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Select the Best Sugar for Your Baking Project

7/14/2016

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Who knew there were so many different types of sugar to choose from? I really never thought about it until I needed to buy a course sugar to decorate the top of my muffins, to give them that sparkle and crunch.

Sugar choices range from white sugar, to cane sugar, to a rich brown sugar. Each variety offers a special uniqueness and application. Sugar of course provides sweetness but, it also can be used to add texture, and decoration. Sugar also makes the dough tender and provides stability for egg whites when making a meringue. It also helps your baked goods achieve that perfect golden brown color in the oven.

TYPES OF SUGARS
Highly Processed Sugars
1. Granulated Sugar: This is the most common sugar which is white in color and highly refined. It's made from sugarcane and sugar beets.

2. Caster Sugar: This is just superfine granulated white sugar. It's sometimes labeled superfine sugar. You may choose to use this type of sugar if you need the sugar to dissolve quickly, like for making meringues, and syrups.

3. Confectioners Sugar: Another name for confectioners sugar is powdered sugar. It's just white sugar that has been ground into a fine powder. To prevent clumping a small amount of cornstarch is typically blended into the sugar when processing. The best application for this type of sugar is for making icings as well as decorating your baked goods.

4. Pearl Sugar: Another name for pearl sugar is nib or hail sugar. It's a white sugar that has a large irregular coarse shape, hard texture and an opaque color. The advantages to using it are, it holds it's shape when baked. Pearl sugar is commonly used in Scandinavian baking to decorate pastries, cookies, and buns.
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Pearl Sugar
5. Sanding Sugar: This type of sugar has large uniform crystals that sparkle, perfect for toppings on your baked items. It's also resistant to heat which makes it a good choice for decorating your baked goods. You may also find this sugar in a rainbow of colors. Since this is a specialty sugar it's usually not at the grocery store, at least not around here.
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Sanding sugar has uniform crystals and comes in may colors.
6. Dark and Light Brown Sugar: We are all familiar with brown sugar, both of these types of sugars are granulated sugar with molasses added back in. The dark brown sugar has a higher concentration of molasses. I usually buy the dark brown sugar because of the higher molasses content. Molasses is a good source of minerals and iron...Read More

Minimally Processed Sugars
1. Sucanat Sugar: Made from crystallized pure cane sugar, this truly unrefined sugar retains a higher proportion of molasses than other types of cane sugars. It has an intense, rather burnt taste that may be overpowering in lighter baking recipes but, is fantastic in things like spice cakes and ginger cookies.

2. Demerara Sugar This is a variety of raw cane sugar that is minimally refined. It has large uniform grains with an amber color and a natural, subtle toffee flavor. The larger grains are similar to Sanding Sugar but it's not as processed and is amber in color.
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Demerara Sugar
3. Turbinado Sugar: This sugar variety has larger crystals than Demerara sugar. The medium-brown crystals, are often mistaken for standard brown sugar because of its color. It's made from the first pressing of the sugar cane meaning it contains slightly more molasses and trace nutrients.  Turbinado sugar has a delicate caramel flavor and is commonly used to sweeten beverages and can also be used in baking instead of granulated sugar.

4. Muscovado Sugar: Another name often used is Barbados sugar.  This sugar does not have the molasses removed which gives it a stronger molasses flavor compared to dark brown sugar. The consistency of muscovado sugar is very similar to brown sugar, wet, and sandy. It's this rich strong flavor that works well in barbecue sauce, marinades and savory dishes.

