THE BASICS
Sure, I love my food processor and my stand mixer. I use them enough to warrant replacing them immediately should they break. However, I baked without such machines for decades. And you can, too. Don’t feel you have to buy expensive equipment if you can’t afford it or don’t have space. No dedicated baker ever let a lack of equipment stand between them and dessert.
CAN’T-DO-WITHOUT ITEMS
I’m a gadget freak. I’ve been known to create a new recipe just as an excuse to buy a specific kitchen item that was high on the cool factor and low on versatility. Having given away a lot of these frivolous items, I’m more judicious in my recommendations. You don’t need every item in the cooking section of Sears. These, however, are the things you’ll definitely need.
APRON: I owned a dozen and never wore them, because they didn’t fit or were too hard to adjust. As a result, I have a lot of stained shirts in my closet. Since I also garden, these splattered garments get worn—outside in the vegetable patch. But being the best-dressed gardener on the block is expensive. Unless you have clothes to burn (sometimes literally), I recommend a full apron. Try it on before you buy it. Move about in it. Pretend you’re putting a cake in the oven or reaching for vanilla from the top shelf of your pantry. If you like the apron, chances are you’ll wear it. If you don’t, you’ve just bought a really expensive piece of fabric and put the rest of your wardrobe at risk.
BAKING SHEETS: You don’t have to buy expensive insulated pans or special cookie sheets. Rimmed baking sheets are versatile and can be used for cookies, scones, galettes, and more (even roast chicken). Sure, you’ll squish the odd cookie against the side, but those imperfect ones are a reward for the cook. Flimsy baking sheets tend to burn the bottom of cookies. Heavy, light-colored sheets work best, but if you already own pans, you don’t need to buy new ones, even if they burn cookies. Just stack two together and line the top one with parchment or a silicone mat. They’ll insulate like one of the high-end ones. Once you know which pans you use most, you can invest in good-quality baking sheets.
BOWLS: You can’t have enough mixing bowls or enough sizes of them. Stainless steel bowls are the most versatile, because they are light and unbreakable and warm up and cool down quickly. They are also nonreactive, which means you can put acidic items in them. Glass or ceramic mixing bowls are heavy but worth owning in a couple of sizes. Like stainless, they’re nonreactive, but they can go in the microwave to boot.
CAKE PANS: You will go broke and run out of storage space long before you acquire all the different shapes and sizes of pans available. Keeping it real, the vast majority of recipes call for only a few standard sizes. Most bakers need:
9 × 5–inch loaf pans (1 or 2)
8 × 8–inch square pans (2 or 3)
9-inch round pans (2 or 3)
9 × 13–inch rectangular pan
10-inch tube pan
12-cup muffin pans (1 or 2)
If you don’t have the pan size called for, see “Adjusting Cake Pan Size” on page 232.
COOLING RACK: For years my mom cooled cookies on tea towels topped with a sheet of waxed paper. I thought everyone did this. Turns out she just never had enough cooling racks. While her method is a handy trick in a pinch, cooling racks allow baked goods—everything from cookies and cakes to breads—to cool faster, keep the bottoms from getting soggy, and allow for drainage when you glaze things like Blueberry-Lime Cornmeal Muffins (page 85). If you have more money than space, expandable cookie racks are handy.
DRY MEASURES: When it comes to measuring dry ingredients like flour, these scooplike measures are more accurate than the cup-style measures used for liquids. Just be sure not to use them as scoops, because this can compact flour by as much as 30 percent and put all your hard work to waste. Instead, spoon the flour into the measure and level it off with a knife or spatula.
MEASURING CUPS: These are best for measuring liquids. I like glass ones best because they can go in the microwave if you need to melt butter or warm milk. Plastic measuring cups are lightweight and dishwasher-safe, but some brands can’t go in the microwave or handle the extreme heat of boiling water.
MEASURING SPOONS: These range from ⅛ teaspoon to 2 tablespoons. I use all the sizes in my set, even the spoons at either end of the spectrum. Look for a set with long, sturdy handles and slim bowls. You want them to fit into small spice jars and reach to the bottom of tall containers. I use mine so much that I have two sets—one for liquid measure and one for dry. Is this overkill? Not at all. A leftover drop of vanilla extract has gummed up my dry spices and baking powder often enough to warrant this kind of duplication.
MESH STRAINER: I own a variety of sizes. Small ones are handy for clump-prone baking soda and cocoa, while larger ones are useful for confectioners’ sugar and flour. Fine mesh lets only liquid through, so it’s perfect for straining lumpy sauces, salvaging crystallized caramel sauce, or obtaining velvety custards. Medium is best for thick purees. Coarse is ideal for draining large items like pasta. I prefer metal strainers because they can handle hot items and are sturdier than their plastic counterparts. Models with long handles keep your hands at a safe distance when working with hot liquids. A round, footless strainer is the most versatile, as it can sit comfortably over bowls.
MICROPLANE: This item is extremely useful. I use it to zest lemons, oranges, and limes. I also grate chocolate, hard cheeses, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and fresh garlic. Be warned, though: It can also shred fingers, so be careful when grating small, hard-to-grip items like nutmeg.
MUFFIN PANS: These are useful for more than just muffins. I use my 12-cup tin for cupcakes, appetizers, and even tarts. A 24-cup tin is handy if you like bite-size treats.
OVEN MITTS: Please, please, please, please, please do not use a folded-up tea towel like they do on TV. Please. I have done this. It’s not smart. If the towel is a bit damp, you’ll risk being scalded. If it’s dry, you can still get burned. Or it can catch on fire. Get a set of good, heavy-duty oven mitts, preferably washable ones.
PARCHMENT PAPER: Because parchment is treated with silicone, your baking won’t stick. As an added bonus, parchment eliminates the need to grease, so your baking sheets last longer and are easier to clean up—if they need cleaning at all. Through the course of writing this book, I went through three rolls of parchment and washed a baking sheet maybe once. Another bonus: Culinary parchment is biodegradable and compostable.
PASTRY BRUSH: While I love silicone mats and spatulas, I’m not a fan of silicone brushes. They just smear things around without providing much control. I prefer a small, natural-bristle brush for applying egg wash with accuracy. Larger ones are good for dusting flour from pastry or countertops.
PIE PLATES: I use the standard 9-inch glass pie plates with sloped sides. You know, the kind your grandmother used. No need for fancy porcelain. Plus, glass is transparent, so you can see when your crust is cooked.
PLASTIC WRAP: I know it’s not environmentally friendly, but plastic wrap is extremely useful. Placed directly on the surface of sauces and custards, it prevents a pesky skin from forming. It makes rolling slice-and-bake cookies a breeze and keeps odors out of butter. Keep it away from the microwave and you’re golden.
