I write all the recipes in this book in the metric weight system. Wonder why? Why use a scale? Why weigh out a recipe?
Perhaps the concept of weighing out an item seems foreign to you. If you live, or have lived, outside of Canada and the USA you would find the Imperial system of cups and teaspoons just as foreign. Weighing out your ingredients has an ancient history, even with the Imperial system. I am sure you have heard of the classic pound cake. Right? Well, it derives its name from the fact you use a pound each of ingredient to make the cake. As evidenced in this early English cookbook: “Take a pound of butter, beat it in an earthen pan… then have ready twelve eggs, but half the white, [equal to a pound]… beat them up with the butter, and a pound of flour beat in it, and a pound of sugar...” – Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, 1747
“CORRECT MEASUREMENTS ARE ABSOL-ETELY NECESSARY TO INSURE THE BEST RESULTS. GOOD JUDGEMENTS, WITH EXPERIENCE, HAS TAUGHT SOME TO MEASURE BY SIGHT; BUT THE MAJORITY NEED DEFINITE GUIDES.” – Fannie Farmer, author of the Boston Cooking-School Cookbook, 1896.
Ironically, Ms. Farmer was the instrumental pioneer of the measuring cup and spoons. But her invention only caught on in the New World. Why is that? While her method was more accurate than her grandmothers written recipes “some flour” and “nuts of butter.” There was another universal measurement method known to man for a long, long time. And that is: the scale.
BUT ISN'T: A CUP IS A CUP, IS A CUP?
The cup is a cooking measure of volume, commonly associated with cooking and serving sizes. It is, traditionally, equal to half a liquid pint in U.S. customary units, or an amount between 200 ml and 250 ml in the metric system, which may vary because of location.
THE MOST COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT 8-OUNCES (224 GRAMS) EQUALS ONE CUP; ALWAYS AT ALL TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT, AND WITHOUT EXCEPT-ION.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
For liquid ingredients like water and milk this is true, but the buck stops there. A cup is a measurement in quantity, not weight. All other ingredients, even ones you can pour like oil and honey, have differing weights per cup of volume. For example: All-Purpose Flour: 120 grams (4.25 ounces) Baking Soda: 520 grams (18.36 ounces) Brown Sugar: 210 grams (7.5 ounces) Butter: 225 grams (8 ounces) Chocolate Chips: 170 grams (6 ounces) Cocoa powder: 85 grams (3.03 ounces) Confectioners' Sugar: 113 grams (4 ounces) Granulated Sugar: 195 grams (7 ounces) Honey: 335 grams (12 ounces) Maple Syrup: 310 grams (11 ounces) Molasses: 335 grams (12 ounces) Vegetable Oil: 195 grams (7 ounces) As you can see if you tried to use the eight-ounce conversion per cup for every single ingredient you would end up with some kind of disaster in your kitchen. I WANT TO EAT NOT PERFORM A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT.
Sure, weighing seems more like science class when you could use pretty measuring cups shaped like hearts, but the truth is… it’s just more accurate.
“THE MIXING AND BAKING OF CAKES REQUIRES MORE CARE AND JUDGEMENT THAN ANY OTHER BRANCH OF COOKERY.” – Fannie Farmer, author of the Boston Cooking-School Cookbook, 1896.
If you crave consistent results with your baked goods, and especially if you venture into pastries or breads, you will want to get in the habit of weighing ingredients.
I find it much easier weighing the ingredients. And less cleaning, as most times you can weigh and add the ingredients directly to the bowl you are using to make the dough. It makes for fewer spoons and cups to clean. It is not lazy; it is just working smart. I have read many an emigrant testify some-thing along these lines: ‘After a lifetime of baking I, too, came to realize the importance and ease of weighing instead of measuring. It was a little challenging at first, but now it’s second nature. I have totally embraced weighing ingredients as it is far more accurate, less messy, and you can use any recipe from anywhere without worrying about conversions.’ THE METRIC SYSTEM
If math is not your strong suite than the metric system is for you. Because the metric system is based on multiples of ten, when the recipe says divide dough into halves, thirds, or whatever, grams and millilitres make it easy to do the math and get it right.
