Milk Street Q&A

Asked May 01, 2020 by Morgan B.

Resources for Low-Fat Cooking and Baking

Hello there! I was recently diagnosed with a medical issue that has led to me reducing or eliminating fats, such as oil, butter, and certain dairy fat percentages, in order to reduce tummy struggles, and was hoping to learn about resources, such as cookbooks, that I might utilize when trying to adapt to my new dietary restrictions. I have been adjusting recipes from some of my favorite cookbooks, but thought it couldn’t hurt to see what other resources and help there may be when considering reduced and no-fat cooking and baking. Thank you for your help!

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Morgan - I'm so sorry to hear about your stomach troubles. Unfortunately, at Milk Street, we don't specialize in reduced- or no-fat cooking so we don't have any specific resources in our library. I don't have any first-hand recommendations, but I have heard good things about the [Skinnytaste](https://www.amazon.com/Skinnytaste-Cookbook-Light-Calories-Flavor/dp/0385345623/ref=zg_bs_4323_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=H784D84SCTX1ZDC1G9V5) Cookbooks. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful but maybe the other board participants also have some suggestions! Best, Lynn C.

Cooking

Asked May 01, 2020 by Lisa A.

Best Garlic Substitutes for Cooking

I love the flavor that garlic adds to recipes, but I am allergic to it. Because garlic is in so many recipes, what can I use as a substitute without sacrificing flavor?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Lisa - Unfortunately, you're not the only Milk Street reader who has this allergy and this is a common question. If you link to this discussion, you will find some suggestions we've provided previously. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Milk Street Recipes

Asked May 01, 2020 by Mary B.

Why Deep-Dish Quiche Takes Longer Than the Magazine Says

Trying my first recipe from the magazine. Deep dish Quiche. There are multiple times in the article. Finally resigned myself that I was not going to eat this today. What is the initial 1 1/2 hour start to finish relate to?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Mary - I was able to speak with our Director of Recipe Development, Diane Unger. The timing should line up with how long it takes to complete the steps in the recipe, not including the pie crust preparation. With that said, we agree that this timing is off. I believe it should be closer to 2 hours, 40 minutes, plus cooling. In reality it looks like this recipe should be made a day ahead for best results since cooling time is significant. I'm very sorry this was not made very clear in the recipe and thank you very much for pointing this out to us. I will pass along your concerns to Diane and our editorial staff. Best, Lynn C.

Milk Street Recipes

Asked Apr 29, 2020 by Jennie O.

Can You Substitute Active Dry Yeast for Instant Yeast in Pizza Dough

Pizza Dough question: Can I substitute non instant (active dry yeast) for the instant yeast called for in the recipe? And if so, does that change anything?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Jennie - You can substitute active dry yeast but you will need to use 25% more to achieve the same results. Also, active dry yeast needs to be proofed in warm water for about 10 minutes before adding it to other ingredients to remove the dead cells that surround the live yeast. Instant yeast granules aren’t surrounded by dead cells and can be mixed right into the dry ingredients. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Baking

Asked Apr 29, 2020 by j S.

Best Uses for Cake Flour Beyond Cake

Hi. Are there any uses for cake flour other than cake? I found a box at the back of the cupboard and have determined that it is not a good substitute for all-purpose in cookies, is passable when mixed with almond flour for an almond cake, and is "ok" in a chocolate cake recipe written for cake flour, but it has the texture of a boxed mix or a supermarket cake. Is there any way to make it more like all-purpose? I missed out on my usual bag of King Arthur all-purpose during the hoarding frenzy. Thanks, js

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi JS - Cake flour is lower in protein than all-purpose flour (between 3-6%, depending on brand) and, therefore, yields a cookie or cake with a fine, delicate crumb. You can try substituting cake flour for all-purpose by either weighing the flour - use the amount in a recipe written for all-purpose flour - or using 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cake flour for each cup of all-purpose flour. Obviously this is not a perfect science and, therefore, not a perfect substitution but it may get you closer to the texture you are looking for with all-purpose flour. Hope it works for you! Best, Lynn C.

Baking

Asked Apr 29, 2020 by Lynn F.

