INGREDIENTS - HOW TO USE THEM
FLOUR
ALL PURPOSE FLOUR IS THE BACKBONE INGREDIENT IN MOST BAKED GOODS. IT'S USUALLY
A BLEND OF HARD AND SOFT WHEATS TO GIVE BEST ALL AROUND RESULTS. THE TERMS
WHITE, WHEAT, OR PLAIN FLOURS ARE SYNONYMOUS.
SELF RISING FLOUR CONTAINS LEAVENING AND SALT. WHEN USED IN QUICK BREADS,
OMIT BAKING POWDER, SODA, AND SALT. IT CANNOT BE USED FOR BAKING YEAST BREADS.
CAKE FLOUR, FOR DELICATE CAKES IF SOFTER AND WHITER THAN ALL PURPOSE FLOUR.
SIFT ALL WHITE OR WHEAT FLOUR ONCE; PILE LIGHTLY IN MEASURING CUP WITH SPOON.
DO NOT SHAKE CUP; LEVEL WITH SPATULA. WHOLE WHEAT, RYE, AND BUCKWHEAT FLOURS,
BRAN, CORNMEAL, AND OATMEAL ARE AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL USES. THESE FLOURS
ARE USUALLY USED IN COMBINATION WITH ALL PURPOSE FLOUR. WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS
AND MEALS ARE NOT SIFTED. STIR THEM, THEN SPOON LIGHTLY ONTO MEASURING CUP
AND LEVEL.
FATS AND OILS
FATS ARE SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND ARE MADE FROM VEGETABLE OR ANIMAL
PRODUCTS, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH, SOLID FATS INCLUDE HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE
FATS, LARD, BUTTER, AND MARGARINE. HYDROGENATED FATS ARE THE MOST COMMON
SHORTENING USED IN BAKED GOODS. BUTTER OR MARGARINE IS USED FOR FLAVOR AND
TO MODIFY TEXTURES. ITS CREAMY QUALITY IS NOT AS GOOD AS HYDROGENATED FATS.
LARD AND VEGETABLE OILS DO NOT CREAM WELL.
OILS ARE FATS THAT ARE LIQUID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND ARE USUALLY OF VEGETABLE
ORIGIN. SALAD OIL HAS BEEN PROCESSED TO STAY CLEAR WHEN REFRIGERATED; COOKING
OILS BECOME CLOUDY. THE FREQUENTLY USED OILS ARE CORN, COTTONSEED, OLIVE,
PEANUT, SOYBEAN, AND SAFFLOWER. VEGETABLE OILS ARE USED FOR SALAD DRESSINGS,
COOKING FAT, AND IN SOME BAKED PRODUCTS (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF OLIVE OIL).
LEAVENING
LEAVENING ARE SUBSTANCES THAT FROM BOBBLES OF GAS (CARBON DIOXIDE) OR PHYSICAL
LEAVENING SUCH AS STEAM AND AIR. THE GAS, AIR, OR STEAM EXPANDS WHEN A BATTER
OR DOUGH IS HEATED, MAKING BAKED PRODUCT LIGHT AND AFFECTING GRAIN AND TEXTURE.
LEAVENING AGENTS INCLUDE YEAST, BAKING POWDER, AND SODA.
YEAST IS A TINY PLANT THAT PRODUCES CARBON DIOXIDE FROM SUGAR WHEN TEMPERATURE
AND MOISTURE ARE FAVORABLE FOR ITS GROWTH. YEAST COMES IN TWO FORMS ACTIVE
DRY AND COMPRESSED. BEFORE ACTIVE DRY YEAST IS USED, SOFTEN IT IN WARM WATER
(110 DEGREES) FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES. SOFTEN COMPRESSED YEAST IN LUKEWARM WATER
OR OTHER LIQUID (85 DEGREES) FOR THE SAME TIME.
BAKING POWDER CAN BE SAS PHOSPHATE (DOUBLE ACTING), PHOSPHATE, TO TARTRATE
TYPE. THE DOUBLE ACTING TYPE FREES A SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS WHEN COMBINED WITH
LIQUID, THE MAJOR PART WHEN HEATED. PHOSPHATE TYPE GIVES OFF PART OF ITS
GAS WHEN MIXED WITH LIQUID AND THE REMAINING WHEN
HEATED. TARTRATE TYPE REACTS ALMOST ENTIRELY WHEN COMBINED WITH LIQUID.
