BakingAsked Dec 20, 2021 by Samantha V.
Is guava juice an acceptable substitute for the guava nectar for the sauce? I assume the nectar is thicker/sweeter, so if so, would you make any changes to the quantity if using juice, e.g. increase the quantity of juice by some amount and still reduce to the 1 1/2 cups?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Samantha - We find that guava nectar is more widely available than guava juice (Goya and Ceres are both widely available brands). The pulp in the nectar is necessary to achieve a really velvety sauce. Thinner juice will produce a more syrup-like sauce than a true fruit sauce. It will still probably taste OK, just not exactly the right texture. If you decide to try it with juice, we would just make sure to reduce 3 cups of juice to 1 1/2 cups. Since nectar usually contains more sugar, you may find you need to make it a little sweeter and you may want to add a little more cornstarch slurry to thicken it a bit more. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Oct 28, 2021 by Barbara P.
I am not succeeding when it comes to bagels. Sourdough, Seeded Multigrain, Challah, White Sandwich Bread, French Bagettes - all good. Bagels, not so much. I am following the recipe in Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice relentlessly and exactly. But when I proof them overnight in the fridge, by morning they seem ready to boil - bagel shaped and puffy, but by the time I get the plastic wrap (spray coated) off the top of them and gently peel them off the parchment paper (spray coated) and into the boiling water, they have become deflated intertube tires. My husband says they taste good - but he loves me and would say anything to be nice. What am I doing wrong? See attached pics. This was a particularly bad batch. After this, I took to putting tall custard cups in the proofing bag to hold the plastic wrap up off the bagels so the plastic did not adhere to the bagel and cause deflation when I removed the bag. That fixed the adherence problem but the larger issue of flat dense Frisbie like bagels persisted. The shame!!!!
after the overnight proof.jpg
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after being boiled.jpg
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Barbara - I can't give a perfect diagnosis since I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's possible that your bagels are either over-proofed or being boiled for too long. When a recipe calls for a cold ferment in the fridge it assumes you're going to put the dough way in the back of a very cold refrigerator and basically never open it. Not very realistic! While this is usually not a problem with most doughs, it might be a problem with bagels since they go through the process of being boiled and then baked so there's more chance for that over-proofed "puffiness" to deflate. I'm not sure how long you are boiling them for but I recommend no more than 30 seconds a side to get the dough just set. Boiling too long sets the dough too much and doesn't allow for oven spring.
I haven't made Peter Reinhardt's recipe but I have made this one from Stella Parks at Serious Eats that is, at least for me, pretty foolproof. Bonus: the bagels will stay fresh for a few days thanks to the Japanese-style technique called yukone.
Good luck!
Best, Lynn
Read MoreAsked Sep 27, 2021 by Bonnie P.
On a recent radio show you recommended a frosting by a female baker. What was her name so I can look it up and any baking cookbooks she may have.
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Bonnie - I'm not 100% sure to which episode of the show you are referring, but I know Chris loves the Marshmallow Buttercream from Stella Parks. You can find the recipe in her book, "Brave Tart - Iconic American Desserts." I also love her version of American buttercream (the key is using organic powdered sugar, which is less sweet and more flavorful than conventional) which you can also find in her book. Good luck! Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Aug 16, 2021 by Lynn F.
I have been on a multi-decade hunt for a recipe that produces a sort of doughy center to these cookies, like the cookie my grandmother made. Anyone have one to share?
The recipes I find and have tried all yield a crispy center.
What am I looking for in a doughy-center recipe... is it the addition of an egg? powdered sugar rather than granulated? less butter? relatively less flour?
Thanks for saving me the trouble of making yet another disappointing recipe!
Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau
Dear Lynn,
Perhaps you have already found the solution to making doughy centered Mexican wedding cookies. If not, this article from Food 52 might be able to help. The author mentions "The addition of ground-up nuts almost guarantees tender cookies."
Here is the link. https://food52.com/blog/19002-swap-one-ingredient-get-entirely-new-rich-buttery-cookies
Also, I would be happy to do a little research to see if your grandmother made something similar to Mexican wedding cookies but was something else entirely. If you could tell me where your grandmother was from, where she lived and in what time period, we might find a solution to your multi-decade hunt.
