Wednesday, October 3, 2018
How to Make Tiropita - Tiropita Recipe
2 pounds of feta cheese, drained of any excess liquid and crumbled.
How to Make Potato and Pea Samosas - Potato and Pea Samosas Recipe
How to Make Potato and Pea Samosas
Ingredients
2-3 large chopped potatoes
1 cup peas
1 diced onion
1 tsp masala powder
Herbs of your choice (recommended: ginger, garlic, jeera/cumin seeds)
1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vegetable oil
How to make it
Steps
1 Mix the dough ingredients.
2 Knead in order to moisturize all of the flour.
3 Wet if dough is hard, until all parts are wet; added moisture will allow the dough to reach the correct consistency.
4 Knead additionally until dough is soft and pliant.
5 Heat a frying pan coated with a slight amount of oil.
6 Add herbs and seeds to heated pan.
7 Wait until garlic/ginger has been heated sufficiently and is no longer raw.
8 Fry potatoes, peas, and onions in the pan, with masala powder stirred in, until readiness (for three to four minutes; tasting will ensure filling is fully cooked).
9 Separate the dough into six to eight even chunks.
10 Flatten these chunks with rolling pins into circular shapes.
11 Halve the circles, yielding semicircles of flat dough.
12 Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center of the half-circle.
13 Fold the edge of the circle over the filling, creating a triangular cone shape.
14 Pinch the two open edges of the three-sided shape closed with a small amount of water.
15 Repeat steps 12-14 until you have created twelve to fifteen samosas.
16 Place samosas into frying dish in about 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) of oil.
17 Fry in the vegetable oil until the whole of each samosa’s crust is an even golden-brown color.
18 Move individual samosas as they reach completion out of the pan and onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil, replacing them with uncooked samosas after doing so.
19 Cool samosas on paper towel for two minutes.
20 Serve with ketchup or other sauces of your choice.
How to Make Zongzi (Chinese Tamales) - Zongzi (Chinese Tamales) Recipe
How to Make Zongzi (Chinese Tamales)
How to make it
Method 1 Traditional Zongzi
1 Prepare the glutinous rice and filling.
This may require overnight soaking. Some recipes also suggest soaking the bamboo leaves overnight.
Glutinous rice goes by many names depending on country, culture or region: sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, biroin chal, and pearl rice. It's especially sticky when cooked. It does not contain gluten.
Fillings are usually savory, but there are many, many variations:
Skinless mung beans
Red bean paste
Jujubes
Char siu (Chinese barbecue pork)
Chinese Northern sausage
Chinese black mushrooms
2 Boil the bamboo leaves.
Let cool and pat dry.
3 Scoop the rice onto the bamboo leaves.
4 Scoop the filling onto the rice.
5 Fold the leaves around the rice and filling and secure with twine.
This is the trickiest part, so see the video illustrating one of the many ways you can wrap zongzi.
6 Simmer the zongzi for 2 to 5 hours (as instructed by the recipe; it will depend on the filling).
Method 2 Zongzi with Pork and Chestnut Filling
1 Gather your ingredients
5 cups glutinous rice
1/2 pound dried mung beans
20 dried chestnuts
1 tablespoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
10 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked with stems removed and caps sliced
20 bamboo leaves
1/2 pound pork belly, sliced
2 Add glutinous rice, mung beans and chestnuts to separate bowls.
3 Add enough warm water to cover the ingredients in the bowls.
Soak overnight.
4 Drain the rice, mung beans and chestnuts before combining them in a large bowl.
Do this after the ingredients have soaked overnight.
5 Add the salt and five-spice and stir to coat.
6 Soften mushrooms by pouring warm water over them.
Cover and let stand approximately 20 minutes. Drain.
7 Discard the mushroom stems and thinly slice the mushroom caps.
8 Add bamboo leaves to a large pot.
9 Pour in enough water to cover.
Bring the water to a boil and let the leaves cool.
10 Pat bamboo leaves dry before using to make the "tamales".
11 Place 2 bamboo leaves, slightly overlapping, on a clean work surface.
12 Add about 1/3 cup of the rice mixture in the center.
13 Top each mound of rice with a slice of pork and 3 to 4 slices of mushrooms.
14 Cover with about 2 tablespoons of rice and the mung bean mixture.
15 Fold the leaves over the "tamale" filling to enclose the filling completely.
16 Use kitchen twine or string to secure the "tamale".
17 Place tamales in a large pot, pour in enough water to cover them, and bring to a boil.
18 Lower the heat and cook until the tamales are tender, about 4 to 5 hours.
Add more water, as needed, to keep the "tamales" covered with simmering water. Cook until the tamale filling feels tender when you squeeze it gently, four to five hours.
19 Drain the water from the "tamales" and serve warm.
Method 3 Sweet Zongzi
1 Gather your ingredients.
50 sheets of bamboo or reed leaves
Glutinous rice (1 kilogram), about 2.2 pounds
Chinese red dried dates (250 grams)
2 Cover both rice and dates with water.
Cover the bowl and let mixture soak for 12 hours or until thoroughly soaked.
3 Wash the leaves.
4 Lay out leaves on a cutting or chopping board.
5 Fold the leaves flat at the leafstalk to make a sheet.
6 Hold the sheet, fold it round in the middle and make a funnel till both ends are laid over each other in one direction.
7 Add about 1/10 of a kilogram of rice and about 6 dates.
Be sure to cover the dates with the rice.
8 Fold the leaves up to seal the open side of the funnel and tie the bundle with a band made of twisted leaves.
9 Put the tamales in a pot with water to cover.
Make sure the tamales remain covered and pressed together during boiling.
10 Boil tamales for about 2 hours or cook in a pressure cooker for about 40 minutes.
How to Make Lumpia - Lumpia Recipe
How to Make Lumpia
Ingredients
1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil or canola oil
1 pound (455 g) ground beef
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 mL) soy sauce
30 spring wrappers
2 cups (475 mL) vegetable oil or canola oil (for frying)
How to make it
Method 1 Precooking the meat
1 Heat on high heat, one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok.
Place the ground beef in the skillet and cook thoroughly; get an all-around cooked/brown color leaving no pink. Remove pan from the heat and drain all the grease from the pan
2 Use the same exact pan and put the onion and garlic in.
Cook these for 2 minutes and then add the green onions, cabbage, carrots, and ground beef in the mixture. Cook these together and sprinkle pepper, salt, soy sauce, and garlic powder. Stir and then remove pan from heat again.
3 Grab one of the lumpia wrappers and place it down on a cutting board (or a hard surface).
Scoop up a good 3 tablespoons of the cooked mixture near one corner in a diagonally direction. Try to leave at least 1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) space at both ends of the wrapper. Grab the corner nearest to the filling and fold it over the filling. Keep rolling and when you reach around the middle, tuck in both sides. Continue to wrap, but be sure to roll tight to keep everything in. When you reach the end, use a little water to seal the edge and then wrap it to create your roll. Use Saran Wrap or any plastic wrap to wrap each roll as you do the rest of the rolls. This is to keep the moisture in the roll.
4 Get a heavy skillet and pour a half inch depth of oil.
Heat the oil for about 5 minutes. Use the sides of the skillet to "slide" the rolls into the oil. When you use the sides, you're preventing oil from splattering when each piece hits it.
5 Fry about 3 to 4 rolls at a time for about 1 or 2 minutes.
Depending on how hot it is, you can also wait until the lumpia is golden brown. Place done rolls onto paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately.
6 Finished.
Method 2 Cooking everything at once
1 Use the following ingredients:
1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil or Canola oil
1 pound (455 g) ground beef or ground pork
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 finely grated carrot
4 button mushrooms, finely chopped
4 spring onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (6 g) iodized sea salt
1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
30 spring wrappers
2 cups (475 mL) vegetable oil or Canola oil (for frying)
2 Mix all raw ingredients.
3 Wrap in spring roll "cigar" style, just roll with open ends.
Freeze in tightly sealed freezer bags or containers for make ahead lumpias.
4 Deep fry or pan fry in 1 inch (2.5 cm) oil until golden brown, adding more oil as necessary while frying.
Don't let them get dark brown, which is burned.
5 Drain fried lumpias in paper towels.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie - Pumpkin Pie Recipe
How to Make Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
Classic Pumpkin Pie
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt for crust
4 tablespoons (48 g) shortening
5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (44 ml) to 5 tablespoons (74 ml) ice water
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce or 425 g) can pumpkin puree
1 (12-ounce or 355 ml) can evaporated milk
Whipped cream for serving
Makes a 9 in (23 cm) pie
Pumpkin Slab Pie
4 cups (480 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) salt
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
3 1/2 sticks (400 g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
3/4 cup (180 ml) ice water
2 (15-ounce or 425 g) cans pure pumpkin
2 cups (400 g) light or dark brown sugar
4 eggs
2 cups (470 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (59 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon (3 g) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
1/8 teaspoon (.2 g) fresh ground pepper
Whipped cream to serve
Makes a 10 x 15 in (25 x 38 cm) pan
How to make it
Method 1 Baking Classic Pumpkin Pie
1 Preheat the oven to 425 °F (218 °C) and adjust the oven rack.
Move an oven rack so it's in the center of the oven.
