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Do You Bake With Shortening?

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:04 -0800

This morning, I set the record straight on the baking fat known as shortening. Although it's a nice vegan alternative to butter or lard, a number of you are disgusted with its trans fat content. I can relate to both perspectives - although I recently became enamored with the flaky texture it lends to pie crusts, like the one in traditional apple pie.

Source: Flickr User tellumo

Know Your Ingredients: Shortening

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:50:13 -0800

While baking apple pie, I enlisted the help of my boyfriend, who took notice of the substantial amount of Crisco that was going into the pie dough. What exactly is shortening? he wanted to know. When I couldn't give him a solid answer (no pun intended), I decided it was time to find out.

The term shortening generically refers to any baking fat that's solid at room temperature, like butter and margarine. But more often, it describes a semi-solid fat made from hydrogenated vegetable oil that's used in baking to achieve a "short," or flaky, texture.

By adding hydrogen gas to vegetable oil at a high pressure and temperature, the flavorless substance goes from being a liquid to a solid at room temperature.

Although shortening has fallen out of favor in recent years because it contains trans fat, the ingredient remains a staple around the world for many reasons. It has a higher smoke point than butter or margarine, meaning it won't burn in a sauté pan. It also requires no refrigeration, and can lengthen the shelf life of baked goods. What do you use shortening for?

Source: Flickr User VirtualErn

What Should You Do on a Cold Rainy Day?

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:50:43 -0800

Here are highlights from the OnSugar blog Cakes Icecreams Tarts And.

That's right, you should bake brownies! 'Cause I'm sure you've already got all the ingredients at home, yeah? Chocolate chips, cocoa powder, plain flour, eggs, butter . . . Okay, now you're ready to go into the kitchen! Anyway, It has been raining since morning and, you know, one gets lazy when it rains. I decided to postpone my study plans till tonight, and to stop being envious of all the bakers who'd been baking recently when I had buried myself among my books, I BAKED!

To see her decadent brownie recipe, read more

5 Thoughtful Finds For the Baking Enthusiast

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:31:56 -0800

Even though Summer seemed like yesterday, the year's already well into November. You know what that means: The holidays are fast approaching! We got off to a good start sharing our most coveted items of the moment, but beginning today, we'll also be offering useful gift guides that'll outline kitchen must haves for your hard-to-shop-for family and friends.

Have you cozied up to the co-worker who brings fresh loaves of pumpkin bread into the office? Or do you have a friend who insists on baking her own birthday cake? If so, indulge her Bakesale Betty with tools that will have her creating even more sweet treats. To see them, keep reading.

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Do You Have an Oven Thermometer?

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:16 -0700

While I might be a late-night baker, I have never trusted the temperature of ovens. Instead I rely on a trusty oven thermometer. My somewhat new oven is about 25 degrees cooler than what the knob says, so with my thermometer, I can adjust the temperature and cook time correctly. With Fall in full swing and baking on the brain, I'm wondering, do you use one?

Are You a Late-Night Baker?

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 06:50:10 -0700

I've been known to bake when it's late, and I'm not alone. In a recent Washington Post story, writer Lisa Yockelson waxes poetic about the pleasures and perils of baking past your bedtime. Do you indulge your hobby in the wee hours?

Simple Tip: Transport Baked Goods in Bakery Boxes

partysugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:15:40 -0700

Unless you make and transport cupcakes on a very regular basis, you probably have no need for a bulky plastic cupcake carrier. However, on those occasions when cupcakes have to be carried from your kitchen to another location, do what I do and pick up a baking box. A local bakery, or even the baking section of your grocery store, has a large supply of these boxes in a variety of sizes. If you've developed a relationship with the employees, they'll most likely give you the box for free. Ask for a large, medium, or small box and you can safely transport cakes, cookies, or pies without ruining a beautiful frosting job. Does anyone else do this? What's your secret for taking baked goods from one place to another?

Muffin Top Tin: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:00:11 -0700

Ever since I saw this muffin top pan ($19.95) on Serious Eats the other day, I can't seem to get it out of my head. The author of the story, a self-professed muffin-bottom lover, employs the pan to make other things, like individual quiches, gratins, and tarts. I, too, have never really understood the allure of the muffin top, but after reading the descriptive uses for the pan, I kind of want one. What do you think of it?

Simple Tip: Keep a Ruler in Your Kitchen

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:45:45 -0700

When improvising in the kitchen, I like to "eyeball" measurements, as Rachael Ray would say. But if there's one scenario when I like to be exact, it's baking. While I'm rolling out dough for anything from tarts to pizza to shortcakes, I prefer to be precise, because variations in size can have a significant impact on baking time. That's why I always keep a ruler handy - so for instance, I can be sure that my breakfast tart is exactly 10 inches by eight inches, like it should be.

I shelled out an extra dollar on a designated kitchen ruler so it's always at arm's length when I'm up to my elbows in flour and isn't covered with anything questionable, like miscellaneous pen marks. Do you keep a ruler in the kitchen? What other measures do you take (no pun intended) to ensure that your baked goods come out right?

7 Unconventional Cupcake Recipes

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 05:50:40 -0700

If you woke up thinking it was merely a typical Tuesday, you were mistaken: today is Cupcake Day! While it's true that the cupcake market has probably reached its saturation point, most of you still admitted you aren't over the cupcake craze. Yearning for something other than run-of-the-mill vanilla and chocolate? Click through for seven unique alternatives.

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