POTS: Many baking recipes have a stove-top component. Good-quality, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pots are your best bet. Nonstick is good for a lot of things, but if you like to make caramel, the dark interior won’t allow you to gauge the color of the sugar, which is crucial. I learned the hard way that nonstick is not caramel-friendly. Must-haves include:
10- to 12-inch skillet with lid
1-quart saucepan with lid
2-quart saucepan with lid
RESEALABLE FREEZER BAGS: Not only can these double as makeshift piping bags (see page 30), they come in handy for chilling pastry, freezing bricks of butter, and sealing leftover baked goods.
SPOONULA: This is a silicone scraper and a spoon rolled in one. I use mine in place of a wooden spoon for soft batters because I can stir, fold, and scrape without having to change utensils.
WHISK: You’ll likely need two—a narrow sauce whisk (also called a French whisk) and a big fat balloon whisk. Look for a whisk that is 10 to 12 inches long and feels comfortable in your hand. The sauce whisk is ideal for sauces and custards. It can also blend dry ingredients, lightly beat eggs, and stir liquids together. Don’t have an electric hand mixer? You can always beat egg whites and whip cream by hand with a balloon whisk. Think of all the calories you’ll burn.
NICE-TO-HAVE ITEMS
These small items are affordable, handy, and worth owning if you bake a lot. Keep in mind that gadget collecting can be addictive. If you can’t trust yourself to buy only the ones you need, bring a friend. A real friend, not an enabler.
1-TABLESPOON COOKIE SCOOP: A small cookie dough scoop is perfect for making uniform cookies. Not only does the scoop create consistency, which reduces the chance of burning, it saves you time. No more rolling dough into little balls. This scoop is also handy for forming chocolate truffles, making melon balls, and exercising portion control with ice cream. My mother, who thought these were “frivolous,” borrowed mine so often, I bought her one in self-defense.
¼-CUP COOKIE SCOOP: Bigger scoops of ice cream are only one reason to buy this. If you’ve got a 12-cup muffin pan, this will produce round-topped muffins and uniform cupcakes. No more shuffling batter from the overfilled cup to the underfilled one.
BENCH SCRAPER: This stainless steel scraper is the easiest way to remove stubborn pastry dough stuck to the work surface. It’s also handy for dividing pastry dough and gathering up small items, like nuts, that scatter when chopped.
ELECTRIC HAND MIXER: If you already have a stand mixer, you don’t need this. But if you are new to baking, an electric beater is a good idea, especially if you have weak wrists like I do. Buy the best you can afford. Fluffy icing and light-as-air cakes will be your reward.
FOOD PROCESSOR: If you’re going to get one, be sure to get a model with a large capacity and different size bowls. I use the small bowl often for mixing everything from frangipane (page 169) to mayonnaise (page 207). The large bowl is ideal for quick and easy scones.
OVEN THERMOMETER: Most home ovens are off by as much as 50°F. Even if your oven is perfectly calibrated, opening the door can lower the temperature by 25°F. This kind of fluctuation can ruin baked goods. A $10 oven thermometer can solve the problem. Just hang it from the rack at the back of the oven and check its reading against your oven’s setting. If your oven is off by a few degrees, adjust the oven temperature accordingly.
PIE SERVER: If you’ve ever tried to serve pie with a knife, you know this will help. If you eat a lot of pies, move this item up to the “Can’t Do Without” section.
ROLLING PIN: Sturdy doughs like those for yeasted cinnamon buns roll best with a heavy pin with handles. A tapered French rolling pin is ideal for most pie dough and soft cream cheese doughs since you can control the pastry better with the angled edge.
SILICONE MAT: This reusable pan liner prevents baked goods from sticking and can usually be wiped clean with a damp cloth. If yours is greasy, just wash it in warm, soapy water.
SPRINGFORM PANS: These often come in sets and are indispensable for baked cheesecakes. Even if you aren’t a cheesecake fan, this style of pan is often called for when making cakes, deep-dish pies, and frozen desserts.
TIMER: Smartphones are making this item less essential, but if you don’t have a smartphone, a $10 timer can save your $20 dessert. Sure, you can also use the stove’s timer, but when you leave the room, can you hear it? I’ve proven more than once that I can’t.
TIP: Most modern ovens come with a setting called convection baking. A fan built into the back wall of the oven keeps the hot air circulating so that you can bake more than one rack at a time. Convection cooking requires the baking temperature to be reduced by 25°F. Some ovens require you to manually reduce the temperature, while others do the adjustment for you. Read the manual to be sure you know how your oven works. While convection baking is wonderful for small, individual items like cookies, it doesn’t work for large items like a cake or large pan of squares. Use the convection setting on your Boozy Chocolate Torte (page 131) and the sides will crisp while the center remains gooey.
I’M-A-BAKER-AND-I’VE-EARNED-IT ITEMS
There is no end to the specialty items an addicted baker can acquire. Madeleine tins, sunflower-shaped Bundt pans, kugelhupf pans (I’m not making this up), rabbit-shaped cookie cutters, heart-shaped waffle irons, and pizzelle presses are just a few of the things you can spend your baking budget on.
Back to reality. The following “upgrades” are useful for most avid bakers.
CANDY THERMOMETER: This is a must for certain candies and caramels, yet for some reason, candy thermometers scare people. They shouldn’t, since they take the guesswork out of fudge, toffee, cooked frostings, and even preserves. They also ensure you are in the right temperature zone when adding warm water to yeast. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.
PASTRY BOARD: Growing up, I thought everyone rolled pastry on a flour-permeated linen tea towel. I assumed the subtle texture the towel left behind was integral to the final dish. Turns out, using a tea towel was just a trick my mother got from her mother, who likely used what was on hand during the Great Depression. Today I have a wooden pastry board dedicated to the task. It rolls dough beautifully but without the texture marks, which don’t make a difference after all. If you are tempted to substitute the wooden cutting board you use for prepping dinner, think twice. Flavors can transfer. Trust me. Onion-infused pastry for a peach pie won’t be a big hit.
PIPING BAGS AND TIPS: Disposable bags keep the mess factor down, allow you to pipe multiple colors of icing, and require no cleanup. They are not, however, good for the environment. I rarely pipe anything, so I don’t feel too guilty about the occasional disposable bag I send to the landfill. I also have some alternatives using items you have on hand. (See page 30 on how to use parchment and sandwich bags.)
RAMEKINS: The ½-cup size is ideal for crème brûlée, individual fruit crisps, and soufflés. Once you start baking with ramekins, you’ll find lots of other uses.
STAND MIXER: In addition to the standard beaters, most come with a whisk, dough hook, and paddle, which is all you really need. If you want to splurge, an extra bowl is a good idea.
