Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with baking

best moist but structural vegan pumpkin pie recipe?

amtho — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:48:19 -0800

My ideal pumpkin pie is very moist, not too sweet, and quite structural. Is it possible to achieve this in a vegan recipe? We have a can of pumpkin in the cupboard. I'd love to whip up a pie. I have silken tofu, Bob's Red Mill egg replacer, tapioca starch, sugar, soy milk, rice milk, soy yogurt, bananas, and coconut milk "drink".

Does anyone have experience with a vegan (no eggs or condensed milk) pumpkin pie recipe that's delicious and moist, and solid at room temperature?

My previous attempts have either not gelled or have been kind of like eating dehydrated sugary pumpkin sediment - better than my description sounds, but not what I want. On reflection, I think that my favorite non-vegan pumpkin pies have had a lot of egg to provide the structure to keep them thick and moist while holding their shape when cut (and providing decent mouth feel).

Give the gift that keeps on smearing

DarlingBri — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:53:24 -0800

[HomemadeCandyFilter] We made Chocolate-Almond Buttercrunch Toffee according to this recipe. The toffee part is great; the chocolate part appears to be a train wreck. Basically, it's break and spread nuts, spread toffee over top, break and spread chocolate, add another layer of nuts. Everything went flawlessly, including the making of toffee with our thrilling new candy thermometer. But the chocolate is not re-hardening at all. This is not good.

I used continental plain chocolate (74% cocoa) and it never occurred to me this might happen or that I needed particular chocolate. Is this stuff ever going to get hard or will I have to scrape it off and do this over again with some other chocolate?

Where did I go wrong and how do I fix this? We plan to give this stuff as packaged gifts so I do need to fix it. Thanks!

want some cookies with your butter??

Juicy Avenger — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:24:59 -0800

Ruined cookies, ruined Christmas! Baking fail. So I've royally screwed up the directions on only the simplest of box cookies in the world. This Duncan Hines "family recipe chocolate chip cookies" calls for 1 egg and 1 TABLESPOON of butter, BUT deceptively shows a picture of a WHOLE STICK in the ingredients list. I'm a visual learner. And apparently a slow one. So I took it at face value and melted a whole stick in there, mindlessly, until I was like "huhhh these look a little greasy......D'OH!" So, now I've added a cup of flour to try to absorb the excess butter and am baking a test batch. Is there anything else I can do to try to salvage the rest? Master bakers, help?

This toothsome tart won't tighten up.

liketitanic — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:21:24 -0800

Help me troubleshoot this savory tart recipe. So it has become an xmas tradition in the titanic-filter household to have this goat cheese, polenta, and mushroom tart for breakfast before the tossing of wrapping paper commences.

But I can never get the tart to set quite right and I'm not sure why. The directions say that for one prepared cup of polenta (implying that that's how much you need), you should prepare one dry cup of polenta . . . except you end up with about 3 cups. People have noted this in the recipe comments and say that the tart doesn't quite set with either one OR three cups polenta. I usually use 3, and there's so much melty stuff in the mix that I can't imagine one cup would be enough to bind it. But I can't get it to firm up and it tends to be more like a pudding. Which is still delicious, but still.

The best I can think to do is let it cool completely, chill to firm, then reheat, but then I have to make it the night before while I have eggnog brain. Ideas?

(It's delicious, you will love it.

Utterly butterscotch recipes!

orange swan — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:53:38 -0800

Please hit me with your best butterscotch cake/dessert recipes. I'm planning a company dinner and when it came to deciding on a dessert, I found I had a hankering for something butterscotch. What are your best butterscotch cake or dessert recipes? I'm thinking something relatively simple that can be served with ice cream, because one of my company is four-year-old boy who loves his ice cream.

help me tame my naughty shortbread (not a euphemism)

mr. remy — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:45:29 -0800

How do I keep my shortbread cookies from spreading? My shortbread cookies go into the oven neat and square, and come out blobby and round. I have tried chilling the dough before putting it in the oven, starting out the baking at a high temperature, and different shapes of cookie... but they always come out kind of flabby and amorphous. What works in your kitchen?

Worried about drain cleaner

cellphone — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:25:02 -0800

Am I being too paranoid about drain cleaner? I poured a whole bottle of Works drain opener down my kitchen sink and it didn't work. I didn't want to let a bunch of HCl sit in a steel sink overnight so I poured 2 pounds of baking soda into the sink (slowly, wearing rubber gloves, mixing it up gently), and it looks like it's stopped reacting. Can I go to bed not worrying about damage to my sink or fumes from the drain cleaner? I had the window open for the last hour or so.

