Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baking. Show all posts

Friday, October 20, 2023

How to Easily Cut a Cake into Layers Reviewed

layered cake
My husband bakes a delicious lemon cake for my birthday each year.  Last year, he commented that he would like to put more frosting on the cake and we discussed cutting the cake into layers the next time he made one.  In preparation for the event, I purchased a set of Layer Cake Slicer & Leveler Clamp Guides for Cutting Cakes into Layers.  When he baked the cakes this year, we put the guides to the test.

We clamped a guide on each end of our Dexter-Russell 12" Scalloped Slicer Knife, placed the knife halfway up the cake layer and started cutting.  The guides worked great!

I have been cutting cakes into layers for years by simply using my long chef's knife.  I would be the first to admit that my cut may not always be level, but it allows me to add more frosting in the cake. 

In the future, I will be using the cake slicer guides.  They certainly make a very level cut through the cake.

 

Recommended Cake Layer Cutting Knife Guides

I am amazed by how much difference these inexpensive knife guides make when cutting a cake into layers.  Without them, my cake layers have often been a little slanted.  That never really mattered to me, or at least I didn't think it mattered to me, because I was covering the cake with frosting.  After seeing how perfect my husband's cake layers looked, I will no longer be satisfied to have a slanting cake layer.

Because the kitchen counter is level, we placed a piece of wax paper on it, then set the cake on the wax paper.  We placed a piece of folded wax paper on the top of the cake so we could put a hand on the cake to hold it in place while cutting it.  Then, we clamped the guides on each end of the knife and started cutting.

Because the knife guides have 5 positions, you could cut at different levels, or perhaps cut a cake layer into several layers.  We simply wanted to cut ours in half. 

 

Wow!  It really is awesome to have this beautiful, level cake layer.

cut cake layer





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Monday, December 5, 2022

Reviewing Popover Recipes - Easy and Delicious Baked Treats

Once I was served warm popovers at a brunch I was obsessed. I had to have more. I had to be able to bake my own. These small baked treats are great with soups, stews, quiches, roasts, and so much more. They are surprisingly easy to throw together and throw into the oven. And they only require 6 ingredients: flour, eggs, salt, butter, milk, and eggs. There is a good chance you've heard of popovers. But just in case you haven't I want to make sure to spread the word.

photo: Fox Run Popover Pan

Earlier this year I was invited to a neighbors home for brunch. She served quiche and popovers. I had no idea what popovers were and when she shared what was on the menu I had a brief thought of "did she say PopTarts?".  It turns out that she did not say PopTarts. She was serving the most delicious quiche with these funny-looking biscuits called popovers. 

It is easiest for me to say that popovers are biscuits. They can be served in place of biscuits with breakfasts, roasts, soups, and stews. But for some reason, I want to call them a pastry. I don't know if baking experts would call them a pastry. But they are crispy on the outside while light and flaky on the inside. In fact, if you bake them on the shorter end of the recommended time, they are a bit like custard on the inside. 

The 6 Popover Ingredients

Popover recipes are all over the internet. They are basically equal (or almost equal) amounts of flour and milk. Added to 3 - 4 eggs, 2-3 tablespoons of butter, and a pinch of salt. The recipe I use is:

  • 1 c flour
  • 1 c milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp butter
Beat the ingredients until smooth. The batter is similar to pancake batter. You may think you've made a mistake and added too many wet ingredients. You haven't.

Martha Stewart uses 1 1/2 cup flour and 1 1/2 cup milk in her recipe. She also gives step-by-step instructions. Her recipe is here if you'd like to use that recipe. 

Popover Tips for Better Results


The same neighbor who served the popovers at the brunch also gave me a popovers pan. Popovers can be made in muffin tins but they do much better in a specific popover pan.

Spray just a small bit of cooking spray in the bottoms of the cups. 