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS
The ingredients in my pantry are like gases. They expand to fill the available space. As soon as the last few drops of vanilla disappear, two bottles of hazelnut extract rush to fill the gap. When I exhaust my supply of chocolate chips, their cappuccino-flavored counterparts say it’s their turn. While collecting unique baking supplies is inspiring, those four kinds of coconut flakes aren’t much use when you’re out of flour or sugar. The following items are key to baking. If you’re confused about what you really need and why, this section will help you stock a practical and versatile baking pantry.
Flours and Thickeners
I could get all technical on you and talk about the percentages of protein each flour contains, but if it’s not marked on the package, why would you need to know this? Here’s a list of common gluten flours and how to use them.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: This is the most common flour in the home kitchen. It works for most quick breads, cookies, cakes, and pie crusts. As if that isn’t good enough, it doesn’t require sifting before measuring. Unbleached all-purpose flour is cream colored and available in a whole wheat version. Either can be used cup for cup to replace regular all-purpose flour. I prefer regular unbleached all-purpose flour, as it provides the versatility of all-purpose but hasn’t been as processed.
What to use it for: pie pastry, cakes, cookies, breads, muffins, and scones (almost any baked good)
Not a good substitute in: angel food and very delicate pastries, as they will be heavier and less tender
BREAD FLOUR: This has a higher protein content (and therefore higher gluten content) than all-purpose flour. It delivers elasticity and a chewy texture. Variations include whole wheat, multigrain, and white (both bleached and unbleached). Bread flour doesn’t need sifting and can be replaced cup for cup by all-purpose flour if needed.
What to use it for: yeast breads, hearty pizza dough, and pastries that need structure, such as strudel and Danish pastry
Not a good substitute in: cakes and cookies, as it makes them dry and tough
CAKE AND PASTRY FLOUR: Also known as soft flour, this is made from soft white wheat and has a low gluten or protein content. If your cake calls for all-purpose flour, it’s likely because the cake and pastry flour can’t support the other ingredients, such as melted chocolate or sour cream. Always sift this flour before measuring, even if the recipe doesn’t call for it.
What to use it for: light cakes, delicate pastries, angel food cakes, and white cakes
Not a good substitute in: quick breads and breads and pastries that need structure
WHOLE WHEAT AND WHITE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR: These contain the entire wheat berry, which includes the bran and wheat germ. They’re higher in fiber than white flours and have a nutty flavor. Because they absorb more moisture, they can make your dish dry if you substitute them for white flour. However, they combine nicely with all-purpose and bread flour, so you will often see small amounts called for in cakes, cookies, muffins, and breads.
What to use it for: breads, muffins, and quick breads (usually in combination with other flours)
Not a good substitute in: light cakes and delicate pastries
CORNSTARCH: While this is not a flour, it’s often used in baking to lighten the flour or thicken berry desserts without being gummy. I use it in pancakes, waffles, and Dutch babies to help keep them light and airy.
Shelf Life
White flour usually lasts a year from the manufacturing date. Because of the fat from the wheat germ, whole grain and whole wheat flours last only 6 to 9 months and will go rancid if stored at room temperature. If you are not going to be using the flour right away, store it in the freezer to extend the shelf life. Otherwise, keep flour in a cool, dry place. An airtight container works best, but if you go through flour quickly, storing it in the bag it comes in works just fine, too.
Measuring Flours
Growing up, my mother had one set of Pyrex measuring cups. That was it. She used them for everything from flour to milk. Her recipes turned out just fine. However, the more accurate way to measure flour is with a dry measure. Spoon flour into a dry measure and then level it off with a knife or spatula. Scooping with the measure compacts the flour and will throw off your measurement. This excess can make your baked goods dry.
Sugars
Sugar is more than a sweetener. It provides structure, retains moisture, makes the baked good tender, and caramelizes for a depth of flavor artificial sweeteners just can’t deliver. While caramelization tastes good, it also helps baked goods gain a remarkable, deep nuttiness. When sugar is enjoyed in moderation and with a good toothbrush at hand, there’s no need for artificial sweeteners.
Like flour, sugar comes in many different forms, each with its own unique qualities. See the following page for varieties.
BROWN SUGAR: Whether light or dark, brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back in. The more molasses, the darker the sugar. Because of its high moisture content, brown sugar can dry out and turn to sweet concrete if not properly sealed. To prevent this, store brown sugar in an airtight container with a terra-cotta sugar disk. If your brown sugar is already rocklike, it can be softened with a half minute in the microwave. Be sure to break up any lumps before you bake with it, since they won’t dissolve.
CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR: Sometimes called icing sugar or powdered sugar, this is granulated sugar ground to a powder with some cornstarch added. As the name suggests, it’s used for icing, but it can also be used in cookies or whipped cream when a bit more structure is needed.
DEMERARA: This coarse, moist, dark brown sugar can be used in place of regular brown sugar. It has a more intense flavor and provides a butterscotch undertone. I love it for rustic baking.
GRANULATED SUGAR: This is good old white table sugar—the kind you put in your coffee or sprinkle on cornflakes. If a recipe simply says “sugar,” this is what it means. However, some recipes call for “granulated sugar” to differentiate it from another kind of sugar used in the same recipe. If stored in an airtight container, granulated sugar keeps pretty much forever. (I think. I wouldn’t really know; the turnover at my place is high, given I’m assigned cake duty for all birthdays and holidays and special occasions and rainy days and Mondays …)
SUPERFINE SUGAR: Finer than granulated, it dissolves into batter easily and produces a very fine crumb. If you don’t have superfine sugar on hand, put granulated sugar in the blender and give it a whirl to powder it before adding it to the recipe.
TURBINADO: A light brown, coarse sugar, turbinado is used mainly for finishing. It’s often sprinkled on top of cookies, galettes, and muffins for a crunchy finish.
VANILLA SUGAR: Vanilla sugar is common in European baking but hard to find in North America. Fortunately, it’s easy to make. See page 39 for two recipes for vanilla sugar.
Measuring Sugars
Measuring white sugar: While it’s hard to compact granulated sugar, confectioners’ sugar is another story. Treat it like flour. Spoon the confectioners’ sugar into a measuring cup, then press the flat edge of a knife or spatula against the cup’s rim to level it off.
Measuring brown sugar: Whether you’re using dark, light, or Demerara, brown sugar is usually packed. Scoop the sugar into a dry measure and press it into the scoop with the heel of your hand or the back of a spoon. When you turn the sugar out of the measure, it should hold its shape.
Other Sweeteners
CORN SYRUP: Relax. The type of corn syrup you get in the store is not the dreaded high-fructose corn syrup everyone is flapping about. While far from a health food, it’s useful in baking because it provides structure and can be heated past the boiling point.
