Q: Can you share a method to make a fast and economical lemon curd?
Augustine, via email

A: I found making lemon curd in a microwave is quick and inexpensive.
Lemon curd
Ingredients Lbs. Ozs. Metric
Sugar, granulated 1 pint 450 g
Eggs, whole 6 180 g
Lemon juice, fresh 1 pint 450 g
Butter, unsalted 8 225 g
Lemon zest 2 60 g
Total appr. wt. 3 pints 1.365 kg
Method: In a large, microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth and thoroughly combined. Next, whisk in lemon juice, butter and lemon zest. Cook in the microwave on full power at 1-minute intervals, stirring after each minute. The process will take 3 to 5 minutes depending on the strength of your microwave. You will know the lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the microwave, cool and use as needed.

Q: We use a lot of honey as a replacement for granulated sugar, but it’s difficult to remove from containers when we’re weighing it. Do you have any tips? D.G., Monterey, Calif.

A: When weighing honey, coat the container with nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide right out.

Q: How can I add an almond flavor to pastry cream?
B.M., Albuquerque, N.M.

A: Using your favorite pastry cream, measure equal parts of pastry cream and almond paste. Cream the almond paste and gradually whip in the pastry cream until well blended. Use as desired.

Q: We have difficulties removing the cake rings from our refrigerated or frozen cakes. Do you know any tricks that make this task easier?
Louis, via email

A: Heat the cake ring with a propane torch for a few seconds, then pull the ring straight up. Cakes glazed with chocolate or gelee have a tendency to stick to the side of the ring; if this should occur, use a knife to help release the cake from the ring without damaging the cake.

Q: What is a good coffee-to-batter ratio to use when making coffee genoise?
M.C., Lewes, Del.

A: Instant coffee used in a batter will give you a nice coffee flavored cake. I use 1 oz. (30 g) of instant coffee per 5 lbs. (2.25 kg) of batter, added after whipping.

Q: How much bran can we add to our formula and what effect does it have on the dough?
M.R., Bismarck, N.D.

A: Dough with added bran retains more water and needs more kneading time. The bread normally has less volume because bran is not elastic or extensible as other flours. The color is darker because of the carotenes and xanthophylls–pigments in the bran. Therefore, bran should be used between 5 and 20 percent in a formula based on the total flour weight.

Q: We have experienced sugar crystals forming on the side of the bowl while cooking sugar. Is there a way to eliminate the formation of these crystals?
S.M., Red Bank, N.J.

A: Use a copper pot (poêlon) when cooking sugar, and frequently wipe down the sides of the pot with a clean pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. It will take several passes with the brush, but will solve the sugar crystal problem.

Q: How can we offer warm cookies throughout the day?
C.M., Rockford, Ill.

A: Baking smaller batches throughout the day will help you achieve your goal. I recommend you invest in a small commercial food/bread warmer, in which you can store the cookies for short periods of time to keep them warm.

Q: Can you provide some directions for handling phyllo dough? The dough dries out faster then we can handle it.
R.P., Salem, Mass.

A: Most commercial phyllo packaging features good directions for handling the dough. I also recommend keeping the package closed when thawing, usually overnight in the refrigerator. Bring the packaged phyllo to room temperature before opening and unrolling the dough. Cover the unrolled phyllo with a sheet of parchment paper covered with a damp towel to keep it moist. The keys to working with phyllo are to be organized and work quickly.

Q: How do we achieve a brittle, meringue-like surface on a brownie? Our brownies have a matte appearance.
Lucy, via email

A: The delicate, crisp crust results from not only blending beaten eggs into melted chocolate, but vigorously beating them, creating a meringuey effect when baked. If you want more of a matte finish and a less-brittle brownie don’t beat the ingredients, just blend them.

Question # 3:
We bought a large quantity of paprika a few months ago. It has lost most of its color by now. Is this normal?
Sebastian Wickes, Hamburg NY

Answer # 3:
Paprika is light sensitive and need to be protected against direct exposure to sunlight and florescent lights and you should keep paprika cool and dry. Cool means no higher that 20°C (68°F) and dry is no higher than 60% relative humidity. If possible, cold storage, 0°C - 7°C (32°F - 45°F), is highly recommended for paprika. At 21°C -27°C (70°F - 80°F), paprika will lose about 1% of its color every 10 days. At higher temperatures, losses are even more rapid. In cold storage, however, paprika’s color loss is reduced to ½ % every 10 days and therefore, it can be held satisfactorily for up to 6 months.

Question # 4:
Is powdered pectin interchangeable with liquid pectin?
Alida Espinoza, via e-mail

Answer # 4:
Use only the type of pectin called for in your recipe. Powdered pectin and liquid pectin are not interchangeable in recipes. The reason liquid and powdered pectin may not be interchangeable is that the liquid version is always added after boiling, while most types of powdered are added to the raw fruit or juice at the beginning of the process.

Question 5:
Can you provide us with a scones formula, which contains raisins and has a hint of citrus?
Timothy M. Stearns, Akron, OH

Answer # 5:
Ingredients Notes American Metric Yield % Bakers %
Pastry flour sifted 4 lb 8 oz 2040 g 41.26 % 100.00 %
Baking powder 1.5 oz 45 g 0.91 % 2.21 %
Baking soda 0.5 oz 12 g 0.24 % 0.59 %
Sucrose 10.5 oz 300 g 6.07 % 14.71 %
Salt 0.75 oz 21 g 0.42 % 1.03 %
Butter, unsalted cold and cubed 1 lb 11 oz 765 g 15.47 % 37.50 %
Raisins golden 1 lb 5 oz 600 g 12.14 % 29.41 %
Lemon zest, grated 0.5 oz 15 g 0.30 % 0.74 %
Orange zest, grated 0.5 oz 15 g 0.30 % 0.74 %
Buttermilk 2 lb 7.5 oz 1125 ml 22.75 % 55.15 %
Vanilla extract 0.5 oz 15 ml 0.30 % 0.74 %
Total 10 lb 14.25 oz 4944 g 100.00 % 240.82 %

Method:
Sift flour and chemical leaveners, add sucrose and salt. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add cold cubed butter, then using a paddle attachment blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine vanilla, lemon and orange zest with buttermilk and add these liquid ingredients to dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Proceed to cut scones. Brush top with egg wash. Bake at 400°F/205°C for 10-12 minutes.

Question # 6: (October)
Can simple syrup be modified to add additional flavor?
Katya Benn, Milwaukee, WI

Answer # 6:
Adding fruit juices to simple syrup will enhance its flavor profile. Below is an example:

Ingredients American Metric Yield
Fruit juice 2 pints 3.25 oz 1000 ml 45.46 %
Simple Syrup 2 pints 3.25 oz 1000 ml 45.46 %
Water 7 oz 200 ml 9.09 %
Total 2 quarts 13.5 oz 2200 ml 100.00 %
Simply combine all ingredients. Orange, lemon, lime or other fruit juices can be used as well.

Question 6:
Baby blue and pinkish eggs are the new craze in our town. Are these natural or have they been colored?
Pa Yang, Sheboygan, WI

Answer # 6:
The Cuckoo Maran hen lays deep cocoa-colored eggs, the Plymouth Rock hen lays pinkish ones, and the Ameraucana and Araucana hen lay a range from pale celadon to rich baby blue eggs. Much research has been done on the nutritional benefit on these “different” eggs, but I like those for its appearance, especially when used as a whole hard-boiled egg.

Question # 7:
Have you used paper baking cups instead of greasing a muffin pan?
Prasad Yadavali, via e-mail

Answer # 7:
Paper muffin cups are a standard tool that just about every baker will keep on hand in their kitchen. Perfect for muffins or cupcakes, the eliminate the need to grease a pan and ensure that your baked goods won’t have anything to stick to when it comes time to take them out of the pan. Muffin cups also make baked goods much more portable and loaf pans, bundt pans and round cake pans are just a few of the shapes that these paper pans come in. These pans are designed to do the exact same thing that paper muffin cups are: eliminate the need to grease a large pan and make the baked goods easier to transport. The paper baking liners are similar to parchment paper and will not burn in the oven unless exposed to very high temperatures (most are perfectly safe up to about 400°F/205°C), so there are good for just about any baking application.

Question #8:
We are doing savory baking and are now in unfamiliar territory. How do we choose a chef’s knife?
Elena Gustavson Böttger, via e-mail

Answer #8:
Knife are a piece of art, take your time when buying one. Try different models and manufacturers. Stay away from “cheap” knifes. Try knifes of different weight, knife weight between 170 – 320 g / 6 oz – 11.25 oz. Handle shapes, length of handle, and how the knife is balanced is important.

Question # 9:
Why is hot milk used in some sponge cake formulas?
Jeniffer Alvarado Trucíos, San Diego, CA

Answer # 9:
Hot milk sponge cakes use scalded milk to warm the eggs. Warmed eggs hold more air and create more volume when they’re whipped than cold eggs. Use a stainless steel bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Sugar has an insulating effect, and helps protect the eggs from coagulating over the heat. Add a small amount of the sugar from the formula into your egg whites, and whisk it in. Keep whisking the eggs while you heat them, testing now and then with your fingertip until they feel warm to the touch. When the egg whites (or yolks--whatever you’re heating) are warm, transfer them to your mixing bowl and whip until medium-stiff peaks form.

Question # 10: (October)
We recently had a request for a croquembouche, but struggled making the spun sugar which decorates the cake. Can you provide us with a formula for the sugar topping?
Leo Berger, Blackfoot Idaho

Answer # 10:
I have used the formula below with great success to make spun sugar to decorate a croquembouches.

Ingredients American Metric Yield
Sugar, cubes 2 lbs 3.05 oz 1000 g 62.50 %
Water 12.25 oz 350 ml 21.87 %
Glucose 8.75 oz 250 g 15.63 %
Total 3 lbs 8.05 oz 1600 g 100.00 %
Combine all ingredients in a copper pot and cook to 155°C/ 311°F. When the temperature is reached dip the bottom of the pot into ice water for a few seconds to stop the cooking. Set aside for five minutes to rest. After resting the sugar should be fluid but slightly thickened. Use a whisk with the rounded ends cut off to create a long, straight rods to dip into the sugar. Wave the whish clockwise as well as forth and back over the croquembouche to create long decorative threats.

Question # 10:
Can you provide us with a cream cheese frosting which contains a hint of pineapple?
Aaron Belangeri, Honolulu, Hawaii

Answer # 10:
I have used this pineapple cream cheese frosting with great success on carrot cakes.

Ingredients Notes American Metric Yield %
Cream Cheese room temperature 2 lb 4 oz 1020 g 26.37 %
Butter Unsalted 2 lb 4 oz 1020 g 26.37 %
Sugar, powdered Sifted 1 lb 8 oz 680 g 17.58 %
Pineapple canned, crushed and well drained 2 lb 8 oz 1134 g 29.32 %
Vanilla Extract 0.5 oz 14.15 g 0.37 %
Total - 8 lb 8.5 oz 3868.15 g 100 %
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and attached a paddle. Mix until well combined. Use as a frosting or filling.

Dr. 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, directing the Culinology® program, which blends culinary arts and the science of food. For more information about Culinology®, or to submit a question, contact Dr. Tenbergen at ktenbergen@csufresno.edu.