For example, a U.S. pint is 16 fluid ounces and a British pint is 20, so unless you know where your recipe is from you will have difficulty if a recipe asks for half a pint of liquid. Math is so much easier when using the metric system instead of the American system with liquid/solid ounces, cups, etc.
DO NOT FORGET TO ZERO-OUT “TARE” THE SCALE.
If you put the bowl on the scale before you turn it on, it will not weigh the bowl. Conversely, if the scale is already on and you place the bowl on top, you simply hit “tare”, which zeroes out the weight and then you can add the ingredients.
IT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT!
So find a recipe, start weighing, and enjoy baking!
So which do you choose?
I thought I'd include links to pretty measuring cup set and a digital kitchen scale at the end of this article for the fun of seeing how many people click on the scale vs. the measuring cup set. However, when I searched Amazon to find these products I found so much more! Perhaps the perfect solution for those accustomed to measuring with cups and teaspoons. Below is a measuring cup scale!!! The reading is one the handle. Do you see it?!? And below is a digital scale teaspoon! I mean what a terrific idea!
If these products intrigue you as much as me I have made the photos linked to Amazon so you can order one too and get baking!
Comments
recipe shopping list
Here are some of the best deals for ingredients and equipment relevant to this recipe. You will need these items for this recipe, so at now extra cost you, if you purchase one of these products then I earn a small commission that helps fund more posts like this one!
Note: If you cannot see the ad links above it is because your have an ad block or tracker program on. Temporarily disable them to be able to click the links.
mealy-potato pie dough recipe
#gfbaking #mealypiedoughrecipe #celiacdisease
ingredients
200 grams potato, cooked and riced/grated, cooled
100 grams brown rice flour 100 grams sweet (glutinous) rice flour 50 grams arrowroot starch large pinch of kosher salt 100 grams butter or shortening, cold 100 grams buttermilk or yogurt, ice cold method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, sweet rice flour and arrowroot starch.
Rub the butter into the potato, 200 grams of the flour mixture and salt, until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Pour the buttermilk into the well. Stir until a shaggy mass forms. Knead on a clean counter until the dough just comes together. Add more flour if the dough is too moist. Wrap tightly in plastic. Chill for an hour. While gluten is often demonized, we still crave bread that tastes exactly the way we remember it. We long for chewy layers of airy euphoric bliss. So how can we have our cake and eat it too? Or I should say, how can we have our gluten and eat it too? The fact is gluten is pleasurable for a time, but then no more. We might long for the bread of Egypt but lets not romanticize it. Gluten kept up captive to a life of pain. The same way alcohol seems pleasurable for a time until the hang-over sets in. Or the same way sin seems pleasurable but always comes back with a consequence. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts... for sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.” (Romans 5: 12-14) The facts is eating is a necessity and even a pleasure but it is not life. What is life? Jesus Christ, the son of God who is God says “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:51) So Christian's worship a loaf of bread? Haha, no. If humans are clever enough to use analogies certainly God, the maker of the heavens and the earth and all that is within it, is clever enough to use analogies too. Makes sense, huh. Jesus continues to address the Jewish community by saying “I the the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is,” he is now referring to himself analogously, “the bread that came down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” Jesus is the only bread that will never leave you hungry; never leave you with indigestion; never cause inflammation or any celiac symptoms. Jesus the bread of life is painless. So if Jesus is the best bread ever, how do I eat His flesh? “The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying 'How can this can give us His flesh to eat?' Jesus therefore said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood abides in Me, and I in Him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers are, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.” “Many therefore of His disciples when they head this said, 'This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?' But Jesus conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, 'Does this cause you to stumble?'” What does bread do? Bread sustains you. Therefore, Jesus is saying 'I am the sustainer of your life.' Now does bread just jump in you mouth and wiggle down you gullet with by itself? Haha, I would frightened if it did!!! So what can we infer here in the scriptures? What is Jesus bread analogy saying to us? Earlier on in the book we