GOLDEN SYRUP: Also called treacle, this is the richer, more flavorful British version of corn syrup. Look for it in glass jars or tins beside the corn syrup in major supermarkets. Baking shops will also carry it.
HONEY: Like sugar, honey provides sweetness and moisture to baked goods. Unlike sugar, honey varies widely in taste. Depending on where the bees live and what they eat, the honey can take on distinct flavors that might be lost against the other flavors in the baked good. Liquid honey might not have terroir, but it’s easy to pour and measure. Because honey has a slight acidity, many recipes call for a bit of baking soda to counterbalance this.
MAPLE SYRUP: The boiled sap of sugar maple trees, this sweetener comes in various grades and colors. It takes a whopping 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup. No wonder it’s so pricey. Imitation maple syrup is more affordable but doesn’t compare. The darker the syrup, the more maple flavor. Unlike other sugars, once opened, maple sugar needs to be refrigerated or it will go moldy.
MOLASSES: I use fancy molasses, which isn’t really all that fancy. Readily available in the grocery store, this mild molasses, also called light molasses, adds sweetness and flavor to your baking, working nicely with spices like ginger and cloves. Dark molasses and light molasses can be used interchangeably, depending on your preference and the spicing of the baked goods. However, intense blackstrap molasses is too bitter and can easily overpower cookies or loaves. Despite being unsuitable for baking, a jar of blackstrap molasses still has a place in the kitchen. It adds depth to slow-cooked dishes like baked beans, barbecued meats, and pulled pork.
Measuring Syrups and Honey
Measuring sticky liquid sweeteners can be messy. Spray or wipe the measuring cup or spoon with oil before you pour in the honey, syrup, or molasses. It will slide out easily, ensuring you don’t miss a drop. If your recipe calls for oil or melted butter, save yourself the trouble and measure it first, then use the same cup or spoon to measure the liquid sugar.
Rising Agents
Rising agents, also called leaveners, help bread and baked goods rise. While they don’t go rancid, they can lose their potency. That 10-year-old jar of baking powder isn’t going to cut it (or rise it). But time isn’t the only enemy. Because moisture activates baking soda and baking powder, be sure the measuring spoon you dip into the canister is dry. Many bakers keep two sets of measuring spoons (one for wet ingredients, one for dry) just for this reason.
BAKING POWDER: Most baking powder is double-acting, which means it starts working the second it hits moisture and kicks into action again with the heat of the oven. It’s used in recipes where there isn’t acid. Because moisture activates this leavener, cakes and muffins with baking powder should go into the oven as soon as they are ready. Don’t leave them sitting about or they might sulk. Store baking powder in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Test: Not sure if your baking powder is still potent? Add 1 teaspoon baking powder to ½ cup hot water. If it bubbles, it’s active. If it doesn’t, you need to buy a fresh supply.
BAKING SODA: Alkaline by nature, baking soda is often used in place of baking powder when there’s chocolate, buttermilk, or lemon juice in the batter to balance the acidity. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Test: Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to ¼ cup white vinegar. It should foam and hiss. If not, use the remaining baking soda to freshen the air in your fridge and buy another box for baking.
YEAST: By definition, yeast is a live, single-celled microscopic organism that gobbles the flour and sugar in the dough. In return for the meal, the yeast produces carbon dioxide, which makes the dough rise. (Don’t overthink this one.) All you need to know is that yeast is very much alive and, as such, needs a nurturing environment. It can be inadvertently killed if not provided the necessities of life.
While there are lots of different kinds of yeast, I use two kinds in this book. Both look like tiny seeds and come in either premeasured packages or small jars. Both are available in the baking section of the grocery store. Both work perfectly well in the home kitchen. If you buy the premeasured packages, store them in a cool, dry place. If you buy the jars, refrigerate or freeze a jar once you open it. Regardless of the expiration date printed on the packaging, use an opened jar within 4 months.
Active dry yeast: This is mixed in warm water to activate it. The water should be between 105° and 110°F. You can test using a candy thermometer, but if you put a (clean) finger into the water, it should feel pleasantly warm, not hot. You’ll kill the yeast with water that’s 140°F or hotter. If this happens, your bread dough won’t rise and kittens will cry. Recipes calling for active dry yeast usually require two rises.
Instant dry yeast: Sometimes called quick-rising, this yeast has slightly smaller granules than active yeast but can be mixed directly into the flour without adding it to water first. It also halves the rising time. So why would anyone use active yeast when instant is faster and easier? A slow rise from active yeast is essential to developing flavors in some dough, such as Crispy-Crust Pizza (page 156).
Don’t have the kind of yeast the recipe calls for? See page 234 for substitutions.
Eggs
Flour usually gets top baking billing, what with the cakes and pastries and breads. But I’d argue eggs are more important—overall. You might not need them for pizza dough, but when you look at the big picture, they’re culinary miracles in a shell. Eggs give custards form, make light-as-air meringues possible, act as emulsifiers for mayonnaise, keep fillings in check, and add a rich flavor to baked goods.
Size Matters
All the recipes in this book use large eggs. It doesn’t matter if they’re brown, white, speckled, free range, organic, or omega-3-infused. It doesn’t matter if they are in plastic containers or cardboard. All that matters is that they are large, fresh, and at room temperature and have no cracks.
Quick Warmup
If you’re like me, you don’t always have the time (or patience) to allow refrigerated eggs to come to room temperature unaided. You can speed things up by placing the eggs in a bowl of hot, not boiling, tap water. If it’s too hot for your finger, it’s too hot for the eggs. Once in warm water, the eggs should be ready to use in a minute or two.
Beating Egg Whites
Leave it to eggs to be challenging. They separate best when cold, but the whites provide the best volume when beaten at room temperature. They refuse to cooperate at the merest speck of fat or grease and sulk on humid days. If egg whites give you trouble, follow these steps:
TIP: If you need whites but won’t use the yolks right away, cover the yolks in cold water and pop them back in the fridge. Drain the water before using the yolks.
PERFECTLY BEATEN EGG WHITES
1. Don’t whip whites on a humid day.
2. Unseen grease ruins more egg whites than obviously broken yolks. Plastic bowls can hold on to grease, so use glass or stainless steel. If you’re using a stand mixer that lives out on your counter, wash and thoroughly dry the bowl and whipping attachment before whipping. If so much as one speck of bacon grease wafted across the room and took roost in your mixing bowl, your egg whites won’t whip.
3. Separate the eggs as soon as you take them from the refrigerator, then allow the egg whites to come to room temperature for 10 minutes or so before making meringue.
4. If the shell shatters or a small drop of yolk breaks into the whites, use a piece of shell to scoop the intruder out. The edge of the shell cuts through the white easily. If you use a spoon or your finger, you’ll just chase the shell fragment around the white or blend the yolk droplet into the mix. Either way, the whites won’t whip.
