Pineapple Cake

I'll been baking this recipe since high school and its simple but delicious. Please do try it.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking with foil or wax paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add the eggs, vanilla and crushed pineapple, with liquid from can. Mix well to blend pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.

Banana Muffins

I baked this last Sun day and its good. Got the recipe from Joy of Baking but i do some changes instead of white chocolate I use the regular chocolate chips.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups ripe large bananas mashed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large banana, sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the muffin pan.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate or raisin. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.) Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and place a slice of banana on top of each muffin. Bake about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muffin

A muffin is a type of bread that is baked in small portions. Many forms are somewhat like small cakes or cupcakes in shape, although they usually are not as sweet as cupcakes and generally lack frosting. Savory varieties, such as cornbread muffins, also exist. They generally fit in the palm of an adult hand, and are intended to be consumed by an individual in a single sitting.

There are many varieties and flavors of muffins made with a specific ingredient such as blueberries, chocolate chips, cucumbers, raspberry, cinnamon, pumpkin, date nut, lemon, banana, orange, peach, strawberry, boysenberry, almond, and carrot. These ingredients are then baked into the muffin. Muffins are often eaten for breakfast; alternatively, they may be served for tea or at other meals.

Types of muffins

English Muffin

The English muffin is very different from the variety described on this page. The "English muffin" is yeast leavened and predates the baking powder leavened muffins. This produces a type of muffin with a thick, fluffy pastry and is usually baked as a disk typically about 8 cm in diameter. It is usually split into two, toasted and buttered, and bears a vague resemblance to a crumpet or pikelet. It also is eaten cold with a hot drink at coffee shops and diners. In her Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, Fannie Farmer gave recipes for both types of muffins, distinguishing between "raised" and adding instructions for a version that is nearly identical to today's "English muffin." Here the raised-muffin mixture was cooked in muffin rings on a griddle and flipped to brown both sides, producing a grilled muffin. Farmer indicated this was a useful method when baking in an oven was not practical.

Corn Muffin

Muffins made from cornmeal are popular in the United States. Though corn muffins can simply be muffin shaped cornbread, corn muffins tend to be sweeter. Similar to the pan variety, corn muffins can be eaten with butter or as a side dish with stews or chili.

Muffin paper cups

Muffin paper cups are round sheets of paper, foil or metal, with scallop-pressed edges, giving the muffin a round cup shape. Their shape can be compared to that of a disposable coffee filter. Muffin paper cups are used to line the bottoms of muffin pans, used in the baking of muffins to facilitate the easy removal of the finished pastry from the muffin tin.

The advantage to cooks is easier removal and cleanup, more precise form, and moister muffins; however, using them will prevent a crust.

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muffin

Lengua de Gato

Ingredients
3 eggwhites
1 c. of cake flour
1/2 c. of white sugar
1/2 c. of butter
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350oF. Grease and flour 2 baking sheets.

In a large bowl, cream the eggs and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the eggwhites while beating continuously. Fold in the flour, salt and vanilla mix until blended.

Put the batter in a pastry bag with a plain round tip. Pipe out the mixture about 2 inches long leaving an inch apart in between. Bake in in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the sheets at once. Cool and store in sealed containers.

Banana Cookies

Got this recipe from SIMPLY RECIPES and planning to try it this coming sunday.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 ½ large bananas)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of flour
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground mace or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 cup of pecans (walnuts and chocolate chips are fine alternatives)

Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2 In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda. Let sit for 2 minutes. The baking soda will react with the acid in the bananas which in turn will give the cookies their lift and rise.

3 Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture. Mix together the flour, salt, and spices and sift into the butter and banana mixture and mix until just combined.

4 Fold into the batter the pecans or chocolate chips if using. Drop in dollops onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Let cool on wire racks.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Chocolate fudge brownies

Got this from Ms. Connie of Pinoycook.net. I baked it last Sunday and it was good, pls. try it also and taste it for yourself.

Ingredients
3 eggs
3/4 c. of all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. of white sugar
3/4 c. of butter
3/4 c. of cocoa
1/4 c. of hotcake syrup
3 tbsp. of cooking oil
1/2 c. nuts
1/2 c. of chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 350oF. Grease a 9″x6″ cake pan.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, add the flour and sugar and mix until blended.

