cognitivefun

The number of baking pans called for in cookbooks seems to be daunting. What do you recommend as the short list, the ones that we must have? Thanks!

I purchased Rosies' Bakery All-butter fresh cream sugar packed no-holds-barred baking book, and the Tish Boyle Cakes book, and I couldn't be more pleased. The Boyle book was available from Amazon for $13.00 and what a bargain! The Rosie's book seems great. I baked the Expresso Kahlua cake from the Boyle book, and the Apple Cake from Rosie's book and both came out great. I think next might be Nick Malgieri's Cakes book but I'm not sure I'd have anything I don't already have. I am not very interested in fancy decorations at this point, just in many good solid and delicious cake recipes and both books have them!

I don't know. I am told that after continuous operation with any substantial batter (or butter I suppose), many mixers stop to prevent overheating. I adjusted the paddle attachment today after realizing yesterday (this thread helped) that it wasn't low enough to the bottom of the bowl. The adjustment took a minute and I baked an apple cake from Rosie's All-Butter Fresh Cream and Sugar Packed No Holds Bar\red Baking Book and it was perfect. The mixer worked great this time and there was a little part at the bottom of the bowl that I had to scrape up, and the sides had to be scraped down, but it was otherwise very nice. I think a lot of people with the Viking mixer don't adjust the attachments to reach the bottom of the bowl! I have a theory that there is a simple trick to it to prevent the locking mechaism from wearing out. That is to use both hands to bring the motor down to the bowl: one hand holds the lock lever open, and the other hand lowers the motor. When it reaches bottom, the hand holding the lever open releases that and there is a small click and everything is locked into place without excessive impact. Some people are very hard on things like knives and mixers. I think there is a sensitivity to mechanical things: when to use force, when to use finesse. The Viking seems to be very very sturdy and well-made compared to the KAs and I think properly treated it will last longer and won't burn out. If it runs 20 minutes continuous, that is pretty good. I have been doing heavy meat grinding with not a single hiccup or problem. I have been baking in it and now that it's in adjustment, I am very happy with it.

thos look great, pups24! Fantastic. I made two more tonight and everyone commented that they had never had better challah. I don't know if that's true, but it did come out good. I used a bit of butter instead of oil...

I cook and bake with natural ingredients to the greatest extent. Some recipes call for maple extract and I don't want to use imitation. There are probably other examples. Lemon, lime and almond seem to be available in their "real" incarnations. Vanilla of course. But maple? Is any "real" maple extract or substitute available? I was thinking I could cut back on sugar and use real maple syrup. I don't know the ratios though. Any ideas

Just wondered. I often guesstimate when I cook and often when I bake. But where precision is required, for cakes for example, how do I measure honey or, for that matter, any really viscose liquid such as corn syrup or molasses? 1/4 to 1/2 seems to remain in the spoon...

often I'll keep creme fraiche in the fridge because it keeps a long time, unlike cream. I wonder if it would work well instead of cream...

is it possible to use almond butter without the oil, mixed with sugar, to make your own?

I don't see why you can't add butter first, then milk. Should be good!

I made a trial run the other night. I used 3cups of bread flour, 1tspn fine sea salt, two eggs, and 2tspns instant yeast, a tablespoon of vegetable oil and two tablespoons of honey with 1cup of milk. I did the bulk ferment, and folded the dough a few times. Then I divided the dough into thirds and made them into boules, per instructions in BBA. I let these rest, then rolled them into cylinders and daughter braided them. Eggwash, then proofing, then another eggwash and sprinkling of sesame seeds and into the oven at 350F to an internal temperature of 190F. (I have noticed that egg breads are very sensitive to over baking -- they get a disagreeable smell.) The bread came out perfect. Tight but fluffy crumb, perfect dark glossy crust color and shape. Awesome taste. I asked my tasters if they wanted anything different and my wife said "No no no, just make them exactly the same way. It's perfect." The color is a pale yellow and not that yellow that food coloring gives to things. I could make it more yellow by adding egg yolks but I don't think I will.

I have gained new perspective on my Viking from this thread. I don't think my Viking is bad. I can see the ergnomics you talk about but I understand that the KAs have a dimple in the bottom and similar issues with stuff in the bottom center of the bowl not mixing. Also, for me, I like the Viking's meat grinder attachment because it has never stalled or slowed down, works beautifully and is easy and quick to set up. I haven't bought ground beef in awhile. I doubt this would burn out and it can handle far heavier doughs I think than the KAs without burning out.

