Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bake

We've got to stop loafing around...

cior — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:05:22 -0800

What are the best supplies for baking bread at home from scratch? My husband loves baking, but hasn't produced much more than muffins in recent years. I've organized a 1-1 bread baking lesson for him, but would love to go further to procure a collection of solid bread baking supplies for him to work with and use.

I haven't the faintest clue and left to my own devices I'd likely buy a mish-mash of random things that might not prove useful in practice.

Things to know:

He's a hobbyist, but tends to take his hobbies seriously.
Professional supplies are OK, with the understanding that we have an at-home, non-commercial kitchen to work with.
Aside from cookie pans and cake tins, we do not have much in the way of baking-specific tools in our kitchen.
He loves Italian, French and sourdough.
Specific products/brands are encouraged, I don't want to leave much to chance.

please help me become the maple syrup plum fairy

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:28:34 -0800

I want to bake/roast/broil plums in a sauce of maple syrup and/or red wine. Will this work? Have you done this? Does a recipe exist? Plums = slightly underripe.
Wine = Shiraz
Maple syrup = delicious

Other potentially useful ingredients I have: cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger, vanilla extract. I could probably get some other stuff, but I'd prefer not to.

(No) Bake Sale

Dr. Wu — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:05:23 -0800

I need to bake something, but it's hot (and getting hotter) and humid, and I don't want to raise the temperature in here any further. Any suggestions for no-bake (or toaster-oven?) treats? As part of our volunteer commitment to our CSA, my lovely fiancée promised to make some baked goods for their biweekly bake sale, which takes place this afternoon. However, she is overworked and never got around to baking last evening, and won't be home in time to make anything in time for the sale.

So I need to bake ... something. Could be anything, as we didn't promise to bring any item in particular. Cookies, brownies, whatever.

But, yeah, it's hot and I don't want it any hotter in here. Do you know any good no-bake recipes that produce something bake-sale friendly? Whatever I make must be apportioned into individual-size units, as cookies or brownies would be. A cake that could be sliced would work, too.

The toaster oven doesn't make things too warm in here, so I'm open to toaster-oven-specific recipes, too. Microwave is an option, as well.

We have a reasonably well-stocked kitchen, and I'm a pretty good cook. (She's the better baker, but I can manage.) Any ideas?

Thanks!

Perfect savory/sweet recipe combos for an office meeting?

sperose — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:36:40 -0800

I've been bitten by the baking bug! I need help figuring out what combination of 2 different recipes (1 savory, 1 sweet) would be perfect for a morning office meeting of 5-6 people that will survive not being refridgerated. Also, simplicity is best since I've only just started to foray into baking. (More details inside.) I've been scouring various baking blogs and have lots of ideas for what I could do, but I'm falling short on what sort of combination would be the best for this particular problem.

My office has a meeting on Tuesday at 10am with 5-6 attendees. Our normal 'catering' has been a box of donuts and one of those boxes of coffee from Dunkin Donuts. I've baked 2 other recipes for the communal table that have gotten rave reviews from my co-workers. I've also been baking for myself and it seems to be going pretty well. I've previously made cheesecake brownies and chocolate chip cookies. I want to try and make something interesting to bring for the meeting. (Someone else is already handling the beverages.)

I've read the following previous questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

The question (in list form): What should I make (within the following criteria?)

Must:
2 recipes with one sweet and one savory.
Able to survive without refrigeration for at least a week (longer is preferable).
Fairly simple recipe. (Detailed is okay, but only with specific instructions.)
Not require special mixers or machines. (I've got an electric mixer, but that's about it.)
Cheap to make.
Not too messy/sticky.
Easy to transport.
Include as many natural ingredients as possible (no fake butter).
No beans.
No alcohol involved (except for vanilla extract).

