Monday, November 1, 2010

The importance of using quality ingredients

For a high quality product, it is very important to use quality ingredients.  Shortening and artificial vanilla may make acceptable products but real butter and real vanilla gives the same products a "wow factor".

I never use shortening for anything.  This includes recipes that call for shortening.  Instead I use either unsalted butter (most products) or coconut oil.  Real butter is what makes many products go from good to great.

One of the other musts to use is REAL vanilla made with the bourbon vanilla bean. Real vanilla extract an be expensive although very affordable if you make your own.  The beans can be reused several times and then the spent vanilla beans can be used to flavor ice cream and other products. 

To make your own high quality vanilla:

To 80 proof Vodka, add one or more bourbon vanilla beans that have been split down the middle (leaving one end attached)  Shake once or twice a week (or more) for at least a couple of weeks before using. 
Add more vodka as you use the vanilla.

Flour is important.  I prefer King Arthur Flour although there are many very good flours on the market.  It is important to choose the correct flour for the purpose: cake flour for cakes, bread flour for yeast breads, and all purpose for most other uses.  I think it is important to use unbleached flour as it is a better flavor and is also much healthier.

I use bakers (fine) sugar for every recipe that calls for white sugar.  It makes for a finer, less grainy, texture in most products.

One ingredient that is almost always overlooked is brown sugar.  C & H brown sugar is pure cane sugar.  Many store brands are white sugar with beet molasses added or it is white sugar with some cane molasses added.  The ingredient list will state whether it is pure cane sugar or if it is cane sugar with beet molasses added.  You can tell the difference by rubbing the sugar in between your fingers.  Pure cane brown sugar is solid brown.  Other brown sugar is white sugar with a molasses coating.  Always use light brown sugar unless the recipe calls for dark brown sugar.


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Saturday, October 30, 2010

Vegetarian Cinnamon Coffee Cake

This is a classic chocolate  "Crazy Cake" recipe I  modified to be a cinnamon coffee cake.  Vegetarian - no animal products.  It turns out moist and very good.

Vegetarian Coffee Cake

Ingredients

3 cups cake flour, sifted
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
.2 cups cold water

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 TBSP flour, 1 TSP cinnamon and set aside

In mixing bowl, combine cake flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl.   Make 3 holes in mixture. Into the first hole, pour the vanilla extract, into the second hole, the vinegar and into the third hole, the vegetable oil. Pour cold water over all. Mix with fork or wire whisk until well blended; do not over beat. Mixture may contain some small lumps.

Pour into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and spread evenly.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the topping evenly over the batter, with knife, swirl slightly into the batter.  Sprinkle the rest of the topping evenly.

BAKE for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Home Made Block Chocolate

Excellent chocolate for eating or for dipping.  Using 100%  pure food grade cocoa butter (found in many health food stores) gives the chocolate a "snap" due to cocoa butter's 100F melting point.  For a softer chocolate, use a little bit of coconut oil in place of some of the cocoa butter (coconut oil melts at 76F)

  • 9 TBSP (125g) 100% pure food grade cocoa butter (or part coconut oil)
  • 9 TBSP (125g) confectioner's sugar (powdered or icing sugar)
  • 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 4 tablespoons powdered milk
  • Pinch of salt
Method

1.  Line a cake pan or pie plate with wax paper.

2.  Sift the icing sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk and salt into a bowl.

3.  In a small saucepan, melt the cocoa butter over a low heat.

4.  Pour the melted  cocoa butter into the sugar mixture and mix until it becomes smooth and thick.  Must start to thicken before pouring.  If it isn't getting thick right away, let it sit for a few minutes and stir again.  Continue until it starts to thicken.

5.  Pour chocolate mixture into the prepared  pan or pie plate and flatten out the top using a spatula or the back of a spoon. Score the chocolate while it's soft so it can be broken easy when it hardens.

 6.  This chocolate makes an excellent coating for home made truffles (Chocolate Truffle Recipes - EASY!!!)

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