*stares upwards*
What kind of TITLE is that, man? Did somebody get on my computer and write that while I was in the kitchen?! I'm calling my lawyer!
But actually, that title gives me an idea. How much DOES a cake weigh? And do I really weigh more than 100 cakes?
Hey, why does it matter how much a cake weighs, anyway? There is only one cake I know that has something to do with weight, and that's a pound cake. Why are pound cakes called pound cakes?
My guess has always been, "Maybe that's how much they weigh."
Well, that could be everyone else's guess too, but I guessed it first, so, yeah.
Hey, why not write a blog post on why pound cakes are called pound cakes? I'm bored anyway.
Let's turn this into a Q&A post. *sticks on Q&A label* *changes title*
WHY ARE POUND CAKES CALLED SUCH?
I know right? I've always wondered that too. Let's just sit back and wonder why, and watch the world progress in front of us. Here's some lemonade.
-.-
Maybe they are called such because maybe they were invented in England and maybe they were sold for a pound. Could be! *begins to research*
Okay. Here's some information. I'm right!!!!
The original recipe for pound cakes first appeared in English and American cookbooks in the 18th century. The recipe called for a pound of each of the important ingredients. That is why a pound cake is called a pound cake! A pound cake is made from equal parts of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. The French dudes called this cakes quatre quarts, which means four quarters.
It seems that's all you needed to know, and I've answered your question, so go away. Shoo.
Pound cakes are usually flavored with lemon or vanilla. The British like to add dried fruit and the French like to add chocolate. [The French have a better taste than Brits, lol. Just kidding.]
--
Seems like Q&A is over. Now I have a question to ask, and YOU are required to answer.
Can you make this cake and show me in a blog post, video response, email, or other? Khank yu.
SOURCES:
http://www.cookthink.com/reference/2465/Why_is_it_called_a_pound_cake
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/PoundCake.htm
By the way, thank you to the random person who gave me that rather offensive but interesting title. You deserve a pound cake.
N
Monday, August 25, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Ups and Downs of Measuring
I use measuring cups when baking, because weighing scales are 1. inaccurate and 2. sooooo yesterday. Of course, everything has its disadvantages. Here are the pros and cons of using a weighing scale as opposed to using measuring cups.
Well, first of all, of course, I like to blab about my own experiences before I explain what I get from research. So, I'll take it from here--
Measuring cups are weigh better than a weighing scale any day. (#lamepuns) I mean, they're easy to use. You scoop 'em into the barrel of sugar or whatever and level off the excess with a knife or whatever. Weighing scales however are kind of hard to use, TBH. I was making this Malaysian dessert that had UK measurements and it was hard because 1. it was difficult to get the weight accurate and 2. the scale was BROKEN.
Laugh. Now.
And there's another reason which added to why it was a frustrating experience but it's unessential to this post so if you want to know you can comment for all I care.
I have a say against weighing scales, and no offense to those who are probably #1 fans of weighing scales and have posters of weighing scales in their bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, and maybe even walk-in closet.
So look here. Weighing scales are those kinds of thingies that require a screen and battery or whatever. Cups are complete plastic/metal/silicone. They don't need any battery. They just require manual use. There are just some things that don't require technology.
Oh my cookies, it's kinda late-ish and I haven't even done any research yet!! Cue research!! Cut rants!!
Hey, I could make a debate about this matter.
Okay, I just did some research and I realized something. We use measuring cups for wet stuff too, occasionally. We use them to measure things like shortening, chocolate chips, and brown sugar. Sometimes measuring shortening can be annoying. Sometimes, when the shortening is almost finished, I stick the giant 1 cup into the container, and all I get is more frustration. Why? 1. the cup's too big and 2. the shortening is in the little nooks and crannies of the container, which are impossible to reach with my type of measuring cup. Using a small spoon and weighing scale would be more efficient in this case. Also, shortening is oily and it sticks together. It doesn't fall apart, like sugar and flour. When the shortening container is full, the scoop is easy, but the amount scooped isn't accurate. You get a cup of shortening with a giant, unnecessary blob on top that you have to scrape off with a knife. It's not much of a problem, but it's pretty inefficient, especially if being on a cooking show is your future life plan. Also, do you ever have your brown sugar in annoying clumps that are hard enough to kill someone? (I am not kidding.) Yeah, well, since they can't be measured accurately using cups, why not use a scale? Those clumps lack perfect composure, but they do have a weight. Clumping doesn't render them completely useless.
That's about it. Any questions, please comment. Also, I will begin baking pretty soon, so you can comment what you'd like me to make, if you want. Simple stuff, though. Nothing like a big fancy frosted cake with strawberries. You can suggest something like...
"Warrior Cats cupcakes!"
*inconspicuous cough*
Thanks for reading, keep on feeding!
N
Well, first of all, of course, I like to blab about my own experiences before I explain what I get from research. So, I'll take it from here--
Measuring cups are weigh better than a weighing scale any day. (#lamepuns) I mean, they're easy to use. You scoop 'em into the barrel of sugar or whatever and level off the excess with a knife or whatever. Weighing scales however are kind of hard to use, TBH. I was making this Malaysian dessert that had UK measurements and it was hard because 1. it was difficult to get the weight accurate and 2. the scale was BROKEN.
Laugh. Now.
And there's another reason which added to why it was a frustrating experience but it's unessential to this post so if you want to know you can comment for all I care.
I have a say against weighing scales, and no offense to those who are probably #1 fans of weighing scales and have posters of weighing scales in their bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, and maybe even walk-in closet.
So look here. Weighing scales are those kinds of thingies that require a screen and battery or whatever. Cups are complete plastic/metal/silicone. They don't need any battery. They just require manual use. There are just some things that don't require technology.
Oh my cookies, it's kinda late-ish and I haven't even done any research yet!! Cue research!! Cut rants!!
Hey, I could make a debate about this matter.
Okay, I just did some research and I realized something. We use measuring cups for wet stuff too, occasionally. We use them to measure things like shortening, chocolate chips, and brown sugar. Sometimes measuring shortening can be annoying. Sometimes, when the shortening is almost finished, I stick the giant 1 cup into the container, and all I get is more frustration. Why? 1. the cup's too big and 2. the shortening is in the little nooks and crannies of the container, which are impossible to reach with my type of measuring cup. Using a small spoon and weighing scale would be more efficient in this case. Also, shortening is oily and it sticks together. It doesn't fall apart, like sugar and flour. When the shortening container is full, the scoop is easy, but the amount scooped isn't accurate. You get a cup of shortening with a giant, unnecessary blob on top that you have to scrape off with a knife. It's not much of a problem, but it's pretty inefficient, especially if being on a cooking show is your future life plan. Also, do you ever have your brown sugar in annoying clumps that are hard enough to kill someone? (I am not kidding.) Yeah, well, since they can't be measured accurately using cups, why not use a scale? Those clumps lack perfect composure, but they do have a weight. Clumping doesn't render them completely useless.
That's about it. Any questions, please comment. Also, I will begin baking pretty soon, so you can comment what you'd like me to make, if you want. Simple stuff, though. Nothing like a big fancy frosted cake with strawberries. You can suggest something like...
"Warrior Cats cupcakes!"
*inconspicuous cough*
Thanks for reading, keep on feeding!
N
Monday, August 18, 2014
What To Do Pre-Baking
When I have to start baking something, I'm all confused. I'm like, "Am I supposed to get the stuff out first, or read the recipe first in case I need to prepare anything beforehand, or just stand here being confused without getting anything done?"
The first thing to do is choose a recipe to make. Read through it all before the time you start to bake, in case anything needs to be prepared beforehand. For example, softened butter, room-temp eggs. Let's use this simple brownie recipe as a guideline.
-------------------
BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES
Duration: 40 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
1 square semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour a 2” deep rectangular baking pan.
