History bites - COOKING FOR SENIORS

Baking –General notes

Many years ago, when I was an apprentice chef, I naturally had exposure to all types cookery methods. I ended up specialising in sauces, which in large establishments was regarded as core part of the kitchen. Two other sections were of equal importance. One was the cold kitchen or “garde manger” the other was the pastry kitchen. Enjoying the fruits of the pastry chefs labour (unfortunately) was a favourite pastime of mine, but it was generally a reciprocal relationship.

While working with a number of excellent pastry chefs, over the years, I learnt a number of very important lessons in the preparation of cakes and pastries, including:

Assemble all your ingredients before you start
Take the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator early enough for the butter to soften and the eggs to lose their chill.
Weighing cake and pastry ingredients is really important. Cakes and pastries are subject to chemical reactions and subsequently a recipe will suffer if you are not accurate in your measurements – cakes won’t rise, biscuits might spread.
The ingredients for cake and pastry type recipes (as with most recipes) are generally written in the order you will use them.

Morning and afternoon teas.

Lemon sour cream cake with lemon syrup.

Pre-heat tour oven to 180c.
Select a 25cm spring form pan or alternatively a cup cake pan. Both non stick. Lightly apply non stick spray or lightly grease with butter.
Assemble your ingredients.

Ingredients:

½ cup Canola oil (or any good non aromatic vegetable oil).
3 eggs.
1 tsp vanilla paste.
1 tbsp lemon zest.
2 tbsp lemon juice.
½ cup milk.
2 cups plain flour.
2 tsp baking powder.
½ tsp salt.
I cup caster sugar.
1 cup sour cream.

Method:

In a bowl whisk the oil, eggs, zest and lemon juice, add milk and continue mixing. Add sugar and mix until the sugar dissolves.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
Pour the egg mix into the flour mix. Stir to form a batter.
Stir in the sour cream. Continue whisking until the sour cream has been dissolved.
Pour into your choice of prepared pans.
Bake for 30 -40 minutes.

Friands

Pre-heat your oven at 160C.
Select a traditional friand baker’s pan or alternatively a small cupcake size pan (non-stick). Small paper patty-pans are also good.
Assemble your ingredients.
Yields 12 standard size friands.

Ingredients:

6 egg whites.
125 g hazel nut meal or almond meal. Generally retailed as ground almonds or hazel nuts.
240 g icing sugar mixture.
75 g gluten free flour.
185 g unsalted butter, melted, but not hot.

Method:

Using your whisk lightly beat the egg whites until the whites have broken up and aerated slightly. You are NOT making pavlova.
Add ground nuts, icing sugar and flour. Stir until well combined.
Add melted butter. Mix well, for a couple of minutes until the butter is incorporated.
Regardless of what pans you are using, fill each mould to just below the rim.
Bake for about twenty minutes.
When ready (they should be springy to touch), let them cool for about 5 -10minutes, until you turn them out onto a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Notes:

The uncooked mix freezes well as does the cooked friands. If you are freezing it uncooked, estimate a ‘batch’ quantity before you fill your container.
Ordinary plain flour is OK to use. I use the gluten-free type and have some mix in the freezer as a quick option for unexpected visitors.
If you actually want gluten free, check that your corn flour is made using maize.
Lots of easy flavour variations – a few are listed below.

Variations:

Either mix. Place some berries on the top of each friand before you bake. 2-4 raspberries, 3-6 blueberries, 1-2 blackberries; depending on the size of the friand.
Almond mix. Add 100g of grated white chocolate to the uncooked mix. Finish with raspberries.
Almond mix. Add one ripe, mashed banana to the uncooked mix and top individual friand with one or two slices of banana.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp grated lime zest to the uncooked mix. Top with a a quarter thin slice of lime.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp of grated orange zest and one tbsp of poppy seeds to the uncooked mix.

Basic Muffin mix

Pre-heat your oven to 200c
Prepare with non-stick spray or butter a medium size muffin pan or line the same with paper patty pans.

Ingredients:

2 cups of plain flour.
3 tsp baking powder.
½ tsp salt.
¾ cup caster sugar.
One large egg (around 60g)
One cup milk.
¼ cup vegetable oil.
½ tsp vanilla paste.

Method:

Sift all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt) into a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl use your whisk to break up the egg before adding the milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well
Make a hollow or well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the egg mix. Whisk until combined. Use your spatula to scrape the batter down the sides of the bowl.
At this point you can fold in some other ingredients of your choice. See variations.
Divide the batter evenly into your pre-prepared muffin pan or paper patty-pans, no more than ¾ full.
Bake in your pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes. When done they should be springy to touch.

Notes:

The “raw” batter freezes well. Don’t forget to label it.