Sources:
https://www.reference.com
www.thekitchen.com
www.mybakingaddiction.com
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Substituting Honey for Sugar in Baked Goods

5/5/2016

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Substituting honey for sugar in your baked items is not a simple one for one ratio. There are several considerations to take into account before you add the honey.
  1. Honey is sweeter then whit sugar so the amount of honey needs to be reduced in the recipe. Also, not all honeys are the same, in flavor and sweetness. General Rule: For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup of honey.
  2. The next consideration when substituting honey is it contains more liquid up to 20% water than white sugar. This will throw off the liquid to flour ratio in the recipe if you don't reduce the total amount of liquid in the recipe to account for the honey. General Rule: For every 1 cup of honey you're using, subtract 1/4 cup of other liquids from the recipe.
  3. Most baker don't think of the acidity of the recipe, but adding honey will make the batter more acidic since honey is naturally acidic. The addition of baking soda will help balance the acidity so your baked item will rise properly. General Rule: Add 1/4 tsp. baking soda for every 1 cup of honey used in the recipe.
  4. The last consideration is the oven temperature at which you will bake your item. Honey has a higher sugar content which means it will burn faster than granulated white sugar. In order to prevent your baked item from over browning you will need to reduce the oven temperature and keep a closer eye on it. General Rule: Reduce the temperature of the oven by 25°F.

Like with most recipes follow these guidelines and take notes on the results. Remember these are guidelines so you may have to make adjustments to your recipe after giving it a try.

Sources:
Tips from the Kitchen, http://www.thekitchn.com

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When to Use Real Vanilla vs Artificial

4/18/2016

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I was always sold on real vanilla in all my baked products, but after reading this article from Cooks Illustrated I have changed my mind. Cooks Illustrated did a taste test a couple of years ago that got a lot of folks talking about vanilla. Here is what they concluded.

Vanilla is a powerful flavor enhancer it intensifies the taste of other foods including chocolate, coffee, fruit, and nuts, and boosts our perception of sweetness.  This is true for both pure and imitation vanilla. Real vanilla has  around 250 flavor and aroma compounds. The artificial version has just one, vanillin, the predominant flavor in natural vanilla. One of the most striking differences between the pure and artificial vanilla involve the flavor of alcohol. The federal guidelines require 35 percent alcohol in pure vanilla extract, while imitation vanilla has little to no alcohol. This explains why the tasters kept describing real vanilla as “boozy,” an adjective rarely applied to artificial vanilla. The tasters also found the real stuff nutty, spicy, and more complex than the artificial vanilla.

The cost between the real vanilla and the imitation is great, so the question becomes are you really getting a more favorable vanilla using the real stuff? The answer depends on how you use it. If you use vanilla regularly in baked goods in which the internal temperature gets over 210 degrees, like cookies and muffins, there's no reason to spring for the real stuff, artificial extract will do just fine. If you drink a lot of nog, or make uncooked ice cream bases or cold desserts you might consider buying real vanilla. But if all you've got on hand is the artificial vanilla, just add a touch of booze to the mix. One teaspoon of vodka or bourbon for every teaspoon of vanilla works great, and you will not be able to tell the difference.

Sources
Cooks Illustrated
Serous Eats
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Mistakes Cooking or Baking with Butter

3/20/2016

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Everything is better with butter is my motto, but things can go horribly wrong if you don't know what you are doing. Here are some of the common mistakes made when using butter.

1. Using the Wrong Temperature of Butter
Most recipes for baked goods call for creaming butter and sugar. It's very important that the butter be at room-temperature, completely softened butter. This allows the sugar crystals to slice through the fat, creating air pockets that give your finished product lift. When the butter is melted the result is a flat chewy texture best used in a cookie not a cake.

When making pie dough the butter needs to be very cold. This is important because too-soft butter won’t form the tiny pea-sized “crumbs” in the dough that lead to a flaky crust. As for recipes that call for melted butter and eggs, like pancakes, it’s best to let the butter cool slightly before combining it with the other ingredients. Hot melted butter will partially cook the eggs, turning your batter into scrambled eggs.

