The Cookery Tips Thread

[Ms_Derious]

This thread is for any little tips that you have picked up relating to cooking, especially those 'smack yourself in the forehead, my that's simple' type of things that really make a difference.

[Ms_Derious]

Always use water that has been boiled and mostly cooled when making bread. The chlorine in fresh tap water can slow the activity of the yeast. The difference when making pizza dough is huge.

[BlackCats]

Do you have any tips to bake cakes? :) I'm thinking of making one next week and I have never made a vegan cake as yet. Do you know how to make that hard icing? I keep finding recipes for the fluffy kind.

[Ms_Derious]

The main thing when icing a cake is to make sure the cake is fully cold before you ice it. I sometimes put mine in the fridge to make sure. If its warm, the icing will melt into the cake.

I've not used this recipe before because I tend to use softer frostings if icing a cake, but the BBC has a recipe for vegan 'royal icing' which is the traditional hard one
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/eggfreeroyalicing_77309.shtml

And you can use broken chocolate instead of chocolate chips, but never use chocolate chips to replace chocolate in a recipe. It is a lot softer, and if you are making an icing or a Granache it will simply not set.

[Mr Flibble]

Is Granache like an old grenache?

http://www.estatevaults.com/bol/_Cadbury_centarian.jpg

Blackcats: shame on you for not having made a vegan cake before. You've got lots of catching up to do.

My top tip is to never buy a block of knives ever again. Just buy a cheapo small sharp knife for times when a small knife is absolutely required (doesn't happen very often) and one good quality cooks knife. I've used my 20cm Global G2 (http://www.richmondcookshop.co.uk/product_info.php?currency=GBP&products_id=918) almost exclusively for all chopping over the past few years. It's far safer than smaller knifes because its large enough to curl you knuckles against and ensure you won't chop the ends of your fingers off when you push down. It's also sharp enough (and stays sharp) to cut through most things in one slice, meaning that you don't get onions skating off across the room and finger slicing related accidents when the thing you're chopping moves under blunt pressure.

[BlackCats]

Blackcats: shame on you for not having made a vegan cake before. You've got lots of catching up to do.

:down: I think I just worry something will go wrong with baking cakes. I don't know why. I'm going to bake a cake for Halloween and then next month for my husband's birthday.:smile:

Thanks Ms_Derious for the tips.

[Windfall]

Is Granache like an old grenache?

[


or Ganache? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganache :confused: :bigsmile:

[fooldramaqueen]

The BBC site also has a good section about Vegan baking in general:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganbaking.shtml

I would highly recommend getting the 'Vegan Cupcakes....' book and trying one of the simple vanilla/chocolate cupcake recipes to get you going -they're so easy, and the cakes are always delicious :)

[RubyDuby]

I've used my 20cm Global G2 (http://www.richmondcookshop.co.uk/product_info.php?currency=GBP&products_id=918) almost exclusively for all chopping over the past few years. It's far safer than smaller knifes because its large enough to curl you knuckles against and ensure you won't chop the ends of your fingers off when you push down. It's also sharp enough (and stays sharp) to cut through most things in one slice, meaning that you don't get onions skating off across the room and finger slicing related accidents when the thing you're chopping moves under blunt pressure.

How is it for bread and sushi rolls? My good chopping knife won't do for things that require a serrated knife, but admittedly my good knife wasn't that expensive.

[RubyDuby]

Along the same lines of the one good-quality knife... one good quality non-stick pan works wonders for anything you want to brown on the stove top. Making tofu scramble and breakfast potatoes is a nightmare without the non-stick surface!

[CurrantCottage]

Always use water that has been boiled and mostly cooled when making bread. The chlorine in fresh tap water can slow the activity of the yeast. The difference when making pizza dough is huge.

I've been making bread for years and never knew this !!!!!!!! Thank you !!!!!

