German Baking Today - German Baking Today

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  Candied lemon peel

  In shops, it is usually sold diced or as the skin of half a lemon. It is used in baking and as a garnish.

  Candied orange peel

  The candied peel of the Seville orange. It is usually sold in the form small dice but also as a half orange skin. Used in pastry and as decoration.

  Cardamom

  Dried capsule of the cardamom plant. Available whole or ground, with a slightly burning, spicy taste. Used particularly in Christmas pastries.

  Chocolate

  Chocolate comes as white or dark chocolate, plain or milk chocolate. It is used to make toppings or as an addition to pastry, fillings or custard, and also as decoration.

  Cinnamon

  The dried bark of the cinnamon tree, sold ground or in quills. In baking, the mild Ceylon cinnamon is preferable to the very spicy cassia from China.

  Cloves

  The flower buds of the clove tree. Available dried, whole or ground. Intense aroma with a powerful, slightly sharp burning taste. Use very sparingly.

  Coconut, desiccated

  The finely grated flesh of the coconut. It does not keep long because it soon goes rancid.

  Coriander

  Yellowish-brownish, round, ribbed, dried seeds of the coriander plant with a sweetish, aromatic fragrance, used whole, crushed or ground. Very popular in pastry such as spice cake, nut biscuits, gingerbread and also bread.

  Cornflour (cornstarch)

  A thickening agent made from maize, wheat or potato, used to make custard, sauce or cream-fillings. It is also mixed with plain (all-purpose) flour in dough preparations.

  Cream

  Keep whipping cream in the refrigerator before and after whipping it. Cakes and other dishes in which cream has been used should also be kept in the refrigerator.

  Currants

  Sulphur-free, dried, reddish to violet-black seedless grapes. Their taste and aroma are more intense than that of raisins.

  Eggs

  Egg are a crucial ingredient when baking. They are classed into 4 categories according to their weight: Standard: under 53 g Medium: 53 to under 63 g Large: 63 to under 73 g Extra large: 73 g and over In this book, medium size eggs are used in the baking recipes.

  Gelatine

  Gelling agent used to make custard, cream or jelly fillings. It comes in the form of powder or as transparent sheets (see Gelatine guide).

  Ginger

  The aromatic rhizome of the ginger plant. It is used fresh, ground, dried, preserved in syrup or candied. Sweetish, very spicy, slightly burning taste.

  Hazelnuts

  The kernels are used in baking; either whole, chopped, flaked or ground.

  Honey

  1⁄2oz honey = 80 g/21⁄2 oz (3⁄8 cup) sugar. However, sugar cannot be entirely replaced by honey.

  Lemons

  Both the juice and peel of this citrus fruit are used in baking. If the grated zest is going to be used, it is important to choose untreated fruit and wash it in hot water.

  Marzipan

  A paste made predominantly from almonds and sugar which can be bought ready-made. Used in fillings, pastry, confectionery or as decoration.

  Nougat

  Firm, creamy sweetmeat made of nuts, almonds, sugar and cocoa. Hazelnut nougat is dark in colour while almond nougat is light. When melted or softened it can be added to cakes and fillings or used as decoration. Firm, it is used as a filling in pralines.

  Nutmeg

  Nutmeg, the fruit of the evergreen nutmeg tree, has an intense, spicy taste. The nutmeg tree also produces mace which is the dried seed case of the nutmeg. It is red-coloured and has a mild, delicate aroma. Both spices are available whole or ground.

  Peanuts

  Peeled seed of the peanut plant. Use like walnuts and almonds.

  Pistachio nuts

  The fruit of the pistachio nut tree is bright green in colour. It is used with or without the skin, salted or unsalted, whole or chopped. Pistachio nuts are used in fillings, pastry and as decoration.