Variations:

Muffins lend themselves to many different flavours. Not only sweet but also savoury, including:

Fresh berries – blueberries or raspberries. Add one cup of either to the batter.
Choc-chips, again one cup of dark, milk or white choc-chips added to the batter.
Add one cup of chopped fresh dates to the batter.
One cup of grated vintage cheese or crispy bacon pieces added to the batter or a combination of both.
Dried fruits such as sultanas or diced apricots can also be used. Again one cup of either. Allow extra 30 ml of milk in the batter to compensate the fruit.

Biscuits or cookies.

The line is blurred a little between the two terms and these days interchangeable. Biscuits had their origins in Great Britain and can refer to many different separate recipes. Generally they are flat, crisp and with minimal raising agents. Sweet favourites include Ginger nuts, ANZAC’s, shortbread and of course chocolate biscuits. Also included are savoury types that you might serve with cheese or pate.

This Almond Shortbread recipe is a good example of a biscuit, even though its title implies otherwise. The egg yolk makes it more durable and it has excellent keeping qualities.

Almond shortbread

450g Unsalted butter
80g pure icing sugar.
One tsp vanilla paste.
Two egg yolks (room temperature)
600g Plain flour (sifted)
100g ground almonds
Extra icing sugar for dusting

Method:

In your mixing bowl add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to slowly combine the ingredients, before increasing the speed to medium. You are ‘creaming’ the ingredients.
After about two minutes will notice the colour becomes paler. Spatula down the sides of the bowl to make sure that all the sugar and butter have combined.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time. Continue mixing on medium speed until the egg yolk has blended in.
Mix the flour and almonds together and on slow speed add this dry mix to the creamed butter.
Mix until all your ingredients have formed dough. It shouldn’t take long – say about 30 seconds.
Place the dough in a bowl and cover or wrap in plastic wrap. “Rest” the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Set up for rolling the dough. You’ll need a rolling pin, a pastry sheet, a pastry brush, a little plain flour (to prevent the dough sticking), your choice of biscuit cutter shape and a palette knife.
Pre-heat your oven to 180c. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Turn the pastry out on your lightly floured pastry sheet. Use flour sparingly on your rolling pin.
Roll the dough out to around 8mm thick.
Using your cutter cut out the individual biscuits. Avoid the ragged edges of the rolled out dough. Transfer the shapes to the baking sheet.
Brush any excess flour off the dough scraps. Reform these scraps and repeat the process until all the dough has been used up.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until light brown in colour.
Slide baked shortbread onto a wire cooling rack.
Unless you are storing them in an airtight container dust with icing sugar and serve.

The term ‘cookie’, on the other hand had its origins in Europe, before migrating to North America. Cookies are generally “chewier” and softer. Often the base dough is enhanced with more sweet additions. Chocolate chip cookies are a good example. “Crackers” are often associated with North America and are generally savoury. Just to confuse everyone “prawn crackers’ are from Asia and are deep-fried not baked.

Basic cookie dough

This cookie dough is good base dough which will give you almost endless flavour possibilities and the dough can be frozen. I’ll tell you how. An electric mixer is best for this recipe.

½ cup unsalted butter (softened).
¼ cup caster sugar.
½ cup brown sugar.
One egg (at room temperature).
One tsp vanilla extract.
1 and ½ cups plain flour.
½ tsp baking powder.
½ tsp salt.

Method:

In your mixing bowl add the butter and sugars. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to slowly combine the ingredients, before increasing the speed to medium. You are ‘creaming’ the ingredients. After about two minutes will notice the colour becomes paler. Spatula down the sides of the bowl to make sure that all the sugar and butter have combined.
Crack the egg in a separate bowl and add to the butter mix along with the vanilla. Mix on medium speed until the egg has combined. Again use your spatula. The mixture will be a lot wetter.
In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
On low speed now, add half of the sifted ingredients. Combine this first before adding the other half of the dry ingredients. Avoid over mixing. In fact you could probably mix the second lot in just with the spatula. Try and scrape all the mix off the paddle. The mix is ready and you have a couple of options:

Baking the cookies:

With the finished cookie dough you can mix in your favourite extra. It could chopped nuts, choc bits, dried fruits, smarties or other suitable lollies. It’s your choice.
To bake pre-heat your oven to 175c. Next either grease your baking sheets lightly with butter or line those same baking sheets with baking (silicon) paper.
Using a standard ice cream scoop (to ensure even size cookies), scoop the mix, so that is flush with the scoop edge.
Place the portions flat side down and flatten slightly with the back of a table fork.
The cookies shouldn’t spread too much but ensure that there is ‘space’ between each, say 2cm.
If you want larger cookies just combine two scoops before repeating the two previous steps.
Bake until the edges are golden brown. That should be approx. 10 minutes.
When ready remove from oven and after 5 minutes, slide them onto a wire cooling rack.
Serve freshly baked or store in an airtight jar for up to a week. Yes you can short term freeze the finished cookies.

Freezing the cookie dough.

As I mentioned earlier raw cookie dough can be successfully frozen for future use and I believe it is a better option than freezing baked cookies.

