Baking For Dummies E-Book

Emily Nolan

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 499

Beschreibung

Discover how easy and fun baking can be! Ever walk past a bakery window and marvel at the assortment of cookies, tarts, pies, and cakes and wonder how they did it? Wonder no more. The secrets to creating them can now be yours. With Baking For Dummies, You'lll discover how simple (and fun!) whipping up any sort of baked good from a chocolate layer cake, a classic apple pie to a plateful of scrumptious chocolate chip cookies or black-and-white brownies actually is. The magic is in the doing and baking expert Emily Nolan shows you how. In almost no time, you'll get down to basics with easy-to-follow tips on: * Outfitting your kitchen with a baker's essentials iincluding baking pans (loaf pans, springform pans, glass vs. aluminum pie plates), food processors and blenders, bowls, measuring cups, graters, and sifters * Measuring ingredients, preparing pans, working with eggs, zesting fruit, and melting chocolate * Getting ready to bake,preparing your kitchen, working with recipes, and using the right equipment And once you're all set, you'll marvel at how simple creating the smallest baking masterpiece really is: * From chocolate cupcakes topped with mocha frosting to a lemon-curd cheesecake, to fluffy blueberry muffins and buttermilk biscuits * From scrumptious pumpkin and chocolate cream pies and a classic cheesecake to outrageously delicious chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies * From a heart-warming chicken potpie to a yummy cheese soufflé With over 100 recipes to choose from (including ones for soft pretzels and pizza!), eight pages of color photos, a summary cheat sheet of baking essentials, black-and-white how-to illustrations, and humorous cartoons along the way, the book will reward, even a baking novice, with delicious results and allow you to enjoy the unending magic of baking from scratch.

Leseprobe

Baking For Dummies®

by Emily Nolan

Baking For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2002 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2001098043

ISBN: 0-7645-5420-4

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1B/RR/QR/QS/IN

About the Author

Emily Nolan has loved baking for as long as she can remember. Her earliest memories are of digging in her mother’s huge tubs of flour as she put together pies and breads. Her mother handed Emily scraps of dough to keep her busy — even at that tender age, Emily had baking in her blood.

Although she majored in English Literature in college, Emily catered to pay the bills, cutting her teeth in the professional food service industry. She learned about food preparation for 10 to 200 people, and was introduced to professional cake decoration, food preparation, and presentation. There she became deft at paying attention to details for food, setting up for parties, and creating menus for prestigious dinners, holiday affairs, and college graduations.

After graduation, Emily was given her first opportunity as a head chef for a month-long program, creating menus and cooking for 150 people, three squares a day. There she applied everything she knew about baking and cooking, providing homemade bread, cakes, and cookies daily. Quality, nutritious food was her goal — and she achieved it.

With that under her belt, Emily traveled to Philadelphia and became the head pastry chef for a restaurant/bakery, Le Bus. She was responsible for fulfilling orders for their three bakeries, plus any special catering orders that came through daily. On top of that, they baked for local four-star restaurants. Emily and her colleagues made everything from scratch, from the croissant dough to the rich, sweet pectin in their apple pies. She was also in charge of developing new desserts for the restaurants.

After spending over a year at Le Bus, she decided to combine her English degree with her love for and knowledge of baking. So, she entered the world of publishing and became a cookbook editor. In her two years as an editor, she learned about cookbook publishing and how to address the needs of the reader and convey information in a clear, concise, usable format. Living in New York City enabled her to keep up with the ever-changing food trends.

After leaving publishing, she returned to the kitchen, where she was the head chef for a month-long program. Again, with a staff of two, she fed over 200 people three time daily. Everything that came from the kitchen was high-quality, homemade fare.

Today Emily does freelance editing, recipe writing, and recipe development. Presently, she is working on Sheila Lukin’s new cookbook (to be published in Spring 2002) and is doing recipe development for and contributing food article to magazines such as Food and Wine.

Dedication

For my mother, Irene Siembora, and my grandfather, Stephan Siembora — two great souls who taught me the joys of baking.

Author’s Acknowledgments

What author doesn’t love her editors? I am no exception. A special thanks goes to Jennifer Feldman, publisher of the Dummies cooking titles, for making this book a possibility. I am very grateful to Linda Ingroia, senior acquisitions editor, for giving me the opportunity to write this book and working with me through all the ups and downs along the way. Erin Connell was indispensable with her advice, follow-through, and attention to detail. Project editor Marcia Johnson could not have been more patient and understanding while dealing with technical difficulties and deadlines and ushering me along in the writing process. It gave me great peace of mind knowing that Elizabeth Kuball was the copy editor, and I appreciate the helpful suggestions that technical editor Lauren Chattman offered.

Then, there is the team at home. Thanks to Martha McCoy, my grandmother Agnes, my mom, sister, and all of my aunts for offering their support, recipes, and advice. David Bidwell, I could not have done it without all of your help, support, and tasting suggestions. And, finally, Monkey, who was always ready and willing to rip open bags of flour, boxes of cake mixes, and bags of butterscotch chips in her attempt to prove that even a dog can bake . . . even if her stomach didn’t make a good oven.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Marcia L. Johnson

Senior Editor: Linda Ingroia

Acquisitions Editor: Erin Connell

Copy Editors: Elizabeth Netedu Kuball, Tina Sims

Technical Editor: Lauren Chattman

Recipe Tester and Nutrition Analyst: Patricia Santelli

Editorial Manager: Pamela Mourouzis

Editorial Assistant: Carol Strickland

Cover Photos: David Bishop

Production

Project Coordinator: Jennifer Bingham

Layout and Graphics: Shelly Norris, Jacque Schneider, Janet Seib

Special Art: Elizabeth Kurtzman, line art

Proofreaders: Laura Albert, John Greenough, Linda Quigley,Marianne Santy, TECHBOOKS Production Services

Indexer: TECHBOOKS Production Services

Special Help: Chrissy Guthrie

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Contents

Title

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I : Baking Essentials

Chapter 1: Bake, For Goodness’ Sake!