Preferably:
Not cookies or brownies.
Somewhat healthy. (No applesauce substitutions, ugh.)
Not including expensive or difficult to find ingredients. (Basically, things that could be found at Giant or Safeway [within the state of Maryland].)
Uses up about 1/3 cup of cream cheese frosting.
Not needing plates and/or forks for consumption.
Doesn't make a massive amount of the final product. (I can halve recipes, but I'd like not to.)
Be a nice compliment to coffee.
American measurements (cups, not liters).

Other:
Allergies and other dietary restrictions are not an issue. I know that one person likes peanut butter. I've got pans galore.

The biscuit shall rise again!

hal_c_on — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:48:31 -0800

How do I make fantastic southern-type biscuits? There are only a few ingredients (I think), and people regularly produce them...but my Cali-Yank pedigree will not allow me to make them? I'm referring to savory soft biscuits, not the cookie-tin biscuits, of course.

I've done tons of recipes but nothing turns out like I've tasted. Water, flour, baking powder, crisco/shortening, baking soda, butter, and (butter)milk are all the ingredients I need (right)?

I've seen people using lard, but I don't eat lard...and the restaurants/individuals who have made biscuits I ate told me that besides dairy, there are no animal products in the recipe.

How do I make fantastic biscuits...and the hell with cutting calories/fat. I just want good biscuits.

25 and TRYING to COOK

designbyme — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:48:54 -0800

I'm 25 and starting to cook - What? Where do I get it? Why? I'm 25 and me and my roommate are just starting to cook on our own. Our add water and microwave days of college are over. Plus we like to have friends over sometimes, and ordering a pizza makes for a lame dinner party.

Basically this just feels like something we should be doing, it's fun to try new things and in general, it saves money!

Some things I always liked growing up:

• Big Mac 'N Cheese fan
• Anything with Cool Whip...
• Mom makes this breaded chicken that got baked...
• Love salads, been trying to broaden my horizon in terms of dressing

I also always struggle with whether to buy the brand names or the store labels. Does it make a difference?!?! What do you guys buy and why?

Anyway.... I'd love to hear your ideas. I'd love some new easy recipes, but I'm really curious about the art of grocery shopping too. Discount store? Upscale store?

Thanks in advance!! If your ideas are really good, I'll have you all over for dinner. ;)

Help me make the best cupcakes ever.

The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:24:18 -0800

What are the best cupcakes you've ever ever had? How can I make them? I'm looking to bake the best, most delicious, wonderful cupcakes ever. Like, cupcakes that would win awards. So please, share with me your tips, tricks, and recipes, and maybe i'll send you a few. okay, probably not really.
also, bonus points for a really really good cream cheese frosting.

Re-Baking?

janelikes — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:11:05 -0800

Potential food born illness in baked appetizer - what should I do? So I'm headed to the boyfriends for thanksgiving (omg!) and offered to make a yummy appetizer. I chose this and made it a day early because I didn't want to have to use the kitchen while thanksgiving day dinner was being cooked.

Stupidly, I prepared the whole thing including the egg wash so that I could just pop it in the oven for 20 minutes when I got to the party. Yeah.
Afraid of bacteria, I decided to bake the yumminess a little bit so that the bacteria would be gone, but when I took it out of the oven it was perfectly done. It is beauiful and golden brown and perfect as it is- it does not look like it needs more cooking.

Is there anyway that I can refridgerate this and re-cook it tomorrow and still have it be awesome? How should I cook it so that its still perfect? Is there any chance for bacteria build up from the crab if i do try to reheat it?

This thing was expensive- probably like $40 and I would really like to not make it again...but I will if I have to.

Baking rice

Foam Pants — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 23:06:42 -0800

How do you make rice for 40 people? I need to make some plain white rice, about 30 to 40 servings. I think my best option is to bake it. I have no equipment in my leetle home kitchen to handle cooking this on the stovetop unless it is in many batches. I have seen a recipe that baked brown rice but I have no idea how to go about baking white rice. Has anybody ever done this?