2 Swapping out Butter
Because it has a similar consistency to butter, you may think that you can swap out butter for shortening or coconut oil. The results will not be the same. Butter has unique properties, like the addition of water.  Other solid oils do not, and the results will show in your finished product.  Baking is as much a science as it is an art. Success of any given recipe depends on the specific chemical reactions between ingredients. Stick with recipes that have tested the variables. The same rules apply for oils, like vegetable and olive oil. Each oil has a different burning point, which are all higher than butter.

3. Adding Butter Too Soon When Searing
The reason butter is so tasty is also the reason it’s not ideal for high-heat cooking. The milk solids that give it a full, rounded flavor burn more quickly compared to fats like canola, vegetable, or virgin olive oil. But there’s a way to beat the system: Baste seared meats, seafood, and veggies in butter when they’re almost done cooking. The butter will turn fragrant and nutty, while helping turn the ingredient a beautiful golden brown. Alternatively, you can give protein like steak or chicken a hard sear with ghee, which is clarified butter (which contains no milk solids).

4. Balancing the Richness of Butter with Other Flavors
Butter is rich and fatty. but it needs supporting flavors to really make it come alive. When cooking with butter in savory applications, it should be tempered with acidic and bright ingredients, like lemon juice, zest or vinegar and a  little salt.

5. Know Your Butter Salted or Unsalted
I prefer to bake with unsalted butter that way I can control the amount of salt that goes into a recipe. If you can not find unsalted butter, the salted version  will work for cakes, cookies, and the like,  just adjust the amount of or eliminate the pinch of salt you’d usually add to your baked item. Unsalted butter is also ideal for savory sauces, allowing you to add your own level of salt. Butter is salted to keep if fresh longer, and the amount of salt is typically 1/4 tsp per stick of butter, so not a huge amount.

Source
Bon Appetite, Rochell Bilow 3-2016
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Alternatives to Eggs When Baking

6/3/2015

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There are a variety of reasons that you might need to omit eggs in a recipe, whether it’s; allergies, personal preferences, special diets, or just running low.  As a general rule, the fewer eggs a recipe calls for, the easier they will be to substitute something else.

Recipes that call for just one egg, will be fairly easy compared to a recipe that requires four or more eggs. Another general consideration is how the substitute will affect the overall taste of the finished dish. For example, bananas are perfect for pancakes and cookies, but not ideal for savory dinner dishes. The great thing here, is that there are a variety of options!

Alternatives To Eggs:
Planning a savory meal that calls for eggs like meatloaf or burgers, both vegetarian versions and typical meat? Swap out eggs for tomato paste. Using tomato paste will not only add great flavor, but will also add antioxidants, like lycopene, and make your meal a little more plant based than before!

Flax seeds can be a great and healthy substitute for eggs, they are a super-food rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. First, grind the flax seeds in a coffee grinder and mix with water. If you don’t want a coffee flavor in your recipe, make sure, your grinder is either new or completely cleaned out.

Allow the combination to rest until it becomes gelatinous, then use. For one egg, you’ll need 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds in 3 tbsp of water.

Bananas are a great option when it comes to baking and are a great substitute for eggs. Keep in mind that bananas won't help the batter rise.  Use them in conjunction with baking powder or baking soda, 1/2 pureed banana, or about 1/4 cup is equal to 1 egg.

Try canned, pureed pumpkin or another fruit puree like applesauce in your baked goods. You'll be able to reduce the oil and eggs in your cakes and cookies but they'll still come out moist. The puree will add the flavor of whatever fruit you are using, so it's best to think about what flavors will work best together. For applesauce: 1/3 cup applesauce is equal to 1 egg, or ¼ cup applesauce plus 1 tsp baking powder will equal one egg. For pumpkin: 1/3 cup of cooked pumpkin is equal to 1 egg.

General tips to remember: Bananas, applesauce and pumpkin puree add the perfect amount of thick moisture like eggs, but they won't help your dishes rise or turn out light and fluffy. Be sure the recipe you are using includes baking powder or baking soda to help it rise if needed. If you desire a lighter texture and you are using fruit purées, experiment with adding an extra 1/2 tsp. of baking powder. Fruit purées tend to make the final product denser than the original recipe.

