Post AVn7Vk9SkRvZHTyWxc by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
(DIR) More posts by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
(DIR) Post #AVikoOZC9LDMGD631M by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
2023-05-16T16:44:41.571141Z
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My mom loves the cake I have bought for celebrating this Mother's Day. However, I might consider baking one for next Mother's Day. Everything is too expensive now. Don't know when will be the end of this inflationary spike. But...I still need to buy the tools for baking at first! :blob_melt_sob:
(DIR) Post #AVikoRFSBCCoZqspAO by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-16T17:04:54.796877Z
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@VivianHsiao Are you already familiar with baking, or will you just be starting out? If you pick the right recipe, you can get away with minimal tools. And if you want to chat about baking or starting baking, don’t hesitate to post here, plenty of hobby bakers on Spinster. 🍰
(DIR) Post #AVikoU8TRbPBX4dnCi by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-16T18:05:37.716524Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Bowl (readily picked up at a second hand/ thrift shop), wooden spoon, cake tin, scales/ measuring spoons depending on country.That is all the equipment you need for a perfect victoria sponge or chocolate cake. Everything else is optional.Unless you are vegan and need to whisk aquafaba into stiff peaks - in which case you need a mixer. Preferrably industrial quality because that stuff is a bastard to get to the righ consistency.
(DIR) Post #AVn30BAuLD7O0cLRI0 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:12:19.043388Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Well, this is a great opportunity then to confuse our beginner baker. Because I would never cream fat and sugar by hand, but I’ll be more than happy to whip up some egg whites with a sauce whisk. Doesn’t even take long. I do have a stand mixer, but most recipes I know call for hand mixer at best. I know someone with hand pain issues and she’d not be without a stand mixer. I baked for a long time with an immersion blender with a whisk attachment and that worked fine, yeast doughs I did by hand. For someone just starting out I would recommend sticking with the hand mixer and only considering a stand mixer if one really gets into it, AND has the space. I can’t do inch sizes for cake tins for the life of me, so I’ll leave it for others. I do second the detachable bottoms lined with paper, that’s a great solution. I don’t think the texture of the tin matters much at all, the material makes more of a difference. I don’t think baking the cake through will be a problem, as all my recipes call for a toothpick test and cooking times vary depending on the oven anyway. The thickness of the cake is of course determined by the diametre of the tin, but whether you like thick or slim cakes is largely a matter of personal opinion. There are also cake making methods that don’t require either creaming or whipping up eggs & sugar, or egg whites. Many of them are billed as quick cakes, and in my experience those cakes are just as tasty as the regular ones.
(DIR) Post #AVn3R7q6qmMPU0SvMe by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T17:12:55.072989Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese I am a starter for baking. Thanks for your advice. I will try to find a simple recipe and practice it. I have seen some women on Spinster are quite good at baking and Yes, I definitely want to chat with them! :blob_cat_heart:
(DIR) Post #AVn3R8fVlfTe3QVyU4 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:17:15.977519Z
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@VivianHsiao Do you mind saying where you are located? There are some differences in cake making between North America and Europe, though nothing earth shattering. But just saying, in case we end up giving conflicting info. I can’t do pretty cakes, but I’ve only failed to make a cake delicious three or four times in my life. If you follow some basic techniques, stick to (a good) recipe and use decent ingredients, it’s quite easy to put together a tasty cake. If you want a specific style recipe, do give a shout out. I have an ahem sizable collection of cookbooks and many of them are about baking.
(DIR) Post #AVn3ZeHg6c8oQPQOdk by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:13:55.893362Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Creaming butter and sugar is fine so long as you let the butter come to room temperature before you attempt it! (Or cheat and use a decent quality margarine).
(DIR) Post #AVn3Zew5gMT2RkKfdA by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:18:49.049679Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Nope, not for me it’s not. I just can’t bring myself to it. 😆 This is like someone saying they never use their hand mixer except for mixing mayo because what sort of a nutter would do that by hand, and me piping up that well, actually I mix my mayo by hand… They responded “well, case in point”.