Beat butter with sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
Sift flour and fold into batter. Fold in chips.
Scrape batter into pan and smooth evenly. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or use the toothpick trick.
Let bars cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate and cut into bars.
-------------------
Arright. Where do we start?
I assume most of you know what a yield is, but since the purpose of this blog is to educate, that includes educating all ages, which means educating all levels of knowledge. A yield is not that triangle sign you see on the road, but a yield is the estimated number of servings a recipe will make. This recipe says it can make 1 dozen, or 12, butterscotch brownies. Personally I think that's a tiny number, but that might just be because I have a big family who likes to eat. Including me.
Okay, so what do you think softened butter means? Ain't butter naturally soft? Well, not if you put it in the freezer at a ridiculously cold temperature. Anyhow, softened butter means butter at room temperature. It has to chill for a bit. (Think of it this way: the butter was taken out of its bed and unwrapped of its sleeping garments. Rude much? You need to let it have some alone time to cry its life out. But don't let it cry too much. It wouldn't be useful.) When I soften butter I do it a little late, but this isn't due to any smart techniques I have, because I DON'T have any smart techniques. Since I do it late, I put it in a patch of sunlight, or I heat it up in the microwave for some time. Why am I even saying this though; it isn't helpful.
There is also a reason we use unsalted butter. I don't remember what it is, but it could be this: Salted butter is salty. Its addition to a recipe would call for more sugar. More sugar might change the consistency of the batter or dough, and also it would make your treat less healthy. I mean, it would be naturally unhealthy, but I think you feel me.
Brown sugar not only differs from white sugar in color, but it differs also in the outcome of whatever you're baking. White sugar makes things crispy, but brown sugar makes things yummy and chewy. Well, scratch the yummy. Some people think chewy things are disgusting. I personally think chewy things are delicioso. Unless... #chewygrapes
Eggs have to be at room temperature. The reason why is explained in another post I have, so if you want to know why, look through this blog.
I just realized that I typed all that unnecessary info that has nothing to do with the main point of this post. SO.
If a recipe calls for softened butter [and most of them do], take the butter out beforehand. If the recipe calls for eggs, take those out too.
About five minutes before you want to start the chemistry, measure everything out. The butter should be halfway to ready by then. Measure the flour, sugar, etc. You know the difference between dry and wet ingredients, hopefully. (I'm sorry, I'm not deliberately treating you like you're stupid.) Before you start measuring, you should preheat the oven to its desired temperature.
The rest is simple. You mix so and so together, pour it into a pan, set the timer, and wait.
There you go! With these pre-baking steps, your baking life shall now be completely facilitated with this post, if it were not before. Thank you for reading, happy eating!!
This ice cream is good.
N
The first thing to do is choose a recipe to make. Read through it all before the time you start to bake, in case anything needs to be prepared beforehand. For example, softened butter, room-temp eggs. Let's use this simple brownie recipe as a guideline.
-------------------
BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES
Duration: 40 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen
1 cup softened unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
1 square semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour a 2” deep rectangular baking pan.
Beat butter with sugar until creamy. Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
Sift flour and fold into batter. Fold in chips.
Scrape batter into pan and smooth evenly. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or use the toothpick trick.
Let bars cool. Drizzle with melted chocolate and cut into bars.
-------------------
Arright. Where do we start?
I assume most of you know what a yield is, but since the purpose of this blog is to educate, that includes educating all ages, which means educating all levels of knowledge. A yield is not that triangle sign you see on the road, but a yield is the estimated number of servings a recipe will make. This recipe says it can make 1 dozen, or 12, butterscotch brownies. Personally I think that's a tiny number, but that might just be because I have a big family who likes to eat. Including me.
Okay, so what do you think softened butter means? Ain't butter naturally soft? Well, not if you put it in the freezer at a ridiculously cold temperature. Anyhow, softened butter means butter at room temperature. It has to chill for a bit. (Think of it this way: the butter was taken out of its bed and unwrapped of its sleeping garments. Rude much? You need to let it have some alone time to cry its life out. But don't let it cry too much. It wouldn't be useful.) When I soften butter I do it a little late, but this isn't due to any smart techniques I have, because I DON'T have any smart techniques. Since I do it late, I put it in a patch of sunlight, or I heat it up in the microwave for some time. Why am I even saying this though; it isn't helpful.
There is also a reason we use unsalted butter. I don't remember what it is, but it could be this: Salted butter is salty. Its addition to a recipe would call for more sugar. More sugar might change the consistency of the batter or dough, and also it would make your treat less healthy. I mean, it would be naturally unhealthy, but I think you feel me.
Brown sugar not only differs from white sugar in color, but it differs also in the outcome of whatever you're baking. White sugar makes things crispy, but brown sugar makes things yummy and chewy. Well, scratch the yummy. Some people think chewy things are disgusting. I personally think chewy things are delicioso. Unless... #chewygrapes
Eggs have to be at room temperature. The reason why is explained in another post I have, so if you want to know why, look through this blog.
I just realized that I typed all that unnecessary info that has nothing to do with the main point of this post. SO.
If a recipe calls for softened butter [and most of them do], take the butter out beforehand. If the recipe calls for eggs, take those out too.
About five minutes before you want to start the chemistry, measure everything out. The butter should be halfway to ready by then. Measure the flour, sugar, etc. You know the difference between dry and wet ingredients, hopefully. (I'm sorry, I'm not deliberately treating you like you're stupid.) Before you start measuring, you should preheat the oven to its desired temperature.
The rest is simple. You mix so and so together, pour it into a pan, set the timer, and wait.
There you go! With these pre-baking steps, your baking life shall now be completely facilitated with this post, if it were not before. Thank you for reading, happy eating!!
This ice cream is good.
N
Friday, August 15, 2014
Cookies are the Gems of Heaven
You know how you see cheap donuts on sale at the store sometimes and you're like...
And your parents are like...
And you're just like...
ANYWAY, here's a continuation of the post from yesterday. We left off at Filled and Garnished Cookies. Next on the list is... Bar Cookies! I prefer to call them bars. I just like that word. It's so... barzzzzy. I mean, you feel me?
No?
Yes?
Maybe?
A little bit?
#itsokaytofeelsadsometimes
#danieltiger
BAR
To be honest, I never did know whether to call brownies 'cakes' or 'cookies.' According to my research, (#dorothyann #magicschoolbus) brownies, blondies, and other goodies in that area are cookies shaped like bars. Does that explain why they're so good? hehe
The way bar cookies are made is simple. Just make some nice thick batter, pour it into a square or rectangular pan, and bake it. After the pan is taken out and cooled completely, or maybe not completely if someone's impatient, the contents are cut into little squares, or rectangles if you like to be fancy [and greedy muahahah].
Bar cookies are made another way, too. They aren't made just out of batter. They're sometimes made by pressing ingredients into a pan, and then baked and cooled and cut. I remember watching a cooking show on TV about someone making granola bars. [It was Barefoot Contessa. Rate this post as 'Amazing' if you've seen that show.] So anyway, that Barefoot lady made a rather nasty mixture of oats, honey, dried cranberries, dried apricots, and dates, and she preseed it into a pan. Then she cooked it. It was pretty cool. But if she'd used other ingredients I would have enjoyed the show more. (Considering the fact that I did not like the entire show itself overall.)
I once made butterscotch brownies/bars. The recipe was in that Ultimate Cookie book I showed you in the other post. They turned out WONDERFULLY. #nosarcasm
So, yeah. There you go. The re-bar-kable way bar cookies are made. Actually, lemon bars are a type of bar cookie. First a shortbread crust is made, pressed into a pan, and cooked. Then a lemon custard thing is made, poured over the crust, and cooked again. Then powdered sugar falls from the sky onto the finished product, and there you go. It's like cheesecake!! ^_^
Well that was cheesy.
