This weeks question is from Jaqueline and she asks;

I’m having a dinner guest with a gluten allergy. I’d like to made a rustic pear tart for dessert. The recipe calls for AP flour. Can I substitute 1:1 with rice flour? Also, what is the difference between soft and hard flour, what applications are each used in? Thanks

OK, this post is all about flour and since you are about to gear up for your holiday baking, hopefully I can give you some pointers that will lead you to success. (more…)

This week’s question comes from Dianne: “I have a question about crème fraîche. I can’t find it in my supermarket …  do you have a recipe for crème fraîche? Thanks in advance.” (more…)

This week’s question comes from an anonymous reader who wants to know “In baking with honey, do I just substitute the called for sugar?”

Here is the scoop on cooking with honey: go ahead and substitute honey for sugar in a salad dressing or marinade in equal quantities or to taste. You will probably be less successful however, (more…)

I received this comment from Chris in the Pumpkin Pie post,

“On the subject of pumpkins, why is it that in several recent pumpkin recipes I see squash as the ingredient instead of pumpkin? Also, as one who hates to waste, I know that pie pumpkins are more flavourful but does nobody use the flesh of the larger pumpkins anymore? There’s such an abundance of them and the value/cost is great. How about some suggestions for use.” (more…)

This week’s question is from Pam Vallance. Pam asks, “I want to make the prizewinning apple pie. If I make it Friday for Saturday dinner, should I freeze it for the one night to keep it fresh, or just store it at room temperature for approximately 36 hours”. (more…)

I’m going with another question for today’s blog post because it is seasonal. Plus, I’ve had four different people ask me this question today so I think other bakers out there might be interested.

Lora asks me: “What is the secret to baking a pumpkin pie without that awful split/crack forming in the custard portion?”

Christine answers: (more…)

This week Tandy asks me: “Is there a difference between stock and broth? Some recipes call for stock, but we find it impossible to find in Canadian general grocery stores. Is stock an American term for broth? Please help”.

Here is my answer: (more…)

This week’s question is about cookies.

Sandra asks me: “What can I do/add to keep my cookies from flattening and spreading too much? I like them a little more domed.”

My Answer: When Sandra says “cookies”, I am assuming she means a drop cookie, like a chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie. In this case, she should try chilling her dough for 30 minutes before she bakes the cookies and keep the dough in the fridge between rounds of baking.

There is one other, more complicated possibility for flat cookies. If Sandra’s home is located at a high altitude, this may be affecting her baking. At high altitudes, because of the difference in atmospheric pressure, leaveners (baking powder, baking soda, yeast, beaten eggs) work much faster than at sea level. To counteract this phenomena, Sandra could try raising her oven temperature. At extremely high altitudes, cutting back on the amount of leavener will also help.

I give another reader, Carmel, a detailed answer about the effects and fixes for of high altitude at this link here.

Thanks for the question Sandra. Disagree with my advice? Want to write in and try to stump me? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you next Monday.

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Candycanejane e-mailed this week with this question:

Can red curry be used in place of curry for a recipe. Whats the difference? Thanks, Candy.

The word curry really refers to a blend of spices and aromatics and really could be based on an number of different spices. Asian countries tend to have curry blends that are particular to their cuisine. There are many different spice blends in Indian cuisine, either ground powders or pastes, that are all referred to as curry. What we think of as curry in North America is a powdered blend of spices derived from some version of Indian cuisine and containing predominately turmeric as its spice.

Red curry is a type of spice blend from Thailand or Vietnam. It usually contains very hot red chillies, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, lime and possibly a number of other spices. Red curry paste is quite different from curry powder.

The word curry also refers to the stew like dish that you make from these spice blends. Also, just to complicate things further, there is such a thing as a curry plant and the leaves from this plant are used in cooking by themselves (like a bay leaf) or within a blend of ground spices.

If you were to use red curry paste for something that calls for curry, you are going to end up with a very different flavour profile than the recipe intended and in equal quantities it would be mind-blowingly hot! So my answer is no – do not substitute.

Thanks for the question Candy. Disagree with my advice? Want to write in and try to stump me? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you next Monday.

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In this week’s question, Nazia’s dilemma is about pound cake.

“I have tried making a pound cake, the flavour of the cake is fine but the texture is too moist. It looks as if the cake has not been baked fully (everything clamped together). Is it because the butter and sugar have not been creamed properly or the butter quantity in the recipe is too much”

I think Nazia’s problem probably comes from her method, not the ingredients she is using. For great pound cake, make sure you are creaming the butter and sugar until they are very light and fluffy. Also the butter must be softened, don’t try to use hard butter the batter will not incorporate properly. Add the eggs one at a time and thoroughly beat in each egg. Add the dry ingredients and other liquid as your recipe requires (sometimes it says alternately, sometimes all at once) you need to develop the structure of the cake at this point so continue to blend for at least 2 minutes. Some pound cake recipes call for a leavener and some do not; the leavener (baking powder or soda) helps to give the cake a lighter structure. Also make sure that the cake is cooked through, a skewer inserted and comes out clean will indicate if the cake is done, it is a possibility that Nazia’s cake is not fully baked and this could be the problem with the overly moist interior.

Here is a link to a classic pound cake recipe that will be great if you want to try out my tips.
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/vanilla_pound_cake.php

Disagree with my advice? Want to write in and try to stump me? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you next Monday.

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