5. Don’t tempt fate by separating all your eggs into the same bowl. Chances are the last egg you crack will spill its yolk, contaminating all your carefully separated whites. To avoid disaster, separate eggs one at a time over a small, clean bowl. Cup the cracked egg in your clean, grease-free hands and let the white slide through your fingers. If you separate the yolk intact, transfer the white to the whipping bowl. If the yolk breaks, set the egg aside and use it in an omelette, scrambled eggs, or a batch of cookies.
6. Begin by beating the egg whites on low speed until foamy.
7. If you’re making meringue, add an acid to stabilize the whites. The most common acid is cream of tartar, but lemon juice also works. When the whites are foamy, add the acid and increase the speed to medium.
8. Beat the whites on medium (not high) until soft peaks form, and then add the sugar with the beaters running. Don’t add the sugar too soon, and don’t rush the process. With the beaters running, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. This process can take up to 3 minutes.
9. Stop beating when the eggs are shiny and stiff. To see if the eggs are done, hold a beater upright. If the egg white keeps its shape, it’s done. If it flops to one side, keep whipping.
10. Remember, more isn’t always better. If you overwhip the egg whites, they’ll become dull and the liquid could separate out. A copper bowl makes egg whites harder to overwhip and produces a more stable meringue. If you beat egg whites often, you might want to put “copper bowl” on your list of “Nice to Have Items.”
Out of eggs? Ask a neighbor or see page 235 for substitution ideas.
Dairy
Like sugar and flour, dairy is key to the structure of baked goods. It builds the crumb, adds richness, and helps keep the texture tender. If a recipe calls for milk, water just won’t do.
2% MILK: Not too rich, not too thin, this kind of milk is just right for baking. It adds tenderness, structure, and moisture to baked goods while its natural sugars aid with caramelization—something water can’t do. Full-fat milk is fine to substitute, but don’t use fat-free milk. It’s too watery.
Milk gone sour? See page 235 for substitution ideas.
BUTTERMILK: Thick and tangy, buttermilk is, despite its name, low in fat (only 1%). It gets its name because it’s a by-product of making butter, not because it contains it. Perfect for baking tender cakes, loaves, pancakes, and muffins, this slightly acid dairy product is often paired with baking soda to produce a tender result.
SOUR CREAM: Resist the temptation to go low-fat. You want the full 14 percent for baking. Low-fat and no-fat versions might seem like an easy way to cut fat, but they often contain thickeners, which dissolve in the heat of baking. The result will be a watery mess. In sauces, this is readily apparent. In baked goods, you’ll find out after you pull the item from the oven.
HEAVY CREAM: Sometimes called whipping cream, this product has 35 percent butterfat. That’s enough to turn this liquid into whipped cream—or butter if you’re not careful. More than just a decadent addition, whipping cream is the only milk product that won’t curdle when mixed with an acid like lemon juice or wine, and it can withstand being boiled. Substitute milk for cream with caution, because you could end up with a curdled mess.
TIP: Buttermilk is sold almost exclusively in 1-quart containers. If you won’t use it all before the expiration date, you can freeze the leftovers for up to 2 months. Thawed buttermilk is fine for baking, even though it won’t be as smooth and creamy as the fresh version.
Butter and Other Fats
Whether solid or liquid, fat plays an important role in baking. It grabs on to flavors and ensures they’re delivered. It tenderizes pastries and keeps batters moist. Solid fats even help baked goods rise and make puffy, flaky pastry possible. Which should you use? That depends on what result you’re after.
Butter
Butter produces a rich, tender crumb. It helps the baked good retain moisture and adds a deep flavor you can’t get with shortening or vegetable oil.
I used to cook with salted butter. But then I noticed the bargain brand I was using was getting saltier and saltier. So I upgraded. Then I realized that the salt content varied greatly across brands—too greatly for consistent results. Unless the recipe specifically calls for salted butter, use unsalted. It’s a bit more expensive but delivers more buttery flavor. The quality also tends to be better since the flavor can’t hide behind a lot of salt.
That’s the upside. The downside is that unsalted butter doesn’t keep as long. But that doesn’t stop me. I buy lots of unsalted butter when it’s on sale. I leave the butter in its original foil, wrap the brick in a layer of plastic wrap, put the double-wrapped butter in a resealable freezer bag, and then pop it into the deep freeze. This works with leftover butter, as well.
What temperature?
COLD: Most scones and pastries call for cold (or even frozen) butter. The cold butter is essential to give a flaky texture. The exception—and there is always an exception—is choux pastry. (See Profiteroles on page 135.)
ROOM TEMPERATURE: The majority of cakes, cookies, and quick breads call for room temperature (also called softened) butter. Cold butter will slow down the cooking time and can make your batter grainy. But letting refrigerated butter come to room temperature on its own can take 30 to 60 minutes. And softening in the microwave is asking for trouble. Hands up if you’ve inadvertently melted hard butter and ended up refrigerating the mess, thus entering a potentially endless Butter Loop.
MELTED: Melting butter can be done over low heat in a pot on the stove, but the easiest method is to use the microwave. I cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and then blast them on full power in 30-second bursts, checking between rounds. Because the microwave can overcook quickly, I let the last dot of butter melt on its own as I stir it in.
Measuring Butter
Some butter comes in conveniently premeasured ½-cup sticks with the markings for each tablespoon on the side. It’s easy to measure. If you can’t find stick butter, 1-pound bricks work just as well. All you have to do is know how to measure it.
If you have a knife: Open the package. Use the edge of your knife to gently mark the midpoint. Each half is 1 cup of butter. From here, you can easily measure ½ cup and ¼ cup. Want 1 tablespoon? Cut ¼ cup into 4 equal pieces.
If you have a scale: This is the easiest way to measure butter. All you have to remember is that 1 tablespoon of butter is ½ ounce.
Still confused? Use the handy measurement chart on page 230.
Other Fats
SHORTENING: Shortening is made from vegetable oil. It melts more slowly than butter, which helps baked goods keep their shape. However, it has little flavor.
LARD: Ah, the classic pie dough fat. After a long, hard exile while portrayed as the artery-clogging devil of fats, lard is making a comeback. It produces the flakiest pie dough and is my mother’s absolute favorite. If you like classic pies and tarts, this is the go-to ingredient.
SPREADS: They might taste like butter. They might even be made with butter, but once submitted to a process that leaves them spreadable straight from the refrigerator, they won’t act like butter. Don’t bake with spreads. They have too much water in them and will produce pale, tough, disappointing results. If you like spreads, put them on muffins, not in them. (Just don’t tell me about it.)