Are you sitting are your computer/laptop, reading this in this state?
I suggest you go get a cookie or something before your head falls down.
What did the cookie say to the other during a fighting match?
"You're one tough cookie!"
#cheesyjokes
There was once a dude named Graham Crocker who was all about baked goods. Everywhere he went he saw cakes, cookies, donuts, and other things that no doubt make anyone's mouth water. Well, one say he went to the playground. Someone came to him and said, "Hey, you! Want to try the monkey bars?" Graham's eyes lit up. Monkey bars!! Were they a mix of monkey bread and some type of bar? It sounded delicious! He couldn't wait to try it out. "Why, sure!" he said.
#evencheesierjokes
Alright, done. Are you sitting a little straighter now? Good, because I'm about to talk about som'n else, you small-fry.
FRIED
So... wait, did you say FRIED COOKIES?! Who woulda thunka sucha thing bruh.
Don't worry, fried cookies are good. Just.... oily. :D
Fried cookies are primarily made and consumed by Jewish/Polish people. (Not intended to offend anyone!! You can't go wrong with good food!) They are fried dough, usually sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sounds good! Speaking of such, have any of you non-existent blog readers ever eaten a funnel cake or a churro? They're cakes of Dutch origin, made similarly. I've never had a funnel cake, but I've had churros two times that I recall. Last year I had some during a bake sale hosted by me and the Girls Club. At home, my mom was making some, and we were helping. Making churros isn't very easy. But it's kind of fun! So, after all the churros were done, we tried the ones that failed. They were like heaven. Airy, soft, crunchy at first bite. Kudos to whoever thunk up such a goodie!! After we finished all the bad ones, I wanted to have another because they're irresistible, like Flipz pretzels. But my mom said no, they're for the bake sale. I was like
And we sold those heavenly things without much trouble. It was a dollar for two, I think.
NO-BAKE COOKIES
I really think these should not be called cookies. Since they're no-bake, then they're not cookies. They're... fake cookies. Maybe they should be renamed to freezies, or easies, or #easyfreezymakewhenaintnobodygotnotime treats.
Anyhow, what are No-Bakes? D'uh. What they sound like. Cookies that require no baking. These usually don't require eggs or anything intolerable when raw. For example, Rice Krispies treats. All you need is some marshmallows, rise krispy cereal, a fridge, and lots of patience. I actually tried to make one once. But since marshmallows have gelatin in them and I didn't have any halaal marshmallows, I used PEANUT BUTTER!! It's stiff, holds together, and is yummy. I don't remember how it turned out but I ate it.
You don't need a fridge for these. Some no-bakes are completed with time and nothing but time.
This section is short, so how'bout this?
Any of you can easily do this at home. Why not make it for an upcoming event and show me in a video response or blog post? I would be so enchanted.
Phew! Last on the list are Sandwich Cookies!
SANDWICH
I remember a regretful day when I brought homemade Oreos to the masjid [mosque] for a halaqa. Regretful, why? I actually have no idea. Forget what I said. It was just.... a typical Saturday afternoon, where the sky was horrible and gray, and the wind was furious. Me and my sister made....... dun dun dun dun!!
No, we made oreos, not dun dun dun dun.
I think I have the link to the recipe we used, but right now I'm under suspense 'cause something's on the stove. So, later, I'll try to find the link and put it here. By the way, that gray stuff in the first picture is my skirt. Lol that oreo in the first picture at the bottom looks like it's screaming, "YAWL GET OFFA ME!"
Other than that, it looks like it's cackling.
Oh gosh, I just realized how long I've been typing and I haven't even explained what sandwich cookies are yet. Well, it's quite simple. Two cookies separated yet connected by some type of filling. I made ice cream sandwiches once. They were delectably delightfully decadently delicious.
So it seems we've come to a closing here, since I have told you all about 9 types of cookies. These are basics, but there are many, many more. Too many to count and eat.
If I have said anything incorrect, please let me know.
Thanks!
SOURCES
Types of Cookies
All Types of Cookies
No-Bake Cookies
Oreo Cookie Recipe
Happy eating, thanks for reading! I've gotta check the stove
N
[Edited on 15 Aug 2014, 4:23 PM]
ANYWAY, here's a continuation of the post from yesterday. We left off at Filled and Garnished Cookies. Next on the list is... Bar Cookies! I prefer to call them bars. I just like that word. It's so... barzzzzy. I mean, you feel me?
No?
Yes?
Maybe?
A little bit?
#danieltiger
⚜
BAR
To be honest, I never did know whether to call brownies 'cakes' or 'cookies.' According to my research, (#dorothyann #magicschoolbus) brownies, blondies, and other goodies in that area are cookies shaped like bars. Does that explain why they're so good? hehe
The way bar cookies are made is simple. Just make some nice thick batter, pour it into a square or rectangular pan, and bake it. After the pan is taken out and cooled completely, or maybe not completely if someone's impatient, the contents are cut into little squares, or rectangles if you like to be fancy [and greedy muahahah].
Bar cookies are made another way, too. They aren't made just out of batter. They're sometimes made by pressing ingredients into a pan, and then baked and cooled and cut. I remember watching a cooking show on TV about someone making granola bars. [It was Barefoot Contessa. Rate this post as 'Amazing' if you've seen that show.] So anyway, that Barefoot lady made a rather nasty mixture of oats, honey, dried cranberries, dried apricots, and dates, and she preseed it into a pan. Then she cooked it. It was pretty cool. But if she'd used other ingredients I would have enjoyed the show more. (Considering the fact that I did not like the entire show itself overall.)
I once made butterscotch brownies/bars. The recipe was in that Ultimate Cookie book I showed you in the other post. They turned out WONDERFULLY. #nosarcasm
So, yeah. There you go. The re-bar-kable way bar cookies are made. Actually, lemon bars are a type of bar cookie. First a shortbread crust is made, pressed into a pan, and cooked. Then a lemon custard thing is made, poured over the crust, and cooked again. Then powdered sugar falls from the sky onto the finished product, and there you go. It's like cheesecake!! ^_^
Well that was cheesy.
Are you sitting are your computer/laptop, reading this in this state?
What did the cookie say to the other during a fighting match?
"You're one tough cookie!"
#cheesyjokes
There was once a dude named Graham Crocker who was all about baked goods. Everywhere he went he saw cakes, cookies, donuts, and other things that no doubt make anyone's mouth water. Well, one say he went to the playground. Someone came to him and said, "Hey, you! Want to try the monkey bars?" Graham's eyes lit up. Monkey bars!! Were they a mix of monkey bread and some type of bar? It sounded delicious! He couldn't wait to try it out. "Why, sure!" he said.
#evencheesierjokes
Alright, done. Are you sitting a little straighter now? Good, because I'm about to talk about som'n else, you small-fry.
FRIED
So... wait, did you say FRIED COOKIES?! Who woulda thunka sucha thing bruh.
Don't worry, fried cookies are good. Just.... oily. :D
Fried cookies are primarily made and consumed by Jewish/Polish people. (Not intended to offend anyone!! You can't go wrong with good food!) They are fried dough, usually sprinkled with powdered sugar. Sounds good! Speaking of such, have any of you non-existent blog readers ever eaten a funnel cake or a churro? They're cakes of Dutch origin, made similarly. I've never had a funnel cake, but I've had churros two times that I recall. Last year I had some during a bake sale hosted by me and the Girls Club. At home, my mom was making some, and we were helping. Making churros isn't very easy. But it's kind of fun! So, after all the churros were done, we tried the ones that failed. They were like heaven. Airy, soft, crunchy at first bite. Kudos to whoever thunk up such a goodie!! After we finished all the bad ones, I wanted to have another because they're irresistible, like Flipz pretzels. But my mom said no, they're for the bake sale. I was like
NO-BAKE COOKIES
I really think these should not be called cookies. Since they're no-bake, then they're not cookies. They're... fake cookies. Maybe they should be renamed to freezies, or easies, or #easyfreezymakewhenaintnobodygotnotime treats.
