http://www.recfoodcooking.com/

Vote now!
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Chatty Cathy said...

> http://www.recfoo

OMG... another foil hat for Andy.

I'll take the sports cap, please!

Measures then adjusts the 2nd time around.

Andy

Michael "Dog3" Lonergan said...

> Andy <q> :
>
>> Chatty Cathy said...
>>
>>> http://www.recfoo
>>
>> OMG... another foil hat for Andy.
>>
>> I'll take the sports cap, please!
>>
>> Measures then adjusts the 2nd time around.
>
> I've got 3 of them. I've already claimed the sports cap. You'll have to
> choose something else. Tell you what. If you take the foil tiara (it's
a
> brand new item) I'll trade you the sports cap for it.
>
> Michael


Darn, Michael, you drive a hard bargain!!! Well, OK!

Andy

Chatty Cathy wrote:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/


If I'm the 2nd to vote, I must be spending too much time on the computer.


It's an interesting question. I try to follow a recipe exactly the
first time I make it, but I fall short. I try to follow the recipe
because I don't see much point in trying a new recipe if I don't. If
I'm going to make it my own way, then I'm making the same dishes I
always make anyway; why have the cookbook open.


On the other hand, I'm a creature of habit, and I get lazy.


Last night provides a good example. I made linzer torte according to
the Silver Palate recipe. I did a pretty good job of making the crust
according to directions. I didn't measure the lemon peel or spices, but
I can eyeball them pretty well. I did measure the butter, sugar, flour,
and ground almonds. (Does one say one measures eggs? I used the 2 they
asked for.)


I didn't have the sort of false-bottom tart pan they asked for so I used
a regular sided brownie pan that I guessed would come to roughly the
same size.


Then I got to the part where they said to use 2/3 cup raspberry
preserves. Besides substituting black cassis preserve, it didn't seem
like it could be enough. I settled for not measuring and just spooning
it out of the container and onto the crust until it looked right.


Then the instructions said to put the remaining dough in a pastry bag to
form the lattice on top. I don't remember if I still have a pastry bag.
I formed the lattice by rolling the dough between my moistened hands.


The result last night? Linzer torte soup. I wonderful soupy delicious
mess. The result this morning after it's been refrigerated overnight is
considerably more sliceable. I'm eating a piece now, and it qualifies
as linzer torte. I could serve it to guests. (Well, I'd serve the soup
to guests too, but you get what I mean.)


As far changing the recipe for next time-- The dough was both too sweet
and too soft. The crust did firm up in the refrigerator after it was
out of the oven, but it still oozed to the point of not seeing what a
nice lattice I made. Next time I use a little less sugar and a little
more flour. Think is, I knew while I was handling that dough that it
was too soft, but I was following the recipe so I didn't add the flour
that I knew it needed.


I'd also use less preserve! That contributed to the soupiness and to
the way the sweet preserve overpowers the almond flavor I'm looking for.
Also, I'd use a little almond extract to bring out the almond flavor.


--Lia

Julia Altshuler wrote:
> Chatty Cathy wrote:
>> http://www.recfoodcooking.com/
>
>
> If I'm the 2nd to vote, I must be spending too much time on the computer.

You are not alone there, so don't worry about it
>
<snippety>
>
> Last night provides a good example. I made linzer torte according to
> the Silver Palate recipe. I did a pretty good job of making the crust
> according to directions. I didn't measure the lemon peel or spices, but
> I can eyeball them pretty well. I did measure the butter, sugar, flour,
> and ground almonds. (Does one say one measures eggs? I used the 2 they
> asked for.)
>
<some more snipping>

I also try and follow the "measurements" the first time round - if I can
convert them to something that makes sense to me, that is! Otherwise I
use the "eyeball" method too. But I have a terrible habit of
substituting or reducing/increasing some of the spices I am not fond of
personally... Sometimes I just leave one of them out if its just a
"pinch" of this or half a teaspoon of that - obviously I only do this if
I feel it won't screw up the dish too much. Take cumin, for example. I
like it in moderation, but find it can "overpower" the other flavors if
there is too much of it.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Julia Altshuler wrote:
>
>
> Then the instructions said to put the remaining dough in a pastry bag
> to form the lattice on top. I don't remember if I still have a
> pastry bag. I formed the lattice by rolling the dough between my
> moistened hands.
> --Lia

You can make a temporary pastry bag out of a Ziploc bag by snipping one
corner.

Dora

limey wrote:

> You can make a temporary pastry bag out of a Ziploc bag by snipping one
> corner.


Thanks. For the other night, there was no point; the most beautiful
piping was going to melt in the oven. But I'll keep the idea in mind
for when I've got the recipe perfected and know the lattice will keep
its shape.


--Lia

Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan wrote:

> I *always* follow any baking recipe exactly. Anything else I'm cooking is
> up for grabs; first time or not.

Same here. Most baking requires measuring. You can get away with variations
in cakes but pies and cookies are generally more susceptible to wild
variations of altered. I have enough trouble with consistency in cookies
and pie pastry even with measuring.


> I will usually follow most of a recipe the first time I make it. I'll
> especially do this if the ingredients are expensive. After I've made
> something once I'll tweak it if I need to.
>
> I'm not a big measurer.

I will try to stick close to the recipe, but there are some things that
don't need to be precise. Herbs and spices vary in potency and can be
adjusted. I am not going to cut a whole new carrot for diced carrots if the
recipe calls for a cup and I have only 5/8 cup, or if I have the cup and
there is a half carrot left it's going in. Similarly, onions are added by
numbers, not by cups.

I have a pretty good idea how much salt in my hand is a teaspoon.

Most of the time I am cooking for two, so even if I use recipes they get
automatically reduced.



> Michael
>
> --
> This is how it works in my house. Click the pic to enlarge it:
> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=42ko0mf
> -remove "foodie" to email

Good question... I'm not a big measurer - I tend to guestimate and to
fiddle with recipes to make them my own... but when I'm baking
something new I follow their recipe as well as I can, at least the
first time.

I had an interesting cookie experience this week - last week I made
the Nestle tollhouse cookies, following their recipe for the dough but
using butterscotch chips and those hersheys mini-coated kisses for the
chocolate chips. They came out very thin and VERY crispy and they were
wonderful, but very sweet... I made them again last night but I cut
the sugar down to one cup (instead of 1-1/2) and I added a little
extra baking powder because I measured the flour a little more
generously (and I used pecans, butterscotch chips, and semi-sweet
chips because the candy ones were finished). It was only a very small
change to the recipe but the end result was TOTALLY different! This
batch of cookies didn't spread on the trays, they rose instead, and
they came out a lot more 'cakey' than crisp. They still taste okay,
they're just not the same, and we liked the original recipe better...