hello
im estelle from india…loved ur website…u r so generous to share so many recipes made from scratch..please include a tab for email subscription for ur recipe updates…keep up the good work..god bless!
Hi. I am in tampa florida and trying to start a small bake shop. I am using my husbands email. My name is rose tibar. My husband is a dentist. And I have a couple of difficulties that I hoped you would solve for me
1- making oatmeal cookies, the oats seem to make the cookie very dy shoud I do anything to the oats before adding
2- how can i add milk solids to chocolate
Yours, rose tibar
I wouldn’t soak them. Try letting the dough chill for an hour or two, that should soften them. You’re using the instant (quick-cooking) variety, right? That’s essential.
As for the extra milk solids, that’s not easy to do. What’s the application?
Why you indicate liquids in grams??? We in Europe measure all liquid ingredients (as water, milk, cream, syrup, oil, etc.) in ml (milliliters). Never in grams.
1 cup is ~ 235 ml.
Professional bakers in the States measure liquid in weight since it’s more accurate than volume. I didn’t know they didn’t do that in Europe. That’s good to know!
I’m searching for the perfect popover pan. I’m assuming that would be cast iron and flared. I’m hoping to find a Griswold. Nordic Ware has one but it’s not flared. Do you have tips for a perfect popover recipe.
I am searching for a vanilla cookie recipe, made without eggs, with a smooth powdery delicate texture. It’s from a Bakery in MI. They call it a “refrigerator cookie.” I haven’t been able to find any refrigerator cookie recipe, spritz, sugar cookie, butter cookie recipe or anything remotely similar in texture. It does not have a butter taste and is not a shortbread.
What ingredients would give a smooth powdery melt in your mouth feel? Any information would be most appreciated!!!
Usually “refrigerator cookies” have a lot of butter in them…it’s why you put them in the refrigerator…to firm them up before you slice and bake them. Can you give me more of a sense of what they taste and/or look like?
They have a smooth vanilla flavor. The cookies are always marbled with 2 colors(bright yellow & bright pink) plus plain dough. They do not brown at all(not even the bottoms).
They are very delicate with a smooth “powdery” texture that melts in your mouth. They do spread slightly when baked.
The bakery refers to them as “refrigerator cookies” but that might be their “term” for slice & bake cookies. They do not have any butter flavor. I would guess that these ingredients are in them: crisco or vegetable oil, confectionary sugar and vanilla. I was told that they do not have eggs in them.
Can you tell me what ingredients would create this unique mouth feel texture? I tried a slice & bake recipe with crisco, flour, vanilla, & salt. The taste was somewhat similar but not the mouth feel. Will the addition of cornstarch produce the mouth feel texture I’m looking for?
Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. FYI the name of the bakery is Diamond Bakery and it’s located in West Bloomfield, MI. If anyone is familiar with this cookie from this bakery, please respond.
I guess I’d start with a shortbread recipe and fiddle from there. Maybe swap out some cake flour for the all-purpose to lighten it a bit. I myself would be inclined to use butter since crisco tends to leave a greasy mouthfeel. May be a mix of fats would be worth a try.
I found this website when I was looking for buttercream recipes – I wondered what the difference between French, Italian and Swiss buttercreams were. and now I know. This looks like a fabulous site, and I will definitely explore it a lot more!
Just discovered your website yesterday and i have already spent an indecent amount of time reading. Love it. Will you marry me?
Ha. Three Jo’s, I know. I have my own lot by the way, but still…
It is so hard to find information on the chemistry behind the things you are doing when you follow a recipe, but thats what i am interested in. I dont just want to be a good monkey and copy the steps written down, i want to understand what i am doing and why. Fascinating! And ultimately thats what makes you a better baker. Right? So thanks.
For the first time ever, i have buttercreamclarity! Oooh. All the different kinds well explained and finaly an explanation on Butter vs butter and flour vs flour vs flour (i am belgian, so european). The only two questions left….1: which kind crusts and which does not? 2: cream cheese is not something i easily find here. Most people just use philadelphia but that tastes rather savory, as if i can already taste the garlic and herbs that should go with it. The texture of my buttercream also isnt as glossy as i think it should look. Ricotta and mascarpone have different consistencies as does quark but they taste much better/ more neutral. Any advice? What does cream cheese looke like on your side of the ocean? Firm or smooth?
Two questions down. I like things in odd quantities so one final question for aesthetic reasons: when o when will you master the art of pavlova? Crunchy but pristinely white outside, marshmallowy inside, no floating rooftop after complete cooldown, baked in a ring or freestanding? I fill mine with a whipped cream/eggnog/ orangejuice mixture and top it with tropical fruits. Hmmmm. Could use your magic in this matter though. Each one looks so different! Pretty pretty please?
Keep doing what you are doing!