Anyhow, what are No-Bakes? D'uh. What they sound like. Cookies that require no baking. These usually don't require eggs or anything intolerable when raw. For example, Rice Krispies treats. All you need is some marshmallows, rise krispy cereal, a fridge, and lots of patience. I actually tried to make one once. But since marshmallows have gelatin in them and I didn't have any halaal marshmallows, I used PEANUT BUTTER!! It's stiff, holds together, and is yummy. I don't remember how it turned out but I ate it.
You don't need a fridge for these. Some no-bakes are completed with time and nothing but time.
This section is short, so how'bout this?
Any of you can easily do this at home. Why not make it for an upcoming event and show me in a video response or blog post? I would be so enchanted.
Phew! Last on the list are Sandwich Cookies!
SANDWICH
I remember a regretful day when I brought homemade Oreos to the masjid [mosque] for a halaqa. Regretful, why? I actually have no idea. Forget what I said. It was just.... a typical Saturday afternoon, where the sky was horrible and gray, and the wind was furious. Me and my sister made....... dun dun dun dun!!
No, we made oreos, not dun dun dun dun.
Other than that, it looks like it's cackling.
Oh gosh, I just realized how long I've been typing and I haven't even explained what sandwich cookies are yet. Well, it's quite simple. Two cookies separated yet connected by some type of filling. I made ice cream sandwiches once. They were delectably delightfully decadently delicious.
⚜
So it seems we've come to a closing here, since I have told you all about 9 types of cookies. These are basics, but there are many, many more. Too many to count and eat.
If I have said anything incorrect, please let me know.
Thanks!
SOURCES
Types of Cookies
All Types of Cookies
No-Bake Cookies
Oreo Cookie Recipe
Happy eating, thanks for reading! I've gotta check the stove
N
[Edited on 15 Aug 2014, 4:23 PM]
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Cookies are the Gems of the Baked Goods Universe
HELLO EVERYBODY!!! I'm out of a two-month-and-four-day hibernation!! Oh my cookies. #imahorriblebloggerlol
Having fun going back to school? Anyone eaten any cake recently? Any muffins, cupcakes, donuts, cookies, cake pops, or chocolate mousses? If you have, then I suggest you go start a diet. I however do not need to do so at all. Since I moved, I haven't had time to bake, and even if I had, I didn't have the proper ingredients. So I think I should be stick-slim by the end of this month.
Just joking.
Buuuuuuuuuuut, some lady gave us this caramel turtle brownie mix!! I have been wanting to make it since she gave it to us, which was July 11. LOL, yeah, I know. What if I make that and take all the credit for measuring everything so precisely?
AHAHAHA.
No. I don't lie.
Not with brownies.
Not with anything that's a baked good. (Scratch burnt sugar cake, I HATE it.)
Anyway, today's post will feature the gems of the baked goods universe, (anyone got a shorter name? lol) or the BGU. Actually, a more accurate name for the BGU would be Heaven. So, drumroll please.
nom nom nom nom nom NOMMMMM
Cookies, the gems of Heaven!!!
Now that we're settled, I can begin talking.
#trollface
There are many different types of cookies. And by different types I most definitely do not mean something like sugar cookies as opposed to chocolate crinkle cookies. No sirree bob. First of all that would take forever. And second of all it would make me hungry. I'm fasting right now, so thinking about chocolate is making me be all like...
As I was saying, or was about to say... I mean different types like the different ways some cookies are made.
And I'm like, "You've obviously never experienced the joy of baking before, dude."
Well, now I'll go into the history of all these types of cookies, and trust me, this won't be boring. :)
Eat a cookie if you DO get bored whilst reading. If not, then stay where you are.
DROP
I'm always thinking about bird turds when someone says 'drop.' I've never been pooped on, thankfully. You know what? Nobody has invented a recipe for Bird Turd Cookies yet. They've got Bird's Nest but not Bird's Turd. There's Unicorn Poo but not Bird's Turd.
What is wrong with this world - clearly something very wrong.
But, hey - who WOULD want to compare their food with body waste?
Actually, food DOES end up becoming waste.
But that's so totally beyond the point. Drop cookies are cookies that are made of firm batter, that is dropped from spoons or fingers onto the cookie sheet. From my experience, drop cookies are fairly frustrating to make, especially if you have a LOT of batter. You're just standin' there, dropping doughball after doughball on the cookie sheet. Believe me, it's not fun after a while. An example of a drop cookie is #everyonesfavorite, chocolate chip.
and yes i will be utilizing multiple hashtags and advanced vocabulary to appear intelligent since first impressions count
Allow me to entertain you with a small yet important piece of history.
The Story of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
Times were hard for everybody living in America at the time of the Great Depression, which began somewhere around the 1930's. Trying to find a good, solid job was comparable to looking for a needle in a haystack. It was nearly impossible for everyone to go to bed with a full stomach. However, during this terrible time, someone used her time wisely. Her name was Ruth Graves Wakefield.
Ruth Graves Wakefield was an innkeeper. She bought an inn, which used to serve as a 'gas station' for travelers in the 1700s. Later, Ruth and her family opened a lodge called the Toll House Inn. Ruth worked as the baker there.
One day, she was making a specific cookie recipe that required baking chocolate. As a substitute, she chopped up a bar of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bar. As Ruth mixed the chopped up chocolate bar into the dough, she thought, "I'm a genius! The chocolate will melt whilst these cookies are baking, and they'll turn out just like they would have if I'd had the correct baking chocolate!"
However, her high expectations dropped completely. The chocolate did not melt completely; it held its shape, loudly and proudly, and it dotted each cookie with a promise of deliciousness. News about the new cookie spread like melted chocolate. Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate bar was sold rapidly. And in 1939, Nestle introduced Nestle Toll House Real Semi-Sweet morsels!!
And that is the story of the chocolate chip cookie. Who would've invented them, if Ruth hadn't? Maybe it would be me! ;)
FUN FACT TIME!! *dramatic Thomas the Train song blares in the background*
Did you know that in the old times, 'round the 1700s, people called cookies 'cakes.'
REFRIGERATOR
Refrigerator cookies are one type I actually enjoy making, which is strange for me because refrigerating takes time and I'm a really impatient person. What do I enjoy about refrigerator cookies?
Well, here's the one and only reason.
I GET TO CUT EM BRO
I remember one of the first times I made a refrigerator cookie. I used the Cocoa Buttons recipe in this book
...
This book has been in our family for years. My mom bought it when we lived in Iowa 14 years ago on November 11. I was 2 years old.
The Cocoa Buttons recipe is on page 17, paired with Poppy Seed Cookies.
I was making this recipe with my mom and my brother one day. The sky was gray and gloomy; we were bored. So we were like, "Hey, let's bake summin'!" So of all recipes, we chose cocoa buttons. We made the dough and rolled it into logs to freeze. The logs we made were definitely not round at all. They looked like... errr... well... like.... (for once I'm lost for words)
Hey, don't blame me. I was probably about 5 or 6 years old. And my brother was 2 years younger.
When we took the 'logs' out of the freezer, we cut them up into 'round' slices and poked holes in them with straws, to resemble buttonholes. Then we put them in the oven.
We took them out. They were burnt (although you couldn't really tell because they were dark brown). They were burnt because they were too small. Our logs should have been thicker. I was sad that they'd burnt.
A few days later, we had some people over. And we still had those cookies. The company took some. I was surprised at him because they tasted really nasty.
I can still remember that moment quite vividly. However, if it had happened to me now, I'd be laughing my bottom off. I wouldn't be sad at all.
Another time I made refrigerator cookies was in 2009. I had borrowed this amazing book from the library...