Best,
Elizabeth
Milk Street's Culinary Researcher
Read MoreAsked Aug 06, 2021 by Carol R.
I recently bought half sheet pans from a major flour vendor. I use the pans for 450 degree recipes for rustic bread and pizza. There is also a Cookish chicken recipe that cooks at 500 degrees.
Alas the pans buckled starting at 425 degrees. What brands are people using that work at 450-500 degrees without buckling?
Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Carol - Hopefully some other folks will weigh in on specific brands they recommend - we haven't tested sheet trays at Milk Street - but almost all sheet trays will warp a little bit as a result of the metal expanding as it heats. In general, most sheets won't warp permanently. Once the metal temperature equalizes it should return back to the correct shape. Personally, at home I use this one which has warped a little bit but not enough to affect cooking in any way. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Aug 05, 2021 by Marianne S.
Generally for baking cakes, pies, Etc. Does Convection mode produce best results or Standard/conventional mode?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Marianne - We exclusively use conventional bake when developing our recipes at Milk Street. In our experience elsewhere, we have found that convection baking is best when browning or drying is the goal. For example, when roasting meats or toasting or crisping such as in making granola, crisp cookies (biscotti), or dried fruit or vegetables. Otherwise, we have not found much improvement in cooking with convection for cakes or pies. In fact, in some cases, the air that blows the heat around on the convection cycle can cause certain, more delicate, baked goods to rise unevenly or pie doughs to be more likely to slump. Best, The Milk Street Team
Read MoreAsked Jun 21, 2021 by Katheryn E.
How do I remove the parchment after the cake is cooled without ruining the top?
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Katheryn - You don't need to remove the parchment. The cake is baked in a springform pan lined with parchment. Once you remove the sides of the springform pan you can slide your spatula under the cake to remove. The parchment should stick to the bottom of the pan, not the cake, so you should be able to remove the slices without the parchment. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked Jun 15, 2021 by Mitchell G.
I've been on a baguette baking kick recently and gave some to friends. One of them gifted me back some King Arthur Bread Flour with the not-so-subtle hint that if I turn it into more bread, they'd be glad to help consume it :-) However, I use AP flour for my baguettes, using a recipe from King Arthur's website.
I know KA's Bread Flour has a higher protein count than other bread flours. If I use it, for any kind of bread, do I need to make any adjustments because of the higher protein?
Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Mitchell - Since you are very familiar with your recipe, you can try making it with KA bread flour. When substituting flours I always think it's best to know the recipe well so you know how the dough is supposed to feel and look and can make adjustments. I actually think it might be nice with bread flour, since it will make it more chewy. You might find a difference in the size of the holes inside the loaf, which may or may not be desirable. You won't know until you try! Make sure to substitute with an equal amount \by weight\. KA bread flour has 12.7% protein, while their all-purpose flour is 11.7%. King Arthur's AP flour is already pretty high in protein compared to other brands so I expect it will be pretty easy to make the substitution. Dough made with bread flour absorbs slightly more liquid so pay attention to the texture of the dough and add a little more water if you feel it's necessary. Otherwise, I think this should work just fine. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked May 13, 2021 by Sally J.
Would it be possible to substitute dark rye flour in this recipe in place of rye flour? The source of the dark rye flour is Bob’s Red Mill.
Many thanks for all that you do for us!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Sally - We haven't tested the recipe with dark rye flour so we can't say for sure what the results will be. That being said, a darker rye flour will yield a sticky toffee pudding with a more prominent rye flavor and, potentially, a denser texture. Also, be sure to substitute by weight rather than by volume to account for the difference in weight per cup. Best, Lynn C.
Read MoreAsked May 12, 2021 by Chelsea H.
Is it okay to freeze the single-crust pie dough? If so, can it be done as a 4-inch disk? Or should it be fully blind-baked and then frozen? Thanks!
Answered by Lynn Clark
Hi Chelsea - You can freeze this for sure. I do it all the time around the holidays. You can freeze as a disk or roll and shape and freeze in the pie dish (unbaked). I wouldn't bake before freezing, though, for fear that the dough would lose too much moisture. Best, Lynn C.
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