Baking Cake Tips "P" - az cake recipes

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Baking Tips by letter:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AZ Cake Recipes -> Baking Tips -> "P" Cake Tips

Baking Cake Tips, "P"

Pancakes tips

Browning Pancakes.
Adding a little sugar to the batter of pancakes and waffles will make them brown more quickly.
Pans tips

Dusting Pans.
Some recipes call for dusting the pans with flour. This helps the cake develop a thin, crisp crust and prevents the cake from absorbing the fat used to grease the pan. Use about one tablespoon all-purpose flour for dusting each pan, shaking and tilting until the bottom and sides have a fine coating. Then hold the pan upside down over the sink and tap it gently so excess flour falls away.

Glass Pans.
When baking in a glass pan, reduce oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Greasing Cake Pans.
Do not use butter, margarine or oil to grease cake pans, or cake may stick to pans and brown too much. Use shortening or cooking spray.

Pan sizes.
Use only the size of pan called for. The difference between and 8 inch (2 L) square pan and a 9 inch (2.5 L) square pan can mean the difference between a moist chewy bar and an underbaked heavy failure.

Removing Cake From A Bundt Pan.
Just before the cake is through baking, place a folded bathroom towel in the sink and saturate it with steaming hot water. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately set the it on top of the towel, pan side down, and leave it for ten seconds. Immediately invert the cake onto a cooling rack. The cake will come out clean and whole without sticking.

Types of Pans.
The best pans are aluminum or metal oans that are light in color. Dark pans will cause the base or bar to bake and brown more quickly.
Papaya tips

How to Peel Papaya.
To peel a papaya, hold the papaya on its side on a cutting surface. Slice the fruit in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds to use as a garnish. Place a papaya half, cut side down, on a work surface, then remove peel with a knife. Remove 1 inch to 3 inches of its narrow end, which has little flavor. Slice with a paring knife. Repeat with the second half. Serve garnished with seeds.
Pine Nuts (Pinons) tips

Pine Nuts Storage.
Store them tightly covered and either refrigerate or freeze them, depending on how soon they are to be used.
Pineapple tips

How to Carve Pineapple.
The most common way is to start by slicing the leafy plume and the stem ends from the fruit. To remove the tough exterior, steady the pineapple upright on a cutting board, then slice downward just below the surface of the rind, following the curve of the fruit. Rotate and repeat. Remove the eyes with a short knife by making v-shaped cuts around each. To slice or chop, place the fruit on its side. To slice, cut it crosswise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick slices, then cut each slice in half. To chop, cut the fruit lengthwise into six or eight wedges, then cut each wedge crosswise into pieces. Trim and discard the woody core from each piece.

How to Prepare Pineapple.
Reserve the pineapple juices by carving the fruit on a rimmed cutting board. Not only do the juices make a sweet-tart addition to a cocktail, but the liquid, when mixed with apples, pears or avocados, can keep them from turning brown. The juice also contains an enzyme that breaks down protein, making it a good tenderizer. The enzymes also facilitate digestion. (The juice may also cause the skin on the fingers and around the lips to tingle; this is harmless.) Individual pineapples vary in sweetness. The further the slice is from the plume (and the closer to the stem), the sweeter the fruit tends to be. Reserve less-ripe portions as a garnish, or pair with papaya or mango chunks, either tossed with a syrup of lemon juice, sugar and mint or basil or topped with plain yogurt, then drizzled with honey. Fruit that is slightly overripe or mushy may be used in smoothies or marinades. Diced pineapple finds its way into fruit salsas used with fish or poultry or pork. Some chefs prefer a sprinkle of salt to draw out the acidity. Served warm, the pineapple is sublime. Traditionalists should look beyond the classic pineapple upside-down cake and substitute thin slices in a tarte tatin. Caramelize pineapple under the broiler by sprinkling slices with sugar, a sugar syrup or even honey and heating until brown and bubbly, 5 to 8 minutes. Or simmer it in butter, brown sugar, a pinch of spice and a splash of liqueur and use to top ice cream or rice pudding. To grill, heat wedges on a lightly oiled rack until barely charred, about 2 minutes per side.

How to Select Pineapple.
Leaves should be bright green and sprightly, not pallid, brown or limp, and the fruit should feel heavy for its size, yield slightly to pressure but be devoid of soft or brown spots. Look for a faintly fruity aroma that exudes from the stem, but beware a sweetish, fermented odor. Available year-round, the pineapple's peak season is March through July.

How to Store Pineapple.
Keep unripe pineapples at room temperature. Although pineapples do not ripen once removed from the stem, the acidity diminishes with time, creating an illusion of increased sweetness. Ripe pineapples should be refrigerated for as short a time as possible, preferably less than three days. Beyond that, they tend to turn mushy.
Pomegranates tips

Make your own mixer.
Homemade pomegranate syrup is far superior to commercial grenadine, which tends to be overly sweet. Some brands don't even contain pomegranate juice. Food writer Elizabeth Schneider in Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables (Harper & Row, 1986) describes a technique that is time-intensive but relatively simple: Combine equal parts seeds and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan; stir and crush into a wet mass. Cover and let stand 12 to 24 hours. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes. Push seeds through a sieve, to extract juice. Pour into a hot, sterilized jar. Cover with a piece of cloth until cool. Cap tightly and refrigerate for up to four months.

Pomegranates Availability, Selection and Storage.
Available late September through mid-February. Look for large, brightly colored fruit with shiny skins. Pomegranates keep longer than most fruits. Stored separately in small plastic sandwich bags, they will keep in the fridge for up to 10 weeks. You can also freeze the seeds in a resealable freezer bag for later use in salads or as an ice cream topping.

Pomegranates Preparation.
Never use a knife on pomegranates. Juice will run everywhere except where you want it, which is in your mouth. Instead, gently score the outside skin into lengthwise quadrants, being careful not to penetrate the seed cavity. Then break the fruit apart gently, following the natural divisions created by the pale, papery membranes that separate the seed compartments. Remove the membranes by pulling them off with your fingers. Bend the skin of each segment back and either scrape the seeds directly into your mouth using your teeth or lift them out with a spoon. Young children love pomegranates, probably because to eat them is to play with them. Just give them a bowl big enough to catch stray seeds that pop out and dress them in old clothes. Pomegranate juice is delicious in fruity drinks, sorbets and fruit salads. It also can be boiled down into a concentrated syrup (grenadine) that can added to cocktails, ice cream, rice pudding or diluted with carbonated water for a natural soft drink.