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.

Ask a Stats Nerd

sonofslim — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:18:52 -0800

I need to ruin everyone's fun by adding a rigorous mathematical scoring system to the company bake-off. Li'l help? We just had an employee bake-off and while the outcome was satisfactory to all, I think the scoring methodology (average of ratings on a 1-10 scale) was too arbitrary to be statistically meaningful.

How would you build an objective and mathematically sound ranking system based on the following criteria?

* Entries will be judged by all participating employees in each of three categories: taste, presentation, and creativity
* There will be a winner within each category, as well as an overall winner
* Not everyone has to vote on every entry

We make software, so yes, the methodology by which we judge pie is quite critical.

Neo-Luddite baking books?

just_ducky — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:53:12 -0800

Bakingfliter: Does anyone have any recipe book recommendations specifically for baking without a stand mixer? I was recently given Baking Illustrated as a gift, and while it is a beautiful book, I was disheartened to find that many of the recipes, especially the bread ones, are for stand mixers. Some of the recipes do have instructions for "hand-mixing variations", but the Test Kitchen folks mostly recommend against this for their recipes. This also happened to me with the bread recipes in How to Cook Everything. Frustrating!

So does anyone know of any baking or bread recipe books that focus on hand-mixing and kneading, rather than using a stand mixer? I have a hippy bread book of my mom's from the early '70s and it is all hand recipes, but I'm looking for some new things to bake. I also was given The Bread Bible, which has some great recipes and I'm going to work my way through them.

I will confess to owning an electric hand-mixer that I use for icing or whipping cream, but I rarely use it and really prefer using elbow grease if I can. And I don't have enough counter space to get a stand mixer in the foreseeable future.

Thanks!

Very simple peanut butter cookie recipe for kids?

malhouse — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:47:36 -0800

Trying to find a very simple, quick peanut butter cookie recipe I made in 7th grade Home Ec. They were almost more like drops than cookies; very moist and chewy/gooey. It's possible they had no flour. Does this ring a bell for anyone?

A cookie cutting mat?

Unsomnambulist — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:49:14 -0800

I need to roll a bunch of cookie dough and then use cookie cutters on them. The problem: the table I'm using is a sectional table with lots of cracks that not only make the surface bumpy, but that all the flour will fall through and make a mess. Does an affordable product (or project) exist to help resolve this - like a large, roll up, mat? (BTW, I've tried to cover the surface with wax paper or plastic, but even after taping down still end up tearing or not working for other reasons.)

Mmm, cookies.

SuzySmith — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:13:49 -0800

What cookies should I bake for my family this year? What have been your most successful cookies and/or cake or other holiday sweet? Last year I was out of commission baking wise. Normally I bake about 60 dozen cookies for family and friends. The basics are: chocolate chip, peanut butter, and a sugar cookie.

Everything else is up in the air.

Thanks in advance.

In search of: a Crispy, Foamy, Veggie Snack

cross_impact — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:33:14 -0800

Chef-engineer Filter: Help me with my plans to make pureed vegetable foam crisps. I want something with cheetos-like texture, but flat like a cracker. Something strong enough to stand up to a dip or a spread. I am diabetic and want to make a snack food out of the standard list of "free" diabetic foods. Frying is off-limits. So is adding flours or extra carbohydrates.

Here is my proposed approach:
1) Make a tasty vegetable puree, with herbs, spices, etc. Maybe a littel bit of olive oil. (Future versions may include ground nuts)
2) Add a magic thickener ingredient (more below), then whip the puree into a foam.
3) Spread the foam onto parchment paper and dry/bake in my oven
4) Break into pieces and tell my kids I brought home some new "chips" to snack on.

I have already researched the use of additives like Lecithin and Xanthan Gum. I am intrigued by Methocel Hydrocolliods, but they are not available off the shelf where I am and I want something that is not a hassle to make. I woudl like to use some combo of Xantham Gum and Lecithin since I can easily obtain these.

But...
1) What ratios of these do I use to produce a dip-stable dry foam?
2) What temperature do I use to dry the foam?
3) At what temp does Xantham Gum stabilized foam break down? I have no idea since most recipes I can find are for cold applications.
4) Any synergies/conflicts between lecithin, Xanthan, and well, vegetables that I need to account for?
5) What other molecular gastronomic considerations am I missing here? It couldn't be nearly as simple as it seems, could it?