Knowing How to Get Started

Enjoying What You Bake

Chapter 2: Stocking Up

Flour

Sugar

Salt

Eggs

Leaveners: A Baker’s Best Pick-Me-Up

Fats: The Good Guys with a Bad Rap

Liquids

Cocoa and Chocolate: A Chocoholic’s Dream

Add-Ins and Flavorings

Fresh Fruits

Extras That Are Nice to Have on Hand

Chapter 3: Going Over the Gear

Baking Pans

Basic Pots

Electric Tools

Other Essentials

Great Gadgets

Part II : Basic Training

Chapter 4: Understanding Your Oven

Knowing the Difference Among the Three Types of Ovens

Rack Chat

Preheating

Gauging and Adjusting the Heat

Chapter 5: Basic Techniques

Measuring Ingredients

Preparing Pans

Working with Eggs

Whipping Heavy Cream

Working with Fruits

Melting Chocolate

Scalding Milk

Toasting Nuts

Chapter 6: Getting Ready to Bake

Preparing Your Kitchen

Working with Recipes

Timing It Right

Baking at High Elevations

Cleaning Up as You Go

Part III : Ready, Set, Bake!

Chapter 7: Understanding Cookies

Making Cookies like a Pro

Drop Cookies

Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Classic Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Everything Cookies

Chocolate-Coconut Macaroons

Butterscotch Drops

Poppy Seed Cookies

Shaped Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Crisp Sugar Cookies

Gingersnaps

Lemon Cookies

Apricot-Date Half-Moons

Poppy Seed Thumbprints

Russian Tea Balls

Anisette Biscotti

Pressed Cookies

Basic Cookie Press Cookies

Rolled Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing

Royal Icing

Tender Sugar Cookies

Brownies and Bar Cookies

Dense Chocolate Brownies

Black-and-White Brownies

Lemon Bars

Crunchy Granola Bars

Chapter 8: Creating Great Cakes

Butter Cakes

Light and Fluffy Yellow Cake

Martha’s Chocolate Cake

Carrot Cake

Applesauce Cake

Banana-Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Pound Cakes

Classic Pound Cake

Chocolate Swirl Pound Cake

Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon Frosting

Sponge Cakes

Angel Food Cake

Jelly Roll

Cheesecakes

Classic Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Lemon Curd Cheesecake

Lemon Curd

Chapter 9: Fabulous Frostings

Finding Out about Frostings

Knowing How Much to Make

Making Quick Frostings

Cream Cheese Frosting

Mocha Frosting

Basic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Trying Your Hand at Cooked Frostings

Sweetened Whipped Cream Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

Martha’s Sweet and Creamy Frosting

Ready, Set, Frost!

Quick Apricot Glaze

Classic Sugar Glaze

Getting Fancy with a Decorating Bag

Chapter 10: Perfect Pies and Tarts

Picking the Proper Pie Plate

Making Perfect Piecrusts

Old-Fashioned Pie Dough

Stir-and-Roll Pie Pastry

Getting Double-Crust Pie Ideas

Making Simple Pastry Edges and Decorations

Creating Tantalizing Pies and Tarts

Pumpkin Pie

You’ll-Be-Glad-You- Tried-It Apple Pie

Blueberry Pie

Cherry Crumb Pie

Pecan Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Sour Cherry-Berry Pie

Cran-Apple and Pear Pie

Making To-Die-For Tarts

Tart Lemon Tart

Wonderful Pear Tart

Troubleshooting Common Pie Problems

Chapter 11: Crisps, Cobblers, and Other Delights

Baking with Fruit

Apple Crisp

Blueberry Crunch

Delicious Baked Apples

Peach Cobbler

Custards and Puddings

Pumpkin Custard

Rich Chocolate Pudding

Chapter 12: Quick Breads, Muffins, and Biscuits

Quick Tips for Quick Breads

Amish Applesauce Bread

Banana Bread

Cranberry-Orange Bread

Crumbcake

Sweet Chocolate Chip Pull-Apart Bread

Boston Brown Bread

Southern Corn Bread

Making the Perfect Muffin

Blueberry Muffins

Corn Muffins

Gingersnap Muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Biscuit Basics

Buttermilk Biscuits

Cheese Biscuits

Chapter 13: Yeast Breads

Understanding the Role of Yeast Bread Ingredients

Mixing and Kneading Breads

Encouraging Bread to Rise

Shaping and Baking the Loaves

Yeast Bread Recipes

Basic White Buttermilk Bread

Braided Egg Bread

Honey-Oatmeal Bread

Jeff’s Potato Bread

Molly’s Sweet Cardamom Rolls

No-Fail Rolls

Crescent Rolls

Fluffy Dinner Rolls

Sesame-Topped Rolls

Chapter 14: Savory Baked Goods

Soufflés

Cheese Soufflé

Potpies

Chicken Potpie

Potato-Beef Potpie

Calzones and Pizzas

Make-Your-Own Pizza Dough

Calzones

Quiches

Broccoli and Cheese Quiche with Potato Crust

Chapter 15: Baking with Mixes and Premade Doughs

Baking with Mixes

Super Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Chip Frosting

Crazy-Good Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Deluxe Corn Bread Casserole

