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121 Cooking Secrets to Impress Friends and Family
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Chapter VII: Baking
89. Stop cheesecake from cracking. Cheesecakes often crack on the top because they
lose moisture while they cook. If you’re adding a topping it doesn’t matter, but if
you’re serving the cake without anything on top it’s nice to have it looking perfect.
Avoid cracking by putting a small dish of water on the rack beside your cake while it
is cooking. This will keep it moist and crack-free!
90. Make sure your yeast is fresh. Yeast is a living organism. And in order for it to work
to it needs to be alive when you use it. To test whether yeast is active, combine it
with the amount of warm water asked for in the recipe. Then add a small amount of
sugar (1/8 of a teaspoon is all that’s needed). The sugar acts as food for the yeast
and if it’s alive it will begin to bubble within approximately 10 minutes. If there is no
bubbling then you know the yeast is no good.
91. The key to great pastry is cold ingredients. Making your own pastry can sometimes
be a challenge. But once you master it you’ll enjoy having it as part of your baking
repertoire. To get really fabulous pastry, the key is to make sure ALL of the
ingredients are cold before you mix them together – including the flour! Then once
you’ve formed the dough, refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to
roll.
92. Add a little something extra to your pies. Most pie recipes call for the same plain
piecrust. Boring! Instead create your own variation by adding spices to your dough
such as cinnamon, nutmeg or even ginger. Another great idea is to add ground nuts
or even cookies crumbs on top of the bottom crust before adding your filling. Be sure
to press them down a little though so they stay as part of the crust.
93. Make flakier pie crust. Add a teaspoon of very cold vinegar in place of a teaspoon of
ice water for flakier pie crusts. Be sure that it is very cold though. This helps the fat
chill and prevents it from releasing its water content and moistening the flour. When
this happens, gluten develops and the result is pastry that is tough instead of light
and flaky. Ideally you’ll also let the dough rest in the refrigerator overnight before
using to get good and cold again.
94. Toast nuts to intensify their flavor. Toasting nuts before using them in recipes
intensifies their flavor. To toast nuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat.
Shake the pan often, and roast for four or five minutes until fragrant. Cool before
using. Because nuts have a high fat content, they go rancid quickly. The best way to
store shelled nuts is in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they’ll keep for
about four months.