How to Bake with Protein Powder

How to Bake with Protein Powder.

Protein powder can increase your daily protein intake and make your baked goods more filling. Whey protein powder is a great addition to blueberry muffins, which are mixed with a combination of oat and almond flours. If you'd like quick brownies that are flavorful and filling, combine cocoa with protein powder, melted nut butter, and mashed bananas. For a simple breakfast, combine oats with protein powder and your favorite toppings. Bake the oatmeal cups in a muffin tin for simple, protein-packed breakfasts.

Ingredients.
Whey Protein Powder Blueberry Muffins.
1 cup (90 g) oat flour, 1/4 cup (24 g) almond flour, 3 egg whites, 1/2 cup (142 g) Greek yogurt, 1 cup (255 g) unsweetened applesauce.
2 tablespoons (21 g) honey, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, 1 medium banana, peeled and mashed, 3 scoops (about 3/4 cup or 75 g) whey protein powder (plain or vanilla).
1 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking soda, 1 teaspoon (2 g) orange zest or lemon zest.
1 cup (150 g) blueberries (fresh or frozen).
Makes 12 muffins

Protein-Powder Brownies.
3 medium, overripe bananas, 1/2 cup (125 g) smooth nut or seed butter (such as peanut, almond, soy, or sunflower).
1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder, 1 to 2 scoops (1/4 to 1/2 cup or 25 to 50 g) protein powder (paleo, vegan, or casein).
Makes about 9 brownies.

Protein Powder Oatmeal Cups.
3 cups (270 g) rolled oats, 3 scoops (75 g) protein powder, 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder, 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon.
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) sea salt, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, 1/2 cup (128 g) unsweetened applesauce.
1/2 cup (142 g) plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil, melted, 1/4 cup (85 g) honey, 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened almond milk.
2 tablespoons (20 g) hemp seeds, 6 tablespoons (63 g) chocolate chips, optional, 3/4 cup (192 g) blueberries, optional, 1 tablespoon (16 g) peanut butter, optional.
Makes 12 cups

Method 1 Using Protein Powder in Baked Goods.

1. Decide what protein powder to use. Buy protein powder online, from the grocery store, from a vitamin and supplement store, or from your local natural grocers. Since protein powders are derived from different sources, choose one based on your own health needs. Consider using: Whey or casein protein powders, which are easy to digest and include all of the essential amino acids.

Soy protein powder, which can boost bone density and reduce cholesterol.

Plant-based proteins, which can be made from hemp, rice or peas are good gluten-free and vegan choices.

2. Include moisture and fat in the recipe. Recipes that include protein powder usually have more moisture and fat because these are absorbed by the protein powder. Don't cut back on the moisture or fat because your baked goods won't have as much flavor and they'll be tough or rubbery.

Foods that add moisture include bananas, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cooked sweet potatoes and beets, pumpkin puree, and applesauce.

Fats used in baked goods include coconut butter, nut and seed butters, butter, and lard.

3. Avoid using too much protein powder. Don't be tempted to substitute most or all of the flour in a recipe with protein powder or the recipe won't turn out. Ensure that the batter for your baked goods isn't more than 50% protein powder or the food will be tough and dry.

4. Use the powder in recipes for breads, muffins, and cupcakes. Protein powder is great for baking because it's easy to add without changing the flavor of the food, especially if you use an unflavored protein powder. Protein powder works well in quick breads, muffins, pancakes, granola bars, and cupcakes.

Some recipes may specify which protein powder to use. If the recipe doesn't specify, use the protein powder that you're the most comfortable with using.

5. Make smart substitutions. If you'd like to use a different protein powder than the one that's recommended in your recipe, you can make a few swaps. You can substitute the same type of protein powder, but avoid substituting a completely different type of protein. Specifically, don't use a whey or casein-based protein powder in a recipe that calls for a plant-based protein powder.

If you're substituting a plant-based protein powder such as pea protein powder for another plant-based protein powder such as hemp powder, you can safely make substitutions.

Method 2 Baking Whey Protein Powder Blueberry Muffins.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and prepare a muffin tin. Spray a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray or line it with muffin liners. Set the tin aside.

2. Mix together the egg whites, yogurt, applesauce, honey, vanilla extract and mashed banana. Get out a large mixing bowl and place 3 egg whites into it. Add 1 peeled banana and mash it a little. Mix in 1/2 cup (142 g) of Greek yogurt, 1 cup (255 g) of unsweetened applesauce, 2 tablespoons (21 g) of honey, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract.

You can discard or save the egg yolks for another recipe.

3. Stir the oat flour, almond meal, vanilla whey protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest. Get out another mixing bowl and measure 1 cup (90 g) of oat flour into it. Stir in 1/4 cup (24 g) of almond flour, 3 scoops (about 3/4 cup or 75 g) of plain or vanilla whey protein powder, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of orange or lemon zest.

4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir them until they're incorporated. The muffin batter should be smooth.

5. Fill the muffin tin and spread the blueberries on top. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to fill each hole in the muffin tin 3/4 full with batter. Get out 1 cup (150 g) of blueberries (fresh or frozen) and put about 8 berries on top of each muffin.

Avoid pushing the blueberries into the muffin batter or they may sink to the bottom.

6. Bake the blueberry muffins for 20 minutes. Put the muffin tin into the preheated oven and cook the muffins until they're golden brown and firm to the touch. If you insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of a muffin, it should come out clean.

7. Serve or store the blueberry muffins. Let the muffins cool for a few minutes before you serve them. Store the cooled blueberry muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Things You'll Need.

Whey Protein Powder Blueberry Muffins : Measuring cups and spoons, 12-hole muffin tin, 2 mixing bowls, Spoon or spatula, Toothpick or cake tester.

Method 3 Making Protein-Powder Brownies.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and prepare a baking dish. Get out an 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) baking dish or a small loaf pan. Spray it with cooking spray to prevent the brownies from sticking.

2. Melt the nut or seed butter. Put 1/2 cup (125 g) of smooth nut or seed butter into a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan on the stove. Microwave the nut or seed butter for 20 to 30 seconds or heat it over medium-heat on the stove. Heat the nut or seed butter for a few minutes, so it melts.

3. Put the bananas, cocoa powder, protein powder, and melted nut butter into a blender. Peel 3 medium, overripe bananas and put them into a blender. Add 1/4 cup (25 g) of cocoa powder, 1 to 2 scoops (1/4 to 1/2 cup or 25 to 50 g) of protein powder, and the melted nut or seed butter.

Avoid using whey protein powder for this recipe, because it will make the brownies gummy. Instead, use plant-based, soy, or vegan protein powder.

4. Blend the ingredients for 30 seconds. Put the lid on your blender and turn it on for about 30 seconds, so the brownie ingredients are completely combined and smooth.

5. Spread the batter in the pan and bake the brownies for 20 minutes. Scoop the batter into the greased baking dish. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly. Put the dish into the preheated oven and bake the brownies for 20 minutes.

