Baking Issue -- Need Advice

[chachp]

Recipes, Recipes and more Recipes

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I collect them from everywhere.  I recently was cleaning off the top of my desk and moved them to a pile on the floor with the intention of putting them in one of the many books I have made over the years.  I too, try different variations and note them on the recipe.  The one here is for the white bread recipe for my bread machine.  I have been making this one for years and have many notes.  Then I make books for speciality items like this one for grill recipes.  I also have an online cookbook where I list those that I want to share with people.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">If I ever retire, I will likely spend a lot of time organizing all of these.  I keep wanting to scan things, put them in the on line cookbook, and then use them from my iPad when cooking.  I just keep going back to the handwritten recipes.  There is nothing like that stained piece of paper with notes all over to add to the pleasure of it.</span>

 

[perc-o-prince]

Ralph,

ROFL! In addition to recipe tweaks, I have printed recipes sticking out of the book and hand-written recipes on the blank fly-leaf (or vacat) pages in that book! I get so pissed when I can't find a fave recipe but it's my own fault!

 

Since we're re-doing the downstairs kitchen, I need to do something with the small photo book that I have where I copied my fave recipes from my mother's files. Since they're already on index cards, I'll take them out, band them, then probably put them in some kind of database with a printed backup! Any suggestions?

 

Chuck

 

[chachp]

Cookbook apps...

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">Chuck,</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">I’ve used a number of cookbook apps over the years.  The one I like best is one called Cook’n.  What I like best about it is how it will automatically publish my cookbook to a web page that I can share with anyone I please.  I can type them in or when I find a recipe online, I can click a button to import it into my cookbook and it flags it where it came from which I also like.  I don’t want anyone to think I am claiming their recipes as my own.</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">Recently, he introduced a feature where you can scan a handwritten recipe and it will convert the handwriting to text.  I have not tried that yet.  That would actually mean I take the time to organize and catalog what I have all over the place and clearly, I’m not motivated at this time to do that.  LOL.  </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">You can subscribe to an account where your recipes will sync to their servers and access them from any device.  Meaning I can import and manage from my phone, iPad, Computer, etc.  They also have Mac and Windows apps.  The website is read only which I like because no one can mess with the recipes just use them.  There was one I tried and for the life of me I can’t remember what it was called.  It was all web based and I thought I would like that concept, but it wasn’t implemented well.  The interface was very poorly designed so I stayed with Cook’n.</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">If you have a friend who also uses Cook’n, you can click a button to share a recipe with that friend. </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">I’ve used this app for a number of years now and I haven’t kept up with what else is out there.  I suspect there are other apps now doing the same thing.</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">My recommendation is Cook’n because it’s what I know.  Maybe others will recommend other apps that do the same thing.  I stick with this one because the developer is very open to enhancement suggestions and when something does go wrong they are quick to fix.</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">I have always hoped that someday we would have a cookbook incorporated into this website because I know we have a lot of really great home and professional cooks around here.  I know over the years there has been talk of it, but I also know what it would take to create and manage something like that so for now we post them the way we do.</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"> </span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;">Ralph</span>

[this post was last edited: 12/11/2020-02:58]

 

[sfh074]

Well heck ...... working from memory

and finding out it isn't working all that well these days.

 

Yep, my recall on the temp of the pound cake was way off after checking the recipe. I must have extrapolated the temp, based on (what I think is a long bake time - 1hr & 30mins for any cake) .... causing me to think the temp was greater instead.  If that made any sense.  Not sure why I would think 425 would be an appropriate bake temp in the first place. But that is why the wife does most of the baking for sure. The convection oven does reduce the time by about 15 mins which is a plus and creates a beautiful even golden color.

 

I'm including the recipe I talked about. It is by far one of the best old fashioned pound cake recipes we've found. We normally make it for Thanksgiving and this year was no exception. Hope you guys give it a try,  because I am a cake nut and this one is over the top delicious, not to mention the texture is exactly what you think of for an old fashioned pound cake. It reminds me of those decadent old fashioned cake donuts from a bake shop I remember as a child.

 

Bud   

 

 

 

[chachp]

YUMM, Bud.

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">That sounds good.  I am definitely going to make that.  Thanks for sharing the recipe.  Does your wife use a bundt pan?  I have no clue where mine is as I seldom use it.  I do have a tube pan, I suspect that would work fine.  Anyone have any thoughts on that?</span>

 

[ea56]

Ralph

I agree that does look like a good recipe for Pound Cake.  And yes, a 10” tube pan would work just fine for this cake. Actually, sometimes I prefer a 10” tube pan for a Pound Cake over a bundt pan, especially if I want to put a light glaze on the cake.

 

Eddie

 

[vacerator]

Don't forget

"high" altitude temps. amd times as well. Special cbd brownies?

 

[ea56]

Re: reply#26

I posted detailed instructions on thread#82440 post #1068858 , found in reply #58, on how to make Marijuana edibles from scratch.