Consider placing a rimmed baking sheet underneath it to catch any drips.
2 Combine the flour and salt with the shortening and butter.
To make the pie crust, measure 1 1/2 cups (180 g) of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt into a mixing bowl. Stir and then use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix in 4 tablespoons (48 g) of shortening and 5 tablespoons (70 g) of unsalted butter.
The mixture should be crumbly once the fats are incorporated.
If you prefer, use a pre-made pastry dough that you place in the pie shell.
3 Mix in ice water to form a dough.
Get out 3 tablespoons (44 ml) to 5 tablespoons (74 ml) of ice water. Start by putting 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the water into the dry mixture. Use a fork to toss the mixture until it begins to come together. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water at a time until dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.
Avoid adding too much water or it will become sticky and difficult to work.
4 Roll out the crust and place it in the pie plate.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12 in (30 cm) circle. Carefully lift the circle of dough into a 9 in (23 cm) pie plate. Press it into the plate and crimp the edges.
If you want to make the dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
5 Beat 2 eggs in a large bowl and stir in the sugar, salt, ginger, and cloves.
Crack 2 eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk them until they're completely combined. Pour in 3/4 cup (150 g) of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground cloves.
Stir well so the spices are incorporated.
6 Stir in the pumpkin and evaporated milk.
Open a 15-ounce (425 g) can of pumpkin puree and stir it into the spiced egg mixture. Open a 12-ounce (355 ml) can of evaporated milk and slowly stir it into the mixture until it's incorporated.
7 Pour the filling into the shell and bake the pie for 15 minutes.
Scoop the pumpkin filling into your pastry-lined pie plate. Put the pie in the center of the preheated oven and bake it for 15 minutes.
Starting the pie at a high heat will help the crust become crisp.
8 Turn the temperature to 350 °F (177 °C) and bake it for 40 to 50 minutes
Let the pie cook at the reduced temperature until it only jiggles slightly in the center. You can also check the pie by inserting a knife or skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, the pie is finished.
If the pie needs more time, continue to cook it for 5 more minutes and check it again.
9 Cool the pie for at least 2 hours.
Remove the pie from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool. It should be completely cool before you slice it into pieces. Serve the pie with whipped cream.
Refrigerate leftover pie in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Method 2
1 Preheat the oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and adjust the oven rack.
Adjust your oven racks so you have 1 in the middle of the oven. You'll also need to get out a 10 x 15 in (25 x 38 cm) jellyroll pan for the pie.
2 Combine the flour, salt, and sugar with the butter.
For the crust, measure 4 cups (480 g) of all-purpose flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) of salt and 1 teaspoon (4 g) of granulated sugar. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to mix in 3 1/2 sticks (400 g) of cubed unsalted butter.
The smaller the cubes, the easier it is to cut in the butter.
Mix in the butter until it forms pea-sized clumps.
3 Add ice water to form a dough.
Get out 3/4 cup (180 ml) of ice water. Put 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the water into the dry mixture at a time. Toss the dough together with a fork and keep adding 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water at a time until dough begins to form a ball.
The dough should pull away from the side of the bowl but it shouldn't become tacky or sticky.
4 Set aside 1/4 of the dough and roll out the rest to fit the pan.
If you'd like to make decorative leaf cut-outs for the top of the pie, put 1/4 of the dough off to the side. Then roll the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface. Make it a large rectangle about 18 x 13 in (45 x 33 cm) so it fits in your jellyroll pan.
If you don't want to make the decorative leaf cut-outs, just roll out the entire ball of dough for the crust.
5 Arrange the pastry in the baking pan.
Transfer the rectangle of dough to the jellyroll pan so some of the dough hangs over the sides. Use your fingers to press the dough into the sides and bottom of the pan. Then crimp the dough along the edges.
At this point, you can refrigerate the pastry in the pan while you mix the filling.
6 Mix the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, cream, milk, vanilla, cornstarch, and spices.
Open 2 15-ounce (425 g) cans of pumpkin puree and scoop them into a large mixing bowl. Stir in 2 cups (400 g) of brown sugar, 4 eggs, 2 cups (470 ml) of heavy cream, 1/4 cup (59 ml) of whole milk, 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons (16 g) of cornstarch and these spices:
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon (3 g) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
1/8 teaspoon (.2 g) fresh ground pepper
7 Spread the filling into the crust.
Remove the pastry-lined pan from the refrigerator and spread the thick pumpkin pie filling into it.
Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to ensure the filling is even.
8 Bake the pie for 35 to 45 minutes.
Put the slab pie in the preheated oven and cook it until it barely jiggles in the center. You can also insert a knife into the center to see if it comes out clean.
If it jiggles a lot or the knife doesn't come out clean, return the pie to the oven for 5 more minutes. Continue to check it until it's firm.
9 Cool the pie and roll out the pastry leaves if desired.
Remove the pie from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool completely. If you'd like to make the decorative pastry leaves, get out the reserved dough and roll it to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Use a leaf cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
10 Bake the pastry leaves if you're using them.
Place the leaves on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 °F (177 °C) for 10 minutes while the pie cools. The leaves should puff up and turn light brown.
Remove the leaves to a wire rack to cool.
11 Serve the pumpkin slab pie.
Once the optional pastry leaves have cooled completely, arrange them on the top of the cooled pie. Cut the pie into squares and serve it with whipped cream.
Store the leftover pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to Make Gluten Free Savory Pie Crust - Gluten Free Savory Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make Gluten Free Savory Pie Crust
Ingredients
Servings: 1 10" pie tin or 5 5" tart tins
Prep Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes refrigeration time
Cook Time: 20 minutes + Extra to cook the filling
1/2 cup rice flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
1/2 tsp. salt
125 g chilled butter + 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). butter, melted
1 egg
How to make it
Method 1 Prepare the Dough
1 Combine all of the dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse them a few times to ensure they’re well mixed.
2 Dice the chilled butter into cubes and add it to the dry ingredients.
3 Pulse the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
It's important to do this fairly quickly so that the butter doesn't have a chance to melt.
4 Add the egg next and pulse for longer increments until combined.
The mixture should begin to clump together.
5 Dump the dough onto a clean cooking surface and shape it into a ball.
6 Wrap the dough ball in cling film and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
7 Unwrap the chilled dough and turn it onto a piece of wax paper on your counter top.
8 Begin to flatten it with your hand.
9 Place a piece of cling film on top of the flattened dough and roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's 2 centimeter (0.8 in) thick.
10 Peel off the cling film and slide the wax paper and dough onto your cutting board.
11 Grease your pie tin with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
12 Place the greased tin on top of the dough, facing down.
13 Flip the board and pie tin right side up and remove the board from the top of the pie tin.
14 Use your hands to gently push the dough into the corners of the dish.
15 Pierce the base of the pie crust with a fork numerous times to create a place for the steam to eventually escape when it bakes.
16 Place a new piece of wax paper on top of the dough and place pie weights or beans on top of the wax paper.
This is to help prevent the base of the crust from rising and bubbling as it cooks. This process is called blind baking.
Method 2 Baking
1 Blind bake the pastry for 20 minutes at 430°F (200°C).
2 Remove the crust from the oven, take out the weights and greaseproof paper, and return it to the oven for another 5 to 7 minutes to ensure that the base of the crust will not be soggy.
3 Finished.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
How to Make a Lemon Chiffon Pie - Lemon Chiffon Pie Recipe
How to Make a Lemon Chiffon Pie
Ingredients
8-inch single pie crust, baked, or 8-inch graham cracker crust
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (zest)
3/4 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
How to make it
Steps
1 Prepare baked pie crust or graham cracker crust, your choice.
2 Soften gelatin in cold water.
3 Beat egg yolks slightly.
4 Add lemon juice, rind and half the sugar.
5 Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken.
This should take between 10 to 15 minutes.
6 Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.
7 Chill until mixture begins to thicken.
8 Beat egg whites until foamy.
9 Add salt and beat until stiff peaks begin to form.
10 Add remaining sugar, slowly to incorporate sugar granules into egg whites, beat constantly until stiff.
11 Fold egg whites into chilled egg yolk mixture.
12 Pile into prepared pie crust.
13 Chill.
14 Finished.
How to Make Oreo Pie Crust - Oreo Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make Oreo Pie Crust
Ingredients
24 whole Oreo cookies (or similar style of cookie)
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
Filling of choice
How to make it
Steps
1 Blend the Oreo cookies in a medium-sized bowl or a food processor.
Blend until the cookies take on the texture of coarse crumbs.
2 Add the melted butter.
Blend until the fat is well combined.
3 Put the mixture into a deep pie dish of around 9.5 inches in diameter.
4 Press the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the pie dish.
Spread the mixture as evenly as possible. Aim to have crust about a third of a centimetre or one eighth of an inch thick.
5 Refrigerate the pie crust for at least one hour.
This will allow it to set and harden before adding a filling of your choice.
6 Add the filling.
It may need to be returned to the refrigerator to chill the filling to the same temperature as the crust or you can keep the pie in the refrigerator until serving time for the sake of keeping it at the right temperature.