Baking without eggs might need a little experimentation until you’ve got it right; stay patient and have fun in the kitchen!

Sources
Bon Appetite, Phil Lempert - Food Expert

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Brownies With A Shiny Crust

6/3/2015

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I always want my baked goods to be picture perfect, like you see in the magazines. Now that's not always possible but having great looking and tasting brownies is well within your reach.


When you see pictures of brownies they always have that thin shiny crust that makes them irresistible. I must admit mine do not always shine and I came across some information on the subject that I thought I would share. The shiny crust is the result of dissolved sugar and egg migrating to the surface of the brownies as they bake. The sugar melts and the egg white joins the sugar to form a very thin layer of meringue. The result is that perfect shiny, delicate top crust.

Some bakers say the key to making brownies with a shiny crust is dissolving the sugar in melted butter before adding the other ingredients. Still others call for several minutes of beating, to make sure the sugar and egg are fully combined. While I'm sure both of these steps help, there is a simpler answer, adding chocolate chips to the brownies.

The perfect whole grain brownie recipe




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Baking With Sugar Alternatives

4/20/2015

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There are many reasons to swap out white sugar for alternative sweeteners when baking.  Sweeteners like molasses, maple syrup, honey, and coconut sugar are all great options. Unfortunately, sugar doesn’t just add sweetness to a recipe. It also leavens, or adds air to baked goods, helps with browning, and adds chewiness and crispness. Sugar also, draws moisture from the air into your baked goods, which helps keep them fresh longer. Baking is more of a science than an art. 

Options available  
Honey
Pros
Honey is a flavor powerhouse. Not only is it rich, intense, and syrupy-sweet, the different types of honey are endless. From mild clover to dark, deep buckwheat, you’ve got options.
Cons
You can’t use honey in any recipe that requires creaming (the process of beating together softened butter and sugar). Granulated sugar crystals contain sharp edges that slice through the butter, creating air pockets that expand when heated, contributing to a lofty, risen pastry. Honey doesn’t create those air pockets, and it results in a denser baked good. It makes a softer product, but dries out quicker than baked goods made with sugar. It’s also more expensive than refined white sugar.
Honey is best used in
Soft, moist cakes like coffee cakes, and quick breads like muffins. It's also great in puddings, ice creams.

Maple Syrup
Pros
Maple syrup has a beautifully thick consistency and an earthy sweetness.
Cons
Like honey, maple doesn’t “cream” into a recipe the way granulated sugar does. It’s also expensive.
Tips
Maple syrup is sweeter than sugar, which means you can use less. Use maple in recipes that don’t require a creaming step, and try combining it with other sweeteners, like barley malt syrup or molasses. You can also find evaporated maple syrup, which comes in golden-brown granules and has a texture similar to muscovado sugar. Maple sugar can be substituted 1:1 for refined sugar.

Barley Malt Syrup and Molasses

Pros
Barley malt syrup is made by sprouting, drying, then roasting barley grains, while molasses is produced by boiling juice extracted from sugarcane or, less commonly, beets. Both barley malt syrup and molasses are intensely flavored and super rich—they can add a deep, satisfying note to baked goods and pastries. Molasses is also very acidic, which makes for light and airy cakes when combined with baking soda.
Cons
Some may find the flavor of molasses and barley malt syrup too intense. It can bully other, more subtle flavors into submission.
Best For
Ginger breads, cookies, additions to other sweeteners
Tips
Combining barley malt and molasses with another ingredient (molasses pairs particularly well with maple) makes for a more palatable baked good.

Brown Rice Syrup

Pros
If you’re looking to ditch corn syrup, this is a 1:1 swap. It has a milder, less-intense sweetness than honey.
Cons
It comes with a pretty steep price tag, and also can’t be used for creaming.
Best For
Candies, and gooey, fudgy confections like brownies
Tips
This can be used in place of honey or maple syrup, when you want a less-sweet pastry without having to play with the ratios.
 
