I came across an article about secrets happy baking. And it’s really interesting why the cake doesn’t always turn out airy, tender?
The author talks about the secrets of his grandmother. Maybe someone else will find these secrets useful.
So the secrets happy pies and cakes.

Sometimes the dough sticks to your hands, there is little flour ... But if you add more, there will be no airiness, the dough will be steep. What's the way out? Usually the dough is rolled out with a rolling pin. If in glass bottle pour cold water, then such an uncooked dough will roll out very easily.

If you grease your hands and cutting table vegetable oil no dough will stick. Add a little vegetable oil to the pancake batter and you won't need to grease the pan anymore.

Thin dough is easier to roll out if the rolling pin is wrapped with a clean, ironed linen cloth. If the dough is very wet, it is easy to roll it through parchment paper to the desired height.

To get airy and light crumbly unleavened dough, you need to add a spoonful of cognac. AT biscuit dough it is very good to add a little starch - the finished products will also be crumbly.

Biscuit dough has its secrets. Egg-sugar mixture should not be mixed with flour for more than 15 seconds! Otherwise, the dough will settle, and the biscuit will be dense, not airy.

And in shortbread dough, flour should be mixed with other ingredients for no more than 2-3 minutes. Otherwise, the dough will be too dense and hard.

Yeast dough for fried pies should be of a weaker consistency than for baked ones. Only then do they turn out soft and airy.

To make the pastries airy, the form needs to be filled only halfway. This applies to biscuits and yeast dough.

When laying out your yeast dough cake on a baking sheet or in a mold, leave voids around it, the cake will bake better.

Choux pastry and dough, in which there are a lot of proteins, cannot be shaken and moved in the form or on a baking sheet, the products will immediately settle.

Puff pastry also has its own secrets. Before baking, it should be cold, the butter in such a dough does not have time to melt, and the dough has time to rise. And you need to lay out products from puff pastry on a sheet moistened with cold water. Then such products will be easily removed after baking. Puff pastry is baked at a temperature of 210-230 degrees. At a higher one, it hardens, at a lower one, it does not blush, it becomes dry.

So that the dough does not burn in the oven, a little salt is poured under the form. If the products begin to burn, cover the top with wet paper.

Yeast dough does not like to sit in the oven for a long time, it turns out dry. If you have pies or buns, bake them for no more than 20 minutes at a temperature of 180-200 degrees. If a pie with a finished filling - no more than 30 minutes.

Any pastry, except for the one from which you will make a roll, must be allowed to cool, only then it is removed. To make it well removed from the mold, pull it out of the oven on a wet towel. Rolled dough needs to be cooled only slightly. If it cools down completely, you won’t roll the roll anymore, everything will break.

Decorate with cream, icing, fruit, etc. ready-made cakes and cakes can only be completely cooled.

How to check if the products are baked? Gently press down on the finished biscuit or yeast dough with your finger. If the product is completely and quickly restored, and the volume does not decrease, you can congratulate yourself - your cake was a success!

Most housewives cook great, but very rarely bake. Someone does not like the long, at first glance, process of kneading the dough, someone is afraid that instead of a cake, they will remove a brick from the oven. This article is dedicated to both.

To make any pastry the first time, you should pay special attention to the flour. The quality of the product is determined by a component such as gluten. For zavrny, yeast and puff pastry, flour with strong gluten is needed. And for sand and biscuit - with medium and weak.

By the way, to reduce gluten, part of the flour can be replaced potato starch. In addition, the flour must be sifted. This helps to get rid of lumps and impurities and enriches the product with oxygen, resulting in baked goods that are airy and soft.

To make the dough fluffy, yeast, soda or baking powder are added to it.

Yeast is most often used for baking pies, buns and bread. They are pressed (fresh), dry active and dry high-speed.

Baking soda is used to make cakes, cookies, pastries, cakes and other baked goods to add volume to products. Soda itself is not a baking powder, for this it is necessary to "repay" it. When extinguishing soda with vinegar or lemon juice carbon dioxide is released, due to which baking becomes airy and porous.

Chefs never put out soda on outdoors, since carbon dioxide escapes, without bringing any benefit to the dough. Masters mix soda with flour, and add acid to the liquid ingredient included in the dough (kefir, sour cream, eggs).

When using soda, you should immediately start baking the dough, as the reaction is very fast.

The baking powder goes to cooking yeast-free dough, cupcakes and others confectionery.

You can make baking powder at home: you need to mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of soda, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of starch and 20 g citric acid

The baking powder does not need to be dissolved, it is immediately mixed with flour and added to the dough. The reaction in this case occurs only during baking, so the dough can be left for a while.

When kneading yeast dough, keep in mind that it does not tolerate drafts and haste, does not like sudden changes in temperature (especially cold or hot liquids - this leads to poor fermentation). The dough must be kneaded with a mixer or hands for a long time so that it begins to completely lag behind the hands or the walls of the bowl. And finally, the yeast dough should come up 3 times: the first time the dough comes up, the second time - the dough with all the ingredients, and the third time - the dough laid out in forms.