Do you also fold by hand at home, when working with small volumes? ← Thanks for the reply. I guess my question was whether you used your hands due to large volumes in a production environment. My kids will think I'm nuts, but I'll try your method next time. I can certainly see how hands would be better. I've never been completely satisfied with folding in egg whites using standard methods. ← yeah, I think it's a cool idea! I use my hands when I make bread, why not for folding in egg whites? I like it!

it started sagging in the oven...before it was done.

It is my impression that all standing mixers have this problem with either a dimple or an area at the bottom center of the bowl that doesn't get incorporated. I find this issue with my Viking, certainly. You do have to stop the mixer, lift up the motor and scrape a few times. But I've watched people with KAs do the same thing (although they do have a bowl lowering dealie on KAs that they don't have on the Viking.)

I am just delighted. Here's what I love: 1. big motor, big capacity of the bowl 2. I have the pasta making attachment and the meat grinder. The motor is so powerful that neither has any trouble. 3. Did I mention power and capacity? Minor complaints: the tilter mechanism requires two hands to bring the motor down to the bowl, at least I find it does. I got mine for something like $230. What a steal!

yes, on slow speed. Is this unusual?

I used an 8 X 8 pan, pyrex. I added the butter with the mixer paddle attachment on low and mixed just enough to combine, as the recipe instructed.

Hmmm. But when I've made a genoise, it seems to me that I recall I've whipped eggs (over a bit of heat, just a bit) to three times their volume and then I've added melted butter. I'm confused as to why this is a bad idea... I don't mean to change the topic, so just to tie back in...there is a possibility that this has to do with the eggs somehow... Perhaps the temperature was too low in my oven. I do have a big stone in there and perhaps for baking delicate cakes, it throws the themostat off and then, the cake cooks too slowly, resulting in time for the interior to sag but meanwhile the perimeter has set... Sounds plausible

I made a spice cake last night. You whip eggs and sugar until very light, add melted butter and then alternately add sour cream and the flour/spices/leaveners. Then into the oven. The middle sags. High on the outside part of the cake, low in the middle. What causes this?

I like the idea of naan with steak. Actually it was Bakers Square that was serving it this way if I recall correctly. A tasty dish.

my favorite would have to be a tie between Bread Baker's Apprentice and Van Over's Best Bread Ever. But if I had to have one only, it would be Van Over's book. Why? Because his food processor technique produces bread that is quicker to make, tastier, with a longer shelf life. Weak point of Van Over's book is relatively little about wild yeast breads. But it's such a fantastic technique that he teaches, that it is well worth finding this out-of-print used and snapping it up (I have two copies.) BBA is such a close runner-up and is the superior book in many ways...it just lacks the food processor method as the centerpiece. So it involves 10 or 12 minutes of kneading which is eliminated with the food processor technique. That's why my response would be to buy both!

while I don't know anything about Gelato and very little about the business you are talking about I do know a lot about marketing. You are describing a very expensive product to make and sell. It would be near impossible to afford the type of location that would bring in a lot of retail traffic and get the volume you would need. So I think it is safe to say that the secret of the successful shops as you describe is typically that they rent in a cheap location and focus on wholesale business. I don't know what the percentage is of wholesale to retail but I would expect 90% or more of your revenues should come from wholesale. Retail is almost an after-thought. I would test the market first. You could start at home testing your recipes and then visit upscale restaurants during their off times and get them to taste and test. Try normal type flavors and then offbeat ones like creme fraiche and lavender, or caramel rosemary, or whatever. This way you can determine what your demand is going to be. If they like the product, how often do they want deliveries? What types of flavors, normal ones or offbeat ones? What would their weekly volume be? And how much would they pay? If you can find this stuff out, you'll know whether or not you have a business and you'll avoid going broke.

mine is a naan recipe.

I'm wondering what you recommend as the best books about cakes?

I use 3 cups flour (all-purpose is fine, or all-purpose), about 1 cup yogurt, 1 tspn fine sea salt, 1 tspn instant yeast, 2 eggs, and enough milk, into the food processor so that the dough clears the sides of the bowl and I process for 45 secondss. Heat oven to 550F. with pizza stone in it. Then I scrape the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let double in bulk. Divide into 6 balls, cover, and roll out each into about 1/3" inch thick tear-drop shape. Cover. About 1 hour later the oven is hot enough and I open the oven, carefully put two naans on the stone. 4-5 minutes later, turn with tongs and do the other side for about 2 minutes. They come out wonderfully.