(DIR) Post #AVn3o3sljFPns2e7vs by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:18:41.788222Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Anyway, for what it’s worth Vivian, here’s my fool proof Victoria sponge recipe (scaled for a 6” tin).2 eggs 4 oz butter 4 oz sugar 4 oz flour (self raising, or plain + teaspoon of baking powder).Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the eggs in a mug/jug. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mix a bit at a time, stirring it in so it doesn’t separate (if it shows any sign of separating add a spoonful of flour). Fold the flour into the mixture (figure of eight motion with a metal spoon). Into the cake tin and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes at 275F, 180C (160C fan oven), gas 5 (think that covers all possible oven temperature systems!)It’s cooked when the surface bounces back when you poke it with your finger, or a skewer put into the cake comes out clean.If you want chocolate cake, just add two or three dessert spoons of cocoa powder along with the flour.
(DIR) Post #AVn3o4SZa83Tf5Oijw by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:21:25.396446Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao You know, I don’t think I’ve ever made a victoria sponge.It’s just not been on my radar, plus my go-to for a white fluffy cake is the eggs+ sugar sponge.
(DIR) Post #AVn5OAiTtgb9RfcIvg by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:39:06.231352Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao My point is just that it’s intensely personal, and one won’t find out until one gives it a go and tries different things. So for a beginner I’d recommend trying a lot of different methods, and then choosing the ones that fit them the best. I wouldn’t recommend splurging on expensive tools like stand mixers right from the get go, but rather put money towards good basic tools. Stuff that’s sturdy, easy to clean, etc. Specifically good measuring tools, including kitchen scales if the recipes one is likely to encounter use weights. If one is familiar with the most common methods and has a good set of basic tools, it’s possible to succesfully execute most non-super-fancy cake recipes. In my opinion.
(DIR) Post #AVn77ZVcfJyRK7oYt6 by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:58:33.904244Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao It fun to cream butter. I like how it changes. I don’t like scraping hard butter off blades, whether hand or mixer, so I let it come to room temp to make it easy.The other option is to use dehydrated butter, mix the sugar in, and add water.
(DIR) Post #AVn7TMvY7oSAflKqMi by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T20:16:23.758125Z
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@EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Granny did it often enough, before we got the leccy, me and the cousins would be dragooned in to take turns.
(DIR) Post #AVn7TNYBo9MUbbPhaq by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T21:02:30.068116Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao I got dragooned too, and my gran had leccy!
(DIR) Post #AVn7Vk9SkRvZHTyWxc by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T17:19:24.998199Z
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@EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese I am dazzled by the choices of cake tins actually. My oven might be big enough for a 6-inch one but it might not be able to bake it thoroughly. Also, I am not sure which texture of a cake tin would be better. I do have other tools you have mentioned.Might I ask the necessity of a stand mixer? I already have a hand one. :blobcat:
(DIR) Post #AVn7VkoEIsXNJv35VI by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T19:53:51.301407Z
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@VivianHsiao @Gnomeshatecheese Been baking for 55 years. Never had a stand mixer.Personally I swear by the old fashioned cream the fat and sugar then add the rest of the ingredients one by one method, so I don’t use the all-in-one mixer method anyway. Though hand mixers are a necessity for whisking egg whites (I have done it by hand once, never again). Use a metal spoon to fold in the flour.Is your oven a table-top one? 6” seems tiny! I go for non-stick cake tins with detachable bottoms, and I usually line them with greaseproof paper.
(DIR) Post #AVn89bl9MxIapvc1GS by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T21:10:08.112032Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Dehydrated butter? Really? Wow. I’ve seen canned, but it has to be refrigerated so seemed pointless. Is it shelf stable?
(DIR) Post #AVn8yDaL0bC8d6gh4i by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T21:19:16.925976Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Yep. I originally bought it as a “why not” moment when I was stocking my earthquake supply kit.Tried it. Always have some on hand. I don’t like dehdyrated eggs, potatoes and honey was a disappointment, but the butter is good for baking. Comes in a plastic tub.
(DIR) Post #AVn96UdbUVcfpnA2t6 by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T21:20:46.702984Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Nifty. I’ll have a look for it.Can you rehydrate and then fry in it, or is it only suitable for things like baking?
