German Baking Today - German Baking Today

by Unknown

  Earthenware moulds

  Earthenware moulds are among the oldest baking containers, but they are not recommended for sweet pastry. They are excellent for dough that is low in sugar, and especially bread dough.

  Glass moulds

  Like ceramic, glass absorbs heat slowly and only then transmits it very slowly to the dough. The resulting pastry does not get very brown but will be cooked thoroughly.

  Shapes of moulds and tins

  The traditional forms of baking tins and moulds are the gugelhupf mould (diameter 22 and 24 cm/81⁄2 and 91⁄2 in), rectangular tins (25 x 11 and 30 x 11 cm/10 x 41⁄2 and 12 x 41⁄2 in), pie dishes (diameter 26 and 30 cm/10 and 12 in) and the springform tin (diameter 26 and 28 cm/10 and 11 in). Springform tins are available with interchangeable flat bases, and also with a base with a central tubular hole in the middle to make ring cakes. An adjustable baking ring is particularly useful when making gateaux or fruit flans. Besides the classic shapes, there are other traditional shapes such as the savarin mould, quiche or flan dish, and cloverleaf, heart, rosette and star-shaped moulds. There are also other shapes such as that of rabbits, lambs, fir trees, other animals and letters of the alphabet which give traditional pastries an innovative, interesting appearance.

  Many of these shapes are also available in mini versions.

  Small pastries are best baked in tart tins or muffin moulds. Basic baking equipment should also include 1 or 2 baking sheets. Ovens usually come with 1 baking sheet which may be enamel, black steel or aluminium. Black steel and enamel baking sheets give the best results are worth buying separately.

  Roasting tins are baking sheets with higher sides. As a result, the dough or cake mix ture will not run over the edge. For taller cakes which may come in various sizes, adjustable baking frames are recommended.

  Cleaning moulds and tins

  Moulds and tins should be washed in hot water and a little washing-up liquid immediately after use or left to soak in warm water with washing-up liquid. Do not wash in the dishwasher because the non-stick coating would deteriorate with time.

  Mixing bowls

  of various sizes are also part of the basic baking equipment. For instance, a mixing bowl made from sturdy plastic with a rubber ring at the bottom to prevent it from sliding on the work surface is ideal for whipping cream or egg whites. If you do not own such a bowl, you can put a damp cloth under an ordinary china or plastic bowl to hold it steady.

  Stainless nickel-chrome steel bowls have excellent heat conductivity so they are ideal for using in a bain-marie, for instance, when melting chocolate or bringing it up to the right temperature.

  Scales

  are extremely important for weighing ingredients accurately. They are available in digital and analogue versions. Scales with a bowl are very practical.

  Timer

  A timer is useful for accurately timing stirring, mixing and baking times.

  Kitchen scissors

  These are used for cutting dough and baking parchment.

  Cake slice

  A cake slice made of stainless steel or sturdy plastic is very useful for moving gateaux and fruit flan, or for lifting pastry bases that have been cut in half.

  Mixing spoon

  Preferably with a hole in the middle, this is useful for mixing together various ingredients.

  Whisk

  Used to beat egg whites or whisk custard, and to fold other ingredients into light, airy mixtures.

  Pastry brush

  Used to grease baking tins, or to brush pastry and apply glazes.

  Rubber spatula

  Used to transfer the dough or cake mixture from the mixing bowl into the baking tin or mould.

  Dough scrapers

  Made from flexible plastic, these are used to cut dough, to scrape off left-over dough stuck to the sides of the bowl and to clean work surfaces. They are also useful for smoothing cake mixtures, dough and custards and for decorating the sides of cakes.

  Piping bag

  This has several plain or starshaped nozzles in various sizes, used e.g. to decorate pastry or to pipe dough.

  Pastry cutters

  Besides the usual round, oval, square, plain and fluted pastry cutters, there are also animal and Christmas motifs as well as many others such as numbers for biscuits or Christmas pastries. The cutting edge must be even and smooth so that it cuts through the dough quickly and cleanly.

  Rolling pin

  Rolling pins are made of wood, marble, stainless steel, glass or plastic. They are used to roll out dough evenly and for crumbling solid ingredients (for instance praline).

