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nicolekaplan

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  1. first it really depends on the initial batch size. if it's really small then tripling should not be effected, however if by tripling you are getting into a decent batch size then i would probably go x2-2.5 instead of times three. i always use the rule of good judgment on stuff like baking soda and baking powder in large batches
  2. 1. pre-melting the chocolate is only neccessary when the ration of cream to chocolate is very low and it won't do the job alone. 2. the problems with melting chocolate in the microwave are: 1.it melts from the inside out so if you don't stop and stir after a short heat period the chocolate may appear to have not melted but actually will be burnt solid on the outside and melted on the inside. 2.microwaves are all totally different so 20 seconds in mine may be no where close to 20 seconds in yours. 3. the heat is not consistent and it may cook differently on different sides although a turn table should do the trick with this. all this being said, the microwave is my favorite way to melt chocolate, it's neat, clean and avoids adding any moisture to the product. just proceed slowly and stir in between every heat period of approx 20 seconds or so.
  3. we were thinking of going to oriental garden or pings but is there a better suggestion for dim sum not so much seafood
  4. heston blumenthals recipe http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_...ticle586510.ece haven't made it but i pulled it out recently to try there is also a recipe from "baked" on serious eats web
  5. if you have any of the following, adding them in to replace the cream will make a deliciously creamy ic. mascarpone cream cheese creme fraiche sour cream i would use 1qt to 1 qt ratio with the milk and then you don't need any eggs
  6. thanks, i think that's actually the same place that's in flushing, didn't know they had a manhattan locale. i will have to check it out
  7. i am hooked on wheat gluten roast pork that my friend brings in from flushing, anyone have good recommendations for a veggie place in manhattan?
  8. a few more thoughts to add 1.butter and sugar or flour your dish (sweet or savory) all the way to the top of the rim, don't wipe it, and then place the dishes in the freezer until you are ready to bake them. 2. whip the egg whites starting on a low speed until they are almost done, and then turn up the speed for just a minute. the theory behind this is that whipping at low speed produces thousands of small bubble and whipping at high speed produces hundreds of large bubbles. the bubble will reinflate in the oven regardless of it's initial size. however you will break bubbles in the folding process and the more you start with the more you'll have left after folding. 3. all of that said, egg whites will be done before you would expect. i would not even take them to soft peaks but a bit before that, so they are soft and shiny but don't really hold a shape. 4. you can refidge souffle batter however it will take longer to cook and generally won't get as nice a rise on that second day. 5. the smaller the souffle dish the better the rise, the larger dishes definitely impede the beauty of the souffle all this said i have probably baked 150,000 souffles in the course of a lifetime. i'm kind of glad my new kitchen is an elevator ride away from the dining room eliminating any hopes for souffles. good luck and practice makes perfect
  9. Timing is everything. Are you cooking individual souffles? Or, one huge big-hair girl? You have a little grace period between the time that you prep, fill & finish off the ramekins (suggest that, if using, you put the collars on last) and the time you put them in the oven. In a cool, draft free corner of the kitchen, probably as much as 20-30 mintues, but no more. Then have the oven pre-heated and the filled ramekins sitting on the baking tray. Figure out how long it will take the souffle to cook, and at that point in the dinner, excuse yourself to the kitchen and put the tray in the oven. And keep track of the time. If you have not previously cooked souffles in your oven a/o are not confident in the heat calibration, you might want to consider a 1/2 recipe dry run. Of course, you'll have to sample the results .... Once souffles come out of the oven, you have maybe 5-8 minutes to get them de-collared and served to ensure that they arrive in all their ephemeral skyscraper glory. You might want to enlist an assistant, both of you armed with mitts or towels, and small knives or scissor to cut the strings and remove the collars. If you intend to sauce them, I would suggest that the sauce be brought to table in a gooseneck or gravy boat, and allow the guests to make the incision and bathe them in the sauce ... not only are they responsible for the quantity of goo added, but they are the ones 'guilty' of deflating the souffle. Alternatively, you can prepare your souffle base - do NOT chill it - and whip the whites until almost ready. At the it will take them to bake plus 5-8 minutes, retire to the kitchen, finish whipping up the whites, fold them into the base, fill the ramekins, etc., collar them (if you are using tall collars, you can either pin them with a straight pin or paperclip them together at the joining edge and you have preheated your oven and set out a sheet pan for the ramekins, havent you???!!!), and put them in to bake. Small souffles are usually done in 12 to 15 minutes - but don't cook them until they are firmly set, because that's just cake. A further thought ... on whipping the egg whites: don't overwhip them. The (French) teachers I've had all whipped the whites to the borderline soft-peak stage - when the whisk is lifted from the bowl and turned upside down, a soft peak will form, and might even drop off the whisk. It is a borderline call: you do not want them truly runny, but remember when you whip whites (or cream) until they are very firm, you are whipping increasing the amount of air whipped into the bubbles. All fine and good if you are not going to process the mix further, with the aim of giving lift to the end product. If you whip the whites to their stiffest peak, they will be more difficult to fold in ... so the mix is uneven and many bubbles are broken, so you lose air and lift in the final product. Also, if you are baking this air-leavened mix, remember that the air in the bubbles will expand as the mass heats. and if you have whipped the max amount of air into the whites (any more and the bubbles burst, and the meringue "breaks"), the walls of the bubbles cannot take the pressure of the expanding air, and will rupture. You will lose lift and height as a result. Ultimately, of course, the air bubbles do pop, but you want that to happen AFTER the structure created by the eggs and the flour in the protein have set up and can hold up the souffle (or cake, etc). Think of the art of bubblegum chewing and bubble blowing: when you get it 'just right' and blow that huge bubble, the temptation to make it even bigger takes over, and with just one tiny little extra puff of air, the bubble .... bursts. Now think of a whole gaggle of 'em all together in a bowl. That's kinda how the bubbles in the eggwhites or whipped cream are. You'll get better results ... lift ... if you don't overstress the whites with too much whipping. Regards, Theabroma ←
  10. for those tricky pcb molds, mold release is a must. it makes it a snap even for frozen entremet, a quick run under hot water and perfect release every time. you can get it from qzina along with lots of other pcb stuff.
  11. while all this talk of "pastry chef" salary is nice one should really consider that walking out of school you will probably be looking in the ballpark of $10/hr possibly plus benefits but likely without. it would most likely be several years before you would advance to a sous chef position and then after that to become an outright chef, well one could certainly die of sadness for the lack of guccis and manolos a pastry career is guaranteed to bring.
  12. oxidation causes the batter to turn green, millions of gougeres later and always the same result, leftover batter turns army green the second day.
  13. for best results make and pipe batter, ready to go on pans. then either freezer(which will make them less likely to squish during travel time) or fridge (max one day or they tend to turn green, still edible but slightly gross). Bake to order, they really are best right out of the oven, reheating is not a great way to go.
  14. jb prince 36 east 31st (madison and park) 11th floor mon-fri until 5pm you will be fairly close, a pleasant 15 minute walk from the choc show, assuming it's still at the metropolitan pavillion
  15. valhrona held a masterclass taught by michelak, at their ny space, in tentation catering. it was a one time thing as far as i know but hopefully they will consider doing it again as it was a great class.
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