Stupid food questions

[Morrigan]

Did you mix the pastry too long?

If you over-mix it, it'll become hard once it's cool. With pie crust (the same principle for the crust), if you over-mix the lard/shortening (I always use shortening in my crusts), while it's warm, it's ok, but once it's cool, it's a weapon.

You also want to cook them until they're (or the innards) are just done, since they'll continue to cook even when they're out of the oven.

[Twankydillo]

Originally Posted by Morrigan

Did you mix the pastry too long?

If you over-mix it, it'll become hard once it's cool. With pie crust (the same principle for the crust), if you over-mix the lard/shortening (I always use shortening in my crusts), while it's warm, it's ok, but once it's cool, it's a weapon.

Now you mention the mixing, I remember now that I had a problem working with the pastry with shortening added without the pastry crumbling and being unable to shape. I had to microwave my pastry every few minutes to keep it warm, soft and malleable. Does that sound like it was over mixed?

[Morrigan]

It actually sounds like there wasn't enough moisture (too dry).

With the pie crust (for me, it's just an egg, a splash of vinegar, shortening, water and flour), you cut the shortening into the flour. Then, add the egg, vinegar and just enough water (or milk) to moisten the dough. You want it mallable but not sticky and not crumbly. If it's sticky, add a bit more flour. If it's crumbly or not sticking together, add a bit of water/milk. You should be able to form it into balls without it falling apart. When you're done mixing it together, you actually refridgerate it for about 20 minutes or so. It makes it easier to roll out/shape.

[marrya]

Yes, and, the colder you keep the pastry, the better.
When I make pastry using vegetable oil, I prefer to use olive oil that's been chilled enough to begin to thicken, textures of really soft butter, and then work really quickly with it, so it has less chance to liquefy (at room temperature)

I have q friend who keeps the metal parts of her mixer in the freezer so her pastry stays cold.

[Mad Jay]

Twankydillo, you have your answer, but here's my totally nerdy explanation

Microwaving might have been the problem. I am not sure, but wouldn't microwaving "cook" the dough instead of just warming it up?

. When you bake any kind of dough, intenally there are 7 steps that have to happen in the same order to get a good product

1. Gases are formed.
2. Gases are trapped.
3. Starches gelatinize.
4. Proteins coagulate.
5. Fats melt.
6. Water evaporates.
7. Sugars Caramelize.

The way oven baking works, the temperature of the entire dough rises gradually. Since the liquid in the dough has a lower gaseous point, the gases form before the starch in the dough geletanize

However, when you microwave something, the whole thing cooks together. The microwaves physically take particles inside your dough and start shaking them about (which is why microwaves heat up the food faster). It could be that the starches started geletanizing when you microwaved it.. which might cause the gluten structure to become harder. Just because the dough doesn't feel warm on the outside, doesn't mean that the dough hasn't cooked. Could be that the dough cooked on the inside even though it was cold.

[Twankydillo]

It was the case that when the pastry cooled it set and became very brittle. Chilling it wouldn't have helped, which is why I had the not-to-wise idea of microwaving to keep it warm. My recipe asked me to work fast and to keep it at body temperature, but it cooled amazingly fast. As in, I couldn't shape it or roll it without it breaking into pieces, within 5 seconds of it leaving my hand.

It's likely then that this had something to do with my pies becoming deadly if thrown at my enemies. Since the recipe did warn that I had to work fast, I thought that was normal

[GenYus234]

Anyone got a good recipe for an easy, not too expensive fondue that doesn't use beer or wine? Something with a medium to medium-sharp flavor to go with bread.

We like the chedder/swiss/lager fondue at the Melting Pot, but we don't drink beer. So if we buy a six-pack to make it, chances are 4 or 5 of the beers will be wasted as they'll go funky. And we generally only drink sweet wines, so any dry wine will probably also go to waste.

[Moku]

Twankydillo, here's a hot water pastry that uses butter and olive oil rather than vegetable shortening. I haven't tried it but she specifically says that it remains reasonably workable, I guess because the oil isn't trying to solidify.
For anyone who is confused, the pie Twankydillo is trying to emulate is a pork pie with a raised crust that is made with melted lard and hot water, as the fat resets the pastry becomes less pliable. It's the one pastry situation when colder isn't better. Twankydillo, that's a point though, could you pre-warm your utensils at all? Prop the pastry board on the radiator for half an hour, that sort of thing?