Baking with Refrigerated and Frozen Dough

Super-Easy Veggie Party Pizza

Apple Turnovers

Soft Pretzels

Folded Peach and Berry Pie

Chapter 16: Low-Fat Baking

Getting the Skinny on Fat

Being Smart about Fat

Lowering the Fat in Your Favorite Recipes

Making Great-Tasting Low-Fat Recipes

Light Banana Bundt Cake

Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake

Baked Apples

Cinnamon-Almond Angel Food Cake

Apricot-Pecan Gems

Part IV : Other Important Stuff

Chapter 17: Storing Your Creations

Wrapping

Storing at Room Temperature

Keeping Things Cool

Freezing

Chapter 18: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary

Cutting Your Baked Goods Neatly and Evenly

Presenting with Flair

Creating Quick, Spiffy Garnishes

Part V : The Part of Tens

Chapter 19: Ten Troubleshooting Tips

Cake Too Dry

Simple Syrup

Cake Stuck in Pan

Lopsided Cake

Flat Cookies

Cookies Baking Unevenly

Burning Piecrust

Lumpy Melted Chocolate

Bread Failing to Rise

Risen Dough Left Unattended

Muffins Like Hockey Pucks

Chapter 20: Ten Great Baking Sources

Chef’s Catalog

Epicurious

King Arthur’s Flour Bakers Catalog

Kitchen Kapers

Meadowsweets

NY Cake and Baking Distributors

Parrish Cake Decorating Supplies

Sahadi

Williams-Sonoma

Wilton

: Appendix A

Glossary of Baking Terms

: Appendix B

Metric Conversion Guide

Introduction

At some point in your life — maybe now, since you’ve picked up this book — the mystery of baking has attracted you. The desire to create becomes stronger than the desire to pick up a pack of cookies at the store, and you think, “Hey, I’m a smart person. I can do this!” And you can!

Knowing how baking works and which role each ingredient plays enables you to understand how to bake instead of how to just follow a recipe (there is a difference). When you understand how to bake and master the various techniques to make you successful, you’ll gain confidence in the kitchen and become a proficient baker. You’ll also find yourself confidently experimenting with some recipes, too! So, roll up your sleeves, clean off the countertop and get ready to start baking.

About This Book

The purpose of this book is to fill you in on how to become a proficient and independent baker. You may feel like you know nothing now, but as you dive into this book, you’ll become competent in the kitchen and realize baking skills are something you can easily master. This book will acquaint you with familiar, as well as unfamiliar, ingredients, and also tell you a few things you may not know, such as the secret to flaky pastry crusts and how to zest a lemon. From organizing your kitchen to be an efficient workspace to storing your baked good properly, this book gives you the tools you need to become a successful baker and plenty of tantalizing recipes to practice with.

This book introduces you to the hows and whys of baking. From mixing a batter to putting the finishing touches on your baked goods, you’ll discover all kinds of information in this book. This book also explains various techniques for all kinds of baking situations — and with good technique, the sky is the limit. Practice makes perfect, so the more familiar you become with baking and handling your ingredients, the more proficient you will become as a baker.

Conventions Used in This Book

The recipes in this book are very straightforward and easy to understand. But here are a few notes on the ingredients, which apply to all the recipes:

All oven temperatures are given in Fahrenheit.

Unless specified in the ingredient list, you can use any degree of fat in milk (whole thru skim).

All eggs are large.

All flour is all-purpose flour, unless specified otherwise in the ingredients list.

All sugar is granulated sugar, unless specified otherwise in the ingredients list.

If a recipe calls for butter and not margarine, don’t use margarine. A few recipes just won’t taste good if margarine is substituted.

All dry ingredients are measured using nestled dry measuring cups (not the glass ones with the graded amounts on the side), and all ingredients are measured level, unless specified.

Lemon zest or orange zest refers to the outer colored peel, not any of the white pith.

Generally, canned, fresh, or frozen fruit can be substituted, unless the recipe specifies one or the other.

And keep in mind:

If you don’t know about an ingredient or technique in a recipe, be sure to check in Part I or II for an explanation.

Make sure you have all the equipment you need. Double-check that the pans you have are the right size before you get started.

You can double most recipes in this book, unless the recipe states otherwise.

Foolish Assumptions

Baking For Dummies is a tool for both beginning and experienced bakers. No matter which group you fall in, this book will open you up to new ideas, techniques, and recipes. I make the assumption that you already know your way around a kitchen, but you probably favor the top of your stove more often than the oven. You may rely too often on the grocery store or local bakery for your baked goods.

You don’t need any prior baking knowledge to use this book. If you love to bake, or you love the idea of baking, you’ll find what you need here. You won’t get lost either, because every technique and ingredient is explained. The recipes are basic but delicious and interesting. All of them can be embellished a little with additional ingredients, frostings, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. They use easy-to-find ingredients and simple instructions for extraordinary results. No matter what skill level you start with, this book assumes you want to become a better baker. Not only will you discover your untapped talent, you’ll master a lifetime of skills, tips, and shortcuts to keep you baking for years to come.

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Baking Essentials

Before you get up to your elbows in batter, get to know some of the fundamentals of baking. This part covers the very basics in baking, letting you know what to keep in the pantry and what gear you’ll need when you step into the kitchen to create. You’ll also discover the role of basic ingredients — how they affect the baking process. So the more familiar you become with what they do, the less intimidating baking as a whole will be for you.

Part II: Basic Training

You know you have an oven, but do you know how it works? This section prepares you for the process of baking. You’ll find information for getting your oven in top working order. It also gives you advice on how to read recipes, what to watch for, and how not to get yourself in over your head if you’re a baker just starting out. I offer up tips on how to measure all kinds of things, from flour to fats. And I provide information on basic techniques you’ll need to perform when you want to try out some of the intermediate to challenging recipes. This part unlocks many of the mysteries of the kitchen.

Part III: Ready, Set, Bake!

In this part, you get to try your hand at baking — and the best part about it is you can eat the results! As you practice with the recipes in this section, you’ll become more and more familiar with ingredients and baking techniques.

Part IV: Other Important Stuff

This section is chock full of suggestions and ideas for baking. I give you lots of suggestions for sprucing up cakes and cookies, plus tips for special presentations and how to do some easy cake decorating when you want to make your cakes extra special. I also let you know how to store baked goods properly to ensure they’ll remain fresh as long as possible.

Part V: The Part of Tens

What happens if your cake is lopsided or your cookies are burned on the bottom? This section gives you ten tips for conquering the most common baking conundrums. You’ll also find ten fantastic baking sources that offer everything from great baking supplies to show-stopping recipes.

Appendixes

Appendix A at the end of this book is a Glossary of Baking Terms. Don’t go into the kitchen without it. Appendix B makes metric conversions a piece of cake.

Icons Used in This Book

Look for these icons peppered throughout the book to help you find helpful bits of information:

This icon staves off potential mistakes or mishaps in the kitchen. Heed the warning to avoid a kitchen calamity.