(DIR) Post #AVn9ADrlmzD6ycZ7XU by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-18T21:21:27.249423Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao It doesn’t solidify. Baking (and sometimes popcorn)
(DIR) Post #AVnzALRUoeto5fei6i by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T07:04:07.094472Z
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@LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I’ve hated creaming butter by hand forever. It’s just not for me. Even with very soft butter it remains an unpleasant experience. I do, however, enjoy whipping egg whites by hand. It might just come down to different people finding different kinds of movement comfortable.
(DIR) Post #AVnzQaqTJgDeUk5NLM by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T07:07:02.990107Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Is it actually powder? How an earth does one turn pure fat into powder..? Damn.In case it isn’t clear, I honestly don’t think that’s even remotely a thing around here.
(DIR) Post #AVo1bZpncBOWSB8Vhg by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T07:31:27.612917Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I read up on it a bit: Yes, it’s real butter, but no, it isn’t dehydrated butter. Not technically anyway since that requires removing water and butter is less than 20% water. However, the water that is present is removed, then powdered milk is added back in until it takes on a powdery formhttps://thesurvivalmom.com/using-butter-powder/
(DIR) Post #AVo3roeQUjiKwpghe4 by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T07:35:42.083219Z
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@Flick @EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Did you jump up and down in a tin bath of suds which had been heated over a fire outside…raise you 😂
(DIR) Post #AVoWxBSI29xPnCvHCy by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:22:43.744681Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao But that article is all about using it as a spread. Baking it works. As a spread, not.It’s a powder and the flavor is very good.https://www.allrecipes.com/what-is-butter-powder-7377541
(DIR) Post #AVoXAyA6FsQucNzK3k by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:25:13.102159Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao (I don’t dehydrate dairy. I buy from an organic farm that does.)
(DIR) Post #AVoXVyLokPQpHlU45Q by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:29:00.512116Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao The link I posted says it works fine as a spread, so I wonder if there’s more than one kind.
(DIR) Post #AVoXXDLoSoBE634eGm by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:29:14.501978Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Actual powder, and it may not be available in your area. They eliminate the water and add dehydrated milk to make the fat powdery.I mentioned it because while I always have a couple of pounds of regular butter in the fridge / freezer, I use the powder for baking more often than not.
(DIR) Post #AVoXld4hcRgzvrwbia by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:31:50.387349Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I think that blog is a bit off at times. (I tried dehydrated meat at their suggestion, to see if it worked. Tasted like dog food. I now have dried soy bean curd as my emergency protein – and I use it for stir fry.)
(DIR) Post #AVoY5KGHHBRrNLkamG by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:35:23.501917Z
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@Flick @Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao The brand I use is a little more white than this, but this is how it looks out of the can.
(DIR) Post #AVoYzhRSHO3bU6rMvY by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T13:45:35.564356Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I used to love whipping eggs when I was young (teens). Now, I enjoy mashing brown sugar, eggs and bananas together for banana bread.For me, I like the idea of what I’m making out of it. My quick breads are good. I haven’t made a meringue in decades, so I doubt anyone would praise it if I did.
(DIR) Post #AVoi881AFn7doRelBg by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:27:57.814814Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao My mind is officially blown. Powdered butter. I’ll be.
(DIR) Post #AVoiRMofSQzBD9z7q4 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:31:26.458017Z
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@LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I have to admit I habitually fail at making meringue. At least the dry crispy kind. Soft meringue as a pie topping is no problem. I have a thing for yeast doughs, especially the sweet, cardamom flavoured pulla dough (Finnish favourite). While I use my stand mixer these days to make them, mostly because then I can do something else while the machine works, I do enjoy it when a yeast dough comes together. And I still do the minima-kneading methods by hand.
(DIR) Post #AVoipaLsmeQG8q4LVA by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:35:48.344271Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Like, I ordered on a WTF idea. I was pleased with the result.
(DIR) Post #AVoj6dMSqdwGOjTEem by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:38:53.736757Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I’ll do the occasional yeast dough, but I tend to shy away from it. I have good commercial sources. Gotten lazy, I guess. It has been so long since I made any kind of meringue, I don’t even know.
