Mike Nolan

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  • in reply to: Pre-Bake Crust on Mini-Pecan Pies? #7759
    Mike Nolan
    Keymaster

      I think the primary reason for blind baking a full-sized crust is so that the crust gets fully baked, even in the very center. (A soggy not-quite-fully baked center is not good.)

      With a small diameter pie (probably anything 6 inches or smaller), the center of the crust doesn't take as long to get fully baked, so there's no need for blind-baking.

      I've never made or (as far as I know) ever had Anzacs, what are they like? They look sort of like oatmeal cookies in this recipe:
      Anzac Biscuits

      in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7758
      Mike Nolan
      Keymaster

        Cass, what weight/cup did you use for the first clear flour in computing the hydration percentage? King Arthur says it is lighter than regular flour, 3.75 ounces per cup compared to 4.25 for AP or bread flour.

        in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7755
        Mike Nolan
        Keymaster

          I wonder what the point to putting the caraway seeds in the sponge is, perhaps so that it acts as a bit of a soaker as well? It's not like caraway seeds are going to impact yeast growth much, except maybe absorbing some of the water.

          I haven't played with my Bakers Math Calculator (in development) in over a year, but I added Clear flour and Caraway seed to the list of ingredients it knows and this recipe comes up as 62.7% hydration.

          in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7750
          Mike Nolan
          Keymaster

            I doubt the size of a packet of yeast has changed since the 1950's, and I am fairly sure the potency of either active dry yeast or instant dry yeast has changed in that time frame.

            0.75% to 1.25% of the total flour weight is a good starting point for how much yeast to use when developing or analyzing a recipe. If a pre-ferment (biga, poolish, etc) is being used, that usually means you can use less yeast.

            in reply to: Cheese on Major Pizza Chain Pizzas #7746
            Mike Nolan
            Keymaster

              Interesting that even with several stories on him, nobody has a recent picture of James Leprino. I wish more billionaires were like that. ๐Ÿ™‚

              in reply to: Pre-Bake Crust on Mini-Pecan Pies? #7744
              Mike Nolan
              Keymaster

                I don't think pre-baking is as important, possibly not necessary at all, on mini-pies.

                in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of June 4, 2017? #7743
                Mike Nolan
                Keymaster

                  I'm to the point where for most recipes I use half the yeast it calls for.

                  I'm not convinced that all blowouts are a matter of 'too much yeast', though.

                  in reply to: Measuring #7733
                  Mike Nolan
                  Keymaster

                    My big scale can do .05 ounce or 1 gram increments. Since there are 28.3495 grams per ounce, the 1 gram increments are slightly more precise. But I don't think it makes much difference whether you are measuring 3 1/8 ounces as 3.10 or 3.15 instead of 3.125.

                    in reply to: Measuring #7729
                    Mike Nolan
                    Keymaster

                      Most of the time I use ounces, but I have one bread recipe I'm developing that uses grams, and my pie dough recipes (from SFBI) are in grams. I even have a micro-scale capable of measuring in 1/10th of a gram increments for measuring things like salt.

                      It sort of depends on the recipe, and not that many are written in grams yet.

                      in reply to: Cookie ideas, please #7724
                      Mike Nolan
                      Keymaster

                        Interesting, most oatmeal cookie recipes say to use old fashioned oats rather than quick oats.

                        in reply to: What are You Baking the Week of May 28, 2017? #7709
                        Mike Nolan
                        Keymaster

                          I made Austrian Malt Bread instead, I still think it's the best bread for BLT's, and there have been some good local-grown tomatoes at the farmer's markets already.

                          in reply to: Jozyโ€™s chocolate chip cookie recipe #7704
                          Mike Nolan
                          Keymaster

                            I think she's trying to get in, I'm not sure if she's been successful or is having problems.

                            WordPress is usually pretty easy to get signed in to, but anti-spammer features can get in the way.

                            in reply to: Kitchen appliances #7698
                            Mike Nolan
                            Keymaster

                              We replaced the microwave in our kitchen a few years back , the keypad is wearing out on the new one, my guess is we'll have to replace it again in the next year or two. This one is a Panasonic from Best Buy.

                              in reply to: Kitchen appliances #7692
                              Mike Nolan
                              Keymaster

                                They're based in New Zealand. Fisher and Paykel is the company that bought the assets of DCS when they ran into financial difficulties in the mid 90's, I don't think that's the only company they've acquired that way.

                                The F&P built-in wall ovens in my son's house work fairly well, but there are several cooking modes that I haven't used enough to understand. My wife got all confused trying to use them last Christmas, she managed to get the wrong oven turned on. Fortunately, there wasn't anything being stored in it.

                                The only other direct experience I've had with them was when I needed to order a new oven rack bracket for my big oven a few years ago. It took 6-8 weeks because I think it had to come from New Zealand, but at least they still had parts available for a 16 year old range.

                                I get the impression that they're aiming at the higher end of the market, but not quite as high end as Viking or Wolf.

                                The store locator on their website either doesn't work or they don't have any dealers outside of California. Neither of those are positives.

                                in reply to: Friday, June 2nd, is National Doughnut Day #7686
                                Mike Nolan
                                Keymaster

                                  Visited both Lamar's locations today (the closer one was out of raised glazed), the Salvation Army folks were out collecting at both sites, and doing very well.

                                Viewing 15 posts - 7,036 through 7,050 (of 7,745 total)