Recipes

[tereshkova2001]

Medievalist humour alert: it'd be even funnier if you did that with a cloved pomegranate, because that's where grenades get their name.

Really? Interesting. Although you might need a drill or skewer to get through the pomegranate shell.

[tylik]

Really? Interesting. Although you might need a drill or skewer to get through the pomegranate shell.

If one is putting cloves into something less welcoming than an orange, a skewer is generally a good idea.

Still, what a waste of a good pomegranate!

(Mmm... pomegranate. A friend's pomegranate mead one won a contest for being the "best waters of Lethe". Though I'm happy to take mine fresh. Or cooked with eggplant an onions and... well, probably not lamb chops anymore, but... perhaps some nice thick slices of porcinni. Or pomegranate seeds in spinach salad. Or...)

[trinker]

Really? Interesting. Although you might need a drill or skewer to get through the pomegranate shell.

If one is putting cloves into something less welcoming than an orange, a skewer is generally a good idea.

Still, what a waste of a good pomegranate!

(Mmm... pomegranate. A friend's pomegranate mead one won a contest for being the "best waters of Lethe". Though I'm happy to take mine fresh. Or cooked with eggplant an onions and... well, probably not lamb chops anymore, but... perhaps some nice thick slices of porcinni. Or pomegranate seeds in spinach salad. Or...)

Pomegranate juice?
*grin* that's what my husband and I substituted for the traditional "sake in a shared cup" ritual at our wedding.

[laura]

OK,

I am not much of a baker.  If my lack of cake flour (and use of all purpose on a 1:1 substitution) did not kill the Banana Cake from Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Holds-Barred Baking Book http://www.amazon.com/Rosies-Bakery-All-Butter-Sugar-Packed-No-Holds-Barred/dp/0761106332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220233214&sr=8-1, I sure as heck do not want to kill it by not knowing the following: 

When it says "Place the cake on a rack to cool completely" does this mean with the cake still in the greased pan (greased with butter!  not floured)? 

Please help.  I have 7 more minutes....

[Elizabeth Bear]

Generally it means to turn the cake out, but it will not harm the cake to leave it in the pan until cool, generally speaking.

[MadGastronomer]

Sorry to disagree with you, Bear, but cakes should be left to cool in their pans unless the recipe specifically says to turn out while still warm.  A cake fresh from the oven is still delicate, because the starches haven't yet recrystallized and are still a bit wobbly.  It's much more likely to come apart as you try to turn it out.
It does cool faster if you turn it out, but I don't advise it generally.

[glinda_w]

[...] cakes should be left to cool in their pans unless the recipe specifically says to turn out while still warm. 

I never knew that. Thank you!

[Elizabeth Bear]

Listen to the cook.

[MadGastronomer]

I never knew that. Thank you!

You're welcome.
OTOH, if you're confident you can turn it out without breaking it, there's no other reason not to do so.  Most pros, though, if they have the time, won't do it, just because it's not worth the risk of wasting a cake.

[Elizabeth Bear]

(Personally, I've never broken one.)

[MadGastronomer]

Nor have I, but oh, the looks on the faces of the pastry students who do...

[glinda_w]

Nor have I, but oh, the looks on the faces of the pastry students who do...

I have, once or twice, but it's never been all that important (applesauce cake or carrot cake? shove the pieces together; cream cheese frosting hides the break )

[laura]

Thanks everyone - I let it cool in the pan and it worked well! Yummy, and a hit at the bbq.

[Phiremangston]

Seeing as I'm still a lurker and this thread needs another post, I figured I'd contribute this bao recipe. 

Steamed Bun Dough
INGREDIENTS:
1 package dried yeast or 1 cake fresh yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Crisco or vegetable oil
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons sesame seed oil

PREPARATION:
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add 1 cup of flour. Mix thoroughly. Cover with cloth. Let rise 1 hour, until bubbles appear.  Dissolve sugar and vegetable oil in 1/2 cup boiling water. Stir well.  Cool until lukewarm. Pour into yeast mixture. Add 3 1/2 cups flour.  Knead dough on lightly floured board until smooth. Put into extra large, greased bowl in a warm place. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double in bulk, about 2 hours.

Char Siu Bao - Chinese Steamed Pork Buns  Yields 24 steamed pork buns.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons oil
1 scallion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1/2 pound barbecued pork cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water or chicken stock

PREPARATION:
Follow Basic Bun recipe through step 3 (preparing the dough and letting it rest).  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok. Stir fry scallion and garlic 30 seconds.  Add pork. Stir fry 1 minute. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.  Pour in dissolved cornstarch. Stir fry quickly until pork is glazed. Remove to bowl and allow to cool.  On a floured board, knead dough 1 minute and roll into one long, sausage-like roll 2 inches in diameter.  Slice the roll crosswise into 1 inch pieces.  Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand and roll with rolling pin into 3 inch rounds.  Place 2 tablespoons of filling in center of each round.  Gather dough up around the filling by pleating along the edges.  Bring the pleats up and twist securely and firmly.  Place each bun on 2 inch square of aluminum foil on steamer tray. Cover with a towel. Let rise 1 hour, until dough springs back when touched with finger. Remove towel.  Steam over briskly boiling water 10 minutes.  May be prepared in advance. May be frozen. Thaw out in plastic bag and resteam 10 minutes.


When we first made these last year, we accidentally put in twice the recommended amount of oyster sauce, but it was still incredibly delicious!  You can also substitute chicken for the pork, if you don't eat pork, and it's just as good.

[txanne]

Ooh. Feel free to delurk any time!