(DIR) Post #AVojJaiXzNjPxkyi3s by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:41:13.952019Z
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@LostInCalifornia @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I can see how it might work really nicely in sauces or similar. I don’t know if it’s sold elsewhere, but in Europe there’s a thing called “melted/melting cheese”. It’s kind of like a cheese product in the form of a stiffish spread. In Finland it’s very popular for cooking, as it gives soups or sauces this amazing, creamy and savoury richness, in addition to melting very easily in hot liquids. I wonder if the powdered butter has a same kind of effect.
(DIR) Post #AVojvbgapvelyFBvkW by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T15:48:06.237301Z
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@LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao The spouse actually does most of the bread baking in our house. I tend to bake bread when I want something more unusual, or make the sweet yeast based pastries, because those I can’t get here. That’s the thing with living in a different food culture area than you grew up in. Lots of things you just have to make yourself, or you’re not going to have them at all. At least these days I can score almost all of the ingredients I need for the things I like.
(DIR) Post #AVoni4hcYZ6rj6TW5o by LostInCalifornia@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T16:30:29.064625Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @Flick @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao We have Velveeta, or American cheese. Cheddar color, mostly oil. I can’t stand it, but it does come in aerosol form, so it can be used as a spread. The other option is Laughing Cow, better, actual cheese, processed. I’ve never cooked with it. I spread it on croissants or crackers. Probably more solid than Finnish cheese. The US is a whole different cheese world. I usually use evaporated milk to make cream soups.
(DIR) Post #AVop6lpFydwsNIO0jQ by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T16:46:08.781398Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao We don’t have that, I’d use cream cheese.
(DIR) Post #AVopeTQ0v9b98EeMYC by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T16:52:13.521566Z
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@Flick @LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao The difference between cream cheese and this flavour wise about the same as the difference between fresh, unmatured cheese and (medium) matured cheese. I guess cream cheese melts in hot liquids? Maybe I’ll try that in a pureed soup sometime, instead of cream. Might be interesting.
(DIR) Post #AVotEZ2No6aYqVUvTM by Flick@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T17:32:22.797216Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Sounds useful! Yes, cream cheese melts easily. I use it where recipes call for cream, purely because I rarely have cream in but always have cream cheese.
(DIR) Post #AVouIgnazYuO1w70e8 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-19T17:44:19.953117Z
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@Flick @LostInCalifornia @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Good to know. I’ll try to think of it next time we have a tub of cream cheese in danger of going bad.
(DIR) Post #AVuksNkxAg1LjJLOjI by VivianHsiao@spinster.xyz
2023-05-22T08:43:34.525247Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether I often hear people say a stand mixer is necessary if you want to bake many kinds of cake. I guess they say so because they make a large amount of cakes for family and friends. Some complain that holding a hand mixer is a burden to their arms. But their conditions do not apply to me. I just want to make cakes two or three times a month and my arms are young and strong enough for these tasks.👍
(DIR) Post #AVuksOeFr4FyUpDYvY by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-22T13:26:59.696624Z
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@VivianHsiao @EmmyNoether I think you’re right, that people who bake a lot (or have hand pain issues) are the ones who insist on stand mixers. The biggest drawback of a stand mixer, apart from the initial cost, is that it takes up a lot of space and is awkward to move around. Our house now has enough cupboard space that I can stowe it away when not in use, but otherwise it would just have to live on the counter. When I was single, there was no way the little flat I had would’ve comfortably fit a stand mixer. So basically it’s only worth it if you know you’ll be baking a lot, or just more with a stand mixer, AND you know it’s not going to be a burden in your kitchen.Also, I would actually advice against a beginner buying a stand mixer, as there are huge differences between the machines and until you’ve baked for some time, you won’t really know what you’re looking for. I’ve made the mistake once of buying a bulky machine before I had a good idea of how and what for to use it, and well, it was a mistake and I’m not doing it again.
