IN CONTINUATION TO THE GLOSSARY OF BAKING TERMS I AM SHARING FEW MORE TERMS TODAY........
SO HER I GO.....

• CREAMING: Its a method of mixing fat that is butter or margarine with sugar to soften to a pale,fluffy consistency,incorporating air into the batter to get perfect baked products. Creaming is best done with palm of hands or a wooden spoon.A whisk, wooden spoon, or electric mixer with paddle attachment can also be used.

                                      

                                                      

• DUSTING: it means to sprinkle a surface lightly witha  dry ingrdient,such as flour,icicng sugar or spices to give a thin coating.

HI FRIENDZ AS A BEGINNER I WAS ALWAYS CONFUSED ABOUT THE GLOSSARY OF BAKING TERMS. SO WITH TIME AND PRACTICE I HAVE UNDERSTOOD FEW OF THEM.

SO TODAY I PLAN TO SHARE GLOSSARY OF FEW BAKING TERMS WITH YOU ALL!

• BAKING BLIND: Baking a pastry lined tart tin without filling (pastry is the dough used to make tarts or pies).Place a round of baking paper on top of pastry and fill with any dry pulses like rajma,lobia,rice or ceramic baking beans ,then bake as the recipe instructs.   

        I USE RAJMA(RED KIDNEY BEANS) AS IT CAN BE STORED AND USED AGAIN

                                                     

• BEATING: A method of vigorously mixing with a spoon,fork,whisk or a hand blender with balloon attachment ,to combine ingredients evenly,to incorporate air into mixes.

ELECTRIC HAND BLENDERS WORK BEST FOR BEATING....I AM USING MORPHY RICHARDS....FROM LAST FEW YEARS....

                                           

                                                     

                                           ITS ONE OF MY FAVORITES!
BANANA CAKE/LOAF

• 110 gms Plain flour
• 4 gms Baking soda
• 1 Egg
• 110 gms Powdered sugar
• 110 gms Banana puree(mashed bananas..approx.2 Bananas)
• 35 gms Curd
• 40 ml Milk Maid
• 60 ml Oil

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius and place rack in the center of the oven.Lightly grease and line the loaf bar tin  with baking paper.

Take a bowl and with the help of a hand blender(balloon attachment) beat nicely egg and sugar till light and fluffy.Then mix in curd and milk maid.Beat for another 2 minutes.(on medium speed).Then add the pureed or mashed bananas.Beat for another two minutes.(rotten bananas tastes best) 

Sieve together flour,baking soda and add to the above mix.Beat for another two minutes. Now gradually add oil to the cake mix and beat for approximate 10 minutes with hand beater.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  

Top the prepared cake mix with chopped cashews.

BEFORE BAKING

AFTER BAKING

TIPS:

• USE ROTTEN BANANAS FOR BETTER TASTE.
• ALWAYS TRY EATING FRUIT CAKES ON NEXT DAY OF BAKING THEM. THEY TASTE BETTER.
• STORE IN AN AIR TIGHT CONTAINER.

  INSTANT THICK CHOCOLATE SAUCE

• 500 gms dark cooking chocolate*
• 500 ml cooking cream(preferably Amul)
• 300 ml milk optional(FOR POURING CONSISTENCY)

METHOD: 1

Heat the cream in a heavy sauce pan until it gets warmed up. Switch off the gas add finely chopped chocolate to cream and whisk nicely with hand till it melts.If lumps are still there further heat the vessel for few seconds. Do not overheat as chocolate has the tendency to burn fast. Repeat the procedure till the chocolate melts and is mixed up nicely .(if you find the consistency to be too thick after refrigeration ,then add milk,and further heat for few seconds.)

METHOD:2

The easier way out is to mix all the ingredients and microwave them together in a heat proof bowl till the chocolate melts. But always remember to microwave the mix for few second and then stop to whisk(as vessel heat helps the chocolate to melt).Too much of heat can burn the chocolate. Then repeat the procedure till the chocolate mix becomes shiny and lump free.Maximum time taken in microwave should be 3 to 4 minutes in intervals...i.e microwave the mix for 40 seconds and then stop...whisk nicely...then again microwave for 40 seconds and then stop...repeat till the mixture becomes glossy.(if you find the consistency to be too thick after refrigeration ,then add milk,and further heat for few seconds.)

ALTERATIONS:

• CAN ADD 1 TBSP OF LIQUID GLUCOSE TO THE MIX WHILE HEATING TO GET FUDGY TEXTURE.
• CAN EVEN ADD 2 TBSP OD CONDENSED MILK TO THE MIX WHILE HEATING TO ENHANCE THE FLAVOR.

STORAGE:

• ALWAYS STORE IN AIR TIGHT CONTAINER PREFERABLE GLASS. REFRIGERATION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

USAGE:

• AS IT GETS THICK ON REFRIGERATION ,ITS RECOMMENDED TO ALWAYS HEAT IT FOR FEW SECONDS AND THEN SERVE.
• CAN BE TOPPED ON CAKES,ICE CREAMS AND USED FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE SHAKES. 

*THERE ARE VARIOUS BRANDS OF COOKING CHOCOLATES AVAILABLE IN THE INDIAN MARKET...I PERSONALLY PREFER USING SELBOURNE AS IT HAS HIGH COCOA BUTTER CONTENT IN IT. MORDE IS ALSO ONE OF THE EASILY AVAILABLE BRANDS.IMPORTED COOKING CHOCOLATE BUTTONS CAN ALSO BE USED.

*NEVER USE CHOCO CHIPS TO MAKE CHOCOLATE SAUCE AS IT HAS ADDICTIVES TO RETAIN ITS SHAPE,SO THEY DONT MELT EASILY.

                                                      ORANGE CAKE
       FOR CAKE:

• 125 gms self raising flour*
• 125 gms  Melted Yellow butter
• 2 eggs
• 100 gms powdered sugar
• 60 ml milk(at room temperature)
• 50 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• grated zest of one orange 

     FOR JUICY ICING:

• 250 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 100 gms grain sugar
• 2 tsp Orange Zest

      METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius. Grease and line the base of a bundt pan with oil and flour.

      Sieve the flour in a vessel.In another bowl beat eggs on medium speed gradually and now add grain sugar till the  mixture turns light and whitish in colour. Beat in the orange juice & orange rind . Now gradually add butter to the mix and keep on beating for one minute.If the batter separates(don't panic) add flour one spoon at a time to the batter and keep on beating till flour is used up.Now add milk and beat well until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased bundt pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and the cake feels springy when lightly pressed.

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes outside the oven(transfer to a wire wrack).Never leave the cake once its baked in the oven for too long,as it tends to dry up.

FOR THE JUICY ICING:

Pour orange juice and sugar in a small pan and boil on medium flame for 10 minutes or till thick in texture.now add orange zest,and let the liquid reach room temperature.

SERVING:

Transfer the cake to a plate and prick small holes all over the rim of the cake with a tooth pick.Pour the Luke warm orange juicy icing over it and serve.

WHAT IS SELF RAISING FLOUR?

IF WE ADD 1/2 tsp OF BAKING POWDER TO 50 gms OF PLAIN FLOUR(MAIDA) IT BECOMES SELF RAISING FLOUR. THAT IS 150 gms SELF RAISING FLOUR  =

150 gms PLAIN FLOUR+1 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

CAN WE USE CANNED ORANGE JUICE IN PLACE OF FRESH ORANGE JUICE?

YES,U CAN USE CANNED ORANGE JUICE BUT THEN ACCORDINGLY THE TASTE WILL CHANGE AND THE QUANTITY OF SUGAR WILL DECREASE.