6. Check the brownies and remove them from the oven. Insert a toothpick or cake tester to see if the brownies have finished cooking. The tester or toothpick should come out clean. If it doesn't, return the brownies to the oven for another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the cooked brownies and let them cool completely in the pan.

7. Slice and serve the protein powder brownies. Cut the brownies into as many pieces as you like. You should be able to get around 9 standard sized brownies. Refrigerate any leftover brownies in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

You can also freeze the brownies for 4 to 6 months.

Things You'll Need.

Protein-Powder Brownies : 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) baking dish or a small loaf pan, Measuring cups, Spoon, Microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan, Blender, Toothpick or cake tester, Knife.

Method 4 Baking Protein Powder Oatmeal Cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and grease a muffin tin. Spray a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray or brush it with melted coconut oil. Set the pan aside.

2. Mix the oats, protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Get out a large mixing bowl and place 3 cups (270 g) of rolled oats into it. Add 3 scoops (75 g) of protein powder, 1 teaspoon (4 g) of baking powder, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of sea salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are combined.

3. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, applesauce, Greek yogurt, coconut oil, honey, and almond milk. Get out another mixing bowl and crack in 2 eggs. Whisk in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract, 1/2 cup (128 g) of unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup (142 g) of plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of melted coconut oil, 1/4 cup (85 g) of honey, and 1 cup (240 ml) of unsweetened almond milk until they're combined.

4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until they're just combined.

5. Spoon the batter into the tin. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 holes of the greased muffin tin.

6. Sprinkle the hemp seeds and optional toppings over the batter. Measure 2 tablespoons (20 g) of hemp seeds and scatter them evenly over the batter in the muffin tins. Decide if you'd like to top the oatmeal cups with chocolate chips, blueberries, or peanut butter. If so, sprinkle 6 tablespoons (63 g) of chocolate chips or 3/4 cup (192 g) of blueberries over the batter.

For a peanut butter drizzle, melt 1 tablespoon (16 g) of peanut butter in a microwave-safe container for 10 seconds and drizzle it over the batter.

7. Bake the oatmeal cups for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the tin into the preheated oven and cook the cups until they become golden and completely cooked throughout.

8. Cool the oatmeal cups for 20 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and let the oatmeal cups cool completely in the tin before you take them out. Serve the cold oatmeal cups or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

To freeze the oatmeal cups, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 months. To reheat them, remove 1 to 2 cups and heat them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

Things You'll Need.

Protein Powder Oatmeal Cups : Measuring cups and spoons, 12-hole muffin tin, 2 mixing bowls, Spoon or spatula.

Januari 16, 2020

how to roasting avocado fries in an oven

How to Roasting Avocado Fries in an Oven.

Avocados are a delicious superfood packed with nutrients, healthy fats, and fiber. While there are many ways to cook with this versatile fruit, baking avocados is one easy and delicious technique that leaves plenty of room to be creative. You can cook a simple but delicious breakfast with avocado and eggs while adding your own zesty toppings. For a healthy alternative to potatoes, you can roast avocado fries as a side dish to a meat- or plant-based burger. And if you're in the mood for a quick and easy snack, simply putting avocado halves in the oven topped with your favorite cheese will fill you up!

Ingredients.
3 avocados.
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) all-purpose flour.
Salt and pepper.
2 eggs.
1 1⁄2 cups (350 ml) panko breadcrumbs.
1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted butter or margarine.
1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder.
1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion powder.
1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) paprika.
1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt.
1⁄4 teaspoon (1.2 ml) ground black pepper.
3 mixing bowls.
Cooking spray.
Baking sheet.
Wire rack.

Steps.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 °F (232 °C). As your oven is preheating, gather all of your ingredients, including your avocados, flour, eggs, panko breadcrumbs, and assorted spices. In addition, grab three mixing bowls.

2. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits and skins. After removing the pits, carefully scoop the avocados out of the skin while keeping their shape. Slice the avocados lengthwise for the desired thickness. The slices should not be too thin but thick enough to keep shape.

As long as the avocado is not overripe, it should come out solid but not too hard. 3 avocados should yield 20-22 fries.

3. Add 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of flour in the first mixing bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper into the flour. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper well.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper work well for this recipe.

4. Crack the eggs into the second bowl. Keeping the egg whites and yolks together, lightly beat the eggs. As you crack the eggs into the bowl make sure that no shells fall into the mixture. Set the bowl to the side.

One vegan alternative to eggs would be 6 fluid ounces (180 ml) of silken tofu with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of non-dairy milk.

5. Combine the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter in the third bowl. Mix the ingredients, and add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients.

6. Dip the avocado slices into the flour and beaten egg. After you have dipped each avocado slice into the flour and egg, coat the slices thoroughly with the panko and place on the wire rack. Spray the avocado slices with the cooking spray of your choice.

The wire rack should be placed on top of a baking sheet for stability and to catch any ingredients that fall off the rack.If you do not have a wire rack, it is fine to bake the fries on greased aluminum foil or parchment paper on a baking sheet. Turn the fries halfway through baking.

Olive oil or vegetable oil spray works well for this recipe.

7. Bake the avocado slices for 20-25 minutes. Once the panko is lightly brown, remove the avocado fries from the oven. Let the slices cool for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!



Tips.

As with most fruits, ripeness is key. Always cook with ripe avocados. You can tell when an avocado is ripe by holding it in the palm of your hand and squeezing. If the avocado is hard, it is not ripe. If it is mushy, it is overripe. The perfect avocado will yield a minimal amount of pressure, and the skin should “give” slightly but not remain indented.

Some methods for increasing the ripening speed for avocados include putting the fruit in a paper bag overnight or baking the avocado wrapped in foil at 200 °F (93 °C)}. While these methods might work occasionally, it is always best to let avocados ripe naturally.

There are countless ways to bake avocados. Be creative with your ingredients, and do an online search for many more recipes.

Warnings.

As with any baking recipe, make sure to use safe handling practices when removing your avocados from the oven. Be mindful of oven temperatures, and keep a close eye on your avocados as they are baking.

Practice sanitary cooking methods, and wash your hands often.

Wipe down all kitchen surfaces with an antibacterial cleaner and disposable paper towel.

Januari 15, 2020

how to substitute baking powder adding lemon juice

How to Substitute Baking Powder Adding Lemon Juice.

Baking powder is a leavening agent used to help batters rise when they’re cooked. Luckily, if you’re out of baking powder and in a pinch, you can make your own with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Your homemade mixtures will work in your batter more quickly, so make sure you bake it right away!

Ingredients.

1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda.

1⁄4  tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice.

Substitutes 1 tsp (14 g) of baking powder.

Steps.

1. Add 1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda to the dry ingredients of your batter. Whisk the baking soda thoroughly with the rest of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Pour 1⁄4  tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice into the wet ingredients. Keep the wet ingredients, like eggs or milk, in another mixing bowl separate from the dry ingredients.

