Milk and Cream

Milk

Opaque white alkaline liquid with a yellowish or bluish tinge, secreted by the mammary glands. The composition of the milk varies according to the type of breed of animal, its state of health and the diet on which it has been reared.

A litre of milk supplies the body with 30gr protein, 35gr fats, 54gr milk sugar, 7gr mineral salts and an appreciable quantity of Vitamins A, B, B1, B2, C. It is indispensable to babies, but not the complete food for adults that may suppose it to be.

In spite of the fact that it is a liquid, milk should always be regarded as a food and not as a drink, and should be sipped and swallowed slowly. Taken in this way, it coagulates in little fragments in the stomach, and these can be dealt with readily by the digestive juices.

Cream

Cream not only contains globules of fat, used for butter, but also a proportion of water, casein lactose and mineral salts.

There is a difference between single cream which is obtained by skimming milk that has been left to settle in shallow bowls, and which contains 10%-20% butter, and double cream, which is obtained by a separating machine and which must contain at least 30% butter.

Cream is a great staple ingredient that I always have in the fridge. It is suitable for sweet or  savoury receipes.

Next week: Cream Horns

White Chocolate Mud Cake

This week I needed to bake a large square White Chocolate Mud cake. The large volume of fluid is always difficult to stir and combine thoroughly. I prefer to mix by hand, when a large volume is involved and not an electric mixer. I was mixing about 4 times the mixture than for a small tin.

 Generally recipes call for the flour to be added to the Butter, Chocolate, Sugar and Water. I decided to experiment with adding the Chocolate mixture gradually to the sifted flours, they add the Eggs and Sour Cream.

I would encourage you to try this method change next time you make your mud cake, and judge which method you prefer.

Sandra

FLOUR

Flour is the finely ground and bolted meal of wheat and other cereals, including rye, buckwheat, rice, oatmeal and maize (corn). But, since wheat, with its content of gluten, is best for breadmaking.
The milling of grain for flour, dates back to prehistoric times.What for centuries was the hard domestic job of producing flour that could be made into bread, has developed through the ages into a large industry. There is evidence that wheat or corn was crushed and used as food at least 6000 years ago.
The Romans invented slightly conical millstones (querns) which were turned by hand or by slave or beast.

The invention of the water-propped mill dates from about the time of the birth of Christ, and it was also at this time that flat mill-stones were used in preference to conical shapes.
CORNFLOUR OR CORNSTARCH
Corn plants are of South American origin. It was cultivated by the Peruvians before the arrival of the Spanish settlers.Corn was introduced into France in the sixteenth century. It flourished in wine growing districts.Corn is relatively poor in nitrogenous substances, but quite rich in lipids and carbohydrates. In some regions it is eaten as porridge or polenta, cakes or bread.

Next week: Milk

Sandra
http://www.sweetdeliveries.com.au/

Sugar

Sugar

Sugar is a sweet substance extracted from many plants; its chief sources are sugar cane, sugar beet.

There are two common methods of classifying syrups, one of which is to note the temperature at boiling point. The other is to determine the density of the syrup with a hygrometer which gives the density based on the water content. There is also a special syrup measuring instrument from which a simple reading of the strenth of the sugar solution can be taken.

Flavoured sugars used in confectionery and Patisserie:

Orange Sugar:This sugar is perfect when making Crepe Suzettes. Choose sweet oranges with a very fine skin. Grate the peel with a lump of sugar, but lightly, so as not to reach the white pith which is immediately under the peek, because this is very bitter and will spoil the fruit flavour.As the surface of the sugar becomes coloured, scrape it with a knife to remove the peel which becomes stuck to by repeated rubbing.

Repeat theis operation with the same care. Dry the sugar in a low oven, or with the door open of a warn oven. Crush it and press through a fine sieve.

You may wish to try this method using lemons or mandarines they work just as well as oranges.

Let me know if there is a problem you have with baking.

Sandra
http://www.sweetdeliveries.com.au/

How to bake a perfect Sponge

Sponge Recipe

Last week one of our customers asked me if I had a recipe for a light Sponge. I had to admist I had not baked a sponge in a long time, but I remember that cornflour was an important ingredient. So I took out my Margaret Fulton Cook Book, 1974 edition. She has a couple of variations but I prefer this one, which I happily share with you.

4 Eggs separated; 1 cup Caster Sugar; 1 1/4 cups of Self Raising Flour; 2 tbls Cornflour; 30gr unsalted Butter; 5 tbls Water.
Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature.

1.Set the oven at 170C or a moderate temperature. Line and grease 2 x 20cm Sandwich Tins.

2. Sift Cornflour and Self Raising Flour twice.

3. Beat the egg white until stiff and gradually add the sugar.

4. Whisk the egg yolks until combined and thick. Gently fold into the egg whites.

5. Sift the combined flours over the egg and sugar mixture, fold in lightly.

6. Melt the butter in the water over a low heat, then fold into the sponge mixture.

7. Pour equal amount of mixture into each pan, bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the sponge cakes spring bake when lightlt touch with a finger.

8. Turn cakes out onto a wire rack to cool.

When cool, they can be filled with fresh fruit and double cream, or another alternative is to fill the centre with passionfruit pulp and  cream, and top with passionfruit icing.

Sandra

Clicksticks-Tippit Cutters
These cutters are a source of many questions from customers. The most common problem is getting the letters out of the cutters without sticking.

Step 1. Colour and roll out your fondant until it does not stretch any further. This means it will be as thin as you can get it.