When cooking shortcrust pastry keep the oil temperature around 18°. Remove before baking shortbread dough to the refrigerator to cool.

During cooking biscuit dough care should be taken to carefully separate the whites from the yolks. Beat egg whites until strong foam will not help a large number of citric acid. It is necessary to knead the biscuit dough quickly and carefully, otherwise it will settle and the finished products will not rise.

Puff pastry products should be cooked on a baking sheet moistened with water, not greased with oil. In this case, the temperature of the oven should be moderate. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork, but do not grease with an egg, otherwise it will harden and not rise during baking.

Today it is already difficult to say exactly how and under what conditions such an interesting industry began to develop. culinary arts like baking. delicious recipes home baking are .

The meeting of family, relatives, friends at the festive table is one of the distinctive and best traditions our friendly and hospitable people. Habitual picture public holidays: cheerful animation in the streets and shops, women and men with large bags that are easy to spot the best products gastronomy and confectionery art.

And although the hassle associated with the preparation holiday table, are pleasant, yet they are tedious, especially for those of us who certainly want to pamper loved ones. some delicacies, show off your culinary art and hospitality.

Kulebyaka with ground beef

Kulebyaka - one of the species closed pie with complex filling, traditional Russian dish. Recipe with step by step photo look at this one.

Often by preparing holiday dinner or dinner, having spent a lot of time and effort on this, by the time of the common meal the hostess is so tired that she is not able to take part in the general fun.

But cordiality and good mood very important at a dinner party. That is why in the Baking section are collected best recipes, passed a qualitative selection and tested by the most skillful housewives, and therefore deserved wide popularity.

Before preparing any sweet dish, every housewife thinks about how much time she will need, how high-calorie the food will be, and whether she can cope with the preparation and decoration of a cake or pastries. That is why we considered it appropriate in each recipe to indicate such points as the complexity and cooking time, as well as the calorie content of a particular dish. Focusing on these footnotes, any housewife can easily calculate their strengths and capabilities.

The ability to decorate and serve a dish, giving it a seductive look, to beautifully, conveniently and neatly set the table is an essential requirement of the science of nutrition and culinary arts.

Puff pastry chicken

For a step-by-step recipe for such a chicken coop, as in the photo, see. Even our grandmothers and great-grandmothers baked delicious pies and buns, pampered their relatives and friends with a variety of sweet dishes, this tradition has not become outdated to this day. Despite the fact that at present confectionery and yeast dough products can be purchased at a cafe or in a store, many modern girls and women still prefer to bake in their kitchen. Such a desire is quite justified, because food prepared by oneself is always tastier, therefore - bon appetit!

Culinary secrets. The Art of Baking

The fundamental moment in baking and finishing confectionery products, as well as products made from yeast dough, is the culinary imagination. However, not having all necessary fixtures for baking, making a truly beautiful product is quite difficult. This chapter will be useful not only for novice housewives, but also for people who are baking quite professionally.

Containers of various shapes and sizes, rolling pins, spatulas, whisks, strainers - this is just a small list of what you may need when baking.

In addition, not many people know about the wide range of products that can be skillfully used not only for baking, but also for finishing products. But this list can be continued indefinitely.

The quality indicators of products are also an important point when baking products, since it is on them that not only the taste often depends, but also, very importantly, the appearance of the cake, pastry or pie. Therefore, having decided to get acquainted with the basics of culinary art, the novice hostess should especially know all the subtleties and secrets of such a difficult, but at the same time extremely useful and exciting activity like baking.

Cooking is considered to be the most ancient art form. As man developed and civilization developed, cooking improved more and more. If a primitive man could cook something primitive, for example, string meat on a rod and roast over a fire or bake fish on coals, then modern chefs cook the most complicated dishes, bake cakes that are more like works of art than products intended for human consumption.

In order to cook skillfully, and most importantly, tasty, it is necessary to observe proportions, that is, everything nutrients, which a person will receive by eating a certain dish, should be in food. In addition, food must satisfy the taste, olfactory and visual sensations of a person. As skilled chefs say, "before our mouth pleases, the dish must caress the eye." Even Academician I.P. Pavlov said that a person should enjoy food. According to the above, the importance of culinary art cannot be underestimated.

Cooking requires a lot of diligence, care, precision, cleanliness and order. These requirements are important because the taste of a dish, drink or baked product quite often depends on subtle, hardly perceptible details. That is why there are no trifles in cooking.

One of the varieties of cooking is baking. Baked and fried products are on our table both on weekdays and on holidays. In this regard, the products themselves are simple (bread, long loaf, roll) and quite complex, requiring some skills, skill and patience (cake, cake, muffin, roll).

For baking pies, cakes, muffins, pretzels and other products, you will need a lot: dishes, appliances, and most importantly, products.