Fill the popover pan cups only 1/2 full. They will rise and pop over the tops of the pans. If you are prone to overfill things, place the popover pan on a cookie sheet to catch any spillage. 

Hot oven. Popovers like 400 degrees or more. Some recipes call for a hotter over to begin with and lowering the temperature part way through. I don't mess with that. I do 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove the popovers from the pan as soon as they come out of the oven. 

The recipe I use makes almost 12 popovers. I tend to fill my popover cups slightly more than half. If I only filled them halfway the recipe would make 12 popovers. I also found that it makes it much easier to fill the cups using a glass measuring cup with a spout.

On the popover episode on America's Test Kitchen, they recommend bread flour and warming the milk and butter for better results.  I agree. When I remember to use bread flour and warm both the butter and milk (with the eggs at room temperature) I do have slightly better results. However, the recipe is forgiving. My neighbor sometimes uses almond milk and uses all purpose flour. I prefer whole milk and bread flour. 

Popovers are an excellent part of your daily menu and a wonderful item to serve to guests.






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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Reviewing Baking Irish Soda Bread With A Twist.

 

Irish Soda Bread

Soda bread is bread but made without yeast and there is no need to wait for it to rise or have resting periods. So it is a very quick and easy delicious bread to make. 

You can find the basic recipe in many places online but I wanted to tell you about the things I do to make it a little extra special.

I first made Irish Soda bread with my Mum and have continued t make it throughout my life. It is a bread I really like and it is easy and fun to make. 


What You Need To Bake Soda Bread

Weighing scales

A large mixing bowl

A normal eating knife

A teaspoon

A clean clear surface 

A measuring jug 


Irish Soda Bread


Basic Ingredients To Bake Soda Bread

Wholemeal strong flour 500g

2 teaspoons of sea salt or ordinary salt if you don't have sea salt

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

400ml of milk. Whole milk is recommended but I have found you can use whole milk or semi-skimmed and I also use Almond milk. 

1 lemon or about 4-5 teaspoons of lemon juice if you don't have a lemon to squeeze

2 teaspoons of honey - I have found you can omit this if you don't like or cannot have honey.


Irish Soda Bread cooling

 Baking Method

  • Pre Heat oven to gas mark 6 or 200C/180C fan
  • Mix together in a large bowl the flour, bicarb of soda and salt.
  • This is also the time to add any other optional dry ingredients
  • Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a jug then wait one minute and it turns into buttermilk. Add the honey at this stage if you wish.
  • Pour the milk mixture into the bowl and stir gently ideally using a knife, not your hands, so the dry ingredients and the milk mixture come together in a sticky dough. 
  • Handle the dough as little as possible. This bread is much better the less we handle it. 
  • Take the dough which will feel quite sticky and place it onto a floured surface. I use the same wholemeal flour.  Quickly shape it into a round or oval shape covering all sides with the flour. 
  • The dough should then be placed on a floured baking tray and make a cross on the top with the knife. Then put it straight into the pre heated oven. You do not need to allow any time for rising with this bread recipe, in fact the sooner you get it in the oven at this point the better. 
  • It will need about 40 minutes in the oven. However, we have found in a fan oven it needs a little less. So I generally check it halfway through.
  • After baking leave it to cool on a wire rack. Or eat it warm. 


Additional Ingredients To Make Soda Bread Special

I have experimented with quite a few ingredients and these are my favourites. All of these should be added to the dry flour mix before adding the milk.

If you add a lot more dry ingredients you will need to increase the amount of milk mix accordingly, so that it is not too dry. 


Rosemary Herb


Rosemary- we have lots of rosemary in the garden so I just cut some fresh green tender growth beforehand and wash it then chop it very finely and add it to the mix. It smells amazing and is lovely in this recipe.

I am thinking you could add any herbs you like to this recipe. I have wondered what it would be like with lavender or chives. 


Cinnamon- We both love cinnamon and so add it to this recipe. It smells and tastes gorgeous and an added bonus is the whole house is beautifully scented of cinnamon! 

