how to make popovers

How to Make Popovers.

Popovers are light and fluffy pastries that almost burst from the pan as they are cooking. Trapped steam inside of them puffs the pastries up while the outside turns a beautiful – and tasty – golden brown. Perfect with butter in jam in the mornings or alongside a good cut of meat for dessert, popovers are a simple and easy dish that anyone can make at home.

The following recipe makes 6 popovers.

Ingredients.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2 tablespoons butter, cut into six pieces, or non-stick cooking spray.
Optional Ingredients.
2 tablespoons melted butter, 1-2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon rosemary, basil, thyme, black pepper.
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate.
5 ounces grated cheese (gruyere, cheddar, manchego, pepper jack), 6 tablespoons crumbled, cooked bacon.
1/4 cup minced chives or roasted shallots.

Steps.

1. Preheat the oven to 450 °F (232 °C). Popovers get their shape because the high heat quickly puffs up the steam inside the pastry, so your oven needs to be hot.

2. Place a small piece of butter at the bottom of each well in a muffin pan. You do not need a popover pan to make them, as a regular muffin dish will work fine. You can also use 6-ounce custard dishes.

Non-stick cooking spray can substituted for butter.

3. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt together. You can also use a food processor if you prefer.

4. Whisk in the flour until it is completely mixed. You do not want to overmix, as this leads to a coarse and chewy popover. Simply whisk it until there are no more chunks of flour, then stop.

You should see little air bubbles – this is what will cause the popover to rise later.

5. Place the muffin pan in the oven for 2-3 minutes to warm. To make popovers “pop” you need to preheat the pan. This heats up the batter and causes it to grow rapidly in the first 20 minutes in the oven.

6. Divide the batter into each cup. Put an equal amount of batter in each popover pan, muffin dish, or custard cup and put them in the oven.

Some cooks suggest quickly whisking the batter before pouring so that it is frothy and airy as it goes into the pan.

Be careful-- the dish will still be hot from the oven.

7. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 °F (232 °C). Quickly get the batter back into the oven after pouring the batter and cook it for 20 minutes.

8. Do not open the oven. This is the golden rule of popovers! The high heat inside the oven creates steam that shoots the popover sky high, but even quickly opening the oven lets out enough heat to deflate them. Resist the temptation to check your pastries and leave the oven closed.

9. Turn the heat down to 375 °F (191 °C) and bake for an additional 10 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, the popovers will have a crispy shell and will retain their form. Lower the heat and cook them for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the outsides are golden brown.

It is safe to open the oven door during this second cooking period.

If you have 2 pans of popovers in, rotate them now so that they heat evenly.

10. Remove the popovers and turn them out on a wire rack to cool. The outside will be crispy and the popover won’t collapse or crumble, so quickly pull them out of the oven and set them aside to cool.

11. Use a knife to cut a slit in the bottoms. This allows the steam to quickly escape the pastry and keep it crispy when you serve it.

12. Serve while still warm. Popovers are best right out of the oven, so eat them right away whenever possible.

Method 1 Variations.

1. Add melted butter for a richer pastry. Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter and whisk it into the batter with the milk and eggs for a rich, buttery popover.

Let the butter cool slightly after melting it – otherwise it might cook the eggs slightly.

2. Top your popovers with shredded cheese before cooking. Simply sprinkle shredded cheese, such as gruyere or cheddar, on top of the batter before it goes in the oven, then cook normally. The final popover will by topped with crispy, delicious cheese.

3. Try sweet popover recipes. Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar with the flour and whisk it into the batter, then add whatever other sweet ingredients your heart desires. Some ideas include: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons orange zest, ½ teaspoon vanilla and 1 ounce chopped semisweet chocolate.

Brush the tops of cooked popovers with melted butter, then sprinkle with ground cinnamon and sugar.

4. Try out savory popover recipes. Popovers are a fantastic addition to dinners in place of rolls or bread, and can be customized to fit your meal. Try mixing and matching the following variations, adding them to your batter with the flour:

¼ cup chives, chopped finely, ¼ cup roasted shallots or garlic, chopped finely, 1 teaspoon rosemary, thyme, or basil, minced, 4 pieces cooked bacon, finely chopped.

Question : Is there a way to added pumpkin to the mix for a seasonal taste? If so, how much?
Answer : While beating, add some pumpkin mix in, but not too much at once. My rule of thumb is 4 oz per pound, to give a slightest hint of pumpkin.