Pies with meat

Pies can be cooked therefore step by step recipe with photo - . In order to be able to clearly navigate among the whole variety of fats, flours, creams and impregnations, you need to get to know them better. So, let's begin.

Crockery and utensils. Surely, much of what we will discuss below is available in your kitchen, you will definitely need many appliances, and you can do without some of them.

For work you will need:

• sieves of different sizes (hair and metal), which are useful for sifting flour, straining various liquids, mashing, etc.
• wooden rolling pins of different diameters for rolling out dough, marzipan mass, chopping nuts
• wooden planks different size for cutting dough, cutting finished products, etc.
• wooden spatulas and spoons for working with dough
• metal baking trays with high and low sides for baking biscuits and pies
• metal sheets for baking cakes, cookies, pies, bagels, etc.
• metal molds for cakes and Easter cakes of different diameters
• frying pans of different diameters for baking cakes
• metal molds for baskets, cupcakes, tartlets
• metal pizza molds
• metal graters for grating cheese, chocolate, butter, various fruits and vegetables, for peeling oranges and lemons
• colanders for washing food
• mortar for grinding nuts, poppy seeds, sugar, etc.
• mixer for whipping cream, proteins, creams
• spirals, whisks, whorls for whipping cream and proteins
• food grinder
• enameled and aluminum pans different diameter
• metal grate for laying out baked goods during cooling and glazing
• kitchen knives, circular, serrated, as well as curly notches of different diameters for cutting dough and finished products
• brushes for lubricating products with yolk, sour cream, melted butter
• confectionery syringe with various nozzles
• parchment paper

Products used in baking

This list includes: flour (wheat, rye, potato, etc.), fats (margarine, butter and vegetable oils, cooking oil, melted fat), milk, eggs, sugar, honey, spices and more.

FLOUR. For the production of flour, wheat and rye are usually used, and to a lesser extent barley, rice, buckwheat, corn, etc. Confectioners usually use wheat flour. But sometimes the recipe calls for rye, buckwheat or potato.

Wheat flour. It can be of several types: grits, the highest, first and second grades and wallpaper.

Krupchatka it is the highest grade of flour. It is valued because the dough, kneaded from grains, swells additionally.

Premium flour fine grinding powder. Such flour is quite low in fiber and minerals.

Flour of the first grade the same soft powder as the previous one, only darker in color, because it has a lot more grain shells.

Flour of the second grade has an even darker color and coarse grinding.

Whole flour the result of low grinding, without sifting bran.

Rye flour. This type of flour is divided into seeded, peeled and wallpaper. Seeded is the most the highest grade, peeling medium, and wallpaper main.

Flour must be sifted before use. This is done not only to remove unnecessary impurities, but also to ensure that it is saturated with oxygen. Dough made from this flour rises better. The flour should have a yellowish-white color and a pleasant smell. If the flour is caked in lumps and has a musty smell, it cannot be used to make dough.

FATS. Fats are the main source of thermal energy, which is so necessary for the life of the human body. These are complex organic compounds extracted from milk or from fatty tissues of animals, as well as from oil plants. Fats should be used in amounts that are most favorable for replenishing energy costs.

Vegetable fats. They are obtained from the seeds of oil plants by pressing or extraction. In cooking, sunflower, cottonseed, olive, soybean, corn, walnut and mustard oils are used.

Sunflower oil obtained from sunflower seeds. It can be refined or unrefined, as well as deodorized.

Olive oil It is extracted from the fleshy part of the fruit of the olive tree and from the kernel of its hard stone. He has a soft delicate taste and pleasant aroma.

cottonseed oil obtained from cotton seeds. Refined and deodorized, this oil has good taste and straw yellow.

Soybean oil extracted from soybean seeds by extraction or pressing. This oil has a good taste and pleasant smell. As a result, it has become widely used.

Mustard oil obtained from the seeds of white or gray mustard. After thorough cleaning, it acquires a pleasant, mild taste.

Corn oil extracted from corn kernels, refined and sometimes deodorized.

Margarine. The main raw materials for the production of margarine are various vegetable and animal fats. Raw materials are subjected to the process of hydrogenation and deodorization. Depending on the feedstock, margarine is divided into table and kitchen margarine.

Butter. According to its taste, aroma, nutritional value, butter (cow's) butter is considered the best and most valuable dietary fat. According to the method of preparation, this oil is divided into butter and ghee.

Yeast. Various types of yeast are used to make yeast dough. According to the method of manufacture, they are divided into pressed, dry, dry instant. Pressed yeast cannot be stored for a long time, they have a short shelf life. Recently, many housewives, especially those who have little free time, prefer to purchase instant dry yeast. With them, there is less trouble, and the dough rises faster.

Spices and seasonings. To improve the taste, aroma and color of baked products, culinary specialists and confectioners use all kinds of spices and seasonings. In order to better understand them, you need to know them better.