I would also like to try ginger when I am making more of a bread-cake mix. 

 

Oats. We just use normal breakfast porridge oats and add about a cupful to the recipe. If you do this you will find you need to increase the amount of milk accordingly or it will be too dry. 

Adding oats gives the bread more body and makes it more into a very tasty and filling healthy cake.  

Fruit. I have tried a lot of different fruits and I think the most successful are dried good quality raisins and cherries either fresh or frozen -ones defrosted beforehand. You could add whatever are your favorite fruits. 


If you are making more of a soda bread - cake you can also sprinkle with icing sugar or decorate the top to your individual taste after baking. This makes it unique and individual for occasions like Halloween or Christmas bread. 

Now you can add all these additional ingredients but it is probably best to exercise some restraint and add one or two extra and see how you like it. 

You can eat it with butter, margarine, cream or jam or it tastes just lovely on its own. We often have the simple bread recipe mix with no extra ingredients with a stew or with chilli. When we add the extra ingredients we like to eat it warm on its own. 

 

I prefer this soda bread mix warm but If it does cool completely and we want it warm we find it is perfectly fine to warm up again with 5 minutes in the oven without burning or losing its quality. 

I like making this bread as it is very quick, easy and satisfying to make. You can adapt the recipe to suit you, and it can be vegetarian and diabetic-friendly.

I am honestly not sure how long it should last as a loaf is always gone in a maximum of two days here! I imagine perhaps three or four days stored properly would be about right. 

This soda bread is wonderful as a supper snack, with the main meal and also, especially if you add oats as breakfast.


I like baking but I do not get much time these days so this quick recipe is great for me. I am sure the true chefs and avid bakers amongst you can make this even more delicious! 

The whole task takes about an hour and most of that is the oven doing the cooking so maybe 15-20 minutes or less of preparation time so is easy bread making.

We find it is especially lovely to eat home made soda bread warm on an autumn or winter's day and often it does not last long enough to completely cool on the rack!


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Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Hooray, Today is National Brownie Day and Time to Celebrate!- A Recipe Review

Come celebrate with me!  

Today is National Brownie Day and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than to get out the mixer and fix my family up with some ooey, gooey, good BROWNIES!
National Brownie Day - Brownie recipe in cookbook

I think the thing I like the most about BROWNIES, is that they can be a very plain (but still delicious) dessert, or you can dress them up in so many different ways to make them look picture perfect for any company you may have.

Did you know that the first brownies recipes were published around the turn of the century about 1904.  They were part of regional cookbooks and often found in newspapers.  That is a pretty long history if you ask me.  And they are still favorites all around the country.  Chocolate brownies are number one with "Blondie" Brownies coming a close second.  

What's a Blondie?   Let's set the record straight, it has nothing to do with Hair!  Blondies are cousins to Brownies, just made without the chocolate, hence the lighter color and name!  

Did you know that there are several myths about where Brownies first came into being?  One myth has a baker accidentally mixing liquid chocolate in a biscuit recipe.  Oh happy accident if that is the way it happened.  Another myth is that someone making a chocolate cake forgot to add the flour to the recipe and then there's the one of the housewife who ran out of baking powder and decided to serve her guests "flattened cake".   This last one is my personal favorite because I have been known to do without certain ingredients and adding others in their stead, when making a recipe.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it is a disaster.

But let's get back to the good stuff.  Brownies are a favorite in most families and I know from past experience that they are wonderful sellers at any "Bake Sale." Simple brownies are just made in the pan and cut up.  Dressing your brownies up with frosting and sprinkles or nuts can give the lowly brownie a very dressed up, decadent appearance suitable for any company!

You can also find many recipes for Brownies and some of the best are the ones that have been shared in regional cookbooks and simple cookbooks put together for School or Church fundraisers.  You know you are getting tried and true recipes from these sources.  It's a matter of pride for the bakers who attach their name to the recipe!