Tips : Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for a quick snack.
Warnings : No matter how tempting, do not open that oven!

Januari 17, 2020

how to eat hardtack

How to Eat Hardtack.

Hardtack is a dry, baked, simple dough traditionally made only from water, flour, and salt. Hardtack was once the favored food of sailors on long expeditions and soldiers during the Civil War, as it can sit for months without spoiling. Now, however, hardtack is viewed as a novelty dish or as a survival food. It can still be prepared using historical methods, yielding more of a snack than a filling meal.

Ingredients :

5 cups (1,200 mL) of whole wheat flour, 2 cups (470 mL) of water, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of salt.

Part 1 Making Hardtack.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C). Setting the oven at least 10-15 minutes before you put the hardtack in to bake will allow you to make hardtack as quickly as possible.

2. Combine flour, salt, and water in a large mixing bowl. Add 5 cups (1,200 mL) of whole wheat flour, 2 cups (470 mL) of water, and 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of table salt.

Whole wheat flour will flavor your hardtack. If you don’t have whole wheat flour, though, white flour will suffice.

3. Knead the ingredients by hand until thoroughly mixed. Use both hands to work the water into the dry ingredients. Keep kneading until the flour and salt are fully worked into dough.

Once kneaded, the dough should have a dry, slightly crumbly consistency.

4. Roll out the dough until it’s 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Place the dough on your counter or on a flour-covered rolling board. Evenly roll the dough with a rolling pin.

If you’d prefer slightly thicker biscuits, try rolling the dough to 3⁄8 inch (0.95 cm) thick.

5. Cut uniform 3 in (7.6 cm) hardtack biscuits from the dough. Use a pair of kitchen shears to cut square biscuits from the rolled-out dough. Each biscuit should be roughly 3 inches (7.6 cm) by 3 inches (7.6 cm). They don’t need to be exact, so make your best estimate.

If you prefer that your hardtack not be in squares, you could cut out the dough using a cookie cutter.

6. Arrange the hardtack pieces on a cookie sheet for baking. Once you’ve cut the hardtack pieces out, set them onto a cookie sheet. The hardtack won’t expand much in the oven, so you can set the pieces about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) apart from one another.

7. Cook the dough for 30 minutes on each side. Slide the cookie sheet into the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. Once the first 30 minutes have passed, flip the pieces of hardtack over and bake them for another 30 minutes.

Use an oven mitt when pulling the cookie sheet out of the oven. To keep your fingers from getting burned, use a metal spatula to flip the hardtack over.

8. Cool and dry the hardtack for 4 days after baking. After the full 60 minutes have passed, use an oven mitt to pull the hardtack out of the oven. Place them on a cooling rack until fully cooled. Leave the hardtack on the cooling rack to dry.

The drying process will take at least 4 days. Set the cooling rack of hardtack in an out-of-the-way location so that it won’t be bumped while the hardtack dries.

9. Store the hardtack in an airtight container. Once the hardtack has cooled, you’re ready to store it. Since none of the ingredients in hardtack can spoil, hardtack can keep for 20 years. The hardtack will keep as long as it’s stored in an airtight container in a dry environment.

If the stored hardtack becomes mushy or softens, throw it out.

Part 2 Cooking and Eating Hardtack.

1. Soak the hardtack in water for 2 hours until it becomes spongy. If you’re eating genuine hardtack, and would like to consume it in a historically authentic method, you’ll need to soak the hardtack for 1 or 2 hours. Submerge as many pieces of hardtack as you like in a bowl filled with tap water, and let it soak.

Keep an eye on the hardtack as it soaks. Pull it out of the water once it’s softened to the touch, but before it’s started to dissolve.

For a more flavorful hardtack, soak it in a large mug full of hot coffee.

2. Gnaw on a chunk of hardtack for 20-30 minutes if you’d rather not soak it. Dry hardtack is not meant to be eaten quickly. Nibble and gnaw at the edges and corners of the hardtack, then eat the small bits that break off in your mouth.

Think of the hardtack as if it were a bread version of beef jerky. Work through the food slowly and don’t bite off too much at once, or you’ll be chewing 1 bite for 15 minutes.

3. Fry a few pieces of hardtack in bacon grease for added flavor. Hardtack needs to be both flavored and softened before being eaten. Frying the hardtack in bacon grease can both flavor and soften it. Add about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of bacon grease to a skillet, and heat it on medium-high until it starts to sizzle. Then drop in 3 or 4 pieces of hardtack.