Salt. It is the main seasoning necessary for every person. According to the method of extraction, salt is rock, self-sedimentary, boiled water and sea salt. By the nature of processing, fine-crystalline boil-down, ground of various grinding sizes, grain and crushed. For cooking, coarse salt is used, and the smallest (zero grinding) is served at the table.

Black and white pepper. These are the dried seeds of a climbing tropical shrub, collected in varying degrees of maturity. They differ from each other not only in color, but also in the sharpness and sharpness of the smell.

Allspice. In its appearance, it resembles black, but unlike black, it has a stronger spicy aroma reminiscent of the smell of cloves with cinnamon.

Red pepper. This is the fruit of a herbaceous plant, in appearance resembling a large pod, which, depending on the variety and stage of maturity, is dark and bright red, orange, yellow, and green when unripe.

Vinegar. The most common and widely used varieties of vinegar are: table wine, prepared from alcohol or from grape wine, a flavored tarragon vinegar infused with tarragon leaves.

Acetic essence getting divorced boiled water(3-5 g of essence per 100 g of water). Some confectioners themselves flavor the vinegar by infusing it with blackcurrant leaves, celery, lemon peels, etc.

Lemon acid. It is odorless and is added to those dishes where the smell of vinegar is unacceptable. It is put into dough products, compotes, jelly, etc.

Vanilla and vanillin. Vanilla is the fruit of an orchid. It is removed in an unripe state and dried. The appearance of vanilla resembles a pod, inside of which there are very fragrant small seeds. Vanillin is a synthetic substitute for vanilla. Mixed with powdered sugar, it is called "vanilla sugar".

Carnation. This is an aromatic spice, which is the dried unopened flower buds of the clove tree. Cloves are used in strictly moderate amounts, because even the most minimum dose This spice gives the dish a strong flavor.

Kolyuria. This plant is found in Altai. Its smell is very reminiscent of the aroma of cloves. In cooking, dried and powdered roots of this plant are used.

Cinnamon. It is the bark of shoots of a tropical cinnamon tree, peeled from the top layer. This bark is dried and used in the form of pieces or powder to flavor certain dishes.

Saffron. These are the dried stigmas of the flowers of the bulbous plant. It gives flavor to food spicy taste and yellow coloration. Before use, saffron is insisted in alcohol solution or in boiling water. It is added to the dough during kneading.

Anise and cumin. These spices are very similar in taste and purpose and are interchangeable.

Nutmeg. These are peeled and dried seeds of the nutmeg tree, having burning taste. Nutmeg is put into the dough during kneading.

Ginger. It is a peeled and dried small root of a tropical plant, which has a very pleasant smell and pungent taste.

Cardamom. The fruit of a tropical plant of the ginger family. It is a nut, inside of which there are seeds that make up the main value of cardamom.

Mint. This plant is ubiquitous. In cooking, both fresh and dried leaves mint.

Coriander. The dried seeds of the plant of the same name, which are used in bread making.

Sugar, honey, molasses. All these products are carbohydrates, the main substances, without which human body cannot exist.

Sugar. In cooking, sugar is the most common and most used product, since without this sweet and extremely useful product you can not cook any cake or cake.

Honey. This is a bee product. Honey collected by bees from one type of plant is called flower honey, and honey from different flowers and herbs is called combined. flower honey subdivided into heather, acacia, buckwheat, linden, clover.

Syrup. This product is made from starch by saccharification. AT ready-made molasses has a viscous consistency and is colorless or pale yellow.

Jam, jam, jam. All these sweet masses are boiled from berries, fruits and sugar. They differ from each other in consistency, the method of processing ingredients and the method of cooking.

Jam. It is a composition obtained by boiling fruit or berry puree with sugar. It is both thick and liquid.

Jam. This product can be made from any berries and fruits with added sugar. The fruits are sorted, washed, then sugar syrup is prepared and then jam is made.

Jam. It usually has a jelly-like consistency. All berries and fruits from which it is prepared must be boiled soft.

Preparation of products for baking

Before using the above products for baking, they must be pre-treated. Each ingredient is processed differently. Some need to be washed and cleaned, others - sifted, others - dissolved in warm water or in milk.

Flour. Before use, the flour must be sifted to remove excess impurities, as well as to enrich it with oxygen, which contributes to a better rise of the dough.

Sugar. This product should be clean, white and crumbly. Sometimes in recipes there is powdered sugar, which is used for sprinkling finished products, and is also used instead of sugar.

Milk and dairy products. Natural whole milk is used in the preparation of creams and dough. If powdered milk is used instead of whole milk, then it must first be sieved. Before whipping, the cream is well cooled. Sour cream should not be sour and have foreign odors and taste.

Fruits, berries, candied fruits. Fresh, canned and glazed berries, fruits and candied fruits are used in the form of fillings, as well as to decorate baked goods.

glazed fruits prepared from fresh fruit. To do this, they are boiled in sugar syrup and then dried. In finished form, these products must be in their original shape and have a gloss.