Over low heat, melt the butter then stir in the cocoa, hotcake syrup and oil. Cool for a few minutes. Pour into the flour mixture mix until well blended. Fold in the nuts. Pour into the greased pan, top with chocolate morsels and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. DO NOT OVERBAKE.
Cool before cutting.

Peanut Butter Cookie

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour, sift or stir before measuring
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Preparation
Preheat the oven at 375°F
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside. Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars; beat in vanilla and egg. Stir in flour mixture, blending well. Shape mixture into 3/4-inch balls; place on greased baking sheets. Flatten each cookie with the tines of a fork; dip fork in flour periodically to keep it from sticking to the peanut butter cookie dough.
Bake the cookies at 375° for about 10 to 12 minutes or until done.

DONENESS TESTS

When a recipe says to 'bake until done', that sounds like a specific instruction, but in reality you must learn what constitutes 'doneness', and use your own judgment. To one person, a bread that is dark golden brown and very crisp is 'done'. To another, light gold is the correct color, with a more moist interior. Whatever your personal preference, there are standard doneness tests you must learn before you can begin experimenting. First of all, always begin checking your cakes, cookies, or breads at the earlier doneness time specified in the recipe. In fact, I like to set my timer a few minutes earlier than the shortest baking time called for. You can always bake longer, but overbaked or burnt products are ruined!

Cakes

* A toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out either clean or with only a few crumbs clinging to it. If there is uncooked batter or many damp crumbs on the toothpick, return the cake to the oven and continue baking. Remember to set the timer again! I usually check after 3-4 minutes if the cake isn't quite done when I first test it.
* When a cake is done, the edges will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. This is an indication that the internal cake structure is firm and will hold after the cake is removed from the oven.
* Usually cakes are baked until they are an even golden brown color over the entire surface. The edges can be slightly darker.
* Using your index finger, touch the cake lightly in the center. If the cake feels springy and the indentation fills up when you remove your finger, the cake is done.

Quick Breads

* Breads should be golden in color, slightly darker around the edges.
* A large crack running down the center of the bread is normal. The inside of the crack should not look wet.
* The edges will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
* You can use the toothpick test for quick bread doneness too.

Cookies

* Cookies should be evenly golden in color.
* Cookies usually cool on a baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing. The residual heat from the cookie sheet will continue baking the cookies, so if the cookies don't look quite done in the center, they will finish baking in this short time.
* When cookies look done, they are done. You can use the fingertip test, but you'll usually be able to tell they are done just by looking at them. Make sure to follow the doneness instructions in the recipe. Brownies, for instance, are usually considered done when you 'observe a dry, shiny crust'.

Yeast Breads

* The crust should be an even golden color.
* The bread will pull away from the sides of the pan.
* The bread will sound hollow when you tap it lightly

Source : http://busycooks.about.com

Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk ( fresh )
2 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and milk and beat until well blended. Mix in all the rest of the ingredients, mix until no trace of flour is visible. Put the batter in a pastry bag and pipe it out into 2 inch lengths, with about 2 inch space in between cookie. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and allow to cool at wire rack.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups flour
1 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cups sugar
1/2 bar 8oz.Chocolate Bar (grated)
2 1/2 cups blended oatmeal
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (your choice)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars.
Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts.

Roll into balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookie

All time favorite cookie, loved by the kids and kids at heart.
Ingredients
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup butter shortening
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and shortenng with sugar then add the eggs one at a time. In another bowl mix all the dry ingredients, except oats and raisins. Combine the dry ingredients with the butter mixture, stir in oats, raisins. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack for cooling. The cookies will overcook if left on cookie sheet.

COOKIES

The word cookie comes from the Dutch work koekje which means small cake. And it was what the very first cookie were. Drops of cake batter were used to test the heat of the oven. Cookies come in different size, shapes and textures.
Different types of Cookies :
BARS - cookie batter is spread in a pan then baked. After baking they are cooled then cut into bars.
DROP – cookie batter is dropped by teaspoonfuls into cookie sheets.
REFRIGERATOR – cookie dough is formed into a log and then chilled. After chilling it is sliced thinly and baked.
ROLLED – cookie dough is chilled for easier handling them rolled out with a rolling pin, cut into different shapes and baked.
MOLDED – cookie dough is shaped by hand after chilling or pressed ino ready-made cookie mold.