7 Serve.
To serve, simply cut as for a normal pie, into pie slices. Use a spatula to remove a slice and slide it onto a plate.
8 Finished.
How to Make Coconut Flour Pie Crust - Coconut Flour Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make Coconut Flour Pie Crust
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, melted. Organic and grass fed is better.
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 - 3 tablespoons of raw honey (Only use the honey if creating a dessert crust)
3/4 cup of coconut flour
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
2 In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter, eggs, honey, and salt together.
3 Add the coconut flour.
4 Mix together until the dough is holding its shape.
5 Roll the dough into a ball and then pat it into a 9 inch (22.9 cm) greased pie pan.
6 Prick the dough with a fork.
7 Bake for 9 minutes and then let it cool.
If using for something like a pumpkin pie or cheesecake, don't cook the crust until you have the filling inside.
How to Make Pie Crust Letters - Pie Crust Letters Recipe
How to Make Pie Crust Letters
How to make it
Method 1 Selecting or Making Your Dough
1 Use packaged pie dough.
Purchase pre-made pie dough from your local grocery store to the quickest and easy way to make pie crust letters. Refrigerated dough is especially easy to work with, though you can also go with a frozen option and thaw it according to the directions on the package.
2 Make pie dough from scratch.
Pie crust is notoriously hard to get just right, but by sticking to a proven recipe you can make a delicious pie dough on your own. To make about one pie’s worth of dough, gather 2½ cups of all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons white sugar, ¼ cup vegetable shortening, 12 tablespoons cold, cubed butter, and ¼ cup of ice water.
Use a food processor to pulse the flour, salt, and sugar until mixed. Add the shortening and butter incrementally, until the mixture is crumbly. With the processor running, add the ice water one tablespoon at a time until a firm, consistent dough is produced.
Press the dough into a ball or hockey puck shape. If you’re preparing the dough ahead of time, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3 Make sure you have everything you need.
Though you don’t need eggs in the dough recipe, have a few on hand to assist in baking. You’ll want to beat the eggs and brush them onto your pie crust letters to seal any small separations and hold them together as they bake.
Note that you’ll also need parchment paper and a pastry brush.
Beat an egg yolk into a teaspoon of water for the perfect beaten egg equivalent.
Method 2 Cutting the Letters
1 Roll the dough flat.
With the dough at room temp, begin to flatten it with flour-covered hands and lay it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough until it is about ? inch (? centimeter) thick.
If you're planning on sticking the letters on a crust, get your pie in the oven and prepare the letters while the pie begins to bake.
2 Go the easy route with cookie cutters.
Cookie cutters are the easiest way to cut individual letters out of pie dough. You can find letter-shaped cookie cutters in all sorts of sizes and fonts, at home goods store or online. If you want a budget option, see if your local dollar store has plastic letters for crafting. These will likely work just as well.
3 Use a parchment paper guide.
Cut a piece of parchment paper that is roughly the same size as your flattened dough. Draw all of the letters you’ll need on the paper to make sure you’ll have enough room. Once finished, place the parchment paper on top of the dough with your markings facing up. Use an item with a thin point, like a skewer or toothpick, to gently trace the letters into the dough beneath the paper.
Remove the paper and use a knife to carefully cut out each letter.
You can also print a sheet of paper with whatever letters you wish and trace them onto the parchment paper.
Always use parchment paper for tracing letters onto the dough, as it will stick to the dough much less than other types of paper. Further, parchment paper won’t leave behind any chemicals or become damp and tear apart.
4 Use the strip technique.
Another way of fashioning letters involves cutting ? inch (just under a cm) thick strips of dough. Cut the strips into smaller pieces and attach them to one another to form letters, or simply twist and bend the strips. Store letters on parchment paper until you’ve got as many as you need.
For instance, to make a capital “T”, cut off two short pieces of the strip, one a bit longer than the other. Use the shorter piece to cross the top of the longer piece, and viola.
When making letters with multiple small pieces of dough, brushing the letters with beaten eggs is especially important.
Method 4 Baking Letters and Pies With Lettering
1 Cook letters on their own.
After cutting and shaping the letters you need, use the pastry brush to add a layer of beaten egg to each individual letter. Place the letters on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven at 450° Fahrenheit (232° Celsius). Six minutes should be just about perfect. Allow the letters to cool on a wire rack.
For a different consistency, you can also try baking letters at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes.
Consider sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on your letters before baking, especially if you intend to serve them alone. Pie crust letters sweetened this way are especially good accompaniments to hot apple cider.
2 Bake letters onto the top of a crusted pie.
For pies that have crusts on top, such as classic fruit pies, you'll want the letters to bake onto the upper crust of the pie. For instance, you can arrange the letters however you wish on top of the upper crust when you add the crust to the pie. This will allow for the careful placement of lots of letters.
Alternatively, pull the pie out of the oven after the upper layer of crust has baked for a few minutes and then add the letters to the still-soft crust. This will make the letters more distinct from the rest of the upper crust, though it will be harder to adjust any lettering after its initial placement.
3 Place letters on desserts without an upper crust after baking.
If you wish to add your letters to the top of a pie that does not have a crust on top, bake the letters separately and add them to an already-baked pie. Not only is this ideal for desserts like pumpkin pie, you can also add pie crust letters to other desserts, such as carrot cake.[8]
4 Finished.
How to Make a Pie Crust Ahead of Time - Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make a Pie Crust Ahead of Time
Ingredients
4 cups (500g) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups (360g) butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
Steps
1 Mix flour, salt and sugar together.
2 Blend in the butter.
3 Mix together egg, water and vinegar.
4 Add to butter mixture.
5 Divide into 4 portions.
6 Refrigerate 30 minutes before using.
Freeze the dough if you want to preserve it for later. You may freeze balls of dough.
Don't refrigerate if freezing.
7 To thaw, take out of freezer for a couple of hours then roll out for pie.
8 Finished.
How to Bake Empty Tart Shells - Bake Empty Tart Shells Recipe
How to Bake Empty Tart Shells
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups (291 g) unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon (4 g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking powder
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch (12 mm) pieces and chilled
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon (5 ml) white or cider vinegar, chilled
1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) ice-cold vodka
Makes eight 4 to 4 3/4-inch (10 to 12-cm) tart shells or 12 muffin-sized tartlets
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Pastry Dough
1 Measure out the dry ingredients and mix for 5 seconds.
Get out a large food processor and measure all of the dry ingredients into it. You'll need 2 1/3 cups (291 g) of unbleached, all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (4 g) of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of baking powder. Put the lid on the processor and pulse the dry ingredients for about 5 seconds so they're combined.
If you don't have a food processor, you can whisk the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2 Cut 1 cup (226 g) of chilled, unsalted butter into 1/2-inch (12 mm) pieces.
Put half of the butter into the food processor and pulse the mixture for 2 seconds. Put the rest of the butter into the processor and pulse the mixture three times (for about one second each). The dough will look somewhat crumbly.
If you're making the dough in a mixing bowl, use a pastry blender to cut the butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
3 Mix in the egg yolks.
Place 2 large egg yolks into the dough mixture and pulse the dough twice. Each pulse should last 1 second. You'll still see bits of butter, but the egg yolks should be incorporated.
You can also stir the egg yolks in using a rubber spatula.
4 Blend in the vinegar and vodka.
Pour in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of chilled white or cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of ice-cold vodka. Process the dough for one or two seconds or until the dough forms a shaggy ball. You might need to add another teaspoon of vodka to get the dough to come together.
If you'd like to leave out the vodka, just add an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) of cold water.
5 Shape the dough into a ball.
Remove the dough from the food processor. Sprinkle a little flour onto a work surface and place the dough on it. Use your fingers to roll the dough into a rough ball.
Try to work on a cold surface to prevent the butter in the dough from softening.
6 Wrap and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
If you'll be making mini-tartlets using a muffin tin, just wrap the ball of dough tightly with plastic wrap. If you'll be making classic tart shells, you can divide the dough into 8 evenly sized pieces and press them into 5-inch (12 cm) circles). Wrap each circle of dough in plastic wrap. Transfer your dough to the fridge and chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Method 2 Making Classic Tart Shells
1 Cut out parchment paper circles.
Tear off eight pieces of parchment paper. Measure and draw a circle on each piece of paper that's 9 or 10-inches (22 or 25-cm) in diameter. Use scissors to cut out each circle and set them aside.
2 Rest each piece of dough for 1 minute.
Sprinkle your work surface with a little flour. Unwrap one of the chilled dough circles and put it on the floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour over the top and let the dough rest for 1 minute.
You'll need to do this for each circle of dough.
3 Roll the dough to an 1/8-inch (3-mm) thickness.
Use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a circle. Turn the dough occasionally to keep it from sticking. Keep rolling the dough until it's 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick and between 7 and 7 3/4-inches (17 to 19-cm) in diameter.
4 Press the dough into each pan.
Get out eight 4 and 4 3/4-inches (10 to 12-cm) wide tart pans. Lay one rolled circle of dough in each pan. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the bottom of the pan and up along the edges. Don't worry if excess dough hangs over the edges.
If you're having trouble transferring the dough to the tart pans, try folding them in half before you lift them. Place the folded dough into the pan and unfold the dough so it covers the tart pan.