Candied fruit made from fruits, citrus peels, watermelons, melons, taken whole or cut into pieces. They are lightly boiled in a thick sugar syrup, then dried a little and boiled again. The last step is drying.

Almonds and nuts. If the almond is in the shell, then it should be lowered briefly into boiling water. After that, remove the brown shell and dry.

Hazelnut to remove the husk, as well as for frying, they are scattered on a baking sheet and put briefly in the oven. Then the nut is poured into a cloth bag and rolled between the palms, removing the husk.

With walnut first remove the hard shell, then put it for 12-15 hours in salted water in order to remove the thin husk. After that, the nuts are washed in clean water to remove the salt.

pistachios cleaned in the same way as almonds.

Peanut peeled from the hard shell, and then peeled like a hazelnut.

Eggs and products from them. Having prepared the required number of eggs according to the recipe, do not immediately break them into the bowl where you will knead the dough. Better break them in separate dishes, since among fresh eggs may also be corrupted. It is better to prick the eggs with a knife, and not on the edge of the dish.

Melange. It must be thawed in a water bath before use. Then strain and use immediately.

Egg powder. It is first sieved, then a little cold water is poured in, thoroughly stirred so that there are no lumps, and then the rest of the water is poured in. After 25-30 minutes, the solution is ready for use.

12.5 g egg powder and 30.5 g of water correspond to the weight of one medium-sized egg.

Food acids, dyes and baking powder. food citric and tartaric acids are considered. They are preliminarily dissolved in water and introduced into syrups in order to protect them from sugaring, and into dough to improve the taste. Food colorings used for coloring creams, fondants, jellies, glazes, etc.

Food colorings are of both plant and animal origin. Among them one can name carmine, saffron, indigo, safflower, synthetic amaranth, yellow naphthol, indigo carmine etc. In addition, for tinting products are used burnt sugar, coffee, cocoa, fruit juices.

baking powder considered drinking soda and ammonium carbonate.

Today it is already difficult to say exactly how and under what conditions such an interesting branch of culinary art as baking began to develop. Recipes for delicious homemade cakes are here. The meeting of family, relatives, friends at the festive table is one of the distinctive and best traditions of our cordial and hospitable people. The picture of the holidays is familiar: a cheerful revival in the streets and in shops, women and men with large bags, in which it is easy to find the best products of gastronomy and confectionery art. And while the chores involved in preparing a festive table are pleasant, they are nevertheless tedious, especially for those of us who certainly want to spoil loved ones. some delicacies, show off your culinary arts…

Review

The process of preparing dough for pies or pies is quite complicated and depends on many factors: the freshness of the yeast, the quality of flour, milk or water at ambient temperature. That is why pies work best for those housewives who are very serious about preparing dough for them: after all, pies are always a sacrament, and decorating them and baking them is a whole art. And, of course, when preparing pies or pies, there are secrets, having learned which, even young and inexperienced housewives will be able to successfully prepare not only simple, but also quite difficult homemade dough products to prepare, cut and bake. So - carefully get acquainted with the main ones.

Preparation for making dough and baking pies and pies
Having decided on what specific pies or pies you are going to treat your family today, the question naturally arises - where to start?

The preparation of dough products of any kind requires accuracy, attention and, most importantly, perfect cleanliness and order in the kitchen from the hostess. Nothing superfluous from dishes and utensils, only strictly what is necessary to work with the dough. Remember the proverb - “It is clear to the godfather that she baked pancakes - and the head is all in the dough”?

The hostess must be collected, clearly define the order of all technological operations and work fast enough.

It is then that the dough will definitely “submit” to you and there will be no problems with cooking, cutting and baking it. The quality of baked products is entirely in your hands, so you need to carefully get acquainted with the "kitchen secrets" of baking. Let's start, as they said in the old days, "dance from the stove."

gas or electric oven set to the desired temperature according to the recipe and turn on at least 30-50 minutes before baking. This will create a favorable temperature in the kitchen for proofing prepared products.

For cutting dough, it is better to use a cutting board made of plywood measuring approximately 50x50 cm, laying it on the surface of the kitchen table. If the dough is cut on the table, it must be prepared, freed from excess kitchen utensils and wiped dry. The same dry should be wooden rolling pins (one or two of different sizes), knives and glass or other recesses for cutting blanks into pies, spoons for laying out the filling. When working with the dough, hands can be oiled or dipped in flour so that the dough does not stick to the fingers. When rolling out layers of dough, also spray the rolling pin with flour, and lightly grease the recesses with which the blanks for pies are cut with vegetable oil.

According to the recipe chosen by the hostess, it is necessary to immediately decide whether all the components are for dough and fillings, what products and what can be replaced if necessary. If the products will be prepared from yeast or unleavened dough, all products for him, including flour, must be warm, not lower than the temperature of the kitchen or other room where they will be butchered. For puff, sand and crumbly dough products, on the contrary, it is desirable to cool well. Relevant recipes must contain instructions for temperature regime dough raw materials.