Firstly estimate the amount of dough required for enough cookies to fit on your baking sheet. Say enough for ten cookies.
On a 30cm square sheet of greaseproof paper or silicon paper place the dough about 10cm from the edge closest to you.
Next spread the mix in a rough tube shape leaving about 5cm clear paper on both the left and right sides of the paper.
You can now, using light pressure ‘roll’ the paper up into a cylinder about 5cm in diameter. The ends of the paper should be clear of mix.
Finally twist the ends of the paper (like a wrapped chocolate). With the ends secure gently roll to ensure an even log shape.
Next, repeat the process with plastic wrap. Don’t forget to name and date the cookie dough
Place in freezer.
The day before you need to bake the cookies take the required number of rolls out of the freezer and place in the fridge.
To bake, remove the wrapping and cut your portions.
With your hands roll the dough into balls, before placing on your baking sheet. Flatten each one slightly with the back of a table fork. Ensure suitable spacing. Bake.

Bulk sweet slices –general notes:

Many of the recipes which follow were developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. These are rectangular stainless steel dishes, which are used in commercial kitchens and are especially made to fit modern “combi” ovens. Interestingly baking directly in these was frowned upon when I was teaching at Tafe, but they are a good size when you need to bake in bulk – as long as you take care of them.

By this I mean the trays need to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.

The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.

You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.

Apricot Almond Slice

Preheat your oven to 160c. Line your baking tray.

Ingredients for a full batch:

Base:

270g unsalted butter, softened.
225g brown sugar.
555g plain flour.

Topping:

450g brown sugar.
6 eggs.
150 self-raising flour.
200g flaked almonds.
200g slivered almonds.
400g dried apricots, chopped.
220g shredded or desiccated coconut.

Method:

For the base ingredients sift the flour into a mixing bowl and then mix in the brown sugar.
Rub in the butter and work the mixture to form dough.
Press this mix firmly into your prepared tray to form the base. Use the back of a soup spoon to press down the edges. Bake the prepared base for 10 minutes.
While the base is baking prepare the topping.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Add the eggs and combine well.
When the base is ready cover it with the topping mix evenly.
Return the slice to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes.
Turn the tray after 15 minutes to ensure it cooks evenly.
When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.

Notes:

This slice freezes very well

Caramel coconut slice

Preheat your oven to 160c. Line your baking tray.

Ingredients for a full batch:

Base:

225g Plain Flour.
225g Self raising flour.
135g desiccated coconut.
330g Caster sugar.
300g Unsalted butter, melted.

Filling:

1200g sweetened condensed milk.
180g unsalted butter.
150g brown sugar.
6tbsp golden syrup.

Topping:

6 eggs, lightly beaten.
225g caster sugar.
540g shredded coconut.

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients for the base. Add the melted butter.
Press this mix firmly into your prepared tray to form the base. Use the back of a soup spoon to press down the edges. Bake the prepared base for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile combine all the filling ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat until it is just simmering and it is thick and glossy – about 8-10 minutes.
Pour over the par-baked base and set aside to cool slightly while you make the topping.
In a bowl combine the topping ingredients.
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the filling. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.

Notes:

This slice freezes very well

Caramel Swirl Brownie.

Preheat your oven to 160c. Line your baking tray.

Ingredients for a full batch:

Brownie:

500g unsalted butter.
740g dark chocolate.
880g caster sugar.
8teas vanilla essence.
8 eggs, lightly beaten.
600g plain flour.

Caramel:

800g condensed milk.
100g unsalted butter.
100g brown sugar.
6 tbsp golden syrup.

Method:

For the brownie melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mix well.
Fold in the flour. Combine well.
Pour half this mix into the prepared baking tray. Set aside.
For the caramel, combine the ingredients in a pot, stirring over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until simmering, thick and glossy. Cool slightly.
To finish assembling the slice, pour half the caramel mix randomly over the brownie mix in the tray, before topping with the rest of the brownie mix. Finally pour the rest of the caramel mix, again randomly over the brownie mix.
With a skewer gently swirls the caramel mix through.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for 40 -50 minutes.
When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.

Notes:

This slice freezes well.
Slightly warmed topped with ice-cream – yum.

Choc Brownie

Preheat your oven to 160c. Line your baking tray.

Ingredients for a full batch:

Brownie:

500g unsalted butter.
740g dark chocolate.
880g caster sugar.
8teas vanilla essence.
8 eggs, lightly beaten.
600g plain flour.

Icing:

400g dark chocolate.
1 cup sour cream, warmed to room temperature.

Method:

For the brownie melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mix well.
Fold in the flour. Combine well.
Pour this mix into the prepared baking tray.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for 40 -50 minutes.
When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Chill slightly. Turn out.
Meanwhile in a bowl melt the chocolate over hot water.
Gently stir in the sour cream. Mix well
Spread the icing evenly and let set before portioning.

Notes:

If freezing it is better not to apply icing.