Cook the hardtack for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the hardtack has absorbed enough grease to be slightly spongy.

4. Top the hardtack with jam and cheese in you prefer not to fry it. Since hardtack is essentially a thick, hard water cracker, it can be eaten in the same way that many water crackers are eaten. Top the hardtack with a creamy cheese like brie or gouda, and add your favorite fruit jam or jelly.

Bite into the hardtack gingerly at first. Despite its soft toppings, the hardtack itself will be tough to gnaw through.

If you’d rather have the hardtack break apart easily in your mouth, soak it in water for 5 minutes before adding the jam and cheese.

5. Crumble hardtack with butter and brown sugar for a dessert-like option. For a sweet take on eating hardtack, use your hands to break up 1 or 2 pieces of hardtack over a large bowl. Aim for chunks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Add about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of melted butter and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of brown sugar to the bowl. Stir the ingredients together until the brown sugar has melted.

If you have whiskey on hand, add about 2 ounces (57 g) to the hardtack and sugar mixture. Then, use your spoon to stir all of the ingredients together.

The end result should be a thick, chunky “pudding."

Tip.

If you don’t have any bacon grease on hand and would like to fry your hardtack, you can cook it in butter instead.

Warnings.

If you have fillings or crowns in your teeth or have gums that bleed easily, be careful when eating uncooked hardtack. It may be hard enough to break off your fillings or crowns.

Desember 19, 2019

How to Make Healthier Breakfasts Using Quinoa

How to Make Healthier Breakfasts Using Quinoa.

Quinoa quickly become a very popular and nutritious whole grain. It's available in nearly every grocery store and many people now have access to this great, gluten-free whole grain. Although quinoa is considered a "whole grain," it's actually a seed. It's classified as a grain because it cooks and is eaten like a grain (like rice or couscous). Quinoa in particular, is very high in protein, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals. In fact, it has about 5 g of fiber and 8 g of protein per cup. However, quinoa shouldn't only be eaten as a side dish at dinner. You can also use quinoa in your breakfast making it a very nutritious meal.

Method 1 Making Hot Quinoa Porridge for Breakfast.
1. Get out the right cooking equipment. Like oatmeal, quinoa can be made into a delicious and warm breakfast meal. You'll need to get out the right equipment to make warm quinoa porridge for breakfast.
Start by setting out a heavy-bottomed pot. While it is possible to microwave quinoa, cooking it on the stovetop like traditional oatmeal is done more commonly, particularly when you want to cook it to the consistency of porridge.
You will not need a pot with a lid to make quinoa porridge. You need to continually stir without the lid to get the proper consistency of this dish.
You'll also need to keep an eye on your quinoa and stir consistently as it cooks. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
2. Choose your mixing liquid. You'll need to choose what type of liquid you want to use to make your hot quinoa porridge. Depending on your diet, there are a variety of options to choose from.
Try regular milk. Whether you do skim or whole milk, adding milk to your warm quinoa can help make your porridge creamy and rich. Plus, it'll add a hit of calcium and protein.
If you don't want to use cow's milk, you can also do dairy substitutes. Try almond, soy or even rice milk if you'd like. They all work well in this recipe.
If you don't want to use any milk at all, you can also make your porridge with water. It won't add any creaminess to your porridge, but still gets it to the right consistency.
3. Whisk in spices and flavorings. Like oatmeal and other hot breakfast cereals, you can add a variety of different spices or flavorings to your quinoa porridge. Follow a recipe or consider adding your favorite flavors.
If you like you can add some extracts to your hot quinoa to add flavor. Try adding vanilla, almond or even coconut extract to your quinoa.
If you like a natural source of vanilla, consider cooking your quinoa with a split vanilla bean for flavor.
Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or clove are also quite tasty in a warm quinoa porridge.
4. Add your sweetener. Quinoa is not naturally sweet. In fact, it can sometimes have a more savory or even slightly bitter flavor. If you're looking for a sweet porridge, you'll need to add a source of sweetness to your porridge.
If you want to add a natural sweetener that isn't as processed as white sugar, consider drizzling in some honey, agave syrup, molasses or maple syrup.
If you're watching your total calorie or sugar intake, you may opt for a no-calorie sweetener like sucralose or truvia.
You can also consider leaving out sweeteners altogether. If you make your porridge with milk and add spices or fruit, there might be enough natural sweetness for your tastes.
5. Consider balancing your quinoa breakfast with other toppings. Once your quinoa porridge is made, there are a lot of different toppings you can add on. Whether you like Chia seeds, nuts, dried fruit or fresh fruit, you can add an additional hit of nutrition with some toppings.
Try fresh fruit on your quinoa. You can add any type of fruit you'd like. Apples would go well with cinnamon and nutmeg or sliced peaches may go well with vanilla extract.
You can also add dried fruit to your porridge as well. It's little chewier and sometimes tart which can be a nice addition to your breakfast meal.
You can also add some healthy fats and protein by adding nuts to quinoa. Whether it's almonds, cashews or pistachios, these are other great toppings.