Lemon juice can affect the flavor of your baked goods if you use too much. If you don’t want added citrus flavor, do not use lemon juice.

3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients according to the recipe. Stir all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. This combines the lemon juice and baking powder, causing the reaction that creates baking powder.

This creates a single-acting baking powder. Store-bought baking powder is usually double-acting, meaning it leavens your batter when it’s first mixed and when it cooks. Cook the batter once you mix in the baking powder.

Things You’ll Need.

2 mixing bowls.

Measuring cups and spoons.

Whisk.

Tips.

Mix the baking powder substitutes together right before you plan on cooking with them.

Warnings.

The baking powder substitutes you mix are single-acting, meaning they release gas as soon as they’re mixed. Put your mix in the oven soon after you make the substitute.

Desember 01, 2019

how to oven frying crispy pork chops

How to Oven-Frying Crispy Pork Chops.

Thick pork chops are tender, juicy, and a challenge to bake. Because they're so thick, you'll need to carefully cook the centers without burning the outsides. To simply cook thick pork chops, just sauté the sides on the stove until they're brown. Transfer them to the oven and bake them as long as you prefer. For crispier, oven-fried pork chops, dredge the chops in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture before searing them on the stove. For even juicer chops, chill them in a brine solution before sautéing them. Finish the chops in the oven and enjoy their slightly sweet flavor.



Ingredients.

2 eggs, lightly beaten.

1⁄4 cup (60 ml) milk.

1 1⁄2 cups (135 g) dry breadcrumbs.

1⁄2 cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese.

1 1⁄2 teaspoons (3 g) garlic powder.

1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5.5 g) salt.

1⁄2 teaspoon (1 g) black pepper.

1 pinch cayenne pepper.

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) dried parsley.

1⁄2 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning.

2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil.

1 tablespoon (14 g) butter.

7 thick-cut pork chops.

Makes 7 servings.

Steps.

1. Set the pork chops at room temperature for 45 minutes. Remove 7 thick-cut pork chops from the refrigerator and put them onto a baking sheet. Let them sit out at room temperature so they're no longer chilled from being in the refrigerator. This will help them cook evenly.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and grease a baking dish. Get out a 9 inches (23 cm) x 13 inches (33 cm) baking dish and spray it with cooking spray. If you don't have cooking spray, you can spread grease or butter along the inside of the pan. Set the baking dish aside.

3. Whisk the eggs with the milk. Crack 2 eggs into a shallow bowl and pour in 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of milk. Whisk the mixture until the eggs are completely combined with the milk. Set the bowl aside.

4. Mix breadcrumbs with cheese and herbs. Pour 1 1⁄2 cups (135 g) of dry breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl along with 1⁄2 cup (50 g) of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir in.

1 1⁄2 teaspoons (3 g) garlic powder

1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5.5 g) salt

1⁄2 teaspoon (1 g) black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) dried parsley

1⁄2 teaspoon (1 g) dried Italian seasoning



5. Dip the pork chops into the wet mixture. Take a thick-cut pork chop and lower it into the egg and milk mixture. Ensure that the pork chop is totally covered with the wet mixture. Dip each pork chop 1 at a time.

6. Coat both sides of the pork chops in the breadcrumb mixture. Lift a pork chop up out of the wet mixture so the excess liquid drips back into the dish. Immediately lower the pork chop into the breadcrumb mixture and turn it over so both sides are coated. Coat each of the chops in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the coated pork chops on the baking sheet.

7. Sear the pork chops for 4 minutes. Put 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil and 1 tablespoon (14 g) of butter into a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil mixture is shimmering hot, lay a few of the pork chops into the skillet. Cook them for 4 minutes so they become brown and crisp on the bottom. Cook the chops in batches since they won't all fit into the skillet.

Avoid turning or moving the chops while they're searing.

8. Flip and sear the pork chops for 4 more minutes. Use tongs to flip each pork chop over and continue to cook the other sides over medium-high heat. Cook the chops until they become browned and crunchy. Sear the remaining pork chops in batches.

9. Bake the crispy pork chops for 25 minutes. Transfer the seared pork chops to the prepared baking dish. Put them in the preheated oven and bake the chops until they're cooked to at least 145 °F (63 °C).

If you'd like well-done pork chops, cook them for about 5 minutes longer. Check the centers to see if they're as cooked as you like.

10. Rest the chops for 3 minutes before you and serve them. Once the chops have reached your desired temperature, remove them from the oven and cover them loosely with aluminum foil. Rest the chops for 3 minutes and serve them immediately. Serve the chops with roasted potatoes, gravy, cornbread, or cooked greens.

You can store the leftover chops in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but they'll become soggy as they're stored. Store them for up to 3 or 4 days.



Things You'll Need.

Measuring cups and spoons.

9 inches (23 cm) x 13 inches (33 cm) baking dish.

2 shallow bowls.

Large skillet.

Tongs.

Whisk.

Oven mitts.

Instant-read thermometer, optional.

Desember 16, 2019

how to make baking soda crystals

How to Make Baking Soda Crystals.

Baking soda is a white powder that’s often used in baking, for cooking, and for other purposes around the house. Baking soda can also be used in some fun experiments, including making crystals. Making baking soda crystals is a fun project, and because you only need a few supplies, the hardest part of the experiment is waiting for the crystals to grow! All you need for this experiment is baking soda, water, string, and some glass jars.

Ingredients : 2 cups (470 ml) water, ¼ cup (55 g) baking soda, Food coloring (optional).

Part 1 Making the Baking Soda Solution.

1. Boil the water. To make baking soda crystals, you start by making a water solution that’s saturated with baking soda. The baking soda will dissolve better in warm water. Measure 2 cups (470 ml) of water into a kettle. Turn on the kettle to boil the water.

Be very careful when using appliances and electronics. Ask a parent, guardian, or adult to help you.

2. Pour the water. When the kettle boils, carefully pour the water into a large heat-proof bowl, glass, or jar. Be very careful not to spill the water, as it’s very hot and can burn your skin. You may want to ask an adult to pour the water for you.

3. Add the baking soda. Sprinkle half the baking soda into the jar with the hot water. Stir the mixture to dissolve the baking soda in the water. Then, add the remaining baking soda 1 teaspoon (5 g) at a time, stirring each time to dissolve the baking soda.

Continue adding baking soda until no more will dissolve in the water and a thin layer of powder forms on the bottom of the jar.

You may need to add slightly more or less baking soda than the ¼ cup (55 g) to completely saturate the water.

4.Cool and divide the water. When the water won’t absorb any more baking soda, set it aside to cool for about 20 minutes. Once the solution has cooled, divide it equally between two small jars or glasses.

Leave the last bit of solution in the original jar, and throw out the undissolved baking soda that’s settled on the bottom.

5. Separate the jars. Select a flat surface where you can leave the jars undisturbed for about a week. Good places include a work table or counter. Place the jars on the table or counter about 6 inches (15 cm) apart from each other. Place a plate between the jars to catch any water that may drip.