5 Trim and double layer the sides.
Take a small paring knife and trim off the dough that's hanging over the edges of each tart pan. Leave 1/2 inch (3-mm) overhang to prevent shrinking. Take the trimmed dough and press it into the sides of each tart to strengthen the walls of your tarts.
6 Weigh down and chill the tarts for at least 30 minutes.
Place one circle of parchment paper into each tart shell. Spread pie weights or dried beans over the parchment paper so it's weighed down against the dough. Remember to do this for each tart shell and wrap all of them with plastic wrap. Chill the tarts for at least 30 minutes.
You can refrigerate the prepared tart shells for up to 2 hours.
If you want to freeze the shells to use later, remove the pie weights and re-wrap the tarts in more plastic wrap. Freeze the tarts for four to six weeks.
7 Preheat the oven and remove the shells from the refrigerator.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Unwrap each tart shell and set them on a few rimmed baking sheets.
If you want to bake frozen tart shells, unwrap the shells and put them on the baking sheets. Lay parchment paper and pie weights in each shell before you bake them.
8 Bake the tart shells for 7 to 9 minutes.
Once the oven has heated, put the sheets in the oven and bake the tart shells for 4 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper with the weights out and return the shells to the oven. Bake the tart shells for 3 to 5 more minutes.
The tart shells will be pale golden once they've finished cooking.
9 Cool and fill the tarts.
Take the baking sheets out of the oven and let the tart shells cool completely in the pans. To remove tart shells from the pans, set a can on your counter. Place a tart shell directly on the can so the removable sides fall away. You should be able to lift the tart shell off of the bottom piece. Set your baked tart shells serving plates and consider filling them with:
Lemon curd
Dulce de leche
Chocolate hazelnut spread
Pastry cream and fresh fruit
Method 3 Making Scalloped Tarlets in a Muffin Tin
1 Roll the dough into a large circle that's 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick.
Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface. Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on the floured surface. Sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it's 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick.
Turn the dough occasionally to keep it from sticking. You might need to sprinkle more flour over the dough as you roll it.
2 Cut the dough into 12 circles using scalloped cookie cutters.
Take a 3-inch (7-cm) round cookie cutter with scalloped edges and use it to cut about 12 circles from the dough. You might need to roll the scraps into a ball and re-roll the dough in order to cut more circles.
Avoid re-rolling the dough more than once or the pastry will become tough.
If you want to use a mini-muffin tin, use a smaller cookie cutter to make your circles.
3 Butter a muffin tin and preheat the oven.
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or brush each cavity with melted butter. Turn on the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
You can use a standard muffin tin or use a mini-muffin tin if you'd like very small tartlets. For a mini-muffin tin, try using a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter with scalloped edges.
4 Press the dough into each cavity and prick the dough with a fork.
Lift each scalloped circle up and place it into the prepared muffin tin cavities. Gently press it into the bottom and sides of the cavities. Take a fork and prick the bottoms of each a few times to prevent it from puffing up as it bakes.
5 Fill each tartlet with a muffin liner and weights.
Place one muffin liner on top of each tartlet in the muffin tin. Fill each muffin liner with pie weights or dried beans to weigh the muffin liner down. Filling the liners will help the tartlet shells keep their shape as they bake.
6 Bake the tartlet shells for 10 to 12 minutes.
Put the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake the tartlet shells until they're pale golden brown. This should take 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and let the shells cool completely.
7 Remove the liners and fill the tartlet shells.
Lift the muffin liner and weights out of each shell. Don't worry if the muffin liners create ridges in the tarts. You shouldn't be able to see these lines once you've filled the tartlets. Fill each tartlet with your dessert filling. For example, fill the shells with:
Whipped cream and melted chocolate
Pudding
Ganache
Fruit or nuts
Thursday, September 13, 2018
How to Make a Pie Crust Mix - Pie Crust Mix Recipe
How to Make a Pie Crust Mix
Ingredients
2 1/3 cups (480g) shortening
7 cups (875g) flour
1 tablespoon salt
How to make it
Steps
1 Sift flour with salt.
2 Cut in shortening using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal.
3 Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Makes about 11 cups.
4 Single 8-inch pie crust:
1 cup Pastry Mix and 2 tablespoons cold water. Sprinkle the cold water over the flour mixture, blending to form a stiff dough. Shape into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured board. Knead twice to blend well. Let stand 20 minutes. Roll out to fit pie pan.
5 Two 8-inch crust pie:
Use 2 cups Pastry Mix and 3 to 5 tablespoons water. Follow above directions.
How to Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust - Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make a Graham Cracker Pie Crust
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (126g) crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/3 cup (75g) butter, melted
How to make it
Steps
1 Get a small bowl and mix the sugar and crackers together.
2 Pour in the butter and use a hand mixer to blend the ingredients together.
If there's no hand blender available, you can whip the mixture by hand.
3 Pour the mixture into a ungreased, 9 inch (22.9 cm) pie pan or plate and mold it all around the sides and bottom.
4 Prepare the crust in two ways:
Hard: Place pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes at a temperature of 375ºF/190ºC. Bake until the crust is lightly browned and then place it on a cooling rack before using it.
Soft: Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it.
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie - Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
How to Make Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into cubes
Ice water
For the Filling
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken meat (either white meat, dark meat, or a mixture)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup green peas
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Crust
1 Combine the flour and salt.
Place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and use a whisk to thoroughly combine them.
2 Cut in the butter and shortening.
Place the chilled butter cubes and shortening in the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to work the butter and shortening into the flour until the dough resembles small lentils or peas.
If you have a food processor, you can make this step easier by placing the flour, salt, butter and shortening in the food processor and giving it a few pulses until the dough comes together as described above.
Don't overwork the dough, or the crust will come out too tough. Leaving larger pieces of butter will result in a flaky crust.
3 Add some ice water.
Start with just a tablespoon of ice water. Use a wooden spoon to quickly work it into the dough. Pinch a bit of dough between your fingers. If it holds together, it's ready for the next stage. If it crumbles, add more ice water, mix it in, and test it again.
4 Form the dough into a disc.
Turn the dough onto a floured cutting board or countertop. Use your hands to form it into a flat disc. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator while you prepare the chicken pot pie filling.
Method 2 Preparing the Filling
1 Sauté the vegetables.
Place a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery brighten, about 10 minutes.
2 Add the flour.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Stir it in with a spoon as the vegetables keep sauteing, making sure that the flour coats them completely.
3 Add the milk and stock.
Pour the milk and chicken stock into the pan. Stir the mixture and let it simmer until it begins to thicken, which should happen after about 10 minutes.
If the mixture boils, turn it down, so that the liquid doesn't cook off too quickly.
Add a little more milk or stock if the mixture looks too thick.
4 Add the remaining ingredients.
Stir in the chicken, peas, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Stir the filling and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the filling from heat, cover it, and set it aside.
Method 3 Assembling the Pot Pies
1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2 Roll out the pie crust.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Set the dough on a floured work surface. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) circle.
If you want to make one large pie, roll the dough into a shape that matches the dish you're going to use. This could be a round pie or cake pan or a casserole dish.
If you plan to make individual pies, cut the rolled-out dough into smaller shapes large enough to cover the baking dishes you plan on using.
3 Pour the filling into a dish.
If you want to make one large pot pie, pour the entire amount of filling into a deep pie dish or cake pan or an 8-inch casserole dish. To make individual pot pies, distribute it evenly among 4 ramekins.
4 Place the crust over the filling.
Drape the crust over the top of the baking dish, or dishes. Use your fingers to crimp it around the edges so that it stays secured in place. Use a knife to make a few cross hatches in the top of the crust. If you wish, use a fork to make decorative notches around the edge of the pie. If you're making more than one pie, repeat until each pie has a crust.
5 Bake the pie.
Place the pie (or pies) on a baking sheet, so that the filling won't spill over onto your oven floor as it cooks. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and slightly puffed.
6 Finished.
How to Make Thin Crust Pizza - Thin Crust Pizza Recipe
How to Make Thin Crust Pizza
Ingredients
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cup warm water
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato paste or tomato sauce
Grated mozzarella cheese
Desired toppings (i.e mushrooms, bell pepper, bacon, pepperoni)
How to make it
Steps
1 Dissolve the yeast and sugar.
Dissolve yeast and sugar in one and one-half cups warm water. Stir and set to the side.
2 Mix the flour, salt, and olive oil.
Combine all-purpose flour, salt, and olive oil in a large bowl. Mix with your hands or use a spoon.
3 Have the dough form.
Pour yeast mixture into the bowl and stir until a dough forms.
4 Knead the dough.
Spread flour over a working surface and knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes until it is thin and elastic.
5 Clean the large bowl for another use.
6 Let the dough rise.
Roll dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl, then cover it with cling film. Let dough rise for 30 minutes; by then it should have roughly doubled in size.
7 Form the dough into a circle.
Flatten the dough into a large circle with a rolling pin until you can roughly see through it.
8 Spread the paste or sauce on the pizza.
Transfer the flattened dough onto an oiled baking tray or sheet. Use a pastry brush or spoon to brush tomato paste or sauce evenly across the surface.