(DIR) Post #AVuoYCoYXijLoqfDt2 by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-22T13:53:59.439915Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao @EmmyNoether I had one, from the early 80s, mum got it in the Co op for £15 and I inherited it. It was an excellent little mixer, unfortunately, it died on me last year, I didn’t often use the stand part of it, but it was there if I wanted it. I stuck it in the cupboard as keep meaning to ask the electrician to have a look at it and then forget, but if it is a fecked motor then as old doubt could do much about it anyway, re parts now.Looks like this, and I’m thinking how much!https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234896456310?epid=1523289189&hash=item36b0eb7a76:g:eeAAAOSwBolj6AAM&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAAwHRNvEsq9ITXkks/FZAl47bEFnVqHuBGnRu4/2yKMGAUQssVYqkwLcS/slDQ1y1PuYd6rvEeUupm83MpvtH/nAUQc0rHhVg8NUjoij3qmJmq2+VMyO7WyBpMtHbbqDxBtCTN8bdZTEF15X75tHK1xXV/T+S4CwpC/zfcDguI+EfgJJQMOtsQ183svG1fCiGcnpqxnU3lrazsNJU4MSJ8IuEY5ju+p+swbjvBOcv2z+bynp02D9+CNyp4DzfwDdyRfw==|tkp:Bk9SR8SEvLuIYgBut it was a bloody good little machine.So I lashed out and bought myself this instead, the price has jumped hellish since even then, and I had a money off voucher from where I bought it, too. So far am happy with it. I’d like a stand, because my arms and hands are not really happy with too much long term work these days, but they are outrageously priced. I don’t do a huge amount of baking though. I remember the days of knocking shit out of stuff with a wooden spoon and us kids being roped in to take the strain after a while, no thanks, not any longer!https://www.ecookshop.co.uk/ecookshop/product.asp?pid=5KHM9212BCU&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrvfR4YiJ_wIVU93VCh1QewrXEAQYAiABEgJNtvD_BwE
(DIR) Post #AVuoYDXDreSY3NYtVY by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-22T14:08:10.388968Z
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@HebrideanHecate @VivianHsiao @EmmyNoether I think as long as one is healthy, the question of stand mixer or no is mostly a matter of lifestyle and baking habits.So basically, is there space, will the effort saved make a difference in one’s life, how much does one expect to bake, what type of things does on bake, etc. And hand mixers have a surprising amount of crank considering their seize.
(DIR) Post #AVyRH6UxFhf8zfDAO0 by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T07:54:41.678842Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Learned from my big sister 50-odd years ago, I can now make it in about five minutes, it’s second nature and I could do it in my sleep. It is a bit heavier than whipped eggs and sugar sponge (and for that reason works better as a base recipe to which you can add cocoa to form a chocolate cake), but the consistency is definitely lighter if you fold the flour in at the end rather than using the all-in-one method.
(DIR) Post #AVyRH7d92joAVM3Dn6 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:06:12.513272Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I actually have never heard of this all-in-one-method before. I just learned in this thread that it’s associated with stand mixers. Or if I’ve seen it in a recipe, I’ve promptly ignored it as weird and done things the normal way.I do have cake recipes where the base is creamed sugar and butter. In Finland that type of cake is known as “dry cake” as opposed to a cake with filling, and typically baked in a bundt pan. I don’t think I’ve come across a butter+sugar cake with a filling back home. I suspect people there would be weirded out by the combination. Also, that explains handily why victoria sponge isn’t a thing there. I’ve also never had trouble with adding cocoa etc. to egg+sugar base cakes. But then I have a book with several good flavoured egg+sugar bases specifically, and which in general is a very good cookbook. Almost everything I’ve tried from it has worked out well.
(DIR) Post #AVyS4gXO327oxNzVxJ by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:15:09.208877Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao This is a fairly typical butter+sugar cake in my background. This variation is called tiger cake, from the stripes formed by the cocoa-flavoured batter partially mixed in. Served with coffee, may be sprinkled with powdered sugar, very occasionally you may see a frosted one, but most often brought to table as is.
(DIR) Post #AVySNwjO45B6gMmxQe by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:16:21.148486Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Train to Heathrow, flight to Finland, yup (checks watch), I’ll be there in time for afternoon tea…
(DIR) Post #AVySNxQdTHlyqV1Uq8 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:18:38.668818Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao You’re in luck then, because these days all nice cafes also serve passable tea. Didn’t used to be the case. If you visit a home, you’re still quite likely to not get tea, even if you can’t drink coffee.