Thanks, any resources or tips would be helpful (consider that I have visited the usual suspects such as the Khymos blog, etc.)

can I substitute baking powder for baking soda?

hollyanderbody — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:44:14 -0800

the recipe calls for baking soda. I only have baking powder. can I substitute? If so, whats the conversion math? Thanks for helping!

Is it too late to save my still rising loaf of cinnamon raisin bread?

csimpkins — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:45:35 -0800

Bread making help! I missed the 'beep' to add raisins to my cinnamon raisin bread. Is it too late? I've got a loaf of cinnamon bread cooking. But it's supposed to be cinnamon raisin bread. I missed the beep to add them during the mixing cycle.

It's currently about half way through the first rising cycle. Anything I can do to to get them mixed in at this point without ruining the loaf?

Or is there any good way or recipe for taking it out after the first rise and turning it instead into cinnamon raisin swirl bread?

Ask Mefi, Go!

Where are the baking supply stores in Vancouver

Xianny — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:23:07 -0800

What are some good cooking/baking/candy supply stores in Vancouver? More specifications under the cut. I'm looking for a few specific things:

- tablespoon ice cream scoop
- foil candy cups
- lollipop sticks
- candy thermometer
- good quality couverture chocolate and baking chocolate
- various candied fruits: orange peel, ginger, etc

I realise you can find most of these things in some department store or supermarket, but I usually have to visit 5 different stores before I find what I'm looking for. Lack of personal transport and time leads me to seek one (or more) go-to supply store. This magic store should be functional and affordable - no overpriced dinosaur cocktail stirrers - and located in downtown/east Van, N. Burnaby or S. Burnaby (Metrotown area). Thanks very much!

Good cup of coffee and a damn fine cherry pie

bingoes — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:00:57 -0800

If I bake a cherry pie today, will it still be at its best tomorrow night? Heading out of town to a Twin Peaks themed birthday party. I've been asked to bake a pie so have naturally decided on cherry. I've never made or eaten one before.

If I bake it today will it still be in optimal condition tomorrow evening? Or should I wait till tomorrow and do it at the party location. A kitchen will be available, I'd just rather get it out of the way today.

Bonus questions, should I blind bake the crust?

Giving the gift of deliciousness

sararah — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:32:56 -0800

In previous years I've made a lot of cookies to give away to friends and family around the holidays. This year I'd like to do something a little different, but still make it a gift of food. So I've done my holiday-cookie-palooza for the last three years or so, and I'd like to change it up a bit this year. For one, making all of the cookies tends to be a lot of minutiae since it is like 10 different recipes. Also, a lot of people (including yours truly) are trying to eat better, and there are more than enough holiday cookies that will make their way on to our plates throughout the season. I recognize not all of the ideas below are "healthy," per se, but some of them will last a lot longer, are used in small quantities, or are freezable for enjoyment after the holidays.

I'm not ruling out cookies entirely, and I may still make a few favorite batches. I'm not really interested in making the jars of brownie mix/cookie mix or whatever, I feel as if those often go unused.

Some ideas I have rolling around in my head:
-Breads: either a sandwich-type loaf or a sweet fruit bread
-Jams: I have recently learned how to preserve and have successfully made strawberry jam and apple butter. Considering making pumpkin butter, cranberry jams/chutneys or some sort of citrus jam/marmalade as oranges, etc hit their peak.
-Frozen baked goods: fully prepared pies, scones, chocolate chip cookie dough or cinnamon rolls that you would just have to bake.
-Granola
-Would be awesome but also a lot of work: homemade bacon

So I'm wondering what you would personally like to receive in a holiday-themed gift basket of food? Have you ever done anything like this or received one from a friend? Ideas on clever packaging are also welcome.

Baking with Truvia?

Jenna Brown — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:05:38 -0800

Has anyone had experience baking with Truvia, which is a granulated sweetener that looks and tastes like cane sugar but is made from stevia? I like it in iced tea and on plain yogurt and fruit, but I would like to use it in muffins and maybe cookies and don't know how it would work.

Snickerdoodle Emergency!

padraigin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:29:06 -0800

Quick! Help me continue my snickerdoodle baking extravaganza now that I'm out of cream of tartar! I am making about a million cookies for Halloween festivities at my kids' school tomorrow.