9 Sprinkle grated cheese evenly on the pizza.
10 Add the toppings.
Add your desired toppings, making sure each slice will have at least one of each topping.
11 Bake.
Place the pizza in an oven and bake at 425 F for 10-15 minutes, or until evenly browned.
12 Finished.
How to Make Pie Crust - Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make Pie Crust
Ingredients
2 2/3 cups unbleached flour. Avoid bread flour, which results in a more glutenous dough.
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1 cup of cold butter or shortening. Use room-temperature shortening for easy workability (especially if you're a beginner) or use butter for a more flaky, golden crust.
About 7 tablespoons (about a quarter cup) ice-cold water. Remember to keep the water icy and cold — the temperature is more important than the exact amount.
1 tablespoon of white vinegar, sugar, vodka, or lemon juice. The addition of a "secret ingredient" like vinegar keeps gluten strands from forming in the pie crust, making it soft and flaky.
How to make it
Part 1 Mixing the Dough
1 Mix flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Stir the sifted flour and salt together thoroughly, preferably in a sizable heat-resistant mixing bowl. Because maintaining a cool temperature is essential to keeping the gluten strands from forming a strong bond, using chilled flour and a chilled bowl is recommended.
While you're preparing the dough, it's a good idea to chill your butter thoroughly before you attempt to work it in, if you're using butter. Anytime the mixture gets overworked, you can stop, put the mixing bowl into the fridge, and let it chill back down to a workable temperature.
2 Cut the butter or shortening into the flour.
There are many different methods of cutting the fat into the flour, but all are equally effective with the right amount of elbow grease. The most important thing is to keep the butter cool, if you use it, so keep it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes or so, cutting it into large chunks before integrating it more thoroughly. You want to mix in the fat until you have small and uniform pea-sized chunks.
Use a food processor. The easiest way to cut the butter is to use a food processor, pulsing the flour mixture for a minute or two, until the butter is chopped up to the appropriate size.
Use a pastry cutter for butter or shortening. A pastry cutter is a great way of chopping up the butter in a good uniform mixture, quickly and without much effort. Roll the pastry cutter through the flour mixture, clearing out the butter from behind the tines after you make each pass around the bowl, if necessary. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
Use a fork or two knives. If you don't have a pastry cutter or a food processor, don't fret. It's possible, but takes slightly more hand strength and effort, to cut up the butter with the flat side of a table fork, using two knives to slice the butter in opposite directions, or even just using the end of a metal spatula.
Just use your fingers with shortening. Shortening won't be greatly affected by the heat from your hands or from the room temperature, making it easy to get your hands in and crumble up the shortening into the flour using your fingers. You can also do this with butter. Letting it get warm makes the mixture too glutenous and it won't be flakey.
3 Mix in ice-cold water into the flour mixture.
Use a wooden spoon and gently stir the flour as you pour a small amount of ice water into the bowl. Pour a tablespoon or two at a time, integrating it gently by agitating the flour. The mixture should just barely come together and form a loose ball, and shouldn't be at all damp or wet looking.
Be very gentle. The key to a flaky crust is to make sure you don't overwork the dough. Pie crust is not bread dough, and if you overwork the dough, the crust will become quite tough and difficult to handle. Be a minimalist when it comes to mixing the water into the flour. Less touching means more tender dough.
4 Chill the flour any time the mixture becomes overworked.
If you're struggling to get the flour to come together, or if everything has become too warm, don't be afraid to pop the bowl into the freezer for a couple of minutes to chill it back down to a more workable temperature. Cold dough is easier to work with.
5 Use your hands to form dough into ball.
Very gently, pull the flour into a ball, touching it as little as possible, and then split ball in two equal portions. The recipe should make two portions, which you could use for one bottom crust and one top crust, or bottom crusts for two different pies. Cut the dough ball in half with a kitchen knife and separate the halves gently.
It's usually a good idea to chill the dough in the refrigerator until you're ready to roll it out and bake with it. If you've already got the oven pre-heated and you're anxious to get started, putting it in the freezer can be a good way to get the temperature down quickly.
If you want to save the dough for a longer period of time, freeze it in a self-sealing freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight and roll it out normally.
Part 2 Rolling Out the Crust
1 Prepare your rolling surface.
There are several different techniques to rolling out the pie crust, so it's good to experiment some to find out what works best for you and the materials at hand. Some bakers prefer to prep a clean and smooth work surface, while others will use wax paper or plastic bags to create a non-stick barrier for rolling out the dough and help in moving the crust onto the pie plate safely.
Wax paper makes an excellent surface on which to roll out pie crust. Tape down a piece slightly larger than the diameter of the pie plate you hope to fill with the crust, and flour the surface gently. Many bakers will use wax paper in combination with pastry cloth or a second sheet of wax paper to fold the crust into a triangle for easy transport and use.
A wooden or stone pastry board requires very little or no flour to roll out pie crust. This can be an excellent investment if you plan on making lots of pie crusts.
It's also common to place pie dough in gallon Ziplock bags and unroll them without removing them from the bag. It can be somewhat challenging to keep pie crust from sticking to the rolling pin, making it a useful easy-clean barrier that will keep the pin from sticking. Just make sure you chill the dough thoroughly and flour the dough before attempting to roll it out.
2 Clean your rolling surface thoroughly.
Start by washing your flouring surface, scraping any old pastry bits off to get the cleanest, smoothest surface possible. If you rinse it with water, let it dry completely before adding flour, or you'll get goopy dough on the board that you don't' want. Pie crust can be very delicate and tender, making it important that you use a very smooth, clean, surface.
3 Flour the surface of whatever rolling surface you use liberally with flour.
Whether you want to use a pastry board or your kitchen counter, sprinkle a layer of flour onto it evenly and place the dough on or in it. Rolling out the crust is the most difficult part, so give yourself a good layer of flour to avoid ripping it.
The amount of flour used to "dust the board" will vary depending on the fat content of the crust you're making, the amount, and the humidity in your area. It's always easier to add more, but it'll be impossible to take flour away if you end up drying it out. Sprinkle no more than a tablespoon or two of flour on the board when you start out, and no more than a tablespoon on top of the dough on top.
4 Roll out the first ball of dough.
Sprinkle a fair amount of flour on a rolling pin, to make sure the dough won't stick, and start rolling out the dough. Start from the center, rotating your rolling pin around to smooth the dough evenly in different directions, using smooth even strokes and removing the rolling pin from the dough as soon as you've completed a stroke.
Flip the dough over and flour the rolling surface again. Turn over the dough every two or three passes with the rolling pin, to avoid sticking it to the rolling surface.
It shouldn't take more than 5 or 10 passes to get the dough rolled out. The ideal pie crust is about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick, and even.
Don't worry if your crust doesn't roll out into a perfect circle. Remember, you want to avoid over-working the dough, so it's better to have a flaky crust that's a little oblong than a perfectly-shaped crust that's too tough. There's nothing wrong with a slightly misshapen pie crust, because you can trim off excess bits after you get it into the pan.
5 Carefully transport the crust to the pie plate using the wax paper or the rolling pin.
The moment that you're most likely to tear the crust is during the step from moving it from the rolling board to the pie plate. But with the right technique, you can help to keep your crust in one piece.
If you rolled the crust out on wax paper, sandwich the crust between that piece and other piece, then fold it over, and over again into a triangle. You can store this in the freezer for easy use, or you can use it right away, unfolding it into the pie plate.
If you rolled the crust out on the counter, you can either roll the crust up onto the rolling pin, unrolling it onto the pie plate, or you can use a pastry scraper and gently move the crust flat.
6 Gently unroll the dough and lightly press into plate.
Use your fingers to push the dough into the bottom corners of the pie plate, and flat against the sides of the pie tin. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the crust and use the excess dough to patch any rips or tears in the crust.
You don't need to grease or flour the pie plate before you add the crust. It should release from the tin as it cooks. A tiny dusting of cornmeal in the bottom of the tin can help to unstick the crust, if necessary.
7 Fill the bottom crust with your desired pie filling.
Depending on what kind of pie you want to make, you might need to cook the filling, or simply empty the pre-made filling into your crust. Follow the directions for the particular variety of pie you want to make and prepare the filling accordingly.
Blueberry, blackberry, or other berry filling can either be made from canned pie filling, or from fresh fruit. If you start from fresh fruit, add white sugar, to taste, and a tablespoon of cornstarch for each cup of fruit to thicken the juice.
To make stone-fruit filling, like Cherry or peach, remove the pits by cutting the fruit in half or using a pitting machine. Remove the skins if desired, or leave them on.
Cook down apple, rhubarb, and other crunchy or sour fruits, like gooseberries, to release the juices and soften the fruit. Add a small amount of cinnamon and brown sugar to the filling as it cooks to add fragrance and taste.
Make pumpkin or sweet potato filling by mixing pureed pumpkin or sweet potato with sweetened condensed milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and other baking spices.
To make Chocolate, coconut, lemon, or banana cream filling, you'll need to pre-bake your empty pie crust before adding the cooked custard and cooling it in the fridge to set.