[rulska]

The BBC site also has a good section about Vegan baking in general:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/vegetarian_and_vegan/veganbaking.shtml



Thanks for that, I'm a beginner baker and so far I've had very little luck with baked goods.:no_expression: I hope the BBC site is more reliable.

[fooldramaqueen]

Thanks for that, I'm a beginner baker and so far I've had very little luck with baked goods.:no_expression: I hope the BBC site is more reliable.

I hope it helps! I also found the introduction to the "Vegan Cupcakes...." book had some really useful background knowledge, hints & tips about vegan baking :)

[Mr Flibble]

How is it for bread and sushi rolls? My good chopping knife won't do for things that require a serrated knife, but admittedly my good knife wasn't that expensive.

Can't comment on sushi rolls. It's fine for most bread products, but for loaves I do use a standard serrated one.

I'd agree with you on non stick pans.

[rulska]

I hope it helps! I also found the introduction to the "Vegan Cupcakes...." book had some really useful background knowledge, hints & tips about vegan baking :)

It did! I made the brownies on Saturday and they were gone by Sunday evening. Hint: I live alone.:o

[fooldramaqueen]

I've also just found this post whilst looking through some blog archives:

http://blog.vegcooking.com/2008/03/egg_replacement_tips_and_trick.php

I made a wonderful pumpkin pie at the weekend using one banana to replace the egg, and it turned out perfectly, so I can vouch for that one :)

[BlackCats]

*Going from the weightloss thread to the cooking thread and wondering why I haven't lost any weight*:p

I have started baking a few things lately. I just started with easy recipes that I don't think can go wrong so I have made rock cakes (from Cherry's recipe) and shortbread. Both were delicious if I say so myself.:)

I just made some Irish soda bread but I noticed that the soya milk seems to make it wetter than cow's milk. When you bake with soya milk do you have to use less milk than you would with an omni recipe?:confused:

[fooldramaqueen]

Blackcats, I did a bit of googling and most sites that mention soya milk in baking talk more about the sweetness and/or fat content rather than how moist it makes your baking!

One source did say it will thicken up a bit like buttermilk if you add lemon or cider vinegar (I guess any vinegar will do in theory, sometimes I use balsamic). Otherwise, maybe try adding a little less soya milk or a little more of your dry ingredient(s)?

Here are a couple of links I found:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2036259/8_tips_for_cooking_and_baking_with.html

http://www.recipelink.com/mf/0/82608

[BlackCats]

^ Oh thanks.:) I just thought maybe the adding less soya milk was a vegan secret I didn't know about.:D Maybe I will add lemon or cider vinegar next time.

(The bread tasted really nice anyway, I just had some with some LM sausages, fried onions and mustard.:satisfied:)

[fooldramaqueen]

Sounds lovely! I've seen a few soda bread recipes around and keep meaning to try it, it's something I always used to enjoy when in Ireland. Let us know if you perfect it next time :)

[veganwitch]

I usually use silk unsweetened soymilk in recipes. I find it works best and doesn't add any extra sweetness or flavor. If a recipe specifically calls for almond or rice milk I will use that.

For adding vinegar I use apple cider vinegar and add 1 teaspoon per cup of "milk". This will make vegan buttermilk. But I only use that if a recipe specifically calls for it.

Kudos to you BC. I'm impressed on the Irish soda bread. I'm an avid baker but have never made that.

[karmafunk]

How do you make Pizza dough?

[Mr Flibble]

How do you make Pizza dough?

By running a search for threads where the title is pizza :)

http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14847
http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10072

[karmafunk]

Thanks.

[Mr Flibble]

As for pizza related cookery tips, I can highly recommend getting a pizza stone (try independant cook shops, otherwise the internet - should cost less than £10) and a single blade mezzaluna for cutting (beats the crap out of pizza cutting wheels).

Using a bread machine to make the dough makes the process more practical, unless you've loads of time to kill (I would love to have time to make dough by hand on a regular basis).