  Poppy seed

  Blue-black seeds of the poppy, rich in oil. Used in fillings or in pastry. Poppy seed is used whole, ground and also as a ready-to-use poppy seed filling. Ground poppy seed absorbs more moisture. To make a ready-to-use filling:

  125 g/41⁄2 poppy seeds

  75 ml/3 fl oz (3⁄8 cup) boiling water

  1 medium egg

  4 teaspoons honey

  25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter

  Pour the boiling water over the poppy seeds and leave to swell. Stir in the remaining ingredients and leave to swell again. Then use according to the recipe.

  Praline

  Crispy pieces made from melted, caramelised sugar and at least 20% almonds and/or other nuts.

  Pumpkin seeds

  The seeds of the pumpkin which are particular rich in oil are used with or without the skin, plain, roasted or salted. They are a popular addition to bread and rolls.

  Saffron

  The dried pistil of a variety of crocus. A powerful dye, it has a very intense, slightly bitter taste and should be used very sparingly. Saffron can be bought ground in sachets of 0.2 g or as filaments.

  Sesame seeds

  The seeds of the tropical sesame plant, used in baking, vegetables and salads.

  Sunflower seeds

  The seeds of the sunflower plant which are very rich in oil are often used in bread and rolls. They are used with or without the skin, plain, roasted or salted.

  Sugar

  There are several kinds of sugar that are available in various forms:

  White sugar – the most commonly used fine-grained form of sugar (refined sugar).

  Caster sugar is finer than granulated.

  Sugar nibs – coarse white sugar used to sprinkle over pastry.

  Icing (confectioners’) sugar – very finely ground white sugar.

  Candy sugar – brown, finegrained sugar made from sugar syrup, used in gingerbread and honey cake.

  Cane sugar – brown, finegrained sugar made from sugar cane. It is available as soft dark brown sugar or Demerara, which is lighter in colour and crystalline.

  Coffee sugar – coarsely pounded brown candy sugar with a very aromatic flavour which is much used in honey cakes, gingerbread and nut cakes.

  Sugar beet syrup

  The thick, dark juice from sugar beets, it is used in Christmas pastries such as gingerbread.

  Sultanas

  These white or black seedless grapes are air-dried in the country where they are grown. They are available with or without sulphur and are used in pastry, fillings and as decoration.

  Vanilla pods

  The fermented capsular fruit or pod of a climbing orchid. Both the pulp inside the fruit and pod itself can be used whole, diced or ground in cooking.

  Vanilla sugar

  Vanilla sugar is a mixture of sugar and vanilla sold in sachets. Alternatively make it by putting 3 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar.

  Vanilla sugar, Bourbon

  Real vanilla sugar consists of sugar and at least 5% real vanilla. It is recognizable by the black spots of vanilla. If not obtainable, use 6 drops vanilla essence in 1 tablespoon sugar.

  Wafer

  Paper-thin pastry (round or square); used as a support for pastries, such as macaroons or gingerbread; made from flour or starch without any raising agent. Similar to rice paper.

  Walnuts

  The fruit of the walnut tree. They can be bought in their shell, shelled (whole, chopped or ground), loose or in bags. Because of their high oil content, walnuts will not keep for a long time. They should be stored in cool, dry and wellventilated conditions, away from aromatic foods.

  Yeast

  Biological raising agent used to make the dough rise. Yeast is normally available in shops as dried yeast or less commonly as fresh yeast. Unlike fresh yeast, dried yeast will keep from several months to a year. There are two kinds of dried yeast, traditional granules and powdered fast action yeast. 1 packet of fast act
ion dried yeast or 1⁄2 packet of fresh yeast will be enough for 500 g/18 oz flour.

  Flour

  Plain (all-purpose) white flour

  This fine, white flour is the general purpose flour is by far the most commonly used and it is suitable for all kinds of cooking. It is particularly suitable for baking.

  Strong white flour

  This type of flour has a higher gluten content and is excellent for making bread and rolls (all yeast dough in general). It consists of about 75% of the whole wheat grain, most of the bran and wheatgerm having been removed.

  Soft white flour

  This is very finely milled and rises well, making very light pastry, scones, biscuits and cakes.