find Jesus talking to a secret disciple. He came to Jesus, but he came in the cover of the night. He was worried what his friends would say if they knew he was a follower of Jesus. Jesus says “...whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. And this is the judgment, that the light (again an analogy for Jesus) is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” Do ever sneak a nibble of gluten in a quite and dark corner? You probably did so because you knew gluten was bad for you and did not want to be exposed for cheating on your diet. The Bible says that we do the same with our sins, we don't want your sins to be seen because already know they are wrong. Have you ever meet someone who is so depressed that by default and rather than choose to be happy they seek to drag everyone else down to depression with them? Well, I have news for you that is exactly what the devil, Satan does. He knows there is no hope for him he was damned for seeking to be worshipped like God. Immediately after that the first thing he did was deceive Adam and Eve in the perfect garden of Eden (Genesis 2). If he was going to rot in Hell for the rest of time he wanted to be dead sure he wasn't alone. And so he caused Adam and Eve to sin (rebel against God). Since then we have inherited a disposition to sin called the sin of nature. However, God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ who was sinless to take on the sins of the world. He died for all of humanities sins. And then three days later he rose again, and ascended to Heaven sinless. If we except Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We he eat of His bread and drink of His blood (the sacrifice of this body), believe in His resurrection power and follow Him. He will adopt us out of the damned sinly inheritance of Adam and Eve and into adoption as sons and daughters of the Most High God. Jesus it saying, He who comes to me who, co-works with me, I will sustain for all eternity.Paul, the writer of the book of Romans, says, “the wages of sin are death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)I pray you consider the bread of life today. If you are still not sure. Please leave a comment below and take a half hour to read this free copy of the Gospel of John a first hand account written by one of Jesus disciples about the real life of Jesus Christ and his mission on earth. Why Jesus died the most horrendous death for you that you may have life, and may have it more abundantly.
There is something special about blueberries that I have always fancied. Perhaps it is about that pleasant about that juicy "squirt" juice just as you bit down on a ripe berry. But then again, frozen blueberries are the absolute best. Their rich tart blue skin penetrates the entire berry in am intensely deep flavour. For this reason, blueberry muffins are my favourite, I hope this recipe because one of your go to recipes too!
recipe shopping list
Here are some of the best deals for ingredients and equipment relevant to this recipe. You will need these items for this recipe, so at now extra cost you, if you purchase one of these products then I earn a small commission that helps fund more posts like this one!
Note: If you cannot see the ad links above it is because your have an ad block or tracker program on. Temporarily disable them to be able to click the links.
Blueberry muffin recipe
#blueberries #muffins #lifeaftergluten #glutenfreerecipes
ingredients![]()
300 grams oat flour, certified gluten free
5 grams/ 1 tsp baking soda 20 grams/5 tsp baking powder 200 grams wild blueberries, frozen 200 grams dairy-free milk 200 grams applesauce 150 grams demerara style brown sugar 8 grams pure vanilla extract the juice and zest of two lemons method
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a muffin tin with paper cups.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold in the blueberries (note: coating the blueberries in flour will prevent them from turning green when cooked). Create a well in the centre of the flour. In a separate bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients in the well. Mix quickly. Immediately, fill each muffin cup 7/8 full. Makes 16 medium muffins or a dozen large muffins. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
‘Torte’ is the German word for cake. It is a cake that is predominately made by using ground nuts in place of some or all of the flour. However, I would compare this Linzertorte it more to a pie. The Austrian town of Linz, located in Upper Austria, is home to this delicious torte and lays claim to the the oldest know cake in the world dating bake to a cookbook circa 1696.
recipe shopping list
Here are some of the best deals for ingredients and equipment relevant to this recipe. You will need these items for this recipe, so at now extra cost you, if you purchase one of these products then I earn a small commission that helps fund more posts like this one!
Note: If you cannot see the ad links above it is because your have an ad block or tracker program on. Temporarily disable them to be able to click the links.
