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| Author |
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denise
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Quickie Questions
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Jan 14 21:14 UTC 2007 |
This item is for qyestions that don't neceearily need its own item. There have
been multiple times when I've wondered about different food related things
but am not experienced enough to know or haven't necessarily seen it in a
cookbook [though I'm sure there ARE cookbooks that may answer some of these
questions].
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| 26 responses total. |
denise
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response 1 of 26:
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Jan 14 21:17 UTC 2007 |
What's the diffence between the various types of flour? Ie, all-purpose flour,
cake flour, self-rising, etc? How much of a problem is there when substituting
one [like all-purpose] for one of the others? [This is generally for white
flour; I know there are other types, too, like wheat and a couple others].
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keesan
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response 2 of 26:
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Jan 14 23:22 UTC 2007 |
Self-rising has baking powder in it. Cake flour has less gluten than all
purpose. Bread flour has more gluten. Hard wheat has more gluten than soft
wheat and is used for bread flour. All-purpose is probably a blend. White
flour IS wheat flour which has been deprived of all its germ and fiber, and
usually bleached.
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cmcgee
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response 3 of 26:
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Jan 15 03:12 UTC 2007 |
Denise, generally you can substutute white and bread flour for each other.
If you use self-rising instead of white, eliminate any baking powder the
recipe calls for (like biscuits).
Don't substitute all whole wheat flour for all white flour. Half and half
you can probably get away with.
Cake flour is softer and finer than white. In making cakes and cookies, you
can substitute white for cake. Just don't expect the same soft, tender crumb
and texture.
I'll look up the exact substitutions tomorrow, but flours are somewhat
flexible.
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denise
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response 4 of 26:
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Jan 15 04:31 UTC 2007 |
Thanks, y'all! :-)
I know I've had other questions in the recent past but just can't think of
them at the moment. I'm sure I'll come up with more, soon.
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glenda
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response 5 of 26:
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Jan 15 04:40 UTC 2007 |
When substituting all-purpose flour for cake flour, remove 3 tablespoons per
cup of all-purpose to each cup cake. Self-rising is 1 cup flour, 1 1/2
teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; adjust accordingly.
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denise
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response 6 of 26:
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Jan 15 12:33 UTC 2007 |
Hmm, I'll have to write this all down and keep it with my recipes. Thanks
again... :-)
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cmcgee
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response 7 of 26:
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Jan 15 13:57 UTC 2007 |
Thanks Glenda, that's the information I was going to look for.
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denise
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response 8 of 26:
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Jan 15 18:04 UTC 2007 |
Ok, another question/topic: I just read a thread in one of the craislist
forums [but for some reason, I can't respond to], the topic being on mashing
potatoes. The question was, should someone get a potato masher? Personally,
I use my hand-held mixer [I don't have a kitchen aid]. There were several
responses with positive results with the masher. Someone also mentioned using
a ricer for this job, but hardly anyone else mentioned using a hand mixter
[except to say that overdoing it with a kitchen aid makes it too glue-like].
So what's your opinion on a potato masher? Is it just another gadget to
clutter up the kitchen with? And what does a ricer do?
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keesan
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response 9 of 26:
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Jan 15 18:38 UTC 2007 |
A ricer forces the potatoe through a bunch of small holes.
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cmcgee
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response 10 of 26:
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Jan 15 19:33 UTC 2007 |
I use a hand masher, but that's because I prefer non-electric utensils. Hand
mashing is not much harder for me than hand mixing batters. I do use my mixer
(actually, my does-practically-everthing-including-beating-egg-whites Little
Pro Plus) for creaming sugar and butter for cookies and cakes. And for angel
food cakes.
I keep a hand masher around because I make a lot of refried beans as well as
mashed potatoes.
A ricer pushes soft solids through tiny holes that are a little bigger than
the ones in a strainer.
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denise
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response 11 of 26:
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Jan 15 19:35 UTC 2007 |
Hmm, ok. I guess I've never thought about having rice smaller than it already
is before. What kinds of things would one use this kind of rice for?
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