24
GOLDEN RULES
To get the very best out of our recipes, follow these few simple golden rules:
1. Always use the very best ingredients
Choose good-quality, fresh ingredients.
The fresher your
fruit and vegetables,
the more vitamins they will contain. Signs of
freshness include smooth skin, green leaves and no bruising.
Always use fresh
meat and fish.
Pay attention to the type of
flour
indicated in the recipe. The choice
of flour is very important, not least because the amount of water
you need depends on which type you are using. Wholemeal
flour, for instance, contains more bran, which absorbs more
water.
Plain flour,
a very fine, white, all-purpose flour that is best for making
cakes, pastries, sauces and pancake batters.
Self-raising flour
has low gluten content and contains a raising agent, usually baking
powder. It’s used in baking and cake-making.
Strong white flour
has a higher gluten content and is therefore ideal for making bread
and brioche.
It is better to use
caster sugar,
rather than granulated sugar,
which has coarser crystals. Icing sugar is very fine and is
commonly used for cake decoration.
Always use
butter,
never margarine or a low-fat spread.
Yeast
comes in two forms – fresh or dried. In our recipes, we
have chosen to use fresh yeast, which you can get from your local baker, as well as
from specialist shops (or the bakery section of your nearest supermarket). If you use
dried yeast, remember to use half the amount indicated for fresh yeast.
For the very best results, always dissolve the yeast in a liquid heated to 35 °C. Yeast is
a living organism, and if the liquid is any hotter, it will kill it.
Salt
regulates the rising action of the yeast and reinforces the structure of the gluten.
It is best to use pasteurised whole
milk.
Double
cream
has a minimum fat content of 48% (35% for whipping cream), compared
with 15% for single cream and even less for “lite” versions. It not only tastes better, but
holds air bubbles better when whipped.
Summary of Contents for Ma Cuisine CS 5200
Page 5: ...5...
Page 27: ...27 Sauces Appetisers...
Page 33: ...33...
Page 37: ...Bread Baking...
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Page 57: ...Soups...
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Page 65: ...Starters...
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Page 75: ...Vegetables...
Page 81: ...Fish...
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Page 89: ...Meat...
Page 97: ...Desserts...
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Page 119: ...Cocktails...
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