[Gayle]

While some may call it heresy, I've always made pie crusts with vegetable oil: 1/2 c oil, 1/2 c milk, 2 to 2-1/2 c flour, 1 tsp salt. Start with two cups of flour, add more til your dough's not too sticky.

[tagurit]

Has anyone ever made potato donuts? This recipe looks pretty interesting. I haven't made donuts since I was a kid, in my mother's kitchen.

[Die Capacitrix]

Originally Posted by GenYus234

So if we buy a six-pack to make it, chances are 4 or 5 of the beers will be wasted as they'll go funky.

Any chance you could buy just one bottle? Many of the darker specialty beers are often sold by the bottle, which is what you will want, to stand up to a good cheddar. Another possibility is hard cider.*

Tonight we are having British cheddar with Scottish dark beer fondue with a bit of whisky for the kick (instead of traditional kirsch). Don't know exactly which cheddar or beer yet - we're going to the cheese shop today.

* Just had an idea to have it with hard pear cider, but I'm not sure which would be the best cheese with that. Where's the drooling smiley?

[Tabbyclaw]

I have heard good things about the combination of pear and gruyere, but I have not tried it myself.

-Tabby
the princess with claws

[tagurit]

Does anyone have a diabetic recipe for brownies? Is there such a thing?

[WildaBeast]

A vendor at the farmers market this morning gave me a free Japanese turnip with my purchase (presumably he had a lot of extras and wanted to get rid of them). Not being one to turn down something for free I took it, but I don't have the slightest idea how to prepare it. I don't normally even eat regular turnips. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Avril]

Why does buttermilk only come in quarts? No recipe I've ever seen calls for a full quart of buttermilk, and its popularity drank straight has declined quite a lot in a few generations. Plus, you can get almost anything in small bottles--milk, juice, cream, whatever. But buttermilk--quarts only.

Or at least in my grocery stores this has always been true. Why?

[A Turtle Named Mack]

Originally Posted by tagurit

Does anyone have a diabetic recipe for brownies? Is there such a thing?

You can certainly substitute Splenda (r) for the sugar. You can also use whole wheat (preferably whole spring wheat, so as not to have the stronger flavor of winter wheat) instead of polished white flour. Whether such changes makes a diabetic-appropriate brownie, I am no expert to say.

[Tzarina]

Originally Posted by Avril

Why does buttermilk only come in quarts? No recipe I've ever seen calls for a full quart of buttermilk, and its popularity drank straight has declined quite a lot in a few generations. Plus, you can get almost anything in small bottles--milk, juice, cream, whatever. But buttermilk--quarts only.

Or at least in my grocery stores this has always been true. Why?

Not sure why, but it can be frozen. You line up dixie cups on a tray, put 1/2 cup of buttermilk in each and freeze it, then put the frozen cups in a ziplock. You just thaw before baking with it. Cook's Illustrated tested it and said no flavor or texture was lost in baked goods made with frozen buttermilk.

[tagurit]

Originally Posted by A Turtle Named Mack

You can certainly substitute Splenda (r) for the sugar. You can also use whole wheat (preferably whole spring wheat, so as not to have the stronger flavor of winter wheat) instead of polished white flour. Whether such changes makes a diabetic-appropriate brownie, I am no expert to say.

Thanks ATNM. I think I need a recipe, though.

Anyone know how many ounces of frozen spinach equals a pound of fresh? I'm sick of washing, de-stemming, drying, and chopping spinach every year, especially at 3 lbs worth. Then, after I saute it I have to squeeze all the water out of it and get it as dry as possible again. Bleagh!

[Beachlife!]

I always buy buttermilk in pints. It probably depends on the dairy which packages it.

[Sylvanz]

Originally Posted by Avril

Why does buttermilk only come in quarts? No recipe I've ever seen calls for a full quart of buttermilk, and its popularity drank straight has declined quite a lot in a few generations. Plus, you can get almost anything in small bottles--milk, juice, cream, whatever. But buttermilk--quarts only.

Or at least in my grocery stores this has always been true. Why?

I haven't used recipes that require buttermilk too often, and we seem to only have quarts here too. My MIL made the best buttermilk biscuits evah!!! (and lots of other goodies that required buttermilk) and seldom if ever bought buttermilk. She substituted with regular milk "soured" with vinegar or lemon juice. It works just as well, is cheaper, and very easy to do.