Real Baking with Rose Discussion Forums

How to use an oven

2012-02-08T02:24:37-05:00

The standard oven these days come with bottom heat, top heat and a fan at the back of the oven. Problem is, the oven manual seems like it’s written by people who don’t bake much. How do I know when to use bottom heat only or top heat only or both heat w/o fan?

New York Times on Kitchen Scales

2011-09-13T22:07:22-05:00

If you didn’t see this, the URL is:

<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/dining/tipping-the-balance-for-kitchen-scales.html?_r=1&ref=dining&pagewanted=all>

It’s past time for newspapers all across the country to change their ‘style books’ and print weights in addition to volume measurements.

Scaling Liquids

2012-01-12T10:57:44-05:00

Does anyone know of a scale which measures ml? I’m encountering some classic recipes which list ingredients in ml.

KA fruit & vegetable strainer

2012-01-06T03:25:59-05:00

Today I tried to make a raspberry puree with the KA fruit & vegetable strainer and things didn’t work out as well as I had hoped it would. I read some reviews online and some said they had no problems with raspberries. Some said it was a complete mess for them and this was pretty much what I experienced. I was wondering if any of you have this attachment? If so, have you tried running raspberries through it and how did it work for you? I’m wondering if there is something different I can do to make this work better for me. It ground the raspberries really well, but it didn’t strain as much of the seeds as it should have. There were a lot of seeds that made it through the mesh screen. Not only that, but in the end I ended up with only 1/4 cup of puree rather than the cup I should have been able to get from 24 ounces of frozen raspberries. This was after I pressed the KA-processed puree through a fine mesh strainer by hand. Any advice on how I can make this strainer work better?

Thanks,
MP

Making the Apple Upside Downcake but have no baking stone

2011-06-02T21:08:11-05:00

Hi, all!

I’m planning to make this this weekend, but I have no baking stone. Naturally, I would still love a dark caramel color!!

Would it work to use a half-sheet jelly roll pan instead of a baking stone—set the cake pan on a half-sheet jelly roll pan? If so, do I preheat the JRP? I assume I use it regular and not upside down, etc.

I’d love any thoughts as to whether this would or wouldn’t work (or other alternatives).

One other question, for this cake, I can’t figure out if the apples are cut into wedges (sort of like frozen peaches) or in half-rings (sort of like pineapple). Couldn’t quite tell from the instructions. Thoughts????

Thanks!!!

—ak

Beater Blade for Cusinart

2011-12-06T23:38:04-05:00

Evaluation: Fair

I tested it creaming butter. It didn’t eliminate the need for scraping because a fairly thick circle of butter formed right above where the blade met the side of the bowl; even after scraping it down, it reformed immediately. On the plus side, it creamed the butter a lot more effectively than the metal blade that came with the unit, which couldn’t reach a thin layer of butter lying against the surface of the metal bowl.

The SideSwipe I had on my KA was a lot better about not forming the line above the blades; the SideSwipe’s blades are angled slightly downwards, tending to throw the butter/batter back down into the bowl, rather than allowing it to creep up past the blade. Since the Beater Blade is one continuous strip of silicone, rather than individual blades, it can’t be angled in a similar fashion. The SideSwipe was also easier to install, since it was designed for the particular mixer, whereas the Beater Blade fits both Viking and Cuisinart mixers and requires adjustment to fit properly.

Given the choice, I’d take the SideSwipe, but, unfortunately, they don’t make it for the Cusinart. They say maybe in the summer of 2012.

Cuisinart 7 Qt Mixer RPM

2011-11-19T16:20:08-05:00

A mixer’s RPM is useful to know for bread baking. Cuisinart didn’t supply the information and didn’t respond to an email, so I measured it using a laser tachometer that I ordered for this purpose (no expense is too great for science):

Speed  RPM
1/Fold     40
2          55
3          70
4          85
5         100
6         115
7         130
8         145
9         160
10        175
11        190
12        205 

Everying takes too long to bake and baked uneven. What is the best electric range for cooking at high altitutde?

2011-11-17T15:15:52-05:00

Earlier this month, I replaced my Kenmore Range (both the stove top and oven were starting to fail) with a 5.9 cu. ft. Freestanding Flex Duo Oven with Radiant Electric Range. While I love the stove top, the oven leaves a lot to be desired. I’ve baked several different things with this oven, both with and without convention cooking and with and without using the dual oven. I have placed the racks as the user manual recommends for baking. I bake at high altitude, almost 7000’ and have adjusted for that in terms of Baking Soda, Baking Powder, liquid, etc. I prefer to bake with Agave Nectar as the sweetener but have also tried a combination of both and with just white sugar. I bake from fresh ingredients and not ingredients out of a can.

The results are pretty much the same. Instead of what I understand should happen at high altitude, less cooking time, it takes anywhere between 50% to 75% more time and it cooks and browns unevenly, more at the edges and is sometimes nearly raw in the center unless I over bake it.

My question is two fold. First, is it me or the stove? If it is me, what should I do differently? Second, if it is the stove, I can still return it. What is the best baking stove with a very good (preferably great) electric range as I cook all of our meals daily.

Lee

Cast-iron dishes- a must or a luxury

2011-11-14T12:16:31-05:00

Hi,

I’m relatively new to baking, and am currently discussing equipment options with a friend. My friend is adamant that cast-iron dishes such as those made by Le Creuset are the best and a must for serious bakers.
Money isn’t really the problem for me, but I am curious what other more experienced think about this.
Are cast-iron pots a must for baking or a luxury?

Mandoline

2011-11-07T09:46:53-05:00

Ok this is not about cakes but is cooking related. Who uses a mandoline and which one do you recommend? thanks