Operation Manual
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GOLDEN RULES
GOLDEN RULES
To get the very best out of our recipes, follow these few simple golden rules:
1. Always use the very best ingredients
Choose good-quality, fresh ingredients.
The fresher your fruit and vegetables, the more vitamins they will contain. Signs of
freshness include smooth skin, green leaves and no bruising.
Always use fresh meat and fish.
Pay attention to the type of flour indicated in the recipe. The choice
of flour is very important, not least because the amount of water
you need depends on which type you are using. Wholemeal
flour, for instance, contains more bran, which absorbs more
water.
Plain flour, a very fine, white, all-purpose flour that is best for making
cakes, pastries, sauces and pancake batters.
Self-raising flour has low gluten content or wholemeal flour with a raising agent
mixed in, usually baking powder. It’s used in baking and cake-making.
Strong white flour has a higher gluten content and is therefore ideal for making bread
and brioche.
It is better to use caster sugar, rather than granulated sugar,
which has coarser crystals. Icing sugar is very fine and is
commonly used for cake decoration.
Always use butter, never margarine or a low-fat spread.
Yeast comes in two forms – fresh or dried. In our recipes, we
have chosen to use fresh yeast, which you can get from your local baker, as well as
from specialist shops (or the bakery section of your nearest supermarket). If you use
dried yeast, remember to use half the amount indicated for fresh yeast.
For the very best results, always dissolve the yeast in a liquid heated to 35 °C. Yeast is
a living organism, and if the liquid is any hotter, it will kill it.
Salt regulates the rising action of the yeast and reinforces the structure of the gluten.
It is best to use pasteurised whole milk.
Double cream has a minimum fat content of 48% (35% for whipping cream), compared
with 15% for single cream and even less for “lite” versions. It not only tastes better, but
holds air bubbles better when whipped.
Eggs are sold in four different sizes, with medium eggs weighing 53-63 g. For recipes
where the egg whites are to be beaten, bring them up to room temperature first. Eggs
must be fresh if they are to be eaten raw in mousses, etc. If you are using them for
home baking (e.g. meringues, macaroons), it is a good idea to separate them 2-3
days beforehand, storing the yolks and whites in separate airtight containers in the
fridge. For egg whites to whisk properly, your bowl must be clean, with no traces of fat.
2. Be prepared!
The following pieces of equipment always come in useful:
Measurement instruments: precise electronic kitchen scale (range:
from 2g to 2 kg) is vital, as is a cooking thermometer that can measure
temperatures of up to 200 °C.
Baking tins: it is important to use a baking tin of the right shape, the right
quality and made from the right material. We specify which kind of tin
is required for each recipe.
Cakemaking accessories: cutters of different sizes, to vary the
presentation of cakes and pastries.
A piping bag is vital for filling cream puffs and eclairs, as well as
making meringues or macaroons.
You will need a rolling pin for rolling your pastry out and a brush for
buttering your tins and painting egg wash on your bread and brioche.
3. Precision
In some recipes, especially those for bread and cakes, the instructions must be followed
to the letter. Always weigh or measure the ingredients out carefully and respect the
kneading, resting and baking times.
4. Cooking - the grand finale
How well do you know your oven? The success of your recipe may well depend on it,
as the temperatures and cooking times in our recipes are merely there to guide you.
These times may vary according to your oven, but will also depend on how finely the
ingredients have been chopped. It will also depend on the size and material of the
recipient. This is why we recommend you keep a close eye on the baking process and
be ready to adjust the cooking time, if necessary.
Avoid opening the oven door while your dish is cooking.