Mincemeat, chicken, or other savory fillings by sautéing the ingredients completely in the skillet before adding them to the crust and baking them. All meats and vegetables should be cooked completely before being added.
8 Roll out the second ball of dough following the steps above.
Flour your rolling surface, roll the second ball of dough out with the rolling pin, and place it atop the filling.
Using a pastry brush (or just brushing it on with your finger), moisten the perimeter of the bottom crust with water or a single beaten egg so that it will stick to the top crust. Using a fork, crimp the top and bottom crusts together so it stays secure. Trim off excess dough with a sharp knife.
You can cut slits in the top to vent the steam, or cut a more intricate design to your liking. You can use excess dough to create little shapes or designs on the top of the pie to decorate it.
Alternatively, you can cut the top crust into several strips of dough, to create the lattice crust.
Part 3 Troubleshooting Common Problems
1 If your crust is tough, it was handled too much.
Pie crust dough shouldn't be kneaded or handled like bread dough. Kneading and rising is done at room temperature to create gluten strands, which give bread its chewiness. It's desirable in bread, but undesirable in crust. If you want it flaky and tender, handle it as little as possible.
It's also possible that too much water was added to the crust. It takes some practice to get the water right: you want to add very cold water until the dough just starts to come together. You'll likely have to press the crumbs together to make it work, because there won't be enough water to make it come together just by stirring.
2 If the bottom crust gets soggy, bake it at a higher temperature.
Baking at too low a temperature can make the filling bubble before the pie crust browns, making it seep into the bottom layer. The bottom crust won't firm up properly when this happens, and it can get soggy for that reason.
It's also possible that a soggy pie is the result of too little cornstarch being added to raw fruit. Blueberries, in particular, require lots of cornstarch to set up, and will release a lot of liquid when you start baking them. It'll take some practice to get the cornstarch ratio correct. You'll also need to let the pie rest a while before cutting into it.
3 If the crust is too crumbly, the ingredient ratios were off.
You might have used too little water or too much shortening, but a crumbly crust that isn't flaky like you want it to be, one that has a dusty taste, needs to be tweaked slightly. Try to make the crust again, but substituting the same amount of butter, and see if that affects the consistency. If it comes out the same, you'll know it's the water. If it's different, try to add slightly less shortening next time.
4 If the crust is dry but not flaky, the shortening was cut too much.
Leaving small but noticeable chunks of butter in the crust is a good way of creating flakes. As the butter melts, it spreads out, creating that desirable texture in pie crust. If it's too ground up into the flour, you won't get the same texture.
Part 4 Using Alternative Ingredients
1 Substitute whole wheat flour for white.
It's possible to make whole grain crusts by substituting an equal amount of whole wheat pastry flour, as fine a grain as possible. To help the texture, it's also a good idea to add a quarter to a half cup of raw oats, flaxseed meal, or other whole grain flour to help get the mix to come together.
Whole wheat flour tends to be much more brittle and difficult to handle than that made with white flour. Be very careful not to over-mix it.
2 Make a cookie crust.
Making a cookie crust with finely crumbled ginger snap, Oreo, graham cracker, or some other cookie of your choice. Start with 12-15 cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a plate or tenderizing mallet, until they're fine enough to resemble a coarse flour. To that, mix in a quarter cup of melted butter, and press into the cookie plate. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, watching closely so it won't burn.
Cookie crusts pair excellently with custard or cream pies, like chocolate or coconut. It's less effective for fruit pies.
3 Use gluten free substitutes.
Use equal amounts of brown or white rice flour and sweet rice flour, instead of wheat flour. The rest of the recipe works as normal, as long as you use vegetable shortening, which is vegan. It's also common to use a little xanthan gum, about a teaspoon, to bind the dough and replace the need for the gluten strands that form in wheat flour dough.
How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust - Rice Krispie Pie Crust Recipe
How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust
Ingredients
3 cups (84g) of Rice Krispies
1/3 cup (75g) butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (it can be coconut sugar, or any other that you might like)
How to make it
Steps
1 Put all of the ingredients into the bowl.
It helps to melt the butter, instead of soften it, to mix the sugar up thoroughly into your 'crust'.
2 Stir them together.
You don't want to go crazy and turn it into dust.
3 Press into the pie pan using the back of a spoon.
4 Chill until your pie filling is complete.
5 Add whatever your pie is going to be.
Something like pudding, or a no bake cheesecake, etc.How to Make a Rice Krispie Pie Crust
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
How to Make Fruit Cobbler - Fruit Cobbler Recipe
How to Make Fruit Cobbler
Ingredients
Fruit
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 1/2 cups blueberries -- canned or other favorite fruit or berry
cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter -- dot over fruit, approximate, use as much as you like
Cobbler
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter -- cold
1/2 cup milk
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat conventional oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
2 Spray a microwave-safe-ovenproof 1 1/2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Use a baking dish that is long and shallow versus a deep round dish. An oval baking dish is perfect.
3 Combine fruit with juice, cornstarch and flavoring in microwave-safe-oven proof baking dish.
Mix well. Heat mixture at 100% power (high) in the microwave oven, stirring several times during heating, until mixture is bubbly. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
4 Remove dish from microwave oven.
Keep warm.
5 Dot with butter.
6 Combine dry ingredients for the cobbler mixture.
7 Cut in butter.
8 Add milk and stir until a soft dough forms.
9 Spoon 8 dumplings onto hot fruit mixture.
10 Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.
11 Serves 6 to 8.
How to Make a Pie Crust in a Food Processor - Pie Crust in a Food Processor Recipe
How to Make a Pie Crust in a Food Processor
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or an additional 1/2 cup of white flour
1 tsp. salt (approximately)
1 tbs sugar (approximately)
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup shortening
8-12 tbs iced water
How to make it
Steps
1 Place all dry ingredients in the food processor, with the multi-purpose blade (the standard metal cutting one) and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds for each pulse.
2 Add the butter, that has been cut into little chunks, and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse.
Lift the mixture completely by stirring it in an upwards motion, bringing the ingredients on the bottom to the top.
3 Add shortening in little chunks; pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse.
Lift the mixture again.
4 Add three or four tbs.
of iced water (no chunks of ice should be added) and pulse three to five times for 1 1/2 seconds per pulse. Lift mixture.
5 Add three or four more tbs.
of water. Pulse and lift, as directed above. Add just enough water so that the mixture forms a dough and lifts away from the food processor walls.
6 Squeeze some of the mixture in your hand.
It should be slightly sticky but still soft and fluffy.
7 Transfer the mixture into a bowl and shape into two approximately even balls.
8 Set down a large sheet of waxed paper or a pastry cloth with some flour on it.
Use your hand to press one of the balls into a disc. Then roll it out, being careful not to rip it, until it's a bit bigger then the pie pan that is being used to bake the crust in.
9 Place your pie pan on the rolled out dough upside down and.
Using the wax paper to lift the dough, flip the it over. Tuck your pie dough down into the pan without stretching or ripping it.
10 Use the other dough for the top crust or for a second pie, depending on your recipe.
11 Form the outer crust by pinching with fingers or pressing a fork along the rim.
If the pie has a top crust, form both edges together.
12 Trim off any excess with a knife and roll it into the next crust.
If you have small scraps left over, you can bake them separately with a little cinnamon and sugar, and just enough butter to make it stick.
13 Finished.
How to Use a Fork and Knife - Use a Fork and Knife Instruction
How to Use a Fork and Knife
Part 1 European (Continental) Style
1 Know that the fork is on the left side of the plate and the knife is on the right.
If you have more than one fork, the outer one is your salad fork and the inner one is for your main dish. The fork for your main dish will be larger than your salad fork.
We'll cover table settings in the last section. For right now, let's concentrate on how to hold your utensils and get to eating! The "right" way, of course.
2 To cut into items on your plate, pick up and hold your knife in your right hand.
The index finger is mostly straight and rests near the base of the top, blunt side of the blade. The other four fingers wrap around the handle. While your index finger is resting on the top, your thumb juxtaposes it on the side. The end of the knife handle should be touching the base of your palm.
This is the same in both styles. And both styles cater to right-handers. If you're left-handed, consider reversing pretty much anything you read on this topic.
3 Hold your fork in your left hand.
The tines (prongs) face away (downward) from you. The index finger is straight, and rests on the back-side near the head of the fork, but not so close you are in danger of touching the food. The other four fingers wrap around the handle.
This is often referred to as the "hidden handle" method. This is because your hand is pretty much covering the entirety of the handle, secluding it from view.
4 Bend the wrists, so that your index fingers are pointing down towards your plate.
This makes the tip of the knife and fork also point towards the plate somewhat. Your elbows should be relaxed and not at all up in the air or uncomfortable.
While we're at it, typically your elbows should be off the table at all times. But if you're taking a break from using your cutlery and in an informal setting, don't stress about it.
5 Hold the food down with the fork by applying pressure through the index finger.
If you're cutting, place the knife close to the base of the fork and cut with a sawing motion. Foods like pasta will only require a swift, easy cut, while chewy meats will take a bit of work. Generally, only cut one or two bites at a time.
Hold the fork so the tines (prongs) are curving toward you, with the knife further away from you than the fork. At an angle is fine, too -- just make sure you can see your knife clearly to know where you're cutting. You should be able to look over your fork to your knife.