OILS: Vegetable oils can create a moist and tender cake or quick bread. Grapeseed and canola are neutral-tasting oils that won’t interfere with other flavors, but, depending on the recipe, olive, soybean, peanut, safflower, and sunflower oils are alternatives. Regardless of which oil you use, measure it in a measuring cup designed for liquids. Don’t use a dry measure scoop.
See page 236 for substitutions for oils and butters.
TIP: For quick room-temperature butter, give a box grater a quick squirt of cooking spray and, using the largest holes, grate the butter onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper. It will soften in about 2 minutes. To clean the grater, pour boiling water over the buttery holes and let air-dry.
Chocolate
With the rise of artisanal chocolate, many chocolate manufacturers are putting the percentage of cocoa mass on the front of their packaging. This makes it easier to pick the right chocolate. But quality can still vary widely, so once you find a chocolate you like, stick with it. Whatever you do, avoid baking with compound chocolate. It is inferior in quality and won’t deliver the desired results.
Types of Chocolate
There are many chocolate-like imitations out there. Real chocolate contains cocoa mass, sometimes called chocolate liquor, or cacao mass. That’s all that’s required to meet the definition. White chocolate, which contains cocoa butter but no cocoa mass, is therefore not a true chocolate. Take that, white chocolate.
UNSWEETENED OR BITTER CHOCOLATE: This dark chocolate contains cocoa mass and cocoa butter—no sugar. It’s often used in cakes and brownies to deliver intense chocolate flavor.
BITTERSWEET OR SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE: Technically, there is a slight difference between these two dark chocolates, but the percentage of cocoa mass isn’t regulated, so it can vary. For the recipes in this book, bittersweet and semisweet chocolate can be used interchangeably. Let your taste guide you. Most supermarkets stock only semisweet in the baking section, so don’t fuss if the recipe specifies bittersweet.
MILK CHOCOLATE: With as little as 10 percent cocoa mass and lots of cocoa butter and milk solids, this is a mild, creamy chocolate. The stuff of Easter bunnies and children’s candies, it tends to be quite sweet. It also burns easily, so if you are melting it, keep an eye on the process.
WHITE CHOCOLATE: While this is technically not real chocolate, it is often used like it—as chips and for coating or drizzles. It has a sweet taste that won’t compete with delicate flavors that dark chocolate can overpower. Visually, it provides a striking contrast to dark and milk chocolate.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Whether they are semisweet, milk, or white, chocolate chips are designed to keep their shape when you bake with them. If a recipe calls for chocolate chips that are just stirred into the batter and not melted, then you can use semisweet, milk, or white chocolate, according to your taste. I always use semisweet chips, especially when white are called for. I have a friend who does the opposite. We rarely fight over cookies.
Storage: Store wrapped chocolate in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Yes, only 6 months. Some of mine is reaching the expiration date. Better use it up.
What’s the white film?
It’s called bloom. It doesn’t affect how the chocolate tastes or bakes, but it does tell you that you’ve stored it at too high a temperature. If your chocolate consistently has a bloom, it’s a sign you need to find a cooler storage spot.
Cocoa
COCOA POWDER: This is cocoa mass in powdered form. Without cocoa butter, it provides an intense chocolate taste without a lot of fat. Sometimes called natural cocoa, it’s slightly acidic. It has a fruitier taste than Dutch-process cocoa. Recipes calling for natural cocoa usually call for baking soda to neutralize the acidity. Most supermarket brands of cocoa powder fall into this category.
DUTCH-PROCESS COCOA: This cocoa has been specially treated to reduce the acidity and has a neutral pH. As a result, it’s darker, richer, and less bitter than the standard cocoa powder. It’s often paired with baking powder in recipes. If you’re dusting chocolate truffles with plain cocoa, Dutch-process is the best choice, because it’s less bitter yet intense. See page 236 for information on substituting cocoa powders.
INSTANT COCOA POWDER: This is a presweetened mix for making hot chocolate. Don’t confuse it with cocoa powder. If you have it in your cupboard, add hot milk, top with marshmallows, and sip while reading the recipes. Just don’t bake with it.
Storage: Unlike chocolate, cocoa powder keeps almost indefinitely. Mine never lasts long enough to test this theory. Store it in a cool, dry place, away from moisture. Don’t refrigerate or freeze it.
How to Melt Chocolate
Chocolate can be fussy. It throws a hissy fit if exposed to water of any temperature. The technical term for this is seize. Because of its water aversion, never cover chocolate while melting. The condensation on the lid can drip onto the chocolate and cause it to seize (lump up and become grainy).
Chocolate needs to be melted gently and with indirect heat. You can’t toss it into a hot pan because it scorches easily—and once it does, there’s no salvaging it. If the recipe calls for cream or butter, you can sometimes melt them along with the chocolate and further reduce the chance of scorching.
Here are two easy methods to melt chocolate. Note that no matter which method you use, milk chocolate and white chocolate take less time to melt than dark and are more prone to burning.
Before you begin to melt the chocolate, always break or chop the chocolate into small pieces. Aim for the size of jumbo chocolate chips. This helps the chocolate melt more quickly and evenly. If you place a big piece of chocolate in a pot, it will melt eventually; but if you’re like me, you’ll run out of patience, crank up the heat, and ruin everything by burning it.
Stove-top method: Place a double boiler or heatproof bowl over a pot of hot, not boiling, water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. (If the water boils, steam can escape and splatter your chocolate.) As the chocolate begins to melt, give it a gentle stir. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove it from the heat and stir to dissolve the last few stubborn pieces.
Microwave method: Every microwave is different. To ensure you don’t burn the chocolate, melt small pieces in a microwaveable bowl with your microwave oven’s power level set to high for dark and 50 percent for milk or white. Zap it in 60-second bursts, checking the progress and giving it a stir in between. When the chocolate is slightly melted, continue zapping at 30-second bursts. When most of the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl and stir until the last few stubborn bits have melted. If they refuse, return it to the microwave for 15 more seconds at reduced power. Continue to zap and stir until the chocolate is smooth.
How to Drizzle Chocolate
Chocolate is the perfect edible paint. Grab an offset spatula and layer it on like Cézanne. Channel your inner Jackson Pollock and let it drip free-form on your canvas cake. When you’re done, you can even sign your name. All you need is some melted chocolate and a little artistic inspiration.
SPOON TECHNIQUE
This low-tech approach requires nothing but a spoon. Simply dip it in the melted chocolate, pass it gently back and forth over your baked goods, and let the chocolate fall where it may. When you’re done, lick the spoon.
This requires almost no cleanup. Just pour the melted chocolate into a sandwich bag or freezer bag. If you have access to Canadian milk bags, clean ones are excellent for piping. Press all the chocolate to one corner, snip a small hole in the corner of the bag, and play.
