The Baking Answer Book Read Online Free PDF Page B

as a leavener. Baked goods containing non-alkalized cocoa don’t need the extra acid in baking powder, and will rise well with only baking soda.
    Q How is an extract made? Is pure vanilla extract better than other vanilla extracts?
    A An extract is a concentrated flavoring that can be made from either natural or artificial ingredients. Extracts, including almond, coffee, maple, lemon, mint, and most commonly, vanilla, give depth and balance to baked goods. Vanilla extract is made by macerating chopped vanilla beans in a solution of alcohol and water until the liquid takes on the flavor of the beans. Artificial vanilla, which has a similar flavor profile, is made from wood pulp. Most bakers and pastry chefs agree that pure vanilla extract gives baked goods a more intense flavor and aroma than the artificial variety.

CHAPTER 2

Equipment
    There are some pieces of equipment that are absolutely essential if you want to bake. You can’t make cookies without a baking sheet, or a cake without a cake pan. Good luck to you if you don’t own a set of measuring cups and spoons! And then there are items that you can certainly live without, but make baking a pleasure and a joy. I’m thinking of my lovely yellow KitchenAid stand mixer and my fancy Silpat baking mat, imported from France. The questions and answers in this chapter will help you assess the equipment you already own, make decisions about purchasing tools that you may still need, and make sure you’re perfectly equipped to bake whatever your heart desires.
BAKING PANS: A BAKER’S DOZEN
    Here are 13 pans, listed loosely in order of usefulness. The items at the top may see daily or weekly use. Toward the bottom you’ll find pans that are nice to have, if only for the couple of times a year you make madeleines or a soufflé.
Baking sheets. Equip your kitchen with several rimmed and rimless baking sheets to accomplish a multitude of baking tasks, from baking cookies, jelly rolls, and focaccia to toasting nuts and coconut in the oven.
Square and rectangular baking pans. An 8-inch square pan and a 9-by 13-inch pan will allow you to make small and large batches of brownies and bar cookies as well as snacking cakes and sheet cakes.
Layer cake pans. 9-inch round cake pans are standard, but sometimes a recipe will call for 8-inch pans. You’ll need 2 or sometimes 3 pans to make one recipe. Buy them in matched sets, so your layers will match exactly. And choose pans with sides at least 2 inches high, to accommodate batters from a multitude of recipes.
Muffin tin. Necessary for cupcakes as well as muffins, a 12-cup tin is the most useful. If you are only making six cupcakes or muffins, place batter in every other cup of a 12-cup tin and fill the empty cups with water to prevent buckling.
Loaf pan. For quick breads and sandwich loaves. A 9-inch loaf pan is most common, but an 8-inch one is also handy. They can also be used to assemble ice cream and frozen mousse terrines. Mini-loaf pans are less essential, but fun to have if you want to make small loaves for gift-giving or a bread basket.
Bundt pan. A tube pan with fluted sides is used to make coffee cakes and other casual cakes. Sometimes these cakes have sticky streusel toppings and fillings, making them difficult to unmold. That is why most Bundt pans now on the market have a nonstick surface, for a clean release. The standard size is 12 cups.

Pie plate. Glass produces a nicely browned crust and is nonreactive (unlike metal) so it won’t affect the flavor of acidic fruit fillings over time.
Tart pan with removable bottom. A 9-inch pan will make a tart that serves six; an 11-inch pan will serve ten.

Springform pan. Cakes that can’t be removed from a regular pan, such as cheesecake or flourless chocolate cake, must be baked in a springform pan. A spring-loaded hinge releases the sides of the pan from the bottom, and the cake is left standing on the bottom of the pan, ready to serve. Nine inches is standard for most recipes,