Q: Can you share a formula for a cream cheese filling for Danish?
A.N., Flippin, Ark.

Klaus Tenbergen

A: This formula should work well.

Cream cheese filling

Method: Beat the cream cheese (room temperature) with 1.5 lbs. (680 g) of the sugar and all the salt, vanilla, lemon and zest until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks. Sift the flour with the remaining sugar, and add to the mixture. Combine well, and use as needed.

Q: How can I determine if I have the right sugar concentration in my sorbet base without buying expensive equipment or tools?
Sandra, via e-mail

A: Use an egg to check sugar density. Wash and dry an egg, and float it in your base. If the area of exposed shell is bigger than a dime, there's probably too much sugar in the base. Add a little water or more fruit puree to reduce the concentration of sugar. If the egg sinks or less than a dime's worth of shell shows, there is not enough sugar in the base. Whisk in simple syrup, sugar or corn syrup and continue to measure using the egg.

Q: What differentiates pretzel salt?
T.G., New Archangel, Alaska

A: Pretzel salt is high-purity, food-grade, crystalline sodium chloride (NaCl). It is the product of a selected screening of crushed rock salt taken from domed deposits. The unique characteristic of this salt is that it breaks into uniformly flat, rectangular-shaped particles upon crushing and screening, yielding a product that adheres particularly well to pretzels.

Q: How can we get the most flavor out of aniseeds in breads and pastries?
H.P., Lincoln, Neb.

A: Aniseed is the spicy seed of the herb anise. Toast the seeds to achieve a rich flavor for your favorite formula. Let the seeds gently heat through without stirring them for about three minutes, or until they are lightly browned and have a strong aroma, then crush with a mortar and pestle.

Q: What is the definition of baker's percentage; is it different from yield percentage?
N.C., Kansas City, Mo.

A: When calculating the yield percentage, the total equals, and never exceeds, 100 percent. With baker's percentage, the total weight of all flours represent 100 percent and the weights of the remaining ingredients are calculated in relation to total amount of flour. Hence, the sum of all ingredient percentages in any given formula always exceeds 100 percent. Baker's percentage is a method of calculation that applies ingredient ratios in a formula.

Q: Do you have a formula for filling that uses IQF cherries?
Darren, via e-mail

A: I have been very successful with the formula.

Cherry filling

* *Potato, corn or tapioca starch works well. You may want to add a few drops of food coloring to enhance the natural color.

Method: Thaw the cherries in a refrigerator overnight and retain the juice. Add water to some of the juice to make 16 ozs. of liquid. Bring the juice and sugar to a boil. Add the starch to the remaining liquid to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the boiling liquid, whisk until thickened. Add the almond extract and cherries. Blend well and cool before usage.