PARCHMENT PAPER CONE
Don’t like to send plastic to the landfill? Then make an environmentally friendly version of a piping bag using biodegradable, compostable parchment paper to drizzle your chocolate.
Some fairly easy tasks sound complicated when you describe them in words—like tying your shoe or buttoning a shirt. Making a paper cone is one of those things. Sure, it has a fancy French name, cornet (kor-NAY), but it’s just a paper cone dressed up to show off. While it’s easy to make and adds less than a minute to the drizzling task, it does involve an isosceles triangle. Don’t panic, there’s no calculus required.
TIP: Don’t let the flexible nature of chocolate chips lull you into a false sense of chocolate security. Swapping baking chocolate for chips in this cavalier manner will alter your recipes, sometimes with disastrous results. See the substitution chart on page 236 before you go swapping baking chocolate.
1. Cut a square of parchment—about 10 inches wide.
2. Cut the square in half diagonally so you have an isosceles triangle. (In this case, the short sides are the same length.)
3. Place the triangle on the counter in front of you with the long side nearest you. Use one finger to hold down the point farthest from you.
4. Grab the right corner and roll it up and inward until it touches the point your finger is holding. Line up the points. This is the first half of your cornet.
5. Grab the left corner and wrap it over the cone you’re forming and tuck it underneath to bring its corner to meet the other two from behind. All three corners should now meet, and the cone should form such a tight tip, you can’t see through it. If not, slide the corners around until the cone is tight. Once you have the shape you want, fold the three tips over twice toward the inside of the cone to secure things.
6. Fill the cone with the melted chocolate (or frosting—did I mention this works with frosting?). Then close the top, fold the corners toward the center, and fold the top down to seal the cone. Roll the top toward the filling like it’s a toothpaste tube.
7. Using scissors, snip a tiny bit off the tip of the cone. Go smaller than you think you should. Chocolate doesn’t need much of an opening. You can always make the opening bigger, but you can’t make it smaller.
8. Drizzle the chocolate. Write words. Make stars. Doodle.
You can use this trick with piping tips, too. Start with a bigger parchment triangle and snip a bigger hole to hold the piping tip. This works for large piping jobs like profiteroles (page 135).
Use any of these drizzle techniques to decorate biscotti (page 112), Florentines (page 176), or even palmiers (page 64).
Nuts
Toasting brings out the flavor of nuts and adds crispness. If a recipe calls for toasted nuts and you choose to skip this step, the baked good won’t be as crunchy or as flavorful.
When toasting, rely on your eyes and nose more than timing. You want the nuts to begin to brown and smell fragrant but not be fully toasted, as they will continue to cook once removed from the heat. Stop toasting them just before you think they’re done. If you don’t remove them in time, you can help halt the cooking process by transferring them to a cold platter.
Microwave method: This method requires your attention. It’s my least favorite method because every microwave works differently and predicting the timing is impossible. My old clunker of a microwave is slow and rarely overcooks nuts. My mother-in-law’s new one burns them in half the time. In general, toasting nuts in a microwave takes 5 to 7 minutes. Place the nuts in a single layer on a microwaveable plate and cook in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between. When the nuts begin to smell fragrant, reduce to 30-second increments since they can burn easily. Stop when the nuts are very fragrant and warm to the touch. Let cool before using.
Oven method: Place nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 7 to 15 minutes, or until the nuts start to become fragrant, stirring occasionally to help them toast evenly. Because different nuts toast at different rates, keep an eye, nose, and hand on them. Remove the nuts from the oven when they smell very fragrant and are warm, not scorching hot, to the touch, and then let cool. This is my method of choice when I have the oven already preheating.
Pan method: If you won’t be turning on the oven, you can toast nuts in a dry frying pan. A nonstick pan works well. Toast the nuts over medium heat, stirring often, until they begin to brown and smell fragrant. This technique is faster than the oven method but can burn the nuts more quickly. Don’t leave the stove.
Storage
Because of their high fat content, nuts can go rancid. To extend their shelf life, store nuts in the refrigerator or freezer. Refrigerated nuts last a few months. Frozen, they can last up to a year. Not sure if they’re okay? Taste them. You’ll know.
Nut substitutions
In baking, nuts are usually a matter of personal taste. While some flavor combinations are classic (cherries with almonds), you can usually substitute nuts to suit your taste without consequences. Popular baking nuts include walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews. Even peanuts, which are technically legumes, can be swapped in.
TIP: Hazelnuts need to have their bitter skins removed. Once you’ve toasted them, place them on a clean kitchen towel and rub them to remove the skins. You won’t get all the skins off, but as long as you get more than half, the recipe should turn out just fine.
Flavor Enhancers
Even vanilla needs butter or salt to shine. The items in this section add flavor to baked goods. Here’s how to use them to show them off best.
Citrus
Lemon, lime, and orange peel add lovely flavor to baked goods, sauces, and even salad dressings.
PEEL: The peel, or zest, is the thin, colorful outer layer but not the whole rind: The white part is the pith, and it’s bitter. Before zesting citrus, wash the fruit to remove dirt and germs. Then use a microplane or the fine holes of a box grater to remove only the colored portion of the rind. The finer the grater, the more oils get released, and with them more flavor.
For accuracy, grate the fruit over waxed or parchment paper and then use the paper to funnel the peel into the measuring spoon. Scooping can compact the peel and provide inaccurate measurements. I usually like more peel than less, but sometimes subtlety is required.
JUICE: If possible, always use freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice in baking. The bottled kind can leave an unpleasant metallic taste, especially if used in large quantities. Commercial orange juice, on the other hand, bakes quite nicely.
Coffee
COFFEE: When is coffee not coffee? When it’s used as a chocolate enhancer. Some chocolate recipes use brewed or instant coffee to deepen the chocolate taste rather than create mocha. Don’t tell coffee haters if you use this trick. They might not even notice.
ESPRESSO POWDER: Sometimes you want the intensity of espresso but not the added liquid. Espresso powder is the answer because it dissolves completely while delivering the taste. You can buy high-end espresso packets at high-end coffee shops or find less expensive versions on your grocery store shelves. Regular instant coffee isn’t quite the same but will do in a pinch if you increase the amount used. Be warned, though: Too much standard instant coffee can leave a metallic taste. Don’t use ground espresso, even if it’s finely ground. It won’t dissolve and will make your baked good feel like it’s full of grit.
Herbs and Spices
HERBS: Most herbs deliver more flavor when they’re fresh. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, the rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon fresh herb = 1 teaspoon dried. Store dried herbs in a cool, dry place, and replace them every 6 months or so for optimum freshness. Buying small quantities in bulk is a great way to ensure your herbs are always full of flavor.