That girl is so me. #rosedunnington
I loved this book entirely. It was the source of most of the baking knowledge I possess. My favorite section in that book was the one called Cool, Cool Cookies. They're called Cool, Cool for two reasons: They look cool, and they're made of dough that has to be cooled.
The first time I made this was.... with my sister.
Shameful, I know. But she was supposed to protect me from getting burnt.
We made the striped and checkerboard cookies. We used such beautiful pastel colors that my mom's legs went all wiggly. 'Cause that's what they do when she sees colors.
Actually, that's my grandma. Sorry mom!!
My mummy wrote a post on the cookies we made. Eye Candy
You can read it! Don't worry, my mom is equally funny. Just in... a mom way. ;)
And another time I made these cookies was sometime in either 2011 or 2012... let me check.
But the very LAST time I made these was last year, during Ramadan. I was bored, as always. I was taking an online class about Ramadan. And I was hungry. So I thought, "I wanna make cookies!!" So I made an indigo and dark blue version of those shown above. They were utterly delicioso!! I wrote a blog post on them. Horrid Colors And I wrote a blog post of the cookies shown above, too. Cool Sugar Cookies
But let's get to the point. From all these useless experience stories I've wasted much time talking about, you probably have figured out that refrigerator cookies are made like so: The dough is rolled into a log or molded into a box, and then frozen for about 2-3 hours, or for a whole night. After the dough is done chillin', it's taken out of the freezer, cut into slices, and placed on a cookie sheet. And if you're following a recipe that lets you color the dough, you're in for some fun!!
CUTOUT
Another fun type to make!! I've been making cutouts for as long as I can remember. The last time I made some was.... er, sometime in May or April. April, I think.
Cutout cookies are what they sound like. Just make some dough, roll it out, and start making furious cuts all over. It's simple! And after baking, all the cookies look the same. It's so neat!!
#andthatsbasicallyit
#awkwardsilence
#notmuchtosayaboutcutouts
SHAPED/MOLDED
These cookies are a pain to make, but it's a fun pain. These are easy to explain. Just make some dough, mold it into something like your brother's head, and put it on the sheet. Fun, huh! Last time I made these was sometime in April, March, or May.
Wow, I have too many last times.
Anyway, I was making Brown Sugar Cookies with my sister. The dough was udderly delicious. Couldn't help myself in taking a bit. ;) Here's a video of the first time I made them. This video is an epic fail and an utter embarrassment, so I recommend watching it only if you want to make these. However, if you know me and you watch the video, don't you dare get back at me to make me feel even more terrible. If you do so, I'm going to turn you into a cookie.
Which, after some pondering, doesn't seem that bad.
Brown Sugar Cookies - MYARTNF
#epicfail #dontwatchthis #embarrassing
One time, my brother made some shaped cookies from that Ultimate Cookie Book I showed you earlier. He made the shortbread melts, which are on pages 96 and 97. These are utterly delicious, so you can go and make some now and stop reading all this.
Just kidding. I said to stay here.
FILLED & GARNISHED
Ah. Filled and garnished cookies.
I don't have much experience with these, for one reason: They're complicated. However I do remember one time I was making cookies with my sister. After they were done baking, we frosted them with pink and green frosting and sprinkles. They LOOKED amazing. But guess what? We tried 'em, and they tasted 100% awful. Know why? We mixed up the sugar with SALT.
I mean, who DOES that?!
Well, it was an honest mistake. We were young.
I one time made thumbprint cookies with my grandmother when she visited from overseas. I don't remember it much. That's all I can say.
And this is all I can say about filled and garnished cookies.
I hope you enjoyed this, and please share! Thank you for reading!!
NOW you can go make something.
SOURCES
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Cookie Types
(Surprising huh. All that talk and only two sources? XD)
Happy baking!
N
Having fun going back to school? Anyone eaten any cake recently? Any muffins, cupcakes, donuts, cookies, cake pops, or chocolate mousses? If you have, then I suggest you go start a diet. I however do not need to do so at all. Since I moved, I haven't had time to bake, and even if I had, I didn't have the proper ingredients. So I think I should be stick-slim by the end of this month.
Just joking.
Buuuuuuuuuuut, some lady gave us this caramel turtle brownie mix!! I have been wanting to make it since she gave it to us, which was July 11. LOL, yeah, I know. What if I make that and take all the credit for measuring everything so precisely?
AHAHAHA.
No. I don't lie.
Not with brownies.
Not with anything that's a baked good. (Scratch burnt sugar cake, I HATE it.)
Anyway, today's post will feature the gems of the baked goods universe, (anyone got a shorter name? lol) or the BGU. Actually, a more accurate name for the BGU would be Heaven. So, drumroll please.
nom nom nom nom nom NOMMMMM
Cookies, the gems of Heaven!!!
Now that we're settled, I can begin talking.
#trollface
There are many different types of cookies. And by different types I most definitely do not mean something like sugar cookies as opposed to chocolate crinkle cookies. No sirree bob. First of all that would take forever. And second of all it would make me hungry. I'm fasting right now, so thinking about chocolate is making me be all like...
As I was saying, or was about to say... I mean different types like the different ways some cookies are made.
- Drop Cookies
- Refrigerator Cookies
- Cutout Cookies
- Shaped/Molded Cookies
- Filled & Garnished Cookies
- Bar Cookies
- Fried Cookies (Yeah, yuck)
- No-Bake Cookies
- Sandwich Cookies
And I'm like, "You've obviously never experienced the joy of baking before, dude."
Well, now I'll go into the history of all these types of cookies, and trust me, this won't be boring. :)
Eat a cookie if you DO get bored whilst reading. If not, then stay where you are.
DROP
I'm always thinking about bird turds when someone says 'drop.' I've never been pooped on, thankfully. You know what? Nobody has invented a recipe for Bird Turd Cookies yet. They've got Bird's Nest but not Bird's Turd. There's Unicorn Poo but not Bird's Turd.
What is wrong with this world - clearly something very wrong.
But, hey - who WOULD want to compare their food with body waste?
Actually, food DOES end up becoming waste.
But that's so totally beyond the point. Drop cookies are cookies that are made of firm batter, that is dropped from spoons or fingers onto the cookie sheet. From my experience, drop cookies are fairly frustrating to make, especially if you have a LOT of batter. You're just standin' there, dropping doughball after doughball on the cookie sheet. Believe me, it's not fun after a while. An example of a drop cookie is #everyonesfavorite, chocolate chip.
and yes i will be utilizing multiple hashtags and advanced vocabulary to appear intelligent since first impressions count
Allow me to entertain you with a small yet important piece of history.
The Story of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
Times were hard for everybody living in America at the time of the Great Depression, which began somewhere around the 1930's. Trying to find a good, solid job was comparable to looking for a needle in a haystack. It was nearly impossible for everyone to go to bed with a full stomach. However, during this terrible time, someone used her time wisely. Her name was Ruth Graves Wakefield.
Ruth Graves Wakefield was an innkeeper. She bought an inn, which used to serve as a 'gas station' for travelers in the 1700s. Later, Ruth and her family opened a lodge called the Toll House Inn. Ruth worked as the baker there.
One day, she was making a specific cookie recipe that required baking chocolate. As a substitute, she chopped up a bar of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate bar. As Ruth mixed the chopped up chocolate bar into the dough, she thought, "I'm a genius! The chocolate will melt whilst these cookies are baking, and they'll turn out just like they would have if I'd had the correct baking chocolate!"
However, her high expectations dropped completely. The chocolate did not melt completely; it held its shape, loudly and proudly, and it dotted each cookie with a promise of deliciousness. News about the new cookie spread like melted chocolate. Nestle's Semi-Sweet Chocolate bar was sold rapidly. And in 1939, Nestle introduced Nestle Toll House Real Semi-Sweet morsels!!