THE GAS FORMED EXPANDS WHEN BATTER IS HEATED.
BAKING SODA GIVES OFF GAS WHEN MIXED WITH A FOOD ACID SUCH AS BUTTERMILK,
SOUR MILK, MOLASSES, VINEGAR, OR LEMON JUICE. ONE FOURTH TEASPOON BAKING
SODA PULE 1/2 CUP SOUR MILK IS EQUIVALENT TO 1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER (DOUBLE
ACTING) AND 1/2 CUP LIQUID.
EGGS
SLIGHTLY BEATEN EGGS ARE WHOLE EGGS BEATEN WITH FORK ONLY LONG ENOUGH TO
BREAK UP YOLKS AND HAVE STREAKS OF WHITE AND YELLOW. USED TO THICKEN CUSTARDS
AND TO COAT FOODS WITH EGG AND CRUMBS.
BEATEN EGGS ARE WHIPPED UNTIL WHITES AND YOLKS ARE BLENDED. USE TO GIVE
LIGHT TEXTURE TO BATTERS AND DOUGHS AND AS A BINDER IN BAKED PRODUCTS, SALAD
DRESSINGS.
WELL BEATEN EGGS ARE WHOLE EGGS BEATEN UNTIL LIGHT IN COLOR AND TEXTURE.
WELL BEATEN EGG YOLKS ARE BEATEN UNTIL A FINE, THICK AND LITERALLY LEMON
COLORED FOAM IS FORMED. USED IN SPONGE CAKES.
STIFFLY BEATEN EGGS ARE BEATEN UNTIL PEAKS STAND UP STRAIGHT, BUT ARE STILL
MOIST AND GLOSSY, OFTEN EGG WHITES ARE BEATEN TO SOFT PEAKS. THE PEAKS DROOP
OVER SLIGHTLY. SUGAR IS THEN ADDED GRADUALLY WHILE BEATING TO STIFF PEAKS.
THIS INCREASES THE AIR HOLDING PROPERTY OF THE EGG WHITES.
SUGAR
SUGAR THIS TERM REFERS TO BEET OR CANE GRANULATED WHITE SUGAR.
CONFECTIONERS OR POWDERED SUGAR IS GRANULATED SUGAR CRUSHED AND SCREENED
TO DESIRED FINENESS. OFTEN USED IN FROSTINGS.
BROWN SUGAR IS REFINED LESS THAN GRANULATED SUGAR. THE DARKER THE COLOR
THE MORE MOLASSES REMAINING ON THE SUGAR CRYSTALS AND THE STRONGER THE FLAVOR.
GRANULATED BROWN SUGAR IS MEASURED LIKE WHITE SUGAR. ADJUST RECIPES WHEN
SUBSTITUTING FOR MOIST BROWN SUGAR.
MILK
SKIM MILK HAS A MILK FAT CONTENT OF LESS THE 0.5 PERCENT.
LOW FAT MILK HAS A MILK FAT CONTENT BETWEEN THAT OF SKIM MILK AND WHOLE
MILK.
HOMOGENIZED MILK (ABOUT 3.25 PERCENT MILK FAT) IS PASTEURIZED MILK THAT
HAS BEEN TREATED SO THE CREAM WILL NOT RISE TO THE TOP.
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK IS CONCENTRATED WHOLE MILK MIXED WITH SUGAR.
NON-FAT DRY MILK IS SKIM MILK WITH THE WATER REMOVED. RECONSTITUTE WITH
WATER ACCORDING TO PACKAGE DIRECTIONS.
CREAM
LIGHT CREAM OF HALF AND HALF IS USED IN COFFEE OR FOR TABLE USE. IT IS USED
IN RECIPES WHERE RICHNESS IS DESIRED.
WHIPPING CREAM CONTAINS 30 TO 40 PERCENT FAT. CHILL WELL BEFORE BEATING.
CHILL BOWL AND BEATERS.
DAIRY SOUR CREAM IS COMMERCIALLY CULTURED LIGHT CREAM. IS HAS A PLEASANT
TANG AND A SMOOTH, THICK TEXTURE. IT'S USED TO GIVE RICHNESS AND ZESTY FLAVOR.