Gluten-free Linzertorte Recipe
#gluten-freerecipe #linzertorte #austrian #dessert #pie #cake #almonds
ingredients
100 grams brown rice flour
100 grams sweet rice flour 50 grams arrowroot starch/flour 100 grams grounds nuts, almonds or hazelnuts 160 grams granulated sugar 7.5 millilitres cinnamon, ground 12.5 millilitres cloves, ground 1.25 millilitres kosher salt 1160 grams butter, soft 75 grams egg yolks (three to four yolks) the zest of one lemon filling
400 millilitres plum jam, currant jam, cherry pie filling or apricot jam
method
In the bowl on an electric mixer, or by hand, whisk together thoroughly the flours, ground nuts, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, salt. Add the remaining ingredients, mix on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
Set aside one-quarter of the dough; press into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours, or up to two days. Repeat with remaining dough. Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F). Have ready a 23 centimetre (nine inch) two-piece tart pan. The dough should malleable but firm. Place the large piece of dough (the second disk) between two sheets of parchment paper, or poly plastic, Roll out into a circle until five centimetres bigger than the base of the tart-pan. Transfer the dough to the pan. Press into the corners and even up the top edges. Roll the remaining dough, between parchment into a 23 centimetre (nine inch) square. Remove the top sheet of paper and cut the dough into twelve strips of equal width. If the strips are too soft to handle, freeze them until firm. Evenly spread the jam in the crust in the pan. The layer of jam should be about 11/4 centimetres thick (half inch). Carefully arrange half the dough strips on the tart at equal distance from each other; pinch the ends onto the crust. Arrange the remaining strips on top at right angles to the those beneath them, forming a crisscross lattice. If the strips break during handling, simply piece them together; they will fuse during baking. Bake until the lattice is golden brown, about thirty to forty minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. The torte can be wrapped airtight, still on the pan bottom, and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to one month. Serve chilled. They say the greatest concern when driving is whether others care enough to obey the rules of the road. Because the rest you have control over. And I have got to say that the toughest part of eating gluten-free is when you are not cooking for yourself. When you dine out you are putting your health into the hands of a total stranger. Maybe you have found a restaurant that boasts “gluten-free” options but when gluten-free illiteracy still is quite wide spread how can you be sure the restaurant is following proper procedures, to avoid cross-contamination and that all the ingredients used are truly safe? Like mapping out your route, the best approach is to research restaurants beforehand. Seek out reviews for your local restaurant written by someone else who has a medically restricting diet. Ask yourself, “Does it appear this person’s diet was accommodated?” Consider making a pocket-sized list of local eating establishments that have gluten-free items. List the restaurant name, phone number, and which items are gluten-free. This way when the hunger pangs hit you do not have to struggle through the menu every time, however, always ask if they still make the product without wheat products. Here is an example of what the list could look like: A number of factors will determine your success at gluten-free dining, including the style of restaurant you choose. For example, finer dining establishments offer a less-hurried atmosphere and usually have more time to meet your needs.
But if fast food, quick-service restaurants are what you crave, no problem, simply allow for extra time to discuss your needs for a gluten-free meal. Usually these types of locales have helpful dining information online. However, with mom and pop diners it is best to speak with the cook, that is why it is a good idea to include the phone number on your gluten-free dining list. Call the restaurant the day before, or earlier the same day. Speak to the chef to discuss your meal options. This will increase the quality of your dining experience. The chefs in finer dining establishments are generally aware of gluten and can be very helpful. However, chefs are busy people so consider phoning at the slowest point of the day, such as mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Be careful in restaurants where language may create a communication barrier. Food service workers may not easily understand your dietary restrictions. Timing your meal either before or after the busiest meal time. Will allow for more time and easier access to the people who can help you. Even the most cooperative server may not have the time you need during rush hour, and it may not be realistic for cross-contamination to be avoided in a small kitchen pumping out fifty plus orders. Explain your dietary restrictions briefly. Smile, be courteous and specific. Do not assume everyone knows what is, and what is not, included in a gluten-free diet. How does gluten affect you in specific? Gluten intolerance may not always be less severe than an allergy. These are differing medical terms that are often misunderstood to describe the severity of a reaction. I do not suggest giving your server a lecture on gluten. Keep it brief if possible. Try leading off with “I may need your help with my menu selection. I’m on a medically restricting gluten-free diet. And unable to eat wheat, rye, barley and foods made from these grains. I have some questions and need your help.” Enlisting the