SPICES: Old Spice might be a popular aftershave, but old spices won’t win anyone over in the kitchen. Even if they look fine, outdated spices can lose their flavor. I once used a package of dried chiles that had been around for oh, I don’t know, forever. They had gotten lost in the back of the cupboard, and I didn’t want to “waste” them. Big mistake. My bean soup took a heaping tablespoon and was barely warm. So did the pot of chili and the pasta sauce. When I replaced the package with fresh dried chiles and applied the old measurements, I nearly died of heat.
TIP: Many hard spices work best when freshly grated or ground. A microplane ensures you have freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon on command. If you like to grind your own Indian spices, use a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder devoted to spices only. Mine is clearly labeled “FOR SPICES ONLY!!!” Each exclamation mark is earned. Three guesses why.
Salt
In baking, salt often goes unnoticed, but it plays a crucial role. It intensifies and brightens flavors, brings spices into balance, and keeps yeast in check. Although you might not taste the salt, without it, baked goods can taste flat, like there’s something missing. And that something would be salt.
How much salt it takes to strike the right balance is a matter of taste. The only exception to the salt-as-you-please rule is with yeasted breads. Here, the salt actually controls the yeast’s growth. Without it, the bread would rise rapidly. A slow rise helps develop not only the flavor but also the texture. Don’t skip the salt in yeasted recipes. Other than that? Let your palate decide.
Baking Salt
FINE SEA SALT: I use this for most of my baking. It dissolves easily and contains no anti-clumping chemicals. Once hard to find, fine sea salt is now available at the grocery store and can be relatively inexpensive. You don’t have to get fancy with this sea salt. Save your money for chocolate.
Finishing Salt
This type of salt goes on baked goods either after they emerge from the oven or just as they are going in. You can spend a lot of money on high-end finishing salts, so don’t put them in your baking. They’d just be wasted.
COARSE SEA SALT: This adds a lovely flavor and texture to recipes but is too coarse to dissolve into the batter like fine sea salt. Use it at the table or just before popping baked goods into the oven.
FLEUR DE SEL: Maldon is the best known and easiest to find fleur de sel. It’s flaky and versatile, perfect for toppings where you want a hit of salt to play against the sweet or to bring out flavors without overpowering.
KOSHER SALT: Coarser and lighter than table salt, kosher salt is also less salty. It’s not often used in baking, but can be sprinkled on focaccia and pizza for an attractive, not-so-salty topping.
Vanilla
If I didn’t know what a vanilla pod looked like and I came upon one lying on the counter, I’d bludgeon it with my shoe. How can one of the most wonderful flavors on Earth be housed in a casing that resembles a leathery, black eel? While the vanilla flower is exquisite, the bean that renders the most important baking essence in the world is butt ugly.
And expensive.
Vanilla beans start at about $3 each and go up. But despite their off-putting looks and high price tag, nothing, nothing tastes like real vanilla.
Forms of Vanilla
Vanilla is one of my favorite flavors. I can’t imagine baking without it. I went through two large bottles of Mexican vanilla developing this book. That doesn’t include all the pods, the paste, and the vanilla sugar.
Vanilla is added to many cakes and cookies even when other stronger flavors are present. Why? Vanilla tones down butter, smooths chocolate’s rough edges, and enriches almost any sweet.
Whole Beans
Long, thin, leathery, and supple, a vanilla bean doesn’t look like something you’d want to put in your cupcakes. And it isn’t. At least not whole. Split the bean open. The inside is full of tiny black seeds called vanilla caviar.
USE THEM FOR: Beguiling as the caviar is, the flavor is mainly in the pod. Use the whole bean in recipes where you can steep it in a liquid (such as the crème anglaise on page 222). The caviar can be added to the liquid, providing the tiny black flecks that say to the eater, “I was made with real vanilla beans.” Once steeped, don’t discard the pods. Recycle them into sugar (page 39).
Vanilla Extract
When you buy extract, look for the bottle that says “pure.” “Flavoring” is code for “fake.”
USE IT FOR: baked goods where the alcohol can evaporate
Double and Triple Vanilla Extract
This is like vanilla extract only more so. As the name indicates, these specialty vanillas are stronger than the standard. You can use half or a third to obtain the same amount of flavor, but I like to use the amount called for in the recipe for two to three times the flavor without extra liquid.
USE IT FOR: more flavor in baked goods and icings where you want more intense vanilla without adding more liquid
Vanilla Bean Paste
This dark brown paste is bursting with vanilla seeds and delivers wonderful vanilla flavor without requiring you to scrape or steep the pod. You can use it in place of vanilla extract if you run out. This thick paste used to be available only in specialty shops, but I’ve started to see it in some large supermarkets. A lot depends on demand, so if you like vanilla paste, tell the store manager, who just might stock it for you.
USE IT FOR: a substitution for vanilla beans
Store vanilla beans, extract, or paste in a cool, dry place. The whole beans can be kept in the tube they came in—again, in a cupboard away from moisture. Don’t store them in the refrigerator.
All things being equal: 1 vanilla bean (split and scraped) = 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract = 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Vanilla Varieties
There’s no such thing as plain old vanilla. The bean with the caviar also has terroir. Depending on where the bean is grown and how it’s processed, vanilla delivers markedly different flavors. There are at least half a dozen different vanillas, but only three are found commonly in our supermarkets and specialty shops.
TAHITIAN: Fruity and floral, this goes well with fruit and custards.
MADAGASCAR: Also called Madagascar Bourbon, this is the most common vanilla and plays nicely with all baked goods.
MEXICAN: This is my absolute favorite. It’s straightforward, clean, and well balanced with just a tiny hint of spice. I could drink it.
Vanilla Sugar
Vanilla sugar is where steeped and scraped pods go to die.
VANILLA SUGAR—THE SLOW WAY
You can make as much as you want with this ratio. Use it in place of granulated sugar in baked goods to boost the flavor. For a garnish, infuse turbinado sugar.
| 1. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Place in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. | 1 vanilla bean (whole or with the caviar removed) | |
| 2. Pour the sugar over the bean pieces, tighten the lid, and give it a shake or two to distribute the sugar and bury the beans. | 2 cups granulated sugar | |
| 3. Place in a cool, dry place for a week or two. | ||
| 4. Replenish as needed with more beans and sugar. |
INSTANT VANILLA SUGAR
If you want vanilla sugar and you want it now, you can have it. This quick-dissolving vanilla-flavored powdered sugar is ideal for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, whipped cream, and anywhere you want a spoonful of flavor to disappear into the mix.
| 1. Cut the bean into 3 or 4 pieces. | 1 vanilla bean (whole or with the caviar removed) | |
| 2. Place the bean pieces and sugar in a blender and pulse until the bean is fully incorporated. The results will be a slightly beige powder. | 2 cups granulated sugar | |
| 3. Store in an airtight jar. |