  Pastry roller

  Invaluable for cutting cakes or pies into slices of equal size.

  Pastry press

  Used to make biscuits, e.g. Spritzegebäck.

  Baking rack

  A metal rack used for supporting cakes and pastries while they cool. If the pastry or cake is left to cool on a normal cake plate, the base will sweat and become moist. The rack must have little legs so that the air can circulate around the pastry.

  Grater

  Graters can be used for grating lemon zest and chocolate.

  Sieve

  Used to sift flour, cornflour (cornstarch), cocoa powder, baking powder and icing (confectioner’s) sugar, and for jam. The small flour sieve operated by a handle (e) is recommended when dealing with small quantities.

  Fluted pastry cutter wheel

  Used to cut out dough, which is given a serrated or wavy edge as a result.

  Measuring jug

  A measuring jug is used to measure liquids accurately. It is important that the measuring divisions can be read clearly.

  Spatula

  Made from metal, it is shaped like a broad but truncated knife. It is often used to lift the dough when it sticks to the work surface. It is also used to spread cream or custard on dough, gateaux and cakes with custard or cream or to turn out small pastries or cakes.

  Garnishing and decorating

  Icing

  Add enough water, tea, liqueur or juice to sifted icing (confectioner’s) sugar to make a thick paste. The icing sugar can also be mixed with a little cocoa powder or instant coffee before mixing with the liquid. The icing can be coloured by adding of a few drops of food colouring.

  Icing must be applied immediately after it has been made because it hardens very quickly. If you add hot liquid to icing, it will stick better and will remain very shiny after setting.

  Sugared fruit

  Pour a glaze consisting of sugar solution boiled down to a syrup over cooled fruit such as redcurrants, grapes or cherries to glaze gateaux and cakes.

  To make this glaze, bring 2 parts of sugar and 1 part of water to the boil in a small pan, cook until the sugar has dissolved completely and leave to cool down a little. Coat the fruit with this glaze using a pastry brush, then dust with icing (confectioner’s) sugar or caster sugar.

  Left-over whipped cream

  Pipe left-over whipped cream into knob shapes, pre-freeze in the freezer compartment, then store in freezer bags and return to the freezer. This is an ideal way to ensure a ready supply of cake decorations.

  Decorating and garnishing biscuits

  Bake the biscuits and leave to cool. Prepare the icing and colour some of it with food colouring of your choice. Coat the biscuits with this icing and sprinkle them with chocolate flakes, chocolate drops, mocha beans or meringue stars.

  Making and filling paper piping bags

  Cut a rectangular piece of baking parchment (about 30 x 25 cm/12 x 10 in) diagonally. Hold the triangle so that the right-angled point faces upward towards the right and the longest point faces downward.

  Hold the longest point with your left hand and with your right hand turn the upper left point to make a pointed bag, placing it roughly on the rectangular point. Hold tight between your thumb and forefinger and wind the longest point round the bag with your left hand, pulling the point upward towards the other point.

  Fold the edges inwar
d several times where the points meet so that the paper cannot not slip any more.

  To fill the bag, hold it where the edges have been folded down and fill with icing or melted chocolate using a teaspoon. Only fill half the bag. Place the top edges against each other and fold down several times. Then cut off the point of the bag and decorate the pastry.

  Alternatively, you could also use a small freezer bag, fill with the icing, close the opening, snip off a small corner and decorate the pastry.

  Decorating with marzipan

  To prepare marzipan decorations, knead the marzipan with a little icing (confectioner’s) sugar: for instance, 20 g/1 oz (3 tablespoons) icing (confectioner’s) sugar for 100 g/31⁄2 oz marzipan.

  This will make the marzipan easier to work with and less sticky. Colour the marzipan with food colouring or cocoa powder and roll out between sheets of clingfilm or a freezer bag which has been cut open. This will prevent the marzipan from sticking to the work surface or the rolling pin. Cut out shapes such as hearts, stars, flowers etc.

