ShoeBox Oven

why is baking powder added? all the cookies i've seen are flat, implying no leavening.

is there a manufacturer who carries the Herme cases?

alanamoana is there a link to a 4" deep frame? i did not see any products listed.

thank you. i'm collecting a list of sites now. that could be helpful for people, like me, looking for molds, ingredients, etc... by the way, i never had to freeze silicone molds for release. they have always worked well for me once the pastry has cooled. anyone know where i can get a really large rectangular frame....one that is at least 4" deep? i've seen the stackable frames, but the one in the demarle video is not a stackable frame. it just looks like one big piece. any ideas?

thank you for the input. demarle has a good demo too: http://www.demarleusa.com/flexipatdemo2.wmv

ping. bump. anyone got a clue?

Newbie baker asking some newbie questions I am looking to do small desserts for a restaurant. Though I know how to do large portions, I'm wondering how the experts do small yet precise portion sizes. What type of molds are used and particularly for the cakes, how are they assembled and cut? Is a guitar used or are they cut by hand. Any help? would a regular ring mold be used? and does anyone know what those clear dots are? i've seen them on various desserts as decorations is there a certain ring mold for something like this? i imagine this is baked in a silicon mold, but i've never seen anything with this shape before..... generally, how is a cake like this assembled and cut? is the cake baked in a sheet and then cut in layers and then assembled in between the cream, then refrigerated, then cut freehand or with a guitar? i'd like to hear back from anyone who can help. just looking for some general guidelines.

finally getting the hang of doing the macarons with feet and all, but i cant get smooth tops. the pastry tip remains and i get a peak every time. no cracks, but peaks from the pastry tip. any advice? i've banged the tray on the counter, used my finger to smooth the tops, but alas those peaks keep peeking....help.

ok i'll try that -- circular motion. thank you for your help!

i'm getting the hang of making macarons with feet and all. but i cant get that smooth round top. i still get the pointed tip even after smoothing the top with a wet finger and tapping the tray on the counter. still get a plop on top. not cute at all. any help...suggestions?

Thank you much!

250 gr de sucre 1 pincée de sel 4 œufs 200 gr de noix de coco râpé 200 gr de farine 1 càc de poudre à lever ou 5-6 fruits de la passion, pulpe détachée des coques avec une càc (donne 1 ¼ dl) 1 ½ dl de jus d’ananas Vous pouvez remplacer les fruits de la passion et le jus d’ananas, par : 2,5 dl de smoothie* ananas coco. Travailler le sucre, les œufs et le sel dans une terrine jusqu’à ce que la masse blanchisse. Mélanger avec le coco, la farine, la poudre à lever. Ajouter les fruits de la passion et le jus d’ananas passé au tamis. Ou avec le smoothie ananas –coco que vous pouvez trouver chez coop*. Remplir une moule préparé. (beurré ou recouvert de papier four) Préchauffer le four à 180°C. Cuisson : env. 65 minutes dans la moitié inférieure du four. Sortir du four, laisser tiédir, démouler, laisser refroidir sur une grille. Pour un cake encore plus gourmand, passez la surface avec de la confiture d’abricots (avec un pinceau ), et saupoudrez de sucre en grains http://free-cuisine.over-blog.com/article-3281430.html

i think it is overcreaming the butter. this recipe has worked before so i cannot blame it on the formula. and i use an oven thermometer. so i think it is a matter of overcreaming the butter and possibly (since I'm multiplying the recipe) I need to add a bit more flour. Thank you all for your interest and advice!

i 4x the recipe so maybe that is the problem. i need to add more flour.

standard professional heavy gauge aluminum baker sheet. i use parchment paper.

i've tried the recipe in my convection oven (fan works) and my standard home oven. spread still persists. i'm not sure what to do at this point. i will go forward and only cream not fluff my sugar and butter and increase my heat to see if that will keep them from spreading.

i freeze them a few days before baking and i use a convection oven. i will beat to cream them instead of at the fluffy state and up the temperature. i have a lot of cake flour at home, so maybe i will try that along with the baking soda suggestion. there are no flecks in my dough. it is smooth creamy and light brown. thank you for the tips. if you have other suggestions please let me know. i feel like i have a cookie monster in my kitchen.

i measure/weigh before sifting.

here is the recipe: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup turbinado (unrefined) or granulated sugar 1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and light-brown sugar; beat on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and mix to combine. Add flour and salt, and mix on low speed until flour is incorporated. 2. Roll dough into three 1 1/2-inch-diameter logs. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. 3. Heat oven to 350°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Roll cookie log in sugar, coating it evenly, and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Place cookies on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Using a cake tester or toothpick, make four decorative holes in each cookie. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on wire racks.

I have a great french butter cookie recipe that tastes good, but is not performing (visually) as I intend it to. In fact all of my cookies are suffering from this problem. Basically my cookie is meant to come out solid and round but it is spreading out flat. I have chilled the cookie dough. I have frozen the formed cookie dough. The butter has been at room temperature. Then I tried using the butter cold. I've baked the cookie at the recommended 350 degrees and then at a lower temperature. All instances have resulted in my cookie spreading flat. Though they are frozen and on room temperature sheet, the cookie still spreads. It is frustrating. So now I am thinking of using shortening. But then it wont be a butter cookie. Can you tell me how I should substitute shortening for butter (1 to 1)? And before I go the hydrogenated route, do you have any advice on how I can keep my butter cookies from spreading?

Everything is baked on Thursday and Friday for the Saturday market. So it is all rather fresh. I think I wont pack until I get to the market or maybe I wont close up the bags until I get to the market. I'm not sure. It is a real puzzler.

Hi. Thank you so much for your suggestions. Everything is completely cooled. As mentioned, inside in a controlled environment the bags are fine, no condensation. But once taken outside condensation abounds. Here is the type of bags I'm using: http://www.glerup.com/cart/detail.cfm?&id=...ItemNumber=B168 Would poking holes in the bag affect the quality of the product? I'm putting pastries such as cookies inside the bags.

I am a small farmer's market baker. I package my pastries in plastic bags and plastic containers. My packaging fits well with my pastries and they give a clear view for my customers to see the product inside. The pastries are packaged after they have been cooled for at least 4 hours. I package them inside, but once I transport them to the outside market most of the packaging develops perpetual condensation. Even if I wipe the condensation off and close the bag or container, the condensation returns. This of course obscures the view and it wrecks havoc with my product. Any ideas on how to prevent this with my existing plastic bags and containers?

didnt think my question was vague. just simple. i wanted a recipe for pomponette. that's it. if pomponette refers to a mold and not a particular pastry, technique or recipe then ok. as stated i've seen molds for pomponette and that's all i know about it. if you know more let me know. thank you!

this recipe doesnt make any sense. i believe it is a badly translated web page. anyone else out there know about pomponettes?