I ran out of cream of tartar and need to make one more batch of dough.

My snickerdoodle recipe calls for one teaspoon of baking soda and 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar.

I have baking powder. My cookbook (America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, where the snickerdoodle recipe I'm using is found) indicates that one teaspoon of baking powder can be replaced with 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.

I don't get how 1/4 teaspoon of anything plus 1/2 teaspoon of anything equals a teaspoon of something else, but I need to know if I can substitute baking powder for the baking soda/cream of tartar combo in this recipe without totally jacking it up, and if so, in what proportion?

Wedding of the Living Dead

elvissa — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:40:29 -0800

Help me make a zombie wedding cake. The people that I work with are CRAZY about halloween. This year's theme is Zombie Vegas, and I have been assigned the task of making a wedding cake for the Zombie wedding chapel. I am not a big fan of halloween, but this is my small contribution.

I am a pretty good baker and have lots of equipment (different size & shape pans, stand mixer, icing bag and multiple tip sizes, etc). I am planning on using cake mix from a box and homemade French buttercream icing. I can make things pretty, but I'm helpless as far as making things scary.

Right now the best idea I have is making some kind of strawberry/raspberry filling to look bloody. Any suggestions to make the cake look gross/scary and any help from experienced wedding cake bakers is welcome.

Fondant Question

PrettyGeekAtx — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:30:01 -0800

I recently started working with fondant and have made 2 practice cakes now in preparation for making my son's groom's cake for his wedding at the end of this month. I pretty much have the whole rolling it out and draping it over the cake part down, but I can't get it to look smooth & glossy like it does in the pictures and videos I have studied. I am using powdered sugar underneath and on top when I'm rolling it out, because otherwise, it sticks to the rolling mat on the bottom and my rolling pin (one made by Wilton especially for rolling out fondant) on the top. By the time it's on the cake, it's all dusty with powdered sugar, and try as I may, using a soft pastry brush and/or a soft paper towel, I just can't get the dusty look to go away. Water and shortening are enemies of fondant, and while I can sort of get rid of the extra powdered sugar with them, they end up eating into the fondant itself. What the hell am I doing wrong?

I have checked old posts having to do with fondant, but none of them seem to address this specific issue.

Thanks, MeFi bakers!

Is Johnson & Wales worth it?

firei — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:54:06 -0800

I'm thinking of going to culinary school for baking and pastry. Right now Johnson & Wales in RI is the front runner. My question: is JWU worth it, or should I be looking elsewhere? I live in "upstate" NY - I'm a little more than an hour north of NYC, and about an hour south of the CIA.

I really like what I've read on the J&W website, and plan to go visit the school sometime in the next few months. However, I'm having some trouble finding outside sources talking about the school or the program!

And the few that I've found (mostly on ask.meta) seem to be in regards to the culinary program, not the baking and pastry program.

So, did you go to J&W for baking and pastry? Do you know someone who did? (In a pinch, I'll take info on the culinary program, too.)

Or would you recommend a different school? Let's assume that location, as long as it is within the states, is not an issue.

I would prefer a program that will lead to a bachelors, a program that is not primarily filled with just out of high school kids, and the best bang for my buck. I'm willing to shell out the dough, but only if it will be worth it!

(Please note: I'm not asking if culinary school is a good idea/bad idea/waste of money/whatever. I'm just asking about the schools!)

Thanks!

I've been grating a le~mon~, all the live long day~

wiretap — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:48:05 -0800

Fresh Lemon Zest - so yummy yet so annoying to grate. There must be an easier solution! My first experience with using fresh lemon zest is in a lemon sugar cookie recipe which asks for 2T of it, in a doubled recipe (4T total. egads). After carefully grating away the skin of a couple lemons and having my hands become tender and sore from the lemon oils and still not having enough lemon zest, I'm starting to feel like avoiding dessert recipes that include lemon zest at all.

Googling "lemon zest substitute" suggests a spice aisle product known as "dried lemon peel" which is similar but apparently is not as good as fresh lemon zest (I'm guessing it is less flavorful?).

My questions:

1. Is there a *better* lemon zest substitute that I can easily purchase at a grocery store?

2. If not, and dried lemon peel is the only close choice, should I add a little lemon flavoring to the reconstituted peel? And how much flavoring per t/T of peel should I include?

3. Could I just use lemon flavoring and fake the color in the recipe with yellow food dye? And again, how much flavoring would equal 1t or 1T of fresh lemon zest?