Method 2 Using Quinoa in Other Breakfast Recipes.
1. Make a quinoa granola. If you like a little crunch on your morning yogurt, consider making a quinoa granola. Using a high-protein grain like quinoa can boost the nutrition of a traditional granola recipe.
Start this recipe by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of rolled oats, 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, 2 cups of nuts, 1 tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
In the microwave, melt 3 1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil together with 1/4 cup of maple syrup. Stir frequently until the liquids are completely combined. Pour immediately over the dry ingredients.
Pour the granola onto a rimmed baking sheet and press into an even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes. Half way through the baking process, stir the granola to ensure even browning. Allow to cool thoroughly and serve at room temperature.
2. Add cooked quinoa to a breakfast burrito. For a Mexican spin on your breakfast, make breakfast burritos. Adding quinoa will provide an additional source of protein and fiber to your burrito.
Start by scrambling 1 egg over medium heat in a nonstick skillet. Once cooked, place in a small bowl.
Add in 1/3 cup of cooked quinoa and 1/4 cup of thawed chopped frozen or baby spinach to your scrambled egg along with a generous sprinkling of shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
Place your burrito filling into the center of a 8" whole wheat tortilla. Roll up tightly and serve immediately or wrap in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer for another day.
3. Make a quinoa breakfast hash. If you're in the mood for a savory and filling breakfast, try making quinoa hash. Substitute quinoa for shredded potatoes in this tasty recipe.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add four strips of bacon (or skip this step if you don't eat meat or like bacon). Cook until the bacon is crunchy and the fat has rendered out. Remove bacon from pan and roughly chop.
To the still hot pan, add in 1 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup of diced peppers, 1/2 cup of diced onions and 1 cup of sliced mushrooms. Sauté for about five to six minutes or until vegetables are soft and quinoa is heated through.
Turn up the heat slightly. Press the quinoa mixture down into the bottom of the pan. Allow to crisp up and brown for about one to two minutes. Serve immediately with eggs if you'd like.
An alternate recipe is to make a mixture of cooked quinoa, peeled and grated raw potato then add to eggs and spices to taste. Cook on a large skillet for about seven minutes on each side until golden brown.
4. Bake quinoa muffins. If you're in a rush in the mornings, you can try making quinoa muffins ahead of time for a quick, protein and fiber filled breakfast. Freeze leftovers so you'll have a stock of these tasty muffins.
Start by preheating an oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup of applesauce, 1 mashed banana, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 cup of honey. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Peel and roughly chop 1 apple or pear and stir into the quinoa mixture as well.
Fill each muffin tin to the top with the quinoa mixture. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before enjoying.