How to Test Bread Dough for Proofing and Doneness

1) Regarding the knuckle test where one pokes the dough with a knuckle, and:' - if the dough springs back, the dough is ready - if the dough sags/doesn't spring back, it is over proofed What happens if you poke the dough and it is NOT ready yet, i.e.... - if the dough \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, it needs to proof longer 2) Also, in a recipe that requires two rises, does this knuckle method apply to just the first rise (i.e. signaling the dough is ready to be shaped), or just to the second rise (after the dough is shaped, signaling it is ready to bake), or to BOTH rises? Some breads (no knead?) require only one rise. In this case I assume this test would apply? 3) Is the general rule that when a yeast bread is done baking, the internal temp is ~195-200 degrees? Is it the same for a cake, or what is the approximate internal temp for a cake when it is done? How about a quick bread like banana bread? (I always seem to under or over bake my banana bread, so I am looking for more reliable ways to test for doneness, other than "just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan" and "golden brown.") 4) A certain British show talks about "prooving" the dough. Is this the same as proofing, or just the way they pronounce "proofing," do you suppose? Thank you!

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Lynn - 1.) The Ripe Test is actually gently inserting two fingers into the dough and, if the indentation remains, the dough is "ripe" and ready to move to the next step. If the indentation does not remain, continue rising and retest. 2.) The ripe test to determine if a proofed and shaped dough is ready for the oven is a little different than the method used after the first rise. Simply touch the side of the dough lightly with your fingertip. If the indentation remains, the loaf is ripe and ready for the oven. 3.) A properly baked loaf should register a temperature between 195 and 210 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, depending upon the type of bread. Generally speaking, leaner breads will be done at the lower end and richer breads are done at the higher level. For cakes, we prefer the visual clue of poking the top of the cake gently with your finger and if the cake bounces back, it's done. However, the temperature should be around 200-210 degrees at the center of the cake. Quick breads are in the same range. 4.) "Proving" is used interchangeably with "proofing" to describe the process of rising dough. It can also refer to "proving" active dry yeast, which is the step of combining yeast with water and sugar to remove the outer layer of dead cells to activate the yeast before adding it to your dough. This step is only necessary with active dry yeast. Rapid Rise or Instant yeast has already had the outer layer removed and can be added directly to the dry ingredients. Best, Lynn C.

Baking

Asked Apr 28, 2020 by Lucy E.

Bleached vs Unbleached Flour for Cookies and Pie Crust

Is it better to use bleached or unbleached flour in cookies and pie crust? Please explain why you recommend one over the other.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Lucy - When flour is freshly milled it's actually yellow and naturally whitens as it ages. Historically, consumers found yellow flour unappealing. Aging takes time, however, and most producers don't have the time (i.e., money) to wait for the process to happen naturally so flour producers started to use benzoyl peroxide to "bleach" the flour. The benzoyl peroxide can cause baked goods to have "off" flavors, usually in things like cakes, biscuits, or scones, where other flavors can't mask it. We aren't bothered by the yellow color and like our flour "pure," so we prefer unbleached flour. I hope that helps explain it. Best, Lynn C.

Cooking

Asked Apr 28, 2020 by Sarah K.

Best Fish Sauce Alternatives for Cooking

I am beginning to suspect fish sauce is like cilantro - you either love it or you hate it. I have made two Milk Street recipes that incorporate fish sauce (Grilled Cilantro-Lime Skirt Steak and Vietnamese Caramel Chicken). Two in my family loved the flavors and two felt like the fish sauce was overpowering; regardless, the fish sauce flavor is too pungent for the office. What suitable substitute can be used in place of fish sauce?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Sarah - You can find some suggestions for substitutes for fish sauce in this conversation. I hope you find something that works well for your family! Best, Lynn C.

Cooking

Asked Apr 28, 2020 by Sarah K.

Whole vs Diced Canned Tomatoes for Cooking

Recipes often call for 28 oz cans of whole, peeled tomatoes, which are then broken into bite-sized pieces. What is the difference between whole and diced tomatoes (other than the fact that the diced tomatoes are already in bite-sized pieces)?