  Brown flour

  This contains about 85% of the original wheat grain and is used to make brown bread.

  Wholemeal

  This type of flour is made from the whole wheat grain (100% extraction), which is ground with the germ and the bran. It is the high percentage of bran which gives wholemeal flour its rich taste.

  Semolina

  This type of flour is very fine grained without bran and consists of ground soft wheat. It is used for making semolina pudding.

  Durum wheat semolina flour

  This is grainy, hard with a hearty taste and is made exclusively from high-quality, gold-yellow Durum wheat. Hard wheat semolina is particularly suited for making soufflés, dumplings and dough balls for adding to soups.

  Rye flour

  This has a strong flavour but contains less gluten than wheat flours and is normally used in combination with wheat flour, which helps it rise. It is particularly rich in valuable minerals and its strong taste makes it an ideal flour for bread (wheat and rye bread and rye rolls). Medium rye flour is the most widely available; light and dark rye flours may also be found.

  Spelt flour

  "primeval wheat" and has a more distinctive taste than normal wheat flour, but it has almost the same baking properties.

  Maize or buckwheat flour

  These are less suitable for baking and therefore cannot be substituted 1:1 for wheat flour.

  Fats

  The fats most commonly used in baking are margarine, butter and occasionally vegetable oil. With the exception of sponge mixtures which derive their fat from the eggs in the mixture, there is no dough that can be made without the addition of fat. Fat plays a vital part in the consistency of the dough, making it moist and light while enhancing the flavour. Most recipes in this book give a choice between butter and margarine. However, the fat recommended as the most suitable is mentioned first in the list of ingredients. It is also possible to use a mixture of butter and margarine.

  Margarine

  Vegetable margarines contain exclusively vegetable fats. The different consistencies of individual margarines is related to their fatty composition. The spreading consistency of soft margarine is maintained even when refrigerated so that it can be used in baking directly from the refrigerator. It is easy to soften and to incorporate with the other ingredients. After baking, the dough will be fine-pored with an even consistency. Diet margarines and fat-reduced margarines are rarely suitable for baking because they contain too much water. Those that are suitable for baking are labelled as such on the wrapping.

  Butter

  Butter consists mainly of at least 82% milk fat and a maximum of 16% water. Butter keeps less long than margarine and should always be kept in cool conditions. It becomes very hard in the refrigerator so it should be taken out well in advance so that it has time to reach room temperature. It can then be stirred more easily until it is soft.

  Cooking oil

  Cooking oil is used in the preparation of a curd cheeseoil mixture and sometimes even also in yeast dough. In order not to affect the taste, it is best to use cooking oils with a neutral flavour, such as sunflower oil and corn oil. Cooking oil is also used to make chocolate coatings softer.

  White fats

  These consist of 100% pure vegetable fat, in other words they contain no water at all – exactly like cooking oil. One of the advantages of these fats is their great heat stability. White fats have a high smoking level, and are therefore particularly suitable for frying because this method of cooking requires high temperatures to brown the food and to cause a crisp crust to develop. White coconut fat that is neutral in taste is particularly good for making cake icing.

  Hand mixers and blenders

  Hand mixer

  The motor part of the hand mixer is designed differently from a conventional food mixer. There are more settings and it rotates faster than a food mixer, which is why cream can be whipped quicker with a hand mixer. But, the motor is less powerful than that of a food mixer, a fact which is evident when processing heavy bread dough. It is therefore advisable to let the mixer rest between each batch of dough to prevent the motor from overheating.

  It is also important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

  A hand mixer comes with two whisks, two kneading hooks and sometimes a chopper. The mixer may be supplied with a stand which enables the mixer to operate independently so that both hands can remain free. But for a satisfactory result, the bowl should also rotate.