So no further stalling, here is a great recipe that I have used and loved!  
Originally found on Ricardocuisine,com:
 

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 oz dark chocolate, chopped 
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • optional ingredients can include chopped walnuts, chopped hazelnuts, broken pieces of candy canes, mini marshmallows (either the plain or fruit flavoured)  
 
DIRECTIONS 
  1. Oven rack should be in the middle part of the oven pre-heated to 350 F.
  2. Butter or spray with non-stick spray the bottom of an 8 inch square baking dish.  Use parchment paper and let the excess hang over the sides of your baking dish. 
  3. Using a bowl, over a pan of boiling water, or alternately in the microwave oven, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool. 
  4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar and salt with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add chocolate/butter mixture and flour and stir until smooth. Pour this all into the prepared pan. 
  5. Baking time about 23 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out just a little bit moist (If it is dry you will have very dry brownies and should use icing to get some moisture back into the mix)
  6. Let cool in the pan and place the pan on a rack.  It will take about 1.5 hours. Remove from pan and cut into squares.  Or if you want to get really artistic, you can cut them into any desired shape and eat the extra pieces from between!   Serve warm or cold. Baked Brownies
These are plain brownies with great taste and nice presentation. But, and this is a big BUT, you can add other ingredients to this basic brownie recipe to make something even more special! Add chopped nuts, or marshmallows (the little mini ones), crushed peppermints are a great add too,  or leave the recipe as is and make an icing for them.  The combinations are endless and each will have a slightly different flavor when you are done.  
All I know is that your family will enjoy this treat and you just might find yourself making them more than once in a while.

These days I make these brownies for the family, but, I myself will not indulge.  I will make the recipe that our own Margaret Schindel has finessed to fit with my Keto Lifestyle!  So I still get to have some Brownie fun without all the carbs!  You can find her recipe right here: and a whole lot more.

Now I'm going to make another suggestion for all of you!  If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and/or nephews, invite them over to share all these wonderful Brownies you've made and then spend the afternoon writing letters to SANTA!  

Did you know that you could write to SANTA, send your letter in the mail and get a response from him and all it will cost you is the time to write the letters?

Canada Post and all their "ELVES" make sure that letters addressed to Santa, get to him!  His address is very simple:


SANTA CLAUS
NORTH POLE 
CANADA 
and don't forget the postal code:
HOHOHO

No Postage necessary, the elves will get the letters to Santa, but be sure to send a return address!

Now everyone's tummy is full of goodness and the letters have been written, so it's time to settle in and wait for that wonderful holiday that is just on the horizon!



National Brownie Day












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Wednesday, January 13, 2021

OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan Review

I discovered the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Baking Pan line while researching options for replacing my old Teflon nonstick baking pans with ones that had newer, more durable, and safer PFOA-free coatings. 

I purchased the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro 1-Lb. Loaf Pan recently, and I am quite impressed with its value and performance so far. In fact, I'm seriously considering buying other pans from this line to replace my older Teflon nonstick bakeware.

Why the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan Deserves a Place in Your Kitchen
This durable one-pound loaf pan features a durable molded, seamless construction, sturdy square-rolled edges to prevent warping, and a PFOA-free nonstick coating in a light champagne-gold color and micro-textured bottom surface that promote even baking.

Pre-2015 Nonstick Bakeware Is Not Safe to Use

Until six years ago, most nonstick bakeware (and cookware) used a Teflon coating made with both PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PFOA has been linked to cancer and other health risks, and is one of a group of manmade chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In 2006, because of concerns about the impact of PFOA and long-chain PFASs on human health and the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a PFOA Stewardship Program, asking the eight leading companies in the PFAS industry to commit to voluntarily eliminating PFOA and related chemicals and emissions by 2015. 

