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Hints and tips
continued
For better baking
• Check the ingredients and read the recipe before
starting to bake.
• Weigh and measure ingredients correctly.
• Variations may occur in raw ingredients used
so adjust other ingredients and baking times
if required.
• Preheat oven before starting recipe preparation, this
will ensure the correct temperature is achieved
before baking starts.
• Temperatures and cooking times may vary with
some ovens so adjust accordingly. If using a fan
forced oven reduce the temperatures in the recipes
by 1-0ºC.
• When mixing, start the mixer at a lower speed then
gradually increase to the recommended speed in
the recipe especially when adding dry ingredients.
• When using smaller quantities turn off the mixer
from time to time and scrape the bowl with
a spatula.
• Ensure wire whisk and mixing bowl are clean and
free of fats when whipping egg whites as these
will impede aeration.
• Instead of greasing baking pans or trays, line with
baking paper where appropriate. However, a little
light greasing in pans will keep the paper in place.
• Pre warm a measuring spoon in hot water for easy
measuring of golden syrup or honey.
• Butter should be softened at room temperature to
make creaming butter and sugar easier.
• Keep surfaces and ingredients chilled when making,
handling or rolling out pastry. Butter for pastry
making should be kept refrigerated.
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BEM400_BEM400S_BOOKLET.indd 14-15
• Avoid stretching pastry when rolling out as it will
shrink when baking. Use light, even strokes in
one direction and avoid pressing down hard on
the rolling pin. Where possible, rest pastry in the
refrigerator before baking.
• Eggs should be at room temperature to give better
volume when whipping
• Break eggs individually into another container
before adding to other ingredients to avoid
potential spoilage.
• Separate egg whites carefully to avoid inclusion of
egg yolks. Egg yolks contain fat and will prevent
successful whipping of egg whites.
• Rinse beaten egg residue from whisk, beater and
mixing bowl or other utensils with cold water
immediately after use. Using hot water will set the
egg and make removal difficult.
• Test if cakes are cooked at the end of baking time
by touching the top lightly, the cake will spring
back if cooked. A fine skewer can also be inserted
carefully into the centre of the cake, if it comes out
clean the cake is cooked.
• For crisper results when baking biscuits, remove
the baking trays from the oven and place directly
onto wire racks. Move the biscuits slightly away
from their baked position on the trays and cool
completely before removing.
The vital ingredients
For bread making
Flour is the most important ingredient used for bread
making. It provides food for the yeast and gives
structure to the loaf. When mixed with liquid, the
protein in the flour starts to form gluten. Gluten is
a network of elastic strands that interlock to trap
the gases produced by yeast. This process increases
as the dough continues kneading and provides the
structure required to produce the weight and shape
of the baked bread.
White wheat flour sold as baker's, bread or plain
flour may be used. Plain flour is most readily
available, however, best results are obtained with
flour at least 11%-1% protein content. For this
reason, the recipes in this book requiring bread flour
have been made with flour with 11% protein content.
This is normally indicated on the packaging. Do not
sift the flour or use self-raising flour for bread making
unless indicated in the recipe.
When using a low-protein, plain, stone ground
or wholemeal flour the quality of the bread can
be improved by adding gluten flour.
Note
'Defiance' brand baker's flour
This flour is available nationally at larger
supermarkets and was used for the development
of the recipes in this book that required bread
flour. It is a high protein, white bread flour,
with 11% protein.
New Zealand only:
'Elfin High Grade White Flour' or 'Champion High
Grade Flour'. These are high protein, white bread
flours containing 12% protein.
Wholemeal wheat flour contains the bran, germ and
flour of the wheat grain. Although breads baked with
this type of flour will be higher in fibre, the loaf may
be heavier in texture. Lighter textured bread can be
achieved by replacing 1 cup of wholemeal flour with
white bread flour.
Rye flour, popular for bread making, is low in
protein so it is essential to combine rye flour with
bread flour to make the bread rise successfully. Rye
flour is traditionally used to make the heavy, dense
Pumpernickel and Black Breads.
Gluten flour is made by extracting the gluten
portion from the wheat grain. Adding gluten flour
can improve the structure and quality of bread when
using low-protein, plain, stone ground and whole
meal flour.
Bread mixes contain flour, sugar, milk, salt, oil and
other ingredients such as bread improves. Usually
only the addition of water and yeast is required.
Bread mix brands such as 'Kitchen Collection',
'Defiance', and 'Lowan' are available nationally from
major supermarkets.
For recipe information on these and other brands
of bread mix contact the manufacturer listed on
the package.
New Zealand only:
Bread mix brands such as 'Elfin' are available.
Bread improvers are available nationally in
supermarkets and health food stores. The ingredients
in a bread improver are usually a food acid such
as ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and other enzymes
(amylases) extracted from wheat flours.
Adding a bread improver will help strengthen the
dough resulting in a loaf that is higher in volume,
softer in texture, more stable and has improved
keeping qualities.
12/6/08 3:06:43 PM
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