  Food mixer

  Modern food mixers are easy to handle, versatile in use and very safe to operate. They stand firm on the work surface, leaving both hands free. Mixing dough, whipping cream and kneading heavy dough become effortless. But it must be remembered that dough can easily be stirred too much because food processors are much more powerful than hand mixers. It is therefore very important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. These appliances save both effort and time. The motor of a food processor has two drives, a high speed drive for the beaters and a power drive for additional attachments. Universal food mixers are equipped with various accessories depending on the make. The basic equipment consists of a stirrer and a kneader, and often also a mixer. The single or double whisk is used to stir pastry and cake mix tures and to whip egg whites and cream, while the dough hook is used to knead medium-heavy to heavy dough. The capacity of the mixing bowl varies between 2–6 kg/41⁄2–13 lb dough. The choice depends on the size of the household.

  Many attachments are available for food mixers, such as a grain mill. Smaller mixers and food processors come in various forms and with different equipment. The results are good but only small amounts can be processed at a time.

  Ovens and oven temperatures

  Ovens with conventional heating

  This kind of oven is heated at the top and bottom and is suitable for baking any kind of dough and pastry. However, if the cooking time is short it must be preheated to the temperature recommended in the recipe before putting the food in the oven.

  Fan ovens

  In this type of oven the air is heated and constantly circulated in the oven by a fan. With this type of oven it is possible to cook on several shelves at the same time. Fan ovens cook food at a lower temperature than conventional ovens (20–30 °C/70–85 °F lower). This type of oven does not need preheating when the baking time exceeds 30 minutes.

  Combination oven

  Modern ovens combine both types of heating. In other words, the user can choose between top and bottom heat, fan and grill.

  Gas ovens

  This type of oven heats up immediately. There are also combination gas, fan and grill ovens. .

  Baking temperature

  Setting the right temperature is just as important as the accurate preparation of the various types of pastries. Baking times on the other hand may be longer or shorter depending on the type of appliance, so it is important to follow the manufacturers’ instructions and the benefits of experience. The pastry should be checked regularly towards the end of the baking time. Check that the pastry is cooked through before taking it out of the oven.

  Height of oven shelf

  Dough baked in moulds should always be put on a shelf and not on a baking sheet or on the bottom of the oven. High and medium-high moulds are usually placed
on the lower shelf while shallow moulds are placed straight on a shelf in the middle of the oven. This includes flat cakes, small pastries, stollen, cream puffs and meringue pastries (small pastries are sometimes put even higher in the oven). The best advice is to follow the guidelines and instructions provided by the oven manufacturer. With gas ovens it is possible to put some types of pastries in the oven without preheating. This is particularly true of high and medium high moulds such as gugelhupf and fruit cakes. It is generally recommended that all types of ovens should be preheated when the baking time is 30 minutes or less.

  Baking moulds, tins and appliances

  Tinplate baking tins and moulds

  In general, tinplate moulds and baking tins are particularly good so far as heat conduction is concerned. However, they are less good in electric ovens. Tinplate is not acid-resistant and it is therefore advisable to line springform tin rings with baking parchment when using them for fruit tarts and pies.

  Aluminium tins and moulds

  Aluminium is a corrosion-proof metal which has excellent heat conductivity. Aluminium tins and moulds are therefore equally suitable for all kinds of ovens.

  Black enamelled moulds

  These dark-coloured tins and moulds absorb a lot of heat which is then immediately transmitted to the dough. They are ideally suited for electric and fan ovens, but on the other hand, not for gas ovens.

  Non-stick moulds and tins

  Modern non-stick coatings of tinplate and steel moulds and tins has proved to be the best for ovens with top and bottom heat, and also for fan ovens. The pastries and cakes are easier to remove from the tins and moulds.

  Today, cast aluminium tins and moulds lined with a quartzenamel coating are particularly fashionable. They ensure an intense, even browning of the pastry, they are scratch resistant, completely resistant to fruit acid and have excellent non-stick properties. They are ideal for electric and fan ovens.

  Ceramic moulds

  These first absorb the heat as a tiled stove would, and only then do they transmit this heat to the pastry.

  Attractive ceramic moulds make it possible to create imaginative cakes and pas tries.

  They can be used in all types of ovens.