Lisa Shock

I also use the screen for various types of artisan bread. As mentioned by others, you don't need parchment. I like that it doesn't create an air flow barrier the way a sheet pan would. It's less efficient in some cases (hard to put 5 baguettes on one) but for baking one big boule, it's great.

Every once in a while I spray mine with Pam. I don't bother to scrub it too much, unless there was some sort of overflow issue. After a while they develop a patina and the dough won't stick much at all. I suggest measuring your oven/stone before purchasing, they are made in all sorts of sizes some of which are way too large for home ovens. But, you probably want it as big as possible. You can always make a tiny pizza on a large screen, can't make a large pizza on a tiny screen.

Neither. I worked at a pizza place as a teenager, we used screens and I just kept doing it at home. Here's one on Amazon. It's different from the perforated pans, in that it's a lot thinner, has a lot more exposed area, and has a really low edge. I generally remove it about halfway through the bake. They are really commonly used in pizza parlors, the three restaurant supply stores near me all carry a selection of them in various sizes -all under $10. I do find it useful to own several -that way, if you throw a party, you can prep multiple pies and have them waiting to go into the oven while the peel is busy extracting and turning.

I use a screen.

Choux specifically.

Seems like, if you put a lot in, it would make the bread 'moist' in the way that crepes are moist, with a rubbery, egg-like texture. I have no idea though, I can't think of anyone having done this before. You are, BTW, taking a food that is generally recognized as vegan/vegetarian/kosher and making it no longer fit any of those categories. Mostly of concern to people running commercial bakeries who might want to keep some customers.

I have a variety of flavored syrups (Monin, Torani, etc.) around for various reasons, and I often find myself making non-alcoholic beverages with them and tonic water. -Kind of like Italian soda. Current favorites include Torani Hazelnut & Tonic and Monin Pomegranate & Tonic, but I have made many other successful combos. I enjoy the refreshing bitterness of tonic on a hot day.

This is why professional bakers sweep out their ovens after cooldown at the end of the day. You can also use a vacuum, as long as you make sure everything is very cool.

I have used them, I usually use a little less by weight than shell eggs. It can take a bit of tinkering.

Grammar police here...shouldn't that be palette rather than palate?

Crumbs in general are an important bakery ingredient. Worst comes to worst, break up the cake and dry in a low oven then whiz in a food processor or blender just to make the crumb finer. You can then freeze the crumbs and use them in recipes (there's a whole world of crumb recipes), as side decor for cakes, or make rum balls.

How about an icebox cake or charlotte? Enough whipped cream and you can hide anything... If you can cut it nicely, maybe make ice cream sandwiches?

Fresh yeast is more variable than IDY; it's alive and active in a food base and based on its age can have more or fewer yeast cells per ounce. So, sometimes, you just get more for your money with it. As for loaves being squat, I have generally found that to be a result of not being shaped long enough. I have made large batches of dough and demonstrated shaping various types of loaf, and shown the effects of taking more time to round boules or roll logs for braids, etc. Just a couple of extra minutes spent shaping can make significantly taller loaves. Either that or, the yeast was so active, maybe the loaves were a bit overproofed.

I haven't tried these, but, they booth look like they'd be interesting choices for making the fudge recipe with. (I use couveture, not chocolate chips.)

That's about right. You have to be careful about water balance in the body, people can die. I recall a question from the AP Biology exam (from many years ago) about some thirsty soldiers during WW1 (or was it WW2) finding beehives in the European countryside and consuming some of the honey and then dying from the hygroscopic effects. Anyway, in adults, it appears to take quite a bit of isomalt, 40+g, to cause a small response in adults. But, I'd be really careful about offering it to a little child.

However, you need to make sure that not much of it gets eaten, as it is also a laxative and affects children more profoundly than adults. In clinical trials with children and adults, 25g (about 6 teaspoons) had a laxative affect on older children (age 6-9). I can't find data on younger children. The findings seem to show a correlation between the amount eaten and the severity of the gastrointestinal effects, and body size in relation to dosage.

