Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 24 November 1921, Page 41

Domestic

t By Maureen

r : : --'' : /tU: SOME : "WHY'S" . IN COOKERY.';,_•■■ • v' ;i ' "WHY CAN'T I MAKE GOOD BREAD?' . , - 'Why do 'my omelets fall?" "Why is my pastry not , flaky -like my neighbor's?" " These are some of 4 the questions that trouble housewives which I shall try to answer *?>. (says a specialist in a contemporary). : : '' .- ¥ : " : -r" "Why are not my results always the same?" • U v The chief reason for this is that you do' not measure, ||; and if you do, you do not 'measure accurately—all recipes nowadays are compiled with the idea of .; level measure- • ments, and- if one over-measures even-.ever-; so little, it upsets the proportions. Take a cup of flour," for example — did you ever measure a cup of flour, and then sift it I and measure again? If you have, you have found that ; JR measuring after sifting gives you sometimes as much as a | quarter of a.cup more flour than just; measuring right out: \ of the barrel. Now, all recipes are for. sifted flour, and if j you do not sift it before measuring, you are putting too V much in the recipe. A teaspoonful of baking-powder or !: spice means a spoon just level' full and- not one bit more. ; Then 'when the recipe says, "Sift the baking-powder with: the flour," it means to make all the measurements, put l f-' them, in the sifter, and sift all together before you start to v : make the cake, and not to wait and sift them., in as you j .: go along.- /; . V ; 7- ? -' : - M " '•■-'•'.."'')' " ' *" "why do my omelets fall?" ■rV Because they are cooked too fast, or over too hot a •fire. All egg cookery should be done at a low temperature; the' air in the bubbles of the omelet should have time to expand. Then you must dry out the moisture in, the egg slowly, for when it , is quickly taken from the fire it goes .. back into water and makes the omelet fall • .• The same rule applies to meringues. They should be ■-( cooked, in a, very slow oven. Leave the . door almost open! and watch them carefully. ' : ;■•■ ''';'•". ? "what is THE MATTER WITH MY bread?" ; ,■ ' Perhaps you put the yeast in the milk or water when / it is too hot. V';-Hot liquid will kill the yeast, and then the' pv;bread will not rise. Have' the temperature lukewarm, t y and keep your bread at that "temperature for the best results. Try to knead in all the flour, necessary in the - first;kneading' or mixing, if-you use a mixer. Knead until it does not stick to the board-, and -then put. it to rise. If > you use much flour, when yon make it. into loaves it is ■ • apt to leave a heavy line at the bottom of the loaf-use ]'■':'■ very little flour or better still, none at all. Let the bread ■'; Until it is double its original bulk when rising the first time, and then let it rise again after-it is made into

loaves. The second kneading generally ; determines the texture of the bread. ; Cut it open and; see iif 7 the bubbles are : evenly distributed before yoit form the loaf.^Bake it until it feels light for its size. If you want : a soft crust, wrap' it in a clean cloth as soon as it comes from the oven, but if a crusty loaf is desired, let it cool on its side until per- ; fectly cold. Sour bread is often caused by unclean utensils, sometimes by not scalding the milk or by letting the bread rise too long. .'.;v£-. .a ,;.'•^""-' : ' -:''"'••■.... ''v\/v "■: '•''•:■•'■- ■•'.'.' V "WHY. IS MY PASTRY TOUGH?" > . , Do you use .enough fat ? Good pastry must have at least a quarter-oupful of fat to a cupful of'flour. Then cut the fat in; never use the fingers, and keep all the ingredients cold. Be careful to use just enough water to make a soft ball that will leave the sides of the bowl; too wet a dough means the addition of too much flour in the rolling, and . a tough .pastry. v ,lf the day is hot, cool- the , pastry before rolling, and do not handle it any more than can be helped. -Roll with a light touch. Always bake it in a very ;hot oven. ;, ; "WHY DOES MY CUSTARD CURDLE?" • Because you have cooked it too long. or at too high a temperature. Always cook a custard over hot water, and never let the water boil; keep it hot, but not boiling. Cook it until it coats the back of the spoon. For a baked custard, bake it in a pan of hot water, and see that the water does not boil in the oven. Try it .'with a knife to see if it is done, and if the knife comes out clean, it is, though it may not be brown. ~.• , , , Stir, a soft custard constantly ..while "cooking, and do not flavor it until it is cold. Never forget to strain a custard; this takes out the little hard cord which holds a yolk in place. "why is MY SPONGE-CAKE POOR?" '-'; Perhaps it is baked in too hot an oven; this cake requires a very slow oven. Do not grease the pan for a sponge-cake, and bake it until it leaves the" sides of the pan slightly. When you take it out of : the oven, turn it upside down on a sieve, and do not take it out of the pan until it is cold. ..•;..•