I use this icon when you need to keep a “baking basic” in mind so nothing bad happens.

This icon is used to identify information that may be just a little more than you actually need to know for successful baking, but that is interesting nonetheless. If you’re in a hurry and just want to get the information you absolutely need, you can skip the paragraphs marked by this icon and come back to them later when you have more time.

Who doesn’t like to save a bit of time here and there? Follow these tips to get your baked good in the oven and on the table faster!

Here you’ll find little gems of information that you may not have known about the recipe or technique you’re using. This icon points to information that will make things just a little bit easier to do.

Where to Go from Here

Now that you know what the book has to offer, pick your favorite spot and begin. Perhaps you want to brush up on some technique know-how in Chapter 5 or dive right into your first batch of cookies in Chapter 7. Because you don’t have to read this book cover to cover to make the most of it, you can start anywhere.

Above all, enjoy yourself. Baking should be fun and an activity you share with your loved ones. Whether the inspiration for baking is remembering a birthday, making a sweet treat for the family, bringing dessert for a dinner party, or welcoming a new neighbor or co-worker, you can certainly taste a difference when something is baked with love. You’re saying that the people you’re baking for are important enough that you took the time to do something special. Happy baking!

Part I

Baking Essentials

In this part . . .

Once you have a well-laid foundation for baking, it’s easy to build upon it. The chapters in this part provide such a foundation. Here you find out about common ingredients and how they react with one another to create delicious baked goods. I also provide an in-depth look at the gear you’ll need and hints on saving money and choosing wisely when you need to purchase some small electric appliances that can make baking easier.

Chapter 1

Bake, For Goodness’ Sake!

In This Chapter

Discovering the many reasons to bake

Starting off confidently by getting organized and exploring baking basics

Looking forward to enjoying your baked creations

So you’ve decided you want to find out how to bake? Congratulations! Perhaps you have tinkered in the kitchen but feel uncertain about what you’re doing, or maybe your attempts at creating something in the oven have not been very successful. Or perhaps you just have some general questions about baking. Reading this book is a good start for getting answers to the fundamental questions that arise when you bake. Soon you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better baker!

Baking is rewarding in many ways. First and most basic, it allows you to feed yourself and provides you with the ability to choose what you eat. You can give up the ammonium alginate, disodium guanylate, and guar gum you find in cake mixes. Your breads will no longer be preserved with sodium propionate. And your pies will be heptylparaben-free. Welcome to the world of butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla.

There’s something deeply satisfying about taking those basic ingredients and turning them into something that everyone loves, such as cakes and cookies. Freshly baked treats say “You are special to me” to the people you share them with. And recipients feel special because you took the time to create something for them. Welcome a new neighbor with fresh bread, surprise your office workers with a crumbcake for their coffee break, or treat your children to homemade cookies.

Baking is a way to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. An afternoon spent in the kitchen baking bread or making cookies to pack in lunches for the rest of the week is a nice gift to give yourself or your family. Mixing up a batch of cookies with your children, roommates, or loved ones is a great activity that doesn’t cost a lot of money and that will give you lasting memories.

Baking really is a lot of fun when you feel comfortable in the kitchen and at ease with what you’re making. Unfortunately, baking can also be a source of great anxiety and frustration when you’re not sure what you’re doing or feel like the ingredients are staging a rebellion against you. But it’s time to calm the troops. You’ve chosen the right book to get started!

Knowing How to Get Started

If baking is so great, then why does it sometimes seem like it’s so hard? Did you ever get a chance to practice the basics? How many bad experiences have you had in the kitchen with burned cookies or dry cakes? Now is the time to forget all that you don’t know (and perhaps your past kitchen disasters) and look toward a new horizon. You’re about to equip yourself with the knowledge of how to bake.

Baking differs dramatically from other forms of cooking. It involves a kind of magic. From mixing up batters to working bread doughs firmly but gently to watching your dough rise, baking brings a spectacular feeling. Other forms of cooking are more about sustenance — feeding hunger. But baking is something special. It’s both an art and a science. And the science really does count — instructions and ingredients work together to create delicious results. Wondrous aromas will waft from your kitchen, filling your home with flavors today and sweet memories tomorrow.

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when you’re trying something new. This book is a good start. It not only helps familiarize you with what you’re baking but also explains how to bake. Knowing how to bake involves more than knowing how to read a recipe and following the instructions; it’s also about understanding the following:

The variety of ingredients available

The roles of the various ingredients in a recipe

What happens when you combine certain ingredients

Various baking techniques

When you equip yourself with this knowledge, you’ll discover how easy and fun baking can be!

Getting organized

As you set out to bake, the most important thing is to get organized. Kitchen counters are often dumping grounds for dirty dishes, yesterday’s mail, car keys, or stray kitchen items that haven’t been properly put away. Take the 5 minutes it takes (if that much!) to clean off the space you need. Visit Chapter 6 for more tips and ideas for organizing your baking space.

Before you crack your first egg, be sure that you have all ingredients on deck. Nothing is more frustrating than thinking you have a full box of raisins on hand and then finding that you have only half the amount you need when you go to pour them out. Read more about stocking up on staple ingredients in Chapter 2.

And one more thing: Do you know where both your beaters are for your electric mixer? Are you sure you have both the top and the sides for the springform pan you want to use? How about all the parts for your food processor? One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you can never be too prepared when you start to bake. Sometimes I tear my kitchen apart looking for my square pan, only to remember that I lent it to my neighbors. Or, I will search high and low for parts to my mixer, only to find them on the drainboard or put away in a different drawer. Have the tools you need in front of you before you start baking. Check out Chapter 3 for more details.

Finally, make friends with your oven. If you haven’t paid much attention to it lately, read some helpful advice in Chapter 4 to make sure that your oven is in proper working order. No matter how good the recipes are, if your oven is off, there is little hope for baking success.