And that is the story of the chocolate chip cookie. Who would've invented them, if Ruth hadn't? Maybe it would be me! ;)
⚜
FUN FACT TIME!! *dramatic Thomas the Train song blares in the background*
Did you know that in the old times, 'round the 1700s, people called cookies 'cakes.'
REFRIGERATOR
Refrigerator cookies are one type I actually enjoy making, which is strange for me because refrigerating takes time and I'm a really impatient person. What do I enjoy about refrigerator cookies?
Well, here's the one and only reason.
I GET TO CUT EM BRO
I remember one of the first times I made a refrigerator cookie. I used the Cocoa Buttons recipe in this book
...
The Cocoa Buttons recipe is on page 17, paired with Poppy Seed Cookies.
I was making this recipe with my mom and my brother one day. The sky was gray and gloomy; we were bored. So we were like, "Hey, let's bake summin'!" So of all recipes, we chose cocoa buttons. We made the dough and rolled it into logs to freeze. The logs we made were definitely not round at all. They looked like... errr... well... like.... (for once I'm lost for words)
Hey, don't blame me. I was probably about 5 or 6 years old. And my brother was 2 years younger.
When we took the 'logs' out of the freezer, we cut them up into 'round' slices and poked holes in them with straws, to resemble buttonholes. Then we put them in the oven.
We took them out. They were burnt (although you couldn't really tell because they were dark brown). They were burnt because they were too small. Our logs should have been thicker. I was sad that they'd burnt.
A few days later, we had some people over. And we still had those cookies. The company took some. I was surprised at him because they tasted really nasty.
I can still remember that moment quite vividly. However, if it had happened to me now, I'd be laughing my bottom off. I wouldn't be sad at all.
Another time I made refrigerator cookies was in 2009. I had borrowed this amazing book from the library...
I loved this book entirely. It was the source of most of the baking knowledge I possess. My favorite section in that book was the one called Cool, Cool Cookies. They're called Cool, Cool for two reasons: They look cool, and they're made of dough that has to be cooled.
The first time I made this was.... with my sister.
Shameful, I know. But she was supposed to protect me from getting burnt.
We made the striped and checkerboard cookies. We used such beautiful pastel colors that my mom's legs went all wiggly. 'Cause that's what they do when she sees colors.
Actually, that's my grandma. Sorry mom!!
My mummy wrote a post on the cookies we made. Eye Candy
You can read it! Don't worry, my mom is equally funny. Just in... a mom way. ;)
And another time I made these cookies was sometime in either 2011 or 2012... let me check.
But let's get to the point. From all these useless experience stories I've wasted much time talking about, you probably have figured out that refrigerator cookies are made like so: The dough is rolled into a log or molded into a box, and then frozen for about 2-3 hours, or for a whole night. After the dough is done chillin', it's taken out of the freezer, cut into slices, and placed on a cookie sheet. And if you're following a recipe that lets you color the dough, you're in for some fun!!
CUTOUT
Another fun type to make!! I've been making cutouts for as long as I can remember. The last time I made some was.... er, sometime in May or April. April, I think.
Cutout cookies are what they sound like. Just make some dough, roll it out, and start making furious cuts all over. It's simple! And after baking, all the cookies look the same. It's so neat!!
#andthatsbasicallyit
#awkwardsilence
#notmuchtosayaboutcutouts
SHAPED/MOLDED
These cookies are a pain to make, but it's a fun pain. These are easy to explain. Just make some dough, mold it into something like your brother's head, and put it on the sheet. Fun, huh! Last time I made these was sometime in April, March, or May.
Wow, I have too many last times.
Anyway, I was making Brown Sugar Cookies with my sister. The dough was udderly delicious. Couldn't help myself in taking a bit. ;) Here's a video of the first time I made them. This video is an epic fail and an utter embarrassment, so I recommend watching it only if you want to make these. However, if you know me and you watch the video, don't you dare get back at me to make me feel even more terrible. If you do so, I'm going to turn you into a cookie.
Which, after some pondering, doesn't seem that bad.
Brown Sugar Cookies - MYARTNF
#epicfail #dontwatchthis #embarrassing
One time, my brother made some shaped cookies from that Ultimate Cookie Book I showed you earlier. He made the shortbread melts, which are on pages 96 and 97. These are utterly delicious, so you can go and make some now and stop reading all this.
Just kidding. I said to stay here.
FILLED & GARNISHED
Ah. Filled and garnished cookies.
I don't have much experience with these, for one reason: They're complicated. However I do remember one time I was making cookies with my sister. After they were done baking, we frosted them with pink and green frosting and sprinkles. They LOOKED amazing. But guess what? We tried 'em, and they tasted 100% awful. Know why? We mixed up the sugar with SALT.
I mean, who DOES that?!
Well, it was an honest mistake. We were young.
I one time made thumbprint cookies with my grandmother when she visited from overseas. I don't remember it much. That's all I can say.
And this is all I can say about filled and garnished cookies.
⚜
Arright, I'm sorry to say, but I'm going to have to end here. Writing about those other cookies would take the whole rest of the day, and I've been writing for hours. Don't worry, inshaaAllah I'll continue this post tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed this, and please share! Thank you for reading!!
NOW you can go make something.
SOURCES
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Cookie Types
(Surprising huh. All that talk and only two sources? XD)
Happy baking!
N
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Different Types of Ovens
Aren't they all pretty much the same thing? Same function, different appearance? Well, true about the appearance, but certain ovens do not share the same functions. The microwave is an oven. It usually reheats food like cold pizza, cold soup, and cold leftover cake from a party last night that you didn't get to go to and your brother had to bring you some but he came home too late and you were sleeping by the time he returned so he put the cake in the fridge and plus he didn't cover it so the cake got kind of hard. The normal, everyday oven cooks more advanced foods, like cake, chicken, pizza, and cookies. It actually COOKS them. The microwave just reheats cold foods. The stove serves as an alternative to the microwave. But stoves today are out of the question.
What are the different types of ovens?
There are quite a few types of modern ovens... (and let's change the fonts for fun...)
Which is the best? Let the judging begin!
Yes, for once, do judge.
~
CONVENTIONAL
A conventional oven is designed with two heating elements: baking and broiling. Another name for the conventional oven is the thermal or radiant oven. 'Radiant' comes from the radiation in the oven walls, which the oven relies on because it has no fans. Cooks have complained about this oven, saying it scorches the food's bottoms (ow) and doesn't brown the tops evenly (my, the injustice!). Why is this? The temperature is not the same over the course of the cooking time.
CONVECTION
A convection oven is a oven that has fans to circulate air around food. Convection ovens create a uniform temperature with internal fans that circulate hot air evenly. These ovens are usually more expensive than radiant ovens, but they cook food faster, at a lower temperature, and usually the results are awesome. The fans in the oven make sure that the same temperature reaches the top and bottom foods, and the foods at all the rack levels. Other names for this oven are European, true, turbo, or fan. The fans in a convection oven are really handy. In comparison to conventional ovens, which have no fans, convection ovens are more ideal for purchase, guaranteed five-star results, with only the price as a downside. Buy one now, at only $266.99! (Lol, wut.)
~FUN FACT TIME~
*dramatic childish music*
Food tends to cook more evenly when air is blown onto it, rather than air around it.
MICROWAVE
Everyone's laziness tool. Guess what. They aren't very good to use, healthwise. Microwave ovens cook food by hitting it with electromagnetic radiation.
[Mike Rowayve says microwaves are used for reheating foods, mainly. Sometimes, this girl mixes strange brown stuff in a mug and gives it to him to cook. Mike thinks it isn't healthy, but it smells good. And sometimes, he makes it fail, so that she won't eat it and become unhealthy.] #browniesinamug #mugbrownie #unhealth #mikerowayve
TOASTER
My brother's breakfast used to be cooked in this thing. But we sold that. A toaster oven is basically like a microwave, but it looks more like your everyday oven. And it toasts things. It cooks things set on a timer, like a microwave. Unlike a microwave, toaster ovens have the ability to make foods crispy and brown.