The crystals will need several days to grow, and you don’t want to move them once they start growing. That’s why it’s important to find a place now where you can set up the experiment.

6. Color the water. To make colored baking soda crystals, you can add five to 10 drops of food coloring to each jar. Stir the solution to mix the color into it. You can make both jars the same color, or you can color each solution a different color.

If you make each jar a different color, half your crystals will be one color, and the other half will be another color.

7. Cut a piece of string. Baking soda crystals need a medium to form on, and string is great for this. Any type of fabric string will work, like string, twine, or yarn. Use scissors to cut a foot-long (30-cm) length of string.

Always be very careful when using scissors, and make sure you have adult supervision when cutting or using sharp tools.

8. Tie weights to the string. To keep the strings weighted in the baking soda solution, you can tie weights to each end of the string. Good weights include beads and paper clips. Run each end of the string through the hole in a bead or end of a paper clip, and tie a small knot in the string to secure it to the weight.

9. Place one end of the string in each jar of water. Take one end of the string and gently drop the weight into one of the jars. Pick up the other end of the string and drop the weighted end into the other jar. The string running between the two jars should be loose and hanging down slightly, like a smile.

Part 2 Watching the Crystals Form.

1. Leave the jars alone for several days. The baking soda crystals will form as the solution saturates the string and the water evaporates. When the water does evaporate, it will leave behind the baking soda crystals. You can check on the experiment whenever you like, but don’t stir the water or touch the string.

The crystals will need about five to seven days to fully form.

2. Take notes about how much growth happens every day. To find out how quickly the crystals are growing, check on the experiment at the same time every day. Each day, make a note of any changes that have happened since the day before. You can document the experiment by:

Taking notes about the length and thickness of the crystals

Noting the water level in the jars

Making drawings of the experiment

Taking pictures of the project

3. Remove the string and dry the crystals. When crystals have formed on the entire length of the string after about five days, you can remove the string of crystals. Use two hands to grab the string where it attaches to the jars. Carefully pull the string of crystals from the jars and lay it down on a clean plate. Leave the string to dry for several hours.

Part 3 Getting Creative with Crystals.

1. Create stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites and stalagmites are mineral deposits that often form inside of caves. You can watch how these formations are made by adding extra water to the string when you're creating your crystals:

Each day, remove a spoonful of baking soda solution from one of the jars

Drizzle a few drops of the solution on the center of the string to saturate it

As the water drips onto the plate below and evaporates, baking soda crystal deposits will form that dangle from the center of the string (stalactites) and grow up from the plate below (stalagmites).

2. Grow them in eggs. Place a few drops of your colored baking soda solution into a clean egg shell half. Swirl the water around to coat the inside of the shell. Place the egg on a plate and set it aside for a day or two to allow the water to evaporate. Add a few more drops of water every day. As the water evaporates, the crystals will form inside the egg shell.

3. Make different crystal types. You can also make other types of crystals using the same method as with baking soda crystals. Other crystal types you can make include sugar, salt, and Epsom salt crystals. To make these types of crystals:

Dissolve ⅔ cup of sugar, salt, or Epsom salts in a glass of hot water

Divide the solution between two clean jars.

Cut a piece of string to a length of 1 foot (0.30 m) (30 cm).

Place each end of the string in one of the jars.

Leave the experiment for several days so the crystals can form.

Desember 09, 2019

How to Made A Giant 30-Pound Burger

How to Made A Giant 30-Pound Burger.

A hamburger (also burger for short) is a sandwich consisting of one or more cooked patties of ground meat, usually beef, placed inside a sliced bread roll or bun.

1. Giant Stuffed Burger Recipe

Ingredients for 8 servings.
1 lb bacon (455 g).
2 tablespoons salted butter.
1 large onion, thinly sliced.
3 lb ground beef (1.5 kg).
1 tablespoon garlic powder.
1 tablespoon paprika.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 teaspoon pepper.
oil, for greasing pan.
2 cups cheddar cheese (200 g), grated and divided.
2 cups monterey jack cheese (200 g), grated and divided.
1 cup fresh parsley (40 g), chopped, divided
lettuce, to serve.
tomato, sliced, to serve.
8 rolls, to serve.

Preparation.
Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, lay 5 of the bacon strips down back to back. Lifting up every other strip, fold about 1-inch (2 cm) the bacon back on itself. Lay another slice of bacon perpendicular to the strips and fold the flaps back over the horizontal strip of bacon. Repeat with the rest of the bacon until a tight weave has formed.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until desired crispiness has been reached.
In a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until a deep gold color, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, mix together the beef, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Divide the beef mixture in half.
On a piece of parchment paper spread half of the meat into a large circle about 10 inches (25 cm) long and 1 inch (2 cm) thick. Repeat with the other half of meat on a separate piece of parchment paper.
Sprinkle half of the cheddar and half of the Monterey Jack over one disk of ground beef, along with half of the parsley. Place the bacon lattice on top.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheddar and Monterey on top of the bacon lattice, along with the rest of the parsley.
Top with the caramelized onions. Place the other circle of meat on directly on top. Begin pinching together the meat patties making sure the fillings are not coming out, until a giant burger is formed.
Heat a greased 10 inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the giant burger in the skillet carefully while peeling away the bottom piece of parchment. Cook for 5 minutes, until it is a deep brown color.
Using a large plate, place it over the skillet. While holding the plate in place flip the skillet so the burger falls onto to plate. Place the skillet back on the heat and slide the burger back into the pan so the cooked side is facing up now. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and place skillet in the oven to finish cooking for 5 minutes
Remove from pan using spatulas and place on a cutting board for serving.
Cut into 8 or more pieces. Serve on a roll with lettuce and tomato.
Enjoy!

2. Giant Party Cheeseburger.

INGREDIENTS.
3 lb. ground beef.
1 c. bread crumbs.
2 large eggs.
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.
3 cloves garlic, minced.
1/2 lb. sliced cheddar cheese.
1 large boule, halved.
2 c. romaine lettuce.
ketchup.
mustard.
2 large tomatoes, sliced.
1 c. pickle coins.
Baked French fries, for serving (optional).


DIRECTIONS.
Preheat oven to 350° and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined.
Transfer meat mixture to the prepared baking sheet and form the mass into an extra large patty. It should be about 1” bigger in diameter than your bread. Bake until the meat is browned and cooked through, 50 to 55 minutes.
Using paper towels, blot extra grease off and around the patty. Preheat broiler. Cover the entire top of the patty with cheese and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.
Assemble burger: Place the bottom half of the boule bread on a large serving tray. Top with lettuce then place the giant cooked patty on top. Squeeze ketchup and mustard all over the patty, then top with tomatoes and pickles and place top half of the bread on top.
Slice into wedges and serve warm with french fries.

Juli 13, 2020

How to Use Coconut Flour

How to Use Coconut Flour.