Familiarize yourself with baking techniques

If your eyes glaze over after reading a recipe, make a quick stop at Chapter 5 to get to know the common, and not so common, baking terms and techniques. There, you discover how to zest, fold, cut in, and whip. You should be aware that sometimes cooking terms dictate the kitchen tool you use. For example, you whip or whisk eggs with a wire whisk, you cut in butter with a pastry blender, and you fold with a rubber spatula. If a recipe uses equipment you don’t have, you have time to consider alternatives or choose another recipe. So understanding the techniques not only helps you know what to do but also lets you know whether you need a specific tool to do it properly.

Practice

If you ask any professional bakers or cooks whom you respect how they acquired all their baking talent, I’m sure that you’ll discover they spent a lot of time practicing their craft. The more you practice baking, the more you’ll get a feel for it and the more successful you’ll be.

Eventually, you’ll know by the look and feel of certain foods what is going on with your dough or batter. You’ll find yourself adding a pinch of this or that or kneading the dough a little more or less just because you know how it should feel or behave. Practice is the key to successful baking, and Part III of this book is full of recipes to practice with. You’ll discover what a good cake batter should look like, how bread dough should feel, and what to do if your recipes aren’t turning out the way you want.

Practicing baking is lots of fun, too, because the results are usually delicious and people are always happy to participate in your experimenting. I was quite popular with family and friends as I was developing and testing the recipes for this book, so I know that you, too, will be just as popular as you try these recipes.

Enjoying What You Bake

Who doesn’t get excited when a co-worker or family member bakes up a treat? Everyone is happy when homemade desserts are brought in to be shared. The reason you bake dozens of cookies or multiple loaves of bread is to share the results. There never was a baking book titled Baking for One or Two because baked goods are meant to be shared.

Cakes will last for days, and cookies can stick around for a week or so if stored properly. So be sure to read Chapter 17 to pick up some great tricks and hints on how to keep every last bite of pie tasting as good as the first ones.

If you want to really wow your fellow friends, turn to Chapter 18 for some easy and neat ideas to spruce up your finished product. You can find some tips on how to package your baked goods or add some extra special touches that elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Chapter 2

Stocking Up

In This Chapter

Understanding the virtues of having a well-stocked pantry

Making a list of what to have on hand

Knowing substitutions you can use in a pinch

A well-stocked pantry really makes a difference when it comes to baking for several reasons:

It’s a huge time-saver because it eliminates a trip to the grocery store.

It enables you to create delicious treats whenever the mood strikes.

If you happen to run out of one ingredient, a well-stocked pantry will ensure that you have a substitute or an extra ingredient on hand.

You don’t need a lot of room to have a good pantry, but you need to be organized and store your ingredients well to maximize not only space but also the ingredients’ shelf life. This chapter presents a list of staples you should have on hand when you begin baking. Of course, you don’t have to purchase everything all at once, but you may be surprised at how quickly you’ll build your pantry and how accommodating it will be to have a well-stocked kitchen for future baking.

When shopping for your pantry, be a smart shopper. Look for items on sale at your local grocery store. If space is not an issue, buy two or three popular items when they go on sale (my theory is you can never have enough baking soda or sugar). Also, take a look in discount stores and those ever-popular dollar stores. Recently, I found nonstick cooking spray at the dollar store and stocked up, because one can costs double or triple that amount in my local grocery store. This also goes for spices; I almost always purchase spices “loose” at a local store that sells them prebagged. I never spend more than 75 cents for what most people pay $3 to $4 in a supermarket. You may be surprised at how inexpensively you can stock your pantry when you shop around.

Storing bulk foods

If your supermarket or natural-foods store has a bulk section, purchasing ingredients there is an economical choice. However, never store items in the plastic bags for more than a week. Instead, save your jars and containers! Washed, clean jars or containers from spaghetti sauce, salsa, yogurt, peanut butter, and applesauce make great containers to hold items you purchase in bulk. Baby food jars, in particular, recycle into great spice jars. Don’t forget to mark your jars with masking tape and permanent marker. (Don’t use nonpermanent marker — it can rub off, and you’ll be left wondering what you put in those jars!) You may someday need a reminder of what’s in them and when you bought it!

If you hope to bake a lot or the holidays are coming, it is good to purchase flour, sugar, chocolate, and nuts in bulk at warehouse clubs. Of course, do this only if you will go through the ingredients quickly. If you’re a part-time baker, I find that the “bulk section” of my food store is good if I need smaller amounts of ingredients. I can purchase just what I need, and there is no waste.

Your dry pantry can be in the cabinets, on shelves, in a cupboard or in a designated pantry or closet. Make sure to keep the floor clean. Remove everything and wipe down the shelves at least twice a year (spring and fall are good times for this type of cleaning). And, of course, if you spill anything, clean it up right away to avoid any sort of animal or insect infestation.

Flour

Flour is the primary ingredient for most cakes, cookies, pastries, and breads. Although it is one of the most basic baking ingredients, it also can be the most confusing, because of the wide variety available on grocery store shelves. Some flours are perfect for bread baking but disastrous for piecrusts or tender pastries. What makes a flour good for one recipe and bad for another? The amount of protein it contains. The more protein a flour has, the more gluten it will produce when it’s kneaded. And the more gluten you have, the less tender your baked good will be.

Gluten is the protein that forms weblike structures present in wheat and other flours. When the flour is moistened and the bread is kneaded, or doughs and batters are mixed together, gluten forms and adds an elastic and cohesive nature to the food. This elasticity allows the dough to expand and trap the carbon dioxide, produced by the leavening, which makes the dough rise and stretch. Gluten makes it all possible!

Several different kinds of flour are available for baking; all-purpose, cake, bread, self-rising, and whole wheat flour are just a few. Become acquainted with three basic types of flour: all-purpose flour, cake flour, and bread flour.

All-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat flours. The presence of more and tougher gluten in the hard wheat results in a rather elastic product. This produces the texture you want for cakes and cookies.

Bleached and unbleached all-purpose flours can be used interchangeably, but unbleached flour has a higher nutritional value. Southern flours, such as White Lily, are made with a softer wheat, which means that they have cake flour–like qualities. Southern flour is great for tender biscuits and piecrusts.

