I guess I'm going to have to learn to bake

[shepgirl]

Hmm...looks delicious but i don't think I would attempt that. My excuse for not baking is that i don't want to gain weight...seems to work out okay for me. I will bake banana loaves or carrot pineapple loaves but only because they're so easy.

[Cataholic]

That DOES look delicious!!!
I have a gas oven and I do think it is harder to bake with it. Buy a temp gauge...that could help you some.

[Medusa]

Hey, I bake with gas, and as long as the oven works, baked goods come out fine, lol.

I found out that you CANNOT put a pan on the lower rack to catch drippings of pies because that will block the heat and cause the oven to overheat. That's what happened the last time when the oven overheated. I had no idea I couldn't do that!

Baking is precise, however, let me tell you a story...
When I was in elementary school and middle school I HATED math. Hated it with a passion and basically failed everything past long division. I did love to bake, and never considered it math.

My bus got me home about an hour before my mom would get home from her job at school. In that amount of time, I would take a recipe for cookies and cut it down from making 36 to 4 or 6. Mix it, bake them, and eat them. All before mom got home.

Never ever did I realize back then that that was math. Division. Once mom caught me, but then said how good the cookies were and she couldn't believe I could do that!

I'm positive there are some things that I didn't cut down exactly, like baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar (my favorite cookie to make is still Snickerdoodles), so it wasn't THAT precise.

Go for it, I say!! If you're not sure of your oven's temp, buy an oven thermometer and make sure it's right, or if it's too high or too low, adjust your dial/digital accordingly.

For me, baking is therapeutic. If I'm pissed off and frustrated my favorite thing to bake is bread. You have to knead it and punch it down and all that good stuff, lol! I also do a lot of pastries. Tedious work, but it takes my mind off of what ever is bothering me. I'll attach a pic of my Xmas gift to my mom and dad last year. I made my mom an apricot danish pastry, and my dad's was cheese danish pastry. All with home made puff pastry dough.

Unbaked:


Finished (a bit too dark)

Thanx, sis, ya just blew my excuse for me. LOL

[pomtzu]

Hey, I bake with gas, and as long as the oven works, baked goods come out fine, lol.

I found out that you CANNOT put a pan on the lower rack to catch drippings of pies because that will block the heat and cause the oven to overheat. That's what happened the last time when the oven overheated. I had no idea I couldn't do that!

Baking is precise, however, let me tell you a story...
When I was in elementary school and middle school I HATED math. Hated it with a passion and basically failed everything past long division. I did love to bake, and never considered it math.

My bus got me home about an hour before my mom would get home from her job at school. In that amount of time, I would take a recipe for cookies and cut it down from making 36 to 4 or 6. Mix it, bake them, and eat them. All before mom got home.

Never ever did I realize back then that that was math. Division. Once mom caught me, but then said how good the cookies were and she couldn't believe I could do that!

I'm positive there are some things that I didn't cut down exactly, like baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar (my favorite cookie to make is still Snickerdoodles), so it wasn't THAT precise.

Go for it, I say!! If you're not sure of your oven's temp, buy an oven thermometer and make sure it's right, or if it's too high or too low, adjust your dial/digital accordingly.

For me, baking is therapeutic. If I'm pissed off and frustrated my favorite thing to bake is bread. You have to knead it and punch it down and all that good stuff, lol! I also do a lot of pastries. Tedious work, but it takes my mind off of what ever is bothering me. I'll attach a pic of my Xmas gift to my mom and dad last year. I made my mom an apricot danish pastry, and my dad's was cheese danish pastry. All with home made puff pastry dough.

Unbaked:


Finished (a bit too dark)

Now that looks delicious - but way too much work to suit me. I guess you could say that I'm a "lazy baker" - breads (like pumpkin, banana, etc), drop cookies, cakes - just so long as I don't have to use a darn, blasted rolling pin. I love pies, but can't make a decent pie crust to save my back side, so I have to resort to the frozen crusts. Not like made from scratch, but not bad either!

[Medusa]

Now that looks delicious - but way too much work to suit me. I guess you could say that I'm a "lazy baker" - breads (like pumpkin, banana, etc), drop cookies, cakes - just so long as I don't have to use a darn, blasted rolling pin. I love pies, but can't make a decent pie crust to save my back side, so I have to resort to the frozen crusts. Not like made from scratch, but not bad either!

There's a local bakery that advertises "Tastes just like homemade". That's the last thing I want unless it's homemade by someone else! LOL

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've always hated to cook but I love to bake. I too think it's because I have to follow a recipe so I know exactly what to add and how much to add.

Now I rarely find the time to do it though. I've always used electic ovens and my oven right now runs hot so I know that I have to set the timer at least 5 minutes less than the required time.

[jennielynn1970]

I STILL can't make a pie crust to save my life. I think I get myself too worked up over it, and then it gets too soft, and then it slides down the sides of the pie pan. I end up with a flat crust, lol. So, if it's a single crust, I use bought pie crusts, if it's double I'll try to do my own, but have bought as backups in the fridge, lol!

Like I said, my baking for me is very therapeutic. It helps me vent frustration and take my mind off other things. Every place I've worked, the co-workers always loved when I had a fight with a boyfriend, because I'd come in with tons of baked goods for a week, lol!


Want something easy, and really yummy??? Do you like molasses crumb cake?? This is so easy to do, bakes up really nicely, and is great to share over coffee or tea. This was a favorite at our morning faculty meetings at my elementary school.

Molasses Crumb Cake
(from Times News Recipe booklet)

4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 c. margerine cold
1 1/2 c. dark molasses, karo and honey (1 c. molasses/ 1/3 c. karo, balance honey)
2 c. boiling water
2 tsp. baking soda

Mix flour, sugar, salt and margerine with pasty blender to form crumb mixture. Reserve 1 c. crumbs.

