William Penn Life, 2007 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2007-02-01 / 2. szám
■fhe jitmpfimKitchen, with Főszakács Béla Leavening Agents FARAD JON BE A MAGYAR KONYHÁBA. Usually, at this time of year in New Hampshire, we would be buried in snow. But, today I see green grass and a few clouds. The temperature is 46 degrees which means today I'll be golfing and not spending time in the kitchen. That's okay because Chef Vilmos likes to cook and once in a while wants the whole kitchen for himself. The more he cooks, the better it is for all of us because Vilmos always gets great results! On my last trip to Pittsburgh, I purchased a case of cookbooks to bring back and sell at school. Since we are on break until the end of the month, I have 20 new WPA cookbooks to sell. If you would like one, send a check or money order made payable to William Vasvary in the amount of $20. That includes shipping, handling and postage. My Cafii Con* *anp e,r If you're cooking an entrée or the recipe calls for any cheese in it, cook a little slower to avoid any curdling or stringiness. Any dried cheese left over in your refrigerator without mold can be grated then added to any recipes where cheese is the main ingredient. address is 190 Fern Ave., Rye, NH 03870. Last month we learned about yeast and how it works in our recipes. This month we will continue with other leavening agents we use in the kitchen. But first, here is the question of the month: What do William Wright, horses and baking powder all have in common? The answer, at the end of this article, even surprised me. Yeast is a naturally occurring leavening agent that requires moisture, a food source and the right temperature. Other natural leavening agents include egg whites stirred into a batter or dough and air that has been whipped into a product. Baking powder and baking soda are leavening agents that require moisture, a food source and also the right temperature. So what is the difference? The baking powder and soda act quicker and do not require a lot of time to "proof" or make the product rise. They are also chemical agents. The inventor of baking powder did so because his wife was allergic to eggs and yeast in the year 1843. Baking powder is baking soda mixed with a dry acid and doubledried cornstarch. The cornstarch absorbs moisture and keeps the baking soda and dry acid apart during storage and when combining with dry ingredients of a recipe. When mixed with a liquid, it releases carbon dioxide bubbles that cause a bread, cake or cookies to rise. This product is the most widely used in the kitchen by bakers and homemakers and professional chefs. There are other baking powders available, such as double acting, which works when wetted and then again when exposed to heat in the oven. Single acting tartrate reacts very quickly as soon as any liquid is added to the recipe. Phosphate baking powder is the slowest in reaction time and only works when heat is applied. Baking soda is an alkali used as a leavening agent in baked goods. The alkali combines with an acid ingredient in the recipe-like buttermilk, yogurt or molasses-to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles. You may even use milk, half & half, heavy cream or sour cream. (Okay, time out for a little back to basic chemistry: An acid, when combined with a base, yields salts and water. In this case the dairy product, when heated, sours, thus creating the acid which then combines with the baking soda giving us the two components to create the CHEFS TIP *31 When working with any dough that needs to rise or proof, use a heating pad set at medium for best results. Just place the dough in a pan and place right on the heating pad. If you want soft crusts on your baked breads, put a pan of water into the oven. The steam created makes enough moisture to keep the crust soft during baking. After baking your breads, cool on a wire rack so the airflow is around the whole product This will keep your breads from becoming soggy and crumbly. 8 William Penn Life, February 2007