Cake flour is made with soft wheat, producing less gluten when mixed, so your cake will be more delicate, with a slightly crumbly texture. When purchasing cake flour, don’t buy self-rising cake flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it. If you do buy it by mistake, omit the baking powder or baking soda and salt from the recipe.

Bread flour has a higher gluten-forming protein content, making the dough nice and elastic. This makes it ideal for bread-making.

Don’t store any of your flours in the paper sacks you buy them in. Instead, transfer them into airtight canisters and store them in a cool, dry place to make sure your flour won’t absorb any odors or off-flavors. Label the containers to ensure that you can tell the difference between the different varieties (they tend to look the same out of their bags). Flour can last up to six months if stored properly in the pantry and indefinitely if stored in the freezer. If you bought the flour from a natural food store, place it in the freezer for a few days to make sure nothing will hatch.

If you use flour slowly, you can store your flour in the freezer. Double-bag the flour in sealable freezer bags and be sure to label it. Flour stored in the freezer can last for several years.

Substituting for cake flour or all-purpose flour

If your recipe calls for cake flour and you have only all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for 1 cup of cake flour. If you need all-purpose flour and have only cake flour on hand, substitute 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour for 1 cup of all-purpose flour. The texture will be different, but if you have no other choice, it’s okay. If you have instant flour on hand, such as Wondra, combine 2 tablespoons in the cup measure, then add enough all-purpose flour to make 1 cup (which would be about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons). That will also give you a cake flour–like flour.

Sugar

Sugar, another basic in baking, gives tenderness and sweetness to doughs and batters. Sugar also causes browning because it caramelizes (turns brown) when heated. Sugar also is a food source for yeast, making it rise.

In baking, you need to have three different types of sugar on hand: granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar, and brown sugar (light or dark).

Granulated sugar is standard white sugar, either from sugar cane or sugar beets, and is the most popular and readily available sweetener in baking. Superfine sugar is a form of granulated sugar that dissolves easily in liquid. You can make your own superfine sugar: Place 1 cup of granulated sugar in the blender, cover, and process for 1 minute. Let it sit for about 1 minute longer to let the “smoke” settle. This produces 1 cup of superfine sugar. Sometimes superfine sugar is used in frostings and certain cakes. It dissolves quickly, so it doesn’t need much cooking time.

Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar has been refined to a powder and contains a small amount of cornstarch to prevent lumping. Confectioners’ sugar dissolves instantly in liquid and has a smoothness that makes it a popular choice for frostings, icings, and whipped toppings. It’s also perfect for dusting cake tops and brownies. If your confectioners’ sugar becomes lumpy, you can sift it.

Brown sugar, both light and dark, is a mixture of granulated sugar and molasses. Brown sugar has a deeper flavor than granulated sugar. The color of brown sugar depends on the amount of molasses mixed in; dark brown sugar has more. Light brown sugar is the most common type used in baking, but the more assertively flavored dark brown sugar is also used. Recipes specify which brown sugar to use when it makes a difference; otherwise, you can use whichever you have on hand.

When measuring brown sugar for recipes, be sure to pack it into the measuring cup for accurate measuring.

When exposed to air for an extended amount of time, brown sugar has a tendency to harden. If this happens to your sugar, there’s a quick fix: Place the hardened brown sugar in a heatproof bowl, and place the bowl in a baking pan containing about an inch of water. Tightly cover the entire baking pan with aluminum foil and place it in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes or until softened. Use the softened brown sugar immediately, because it will re-harden when it cools. You can also use your microwave to soften brown sugar. Place the hardened sugar in a microwavable dish. Add a wedge of apple. Cover and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Let stand for about 30 seconds, then use normally.

Store all your sugars in airtight containers in a cool, dry place.

Salt

Salt is invaluable in the kitchen. It not only adds its own flavor but also helps bring out the flavor of the other ingredients. When used in baking, following the precise amount called for in the recipe is important.

Three types of salt are available for baking:

Table salt: This is by far the most popular variety.

Kosher salt: This salthas less of a salty taste than table salt and can be coarser.

Sea salt: This salthas a fresher taste and is usually used in salt grinders.

All these salts can be used measure for measure in baking.

Most table salt has an anticaking agent added to help prevent it from clumping. However, on humid days (especially during the summertime) salt still tends to stick or clump. To prevent this, add about a teaspoon of rice to your salt shaker. The rice will absorb the moisture and keep your salt free-flowing. You never want to add the rice to anything you bake, though. If you need to get the rice out of your salt, run the salt through a fine-mesh strainer.

Eggs

Eggs thicken custards and sauces, help cakes to rise and be tender, and enrich and add sheen to baked doughs. Eggs come in two different colors — white and brown — but there’s no nutritional difference between them. Eggshell color and color of the yolk (light yellow to deep orange) are the results of the breed and diet of the chicken and say nothing about the nutritional value or quality of the eggs.

Always buy large, fresh eggs. All the recipes in this book were tested with Grade A large eggs. Egg sizes are determined by their weight and volume, so substituting one egg size for another can affect the outcome. For example, two large eggs equal approximately 1/2 cup. It takes three medium eggs to equal the same 1/2 cup. Feel free to use free-range or organic eggs in any of the recipes in this book, as long as they’re the right size.

How do you know your eggs are fresh? An easy way to tell is to place the egg in a bowl of tap water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If the egg stands up and bobs on the bottom, it is not so fresh. If it floats, it is likely to be rotten. What makes the eggs float? Eggs naturally have a small pocket of air. As they age, this pocket increases, which causes the eggs to float in water. Check the expiration date on the box to ensure that your eggs are the freshest available.

Do not store your eggs in the refrigerator door. This is the warmest part of the refrigerator, and you want your eggs to be cold. Keep the eggs in the carton and store them in the refrigerator. That way, you’ll always know the expiration date on the carton, and you’ll know which eggs to use first. Keep them away from strong odors as well.