Coconut flour is an alternative to wheat flour. It can be used to make recipes low-carb and gluten-free. Whatever the reason you want to switch to coconut flour, you can use it in a variety of ways, including baking, but you need to make sure you know how to use it before you start cooking with it.

Method 1 Using Coconut Flour in Baking.

1. Add less coconut flour than you would wheat flour. Coconut flour is much more absorbent than wheat flour. That means that you usually need much less of it in a baking recipe. How much less depends on the recipe, but you may be using as little as a third of what you'd normally use.

2. Consider adding extra protein. Because coconut flour has less protein than wheat flour, it can sometimes come off as a bit dense. Wheat flour produces gluten, which helps provide stretch and bite to baked goods. It can help to add in a bit of whey powder to your recipe when using coconut flour to help replace the gluten.

3. Pay attention to differences between flours. Not every coconut flour is the same. Some are denser than others, making your recipes turn out differently. Pay attention to what the dough looks like before you bake it. It should be similar in consistency to a dough made with wheat flour. If it's not, you may need to adjust the recipe.

4. Add liquids in equal parts. Unlike recipes calling for wheat flour, you need to add a significant amount of liquid to dough using coconut flour. Usually, you'll use one part liquid to one part coconut flour. You can use water, coconut milk, milk, or any other liquid you think would go well with the recipe.

Another way to avoid dryness is to add pureed fruits to your baked goods, such as applesauce or pumpkin.

5. Add extra eggs. When baking with coconut flour, the texture of the finished product relies more heavily on the eggs than it does on the flour. That means you need to add extra eggs when baking with coconut flour. You may use as many as 6 eggs while only using 1/2 a cup (118 milliliters) of coconut flour.

6. Try an established recipe first. That is, you may decide you want to just substitute coconut flour in your favorite recipe. However, that's likely to end in disaster if you just substitute coconut flour for wheat flour one to one. It's better to use a recipe made for coconut flour that someone has already tested. Once you get the hang of baking with coconut flour, then you can start making changes to fit your needs.

Looking for a good place to start? These coconut flour cupcakes are simple but delicious!

Method 2 Using Coconut Flour in Other Ways.

1. Add it as a binder for meatloaf and meatballs. Coconut flour works well as a binder in recipes where you'd normally use ingredients like cracker or bread crumbs, such as meatloaf. However, you will need to double the liquid in the recipe because the coconut flour will absorb so much of it.

2. Experiment with using it in sauces. Some people have good luck using it to thicken sauces, while others do not. In fact, some cooks recommend not trying it at all. However, you should experiment and see what works for you. You may find it works well as a thickener for your purposes. Don't forget that coconut flour will absorb more liquid than wheat flour, though, so only try a little bit at a time.

3. Use it as a base for coconut shrimp or chicken. If you want to make coconut chicken or shrimp, coconut flour makes a good base. Simply dip the meat into an egg wash first (whisked egg), then dip it into the coconut flour. You can also season it with salt and pepper. Next, dip it back into the egg, then roll it in coconut flakes. Finally, fry the meat as normal in oil.

Desember 27, 2019

how to easy make hush puppies

How to Make Hush Puppies.

Hush puppies are an easy and delicious fried treat. Originating in the American South, they are a wonderful accompaniment to most meals, specifically seafood. Originally, legend states that southern fisherman used to cook hush puppies to feed their barking dogs, giving the treat its distinctive name.







Ingredients Rich Southern Hush Puppies.

2 cups (300g) corn meal.

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour..

1 teaspoon (3g) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon (1.5g) baking soda.

1 1/2 (8.5g) teaspoons salt.

1 tablespoon (12.6) sugar.

1/2 large onion, diced.

1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk.

3/4 cup (180ml) water..

1/2 cup (4oz) butter, melted

1 egg.







Method 1 Making Classic Hush Puppies.





Preheat a deep fryer to 365 °F (185 °C) or heat up 2 cups oil over medium-high heat. The most common oil used is peanut, but vegetable, sunflower, or canola oil will do as well. As the oil warms to its appropriate heat, start mixing up ingredients.

If you don't have a deep fryer, don't worry. You can use a piece of bread to check your oil's temperature as well.



Sift the dry ingredients -- flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking soda and powder -- together. Use a fork or whisk to make sure everything is evenly mixed in.



Finely dice your large onion and add it to the dry ingredients. To dice an onion, cut it in half from end to end and peel off the skin. Cut off the tops -- the long, spindly end -- from each half. Then make long, vertical slices, following the onion's long, visible lines. Finally, cut horizontally across these long cuts to get small squares.

For even smaller pieces, stand the onion up on its end and cut each part in half once more before cutting your squares.



Melt the butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, then stir it into the buttermilk. Put the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. If it's not totally melted, add 10 seconds at a time until it has just turned liquid -- it doesn't need to be hot. In a separate bowl, mix this butter into the buttermilk.



Whisk the egg and water into the buttermilk. You want all of your wet ingredients to be together, well mixed, in this separate bowl. It can help to whisk the egg ahead of time so that it is already scrambled.



Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Pour your bowl of buttermilk mixture straight into the flours, salt, and sugar.



Mix until combined, without any chunks. You want a batter that is thicker than pancakes, but not so thick that it can't be stirred easily. Once it is all mixed in, stop -- you don't want to over stir. Use a rubber spatula for the best results.

If the batter is very wet and runny, add 1-2 more tablespoons of corn meal.

If the batter is thick and difficult to stir, add 1-2 more tablespoons of milk.



Test the heat of the frying oil, aiming for 365F/185C. A candy or frying thermometer is easiest, but it is far from your only option. Cut a 1-inch (2.5cm) piece of bread and drop it into the hot oil. If it is completely browned within 60 seconds, your oil is hot enough to fry with.

If the bread browns faster than 60 seconds, turn the heat down.

A kernel of popcorn will not pop until it's reached the right temperature, and can be used as another test subject when dropped in oil.



Drop 6-7 pieces of batter into the hot oil using a metal spoon. A normal spoon should have the right amount of batter. Dip it in cold water to prevent the dough from sticking, then scoop a roughly 1" (2.5cm) piece of dough into the hot oil.

Only cook 6-7 pieces at once to prevent cooling the oil with too much cold batter. If the oil gets too cold the puppies will take longer to cook and will come out greasy.



Turn puppies after one minute to ensure that they cook completely. Hush puppies will sometimes flip themselves, but if not you can use a slotted spoon to turn them over. This ensures all sides cook evenly.



Fry until golden on all sides. If they look nice and golden all over, they are ready to remove. While the exact time will depend on the size of the hush puppy and oil's heat, they shouldn't take longer than 2-3 minutes.



Rest finished hush puppies on a plate of paper towels to drain. This removes some of the excess oil from the surface, which helps the outsides cool into a crisp, delicious exterior. Enjoy!









Method 2 Making Recipe Variations.



Ingredients Simple and Easy Hush Puppies.

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour.

1 cup + 2 tablespoons (175g) self-rising cornmeal.

1/2 cup (100g) white sugar.