interest and cooperation of your server is essential. This person can be your biggest ally or your biggest stumbling block. You may need to ask detailed questions about the foods and preparation. Be very specific in your questions about each item. In my experience as a cook in various restaurants, it is so helpful when a guest comes with a printed paper, listing their allergies and conditions, such as stressing no cross-contamination. Long lists of allergens can be difficult if not impossible to remember in the hub-bub of a busy kitchen. Consider printing pocket sized copies of what you cannot eat. Give a copy of the printout to your server to hand off to the cooks preparing your meal. This reduces the possibility of the server or cook forgetting an item in the list, which goes a long way to staying safe when dining out. Below are some foods and the potential problems involved with them: Salads: The possibility of contamination lies in the cleanliness of the boards used to chop the ingredients, the cook’s hands/gloves, and the addition of croutons or salad dressings containing unsafe ingredients. Specify you don’t want croutons or other bread products. And yes, the same cook who prepares salad likely also prepares sandwiches and wraps. So hand washing is key. Salad dressings and marinades: Salad dressings and marinades occasionally contain unsafe ingredients. Ask for dressing to be served on the side. Or, try ordering a lemon wedge and oil on the side, balsamic vinegar and oil, lemon and honey, or even bring a small container of dressing from home if you do not trust the restaurant’s salad dressing. Soups and sauces: Soup bases are often used as a foundation for soups and sauces. Two typical bases for most sauces are roux (pronounced “roo”) and beurre manie (pronounced ‘burr man-yeah;), these are both a combination of butter and flour. It is safest to avoid sauces. Canned sauces are also used in some restaurants, so you may be able to check the ingredient listing. Soup base or hydrolyzed wheat protein will sometimes appear in sauces. Boneless ribs and other meats: Boneless ribs are often bound by one form of gluten or another. Au jus is a sauce often served with prime rib, the prime rib may even be cooked in the au jus. It is classically a thick reduced broth. However, many restaurants cut corners and their au jus comes from a can or mix and may contain wheat or it may be a broth thickened with wheat flour. Self basting turkeys and imitation bacon bits may contain hydrolyzed wheat protein and need to be checked for safety before using. Fried foods: The oil used to deep-fry foods may be used for both breaded and non-breaded items, in which case, they should be avoided. In large restaurants French fries tend to be cooked in separate fryers, and there is therefore less chance of contamination. However, when in doubt, ask! Starches and hash browns: Many hash browns are frozen and pre-packages with starch added. Ask what other ingredients they have added during cooking. Ask if your pasta is cooked and reheated in the separate water than the regular noodles. Have your food prepared on a clean cooking surface, with clean utensils and clean hands. Find out whether breaded or gluten-containing foods have been cooked on the surface beforehand. Suggest using foil to cook on, or in a pan on the stovetop, if this is a problem. Confirm your order before eating. Remember hardest part of driving. You may have done all the right things when approaching a green light but if you don`t look both ways anyway an accident can happen. Confirm your order by asking if it`s the special meal you ordered. Were your instructions followed? What were those instructions? If the server simply responds “yes” than courteously, clarify what that yes applies to by repeating what your instructions. Thank your food server. Leave a generous tip for excellent service. Return. Patronize the establishment again. Consider returning at the same time of day and week because there will be a greater chance of receiving the same server and cooks on shift. You can build a report with them and with familiarity you will enjoy greater dining safety. CALL TO ACTION You have opened the door to your Chevy, ducked down, and slide into the seat. With a ‘whap’ the door tightly seals. ‘Clink’ and you’ve secured your seat belt. Now what’s left? To start the engine. Do you fumble with your keys in a fray or naturally insert them, turn it away from you, switch into a gear and your off to work like every other day? If you do not approach driving with anxiety every morning, despite all the careless drivers that are on the road, than do not approach staying gluten-free while dining out with anxiety either. There are rules you need to follow when driving that are the same in the restaurant. Those rules are to bring your license, indicate and check to see if your indication has been received. With preparedness, communication and order confirmation I dearly hope your dining experiences will be memorable occasions. Bon appetite! |
use promo code 30BELOW UNTIL SEPT 31ST FOR 30% OFF!
Happy to meet you,
If you are that person with a million and one allergies and intolerance I am there to say you are not alone! Life After Gluten can be better than life with wheat. Living lactose-free since 2007 and gluten-free since 2013. Also intolerant and/or allergic to mushrooms, soy, and yeast. Categories
All
Archives
September 2024
Affiliate Links Disclaimer Life After Gluten receives a small commission from the sales made through our affiliate links. However, I only promote affiliate products that are relevant to the articles that brought you here. The commissions received through your purchases help maintain this site. Thank you for your support!
|