Method 3 Purchasing and Using Quinoa.
1. Choose the type of quinoa. Quinoa is now available in most local supermarkets. You don't have to go to a specialty store or health foods store to find this nutritious grain.
When you're looking for quinoa, it will be found in the grain aisle along with rice, couscous and pasta.
There may be more than one type of quinoa available. You may see white, black, red or even tri-colored quinoa.
Of all the quinoa colors, white or tan quinoa has the lightest texture and it cooks up slightly fluffier than other types and has the most delicate taste. Black quinoa has a slight earthy flavor while the red quinoa has a richer taste and a bit chewier texture and nutty. These two take slightly longer to cook than the white quinoa.
If you're using quinoa in a breakfast recipe, especially if kids are eating it, you may want to stick with white as it's most similar in color to oats.
2. Purchase dry or pre-cooked quinoa. Most of the time, you'll be able to find uncooked quinoa in the grain aisle of the grocery store; however, some stores may have pre-cooked quinoa for you.
Quinoa only takes about 15 minutes to cook from scratch. If you can only find uncooked quinoa, that will work perfectly in many breakfast recipes. Plus its not hard to cook from scratch.
If you are lacking in time or are unsure of how to cook quinoa, some stores sell precooked quinoa. You might find this in the grain aisle, refrigerated section, on the salad bar or even in the frozen section.
Pre-cooked quinoa may be a little bit more convenient and make for a faster breakfast recipe.
3. Rinse quinoa before using. If you haven't cooked quinoa before, there is a little secret trick to make it correctly. You'll need to rinse it first before cooking it.
Quinoa has a coating on the outside of the seed that acts as a natural pest repellent. It's called saponin. This is a natural compound that tastes bitter and soapy if not removed from the quinoa.
Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer or a sieve. Run it under cold water, stirring or shaking it to help get all the seeds washed thoroughly.
Transfer your washed quinoa directly to your pot or pan and begin to cook it.
Note that some boxed quinoa or quinoa mixes are already washed or rinsed. You do not need to repeat this step. Make sure to read the instructions on boxes or packages first.
4. Store cooked quinoa correctly. Many of the breakfast recipes that do use quinoa, call for cooked quinoa. Making it in advance can help cut down on an extra step and cooking time in the mornings.
Consider taking time on the weekend or a free weeknight to go ahead and cook up a batch of quinoa.
Make sure to review what recipes you'll be making for breakfast and note how much cooked quinoa you'll need for the week.
Dry quinoa usually doubles in volume after cooking. 1/2 cup of uncooked or dry quinoa results in about 1 cup of cooked quinoa.
Store quinoa in a airtight container in the refrigerator for about five to seven days. You can also store it in a freezer container for up to three months.
5. Finished.

Tips.

Quinoa is a great whole grain that can be used in a variety of breakfast recipes. Keep trying new recipes until you find something you like.
Quinoa can be used in most recipes that contain a grain — like oats. Just substitute in quinoa instead.
Quinoa can have a unique flavor that may take some getting used to. Trying different flavorings and seasonings until you find a combination you enjoy.

April 08, 2020

how to find a substitute for a wire cooling rack baking

How to Find a Substitute for a Wire Cooling Rack (Baking).

A wire cooling rack is an indispensable piece of kitchenware when you want to quickly and efficiently cool down baked goods. However, you might not always have one handy. If this is the case, improvise a rack out of other common things you can find in many kitchens or set pans down where they have airflow so the bottom cools down faster. If you can’t create a makeshift cooling rack or set a pan somewhere where it will cool down faster, transfer baked goods to other cool, flat surfaces to cool them down faster.



Method 1 Improvising an Elevated Surface.

1. Use a removable grate from a gas stovetop as a cooling rack. This will work if you have the type of gas stove with raised grates that sit over top of the burners. Take a grate off and set it on the counter, then set a pan on it so the bottom of the pan cools faster or transfer large baked goods directly to it.

If you want to transfer a large baked item, such as a loaf of bread, directly to the grate to cool, clean the grate thoroughly with soap and water first.

2. Roll up pieces of foil and put them on the counter 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. Roll at least 3 pieces of foil into tight cylinders thick enough to lift the baked items you want to cool off the countertop and allow air to circulate underneath. Place the rolls about 2 in (5.1 cm) apart from each other, then set a baking sheet, pan, or large baked item on top of them.

Make more than 3 foil cylinders if whatever you plan to cool is large and heavy. As long as the cylinders can be spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart from each other, there is no limit on how many you can use to distribute the weight.

Tip: You could use chopsticks instead of foil to improvise a cooling rack using the same principles.

3. Create a grid out of metal open-style cookie cutters to use as a rack. Position several open-style metal cookie cutters of any shape next to each other with a little space between them so air can move around. Set your pan or baking sheet of baked goods down on them or transfer a large baked item to sit directly on top of them to cool down.

You won't be able to transfer smaller baked goods, such as cookies or muffins, directly onto the cookie cutters because they won't be able to balance on them.

4. Place baked goods on top of a cool burner on an electric stove. Set a hot pan or baking sheet down on the burner so the airflow will cool it down faster or transfer large baked items directly to the burner. Clean the burner thoroughly before you put any baked goods directly on it.

Make sure none of the burners around it are on, or else the baked goods won’t cool down effectively.