2 eggs, beaten.

1 large onion, finely diced.

1/2 cup (120ml) milk or buttermilk.

1 teaspoon (2.8g) salt.



Simplify your liquids to just milk and two eggs for a denser, easier hush puppy. This recipe is much quicker and leads to a heavier treat than the light, airy puppies shown above. To make, simply mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, combine, and then cook as shown above:

Wet ingredients

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk or buttermilk

Dry ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup + 2 tablespoons self-rising cornmeal

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon salt[8]



Consider a denser, all cornmeal variation. Instead of using a mixture of flour and cornmeal, get a more classic flavor by just using 2 cups of cornmeal. Use 2 eggs instead of 1 to help it hold together better.



Add a shredded green bell pepper for a Cajun/Creole twist. Green bell peppers are at the heart of Louisiana cooking, and some Cajun chefs can't do without them. To make them, use a mandolin or sharp knife to cut fine, small strips of pepper and add with the onion.



Throw in 8 ounces of fresh crab meat for crab cake hush puppies. To make them, mix the pulled and shredded crab meat into the buttermilk before adding to the dry ingredients. Cut the amount of all-purpose flour in half and cook like normal.

One cup of chopped raw shrimp can also be used for a seafood kick.

This recipe also goes well with the green bell pepper variation mentioned above.



Substitute a half can of beer for the buttermilk for a tangier, lighter treat. Sometimes called Mississippi hush puppies, this is the same concept as a beer-battered fish or fry. The also go well with a chopped jalapeno pepper. The rest of the cooking is just like normal.

This should be roughly 3/4 cup (180ml) beer.



Bake the hush puppies in a muffin tin at 450F/230C for 10 minutes for a low-fat option. Want delicious hush puppies without frying? You can fill a muffin tin with your batter instead of frying to get delicious, puffy hush puppies anytime. Just add 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil to the batter and stir in to help them cook.

Use cooking spray, oil, or butter to lightly grease the muffin tin.



Finished.





Tips.

In humid weather, expect to add 1-2 tablespoons more corn meal. In drier climates, you should prepare for a touch more milk.



Warnings.

Use care when cooking with a deep fat fryer -- hot oil is very dangerous.



Things You'll Need.

Mixing bowls.

Measuring cups and spoons.

Mixing spoon.

Deep fat fryer.

November 18, 2019

how to make cranberry orange muffins

How to Make Cranberry Orange Muffins.

Wonderful served for breakfast, brunch, or tea, cranberry-orange muffins are easy to make. They are also delicious. Makes 12 muffins.



Ingredients.

3 cups (375g) flour.

1 tablespoon baking powder.

1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

1/3 cup (75g) butter, softened.

1 1/2 cups (180g) sugar.

2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk.

1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil, canola oil suggested.

3 eggs.

1 tablespoon vanilla.

2 tablespoons orange zest.

2 cups (220g) cranberries.

Did you make this recipe?

Share your success story.

Steps.

1. Line a muffin tin with paper liners while preheating the oven.Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.

2. Spray muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray, or line the muffin cups with paper liners.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Cream the soft butter and sugar. Scrape down bowl sides while creaming the butter mixture.

5. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla to another mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

6. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well and remember to scrape the bowl sides while mixing.

7. Slowly incorporate the buttermilk mix to the creamed butter. Mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl.

8. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or the muffins will be tough.

9. Fold in the orange zest and cranberries.

10. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle muffins with sugar.

11. Bake muffins 30 to 35 minutes or until golden.

12. Let the muffins cool in the muffin pans for 10 minutes.

13. Turn out muffins to cool on wire racks.

Things You'll Need.

Measuring cups and spoons.

Mixing bowls.

Mixing spoon.

Muffin tins.

Paper liners or nonstick cooking spray.

Wire cooling racks.

Februari 12, 2020

how to cooking buttermilk pancakes with fruit

How to Cooking Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit.

Add the dry ingredients to a sifter. Add the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, 2 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 2 cups of flour to a sifter. If you don't have a sifter, you can use a fine mesh strainer. Sift the ingredients into a bowl. To sift with a strainer, lightly shake the strainer, or tap the edge to make the ingredients fall through the holes.



Melt the butter. Add 1/2 a stick of butter to microwave bowl. Heat it in the microwave until it is melted.



Add the wet ingredients to another bowl. Add the 2 eggs, the 2 cups of buttermilk, and the melted butter to the bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients.



Mix the two bowls. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold the batter together gently. Lumps are fine for this batter. If you over mix the batter, your pancakes will be dense.



Prepare the skillet. In a skillet over medium heat, add a pat of butter. Let it melt.





Pour in the batter. Add 1/3 cup of the batter to the skillet. Add a small smattering of fruit on top of the pancake.



You can use blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, to name a few, in either fresh or frozen varieties. However, if you use larger fruits, such as strawberries, you should chop them smaller before adding them to the pancake. You can also try small chunks of bananas or chocolate chips.



Let the batter cook. Each pancake should cook for a couple of minutes on each side. Look for small bubbles in the top of the batter. Those should start to pop before you flip the pancake.



Finish cooking the batter. Keep adding 1/3 a cup of batter for each pancake, cooking them until the batter is gone. Add more butter as needed to the skillet. You can hold the pancakes in a warm oven until you are ready to serve them.

November 04, 2019

how to bake cranberry orange bread

How to Bake Cranberry Orange Bread.

Cranberry orange bread is a sweet treat to have during the holiday season.Try it out with your family.



Ingredients.

3/4 cup pecan halves.

3/4 of cranberries.

1/4 cup of butter.

2/3 cup of sugar.

zest from half an orange.

3 eggs.

1 cup of buttermilk.

1/2 tsp vanilla.

1 1/4 cup flour.

1 1/2 tsp baking powder.

1/4 tsp salt.

Did you make this recipe?

Share your success story.

Steps.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then lightly spray in 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. Insert a metal blade and pulse to coarsely chop three quarters of a cup of pecan halves , and then add third of a cup of cranberries and continue to pulse.

3. To a stand mixer, add a quarter cup of butter, two thirds of a cup of sugar, the zest from half an orange, three eggs, and a half a teaspoon of vanilla. Now, one and a quarter cups of flour, and one and a half teaspoons of baking powder, and a quarter teaspoon of salt.Add this flour mixture to the stand mixer in three additions, and one cup of buttermilk in two additions.

4. Fold the cranberry and pecan mixture into the batter.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes.

6. For best results, wrap this cranberry orange bread in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 24 hours before slicing. Enjoy the treat.

Februari 11, 2020

How to Pull Off Thin Hand-Pulled Lamian Noodles (part 2).

How to Pull Off Thin Hand-Pulled Lamian Noodles  (part 2).

By TIM CHIN.