Step 2. Leave it exposed to the air for between 1/2 and 3/4 of an hour. This allows the surfa...ce to dry.

Step 3. Dust the letter you want to cut out with a little cornflour, tap out the excess.

Step 4. Cut strips as per the directions. Press the letter cutter into the fondant, then either push for clickstick, or tap for the tippits and the letters will release easily.

Step 5. Have a tooth pick handy in case of distortion, gently guide the edges into place.

Alway cut at least two of each letter, just in case one breaks.

History of Butter

HISTORY OF BUTTER

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

Butter is fatty substances extracted from the milk of mammals, known and used as food by man. The origin of butter goes back to the earlt nomaedic people who used to milk goats, cows, ewes, mares,
she-assess and she-camles to prepare it.

The Aryans brought butter to the inhabitants of India, who soon considered it sacred food.

The Hewbrews used butter as a medicine as well as a food. Abraham offered butter, a symbolic food, to three men who came to his tent in the plains of Mamre. In his proverbs Solomon says: 'Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter....'

The Scythians also had butter, and broought it to the Greeks, and its use spread throughout the civilised world.

People loving some southern countries, like the Romans, used oil much more than butter in their cooking. This preference still persits in certain parts of the south of France, mainly in Provence, where oil plays a principal part in all dishes.

Preparation of Butter: In their emulsive state, the fatty globules of milk are relatively stable, but when the liquid is left to stand, they rise to the surface in the form of cream. Once agitated (in what contstitutes the churning operation) the fatty globules agglutinate into a compact mass called butter.

Next week: Sugar

Freshness of Eggs

Freshness of Eggs

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

A fresh egg is heavy. When shaken, it should feel well-filled. As the shell is porious, the water which encloses the inner part of the egg evaporates. An eggbloses a tiny fraction in weight every day. It is easy to gauge the freshness of an egg by plunging it into a 12 per cent solution of salted water (Cooking Salt). If the egg is very fresh, it falls at once to the bottom of the water. If it is a few days old it floats.
If it is bad it floats to the top. This method does not apply to eggs that have been preserved in water and limestone or other liquid.

The composition of the egg varies with the breed of the hen and its diet - the latter also influences the flavour of the egg.

The best eggs come from Free Range hens, which eat the right proportion of grain and vegetable matter.

Dietetically, the fresh egg is almost a complete food. It contains easily assimilable proteins, fats, Vitamins A, B, D and E (only vitamib C is absent), an appreciable amount of iron, abnd a number of valuable mineral salts: magnesium, a minute quatity of calcium, sodim, potassium, manganese, copper, zinc, chlorine, iodine, fluorine etc. The egg being a bearer of life, also contains precious oligo-elements.

As we use eggs in almost every cake we bake, I thought may be of interest to know a little more about them. I will not take an egg for granted anymore.

Next week: History of Butter

History of Biscuits

History of Biscuits

This is an extract from my beautiful 1960 edition of "New Larousse Gastronomique".

Biscuit is a term applied to many kinds of biscuit, and, in French to an iced sweet, made of ice cream mixture, cut to look like biscuits.

 Army Biscuits: These used to be make iof a fairly substantial paste (6 parts flour to 1 part water), baked for 20-25 minutes, cooled off until completely dry. Sometimes a little leaven was added to the paste,  and invariably some seasoning to give the dough some taste, the biscuits were difficult to chew, and were not much good in soups, as they did not absorb enough liquid when soaked.

After 1894, as a result of the work of the Army food chemist, Balland, biscuit was replaced by "Army Bread", which was porous and absorbant, though still not popular with soldiers.

My haven't we come a long way with baking in the late 1890's.

Next week's subject: Eggs

Sandra

Push Up Pops

Push Up Pops
These are the latest craze from USA. They are easier to prepare than Cake Pops, and variations are endless.Let me share one of the recipes from the Push Up Pop book by Courtney Dial Whitmore.

Frozen Peach Bellini

3 cups of sparkling wine

1 cup peach schnapps

3 cups sliced frozen paches

1 cup ice.

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into push up pop moulds and place in the freezer for 1 hour or until ready to serve. Makes 15 pops

The mild and sweet peach flavour and touch of sparkling wine make these elegant for Cocktail Parties or hot summer nights.

10 pop moulds cost $12.20

20 pop moulds cost $20.00

Courtney's book is $29.99.

Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Red Velvet Cake

250gr unsalted butter; 3 cups sugar ;6eggs; 30ml red food colouring; 3tbls unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 cup buttermilk; 3 cups plain flour; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 tsp bi-carb soda; 1 tbl white vinegar.

¨ Preheat oven to 165 deg
¨ Prepare three 20cm pans
¨ Cream butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy
¨ Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
¨ Mix food colouring with cocoa and add to the creamed mixture
¨ Add sifted flour alternately with buttermilk, than add the vanilla and salt.
¨ Mix the vinegar with bi-carb soda, and gently stir into the creamed mixture. Do not over mix.
¨ Divide the mixture between the three prepared pans, bake for approximately 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

FROSTING

500gr cream cheese; 375gr white chocolate; 250gr unsalted butter
All at room temperature

v Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and allow to cool to lukewarm.
v In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
v Gradually beat in the melted white chocolate and softened butter. Beat until it is the consistency of whipped cream.

Use to ice between the layers and on top of the cake.

This is the recipe used in the 1930's at the Wardolf Astoria Hotel.

You cannot do better than use this cake for a special occasion, it is truly delicious.

Sandra