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From: "ErickJ Karcher" <>
Subject: [FOLKLORE FAMILY] [EasyMeals] Baking Tips - (March 11)
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 18:33:25 -0500


~*~ Flavored Whipped Cream
* Chocolate - Add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of
cocoa, ¾ teaspoon of natural vanilla extract.

* Coffee - Add 1½ tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of instant
coffee

* Lemon/Lime - Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon
concentrated lemon or lime juice.

~*~ Souffles

* A souffle dish should always be buttered unless the recipe says not to
use any type of fat on the sides of the dish.

* If more egg whites than yolks are used, the souffle will be lighter.

* The egg whites should be beaten in such a way as to unsure the highest
amount of air be trapped. Never over-beat or they will become too dry and
cause a collapse.

* The oven door should never be opened when the souffle is cooking for at
least ¾ of the cooking time.

* European souffles are usually served a little underdone with a custard
textured center. This is the preferred method in the finer restaurants.

* A souffle must be served as soon as it is taken from the oven or the
crown may collapse as it cools.

~*~ Use a salt shaker filled with powered or colored sugar for sprinkling
candy or cookies. Make the holes larger if needed.

~*~ It's very handy to keep a shaker of ¾ salt and ¼ pepper next to the
range or food preparation area.

~*~ If you are going to cut an unfrosted cake and make decorative designs,
try freezing the cake first. This will make it much easier to slice and
make the designs. Fresh cakes are hard to work with without making a big
mess.

~*~ If you are having a problem with bread browning too fast, try placing
a dish of water on the shelf just above the bread. The added humidity in
the oven will slow down the browning. This will work with cakes as well.

~*~ The reason a custard pie shrinks away from the crust is that you have
cooked it too long in an oven that was too hot.

~*~ An old trick to stop waffles from sticking to the waffle iron is to
add a teaspoon of white wine to the batter.

~*~ Pies with graham cracker crusts are difficult to remove from the
pan. However, if you just place the pan in warm water for 5-10 seconds it
will come right out without any damage.

~*~ It really isn't worth the trouble but if you want to revive a cake
that has gone stale, just very quickly dip it in low-fat milk and place it
in a 350°R. (176.7C.) oven for 10-15 minutes.

~*~ To stop your dough from crumbling when worked and to make a thinner
dough for pie shells, try coating the surface you are rolling on with olive
oil.

~*~ Next time you cut a cake, try cutting it from the center so that you
can move the pieces together keeping the edges moist.

~*~ All you need to make chocolate slivers is a potato peeler and a
Hershey bar!

~*~ For a unique pumpkin pie, try placing small marshmallows on the bottom
of the pie. The marshmallows will rise to the top as the pie bakes and
look great.

~*~ If you have a problem with juices bubbling out or oozing out when
baking a pie, try adding a tablespoon of tapioca to the filling. This will
thicken the filling just enough. Another method is to insert a tube-wide
macaroni in the center of the top allowing air to escape.

~*~ The acidic (ascorbic acid) nature of fruit pies and tarts may cause a
reaction with a metal pan and discolor the food. Always use a glass dish
when baking a fruit pie or tart for the best results. Remember to reduce
your baking time or lower the temperature of the oven.

~*~ A chef's secret when using measuring cups and you have to measure both
eggs and an oil is to measure the eggs before the oil. The egg will coat
the cup and allow to flow out more easily.

~*~ The best method of reheating biscuits or rolls is to put them into a
slightly dampened paper bag sealed with a tie. Place the bag into the oven
at a very low temperature. It should only take about 5 minutes and it is
best if you keep your eye on the bag just to be safe.

~*~ If you ever wondered how pumpernickel bread gets its dark color, it
comes from adding a dark caramel to the white or rye flour. The better
pumpernickel breads are made from rye flour only.

~*~ A pastry chef's trick to add flavor to a lemon tart or pie is to rub a
few sugar cubes over the surface of an orange or lemon then include the
cubes in the recipe as part of the total sugar. The sugar tends to extract
just enough of the natural oils from these fruits to add some excellent
flavor.

~*~ The juices from pies will not spread when you dish it out if you blend
1 egg white which has been beaten until stiff with 2 tablespoon of sugar
and add it to the filling before baking.

~~*~~*~~
A customer moves away from a bank window, counts his change, and then goes
back and says to the cashier, "Hey, you gave me the wrong
change!"

Cashier: "Sir, you stepped away from the counter. We don't make
corrections after you leave. There's nothing I can do about it now.
That's the policy of this bank!"

Customer: "Well, okay. Just thought you'd like to know you gave me
twenty dollars too much. Bye. "
~~*~~*~~

Sally Jo

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