Basic Steps in Baking

1. Read the recipe carefully, make sure you have all the ingredients and utensil needed and understand the entire procedure.
2. Gather all the necessary ingredients together and prepare the utensils you will need to measure, mix and baking.
3. Preheat the oven. Set the oven knob at the desired temperature. Hang an oven thermometer on the center rack. When the same temperature registers with the oven knob then the oven is ready to use.
4. Prepare the pan, make sure it’s the correct size. If it needs greasing, brush the pan with little shortening. For baking purpose, don’t use butter or margarine for greasing coz it burn easily and can produce a very brown crust.
5. Measure the ingredients using correct utensils in the amounts needed in the recipe.
6. Mix the batter or dough. When filling pan, make sure you don’t overfill. Fill about 2/3 full to give allowance for the rising.
7. Bake in the preheated oven. Put the pan at the center rack.
8. Test for doneness. For butter cakes, prick the center of the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean then it is done. For chiffon and sponge cake, press lightly with the fingers. If it springs back then it is done. Pies and pastries are done when the crust have turned golden brown, crisp and flaky.
9. Cool the baked goodies. For butter cake, put the pan on a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 mins. Afterwards, invert the pan to remove the cake and cool it completely. For sponge and chiffon cake, invert the pan at once on wire racks. Remove cookies from cookie sheets at once and cool on wire racks.
10. Assemble and decorate the cake only when is already cool.

Things to Remember to Produce a Quality Baked Goodies

Have a good quality ingredients. Check ingredients for any sign of deterioration or spoilage, better check the expiration dates.
Measure ingredients accurately. Remember that recipes have been prepared based on a standard proportions of the different ingredients. Measure the needed ingredients before starting the recipe.
Follow proper mixing procedures. Remember to consider the following sequence of addition of ingredients, length of mixing, temperature of mixing and method of mixing.
Use the specified size of baking pans stated in the recipe. This is important because proper use of pans will produce the desired volume of baked goods.
Set correct oven temperature and time during baking. This will safeguard your product from being underbaked or overbaked. Be sure the oven is pre-heated to the right temperature before you place the batter in the oven.
Observe good sanitation practice. Important to prevent contamination and spoilage of product and insuring its safety and good taste.

How to Prepare the Pan

GREASING PAN – With a pastry brush, apply a layer of shortening or oil at the inner sides and bottom of the pan.
SPRINKLING PANS W/FLOUR – Put about a tbsp. of flour into the greased pan. Lift the tin and swirl the flour around until inside of the pan is well-coated. Tip off excess flour.
LINING RECTANGULAR PANS – Lay a piece of greaseproof paper large enough to cover the base and side of the pan. Set the pan at the center and cut the paper from each corner to the nearest corner of the pan. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with shortening and then press the paper on the sides and the bottom, neatly overlapping the flaps.
LINING CIRCULAR PANS – Place the pan on a piece of grease-proof paper. Press the pan firmly on the paper with one hand and draw its outline with your free hand. Remove the pan and cut the paper just inside the outline to produce a shape that is slightly smaller than the pan. Press the shaped paper on the bottom of the greased pan and smooth it with your hands.

Techniques in Baking

After learning the different ingredients and utensils used in baking, you can now familiarize to the different techniques in baking. These techniques or methods have their specific purpose, so it is wise to follow what the recipe requires.
CREAMING – Rub one or more ingredients together against the sides of the bowl with a wooden spoon or mixer to make the mixture soft and fluffy.
BEATING/WHIPPING – A fork, wire whip, wooden spoon or mixer can be used to make a mixture smooth, or to introduce air by a brisk, regular motion that lifts the mixture over and over.
CUTTING IN – Cut shorting into cubes and put them into the bowl with the flour using a pastry blender. You can also use two knives, by making rapid criss-cross motion into the shortening. The lumps of shortening will be cut about the size of peas, coated with flour.
FOLDING ( cut and fold ) – Combine ingredients by using two motion: cutting vertically through the mixture and turning over by sliding the scraper across the bottom of the bowl with each turn.
KNEADING – Work and press the dough with palms and heels of the hands. This develop the gluten and makes the dough smooth and elastic.

Measuring Ingredients

One of the keys to successful baking is the correct measurement of ingredients. One should not only follow the amounts stated in a recipe but also measure them in the right way. Dry and liquid ingredients are measured differently.

