You know, I could almost be convinced that they look like petticoat tails (even though I have no idea what a petticoat tail looks like). Whaddya think? Shortbread is one of those things that every baker should know how to make, since it’s the basis of a wide variety of cookies and some crusts. Those […]
READ ONGood question, reader Megan! The shortbread recipe calls for corn or rice flour because neither one of those contain any gluten. Not only that, their presence works to undermine the development of gluten by interrupting continuous chains of proteins. Hang on, Joe, you always say that developed gluten needs water, there’s no water in this […]
READ ONSpeaking of pat answers, have you ever read an article on baking history that didn’t at some point say something like: (dessert X) was only for special occasions, since for most people butter, sugar and spices were rare and expensive and only eaten by the wealthy. It’s one of a handful of go-to phrases that […]
READ ONThat’s the term for wedge-shaped slices of shortbread. As to where it comes from there’s only speculation. Some say it’s because the shape resembles actual garments worn by Scottish noblewomen, which strikes me, frankly, as bull. Other say it’s an English corruption of the French words petites gatelles or possibly petits cotés. I’m not qualified […]
READ ONThe classic proportions for shortbread are 1, 2, 3: one part sugar, two parts butter and three parts flour. These days shortbread recipes are both sweeter and richer than that. Surprised? The below recipe, inspired by Cook’s Illustrated, boosts the sugar content by about 50% and the butter by about 25%, which is OK by […]
READ ONFor the next couple of days we’ll be talking shortbread. It’s a project that’s been on my to-do list for quite a while, though I moved it up after an urgent request for a tutorial came in last week. Shortbread is another very simple preparation, one that’s mostly taken for granted now. These days come […]
READ ONI hope everyone who celebrated Labor Day in the States had a good 3-day weekend. I know, most of you folks who work in the food industry are saying what 3-day weekend? I was just offering up my excuse for not having posted yesterday. On which note, I want to offer up a word of […]
READ ONFolks must have been feeling mighty feisty last night, since I got several emails complaining that I left out the recipe for the fruit sauce. Oh, ye of little faith. Would I ever forget a thing like that? Don’t answer, it was a rhetorical question. Fruit sauces can be easy or hard. I prefer easy, […]
READ ONDegrees? Fahrenheit? Yes, you read right, friends. This custard is baked at an insanely hot 425. That’s almost unheard of for a custard, hence all the folks who emailed me last night to make sure I wasn’t drunk. Why are custards usually baked low? Of course to keep the egg proteins from clenching up and […]
READ ONThis bread pudding doesn’t just look pretty, those toast points have a function: to make the dish something more than just a mass of wet, sweet bread. This bread pudding is actually crunchy in parts, and that keeps every mouthful interesting. Serve this plain or with a sauce of your choice. Caramel is a classic, […]
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