(DIR) Post #AVyStgIqgBIizxVYI4 by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:18:08.419371Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I adore the shape of these fancy pans but never used them.What like are the recipes that go with them, and what is the best way of greasing them?
(DIR) Post #AVyStgrab15ejhlIRM by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:24:23.286086Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Well, typically you’d use a rather basic butter+sugar creamed base, with some flavourings thrown in. One of my favourites is spiced cake, with dark syrup and lots of christmassy spices. I was taught to grease and dust a cake pan, and I still do that even though there’s all this non-stick and whatnot out there. I find it works best to take soft butter, spread it with fingers or a piece of baking paper on the tin, then using breadcrumbs or fine semolina to dust the insides. Now that does make for slightly less pretty edges (where the batter ends, there tends to be a ring of dry crumbs), but I’ve never had a cake stick to a pan. A couple of years ago I upgraded from a cheap non-stick to a Dr. Oetker aluminium bundt, in a shape I had coveted for years. I have to say that while the cheap one worked fine and I never had trouble with it, the thick one bakes the cakes so much more evenly. There’s much less doming in the centre of the cake. I splurged on this tin as a pretty luxury, but I’m not regretting it.
(DIR) Post #AVySyYIxqMpvdlsuOm by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:19:25.964203Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao Whisper it… I am a disgrace to my nation. I prefer coffee to tea. Cake and coffee sounds grand.
(DIR) Post #AVySyYutZLB5XPdCWO by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:25:16.013447Z
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@EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Well in that case I can heartily recommend a visit if you get the chance. There are some very good cafes in the country and the bakery goods are - in my opinion - first rate.
(DIR) Post #AVyT4XTPqcdencczhI by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:15:36.678166Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao called marble cake here
(DIR) Post #AVyT4YM0ZeJ7WwAan2 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:26:21.043862Z
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@FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao More accurate, in my opinion. It’s not like it looks anything like tiger’s stripes.
(DIR) Post #AVyTGrVz9yeKQphplw by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:03:03.512426Z
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@EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao your recipe and method looks perfect Emmy. I used to bake sponges a lot(20plus years ago). Tip I read by Marguerite Patten. Weigh the two eggs, still in the shell. and use that as the measure for the other ingredients, a little over or a little under the 4oz makes the perfect ratio, depending on the size of the eggs. The discarded shell doesn't weigh much, but that difference also apparently helps!Of course she would have been using the sort of scales where you would put the eggs on one side and have that balance the flour (etc). but it worked fine for me when I got 1g digital scales. I really did make a difference from when I was weighing 4oz.
(DIR) Post #AVyTGsHqI2vkpG63Mm by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:16:23.313246Z
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@FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao I am a big fan of Marguerite Patten! Give me her over that ghastly Mary Berry any day 😂 I have some books in here, bought 2nd hand, of MP’s wartime cookery…I am very interested in historical cookery…recipes put into book form, and they turned out to be signed by her, hugs them to chest :blobjoy:
(DIR) Post #AVyTGt916LStUAyWFU by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:16:50.500136Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao agree, always Marguerite in this house over Berry.
(DIR) Post #AVyTGtxi3s0y1Oh0GO by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:28:33.497959Z
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@FeartnTired @HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I’m going to get kicked out of this thread when I say that my favourite cake baking book is a baking book from Reader’s Digest.Got it as a gift as a teen. It’s one of those that have been edited for the country (measurements, available ingredients, tastes etc. taken into account), and while it IS RD, it still is exceptionally trustworthy.
(DIR) Post #AVyTcmQekYsf1qfGds by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:27:54.294659Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao It’s always worth it if you can. They do make some gorgeous shapes.I might lash out at some point and try one…she says, after years of will I, won’t I 😆 Would it be possible for you to share that recipe? I have a relative who adores that sort of cake.
(DIR) Post #AVyTcnEzjP99XyDT6W by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:32:31.720063Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I have a couple of different ones. I actually tend to make a combo between a date cake and spiced cake, and can’t actually remember which base I used for the spice cake half. But I can pick one that looks good and trustworthy. It’ll have to wait though, I don’t have the books available to me right now. Tonight maybe, or some time tomorrow. This is the shape of my new aluminium tin. I know it’s not as detailed as some, but I just found it gorgeous. Bit tricky to get the edges sharp though.