Having prepared the dough and putting it on the table, immediately fill the pan in which it fermented with cold water, let it stand for a long time and then wash it warm water- the rest of the dough on the pan is very easy to wash off. In the future, wash the rest of the dishes in the same way.

It will be much easier for you to work with the dough if, after each “communication” with it (kneading, rolling, cutting), your hands are necessarily washed and wiped dry. This is especially important when frying prepared dough products, because even a drop of water from your hands that has fallen on hot pan, will instantly cause the formation of a child.

While the dough is rising after punching, prepare the filling, all the products for which you have already prepared in advance.

Don't forget to prepare your baking sheets or tins and grease the surface of the product before or after baking. If everything was done correctly during the preparation of the products, putting the pies in the oven, washing and wiping the table completely, you yourself will be pleasantly surprised - the kitchen is as perfectly clean as it was at the beginning of your work. There will be no need to wash a mountain of dirty, dried dough, dishes, the same table or cutting board, there are no remains of flour and dough crumbs on the floor. In a word - the mood will be just right to gather the whole family for a tea party with hot, tasty and fragrant, and most importantly - made with my own hands pie or pies.

The ratio of flour and liquid part of the dough

If the dough for pies is prepared lean, then for each glass of water (together with diluted yeast) there is about 400 g of flour. Depending on its quality, the flour may be a little less or more. If the dough is rich, in which eggs and butter are added, then liquids (water or milk) should be added about 3/4 cup.

Yeast preparation

Yeast, even very fresh, must be checked for germination. To do this, they must be diluted in 0.5 cups of warm (but not hot!) Milk, add a pinch of sugar and stir with 1-2 tbsp. spoons of flour. Let stand for 10-15 minutes: if a head of foam appears above the yeast, then they can be safely used to make dough.

Methods for making yeast dough

Yeast dough, the most common for the preparation of various dough products, including pies, can be prepared in a non-dough or sponge method.

For the SAFE METHOD, the yeast is prepared as mentioned above, combined with all other products according to the recipe, and the dough of the desired density is kneaded.

With the SPARNY METHOD, dough is kneaded from prepared yeast, water and half or a third of the norm of flour, which is fermented separately from 3 to 6 hours. Then, in accordance with the recipe, all other products are added to it in one or two doses. Pie dough should not be kneaded very cool, but thoroughly. The longer the dough is kneaded, the tastier the cake will be.

At the first rise of the dough, it must be precipitated in the bowl in which it is located, using a wooden paddle or spoon. After each next rise (second or third, depending on the recipe), sprinkle the dough with flour and knead it with your hands to make it more fluffy and airy. After the second rise, it is better to put the dough on the table, divide into 2-3 pieces, knead each well and put on the table or in a large enameled bowl. Sprinkle the dough with flour, cover the top with a slightly damp towel and let rise again. After that, the dough can be cut.

SOME TIPS FOR PREPARING THE DOUGH

One of the main rules for preparing any dough, which must be followed when preparing any dough, is to pour liquid into flour, and not pour flour into liquid. Flour and starch (if it is provided for by the dough recipe) must be used only freshly sifted (preferably twice) - this will enrich the dough with oxygen and make the dough base of the pies more magnificent. Add the liquid to the flour gradually, in a thin stream, constantly mixing the dough.

The most commonly used liquid component of the dough is fresh milk. If there is no milk, in some cases it can be replaced with other products (instead of 1 liter of milk):

* Condensed whole milk with sugar - 400 g with a decrease in the norm of sugar for dough;

* Condensed skimmed milk with sugar - 330 g with a decrease in the norm of sugar and the addition of fat. Condensed milk should be slightly warmed before use and strained through a sieve.

* Powdered whole milk powder - 130 g milk powder and 870 g of water. Before use powdered milk be sure to sift and dissolve in warm water.

Used in dough for pies or pies raw eggs it is best to introduce whipped (separate yolk and foam of whipped protein) and, if possible, last. The dough will be much fluffier.

cutting pies

When cutting pies, the finished dough must be rolled out on a floured table or cutting board in a thin layer desired shape and magnitude. Using a rolling pin, lay the layer in a deep form (pan) or on a baking sheet greased with oil. Spread the prepared minced meat or filling over the entire surface of the dough and gently level it.

If the cake is made completely closed, a second layer of dough is placed on top of the minced meat layer, the edges are pinched and the surface of the cake is slightly pricked with a fork (it can be in the form of an ornament of pins).

Open or semi-open pies are molded on top of the cake various decorations, made from dough, which not only decorate the cake, but also, placed on its surface in the form of a grid (lattice), hold its shape during proofing and baking. The finishing mesh and the edges of the cake are pinched with a beautiful seam. The product designed in this way should be allowed to stand well, then grease the surface and bake the cake in a medium-heated oven.