 

 If you live in a state where pot is legal and you have no adverse reactions from pot you may want to give this a try.  It’s healthier than smoking pot, the pain relieving effects last much longer and its a much less expensive way to benefit from the pain relieving effects of marijuana than buying prepared edibles from a dispensary.

 

 I have very bad arthritis throughout my body and this works better than anything else with no adverse effects.  My doctor approves of my using marijuana for this pain.  It’s non  addictive, opioids aren’t.  I won’t ever use opioids under any circumstance.

 

 It may seem complicated, but after you get the hang of it its really very easy. Just be sure to pay close attention to what you’re doing, otherwise you can waste a lot of money.

 

 I make a two months supply for just under $100.00. I store them in the freezer in air tight ziplock bags and remove only the amount I can use in a week at a time.  The whole process takes me less than 3 hours from start to finish.

 

These edibles are based on THC not CBD.

 

The recipe I use for the Brownies is as follows:

1cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup canna butter (detailed instructions for making it in the thread referred to above)

1 egg

2 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Melt the chocolate, add the canna butter, brown sugar and egg and beat together by hand.  Blend in the dry ingredients and put into buttered 8”x8” pan, bake at 325f for 20 mins, or until tests done with toothpick.  Cool for 15 mins, then carefully loosen edges of brownies and shake pan gently to loosen bottom of brownies from the pan, turn out on cooling rack and cool completely.  With a sharp long knife cut into 4 even quarters then cut each quarter into 16 even pieces.  The yield is 64 pieces or two months+ of pain reliever.  I take one piece at quarter to 5 every evening before dinner and the effects last until about 8:30.  It takes about 30-44 mins to start to kick in.

 

 

 

Eddie

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?82440

[this post was last edited: 12/11/2020-13:49]

 

[twintubdexter]

Ralph,

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">Someone gave me one of these pricey Gaggenau built-in steamers a few years ago. It was in a new home in the Big Horn area of Palm Springs (very expensive) and has never been used. Apparently the owner of the new house told her agent "get that stupid thing out of my kitchen" which meant replacing an entire slab of granite. I had planned to cut a hole in my counter and install it (requires a drain and 220 which is no problem) but got to thinking it doesn't do anything more than my cheap Oster steamer so why bother? I'll send it to you if you want to keep your dream kitchen screaming all-Gaggenau.</span>

 

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;">That photo of your finished loaf doesn't look that bad...it's a meatloaf right?</span>

 

[ea56]

Ralph after reading Joe’s post I realized that there was a second photo to your OP, so I took a look.  That Apple loaf cake looks just like it should based upon the fact that you baked in  a 9”x5” loaf pan. Unless it didn’t taste good I don’t think that there was anything wrong with your baking powder or other ingredients or the method of preparation.

 

As I said before, baking this cake in a 8”x4” loaf pan the next time will result in the higher cake that you were hoping for.  It’s simply a matter of the pan being more on the large side, nothing else.

 

It looks like it would taste good to me.  The cinnamon sugar on the outside does make it resemble a meatloaf like Joe mentioned, but I’ll bet it gives it a delightful flavor.

 

But thanks anyway for this thread which elicited much interest across the board.

 

Eddie

 

 

[norgeway]

Four really makes a big difference

Just try to make biscuits with Gold Medal, lol, I have found it impossible,Im used to soft winter wheat flours, I use Adluh and Virginias Best, self rising for biscuits , all purpose for other stuff, Amish cake flour for cakes, As far as the oven goes, and i will get flack im sure, but no oven made today will hold as even a temperature as a old modulating flame gas oven, it just isnt possible.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks Eddie.  The loaf did taste better the next day, and by FWB loved it, so I guess I might be making it again after all.  I really did like the texture a lot.

 

I was at the store today so bought a new can of baking powder.   The other stuff was really old, I know.  Even if the old powder wasn't the issue, it was time to replace it.  In tossing it out, I discovered that a bunch of it had caked up solid and was stuck to the bottom of the can.  Along with a standard size loaf pan, new powder should help provide better results. 

 

Joe, that steamer is about as useful as the ridiculous grilling module I have.  Ideally, I'd like to find the wok module, which offers a big single 16K BTU burner, to replace the grill.  I don't use the smooth top two-burner electric module much, but it does have its attributes so I'm willing to cut costs and keep that one instead of replacing it with an additional two-burner gas module.

 

It's the oven that really annoys me.  It has only one lousy rack and there are no stops for it.  Pull it out more than half way and it will tip downward and let whatever is on it slide and/or spill onto the door.  Not at all safe and I can't believe Gaggeneau even got it past the Consumer Products Safety Commission for marketing in this country.

 

As for meatloaf, I tried using a loaf pan for it once.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Well, I guess I wasn't.

 

[ea56]

Ralph

you mentioned that you discovered caked and stuck on baking powder in the bottom of the can.  I’ve too had this happen, even with a can that was only a month or two old.

 

 One thing I discovered to be the cause was that I used to keep either an electric kettle or coffeemaker under the cabinet where I keep the baking powder.  I believe that it was the heat and steam generated by these  counter top appliances that was the cause.

 

 I also discovered that by scraping the caked baking powder into the measuring spoon and them putting it into a small strainer like is used to strain loose tea, and then using the measuring spoon to force it thru the sieve over the measured flour and whisking them together the baking powder was resurrected and performed just as it was supposed to.

 

Now I don’t keep these kind of heat/steam generating small appliances under this cabinet anymore and my baking powder stays loose and doesn’t cake.  Problem solved.

 

Eddie

 

[vacerator]

Thank's for the recipe

for canabis brownies!!!! Yes, it's leagal here, and helps me sleep better some nights.
Years ago, a self proclaimed witch near Waynne Sate University made orange flavored ones. She sold tham at Dally in the Alley, an art fair in that neighborhood.

 

[ea56]

You’re welcome Mike!  I hope you give them a try.  I make a batch every other month.  My lungs just can’t take smoking pot anymore and I really find the effect of pot much more enjoyable, longer lasting and better at pain relieving when its ingested in an edible.

 

I’ve also made cheese cracker in the past with canna butter and sometimes I make Blondies with this same Brownie recipe and just leave out the chocolate.  But the chocolate version is my favorite.  If I add nuts I make sure they are very finely chopped so they are evenly dispersed throughout the finished product.  And I always label the container prominently with the contents so there is no mistaking what they are and what the potency per piece is.

 

Eddie

 

[chachp]

I made the Pound Cake!!

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">....and OMG it is so good!!!  Thank you Bud for sharing the recipe.  It really is a keeper.  Worth every fat gram, carb and calorie!  There really aren't that many ingredients when you get into it.  Just a lot of butter, eggs and cream cheese.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">To further our conversation on using the convection oven and whether or not to adjust times and temps.  I set the oven for 275 because the recipe calls for 300.  I monitored the temp in the oven as it baked and it stayed at 300 the entire 90 minutes.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course, then there are the dishes but that just adds to the fun.</span>

 

[sfh074]

Awesome .....

Glad you liked it Ralph! It came from Southern Living magazine, circa 1981 but was reprinted in 2017. I bet it was reprinted a few times previous to that as well.

 

If you liked that cake there is one more that blows that one out of the water, IMHO.  It is an old fashioned coconut cake recipe that is a well loved favorite that people here in Atlanta raved about going back to the 40's. Funny thing it was only available in the little bake shops/restaurants inside the Rich's department stores and I only remember having it one time as a kid. Rich's were bought out by Macy's like 20 years ago and the dept store restaurants were discontinued.

 

There is a FB page that discusses all things vintage here in Atlanta and a few years back someone asked if anyone remembered the coconut cake at Rich's. That one post led to hundreds of comments and one lady piped up and said her grandmother used to do the baking for Rich's downtown and said her grandmother had a copy of most of the cake recipes including the coconut, which she posted. The original was handwritten but someone else took it and made a 3 page document recipe with pictures ..... which is the one I'll post.

 

We make this cake a couple times a year and I'm here to tell you it is the number one cake in my book ..... but then again I love coconut to begin with. If you make it per the recipe, when done you will laugh when you go to lift the completed cake. I swear it weighs in at a good 5 lbs or more.  But OMG .... as we say here, "slap your mama good!" Hope you guys give it a try because this one is over the top. If you do make this cake, the very last step, put the completed cake in the freezer for 15-20 mins to stiffen the icing and set the coconut flakes. After that you can display and keep the cake as usual on a cake plate or covered stand.

 

Just double up on your cholesterol and diabetic meds that day and you'll be good to go. 

 

Bud - Atlanta

[this post was last edited: 12/13/2020-11:08]

 

[chachp]

Thank you Bud

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">We are also coconut lovers so I will likely make this too.  One question.  I have never seen frozen shredded coconut at the store.  It's not to say it doesn't exist I've just never seen it.  If I can't find it, have you ever made this cake with the dry coconut you get in a bag?</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thanks, Ralph</span>

 

[sfh074]

Ralph .....

couldn't get the frozen this year so we got a couple of coconuts and shredded them ..... because one year we forgot to look for the frozen coconut and used the dry variety.  It was definitely NOT as good and lacked the coconut flavor as the fresh provides.  I have found that the local Publix and Kroger's normally have the frozen here, but sometimes is not on the shelf when we look for it. So we start looking for the frozen a month in anticipation of making the cake, which is a Thanksgiving thing we do each year. 

 

BTW, I just checked and you can buy the frozen on Amazon. In the comments some people said that it was still cold when it arrived. Even if it thawed before arrival, no big deal since you have to thaw it to make the cake and wouldn't go bad if it were left out for a few days. Please post a pic and tell us how you liked it if you make this cake!

 

One last thing. the recipe says you can make the cake with just 2 cake pans, but 3 is the original version for the cake.  Definitely make it with 3 pans for a triple stack. The filling to cake ratio, when using just 2 pans is not the same and detracts from the overall cake.

 

[chachp]

Glad I asked. Thanks.

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">We have a Kroger close by I will check there.  We have a Whole Foods and Trader Joe's on the other side of town.  I will check those if Kroger doesn't have it.</span>