(DIR) Post #AVyWb7qMSZM0jDafx2 by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:33:58.735102Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Oh, pretty 😻 What is the trick then, to making a crisp edge?No hurry at all, just sometime when you have a moment to spare x
(DIR) Post #AVyWb8cZZJv18k9B68 by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:51:02.790819Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao https://royaldesign.co.uk/brands/nordic-wareI mean 🤩
(DIR) Post #AVyWb9BJU9hwsUOvFQ by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:05:50.712312Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Covet-worthy! Oooh they even have decorative loaf pans… I only have a decorative round one. Damn! As for the trick, still working on it. 😆 Basically the corners need to have as little butter in them as possible, so that the batter actually gets in properly. Don’t dare to try without though. Last time I got a pretty good result by using very soft butter and brushing it in with a baking brush.
(DIR) Post #AVyWv19p1oY1mdB7y4 by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:29:02.330377Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I made checkerboard cake a few times.you make one plain, one chocolate sponge. and then make two circular cuts to swap out the middle circle of the 'target'. (I spent ages with compasses and cardboard making a template) so that when you layer it up and cut a slice you get 'black and white' checks. looks even better when you cover the top with poured chocolate or more butter icing.
(DIR) Post #AVyWyjE1dqZXKGujS4 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:10:07.391789Z
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@FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Very impressive.I’m afraid that despite of being demonstrably a baker of very nice cakes, I’m terrible at putting in the effort to make them particularly pretty. I just can’t get myself to faff about too much with the appearance, so I usually just take an easy way out. I’ve tried piping buttercream flowers a few times. It’s fun, definitely, but I kept messing them up when it came to moving them to where they were meant to go.
(DIR) Post #AVyX6NFrD9gDVDPt7A by EmmyNoether@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:15:28.625630Z
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@FeartnTired @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao I was “mind-blown” when I realised that the recipe I’d always used was in fact in “units of egg”, just that the average medium-sized egg weighs about 2oz.I always reckon there’s about a 10% to 20% tolerance on amounts in recipes anyway, so they tend to work fine even if you’re a bit rough-and-ready with the weighing.
(DIR) Post #AVyX6Nr4ylSDMepc8G by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:16:25.151312Z
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@EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao I agree they do work, but a predictable GOOD sponge appeared when I started weighing the eggs.
(DIR) Post #AVyX7404HjbG4hMNyS by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:06:54.314519Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Ok, didn’t know that, ta. I MIGHT, one day, even get round to trying it :blobjoy:
(DIR) Post #AVyX74kVV4kMOj5TMG by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:11:37.480678Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao It’s MUCH less of a problem in tins with rounded shapes, like the one in the first photo I posted. Those are more traditional anyway. The shapes with big indentations or sharp edges are the tricky ones.
(DIR) Post #AVyXBIR4YWsQ0K0eRM by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:12:03.087189Z
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@EmmyNoether @Gnomeshatecheese @VivianHsiao That’s recipe I use, except that use a mixer, and you can take that basic mix and add different flavours and infills to it as well. I also have a lemon drizzle recipe I use a load of times, because everyone seems to like it and asks for more. It has a good lemon amount in it, a lot of them don’t.
(DIR) Post #AVyXWWNLvFqTJsOGLg by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T08:30:33.683458Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao If it works it works, supposing off the back of a cereal packet!Some of my favourites are much older books, the recipes work much better than many of the newer ones do, for whatever reason.
(DIR) Post #AVyXWX2TSMjrNPd6Rc by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:16:13.058146Z
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@HebrideanHecate @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao My oldest cookbooks are from the early-ish 1900s, first published in the first decade. I even have a Finnish version of the Swedish Household (?) Academy cookbook. It’s basically a different version of a Finnish book I have (that was heavily inspired by the Swedish one), but I got it purely because I saw it for a ridiculously low price at a flea market and just had to rescue it. Couldn’t stand the thought of it ending up in a tip somewhere. Don’t think I’ve used it once yet… Still, I love having it in my shelf.