6 Bring smallish bits of food to your mouth with the fork.
In this style of eating, bring the fork to your mouth with the tines curving downward. The back of the fork will be up as you bring it to your mouth.
Keep the fork in your left hand, even if you're right-handed. You may find that this method is the more efficient of the two if you experiment with both.
Part 2 American Style
1 When cutting, hold the fork in your left hand.
Unlike the Continental method, the American style of using a fork adopts more of a pen-like hold. The handle rests against your hand in between your thumb and forefinger, your middle finger and thumb are holding the base, and your index finger rests on top. Again, the tines are downward, curving away from you.
2 Only when cutting, place the knife in your right hand.
This hand positioning is the same as in the aforementioned style -- with your index finger along the base and your other fingers wrapped around it.
3 Make a cut.
Hold the food down with your fork (tines down), cutting through with the knife in a gentle sawing motion. Your fork should be closer to you than your knife. Only cut one or two bites before continuing.
4 Now switch hands.
Here comes the main difference between the two styles: after cutting a bite, put your knife down on the edge of your plate (blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock) and transfer your fork from your left hand to your right. Turn it so the tines are curving upward and take a bite! Tada.
This is the method that was prevalent when America first became America. Europe used to use it, but has since moved on, favoring a more efficient approach. The jump hasn't quite made it across the pond, though there are pockets of difference everywhere.
5 Apart from cutting, eat with your fork in your right hand, tines facing upward.
If you are eating a dish that doesn't require cutting, keep your fork in your right hand at all times with this method. Tines can face downward if you're taking a bite, but will generally return upward for the majority of the time. However, do know that only in the absolute most formal of settings will this ever be an issue. We're talking when the President is sitting across from you. Other than that, don't stress.
Your silverware should never touch the table. If you're only using your fork, be sure your knife is resting along the edge of your plate. When you put your fork down, rest the handle on the edge, tines near the center of the plate.
Part 3 Dining Extras
1 Understand the table set-up.
For 95% of meals, you'll probably just be dealing with a knife, fork and spoon. But for those fancy occasions, you may see a few more pieces and wonder what the heck you should be doing. Here's a rough outline:
A four-piece setting is a knife, a salad fork, a place fork (main dish), a place knife, and a teaspoon for coffee. The salad fork will be on the outside and smaller than your place fork.
A five-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon.
A six-piece setting is a first-course fork and knife (on the outside), main course fork and knife, and a dessert/salad fork and coffee teaspoon. Those last two will be the small ones.
A seven-piece setting is all that and a soup spoon. The soup spoon will be much larger than your coffee teaspoon and isn't a knife or a fork.
If you ever see a small fork on your right (forks generally never go on the right), it's an oyster fork.
Utensils are generally placed in the order of their use. When in doubt, start from the outside and work your way in.
2 When you're just pausing between bites, place your silverware in a resting position.
There are two different ways to signify to your waiter that you aren't finished:
European style: Cross your knife and fork on your plate, fork over knife, tines facing down. The two should form an upside-down "V."
American style: The knife goes near the top of your plate, blade at 12 o'clock, handle at 3 o'clock. The fork is placed tines upward, just at a slight angle from your body.
3 When you're finished eating, place your silverware in a completed position.
This lets your waiter know your plate can be cleared (if he's in the know, that is). Again, the two schools of thought are:
European style: Knife and fork parallel to each other, handles at 5 o'clock, blade and tines in the center of your plate (tines downward).
American style: The same as European style, only the tines of the fork are facing upward.
4 Get crafty with rice and other small items.
You will need to pick them up by the fork in a slight scooping manner, rather than stabbing at them fruitlessly. The American style generally prefers to rely solely on the fork (again, less efficient), while the European style sometimes employs the help of the knife blade or a piece of bread for scooping.
5 To eat pasta, twirl it with your fork.
If you have a spoon, ensnare a few noodles with your fork and twirl them, resting on the base of your spoon. If the noodles are too long and are proving cumbersome, you can cut them with your knife if need be. But before you take any drastic measures, just try taking only a few noodles at a time. And make sure you have a napkin at the ready!
If you're not good with pasta, you are in good company. It's messy for even the most seasoned of pasta-eaters at times. It's less about the knife and fork and more about not slurping.
How to Make Beads from Flour and Water - Beads from Flour and Water Recipe
How to Make Beads from Flour and Water
Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups cold water
Food coloring (optional)
Steps
1 Mix the flour and salt.
2 Add water and mix well.
3 Knead the "dough" that you've created for 10 - 15 minutes.
If it feels flexible when you bend it and does not fall to pieces, it is ready for shaping.
4 Shape the beads.
Take small pieces and work them into ovals, circles, squares, or whatever shape takes your fancy.
5 Make a hole in the bead.
If you are using your beads to turn into a necklace or bracelet, make a hole in the center with a skewer or other thin long object. If you are using the beads for other projects, you may not want to have holes in them.
6 Bake the beads in an oven at 250ºF/120ºC for 2 - 3 hours.
Check regularly to see how the beads are. They are done when there is no moisture left and they feel hard to the touch.
7 Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack.
8 Paint your beads.
Decide which colors you'd like to make your beads and paint them. Include spots, stripes, shapes and other designs on them. Even little people or animal figures can be effective if you have detailed painting skills.
9 Allow paint to dry thoroughly.
10 Completely finished beads can be lacquered for a beautifully shiny finish.
How to Make Salt Dough - Salt Dough Recipe
How to Make Salt Dough
Ingredients
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (201 g) salt
3/4 cup (180 mL) water
2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
Food coloring (optional - see "Tips" for suggestions)
How to make it
Method 1 Making the Dough
1 Pour 2 cups (256 g) of flour into a large bowl.
Add 1 cup (201 g) of salt, 3/4 cup (180 mL) of water, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil bowl. Stir thoroughly until all of the clumps have been removed from the mixture. It should gain a doughy consistency.
2 Pour the dough onto a flat surface, such as a cutting board.
Knead the mixture with the heels of your hands. Press, fold, and rotate the dough with your hands until it is smooth and thick.
3 Add food coloring or glitter (optional).
Make several batches in different colors. Color can be obtained easily using food coloring available in cake decorating supplies. Glitter adds a lot of pizzazz to the dough.
Edible colors include chocolate powder, coffee, spices, beetroot water, carrot juice etc.
4 Store your salt dough in an airtight container.
It will keep for several days so long as the container is properly sealed.
Method 2 Making Decorations with the Dough
1 Mold shapes with dough by hand or with cookie cutters.
Salt dough is a great way for kids to make easy holiday decorations. It is easiest as a beginner to start with flat objects before advancing to 3D figures with details. Layering details over the initial figure should only be attempted when you feel confident about making the initial shape.
Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough before you use cookie cutters.
To prevent your dough ball from drying out while you are working on a smaller piece, place a damp towel over the ball until you are ready to use it.
2 Dry the decorations.
There are several different ways that salt dough can be dried:
Air dry your decorations. Choose a warm, dry place to let the figures dry. Place figures on a grill to permit air circulation. This method will take about one week and is only suitable for small, flat and thin figures.
Air dry and use an oven. Allow for a little drying by air and then bake the figure in the oven for half an hour at 50ºC (122ºF). You can increase to 100ºC (212ºF) after the initial half hour if more time is needed.
Put your decorations directly into the oven. Set the oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for about 10 minutes. Dry directly on the oven rack to ensure even drying over the entire figure.
3 Check the decorations continuously if choose to dry them in the oven.
You do not want to brown or burn the figure.
4 Tap the cooked figure.
If it sounds hollow, and will not yield to your finger, it is ready. If not, dry it for a longer period of time. Dry it at a low temperature or air dry it to avoid browning it. Placing it in the oven more than once will increase the chance of your decoration cracking.
5 Decorate the figures.
They can be painted once dry.
Method 3 Other Ways to Use Dough
1 Create jewelry out of dough.
Your kids can make inexpensive necklaces and bracelets that will look cute and stylish.
2 Make figurines out of dough.
Shape the dough into the different components of something (such as a head, body, arms, and legs) then stick them together! In order to keep them attached, wet both parts that you would like to stick together.
3 Get crafty by making dough food.
You can give dough food figurines to your kids to play house with, or decorate your fridge by gluing magnets onto the back of the dough shapes.
How to Make Noodles from Wheat Flour - Noodles from Wheat Flour Recipev
How to Make Noodles from Wheat Flour
How to make it
Steps
1 On a large flat surface, gently drop 2 cups of flour to form a volcano (that is to say, a mountain of flour with a hole in the middle).
2 Sprinkle with salt to taste.
3 Drop your enough eggs to make 1/2 cup of eggs,or 1/2 cup of water in the middle and gently cover with some of the flour.
4 Start gently mixing and kneading.
5 Remember to add eggs or flour as needed.
What you are looking for is a somewhat firm dough that will not stick to your fingers.