5. Use a spare baking rack if you have one available. Pull an extra rack out of the oven, toaster oven, or roasting pan. Set it on the counter and set a hot baking sheet or pan on it to cool or transfer the baked goods directly to the baking rack to cool them even faster.

If there isn’t enough clearance under the rack to allow a lot of air flow, you can set it on something that will lift it up higher and still allow air underneath all of it. For instance, a frying pan or a pot would work.

Tip: If you want to transfer small baked items like cookies to the rack, cover it with parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from falling through the cracks.



Method 2 Transferring Items to a Cool, Flat Surface.

1. Place baked items on a clean, cool baking sheet to cool down faster. Transfer baked goods from a warm baking sheet or pan to the cold one. This will help the undersides of the baked items cool down faster than leaving them on the sheet they were baked on.

Set the baking sheet aside and away from the oven ahead of time to ensure it is cool when you want to put the baked goods on it.

2. Put baked items on a countertop lined with paper towels to cool down. Line a countertop with paper towels. Transfer the baked goods from the pan or baking sheet to the paper towels and wait for them to cool.

The paper towels will also absorb extra oil, butter, or grease from the bottoms of the cookies.

3. Transfer baked goods to a cool plate to cool them faster. A room temperature plate that is large enough to hold the cake, cookies, bread, or pastries will work to cool them down more quickly. Carefully remove the baked goods from the pan or baking sheet and place them on a clean, cool plate with space between individual items.

Put a paper towel down on the plate first if you want to absorb extra oil or butter from the bottoms of the baked items.

Tip: Avoid stacking the baked items or you will prevent air from circulating and the baked goods will turn soggy.

4. Use a room-temperature pizza baking stone to cool baked items if you have one. Simply slide the baked items onto the pizza stone or transfer them with a spatula. Leave them to cool at room temperature.

Make sure to clean the pizza stone properly after you use it to cool down your baked goods.

5. Move baked goods to a cool cutting board to let them cool down. Any kind of clean cutting board works as a good flat surface to cool down baked items on. Transfer the baked goods to the board so they cool down faster than if you leave them on a baking sheet or in a pan.

Marble or granite chopping boards can be an especially good surface to cool a baked item on because they stay very cool.

Lay a paper towel on top of the cutting board first to absorb extra fat from the baked goods if you want.



Question : I need a rack for cooking pork chops I don't have a rack

Answer : You can create a rack out of rolled up pieces of tin foil, open-style cookie cutters, or even place a small over rack from something like a toaster oven inside of a roasting pan to improvise.

Question : What can I substitute for baking a cake and not having a wire rack

Answer : You can transfer the cake to a cool, flat surface like a plate, cutting board, or cool baking sheet to let it cool down.

Question : I need a cooling rack to put on top of tinfoil lined baking pan to bake bacon orderve to let grease drip through. What can use? I have no cooling rack?

Answer : If you have something like a toaster oven you could take the rack out of that to use. You could also try making a rack out of rolled up pieces of tin foil.

Question : What is the difference between parchment and wax paper?

 Answer : Wax paper is made with wax and can melt or even ignite in the oven. Parchment paper is made from paper and is oven safe.

 Question : How do I keep mini quiche and egg rolls warm and not soggy for serving at a buffet?

 Answer : If you are cooking it fresh, leave them in the oven at a lower temperature once they're done so as to not cook them further, but retain the heat and not get soggy.

 Question : Can I bake a 13x9-inch cake in an aluminum pan?

 Answer : If the aluminium pan is 9x13, then yes. But you might have to bake it a little longer.

 Question : I do not have a rack for my turkey. What can I do?

 Answer : You could keep the turkey in the pan and put the pan on the two nearest burners of the stove.

 Question : Do I really need a rack for my jam in the oven?

 Answer : It is a good idea because it makes it easier to cool. However, you could always use a cool oven rack and leave the door open.



Tips.

Wire cooling racks are inexpensive items that are very handy to have in the kitchen. If you don't have one, consider picking one up next time you visit a kitchen supply store.

Things You'll Need.

Improvising and Cooling Down Pans Faster : Spare baking rack, Removable gas stove grate, Burner on electric stove, Foil, Open-style cookie cutters.

Transferring Items to a Cool, Flat Surface : Baking sheet, Plate, Pizza stone, Cutting board, Paper towels (optional).

Februari 10, 2020