jackal10

Welcome Varmint! For pie crusts I've used standard Pate Sucre (3 flour:2 butter:1 Sugar; egg yolk), but I tried and was really impressed with the butter version of this http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=69380 It holds its integrity better.

The groves aren#t really for string, but to let bibbles of steam out from under the bottom when boiling. Molasses is treacle, near enough. Personally I prefer just Golden Syrup. I guess you could also use maple syrup, or any syrup for a slightly different taste. Don't forget the custard and/or cream, and make enough for second helpings.

Mint jelly for the winter when fresh mint sauce is not available for the lamb (apple or other neutral jelly with as much mint as you like in it) Freeze, chopped in ice tray cubes

I'm not making Treacle Sponge, even to photograph for eG, with the weather at over 90F However Saint Delia obliges: http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000001044.asp

Dust with rice flour for easy release

I knew I would end up taking a picture...but the weather is too hot for steamed puds, so this is an empty pudding basin. A z-fold is a pleat in the form of a letter z ; ---------------------\ /--------------------/ \---------------------------------------------

Well it works better for me. Few traditional bakeries retard the dough either...

Nope: Reinhart is not always very accurate. The gas cell formation has happened by the time it goes in the oven, and by the time the dough has cooled to fridge temperature; most of the oven spring is from gas expansion and steam, not new gas. Remember the dough is over half water. Dough is a very poor conductor of heat. Taking the dough out of the fridge and letting it stand at room temperature for an hour or two to warm up results in overproving the outside, while the centre still remains comparatively cold.

Hat water boils faster, but hot icecream freezes marginally faster than cold under some conditions as a) it melts the ice between the bottom of the container and the icebox, so makes better thermal contact b) The evaporation means less volume, so freezes faster. Sam beat me to it

A mold is a basin or anything similar that will stand the heating and is the shape of the finished pudding. Traditionally china, but also in Pyrex, plastic with snap-on lids or even disposable aluminium foil. You want to cover to stop the water getting in while cooking. Traditionally use greasproof paper or baking parchment, folded in a z-fold to allow for expansion, and tied down with string around the circumference. Pudding basins have a lip to hold the string.. I find a rubber band around the basin over the paper helps hold it down, so you don't have to wrestle with the paper and the string at the same time. You still need to tie down, as the rubber band will break when cooked. Its also easier to get out of the pan if you tie a piece of string over the top and round the bottom to act as lifting handle. Check it will take the weight. To steam put the pudding in a large pan and fill with water about half way up the basin. Dont put in so much that the water goes over the top of the basin. The paper is not that waterproof. A half lemon or some vinegar or other acid in the water will be kinder to your pans. Bring to the boil, and simmer with the lid on for the required time, topping up the water if needed.

Yes you can throw icecold dough into the oven. You even get more spring that way, since the gas has has a greater temperature expansion. As others have said, the wetter the dough, the bigger the holes. His formula is about 80% hydration which is pretty wet. For bigger holes you want to avoid knocking out the gas. Bread was originally knocked down to get a fine, even texture. You are aiming for the opposite. Personally I would bulk prove for say an hour (four hours for sourdough dough), then shape and retard overnight before baking, rather than retard before shaping. I would follow tradition and retard/prove the dough supported by linen couche - floured linen, like an oven cloth folded between each baguette, or use a non-stick baguette form if you don't mind the pattern of holes on the bottom. The dough should be so wet that unless supported it will spread. The less handling once shaped, the better - just invert onto a peel or baking tin and put in the oven. A lot of bottom heat, like a hot baking stone, in direct contact with the bread helps.

Nothing easier http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1310.html The 4 minutes in a microwave is a good trick. Not a good as steaming for 2 hours, but good in an emergency. Many variations swapping the treacle for jam or marmelade, or adding ginger or chocolate orother flavours to the sponge

Treacle Sponge Serves 4 as Dessert. Always popular. If you don't have self raising flour use general purpose or pastry flour and add a tsp of baking powder(baking soda) For Golden Syrup use corn syrup or light treacle Of course, a suet treacle pudding is even finer.. 120 g Butter 120 g Sugar 120 g Self raising flour 2 eggs, beaten 4 T Golden Syrup Cream butter and sugar. Sift the flour and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time together with the eggs. Grease a 2pt pudding basin, and put the syrup in the bottom. Fill with the mixture, which will look surprisingly little at this stage, but don't worry, as it wil expand. Cover and tie down, and steam for 2 hours. Serve with custard, and more warmed syrup. If you are in a hurry you can microwave for 4 minutes exactly instead of steaming. Keywords: Easy, Dessert ( RG1310 )

Treacle Sponge Serves 4 as Dessert. Always popular. If you don't have self raising flour use general purpose or pastry flour and add a tsp of baking powder(baking soda) For Golden Syrup use corn syrup or light treacle Of course, a suet treacle pudding is even finer.. 120 g Butter 120 g Sugar 120 g Self raising flour 2 eggs, beaten 4 T Golden Syrup Cream butter and sugar. Sift the flour and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time together with the eggs. Grease a 2pt pudding basin, and put the syrup in the bottom. Fill with the mixture, which will look surprisingly little at this stage, but don't worry, as it wil expand. Cover and tie down, and steam for 2 hours. Serve with custard, and more warmed syrup. If you are in a hurry you can microwave for 4 minutes exactly instead of steaming. Keywords: Easy, Dessert ( RG1310 )

I can have the grill flavour and the succulance; they are two seperate processes. For example I can flash the outside with a hot iron or with a blowtorch before or after the LTLT phase. What is more I can understand (or know people who do) the Maillard reactions that lead to that grill flavour, and for example how it depends on the ph of the outside of the meat, all of which lets me cook more precisely and reproduceably.

I find I cook my steak much better now that I understand how muscle fibres degrade with heat. Long time low temperature cooking is a revelation in tenderness, juiciness and flavour, since the intercellular fluid is not squeezed out. MG has done this. No fad. You might like your steak charred on the outside and raw within. Perhaps you feel sympathy with primitive man, charring his meat in the cave. Me, I'll take the MG approach anytime. Like anything new, some chefs emphasise the novelty and tricks, but that doesn't detract from the underlying soundness.

So you are not interested in the science that describes the how and why of what happens when you cook, the Dirk? I can see you are a magic and mystery person, ascribing chefs mystical skills...

Fantastic! I couldn't do what you do, and maintain family relationships as well. Can you give the cornbread recipe please?

Matjes Herring (in season) at the seafood bar at Schipol is always my first taste of Holland

http://www.brotformen.de/ Good prices and delivery

I just made a quiche lorraine using the pastry. It is easy and good. I needed a little more liquid, maybe an extra tablespoon. Quite different from Pate Brisee - much less fat and different texture. Reminds me a little of hot water crust.

The classifications reflect the quality of the soil and the position of the vineyard; those don't change.

I like the New World, and they came in 4s last time I was there...

You are overcooking the salmon. That substance is the intra muscular juices (proteins and fats) that are squeezed out when heat denatures the muscle fibres. Don't cook the fish to a temperature of more than 45C/110F and you wont get it. The salmon will be juicier and tastier as well.

Its split. You've made vinagrette (water-in-oil, not oil-in-water). If you leave it your thin mayo will seperate into oil and water phases. Don't chill it. Cold is the enemy of real mayo. Use everything at room temperature. When its warm whisk it DROP BY DROP into a fresh egg yolk. I find a spoon easier then a whisk.