  Marzipan leaves and flowers

  Knead 20 g/1 oz (3 tablespoons) icing (confectioner’s) sugar into the marzipan. For the flowers, colour half the prepared marzipan with red food colouring and shape into a cylinder about 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick. Cut the cylinder into pieces 1 cm/3⁄8 in long. To make a rose, make a cone 3 cm/11⁄4 in long. For the petals, knead the pieces of marzipan separately, shape into balls and roll out between two sheets of clingfilm to make small discs that become gradually thinner towards the edges.

  Arrange the marzipan petals round the cone so that the tip of the cone points upwards and sits slightly lower in theflower than the petals.

  Press the petals firmly against the base of the cone and bend the tips slightly outward. Use 5–6 petals for each rose. Leave the finished roses to dry at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then carefully cut off the bottom quarter (thick stem) with a sharp knife. For the leaves, colour some of the kneaded marzipan with green food colouring and shape into a cylinder about 1 cm/3⁄8 in thick. Cut the cylinder into pieces 1 cm/3⁄8 in long, flatten the pieces and cut out the leaves. Form the veins by making grooves with a knife and bend the leaves slightly so that they undulate a little.

  Leave the leaves to dry at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then arrange the leaves and the roses on the cake. Shape some uncoloured marzipan into stems if desired.

  Garnishing and decorating with chocolate

  When using chocolate it is important that it does not come into contact with water. Even a few drops of water may make the chocolate crumbly so that it can no longer be used as a garnish or decoration.

  Temperature of the chocolate

  Chocolate must be brought to room temperature before decorating the pastry or cake so that it can set again and be shiny afterwards.

  Melt two-thirds of the chocolate in a small pan in a bainmarie over low heat, stirring continuously. The chocolate should not be allowed to get too hot. Dip the point of a teaspoon in the melted chocolate in the pan and put it against your lower lip. If it feels cool it should heated a little more. If it is slightly warm it is the right temperature and it can be removed from the bainmarie. If the melted chocolate feels hot it must be taken out of the bain-marie immediately and left to cool down a little (but not refrigerated) until is only barely warm.

  Finely chop the remaining chocolate and stir slowly into the melted chocolate until it too has melted. To avoid air from forming, do not beat the chopped chocolate into the melted chocolate.

  Then heat the melted chocolate briefly in the bain-marie, stir gently and garnish, decorate or coat the cake or pastry with it.

  Making chocolate whorls and shavings

  Coarsely chop the chocolate, melt in a pan in a bain-marie over slow heat, pour onto a plate, spread smooth and leave until almost completely set (but do not refrigerate). Using a palette knife, held at the flattest possible angle to the plate, scrape lightly in repeated, regular movements to make beautiful chocolate whorls. The chocolate should not have set too much because the whorls would break and crumble.

  To make shavings, use a potato peeler to peel shavings off a block of cooled chocolate.

  Do not touch the chocolate whorls and shavings with your hands when moving them. Instead use a spatula or large knife to transfer them to where you want them.

  Making chocolate zest

  Finely chop the chocolate, melt in a pan in a bain-marie over low heat, pour onto a cool, smooth plate and spread thinly and smoothly. Let the chocolate set almost completely (do not refrigerate), then drag a zester over the chocolate, making small or larger curls.

  Do not touch the pieces of chocolate zest with your hands but use a spatula or large knife to move them.

  Cutting out chocolate motifs

  Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt in a pan in a bainmarie over low heat while stirring. Pour the melted chocolate onto a piece of baking parchment, spread very thinly and smoothly and allow to set almost completely (but do not refrigerate). Using cutters of various shapes, cut out the motifs of your choice.

  Using a knife transfer them carefully onto a piece of baking parchment. Then leave them until completely set. If the chocolate has become too hard, warm up the cutters to cut out the shapes. Do not touch the chocolate motifs with your hands but use a spatula or large knife to move them.

  Chocolate fruit

  Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt in a pan in a bainmarie over low heat while stirring. Dip the prepared, well drained fruit, for instance grapes, into the liquid chocolate and leave to dry on a rack with some kitchen paper underneath, or on baking parchment.