~
I think we have a convection oven, because our baked goods always turn out right. If they turn out wrong, it's our fault. Sometimes that's obvious. Other times we need to dig into the science.
-N-
What are the different types of ovens?
There are quite a few types of modern ovens... (and let's change the fonts for fun...)
- Conventional Oven
- Convection Oven
- Microwave Oven
- Toaster Oven
Which is the best? Let the judging begin!
Yes, for once, do judge.
~
CONVENTIONAL
A conventional oven is designed with two heating elements: baking and broiling. Another name for the conventional oven is the thermal or radiant oven. 'Radiant' comes from the radiation in the oven walls, which the oven relies on because it has no fans. Cooks have complained about this oven, saying it scorches the food's bottoms (ow) and doesn't brown the tops evenly (my, the injustice!). Why is this? The temperature is not the same over the course of the cooking time.
CONVECTION
A convection oven is a oven that has fans to circulate air around food. Convection ovens create a uniform temperature with internal fans that circulate hot air evenly. These ovens are usually more expensive than radiant ovens, but they cook food faster, at a lower temperature, and usually the results are awesome. The fans in the oven make sure that the same temperature reaches the top and bottom foods, and the foods at all the rack levels. Other names for this oven are European, true, turbo, or fan. The fans in a convection oven are really handy. In comparison to conventional ovens, which have no fans, convection ovens are more ideal for purchase, guaranteed five-star results, with only the price as a downside. Buy one now, at only $266.99! (Lol, wut.)
~FUN FACT TIME~
*dramatic childish music*
Food tends to cook more evenly when air is blown onto it, rather than air around it.
MICROWAVE
Everyone's laziness tool. Guess what. They aren't very good to use, healthwise. Microwave ovens cook food by hitting it with electromagnetic radiation.
[Mike Rowayve says microwaves are used for reheating foods, mainly. Sometimes, this girl mixes strange brown stuff in a mug and gives it to him to cook. Mike thinks it isn't healthy, but it smells good. And sometimes, he makes it fail, so that she won't eat it and become unhealthy.] #browniesinamug #mugbrownie #unhealth #mikerowayve
TOASTER
My brother's breakfast used to be cooked in this thing. But we sold that. A toaster oven is basically like a microwave, but it looks more like your everyday oven. And it toasts things. It cooks things set on a timer, like a microwave. Unlike a microwave, toaster ovens have the ability to make foods crispy and brown.
~
I think we have a convection oven, because our baked goods always turn out right. If they turn out wrong, it's our fault. Sometimes that's obvious. Other times we need to dig into the science.
-N-
Friday, June 6, 2014
Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
They were sooo good. May consider making them again tomorrow.
I used Alcohol-Free vanilla extract.
.JPG)
Other than that, these muffins were perfect.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
-N-
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Buttermilk Lemon Cake
I'm sick of the word buttermilk.
Yesterday, I made a buttermilk lemon cake. I think it failed because I didn't use liquid buttermilk.
Well, the cake didn't exactly fail, but it was really crumbly. AND, I forgot about the glaze I was supposed to make with a leftover 1 tablespoon of lemon extract. So I used all five tablespoons of lemon extract. The batter was really runny, so I put in about a cup of flour. When it was mixed to an approvable consistency, I poured it in the cake pan.
And guess what?! I mixed up baking powder with baking soda!! Not physically mix. I mean I got confused with those two. The recipe asked for baking soda, and I measured baking powder instead.
Oh. My. Cake.
But the cake didn't fail.
Does that seem like a lie now because there aren't any pictures?
Well. The cake was asking for a few cuts before it felt like coming out of the pan. It was so yellow and pretty. And the yellow part is sooo good. CITRUS CAKES ARE AMAZING!!! I wonder what would happen if I tried lime. Add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar?
Anyway, to the buttermilk problem. The recipe asked for 1 1/4 cups buttermilk. Well, if four tablespoons of powder buttermilk and one cup of water equal to one cup of buttermilk, then 4 T buttermilk + 1/2 tsp buttermilk and 1 1/4 cup of water should equal 1 1/2 cups buttermilk.
That's exactly what I did, and that's what made the batter runny! Too much water!!
I'm not quite sure if I did the measurements right, even. Two teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon, right? Or is it four?
Oh. It's three. I sees my mistake.
Well, there's my report on Buttermilk Lemon Cake!!
-N-
Yesterday, I made a buttermilk lemon cake. I think it failed because I didn't use liquid buttermilk.
Well, the cake didn't exactly fail, but it was really crumbly. AND, I forgot about the glaze I was supposed to make with a leftover 1 tablespoon of lemon extract. So I used all five tablespoons of lemon extract. The batter was really runny, so I put in about a cup of flour. When it was mixed to an approvable consistency, I poured it in the cake pan.
And guess what?! I mixed up baking powder with baking soda!! Not physically mix. I mean I got confused with those two. The recipe asked for baking soda, and I measured baking powder instead.
Oh. My. Cake.
But the cake didn't fail.
Does that seem like a lie now because there aren't any pictures?
Well. The cake was asking for a few cuts before it felt like coming out of the pan. It was so yellow and pretty. And the yellow part is sooo good. CITRUS CAKES ARE AMAZING!!! I wonder what would happen if I tried lime. Add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar?
Anyway, to the buttermilk problem. The recipe asked for 1 1/4 cups buttermilk. Well, if four tablespoons of powder buttermilk and one cup of water equal to one cup of buttermilk, then 4 T buttermilk + 1/2 tsp buttermilk and 1 1/4 cup of water should equal 1 1/2 cups buttermilk.
That's exactly what I did, and that's what made the batter runny! Too much water!!
I'm not quite sure if I did the measurements right, even. Two teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon, right? Or is it four?
Oh. It's three. I sees my mistake.
Well, there's my report on Buttermilk Lemon Cake!!
-N-
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Buttermilk Pound Cake II
Yet again, I used up another four tablespoons of buttermilk.
I didn't just want to - I had to.
.JPG)
It was beautiful. Much better than the first attempt made by Mom.
It was supposedly my fault because I greased the cake pan. Apparently I didn't grease it enough?
This time, I greased furiously.
Fortunately, it worked.
I used a recipe from allrecipes. Personally I think there were too much eggs.
My cake looks yellower than the one on the website. My guess is because I didn't use vanilla extract. [What is so amazing about vanilla extract anyway? What happened to chocolate extract?] I used two teaspoons of lemon extract. Hmm. Had I used orange extract... or even strawberry extract... or blackberry...
Next try: Try a different extract and see if it changes anything else besides the color.
I had trouble taking the cake out of the pan. Probably because I greased the pan, but didn't flour it.
Next try: Grease AND flour the pan. Think of it as putting lotion on, and then baby powder.
When I put the cake inside the oven, only part of it was baked. One side was left yellow and soft. I think this is because I placed the pan too close to the oven door.
Next try: Push it farther into the oven. >:D
I had the powder type buttermilk. I measured four tablespoons of it and measured a cup of water. I wonder what would happen if I mixed the buttermilk powder with the water.
Next try: Mix buttermilk powder with water. >:D
 |
| Eggs, buttermilk, baking powder, lemon extract, butter, salt, and water. |
 |
| Bundt pan, sugar, and flour. |
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALTERNATELY.
I regretted the moment and wanted to rewind, but I continued pouring in the dry ingredients. Make mistakes and learn they say.
Fortunately it made no impact on the cake. If I'd been using liquid buttermilk I probably would have failed. Woot for powder buttermilk!
.JPG) | |
| Beautifully greasy butter wrapper. Time to grease! |
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
Then stir in the extracts.
