The big fat baking discussion
If you bake, sooner or later, fat comes up. Want a lovely, tender crumb? A lightly browned cookie? You need fat. But I hear from the exasperated bakers among you when your cookies spread too much or you want to substitute butter for shortening in older recipes.
For most of us, it’s a matter of aggravation. But for a few of us, not finding the right fat can mean we might have to forgo beloved cakes or cookies. We don’t want that, right? So let’s share our best advice, recipes and more with Karen Murray of San Jose.
“Because I am lactose intolerant, I must use nondairy products in my cooking and baking,” says Murray. “For years, I used Nucoa margarine when making fudge, cookies, etc., but can no longer do that since they removed the trans-fat. At least, that’s what I think is missing, as all my baking has produced duds. Do you know of a substitute I can use to replace needed fat in baked goods? I thought about adding some Crisco to my recipes but don’t know what portions.”
If you’ve experimented, please share both the proportions and your best take on how substituting fats changes the end result. If you have favorite dessert recipes that use nondairy fats, please send them along, too.
The perfect burger
Peggy Maurer of Castro Valley thinks the recent perfect turkey burger recipe is indeed perfect — with the addition of an egg. The original recipe Maurer sent was missing an egg, which helps bind ingredients together. The amended recipe accompanies today’s column.
Peppers, hot and cold
Holly Simpson of Livermore says the best vehicle for preserving the last of our pepper crops is, well, an actual vehicle. “I’ve found drying them to be the best method,” she says. “From there, you can grind them up or use them whole. I like to sun dry them in my car on hot days where the windows act like a solar oven.”
And with that, I was flashing back to the venerable vintage autos parked out back at Aunt Beulah’s place in Etowah, Tennessee, in the 1970s, with trays of apple or peach slices drying on the generous shelves beneath the back windows.
“I’ve had great success using this technique with apples, tomatoes, grapes and Mirabelle plums,” Simpson says. “I love this low-energy technique for preserving the summer produce. I’ve found the car-drying method is actually quicker than using a food dehydrator and much more energy-efficient.”
To dry peppers, cut large peppers in half, then place them on wire cooling racks set on pans. “You may need to check and turn them occasionally, removing smaller peppers as they dry,” Simpson says. “Unless you live in an area with bears or other such creatures, there’s no need to bring the trays in at night.”
Expect the process to take two to four days. Test for doneness by splitting a pepper open to ensure there is no lingering moisture.
A little worried that you’ll head off for the morning carpool with a back window full of jalapeños? Barbara Baksa of Fremont says simply freeze peppers. You can remove stems and seeds first, if you want to control the heat level. Otherwise, stick the peppers in a freezer bag and freeze. “Why make things harder than they need to be?” Baksa says. You’ll have the peppers for chilis and sauces.
Request line
“Since the closure of Petar’s a few years ago in Lafayette, I have yet to find a restaurant serving a good Monte Cristo sandwich,” Richard Vance says. “Most places use precooked French toast and do not dip the entire sandwich in egg batter.” Let’s help Vance satisfy his Monte Cristo longing with sources, particularly in the Contra Costa area, or with recipes.