Taking care with eggs

Care must be taken when handling eggs because they can carry salmonella, a bacteria that can cause dangerous food poisoning. Although salmonella is rare, prevention is the best cure. Of course, pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and those with a compromised immune system should not eat anything that contains raw or undercooked eggs. Here are some tips that can help:

Always buy the freshest eggs possible. Buy only the number of eggs you will use within two weeks’ time to ensure the freshness of your supply. If you don’t use eggs that often, try to buy them by the half-dozen.

Be sure to wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling raw eggs. If you use a bowl to hold raw eggs, wash and dry the bowl before reusing it for another purpose.

Don’t store eggs in the egg holder on the door of the refrigerator. It might be convenient, but it’s also the warmest part of the refrigerator. Salmonella does not grow in temperatures of less than 40 degrees. And it’s killed at temperatures above 160 degrees.

Never use an egg with a cracked shell. If you detect an off-odor after you have cracked an egg, discard it immediately.

If a recipe calls for eggs at room temperature, don’t allow the eggs to sit at room temperature for more than 20 minutes. Never use eggs left at room temperature for more than two hours.

Leaveners: A Baker’s Best Pick-Me-Up

Leaveners cause a dough or batter to rise by producing carbon dioxide, which rises throughout the batter and gives it a light, porous texture. There are two types of leaveners: chemical and yeast. Chemical leaveners include baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Yeast is just that, yeast — which, if you want to get technical, is a fungal leavener.

Now for a quick bit of Chemistry 101: When an acid and an alkaline are combined in the presence of a liquid, carbon dioxide is formed. All three elements are needed to produce the rise. When they’re combined, the reaction is immediate, and, thanks to the heat of the oven, the gases in the batter expand, acting as another rising agent. Of course, too much rise is not desirable, because then the cake or bread or whatever you’re baking will fall.

Baking soda

Otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is an alkali that must be mixed with something acidic (such as lemon juice, buttermilk, chocolate, or molasses) to react. Because baking soda reacts immediately, you should place the batter in the oven as soon as you’ve finished putting it together. If you taste baking soda, you will feel it tingle on your tongue.

When mixed with an acidic ingredient such as sour milk, buttermilk, yogurt, or citrus, baking soda acts as a leavening agent for cookies, cakes, and muffins. But baking soda has many other uses in and around the kitchen (listed here), so keeping a couple boxes on hand is always a good idea.

Baking soda is great for removing coffee stains from metal pots or ceramic mugs. Just sprinkle a tablespoon or two inside the pot, rub with a dishcloth, and watch the stain disappear.

Baking soda is essential for destroying odors and keeping your refrigerator and freezer fresh. Arm & Hammer now makes a special design just for the refrigerator and freezer.

Baking soda puts out grease fires. Keep a box of baking soda near the stove in case of an emergency.

Baking soda is a great addition to a hot bath. I like to have a box in the bathroom to add to my bath after a day of baking in the kitchen — it softens my skin and keeps me fresh-smelling!

Note: Baking soda and baking powder should not be substituted for one another.

Baking powder

Baking powder usually comes in a small, round, sturdy container with an airtight lid. Baking powder is essential for cakes, cookies, muffins, and quick breads and acts as the leavening agent. Choose double-acting baking powder, which is the most readily available.

Baking powder contains both an acid and an alkali (which is almost always baking soda), so just the addition of liquid is necessary to create a rise. Double-acting baking powder is true to its name — it reacts twice: once when the liquid is mixed in and then again when the batter is placed in the oven. Today, almost all baking powder sold is double-acting.

Although baking powder contains baking soda, don’t substitute one for the other. Too much baking powder will make your baked goods taste acidic and may cause the product to collapse.

Baking powder can be stored in its own container, but if your baking powder has been sitting around for several months, be sure to test it for potency. Dissolve 1 teaspoon in 1/4 cup of hot water. If it does not foam within a few seconds, it is time to get a new container.

In a pinch, you can make your own baking powder. Combine 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar to equal 1 teaspoon baking powder. Or you can use 1 teaspoon baking soda plus 2 teaspoons cream of tartar for each cup of flour called for in the recipe. If you do make your own baking powder, make just what you need for the recipe; it can’t be stored.

Cream of tartar

After the manufacturing of wine, the acid left in the wine barrels is made into cream of tartar. Not widely used in baking, cream of tartar is generally added to egg whites when whipping to help stabilize them. It is also often used in candy-making.

Cream of tartar is sold with all the other spices in the supermarket. It’s used in baking when you are whipping egg whites to help “stabilize” them, which means they keep their shape. It’s also good to have on hand, because you can mix it with baking soda if you run out of baking powder (see the preceding section).

Yeast

Yeast is the leavening agent for breads and rolls. Mostly used in bread making, yeast gets its rising powder from the combination of the right amount of warmth, food for it to eat (sugar), and liquid, which causes the yeast to release carbon dioxide.

In general, there are two types of yeast: active dry yeast and fresh compressed yeast.

Active dry yeast, which I use for all the recipes in this book, is available in most supermarkets in premeasured packets, containing 1/4 ounce (or about 1 tablespoon). You can also buy active dry yeast in jars that contain larger amounts.

Active dry yeast should be dissolved in lukewarm water, no hotter than 110 degrees, which is actually just slightly warmer than lukewarm. Test the water on the inside of your wrist or run the tap over a candy thermometer until you reach this temperature. If you’re unsure, it’s better to err on the side of cooler water than hotter because all yeast will die if exposed to temperatures over 120 degrees.

Fresh compressed yeast is moist yeast, available in 0.6-ounce squares. A square of fresh yeast can be substituted for one package of active dry yeast.

You can also find bread machine yeast, which I don’t recommend for any of the recipes in this book. It’s a special strain of fine-granulated, dehydrated yeast, specially designed to dissolve during the kneading and mixing processes of bread machines. Another type of yeast is rapid-rise or quick-acting yeast, which is just another strain of dehydrated yeast. Although this type of yeast can be substituted for active dry yeast measure for measure, I don’t often use it. I haven’t found it to significantly reduce rising time for my breads and am somewhat wary of its sustained rising power. If you do choose to use this variety of yeast, be sure not to proof it (to dissolve it in water and sugar before mixing it into the flour mixture to make sure that it’s working). It may expire before your dough finishes rising.