PTFE continues to be used in Teflon and other nonstick coatings, and while some people have concerns about its safety, most experts consider nonstick bakeware and cookware with coatings containing PTFE to be safe, as long as they are:

  • treated and cleaned with care to avoid scratches or abrasion
  • not overheated or preheated empty
  • replaced after a few years, when the coating begins to show signs of fine scratches or abrasion
  • discarded as soon as the coating is scratched or chipped 

Time to Replace Old Nonstick Baking Pans!

Last year, I replaced all my old nonstick pots and frying pans with Copper Chef Black Diamond Nonstick Cookware. During my research, I discovered that some of the newer nonstick coatings not only are safer, but also perform better than older types. Now, I'm starting the process of replacing my large collection of older nonstick baking pans, too. (Copper Chef Black Diamond Nonstick Cookware has a diamond-infused ceramic nonstick coating that is both PFOA-free and PTFE-free, and that I know from experience delivers excellent performance. If only they made baking pans, too!)

I became an avid home baker at the tender age of nine. During my mid-twenties and early thirties, when I was married to an attorney at a prominent New York City law firm, we did a lot of formal entertaining, and our dinner parties always ended with a choice of elaborate cakes or pastries for dessert. Now, more than 30 years later, I am happily married to a man in a different profession, and we live in the Boston suburbs, and if I never host another five-course dinner party extravaganza, that will be just fine with me! Since I live a very different lifestyle now than I did back then, I've decided to replace only the pans I use on a regular basis, rather than the entire, extensive collection of both basic and specialty bakeware I am getting rid of.

Since trying out nonstick pans from a few different companies was a successful strategy that helped me determine which brand and type of coating performed best in my kitchen, I'm planning to follow the same approach as I begin the process of replacing my old nonstick baking pans 

Ever since I switched to a low carb keto approach to eating in May 2019, I have been baking, rather than buying, the majority of the low carb bread I use. So, I decided to shop for a nonstick loaf pan first. 

After doing a bunch of online research, as usual, before deciding which one to buy, I recently ordered an OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan (with fast, free shipping, thanks to Amazon Prime!). I thought it might be helpful to share the things I looked for in narrowing down the available options, and why I ultimately chose this particular pan. I will need to see how well it performs over time before I can recommend it without reservations. 

I often like to bake two loaves of bread and put one in the freezer, which doesn't take much more time and effort than baking a single loaf. Given my strategy of testing individual pieces from a few different brands (or with different coating materials), I'm still trying to decide which one to buy for my second nonstick loaf pan. However, when I do, I am looking forward to comparing how the two measure up against each other. Stay tuned for future updates!

Key Features and Benefits of the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan

OXO nonstick loaf pan - Amazon product image
Product image courtesy of Amazon

I have long been a fan of the OXO kitchenware brand, and have been buying and using their products for a very long time. However, I was quite surprised to discover the OXO Good Grips brand (which I have always associated with kitchen tools and cooking utensils) on a line of bakeware, as I was doing my online research! 

It's definitely not a brand that comes to mind when I think about baking pans. But, since the kitchen tools and cooking utensils I have bought from them over the years have been durable, well made, and well designed, I decided to give OXO the benefit of the doubt and keep an open mind. I'm glad I did!

Here are the most important features and attributes that influenced my decision to choose the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan, rather than one of the many other nonstick loaf pans on the market from competing brands.

Ceramic-Reinforced, Two-Layer, Commercial Grade Nonstick Coating for Durability

Obviously, the most important among my selection criteria when researching and shopping for a new loaf pan was a PFOA-free nonstick coating. I also knew from my experience with my Copper Chef Black Diamond nonstick pots and pans that a ceramic component adds durability to nonstick coatings, so I was pleased that the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro line uses what the company describes as a "Swiss-engineered, PTFE, ceramic reinforced, two-layer, commercial-grade coating," ILAG Non-Stick Ultimate Resist R Plus, that resists scratching, staining, corrosion, and abrasion. These qualities help give these pans a longer, safer, useful life, as long as they are treated with care and not preheated empty or allowed to get too hot. (For example, I would never use a pan with a nonstick coating to bake a recipe with a topping that needs to be caramelized under the broiler.)