Trial 4: The Wide World of Dough Reducers
Adding an alkali wasn’t the answer. I had to dig deeper. Based on one translated source, the composition of penghui includes sodium, potassium, and sulfur. And given my previous tests with potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (both alkalis), I was willing to rule out the first two ingredients.
But sulfur? A quick search for sulfur additives in dough led me to this comprehensive post describing the role of dough reducers in industrial breadmaking. Dough reducers (or reducing agents) are a class of dough conditioners used to decrease mixing time and to improve extensibility. Chief among them are the protein-based reagents cysteine and glutathione; and, coincidentally, sulfites.
I reached out to the author, Dr. Jacinthe Côté, a food biotechnologist and Product Management Director at Lallemand Inc., a major research, development, and manufacturing company that specializes in yeasts and bacteria for natural fermentation processes, including industrial dough processing. According to her, reducing agents act like mixing to reversibly break down the gluten network, resulting in increased extensibility. “You have to be aware that those [disulfide] links can be broken. If you manipulate the dough, or if you stretch it too much, the bridge can be broken. It can be done mechanically, or it can be done chemically.”
For Dr. Côté, gluten development during mixing is best thought of as an oxidation-reduction reaction, hence the name “dough reducers.” “The formation of a disulfide bridge is an oxidation reaction…involving gluten [proteins] containing sulfhydryl (or thiol, denoted by -SH) groups. The oxidation process links the sulfhydryl groups on one protein with another.” Breaking those disulfide bonds chemically is a reduction process known as disulfide interchange. Do you need to know all that hard science? Not really. What’s important is this: Each reducing agent participates in some form of disulfide interchange to relax a dough. But they aren’t all created equal.

Sulfites.
Sulfites are a common reducing agent used in cookie, cracker, and biscuit production; they are used to relax doughs for shaping. These reagents act like caps, covering the reactive sulfhydryl groups on gluten proteins. This capping makes it difficult to reform disulfide bonds—resulting in a dough that can’t form a strong gluten network in exchange for extensibility.
The most commonly available form is a salt, such as sodium metabisulfite (which you can find at most homebrew stores as a preservative for wine making). Unfortunately, sulfite salts have the distinct odor of rotten eggs, can cause sensitivity reactions in some people (rashes, hives, indigestion, as some sulfite-sensitive wine drinkers may know), and are closely regulated by the FDA. They are effective at levels between 20-100 parts per million, so even if you used 1/16th of a teaspoon of a sulfite salt, you would need to add it to several pounds of dough to be effective. Ultimately, sulfite salts are not suited for home cooking (unless you’re making a huge batch of dough).
I had read that penghui smelled strongly of rotten eggs. Based on its reported composition and smell, I suspect that penghui contains some kind of sulfite salt, which would explain its dough-relaxing properties. In the end, I didn’t think sulfites were a viable—or healthy—option for the home cook.

Cysteine.
Cysteine is an amino acid, and the go-to reducing agent in commercial bread production. It’s cheap to produce, you can add it directly to a dough, and it acts quickly, reducing the number of disulfide cross-links between glutenin chains via disulfide interchange. Like sulfite salts, cysteine must be used in small amounts (10-90 parts per million), so it’s not the most practical choice for home cooks looking to make a single loaf of bread or a small batch of noodles. While you probably won’t find it in the baking aisle at your local grocery store, you can buy cysteine over the counter as a dietary supplement. But it does have a bad rap among health-conscious consumers: Most cysteine is extracted from the feathers of birds and hog hair. “There’s a big chemical extraction process,” explains Dr. Côté, and it results in a product that hardly resembles feathers or hair at all.
Despite the bad reputation, I decided to give cysteine a shot. I split open a pill of L-cysteine and sprinkled 0.1 grams of the powder into a working recipe of bread flour, salt, and water. The smell of metallic, faintly rotten eggs immediately stung my nostrils. Within minutes of kneading, the dough turned to a puddle in my hands. I could stretch the dough seemingly infinitely. But the dough lacked any semblance of structure, making it impossible to pull noodles that could hold their shape. I had added too much cysteine. Clearly, using cysteine could work to relax my dough, but it was also impractical and difficult to use correctly: I couldn’t justify asking home cooks to buy a whole bottle of cysteine just to use a couple milligrams of the stuff.

Glutathione (a.k.a. The Winner).
Glutathione is a peptide (a peptide is smaller than a protein, usually containing less than 50 amino acids) that contains cysteine, and functions in a similar way to relax doughs. Most commercial glutathione comes from natural sources like heat-treated, inactive yeast. “When you’re drying the yeast, you’re stressing [it] a little bit, and some of the cells die,” says Dr. Côté. “When the yeast cells die, they release some of their components that are inside the cell. One of the components that is naturally occurring is glutathione.” Lallemand specializes in a product called Fermaid, a non-leavening yeast product that is abundant in glutathione. Still, I didn’t want to buy a specialty, industrial-grade ingredient just to make some noodles (like sodium metabisulfite, you can sometimes find Fermaid at homebrew stores).
But what about nutritional yeast? Technically, it’s deactivated yeast, too, so it would have some proportion of glutathione. Could it work to relax a noodle dough? I pitched the idea to Dr. Côté. She lit up. “Ok! That’s a good one, too. That logic makes sense. A lot of bakeries just use regular inactive yeast (which is generally available industrially). I think there’s about 1.5%–2% glutathione in that product, and it works.” You can make inactive yeast by slowly cooking or drying out fresh yeast, but the process is time consuming. And if nutritional yeast was readily available and just as good, it seemed like a better option.
I started testing with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast mixed into my dough. Unlike my tests with cysteine, I found I could use reasonable amounts of nooch without worrying about over-relaxing the dough. To speed mixing up, I combined all the ingredients in a food processor and ran it just until a dough formed, then transferred the dough to the counter. After a few minutes of kneading and twisting, the dough relaxed considerably and became more extensible.
But unlike the dough with cysteine, it still retained its structure. As I dialed up the amount of nutritional yeast, the dough became even more extensible. By the fifth trial, I was able to pull noodles. The cooked noodles were ideal: chewy, even in thickness, and slurp-worthy. Using nutritional yeast also had a couple unintended benefits: It tinted the noodles a pale yellow—reminiscent of Japanese alkali ramen noodles—and it imparted subtle umami flavor (nutritional yeast is rich in glutamate, giving it a savory, cheesy quality, which explains why it’s often used as a stand-in for Parmesan in vegan recipes). And the best part? I went from mixing to pulling and cooking noodles in 15 minutes flat.
Finally, I had found a reliable way to pull noodles—or at least a way to get a dough with repeatable extensibility. And I didn’t need special equipment, special ingredients, or years of noodle school training.