(DIR) Post #AVyXy1gRd1CMEpR5Jw by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:12:41.422425Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I bet they are, and that is what has stopped me so far, the thought of a big nasty mess and wasted ingredients and much wailing and swearing etc.
(DIR) Post #AVyXy4sbkFi69Q9LCC by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:21:10.222865Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao This sort of thing is the “traditional” version, and that is actually quite easy. None of the corners are very tight, and so even if the edges aren’t absolutely crisp, you won’t see it in the finished cake. In fact, if you’re a bit heavyhanded with the butter/dusting, it’ll just round up the shapes nicely. If the top comes out a bit pock-marked, there’s always frosting.And if the unthinkable happens, and the cake falls apart, there’s always the “emergency dessert of the vickerage” (that’s a literal translation of an actual name). Basically bits of sweet baked goods, fruit and whipped cream layered in a bowl (would that be the same as Eton mess?). The only times I’ve had a cake fail was when I forgot the eggs… THAT was not salvageable. Could’ve killed small animals with the result.
(DIR) Post #AVyY8PFmqmWoEdutBA by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:17:55.186522Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao They are always worth having, historically interesting, even if you don’t actually use them. What you do need to look out for, if ever plan on trialling older recipes, is that ovens/cookers and their temps are hugely different today, so need to adjust times and temps.
(DIR) Post #AVyY8Q33tZwYhSyEz2 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:23:04.093505Z
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@HebrideanHecate @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao These ones are the type that don’t list temperatures.If you’re lucky, they’ll say “hot” oven. Time is typically given as “until done”. The biggest issue is that they tend to be huge recipes, as in genuinely meant to feed a country house full of people, or the whole clan descending on the household.
(DIR) Post #AVyYSukZSNMHiB5v7Y by FeartnTired@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:19:14.479111Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao pipe directly on the cake. I don't think buttercream is a thing that can be moved, unless you put the sheet they were on in a very cold fridge overnight
(DIR) Post #AVyYSvJfLtQnT1Vwp6 by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:26:46.253188Z
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@FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao If you do a …. plate? base? of the buttercream and then cut/slice off the flower, and use stiff butter cream, it works. I mainly did it because my success-fail ratio was so poor that piping it directly on something would’ve been even more frustrating. Plus that would allow me to indeed do them the previous day and thus divide the effort. Problem with piping directly on the cake is getting the angle right.Actually my next plan was to try cupcakes/muffins, because they would be in themselves a good, maneuverable base. Just never got around to it.
(DIR) Post #AVyYiqpLoGEaB6vgjw by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:25:01.677927Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao I can imagine, I have some no temp stuff books too, usually because were for a wood burning type oven. I was so used to the Rayburn back home that more used to it, but it can be very confusing.
(DIR) Post #AVyYirVXHPyiHwfNUe by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:29:39.063576Z
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@HebrideanHecate @FeartnTired @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Yeah, back then every household would’ve used wood burning ovens, either the fancy cast iron modern ones, or the traditional brick type. I doubt most households even had thermometres, let alone oven thermometres. These days a brick oven has a thermometre built in, but in e.g. my mum’s childhood you would’ve just gone by experience.
(DIR) Post #AVyZVQS6exJoZFDegC by HebrideanHecate@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:23:39.990862Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao 😂 bit like the one and only time I tried making bread!Emergency puddings, a thing everywhere.
(DIR) Post #AVyZVR9i2qCGkTcTdw by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T09:38:26.247533Z
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@HebrideanHecate @EmmyNoether @VivianHsiao Oh btw, speaking of coveting.Just the other day I saw a set of miniature silicone bundt pans in a shop. About the size of muffins. And I thought to myself, how much nicer would muffins be, if they were baked in the shape of a cake… and of course now I’m trying to figure ouf it I can justify buying a couple of those sets. 😅
(DIR) Post #AVycqfTSIu356HffAe by classierbitch@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T10:03:09.436638Z
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@Gnomeshatecheese do you mean doughnut pans?
(DIR) Post #AVycqg5O1sOEzvPxIG by Gnomeshatecheese@spinster.xyz
2023-05-24T10:15:53.514567Z
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@classierbitch No.A set of tiny bundt cake forms.