.JPG)
.JPG) |
| The oven's done. How long did it take? |
Then pour the mixture into your cake pan and place it generously in the prepared oven. Set the timer for an hour and thirty minutes.
And after an hour and thirty minutes, open the oven to reveal... voila!!
.JPG)
-N-
[Q&A] Parchment vs Wax
I always did wonder what the difference was, other than the texture.
WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF PARCHMENT PAPER AND WAX PAPER IN PREPARING BAKING PANS/SHEETS? WHICH ONE IS BETTER TO USE?
Parchment
It's great for making sure cookies don't stick to the sheet. You don't even need to become a butterfingers - forget the leftover butter wrapper! Parchment paper is also more reliable than regular greasing. Remember my Everyday Chocolate Cake #epicfail? On the first attempt, we used parchment paper. The cake was easy to pull out of the pan and there was no knife needed. Whereas, when I tried greasing, the four corners were not greased and cake stuck to them hilariously. Also, flour stuck to the cake from the greasing, therefore rendering the cake a rather non-professional appearance.
One time, Mom was making gluten free snickerdoodle cookies for Little Bro Z. I asked mom a question about parchment paper I think, and she said, "Look, you can just easily peel the cookie off!"
Truth be told, 'twas true.
Parchment paper is much more papery than wax paper.
HOWEVER, the thing about parchment paper is that it can't be reused. I mean, it can be used again for another batch of cookies, but when all the batter is finished and you're done baking for the day, you throw the parchment paper away. Right? Well, by using butter wrappers, you're doing the cows and farmers a favor in reusing the butter wrapper. They'd love to know that their elbow grease came to use.
Wax
It's waxy.
Wax, oven, hot, fire, burning... is there any connection?
Parchment paper is chosen over wax paper, usually. Apparently, wax paper burns in the oven and so, it's not a good choice for baking. If you search 'wax paper' on Google images, you'll find more craftsy stuff instead of baking stuff. If you search parchment paper, you'll see annoying scrolls (XD) and lined baking pans. Therefore, wax paper isn't really the guy you need for baking.
Wax paper burns more easily. It's more slippery. Easier for you to hurt your finger when ripping it out of the container.
HOWEVER, wax paper is good for lining cake pans, as long as it isn't exposed! It can also be used for tiny treats, like truffles or candy apples. Wax paper is water-resistant. Just tape it to your table and you can roll out your dough pretty easily. Wax paper is ideal for storing food, but it is not ideal for baking. If you use it in baking and the oven is at a high temperature, the wax will melt and sink into whatever you are baking. Nasty.
--
So, whenever baking, please refer to parchment. It's highly recommended.
Sorry, wax paper.
-N-
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Keep Calm and Keep Safe
The key to fun & easy baking is kitchen safety. Right?
Make sure your hands are always CLEAN.
That's what they all say. Right? It makes sense anyways. Less stressful too, in a way.
Wash all eggs before use.
Why? They did come out of a hen's butt, you know. And landed into a straw nest stained with hen turds, most likely. #amiright
Don't leave pots and/or pans on the stove with the fire on.
For one thing, the pot will burn.
For another thing, you'll be yelled at. (That is if you're under supervision.)
Wear appropriate clothing.
No loose long-sleeved shirts.
Also, if your hair is long, tie it up, or somehow keep it out of the way. If your hair is falling over your face while you're cooking over a fire... well... now do you know why lunch ladies wear hairnets?
Don't leave spoons or ladles in cooking pots.
The heat from the pot will get the spoon/ladle hot, therefore rendering the spoon/ladle impossible to hold.
When cooking something on the stove, turn the pot's handle inward.
In case you like to dance while waiting for something to heat up/melt, you'd better keep the pot's handle out of the way. Or else.... *dancing arm smashes down on sticking-out pot handle* *BOOM* *hot liquid spills all over your feet* *ow*
Don't get any wires, plugs, or outlets wet.
Unless you think electrocution iselectrocute.
Clean up spills immediately.
YES, mother... *picks up rag*
Be careful when cutting things that are hard, tiny, or slippery. (onions, rock-hard, baking chocolate, nuts)
I one time was cutting an onion. It was annoying and slippery and refused to be cut. The knife slipped and cut my finger.
Another time, I was cutting chicken. It wouldn't cut. I slowly increased the knife's pressure, and then my left pinkie got cut. It was so fast and the pain was so strange. I grabbed my pinkie, and squeezed it in fear. When I slowly opened my hand, there was a deep white cut in my pinkie. The blood was coming fast. I got all sweaty. I got all weak. I got all limp. Weak from shock. Limp from blood loss. I ran to the bathroom and got a band-aid. What if I got infected? The knife was covered in chicken juice. And probably chicken farts too. By the way, the injury is still on my finger for those who want to see.
Try your best not to open bags/packets with knives. (It's not so cool once you get injured!)
I never got injured while doing this, but it's possible to. I was once cutting open a potato sack with a knife. The blade got stuck in all those potato-sack fiber string things, and I couldn't pull out the knife. If I'd pulled it out really hard, the knife would've flown into the air, floated for a few seconds, then come swirling down on my head.
And unless you like having a pained tummy, don't eat the cake batter or cookie dough. Please.
Source(s): http://www.straighten-up-now.com/kitchen-safety-tips.html
-N-
 |
| Click for enlargement. |
That's what they all say. Right? It makes sense anyways. Less stressful too, in a way.
Wash all eggs before use.
Why? They did come out of a hen's butt, you know. And landed into a straw nest stained with hen turds, most likely. #amiright
Don't leave pots and/or pans on the stove with the fire on.
For one thing, the pot will burn.
For another thing, you'll be yelled at. (That is if you're under supervision.)
Wear appropriate clothing.
No loose long-sleeved shirts.
Also, if your hair is long, tie it up, or somehow keep it out of the way. If your hair is falling over your face while you're cooking over a fire... well... now do you know why lunch ladies wear hairnets?
Don't leave spoons or ladles in cooking pots.
The heat from the pot will get the spoon/ladle hot, therefore rendering the spoon/ladle impossible to hold.
When cooking something on the stove, turn the pot's handle inward.
In case you like to dance while waiting for something to heat up/melt, you'd better keep the pot's handle out of the way. Or else.... *dancing arm smashes down on sticking-out pot handle* *BOOM* *hot liquid spills all over your feet* *ow*
Don't get any wires, plugs, or outlets wet.
Unless you think electrocution is
Clean up spills immediately.
YES, mother... *picks up rag*
Be careful when cutting things that are hard, tiny, or slippery. (onions, rock-hard, baking chocolate, nuts)
I one time was cutting an onion. It was annoying and slippery and refused to be cut. The knife slipped and cut my finger.
Another time, I was cutting chicken. It wouldn't cut. I slowly increased the knife's pressure, and then my left pinkie got cut. It was so fast and the pain was so strange. I grabbed my pinkie, and squeezed it in fear. When I slowly opened my hand, there was a deep white cut in my pinkie. The blood was coming fast. I got all sweaty. I got all weak. I got all limp. Weak from shock. Limp from blood loss. I ran to the bathroom and got a band-aid. What if I got infected? The knife was covered in chicken juice. And probably chicken farts too. By the way, the injury is still on my finger for those who want to see.
Try your best not to open bags/packets with knives. (It's not so cool once you get injured!)
I never got injured while doing this, but it's possible to. I was once cutting open a potato sack with a knife. The blade got stuck in all those potato-sack fiber string things, and I couldn't pull out the knife. If I'd pulled it out really hard, the knife would've flown into the air, floated for a few seconds, then come swirling down on my head.
And unless you like having a pained tummy, don't eat the cake batter or cookie dough. Please.
Source(s): http://www.straighten-up-now.com/kitchen-safety-tips.html
-N-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)