Refining the Formula.
I solved the hardest part of the noodle problem: I had extensible, cooperative dough that could be both pulled repeatedly and made very quickly. All that remained was to home in on a foolproof formula for optimal handling and texture. I’ll break the rest of my testing down briefly, ingredient by ingredient:
Flour.
Flour is by far the most important ingredient in any dough. I tested various brands of low-protein cake flour, all-purpose flour, and bread flour. Each of these flour types vary in their gluten potential (gluten potential is a term for how much gluten development is possible). Cake flour sits at 7-9% protein content (protein content includes proteins like albumin and globulin, in addition to gluten proteins); at the other end of the spectrum, bread flour contains 12-14% protein, depending on the brand. A flour with higher protein content tends to form a dough with more gluten potential and, consequently, more elasticity and chew.
In the end, I found that bread flour (I used King Arthur bread flour, which has the highest protein content available of all common flours you can find at grocery stores) resulted in noodles that pulled easily but had the proper elasticity for structure. The noodles held their shape well during pulling, and separated into even strands. The cooked noodles were chewier and had a more pleasant spring compared to noodles made with other flours. As the protein content of the flour decreased, dough handling and chew worsened. For instance, the same formula with cake flour was stickier and tended to droop and stick to my hands while pulling and stretching; the resulting noodles were uneven, lacked chew, and were spongy. I also observed that higher-protein flours were able to absorb more water without becoming sticky and unmanageable.
Water.
In general, water serves two primary functions in a noodle dough: It is essential to hydrating flour to form a stable gluten network; and it facilitates extensibility, making a dough stretchable. It’s useful to think of dough as a suspension of solid particles (starches) in a viscous fluid. If you add more water to that dough, you are increasing the size of the suspension, giving more space for the solid particles to move around, which means the dough will stretch more. At the same time, adding more water makes a dough stickier, harder to handle, and less elastic. I found the ideal hydration for my noodle dough (as a percentage of flour weight) sat between 62 and 68 percent. At levels lower than this range, the dough tended to be too elastic and too resistant to stretching. At a hydration higher than 68 percent, the dough was more extensible, but stuck to the work surface and to my hands, and was difficult—if not impossible—to stretch evenly.
Salt.
Salt is used mostly for flavor in my formula. But depending on the concentration, salt also acts as a conditioner in a dough, strengthening the gluten network. I tested doughs with and without salt. I found that without salt, doughs tended to be more slack and sticky. Adding salt made doughs more elastic, but easier to handle.
Oil.
Oil has several effects on dough handling and cooked noodle texture. In general, adding oil inhibits gluten development, since a portion of flour absorbs that oil during mixing. Oil also affects viscosity in a similar fashion to water: It makes a dough softer and more extensible. Lastly, oil seems to improve dough handling by mitigating stickiness to surfaces and hands. That final quality was integral to clean, even stretching in my recipe. Adding oil to my dough slightly increased extensibility without having to add even more water, which would have made my dough too sticky to handle.
Nutritional Yeast.
For optimal extensibility, I found nutritional yeast to be effective between 5 and 8 percent of the total flour weight in my tests. As the protein content of flour increased (up to King Arthur bread flour), I could dial up the amount of nutritional yeast to the top end of that range without compromising structure. As the protein content decreased (to say, Pillsbury cake flour), less yeast was required, and additional yeast made the dough too sticky and slack*.
*If you’re curious, nutritional yeast contains 2.5 milligrams of glutathione per gram.
A Note on Alkali.
What about all that hype around penghui and kansui? For this recipe, I noticed that alkali did make my noodles chewier; but it also made pulling noodles more difficult, and the cooked noodle shape was wavy, curled, and uneven. My noodles had plenty of chew already from high-gluten bread flour, and the added benefit in texture wasn’t worth the regression in dough handling and shaping. In the interest of keeping things simple, I decided to leave alkali out. You could definitely experiment with adding some alkali to your noodle dough to improve chew, but keep in mind that it will negatively impact extensibility.
Rules for the Road.
So now we’ve got a dough formula that works. But it’s still up to you to bring it all home and pull noodles. Here are some guidelines and words of advice to keep in mind for successful noodle pulling.
Use a Scale.
You need a scale. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. You might think you could get away with your heirloom tablespoons and that cute chipped porcelain measuring cup that you copped from Goodwill, but trust me when I say: It will do you no good. If you want consistency, use a scale (preferably digital ).
Stretch and Twirl.
After the formula, the most important aspect of this recipe is proper kneading before pulling noodles. All that stretching, twirling, and doubling over of dough might look flashy, but the process serves a function: It aligns gluten in a roughly linear orientation. Most of the time, general kneading (especially in a mixer) mashes gluten proteins in a random, non-linear way. That randomness is great for breads, which must expand in all directions when rising or baking. But noodles are straight, and need to extend in a linear way. Stretching and twirling is basically linear kneading: You’re mechanically making and breaking bonds in gluten, and aligning them in roughly one direction.
Practice Pulling.
Once you’ve sufficiently developed and aligned your dough, it’s time to pull noodles. This stage is a perfect time to practice. Ultimately, pulling noodles is a hand skill that takes some repetition and feeling. “My recommendation is don’t jump the gun and try to boil your noodles. Just practice,” Luke recommends. Generally, flouring the table and rolling the dough in flour helps keep the noodle strands separate when pulling. But once you’ve floured the table, you have to pull noodles and cook them, since additional flour would be worked into the dough, throwing off our intentionally crafted formula.
Fortunately, the un-floured dough has that repeatable extensibility, so you can practice the pulling motions repeatedly, without fear of the dough tearing or snapping back. “Just keep trying to make noodles, over and over again—without actually flouring them and throwing them into a pot and expecting to eat anything. A lot of this is really the dexterity and knowing how to hold the two ends of the dough.”
Don’t Be Afraid.
If I’ve done my job, this should be a very forgiving dough. So don’t be discouraged if you can’t get the pulling motions quite right initially. If the dough tears (it shouldn’t), just roll it back up and try again. Don’t stress. If the noodles are uneven, try again. If one or two strands break as you’re pulling, don’t freak out. Remember: It’s just dough.
Go Forth and Pull.
At this point, the noodle masters of yore are likely rolling in their graves. Traditionalists out there will probably put me on full blast. “Lamian doesn’t have nooch! How dare you. That’s not authentic.”
Tradition was never the point. Exploration and understanding—they are worth far more. I could have just as easily told you to go out and smuggle in some penghui, knead your dough for hours, and make some authentic noodles. But this is a lamian recipe for home cooks. My goal was to develop a noodle dough that anyone could pull; a way to practice noodle pulling without resorting to prohibitive means or herculean efforts.
Just to make sure, I sent my recipe to Luke for him to try out. He emailed me back a couple days later with pictures and even a video of him pulling noodles. It took him ten minutes from mixing to eating—a personal record. “I’m kinda speechless...huge stamp of approval from me!”
No matter the method, making lamian is magic. It’s a perfect demonstration of the alchemy, and chemistry, of cooking. It embodies the excitement, the thrill, and the spirit of making something amazing out of the ordinary. Learning about the process has been equally enriching. So go out and make some lamian dough. Practice, pull, and practice again. Then you'll be ready to cook them up and slide them into a fragrant bowl of lamb soup. (Stay tuned for that recipe.)


(source : https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2020/04/hand-pulled-lamian-noodles)

Agustus 02, 2020