This Top Ingredient Substitutions for Baking article was posted several years ago. Due to the present circumstances, I updated it and thought it would be helpful if you find you are missing a key ingredient. Hopefully, you will find it on this list. Continue reading
Tag Archives: baking
Getting the Most out of Baking Recipes
Reading baking recipes is not as easy as reading a book for pleasure. While it’s true, people read cookbooks for enjoyment, that isn’t the same as cooking or baking from them. Yet, there are a number of things that will help in understanding what the author of the recipe wants you to do. Well written recipes follow a certain form. Continue reading
Torta Rustica – A Savory Italian Pastry
This Torta Rustica is a savory Italian pastry which I am assuming means Rustic Tart. Its memorable crust holds a filling of spinach with cheese, eggs, onions and bread crumbs to bind it. It is layered with red peppers, artichokes and provolone. It is hard to go wrong with these ingredients. The one caveat here is to thaw the spinach completely and squeeze all the water from it. It is important it is dry when combined with the other ingredients.
We would squeeze 30 pounds of spinach to make 12 Torta Rustica at a time. No matter how long we thawed the spinach it would be freezing cold when we squeezed it. We would keep a bowl of warm water next to us to dip our hands into to warm them as we prepared the spinach. Continue reading
Honey Thyme Apple Tart
This simple Honey Thyme Apple Tart came about out of total boredom pressing in forty three pastry shells for a dessert at the restaurant. My mind started wandering around the fifth shell. I knew I wanted something simple, easy to put together with an unexpected element to start the year. It is not only beautiful to look at, it is even better to eat. The little bit of thyme gives this an unexpected note while the honey and balsamic vinegar offset each other. Continue reading
Chocolate Raspberry Gateau
This Chocolate Raspberry Gateau is one of the most flavor packed, moist cakes to be found. Please don’t be put off because this looks so intimidating. While it looks intimidating, it really is not hard to make. I have provided a schedule starting a month out and it has to be competed a day or two before serving. The Chocolate Raspberry Gateau is ideal for entertaining, and is one of the great celebration cakes. This is an updated version of the one originally written in my first book, The New Pastry Cook.
Gateau is the French word for cake. It generally denotes items made with delicate ingredients which are best consumed soon after the confection is made. Cakes can last much longer, some even improving with age (fruit cake). Torte is the German word for cake, with similar properties. Continue reading