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Sarah - Whole canned tomatoes have been (usually) peeled and packed in tomato juice or purèe. Diced tomatoes are whole tomatoes that have been machine-chopped and packed in juice or purèe. Many cans of whole tomatoes and all cans of diced tomatoes have an additive called calcium chloride added to help the tomatoes stay firm. The diced tomatoes have more surface area exposed and, therefore, are exposed to more calcium chloride causing them to be too firm. They won't break down during cooking. Generally, we recommend whole, peeled tomatoes so we have more control over the texture of the tomatoes - if we break them down by hand some pieces can almost melt into a sauce while other, larger pieces will still have some texture to them. Hope that explains it! Best, Lynn C.

Baking

Asked Apr 28, 2020 by Lynn F.

Quick Bread Mixing Methods, Leaveners and Banana Bread Texture

I am on a quest to find the perfect banana bread, and have made 7 recipes so far. I am curious about the different methods used in the recipes. 1) How will the finished product vary, or is it really not important whether wet ingredients are added to dry, or vice versa? For example: - Add dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt) to the wet ingredients (oil and sugar combined first, then mashed banana and eggs are mixed in). Note: Unique to this recipe, 3 T milk and vanilla are added after the flour mixture. Any thoughts re: the change in the final product as a result of adding the milk at the end, instead of with the wet ingredients? - The MSK cardamom Brown Butter Banana Bread instructions say to add the wet ingredients (browned butter, banana, sugar, eggs, vanilla) to the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt). 2) Further, one recipe from a 50 year old church cookbook says to let the batter sit on the counter for 20 minutes before putting the pan into the oven. I imagine this would allow more gluten to form before the bread is baked. Based on science, should this step make a difference in the finished product, and if yes... can you describe the difference? (I did not notice anything.) 3) In general, how will the end product vary given the varying leaveners used (all for a single loaf of bread)? -- 4 teaspoons baking powder (this recipe lists oil as an ingredient, yet invites the use of half buttermilk - introducing acid? - in place of half the oil to reduce the amount of fat in the bread). Note: I used only oil and this loaf turned out more like a fluffy cake than banana bread, IMO. -- 1 teaspoon soda and 1 teaspoon powder (MSK cardamom recipe) -- 1 teaspoon soda (this is the recipe with the 3T milk added after the flour). 4) Lastly, the recipes roughly have the same amount of each basic ingredient: 1 c mashed banana, 2 c flour, 1c sugar, 1c fat and 2 eggs. Except the MSK Cardamom recipe has double the banana (2 cup mashed) and half the fat (1/2 c butter). My expert takeaway (!) is that the added banana allows one to use less fat, likely resulting in a healthier end product. Am I on to something, or missing something?! Thank you so much for your thoughts. When I go to heaven I will spend my eternity in a test kitchen!

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Lynn - 1.) For pancake batter, the order doesn't matter. You can leave some flour unmixed and the batter lumpy. It's more important to limit mixing and gluten development. For quick breads, muffins, scones the traditional method is adding wet to dry. The well in the center of dry ingredients allows the dry ingredients to be folded over on top of the liquid and then gently incorporated just until mixed. Adding the flour on top of the liquid would lead to overmixing. That being said, some recipe developers believe the opposite is true, which is likely what you are seeing in your first example. I think the key is, whichever method you use, to make sure not to overmix the batter. I don't see any reason why leaving behind 3 T. milk and vanilla would make any difference in the batter texture. 2.) I don't see the point in resting a quick bread batter. First, quick breads generally have either just baking soda or a combo of baking soda and powder. Baking soda (and some of the baking powder) reacts when combined with liquid and starts to work immediately. If you let the batter sit, that reaction will be lost before it goes into the oven and you will lose rising power. Also, yes - resting does develop gluten. Which you \don't\ want in a quick bread. Quick breads should be moist and tender, not chewy. 3.) The bread with all baking powder was light and fluffy, like cake; not quick bread. We liked the combo of soda and powder in our bread because of two things - 1.) the added amount of bananas (for flavor) needed some extra lift from powder to achieve the density we wanted and 2.) the soda added browning. 4.) I think the goal with our banana bread was to increase the amount of banana as much as possible to boost the flavor. Because this added more overall volume, we needed to decrease the butter to adjust. And, yes, we found that was easy to do because the bananas kept the bread moist. I hope I've answered all of your questions clearly! Best, Lynn C.