Baking techniques, how to

© Janneke's Recipe pages - tips and tricks

melt au-bain-marie:

Au-bain-marie is used for heating ingredients that can't be placed directly over a heat source:

Bring in a wide pan water to boil: place another (sauce)pan (I often use a large mug for small portions) in the water and fill with for example chocolate, egg mixtures and cheese. Melt while stirring regulary or according the recipe.

bake blind (pre bake the bottom before adding the stuffing). A perfect dry bottom for pies:

Mostly if you make a pie with a "wet" stuffing the bottom will remain moist as well and isn't cooked. You could try to blind bake the bottom first with a filling of dried pies:

Place the (pie) dough in the baking pan, punch some holes, place a fitting piece of baking paper and fill with clean dry peas.

Bake the bottom as long as the recipe indicates (mostly 10-15 minutes). Remove peas and paper and add the stuffing.

(The peas can be used several times, but can't be eaten any more.)

use fluid and flour in recipes:

The quantity of fluid is often difficult to indicate: it depends on several factors: i.e. the quality of the flour and the size of eggs.

Add therefore not all fluid at once but about 90% and then bit by bit the rest till a correct result has been reached.

First published: April 12, 2003, Netherlands