Light-Colored Nonstick Coating and Micro-Textured Surface for Even Baking

Most nonstick loaf pans, cake pans, muffin tins, and other bakeware has a dark coating. Unfortunately, since dark colors absorb heat, the sides and bottom of whatever you put in them bakes (or cooks, in the case of a meat loaf, for example) faster than the top or center of the pan's contents. In fact, by the time the center tests done, the bottom and sides are often overbaked or even burned. Until recently, all nonstick baking pans had dark-colored coating, which is why some recipes tell you to reduce the oven temperature if you use a nonstick pan. 

By contrast, light colors reflect heat instead of absorbing it. So using a pan with a light-colored nonstick coating promotes more even baking (or cooking). 

I first discovered bakeware with a light, metallic gold- or champagne-colored nonstick coating quite a few years ago at Williams-Sonoma. Then Nordic Ware came out with gold-colored nonstick versions of their gorgeous, elaborate, specialty baking pans. I confess, I have secretly coveted them ever since! But back when I was drooling over them, the prices for pieces with the light-colored coating seemed exorbitant, compared to the cost of their counterparts with the much more common dark-colored coating, and I refrained from indulging. 

When I started my current product research product, I was surprised and delighted to find that the prices for pans with a lighter champagne- or gold-colored nonstick coating have come down quite a bit, which makes these a much more affordable and practical option. 

I also love the look of these lighter-colored coatings. Since I usually make myself choose function over form when buying something practical, like a nonstick loaf pan, it's quite a treat to find one that whose excellent performance is also paired with a beautiful finish.

Extreme close-up of micro-textured surface on the bottom of the pan
The light-colored ceramic-reinforced PFOA-free nonstick coating promotes even baking, and the micro-textured bottom surface of the pan promotes airflow. 

There is also a unique, micro-textured surface pattern on the bottom that minimizes contact between the food and the pan, and allows some airflow under the loaf. I've found that this not only prevents my bread loaves from having a burned bottom crust, but also avoids sogginess that can occur from steam condensation when a freshly baked loaf needs to stay in the pan at the start of the cooling cycle before being removed to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Seamless Interior and Rounded Corners for Easy Clean-Up

One of my pet peeves about nonstick baking pans is the seams, especially the corner seams. I always grease my pans, even those with an anti-stick coating, before adding a dough or batter, sometimes followed by a thin coating of cocoa powder or low carb flour. Thoroughly cleaning the residue from the narrow points at the bottom corners, using nothing narrower or firmer than the edge of a soapy sponge (to avoid abrading the coating), can be challenging. 

I always dreamed of having nonstick baking pans with rounded corners and no seams, like my old glass cake pans. When I saw this OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro loaf pan, it felt like someone had overheard that dream and decided to make it come true.

The seamless interior and rounded corners really do make this loaf pan is an absolute breeze to clean! I'm pretty sure that the lack of seams or sharp corners will also make the nonstick interior less prone to wear or cracking.

Strength and Structural Rigidity for Warp Resistance

I have a few pieces of cookware and bakeware that, despite being constructed from heavy-gauge metal, tend to warp after they have been on a hot stove or in a hot oven for a while. This really bugs me, and especially on a nonstick pan, whose coating was not designed to hold up to repeated flexing and twisting! So, now that I'm shopping for new pans, I'm looking for ones that are made to resist warping. 

One of the things I liked about the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan it that was designed with structural integrity and rigidity in mind, which increase durability and help prevent warping. 

Square-rolled edge of OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro loaf pan
Square-rolled edge increases rigidity, creates a wider lip/more secure grip
This metal pan is made from commercial grade, heavy gauge, aluminized steel, which not only has excellent thermal conductivity for fast, even heat distribution, but also provides durability and structural stability. The micro-textured bottom also contributes to the pan's structural rigidity. 