Big thanks,
Soetmin
Hello Soetmin! Proposal accepted! Is there a dowry involved?
So pleased to have you aboard and even more pleased with your buttercream enthusiasm! Let’s see now, concerning your questions…American buttercream forms a crust within a few hours, but generally just a very light one. The others, being fo heavy in butter and syrup, do not form crusts.
As for the cream cheese frosting, Philadelphia is the standard here as well. I don’t favor it for frostings for the reasons you cited, but that doesn’t stop millions of other Americans from loving cream cheese frosting. I don’t know why.
And I’d be very happy to tackle pavlova, maybe next! Do you have a favorite recipe you can point me toward? 😉
Fist of all, enjoy your holiday!
Thanks for the buttercreamadvice! I have not even one single question left! Imagine…
As for the pavlova…cant find mine anywhere online so i will type and email it to you. I am most of all crazy about the filling in the recipe i use…eggnogg, lemoncurd, cream and orangejuice. Soooo much better than plain whipped cream!
Of course I had to google dowry…and i must say, my dowry consist of nothing more than 2 crazy beautiful boys and a reasonably sized butt from all the baking. I quite enjoy all three! Ha!
Hi Joe, I found your blog while looking for different Croissant recipes….I love your blog & thank you so much for generously sharing your talent…..I love to share too. don’t have a blog but have a web-site where I share recipes….but I love your blog….thank you again very much!!!!!
Hi
I am a homemaker, want to become a pastry chef. Could u plz guide me. Your tutorials r very informative. I think they will help m in becoming a professional pastry chef n keep in mind the international standards.
Regards
Manpreet
I applaud your project! My best suggestion is to keep baking and trying things. Should you have any questions about anything you can always ask me. I’m here!
I was searching for beignets and I found this blog. Keep blogging! I like it 😉
Thanks! I shall!
hello
im estelle from india…loved ur website…u r so generous to share so many recipes made from scratch..please include a tab for email subscription for ur recipe updates…keep up the good work..god bless!
Thank you so much, Estelle!
Click the “RSS” button on the bottom left and you’ll get posts sent to your email!
– Joe
Hi. I am in tampa florida and trying to start a small bake shop. I am using my husbands email. My name is rose tibar. My husband is a dentist. And I have a couple of difficulties that I hoped you would solve for me
1- making oatmeal cookies, the oats seem to make the cookie very dy shoud I do anything to the oats before adding
2- how can i add milk solids to chocolate
Yours, rose tibar
Hi Rose!
I wouldn’t soak them. Try letting the dough chill for an hour or two, that should soften them. You’re using the instant (quick-cooking) variety, right? That’s essential.
As for the extra milk solids, that’s not easy to do. What’s the application?
– Joe
hola yo estudio pastelería y buscando encontré esta pagina y me gusto mucho , gracias por compartirnos estas recetas y tus técnicas .
Es mi placer! Gracias por su carta!
– Jose
Why you indicate liquids in grams??? We in Europe measure all liquid ingredients (as water, milk, cream, syrup, oil, etc.) in ml (milliliters). Never in grams.
1 cup is ~ 235 ml.
Hello Mia!
Professional bakers in the States measure liquid in weight since it’s more accurate than volume. I didn’t know they didn’t do that in Europe. That’s good to know!
– Joe
Hi Joe,
I’m searching for the perfect popover pan. I’m assuming that would be cast iron and flared. I’m hoping to find a Griswold. Nordic Ware has one but it’s not flared. Do you have tips for a perfect popover recipe.
Thanks!
I am searching for a vanilla cookie recipe, made without eggs, with a smooth powdery delicate texture. It’s from a Bakery in MI. They call it a “refrigerator cookie.” I haven’t been able to find any refrigerator cookie recipe, spritz, sugar cookie, butter cookie recipe or anything remotely similar in texture. It does not have a butter taste and is not a shortbread.
What ingredients would give a smooth powdery melt in your mouth feel? Any information would be most appreciated!!!
Thanks!!!
Hi Karen!
Usually “refrigerator cookies” have a lot of butter in them…it’s why you put them in the refrigerator…to firm them up before you slice and bake them. Can you give me more of a sense of what they taste and/or look like?
– Joe
They have a smooth vanilla flavor. The cookies are always marbled with 2 colors(bright yellow & bright pink) plus plain dough. They do not brown at all(not even the bottoms).
They are very delicate with a smooth “powdery” texture that melts in your mouth. They do spread slightly when baked.
The bakery refers to them as “refrigerator cookies” but that might be their “term” for slice & bake cookies. They do not have any butter flavor. I would guess that these ingredients are in them: crisco or vegetable oil, confectionary sugar and vanilla. I was told that they do not have eggs in them.
Can you tell me what ingredients would create this unique mouth feel texture? I tried a slice & bake recipe with crisco, flour, vanilla, & salt. The taste was somewhat similar but not the mouth feel. Will the addition of cornstarch produce the mouth feel texture I’m looking for?
Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. FYI the name of the bakery is Diamond Bakery and it’s located in West Bloomfield, MI. If anyone is familiar with this cookie from this bakery, please respond.
Hi Karen!
I guess I’d start with a shortbread recipe and fiddle from there. Maybe swap out some cake flour for the all-purpose to lighten it a bit. I myself would be inclined to use butter since crisco tends to leave a greasy mouthfeel. May be a mix of fats would be worth a try.
Those are my best thoughts, Karen. Good luck!
– Joe
I found this website when I was looking for buttercream recipes – I wondered what the difference between French, Italian and Swiss buttercreams were. and now I know. This looks like a fabulous site, and I will definitely explore it a lot more!
Please come back often, Susan. And feel free to ask about anything you may find here!
– Joe
Hi Joe,
Just discovered your website yesterday and i have already spent an indecent amount of time reading. Love it. Will you marry me?
Ha. Three Jo’s, I know. I have my own lot by the way, but still…
It is so hard to find information on the chemistry behind the things you are doing when you follow a recipe, but thats what i am interested in. I dont just want to be a good monkey and copy the steps written down, i want to understand what i am doing and why. Fascinating! And ultimately thats what makes you a better baker. Right? So thanks.
For the first time ever, i have buttercreamclarity! Oooh. All the different kinds well explained and finaly an explanation on Butter vs butter and flour vs flour vs flour (i am belgian, so european). The only two questions left….1: which kind crusts and which does not? 2: cream cheese is not something i easily find here. Most people just use philadelphia but that tastes rather savory, as if i can already taste the garlic and herbs that should go with it. The texture of my buttercream also isnt as glossy as i think it should look. Ricotta and mascarpone have different consistencies as does quark but they taste much better/ more neutral. Any advice? What does cream cheese looke like on your side of the ocean? Firm or smooth?
Two questions down. I like things in odd quantities so one final question for aesthetic reasons: when o when will you master the art of pavlova? Crunchy but pristinely white outside, marshmallowy inside, no floating rooftop after complete cooldown, baked in a ring or freestanding? I fill mine with a whipped cream/eggnog/ orangejuice mixture and top it with tropical fruits. Hmmmm. Could use your magic in this matter though. Each one looks so different! Pretty pretty please?
Keep doing what you are doing!
Big thanks,
Soetmin
Hello Soetmin! Proposal accepted! Is there a dowry involved?
So pleased to have you aboard and even more pleased with your buttercream enthusiasm! Let’s see now, concerning your questions…American buttercream forms a crust within a few hours, but generally just a very light one. The others, being fo heavy in butter and syrup, do not form crusts.
As for the cream cheese frosting, Philadelphia is the standard here as well. I don’t favor it for frostings for the reasons you cited, but that doesn’t stop millions of other Americans from loving cream cheese frosting. I don’t know why.
And I’d be very happy to tackle pavlova, maybe next! Do you have a favorite recipe you can point me toward? 😉
Cheers and thanks for all the very kind words!
– Joe
Hi joe!
Fist of all, enjoy your holiday!
Thanks for the buttercreamadvice! I have not even one single question left! Imagine…
As for the pavlova…cant find mine anywhere online so i will type and email it to you. I am most of all crazy about the filling in the recipe i use…eggnogg, lemoncurd, cream and orangejuice. Soooo much better than plain whipped cream!
Of course I had to google dowry…and i must say, my dowry consist of nothing more than 2 crazy beautiful boys and a reasonably sized butt from all the baking. I quite enjoy all three! Ha!
Xxx
Sounds great, Soetmin. I’d love to see it!
– Joe
Ill do it tomorrow! Promise. I have been in chickenpoxland while you were away…pure hell!
Chicken pox??? Ugh! So sorry to hear it. Get well and don’t worry.
– Joe
Hi Joe, I found your blog while looking for different Croissant recipes….I love your blog & thank you so much for generously sharing your talent…..I love to share too. don’t have a blog but have a web-site where I share recipes….but I love your blog….thank you again very much!!!!!
You are a serious talent, Lily. I can’t believe some of those cakes on your site…amazing.
Thank you for your very kind words — very high praise coming from a baker and decorator of your skill!
Cheers,
– Joe
Hi
I am a homemaker, want to become a pastry chef. Could u plz guide me. Your tutorials r very informative. I think they will help m in becoming a professional pastry chef n keep in mind the international standards.
Regards
Manpreet
Hello Manpreet!
I applaud your project! My best suggestion is to keep baking and trying things. Should you have any questions about anything you can always ask me. I’m here!
Cheers,
– Joe
Hey Joe, I have been looking for a tutorial on Chocolate Cremeux – have you done cremeux before?
John