Klaus Tenbergen

Q: Do you have a formula for hand-rolled, scratch-made flour tortillas?
Dan, via e-mail

A: I have been very successful with this formula.

Flour tortillas

Method: Combine all ingredients, and mix into a well developed dough. Bench rest the dough for 5 minutes. Scale into desired dough piece sizes, shape and bake at 446°F (230°C) for about 30 seconds.

Q: We make apple strudel from scratch, but the dough is difficult to sheet. What can we do?
N.V., Boston

A: Adding a small amount of vinegar to the dough will relax the gluten and will make the dough more manageable. I recommend for each 35 ozs. (1 kg) of flour, use 1 tsp (5 ml) of distilled vinegar.

Q: What are the benefits of using palm oil?
Peter, via e-mail

A: Palm oil is often confused with palm kernel oil. Palm kernel oil is derived from palm kernels and contains much higher levels of saturated fat than palm oil. While palm kernel oil is composed of 82 percent saturated fat, palm oil comes from the fruit of the palm and has a nutritionally balanced profile of about 50 percent saturated fat and 50 percent unsaturated fat. When safely processed, palm oil or shortening promotes health by providing important lipid antioxidants and fatty acids. A high percentage of the saturated fats in palm oil are supple, long-chain fats, which are sources of energy. In contrast, hydrogenated fats result from converting supple long-chain fats into stiff “plastic-like” short chain fats, producing desirable texture in foods, but highly undesirable results from a health standpoint. Palm oil does not contain any trans fats.

Q: What is resistant starch?
P.M., Salinas, Calif.

A: Most starches are absorbed by the small intestine, but some resist digestion and pass through to the large intestine where, through fermentation, they act like dietary fiber. This type of starch is called resistant starch. Carbohydrates can be categorized into two groups. Sugars and most starches are rapidly digested and absorbed, and are used for short-term energy needs. They also are known as available, digestible or glycemic carbohydrates. Resistant starch and dietary fiber constitute a second group, also known as non-glycemic carbohydrates. Resistant starch is an insoluble fiber, but it also is a prebiotic fiber, so it provides some of the health benefits of both soluble and insoluble fiber and has some unique advantages of its own.
Source: The New Fiber Story-Natural Resistant Starch. Philadelphia, Sept 29, 2007. © 2008 National Starch LLC

Q: Is boiling equal parts water and granulated sugar the only way to make simple syrup?
William, via e-mail

A: I always add a pinch of cream of tartar to my simple syrup. This creates invert sugar, a mixture of equal parts of glucose and fructose.

Q: Can you provide a formula for blueberry sauce?
B.M., Salem, Wis.

A: I use this sauce as an ice cream or cheesecake topping, for plate decoration or as a dessert sauce. The formula yields about ½ gallon of sauce.

Blueberry sauce/topping

Method: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the sugar, cornstarch, water, orange juice and orange zest, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the berries have burst, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool before using. The sauce can be strained, depending on the application.

Klaus Tenbergen is certified as a Master Baker in Germany, South Africa and the United States. He is currently an assistant professor at California State University in Fresno, teaching classes in Culinology®-the blending of culinary arts and the science of food. For more information, call 559/278-2164 or contact Klaus Tenbergen at ktenbergen@csufresno.edu.