So that the dough does not go over during proofing and then does not settle, you need to check the readiness of the rise by slightly pressing your finger on the surface of the cake: if the dent immediately levels out, the cake is ready for baking.

Forming and pinching products

The process of pinching a cut dough product is also a kind of art, quite important for the success of the preparation of the entire product as a whole. After all, if the connecting seams on pies or pies are made poorly, carelessly and ugly, they will not only spoil the aesthetics of the type of product, but they will definitely disperse during baking, and even then the whole product will be completely and irreparably damaged. To prevent this, you need to know that:

* the dough should not dry out during cutting, otherwise it will lose its elasticity, elasticity, adhesive properties and will not merge into a single and indissoluble mass when pinched;

* cutting the dough should be as far away from the hot stove as possible;

* before pinching, grease the edges of the dough with wet fingers;

* apply tucking methods specific for each type of product.

Pies are pinched in four ways: scallop, side, pocket and border.

Cheesecakes and sweet pies are pinched in various intricate ways: a squiggle, a lacing seam, a narrow welt, a welt or an overlay welt.

When pinching pies different shapes types of pinches are used: clawed, split toothed, rolled toothed, purse-string (assembly), plucked. .

The main guarantees of a strong pinching of the dough are not only in the use right views tucks, but also in compliance with (other than those specified above) additional conditions under which it should occur:

* exact imposition and rather dense compression of the test in places of pinching;

* usage right tricks when pinching products from different types dough (for example, crumbly or shortbread dough should be pinched only with a cord seam or a combination of a split and patch welt).

The right choice of pinching dough is the best guarantee of perfect appearance and taste of finished products.

The mode of heat treatment of products

Many recipes indicate the thermal regime for baking or frying dough products. To better navigate, it does not hurt to know that:

* slightly heated oven - at a heating temperature of 160-180 ° C;
* medium heated oven - 180-220 ° C;
* very hot oven - 220-270 ° C.

Preparing Forms or Sheets

Properly prepared sheets, molds and baking sheets for baking pies or pies are also one of the many conditions for a well-baked product and maintaining its shape.

* for products made from yeast and unleavened dough - dry and clean sheets or molds are thoroughly lubricated with oil with the smallest content water in its composition;

* puff pastry products are baked on a prepared clean dry sheet sprinkled with cold water;

* products from shortcrust or crumbly dough are baked on sheets or in forms thoroughly oiled (preferably vegetable) and necessarily sprinkled with flour evenly over the entire surface of the sheet;

* for products from choux pastry- the sheet is only lightly oiled, otherwise, if the sheet is abundantly lubricated, the bottom of the custard will crack during baking and the product will settle.

Preparation of fillings and minced meats

In order for the pies to turn out tasty and well baked, it is necessary not only to skillfully use yeast and other baking powder. First of all, you need to skillfully choose the fillings so that they are combined with the dough and together create a wonderful flavor bouquet. Salty fillings from meat, fish, mushrooms or vegetables are not suitable for sweet dough. And, of course, it is completely contraindicated for sweet fillings. salty dough although some housewives for giving a good flavor range add a very small amount of salt to the sweet dough.

The raw material and weight composition of fillings and minced meats is basically given in each recipe. The amount of minced meat or filling for pies is taken to taste. The filling must be well cooled before use, because when using it hot, hardening (unbaked dough) can form inside the pie.

In addition, if the filling is prepared from products previously fried in oil, it must be thrown into a sieve or colander before use to remove excess oil, otherwise the cake in the middle will also turn out to be unbaked.

Many fillings for pies or pies use porridges, cooked both crumbly and viscous. It is necessary to know the approximate ratio of cereals and water used to prepare porridge.

To prepare porridge for the filling, for 100 g of cereal you need to take liquids (water, broth, vegetable broth):

PORRIBLE PORRIDGE:

* for buckwheat - 150 g
* for wheat and millet 180 g
* for barley - 240 g
* for rice - 210 g

VISCOUS PORRIDGE:

* for buckwheat - 320 g
* for wheat and millet - 320 g
* for barley - 370 g
* for rice - 370 g
* for semolina -370 g
* for oatmeal - 320 g

Secrets of baking pies and pies

* In order for pies and other small-piece products from any dough to bake better and turn out to be more airy, they must be laid on a baking sheet before baking so that there is a little empty space near each product. During baking, you need to put a dish or sheet in the oven and pour 1-2 tea cups of cold water on it - the crust of the pastry base of the pies or pie will not dry out during baking.

* If the cake is baked in a mold and the bottom crust of the cake is frying faster, although the whole cake is not yet ready, you need to pour a layer of salt on the sheet, level it well and put the cake pan on it.

* The top crust of the pie will not burn if it is covered with foil or white thick paper moistened with cold water after browning. It is not recommended to cover the cake with newspapers.