Moisture, a lack of oxygen, garlic, plus extra cheese as a food source (little nasties generally thrive on protein) does seem like a recipe for trouble. I like to make pesto and use it up on the first day because I get creeped out by old basil bits. I will freeze leftovers to use in sauces. I think you're on target here, a week in the fridge should be ok, I would worry about any longer than that -unless you add an acid like lemon juice. Honestly, basil is a delicate herb. Four weeks seems like a long time for it after it's chopped -to me. I'd be worried about the basil's deterioration in addition to the growth of botulism.

And a hundred years ago, it was very common cause of death, like lead poisoning, or typhus. Massive public health awareness campaigns, food safety legislation, improved home refrigeration & sanitation, and a decline in homemade/homecanned food consumption have brought a dramatic decrease in deaths. Vigilance brought results. Just because most living Americans have never seen a person die from botulism doesn't mean we should stop taking precautions against it.

FYI, I also like to use a heating pad set on low with a towel on it to keep small bowls of chocolate fluid and in temper while you work. You might try that just remember that they turn themselves off after 20 minutes. In re-reading your posts, I realized that you were applying the swirl with a gloved finger. IMO, you should switch to a brush. (a silicone one is easy to clean) A warm hand can over-warm the CCB and even though you dip the finger each time and most CCB only touches the glove briefly, a little clings from previous dips and get warmer and warmer as it remains on the glove. If you don't like brushes, try double gloving either with two food handler gloves or, a silk glove with a food handler glove on top as is occasionally done for sugar work.

Random positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator. We also become comfortable with routines, especially those we observe while growing up. That doesn't make these activities safe, and doesn't mean they produce foods with optimal nutrition. (for example, you probably won't become sick immediately from improperly stored, mildly rancid fats, but, they are fairly likely encourage the development of certain types of cancers over time) This article by McGee on Ruhlman's method of storing his homemade stock at room temperature is very enlightening. The publisher needs to know that they should be having someone educated in nutrition, food safety and sanitation checking their cookbooks. Roasted garlic infused in oil then refrigerated is not always 'ok'. As long as some moisture remains in the garlic, when roasting, those parts of the vegetable have not exceeded boiling water temperature -if they had, the water would have become steam and dissipated into the oven. To kill botulism, you need to hit 250°F for ten minutes -something generally done by pressure frying, or making confit in a carefully monitored pressure cooker.

The usual issue is the colored cocoa butter; people forget that it an go out of temper and forget to temper it. But, you say that's been covered. I'd still be suspicious of using the microwave to warm it. Personally, I would try tempering then placing the bottles in a temperature controlled warm water bath for as long as you need it to be liquid. Are people holding the molds in their hands during or after the painting process? Hot fingertips touching the outside of the cavities can cause issues, try placing them on sheet pans and carrying by just touching the sheet pan.

Many recipes do give a range for the liquid amount and tell you to add it gradually until the dough feels right. And, I'd add the vodka first. Water isn't really necessary, as vodka is about 50% water anyway. This recipe also has a really high fat ratio and it would help for the fat to be very cold or even frozen. I personally prefer mixing small amounts of pie crust in a bowl with a pastry cutter. IMO, a machine makes the fat bits too small for a really flaky crust. Also, my favorite recipe has an egg in it, but, that's a whole other issue.

I joined a group on FaceBook that is basically a bunch of backyard gardeners who gather once or twice a month and trade things. It's pretty casual, just bring some things and take some things, nobody tries to make exact trades or do cash valuations. So, at one meeting we might eat tons of figs, swap rooted cuttings, and all take home a loaf of bread and some eggplant. At another, we might get salsa, crabapples, pecans and cherry tomatoes. Anyway, you might look into options for trading your limes at a farmer's market or something.

I think that's crumbled bacon. As a matter of fact, I can't really see any chili in the photo at all. That said, the type of chili does vary (with or without beans, red, green, pork, chicken, vegan) as long as you like the type of chili, you will enjoy the dish.

In the US, federal law has mandated (for about the past 20 years) that heating pads automatically shut off after 20 minutes, so, keep an eye on it and re-set as needed. Also, on mine the low setting is plenty hot for chocolate. Good luck!