6 Once this is achieved, wrap in plastic paper and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
7 Roll it out by hand or use a pasta machine.
8 Let dry.
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
How to Knead Dough - Knead Dough Instruction
How to Knead Dough
Part 1 Getting the Dough Ready to Knead
1 Prepare a flat surface for kneading.
It's easiest to knead dough on a flat surface that comes up to the level of your waist. Prepare a countertop, table, or another stable surface for kneading by cleaning it with warm, soapy water, then wiping it completely dry with a towel. Sprinkle flour over the dry surface so the dough won't stick when it's time to knead.
Some recipes call for kneading the dough inside a bowl. In these cases the dough is usually only supposed to be kneaded for a minute or two. For recipes requiring a kneading period of more than three minutes, plan to use a flat surface instead.
If you don't want to knead the dough directly on top of your table or countertop, you can line your work surface with parchment paper sprinkled with flour. Special nonstick surfaces designed to aid in kneading dough are available for purchase at baking stores.
2 Combine the ingredients for your dough.
Use the ingredient amount listed in the recipe you are using. Basic dough ingredients are usually flour, yeast, salt, and water. Mix the ingredients well with a wooden spoon in preparation for kneading.
If loose flour is still sticking to the sides of your mixing bowl, the dough is not yet ready to knead. Keep stirring it with a spoon until all the ingredients are combined.
If you're having trouble moving the wooden spoon through the dough, it's ready to be kneaded.
3 Turn the dough onto your work surface.
Dump it from the bowl directly onto the flat surface you prepared. It should form a loose, sticky ball. The dough is now ready to be kneaded.
Part 2 Kneading the Dough
1 Wash your hands before kneading.
Kneading requires working the dough between your bare hands, so wash them and dry them well before you begin. Remove your rings and other jewelry that might get caught in the dough, and roll up your sleeves so they don't get sticky.
Since you're working with a floured surface, you may want to protect your clothes with an apron.
2 Gather the dough into a pile.
When you first plunge your hands into the dough, it will be sticky and difficult to gather. Go ahead and work the dough with your hands, forming it into a ball, pressing it down and reshaping it. Continue doing so until the dough is no longer as sticky, and it becomes possible to shape it into a ball without the dough falling apart.
If the dough doesn't seem to be losing its stickiness, sprinkle more flour over the top and work it into the dough.
You can lightly dust your hands with flour to keep the dough from sticking too much.Punch the dough. Press the heels of your hands into the dough, pushing forward slightly. This is called "punching" the dough and helps the gluten start working. Continue doing this until the dough is slightly springy.
3 Punch the dough.
Press the heels of your hands into the dough, pushing forward slightly. This is called "punching" the dough and helps the gluten start working. Continue doing this until the dough is slightly springy.
4 Continue to work the dough.
To knead the dough, fold the dough in half and rock forward on the heels of your hands to press it flat. Turn the dough slightly, fold it in half, and rock into it again with the heels of your hands. Repeat for 10 minutes, or as long as the recipe tells you the dough should be kneaded.
The kneading process should be rhythmic and steady. Don't work too slowly; handle each part of the dough quickly, never letting it rest for too long between turns.
10 minutes is a long time to repeat a physical task. If you get tired, have someone else step in and continue the kneading process.
Part 3 Knowing When to Stop Kneading
1 Look for a tacky texture.
The dough starts out sticky and lumpy, but after 10 minutes of kneading it should be shiny and smooth. It should be tacky to the touch with an elastic feel. If any lumps or sticky parts remain, continue kneading the dough.
2 Test if the dough holds its shape.
Shape the dough into a ball and let it drop to your work surface. Did the ball shape stay intact? If the dough is ready, it should hold its shape.
3 Pinch the dough to check its firmness.
Dough becomes firmer as you knead it, just as winding a spring makes more winding more difficult. Pinch a bit of dough between your fingers. If it's ready, it will feel like an earlobe. When the dough is poked, it should spring back into shape.
4 Complete your recipe.
Most recipes instruct you to let the dough rise in a warm place for a few hours after the first kneading is finished. Once it has doubled in size, you may need to punch the dough down and knead it for a few more minutes, then let it rise again before baking.
If you kneaded the dough until it was firm, springy and shiny, your bread should have a crunchy crust with a soft, chewy interior.
If the dough was not thoroughly kneaded, the bread will turn out tough, dense and a little flat.
How to Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch - Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch Recipe
How to Bake an Apple Pie from Scratch
Ingredients
Crust
½ liter or 2 cups of plain flour
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ of a stick (90 grams) of tenderflake pastry lard or butter
5 tablespoons of cold water
1 egg (for brushing, helps the surface get golden)
Milk (for brushing the crust)
Filling
80 mL or 1/3 cup of white sugar
80 mL or 1/3 cup of brown sugar
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons of flour
6-8 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith is good for baking)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
How to make it
Steps
1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2 Make sure you have a clean, spacious counter top available for kneading and rolling out the dough.
3 Place the flour, salt, and butter in a large bowl.
With a pastry blender or fork, crush the butter until it forms tiny balls with the flour. Then slowly add the water.
4 Knead with floured hands until a large dough ball forms.
Split the ball in half and wrap one of the piece in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator.
An alternative is to wrap both of the dough balls and refrigerate them for 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
5 On a floured counter-top, begin to roll the dough out into a circle shape about 2 inches (5.1 cm) larger in diameter than the pie pan.
Some people prefer to place a layer of plastic wrap on top of the dough as it's being rolled so that it wouldn't stick to the rolling pin. [citation needed]
6 Slowly lift the flattened dough off the counter-top by wrapping it completely around the rolling pin.
7 Unroll the dough over the pan, being careful not to let it tear.
Fit it into the pan, pressing it against all the sides.
8 Cut off the overhanging edges.
Leave about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) of extra dough over the pie pan.
9 Place the pie shell in the refrigerator.
10 Make the filling.
Peel and slice the apples into pieces about 1/8 of an inch thick or chop them into 1/2" cubes. Put them into a large bowl and mix with sugars (white and brown), salt, lemon juice, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Drain apples for 20 minutes and then heat the liquid produced along with 3 cubes of butter in the microwave until it's reduced to third of its volume and becomes thicker (prevents a soggy crust).
11 Roll out the remaining ball of dough on a floured surface, just like you did before.
Sliced top. Gently fold it in half and make 4 to 5 half inch long slices along the fold and 4 slices in the center of the folded piece. These will allow the filling to breath and not break through the sides. Unfold the top crust set it aside.
Lattice top. Cut the rolled out dough into as many 1" wide strips as it will yield.
12 Remove the pie shell and filling from the refrigerator.
13 Pour the filling into the pie shell, spreading it out with the back of a spoon.
There should be enough filling to fill the entire pan and stack up above the edge at least an inch in the center.
14 Brush the edges of the pie shell with a beaten egg.
15 Lay the top crust over the pie.
Sliced top. Lay the sliced top crust over filling. Cut off the excess edges with a butter knife. Take both thumbs facing each other and place them over the edge. Push thumbs down and towards each other. Do this around the entire pie to seal it.
Lattice top.
Place the pastry strips across the top of the apples in a criss-cross pattern, then weave them together to create a lattice effect.
Cut off the overhanging excess pastry and press the edges down into the rim as previously described.
16 Sprinkle milk over the top or brush the lattice with the egg wash.
This will help to brown the crust. Dust cinnamon and sugar over the top crust for an extra touch.
17 Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15 minutes.
Turn down the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) for 45 minutes.
Remove when top crust is golden brown.
18 Allow the pie to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
19 Finished
How to Make Kimchi Jjigae - Kimchi Jjigae Recipe
How to Make Kimchi Jjigae
Ingredients
3 green onions chopped into ¼ inch pieces (split into two portions)
1/2 clove of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
1 cup of kimchi
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 3oz can of cooked tuna fish
1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper (purchased at Korean or Asian market)
28-30 ounces of chicken broth
1/2 block of tofu, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
Sesame oil (optional)
How to make it
Steps
1 Place clay pot over medium flame and allow to properly heat for a few minutes before adding ingredients.
2 Once the clay pot is heated, add two table spoons of vegetable oil.
3 Add one teaspoon of sesame seeds, spread evenly within the clay pot, and allow them to toast into a golden brown color.
4 Add one cup of kimchi.
Depending on whether kimchi is homemade or store bought, you may need to cut up kimchi into smaller pieces
5 Place cover on pot and allow kimchi to reduce to about a half a cup, approximately 4 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
6 Add ½ a teaspoon of sugar and gently mix into the kimchi.
7 Open one can of tuna fish and add the entire contents into the pot.
Gently mix in with the sugared kimchi and sesame seeds.
8 Add minced garlic, crushed red pepper, and one portion of the chopped green onions in the pot stirring gently until all ingredients are properly mixed.
9 Generously add chicken broth into the pot.
Around 28 to 30 ounces should suffice.
10 Turn up heat to medium high, cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
11 Once stew is boiling, add a pinch of salt and remaining green onions.
12 Add chopped tofu to boiling pot and stir gently until all contents are properly mixed.
13 Let stew cook uncovered for about 10 minutes
14 Crack egg on top of boiling soup and then turn off the stove.
Depending on your preferences, you may choose to serve soup upon cracking the egg or allow it to fully cook
15 Sprinkle with sesame oil before serving and enjoy!
16 Finished.
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