You Asked It!

Tag: Baking

February is Bake for Family Fun Month

The Home Baking Association is once again promoting baking during the month of February.

Each week they have developed baking activities, recipes and opportunties to get the family together to bake. This can be a multi-generational activity with tasty treats to share.

This is the list of ideas for each week in February.

  • Week 1 – Let’s Get Started Baking
  • Week 2 – Bake for My Valentine
  • Week 3 – Baking History and Traditions
  • Week 4 – Baking for Others

 

Home Baking Association Baking Awards

The Home Baking Association strives to promote baking at home for all ages. With that, they offer two awards each year for educators and youth to promote the educational activities related to baking.

For the Educator Award, submit a baking lesson or community service program or skills traing program. This award is open to professionals or adult and youth leaders and volunteers in the classroom and outside the classroom. See the details and how to enter at https://www.homebaking.org/educator-award/.

For the Bake to Give Maddie Kruse Youth Award, submit a one page description of how you shared baking in your community and made a difference. Provide pictures, videos, recipes and other materials that show an impact in your community. This award is for youth grades 7 through 12. See the details and how to enter at https://www.homebaking.org/youthaward/.

Deadline to enter is March 31, 2024.

Still Time to Bake to Give!

holiday cookies
Happy Holidays!
Photo: Canva.com

The Home Baking Association encourages bakers of all all ages to share what you bake during the holidays!

A gift of home baked goodies is a thoughtful way to show someone you care at any occasion. It brings a smile and warms their hearts. So here are some reasons to bake to give:

  • Baked goods are cost effective. You can make a large batch of cookies and they can be divided into several gifts.
  • Customize the goodies to suit the recipient’s taste and preferences. Use their favorite colors, flavors and toppings!
  • Does there need to be a holiday? Not at all, just give to spread joy and bring people together.
  • The holidays are stressful enough, so it might not be the time to try new recipes. Stick to what you know for less stress and more success!
  • Add personal touches to the box or wrapping to add some sparkle!

Keep in mind these extra tips when baking to give:

  • Always practice safe food handling steps. Wash your hands before, during and after baking. Clean as you go to make final clean-up easier.
  • Consider dietary restrictions such as food allergens.
  • Don’t taste before you bake! Raw eggs and raw flour have been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks. Remember to wash your hands after handling raw dough and batter.
  • Consider transportation. Decortive tin boxes are sturdy to prevent damage. Maybe give the gift a baking pan with the baked good. Serving trays are great food cookies and can be wrapped in plastic wrap.

Learn more from the Home Baking Association.

Still Time to Bake Holiday Cookies!

cookie
Photo: USDA ARS

There are thousands of cookie recipes in a variety of shapes, sizes, textures, and flavors.  During the holidays, cookies are a special treat and everyone has a favorite.  Let’s see how a traditional chocolate chip cookie can be altered for a different look.

Chocolate chip manufacturers have made special holiday shapes.  Simply replace the regular chips with these fancy chips.  Try adding some frosting and colored sprinkles for extra sparkle.

To change the texture and color, try these tips, one at a time, from the book CookWise by Shirley O. Corriher:

For More Spread

  • Use butter
  • Increase liquid 1-2 tablespoons
  • Increase sugar 1-2 tablespoons
  • Warm cold ingredients to room temperature, don’t refrigerate dough

For More Puff

  • Use shortening
  • Use cake flour
  • Reduce sugar a couple tablespoons
  • Use all baking powder
  • Use cold ingredients or refrigerate dough

For More Tenderness

  • Use cake flour

 

Baking Pie in Disposable Pans

With county fairs gearing up soon, so are bakers to bake a prize-winning pie.  But getting the pie to bake properly in a disposable aluminum pan can be a challenge. Aluminum does not hold heat and bakes slowly.

Here are some tips to prevent soggy bottom crusts:

  • For blind baking, increase baking time up to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  • For double-crust pies, place pie pan on a preheated baking sheet or baking stone.
  • For double-crust pies, set the pie inside a glass or stoneware pie pan for more heat transfer.

Another option is to shop garage sales for glass pie pans that you don’t want returned!

Source:  Cook’s Illustrated, July 2012

 

Home Baking Association Educator Award

The Home Baking Association strives to promote baking at home. Baking can include the whole family and teach many fundamental skills.

Each year, an award is given to an educator who teaches baking skills to individuals, families and communities. The winner receives a $1,000 cash award and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Home Baking Association annual meeting to present an overview of their project.

Enter now! Entry deadlines in March 31, 2022. Learn more on the Home Baking Association website.

This award is open to any educator in the classroom, community or other organization as well as adult and youth leaders and volunteers.

 

Bake for Family Fun Month

Since it’s cold outside, warm up by baking with your family!

The Home Baking Association promotes family baking as a way to spend time together. From toddlers to grandparents, baking can cross generations to build stronger family bonds.

During February, weekly lessons are available with recipes, activities and more. At the end of February, learn about sharing with others the baking successes you created. Baking for others is a great way to improve wellbeing, reduce stress and more.

Learn more at www.homebaking.org/bake-for-family-fun/.

 

Home Baking Association Educator Award

Do you teach about baking? You could be a winner!

The Home Baking Association is now accepting applications for the educator award from those who teach baking in the classroom or community.  If you are an educator in K-12 classrooms, public organizations, community groups, mentors or other types of educators, you are eligible to enter.

The winner receives $1,000 cash and an all-expense paid trip for two to the annual HBA annual meeting.

See the rules for entry and how to apply at www.homebaking.org/educator-award/.

 

Using a Sponge vs. a Starter in Yeast Bread

In some bread cookbooks, you may see the terms sponge and starter used interchangeably.  They are not, however, the same product.  Let’s explore the differences.

In bread, a starter is a form of yeast.  It is typically a combination of flour and water that is exposed to air to attract wild yeasts, such as lactobacilli bacteria, to create fermentation.  Other ingredients that might be added include rye flour, onion, or potato to add microorganisms.  The starter ferments for a few days before using.  The variety of microorganisms creates one-of-a-kind flavors for breads.  Typically, a portion of the starter is saved, refreshed with flour and water, allowed to ferment, and used in the next batch of bread.  Another way to use a starter is to save a piece of the dough to add to the next day’s dough.  Baker’s pride themselves on how long a starter is kept active, which can be years.

A sponge is an extra step in the bread making process.  This involves combining the yeast, some of the flour, and the water.  The mixture is somewhat soft.  The sponge is allowed to ferment from a 30 minutes to several hours.  The sponge usually becomes bubbly and rises.  Longer fermentation gives stronger, acidic flavors.  After this period, the bread making process continues as usual.  Bread sponges may also be referred to as poolish (French for “polish”), pre-ferment, or biga (Italian version).  Each of these will have different proportions of flour and water, as well as varying fermentation times.

Sources:
How Baking Works, P. Figoni
Understanding Baking, J. Amendola and N. Rees

 

Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo

Hey Kansas 4-Her’s! This is for you! The Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo is a celebration of wheat! This year’s event is planned for August 11, 2021 at the Butler Community Building in El Dorado, KS.

One of the many contests to participate in is the baking contest. Start practicing now to enter in three divisions, yeast rolls, cookies and muffins.  Wheat flour must be the major ingredient.

This Expo includes tours to local attractions, and contests in photography, educational posters, cleaned wheat, and two bin run wheat categories. Cloverbuds are also encouraged to participate.

More details and information will be available soon on the Kansas 4-H website.