Turbinado Sugar
Pros
If you’ve ever put a packet of raw sugar in your coffee, you’ve had turbinado sugar. It has a crunchy texture that makes it ideal as a finishing or dusting sugar. It’s similar enough to refined sugar that it can be used in recipes that require creaming. It imparts a flavor similar to brown sugar but with a crispier, more brittle and “cookie-like” texture. It can also be melted down and used, as granulated sugar would, to make candies.
Cons
The texture of your baked goods won’t be as perfectly smooth as ones made with refined sugar.
Best For
Finishing and decoration on cookies, short breads and cakes.
Tips
Add a few minutes to the creaming process when beating together turbinado and butter to allow the ingredients to incorporate completely. Generally speaking, a 1:1 ratio for refined to turbinado sugar works—but be mindful that turbinado is coarser, and can takes up slightly more volume.

Muscovado Sugar
Pros
Anything that conventional brown sugar can do, this can do, (and arguably better). Muscovado is like, brown sugar. It’s less intense than molasses, but it has that same deep, almost-smoky flavor. It  also aids in browning.
Cons

Muscovado sugar is more expensive than regular brown sugar, and because it’s less refined, bakers may find a few small, hard nubbins of not-fully-processed sugar.
Best For
Cookies, fudge, brownies, frostings
Tips

Use it anywhere you’d use brown sugar in a recipe. Be mindful that baked goods will brown quicker, and could falsely appear done before they’re finished baking.
 
Fruit
Pros
Fruit is naturally packed with sugars, and it adds both sweetness and flavor. There’s also that whole “good-for-you-fiber” thing. You can either add it as a whole, fresh fruit (like puréed apple or cooked apple sauce, mashed banana, or pineapple chunks) or as juice (like apple, cranberry, or grape).
Cons
Fruit juice will alter the texture of your baked goods, making for an extra wet batter. This is one instance where you definitely can’t swap 1 cup of granulated sugar for 1 cup of juice.
Best For

Quick breads and cakes
Tips
Because fruit adds such a distinctive flavor to pastries, use it only when it will complement the other ingredients. For example: A carrot cake can benefit from crushed pineapple and/or apple juice. Although you’ll miss out on the leavening that happens when you cream butter and refined sugar. a good tip is beating together butter and dates—it makes for a super creamy consistency.
 
Coconut Sugar
Pros
Made from the processed staff of coconut blossoms (not actual coconuts) coconut sugar has a low glycemic index (a glycemic index quantifies how quickly and dramatically a food raises blood’s glucose levels). Well, at 35, it’s at least lower than that of refined sugar at 58. It doesn’t taste like coconut, which makes it very versatile (and is great if you hate coconut). It’s excellent in candies.
Cons
Coconut sugar has a softer texture than refined sugar, which means that, despite its similar appearance, the granules don’t perforate butter as well. This results in denser pastries. It can also make for baked goods with a dry texture.
Best For

Cookies, shortbreads, candies, and frostings
Tips
Compensate for a dry texture with extra fat or moist ingredients, like mashed banana or apple sauce. If melting coconut sugar for candy, be aware that the burning point is about 10 degrees lower than that of white sugar. And when it burns, Sever warns, it smells really, really bad.

Sorghum Syrup
Made from sorghum (a grass), this sweetener is similar to molasses and barley malt syrup in both texture and flavor.

ChocolateBittersweet chocolate may be used to flavor desserts since it already contains sugar. Simple desserts like custards and puddings work best, because they’re not reliant on sweeteners for leavening and other chemical reactions.

Agave
Made from the same plant that produces tequila, agave nectar has a low glycemic index, but is high in fructose (like refined sugar).

Bon Appetite
March 12, 2015 / Written by Rochelle Bilow

 
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