* If, when baking a pie, one side of it begins to fry more strongly, and the other, on the contrary, does not bake, you need to put a bowl of water under the edge that is being fried.

* When baking a closed puff or shortbread pie, as well as products made from unleavened dough, their surface must be pierced in several places with a fork - the products will be baked evenly and air bubbles will not form on their surface.

* Ready-made pie or puff pastry pies will be crispy if shortly before the end of baking, sprinkle the surface of the products with cold water.

* Often the surface of the cake or pies is smeared before baking.

To lubricate the surface of products, you can use:

* beaten egg or yolk;

* a mixture of eggs, a little water and melted butter or margarine;

* the yolk, carefully mashed with butter or margarine;

* sweet strong tea;

* flour diluted to the desired density, pre-brewed with boiling water.

To get the most beautiful and high-quality surface after baking, eggs or egg yolks must first be beaten well with a little milk or water, adding a pinch of salt. The surface of the products is covered with egg or yolk lubricants very carefully and evenly - then ready product will have a golden color and sheen. If the lubrication is done carelessly, the surface of the product will turn out with whitish “bald” spots.

Baked products will be no less tasty if they are smeared with melted butter, sour cream or vegetable oil after baking.

HOW TO REMOVE THE PIE FROM THE FORM

The finished pie made of rich, shortcrust or crumbly dough, without removing it from the mold, must be put on a wet cold towel or put the mold with the pie in for a few minutes. hot water: The steam will help the dough to separate from the walls and bottom of the mold and it will be easy to take it out. Pies made from yeast or unleavened dough should be removed from the mold almost immediately, because if such a pie is in a hot mold for a longer time, the bottom and walls will become wet, and the taste of the crusts will not change for the better.

Hello, dear readers and guests of the blog "Cooking fast and tasty." My kids are very fond of various pastries: pies, cakes, pastries and of course cookies. Sometimes even the most experienced hostesses there are troubles in the kitchen, pastries settling or proteins do not whip into a stable foam and some other problems. Today we will analyze how to prevent such annoying little things. We will also consider all the secrets of cooking: air biscuit, sand and custard dough. So, let's begin...

One of the most important and most common problems for hostesses is settling of baked goods during baking.

Dough settling when baking may be due to:

1. The use of fluid in more than indicated in the recipe. Therefore, when baking a cake, it is very important to use a measuring cup.
2. Long whipping with a mixer or blender of products.

Egg whites do not whip into a stable white foam :

1. Whipping utensils must be completely dry.
2. Separate the whites from the yolks very carefully so that the yolk does not get into the protein.
3. Proteins must be chilled.

Yeast dough not rising:

1. The kitchen is too cool, below +22 degrees.
2. Milk in which yeast is bred should be heated to +36 degrees.
3. Expired yeast.

To the cookies didn't stick to the baking sheet it should be baked parchment paper.

Finished curd product settles:

1. In the center of the form you need to put a little more dough than at the edges of the form.
2. At the end of baking, leave the finished curd product in the oven, without opening the door, until the oven has completely cooled down.

cooking secrets fluffy biscuit:

1. The form for baking a biscuit must be generously lubricated with butter or vegetable oil.
2. Biscuit whites should be cold and separating the whites from the yolks very carefully so that the yolk does not get into the white.
3. Sift the flour through a sieve, perhaps even several times.
4. The key to a fluffy biscuit is the correct sequence of adding ingredients.
5. Do not knead the dough for a long time.
6. Ready dough you need to carefully shift into the form, it should not exceed 60% of the height of the form, since the biscuit rises strongly.
7. It is necessary to put the dough in hot oven at a temperature of about 180 degrees.
8. Cook a biscuit for about 30-40 minutes, in the first 20 minutes you can not open the oven door, otherwise it will settle.
9. We check the readiness of the biscuit with a wooden skewer, it should be dry.
10. We leave the biscuit in the form until it cools completely, only then carefully transfer it to a plate.

Shortcrust pastry secrets:

1. The ingredients for shortcrust pastry must be chilled in advance.
2. Be sure to sift the flour on a table or board.
3. The thickness of the rolled dough should not be thicker than 1 cm.
4. The baking dish does not need to be lubricated, as the dough already contains a large amount of oil.
5. The oven must be preheated to 180 degrees.
6. Poke several holes with a fork over the entire area of ​​the cake.
7. The readiness of the cake or cookies is determined by the golden yellow color.

Secrets of making custard dough:

1. You need to brew the dough in boiling salted water, in which it is already melted butter.
2. Add eggs in order warm dough.
3. To prevent lumps from forming in the dough, the egg must be thoroughly mixed, only then add another.
4. The finished dough should be sticky.
5. Grease a baking sheet with oil.
6. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. After 15-20 minutes of cooking, the temperature is reduced to 150 degrees. We continue to cook for about 15 minutes.

I hope these tips help you prepare. delicious pastries!!!

Sincerely, Marina