Before starting any recipe, be sure to check the expiration date on your package of yeast. Don’t bother trying to use yeast that has passed that date. I like to store active dry yeast in the refrigerator to ensure its freshness, although you don’t have to. You must store compressed cake yeast in the refrigerator or freezer, because it’s highly perishable. You can also proof your yeast to make sure that it’s still alive.

Fats: The Good Guys with a Bad Rap

Fat is just a generic way of referring to butter, margarine, lard, oil, and shortening. How rich a cake, pastry, cookie, or other baked item tastes depends largely on the type of fat used in it and how the fat was incorporated. Although fat has gotten a bad reputation, it really does play an important role in baking, adding tenderness and flavor to baked goods. It also retains moisture and helps the leaveners in batters.

Several different types of fats are used in baking. Although butter, stick margarines, and shortenings are pretty interchangeable, using the ingredient the recipe calls for is always best.

Butter

Of all the fats, butter has the best flavor for baking. Most professional bakers would not think of baking with anything else. It is made from the richness of cream and gives a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth taste to baked goods.

Butter varies in taste from brand to brand, so finding the brand you like is important. Because butter can be expensive compared to your other choices (margarine, oil, shortening, and so on), your best choice is usually the brand that’s on sale.

At the market, butter comes in sticks or whipped in tubs. For baking, choose the stick form — whipped butter gives a much different texture to baked goods because it has air whipped into it. You also have to choose between salted and unsalted. For the recipes in this book, it doesn’t really matter which one you use, although you may want to choose unsalted butter for less salt content in your baked goods. Most professional cooks are “butter purists” and use only unsalted butter for baking. They vow that salty butter will alter the taste of their recipes, so they like to control that by choosing only unsalted. Personally, I have not yet found a recipe where the salted or unsalted butter has made or broken a recipe, but I’m sure that many would passionately disagree. I respect their choices, but I believe that the choice is yours. No need to get too fussy here.

Keep butter wrapped in the refrigerator, away from strong odors (the butter compartment of your refrigerator is always a good choice). You can also freeze butter (which is a great reason to load up when there’s a sale). Just remember that butter is a sponge for odors, which can dramatically change its flavor. So wrap your butter in aluminum foil or seal it well in plastic wrap or plastic bags before freezing and rotate your stock (first in, first out). Think about storing your butter near an open box of baking soda, too.

Butter will keep frozen for up to one year, and in the refrigerator for several weeks. If you’re in doubt about freshness, just give it a taste. It should taste like nothing but butter. When butter goes bad, it becomes rancid, which is indicated by a bad odor and taste. If it has picked up refrigerator odor, you will also be able to easily detect that.

One stick of butter or margarine weighs 4 ounces and equals 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup.

There is nothing like butter, which imparts it own fresh, creamy flavor to baking. But stick margarine can be substituted in recipes where butter is called for, unless otherwise stated.

Margarine, butter blends, and vegetable spreads

Butter is 100 percent saturated fat, which is a drawback for many. A wide variety of oils and solid fats are used in making margarine, which gives you an unsaturated butter substitute with no less than 80 percent fat. Butter blends are a combination of about 60 percent margarine and 40 percent butter and can be used interchangeably with butter or margarine.

Margarine and butter blends come in sticks and in tubs. Use the sticks for baking; the margarine in the tub is too soft.

For the most part, stick margarine can be used in place of butter. Because of the oils that are added, margarine has a higher melting point than butter (110 degrees compared to 96 degrees). This also means it remains softer even when refrigerated. Textures and flavors vary, so you may have to try several brands before you find one you prefer.

Don’t use reduced-calorie or low-fat butter or margarine for baking. Margarine products called vegetable oil spreads, which are lower in fat and cholesterol than butter or margarine, are available in sticks, tubs, or as liquid spreads. Because the fat is decreased and water is increased in these products, I don’t recommend them for baking — you won’t like the results! If you must use them for health reasons, don’t use any product with less then 65 percent fat for baking, and choose only the sticks. These products affect the texture and quality of any baked item. Never use a liquid spread for the recipes in this book.

Shortening

Shortening is 100 percent fat and is great for creaming and whipping because it doesn’t break down or melt (like butter or margarine can) from the friction created by creaming fats. Many bakers swear by vegetable shortening for the flakiest piecrusts. Solid vegetable shortening is great for incorporating air into the batter, which gives added volume to cookies and cakes and makes them softer and spongier.

Unfortunately, shortening does not impart much flavor to baked goods (although its lack of flavor makes it ideal for greasing cookie sheets and pans). Although there are butter-flavored shortenings, they still fall short of the real thing. Shortening is a good choice when the flavor of the fat is not that important. For example, you may want to use shortening for a spice or chocolate cake, and it makes a great choice for crunchy chocolate chip cookies. It’s a bad choice for sugar cookies, however, because butter is an important flavoring ingredient in that recipe. Substitute shortening for butter, measure for measure. You also can use half butter and half shortening in some baking recipes.

Solid vegetable shortening comes in cans and, unopened, can be stored indefinitely. Once opened, it will last for several years if it’s stored in an airtight container.

Lard

Lard is rendered pork fat, which is 100 percent animal fat and means that, like butter, it contains cholesterol. Lard makes for a great flaky piecrust, and the pork fat gives good flavor, especially good for savory recipes, and is inexpensive. You usually can find lard in the supermarket where the shortening is kept. You also can get lard from a butcher. Piecrusts aside, lard is not recommended for cakes, cookies, or other baked goods because of the strong flavor of the pork fat. When serving, you may want to inform your guests that there is lard in the crust, in case there are any vegetarians in the crowd.

Oil

Oils impart a tenderness and moistness to baked items. Mild-flavored vegetable oils such as corn, canola, or peanut are often called for in quick-bread, muffin, and some cake recipes. Oil also can be used to grease baking sheets or pans.