Boil water and pour in molasses, karo and honey. Stir until blended. Add baking soda and pour over crumbs in the mixing bowl while molasses mixture still foaming. Stir to combine, but leaving lumps of crumbs in batter. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Bake 45 - 50 minutes at 350*.

[Medusa]

Like I said, my baking for me is very therapeutic. It helps me vent frustration and take my mind off other things.

That's what cooking does for me. Sometimes on Sundays I'll cook so many different things that I almost need a banquet table for them all. Thanskgiving dinner is nothing for me because I like to cook in large volumes anyhow.

This cake sounds yummy. Think I'll add it to the list of things to try. Thanx!

[Lilith Cherry]

Taz Zoee please may we have your brownie recipes? I love to bake and to cook and have used both gas and electricity with equal success; right now though I am reduced to using a large toaster oven so the temperature tends to fluctuate sometimes. ( China doesnt have ovens as general kitchen equipment - just a two ring gas burner

I am terrible at following recipes "precisely" and tend to experiment as I go along

Brownies are very American so I am not used to making them and would love some nice moist chewy recipes!

[jennielynn1970]

We had some weird burners in Sweden, they were solid and heated up electrically. I haven't seen them here. I'm thinking ceramic burners??


They also had a great recipe for brownies called Kola Kaka. It was thin, and chewy, and chocolatey. yummmmm. I still haven't been able to replicate it over here in the states.


Lilith Cherry... if you want some box mixes for brownies (some are just as good as home made), just ask, and I'll pick some up and get them out to you over there for you. I know I missed certain things when I was in Sweden... peanutbutter for one. They didn't do peanut butter!! I had it shipped to me, lol.

I still miss candy from Sweden. The salt licorice. That was the best stuff on earth. It was rock hard and salty as a lick for deer, lol, but damn it was good!!! I'll have to see if I can find any place that imports. There's a lot of things I can find at IKEA, but a lot of it's not "authentic".

[DJFyrewolf36]

I stink at baking and cooking in general...which is kind of sad concidering my dad is a decendant of a famous baker in Minnesota. I look forward to the holidays every year because of my dads excellent baking skills. I'll have to see if he will email me his "never fail" pie crust recipie. Its so easy that I have a hard time messing it up lol.

[Giselle]

Taz Zoee please may we have your brownie recipes? I love to bake and to cook and have used both gas and electricity with equal success; right now though I am reduced to using a large toaster oven so the temperature tends to fluctuate sometimes. ( China doesnt have ovens as general kitchen equipment - just a two ring gas burner

I am terrible at following recipes "precisely" and tend to experiment as I go along

Brownies are very American so I am not used to making them and would love some nice moist chewy recipes!

Lilith Cherry, I, too, am Chinese and was brought up in a very traditional Chinese household. Do you have experience with Chinese pastries? It's very hit or miss over at my house Currently, we're trying to perfect ginger milk. Like I said, it's hit or miss. I'm wondering if you personally have any tips or suggestions.


Back to baking, ummmm stupid question. Can somebody explain the difference between electric and gas oven? I'm not even sure which one we have. I'm pretty sure it's gas. Maybe that's why I can't bake

[moosmom]

Mary, Mary, Mary...can you say BETTY CROCKER???

[Karen]

Taz Zoee please may we have your brownie recipes? I love to bake and to cook and have used both gas and electricity with equal success; right now though I am reduced to using a large toaster oven so the temperature tends to fluctuate sometimes. ( China doesnt have ovens as general kitchen equipment - just a two ring gas burner

I am terrible at following recipes "precisely" and tend to experiment as I go along

Brownies are very American so I am not used to making them and would love some nice moist chewy recipes!

Here's a good recipe - from my old copy of the Fanny Farmer cookbook. The new one has a different brownie recipe which is not, in my opinion, nearly as good. I often throw chocolate chips or mini marshmallows into them, as I cannot have nuts, so go ahead and add whatever extra goodness you want! No fancy equipment needed, not even a mixer - a big spoon will do fine! They're yummy plain, anyway.

Brownies********

3 oz baking chocolate

6 tbs. butter

1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (or whatever else you want to add!)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

******
350°

butter the inside of a 9 inch square pan (or equivalent)

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a big bowl.

Stir in sugar, eggs, salt, flour, nuts and vanilla

Combine well. Spread into the pan somewhat evenly - no need to be too picky or perfect.

bake for 40 minutes.

Let cool at least a few minutes before cutting.

[jennielynn1970]

Back to baking, ummmm stupid question. Can somebody explain the difference between electric and gas oven? I'm not even sure which one we have. I'm pretty sure it's gas. Maybe that's why I can't bake

Not a stupid question, like I said, I'm not sure what the oven burners we had in Sweden were even made out of, lol.


Electric ranges usually have coils that heat up for the stove top, and in the oven they have the same type of material for the heating elements, but they are not in coils/circles.
Here's a hot burner:


This is the oven heating element:


Many stoves/ranges now come with glass cooktops, so the surface of the stove is smooth, and the coils are underneath the glass cook top.

Glass top range:



Gas stoves have open flame burners. They have these "grates" that go over top of the gas element, like a grill top you might have outside, and your pots on on top of that (not like on an electric element where your pot goes directly on it).

Gas range here also has a griddle built in on the top for making pancakes and stuff (very cool!)


The oven element for gas ranges actually has open flame as well. This is what the top element looks like in a gas oven:


Normally the bottom gas element is below the "floor" of the oven, and you have vents where the heat and flames can come out by the sides.
I think this is from the bottom... it is under the base/floor of the oven, but the flames heat up and come that heat comes through in the open areas on the floor of the oven: