3. Oncemoistened, workquicklywith thebatter.The moisturewill activatethe leavenersin thebatter.
4. Cornbreaddoesnot keepwell. Itisbest usedonthedaybaked.Storeleftovers wrappedinplasticandthenaluminumfoil andplacedin therefrigerator. Cornbreadcanbefrozenforsixweeks.
5. Useold-processcornmealinsteadofdegerminatedcornmeal whenavailable.
Cornmeal with thegerm shouldbestoredin the refrigeratorforuptosixmonths.
Ifyouhave moreold-processcornmealthan youwill useinsixmonths, freeze part ofit.Itwill keepinthefreezer forover ayear.
6. Ifyouaremakingcornmealfor stuffing,it canbebakeduptothreedaysahead.
Crumbleit andkeepit anairtight bag. Consider addingsagetocornbreadbatter.
7. Considersubstitutingwholewheat flourfor whiteflour.Withthegrainynatureof cornmeal, your kidswon’tevenknowthat youslippedwholewheatinonthem.
8. Considersugar avariable.Asweetercornmeal will have1/4cupsugaror more for everyonecupof flour andonecupof cornmeal.Manysouthernstyle cornbreadshavelittleor nosugar.
9. Whenmakingcornmuffins(oranymuffins), partiallyfill anyemptytinswith water. Themoisturewill improve themuffins, thetinswill heatmoreevenly,and cleanupiseasier.
10.Manyofuslovecrustycornbread.A darkpanwillmake crustier cornbreadthana lightpan.For thecrustiestcornbread,usea skillet.
11.Typical recipescallfor cornmeal andflourinaone-to-oneratio. Some skillet cornbreadsomit theflour anduseextraeggs.Thesecornbreadsarenot only verygood,theyaregoodforyouandanoptionfor thosewhoaregluten intolerant.
Part4--Recipes:ApplyingWhatYouLearned
TheMuffinMethod--BlueberryCornMuffins
Thisrecipeistypical ofmanyrecipes using themuffinmethod.It makesa great cornmuffinloadedwith blueberries.Whenyousuccessfully makethisrecipe, you’ll bepreparedfor manysimilar recipes.
Since thisrecipebatterhaslittleacid,it isleavenedwithbakingpowder. (The blueberriesareacidicbutarenot available to thebakingpowderin the batter.)
Corn muffinsandblueberriesarea
classiccombination. Inthis recipe, thecornmeal ispresoakedfor asofter,lessgritty texture.Thenot-too-sweetcornbreadmuffinsset offtheblueberriesperfectly.While manycornmuffinshave moreflour thancornmealandarealmost cake-like, this recipe maintainsitscornbread rootswithequal partsofeach.
Ingredients
11/4cupscornmeal
1/3cup veryhotwater
3/4cup vegetableoil
3largeeggs,whisked
3/4cupgranulatedsugar
1 teaspoonsalt
1 teaspoon vanillaextract
1/2teaspoonvanillaextract
11/4cupsall-purposeflour
1 tablespoonbakingpowder
1cupfreshorfrozenblueberries
Directions
Preheat theoven to425degrees
1. Measure thecornmeal intoalargebowl.Addthehotwaterandoil andset it aside tosoak. Let it soakfor fifteentotwentyminutes.
Baker’sNote: Soakingthecornmeal beforemixingalleviates thegrittytexture sometimesfoundincornbread. For amorecorn-like flavor, useacoarse-ground cornmeal.
2. Inthemeantime, whiskthe threeeggs inanothermediumbowl.Add the granulatedsugar, salt,andextracts. Stir until smooth.
3. Mixtheflourandbakingpowdertogether inamediumbowl.
4. Add theeggandsugarmixturetothecornmealmixture. Stir withaspatulauntil smooth.
Baker’sNote: Measuretheflourbyfirstwhisking theflour inthebagtolightenit and thenspooningtheflourintothemeasurebeforescreeingit off witha straightedge. Ifyoudipthe flour from thebag,itwill be morepackedanddense andyouwill havetoomuch flour intherecipe. Cornmeal doesnotpackasreadily as flour andwedodiptomeasureour cornmeal.
5. Add theflour mixtureallatoncetothewetmixture.Stirwith thespatulauntil just combined. Somelumpsshould remain.
Baker’sNote: Thisistheclassicmuffinmethodof mixing,addingallthedry ingredientstothewetingredientsandmixing withaspatulaonlyuntilmoistened. If youstir toomuch, youwill develop theglutenandyour muffinwill bechewy insteadoftender.Donot useanelectricmixer for thismixing.
6. Sprinkletheblueberriesoverthebatter. Donot stir.Spoonthebatter intovery well greasedmuffintinsor muffintins linedwithpapercups. Trytocatchafew blueberriesineachspoonful ofbatter.Fill thecupsuntilfull oralmostfull.
Baker’sNote: Asyoustir theblueberriesintothebatter, especially withfrozen blueberries, thejuicestains thebatter. If yousprinkle theblueberriesontopand spoonblueberrieswiththebatter,youwill reducethestaining.