* Sugar and all-purpose flour are measured by dipping the cups on to the container until filled then leveling it off with a spatula. For cake flour and powder sugar, are spooned onto the cup then leveled off.
* Liquid ingredients are poured into the spouted glass measuring cups places on a flat surface. Measurement is read at eye level.
* Small quantities of dry and liquid ingredients are measured using spoons. Dry ingredients are leveled off with a spatula.
* Shortening is measured by pressing down firmly into the measuring cups to make sure there are no air spaces.
* Brown sugar is also packed firmly to ensure proper measurement. When the cup is inverted the measured sugar should retain the shape of the cup.
* Butter need not be measured in cups. One bar of butter us already 1 cup so if you need ½ cup just divide the bar into 2, for 1/3 into 3, and so on.

Basic Utensils and Equipment in Baking

OVEN – The most important equipment in baking. It is an enclosed structure heated by electricity, gas, or charcoal.
GRADUATED MEASURING CUPS – are usually made of glass or plastic and are used for measuring liquids.
INDIVIDUAL MEASURING CUPS – are usually made of aluminum, stainless steel, or plastic and are used for measuring dry ingredients.
MEASURING SPOONS – used for measuring small amounts of ingredients.
MIXING BOWL - used for holding and mixing ingredients.
SIFTER – is usually made of wire mesh or fine plastic screen that sieves dry ingredients. Flour is usually sifted first before measuring to incorporate air into it.
WOODEN MIXING SPOONS, SCRAPES – use for mixing, choose the most convenient for you to use. Scraper is used to removed sticky ingredients from cups and sides of bowls and pushes batter to baking pans.
BAKING PANS – used to contain the batter while baking. Proper size and shape can affect the quality of the baked goods.
COOLING WIRE RACKS – these are important for cooling baked goods to prevent “wetting” or “steaming” of the bottom crust.
MIXERS – may be electric mixer or rotary egg beater. This will shorten the preparation time for baked goods specially icings.
TIMER – comes very handy to you as a beginner s it reminds you to check on the mixing or baking time.
OVEN THERMOMETER – gives the temperature inside the oven.
WIRE WHIP – this is a cluster of still wires used to egg whites and cream.

Basic Ingredients in Baking

FLOUR - is the basic ingredient in most baked products. Flour provides the structure or shape for the baked goodies. Different types of flour are used for baking, but the most commonly used is the all-purpose flour since it can be used for all kinds of baked goods. For cakes, its best to used cake flour because of its low protein content while for bread flour is most suitable for breads due to high protein content.

SUGAR - does not only function as a sweetener. It is also responsible for making the cake tender because it hinders in the hydration of flour, which is necessary in the development of glut. Sugars also provide the golden brown color of the baked goods. Most used is the refined white sugar or granulated sugar but there are some recipes call for brown sugar and even confectioners or powdered sugar.

FAT – makes the baked goodies tender, moist and rich. Butter or margarine is usually preferred because of baked flavor and for additional color. Shortening is also often used while other specifies oil. Butter can either be melted or creamed depending on what re recipes calls for.

LEAVING AGENTS – such us baking soda, baking powder and yeast. These produce carbon dioxide which is largely responsible for the rising of the cake or its volume. They also make cake light and porous. Baking soda, and baking powder are used for cakes and pastries while yeast is used for breads.

LIQUID – is also used to hold the batter or dough together and to blend all the ingredients. It can be in the form of water, milk or juices.

EGGS – is also used for additional structure, richness and nutrition. Important thing is use eggs of the same size.

FLOVIRINGS – can be nuts, dried or fresh fruits, flavorings, spices can be added to make the baked goods more flavorful and interesting.

Baking ????

The lingering smell of cookies or cake being bake in the oven sends anyone smelling it into the kitchen, like ants pouring around a mound of sugar. And the pride and satisfaction of the baker gets as his goodies are heartily consumed make the time and effort that go with the preparation of those palate delights all worth his while.
Aside from the time and effort, this blog aims to tell you what you need and what you should do to come up with mouth-watering baked goodies such as cookies, breads and cakes. I do not promise to turn you to a professional baker, but guarantee to you that you will be able to bake simple yet tasty goodies that can bring smile and wink of approval from anyone who taste them. And who knows it can help you financially by selling the most loved goodies that you learned.
What is baking? according to Wikipedia : Baking is the technique of prolonged cooking of food by dry heat acting by convection, and not by radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones. It is primarily used for the preparation of bread, cakes, pastries and pies, tarts, quiches, and cookies.