Q: We want to make krumkake. Krumkake is a large thin cookie made from batter poured into an embossed mould with hinged plates and is very popular in our region. Do you have a formula?
D.E., Gatlinburg, Tenn.

A: Scandinavian immigrants in the 19th century flocked to the Upper Midwest, and the English they learned was augmented by Scandinavian words for their native food and customs. Thus we have krumkake, a large, light, very thin Norwegian cookie made from an egg-based batter poured into an embossed hinged iron similar to a waffle iron. Peeled off the iron while warm and pliable, each krumkake is rolled around a cone-shaped metal tube to harden and is filled with sweetened whipped cream. Cookbooks have spread the popularity of krumkake beyond Wisconsin and Minnesota. Here is a great formula, which I use every year around New Year’s.

Krumkake

Total appr. wt. 4 0.5 1.838 kg 365.11 Method: Dissolve the rock sugar in boiling water, and cool completely. Cream the butter and the eggs. Add the sugar solution and flour in four steps, while continuously mixing on low speed. Add the flavoring and the heavy cream. Scrape down the bowl while mixing. Store in a refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Drop about 1/2 oz. of batter onto the heated iron, and cook no longer than 30 seconds. Peel cake off the iron while still warm and pliable. Roll each krumkake around a cone-shaped metal tube so that it hardens in that shape. Store in a closed container for up to two weeks. This formula yields about 80 krumkakes.

* Rock sugar is a hardened variety of cane sugar that is formed into large crystals to be used as a sweetener. Hard in consistency, rock sugar is often used to flavor teas. It is sweet in flavor with no overtones of the caramel flavor often present in others sugars.

Q: I’m trying to formulate new bread doughs. How much salt should be used?
P.J., Houston

A: Salt levels in bread dough varies between 1.7 percent and 2.5 percent, based on 100 percent flour.

Q: Could you explain the advantages of baking with soy products?
D.B., Berlin, Md.

A: As consumer demand grows for low-fat, healthful foods, the use of soybeans as a key ingredient has dramatically expanded.

Bakery products appear to be the best vehicle for soy-protein fortification for health-conscious consumers. Fortunately, the addition of soy in baked products requires very little change in bakery technology and no changes at all in bakery equipment. Soy protein also is a cost-effective way to reduce fat, increase protein content and improve the overall baking characteristics of baked products. Used in virtually every category of the baking industry, high-protein soy products provide functional properties, such as improved texture, moisture retention, crust color and shelf life. Among the soybean products that can be used
in baking are enzyme-active soy flour, full-fat or “natural flour”, defatted soy flour, soy protein concentrates, soy protein isolates, soy fiber, soy lecithin and lecithinated soy flour.

Q: We are always looking for new dessert ideas. What do you think is the next trend?

H.D., Marshall, Minn.

A: I recently read about liquid desserts. The flavor profile of traditional desserts, such as tiramisu, apple pie and cheesecake, is served in a liquid form in martini glasses and sometimes enhanced with the addition of high percentage alcohol. However, time will tell if this is the newest dessert rage.

Q: We bake a lot of cookies with oats, however the cookies tend to dry out quickly. What can we do to increase the moisture content?
C.F., Richmond, Va.

A: Mix the oats with about 12.5 percent water by weight, and allow them to stand overnight. Some of the moisture in the cookies is lost during baking, and the additional water in the oats helps keep the cookies moist.

Q: We are looking for a “new” dried fruit to use as a base for our dessert sauces to keep our dessert menu mix interesting. What would you recommend?
C.M., Racine, Wis.

A: I recommend trying Goji berries. The Tibet Goji berry is a deep-red, dried fruit about the size of a raisin. The berry tastes like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. They grow in protected valley areas of Inner Mongolia on bush-like plants with vines that stretch more than 15 feet. The berries are never touched by hand as they oxidize and turn black if touched while fresh. Instead, they are shaken onto mats, and dried in the shade. This dried fruit has great potential for use in sauces and baked products.

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 abouta degree in Culinology®, call 559/278-2164 or contact Klaus Tenbergen at ktenbergen@csufresno.edu.