  Chocolate coating

  To cover cakes and pastries with chocolate coating, coarsely chop the chocolate and melt with cooking oil in a pan in a bain-marie over low heat, stirring continuously. Use about 1 teaspoon oil for each 100 g/31⁄2 oz chocolate. When using couverture chocolate, add about 25 g/1 oz coconut fat for each 100 g/31⁄2 oz of couverture chocolate.

  You will find instructions on how to coat cakes in the chapter on sponge mixtures.

  Piped chocolate coating

  Coat a cake with 200 g/7 oz dark melted couverture chocolate (with 50 g/2 oz coconut fat) or chocolate with 2 teaspoons cooking oil. Fill a greaseproof paper piping bag with 25 g/1 oz white couverture or chocolate and pipe in a spiral onto the still moist chocolate coating (starting from the middle). Now pull a pointed wooden cocktail stick across the still moist chocolate coating eight times at regular intervals, starting from the middle and going towards the edge, or the other way round.

  Baking tips

  Peeling almonds

  Almonds are usually peeled before using. To peel the almonds, put them first in boiling water and continue boiling briefly. Rinse the almonds in a sieve under cold water, squeeze the almonds out of their skins and leave to dry. Then chop or grind the almonds or grate them into flakes, depending on the recipe.

  Peeling nut kernels

  Place the nut kernels on a dry, clean baking sheet and heat in the oven preheated to 200 °C/400 °F until the brown skin can be rubbed off. Put the hot nuts in a clean tea-towel and rub off the skins in circular movements.

  Roasting nut kernels and almonds

  Brown the whole, chopped or grated almonds or nut kernels or desiccated coconut in a pan without fat while stirring continuously. This gives them a more intense aroma. Put the roasted nut kernels, desiccated coconut or almonds on a plate to cool and only use when they are cold. Sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds can be roasted in the same way. If the oven is still warm after baking, the nuts etc. can also be roasted in the oven on a baking sheet.

  Crumbling sponge biscuits, rusks or praline

  Put the sponge biscuits, rusks or praline in a freezer bag, seal carefully and crumble by rolling a rolling pin over them. The fine crumbs that result can then be sprinkled on cakes and pastries.

  Checking whether pastry or a cake is cooked

  The traditional way to check whether a cake or pa
stry mixture is cooked is the „stick“ method. A wooden stick is inserted into the thickest part of the cake. If the stick is dry when it is pulled out and no cake mixture is sticking to it, it means that the cake is ready.

  Sponge cakes are ready when they no longer feel moist but soft to the touch and leave no mark on the surface where pressure has been applied. Biscuits are done when the surface is yellow to gold brown. With yeast and cheese-oil dough, baked on a baking sheet, the underside should slightly browned and dry. To check this, lift the cake carefully with a wide palette knife.

  Glazing pastry with apricot glaze

  Rub the jam through a sieve and bring to the boil with a little water while stirring. The apricot glaze will help the icing stick better to the cake and keep it fresh. It will also prevent the icing from being absorbed into the pastry and saturating it.

  Grating chocolate

  Chocolate which is to be grated should first be hardened in the refrigerator. Cold chocolate is much easier to grate.

  A few drops of lemon juice

  If only a few drops of lemon juice are needed, prick the lemon with a fork and squeeze the juice out. The lemon can be stored in the fridge for further use. Bottled lemon juice may also be used.

  Separating eggs

  To separate the egg yolk from the egg white, crack open the egg on one side and break the shell. Then carefully slide the egg yolk from one shell half to the other while catching the egg white in a bowl underneath.

  Whisking egg whites until stiff

  To whisk egg white, it is very important that the bowl and whisk should be absolutely fatfree and that there is no trace of egg yolk in the egg white. Always whisk egg whites just before using them. If whisked egg white is allowed to stand after the sugar has been added, it loses some of its firmness and cannot be whisked stiff again. Whisk the egg white so stiff that it forms peaks.

  Deep-frozen fruit in the dough

  Deep-frozen berries and other fruit can be baked with the dough while still frozen, provided the fruit was frozen separately. To do this, put the fruit on a plate without touching it, freeze the fruit on the plate, then wrap it in a freezer bag and return to the freezer.

  Filleting oranges