The square-rolled edge is another important feature for better structure, strength, and durability. Unlike most loaf pans, whose rim is formed by folding the sheet metal over a piece of wire, the rim around the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan is formed from a single piece of steel, molded into what the company calls "a unique square-roll shape." This uniform construction and substantial, square-rolled edge creates a thick, solid rim that not only adds structural rigidity, it also makes the pan easier to grip and lift. That's a design feature I really appreciate, especially when I'm moving a full, hot metal loaf pan from the oven to a heatproof mat or cooling rack!

Commercial Grade Materials and Construction for Superior Performance

While it may be tempting to buy the cheapest nonstick pans you can find, since they have a limited recommended lifespan, in my experience, that approach is penny-wise and pound-foolish. I've only made that mistake twice, when I was much younger, and it taught me the value of spending a bit more to get nonstick bakeware made with high quality materials and durable construction. Commercial grade materials and construction, designed to meet the much more demanding requirements of a commercial kitchen, will perform better, last longer, and resist not only warping but also scratches and abrasion, significantly extending their safe, useful life before they need to be replaced. 

I have found that in the long run, the cost of buying well made, commercial quality bakeware and cookware is almost always a better investment than buying cheaper, lower quality, less durable pans that don't perform or hold up as well and need to be replaced much sooner.

Versatile Size for Different Types of Recipes

The OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan is designed for a 1-pound loaf, which is pretty standard. Since my previous loaf pans had always been 9" x 5" and this one is 8.5" x 4.5", I wanted to make sure the slightly smaller dimensions would work for the majority of recipes. 

The baking pros at King Arthur Baking Company are a trusted, authoritative source of professional expertise. Their advice (like their recipes) is consistently excellent, helpful, and reliable. So, when I was researching nonstick loaf pans, their website was one of the resources I turned to.

The King Arthur blog post on "Choosing the right bread pan" explain that some yeast bread doughs can be baked successfully in either a 9" x 5" or an 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan, while others turn out better in one size pan or the other, depending on both the type of flour and the number of cups of flour the recipe calls for. 

According to the post, any yeast bread loaf recipe that uses 3 cups of flour (or slightly less) should be baked in an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" pan. A recipe that uses 3 1/2 cups of flour can be baked in either size pan (although the smaller loaf pan is recommended for whole grain breads and the 9" x 5" pan is preferred for yeast doughs made with all-purpose or bread flour). The only yeast bread doughs that definitely should be baked in the larger pan are single-loaf recipes that use at least 3 3/4 cups of flour, regardless of type. 

Since I can't foresee many occasions when I might want to bake a really large loaf of bread, the article confirmed that an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan would be fine for the majority of recipes, including the (yeast-free) low carb bread I'm mostly baking these days, most of which specify this pan size. It's also a nice size for baking a meatloaf whose slices fit neatly between two slices of bread. (Meatloaf sandwich, anyone? Yes, please!)

Length and width markings stamped into the inside of the nonstick loaf pan
The length and width markings are permanently stamped into the metal, instead of the more common printed dimensions that can wear off over time

I also really appreciate having the dimensions in both inches (4.5 x 8.5 in) and centimeters (11.5 x 21.5 cm) stamped permanently into the metal, in large, raised letters and numbers that are very easy to read, without having to turn the pan over to see them.

Note: The exterior dimensions of the OXO pan are 9" x 5", due in part to the wide square-rolled edges; however, the interior dimensions, which are the ones that count, are 8.5" x 4.5".

Made in the USA

It's getting harder to find well made, reasonably priced products manufactured in the USA. I prefer to buy American-made goods, when possible, so the fact that this OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro loaf pan is made in the USA was definitely a big point in its favor. It feels good to support American businesses that make high quality products and continue to manufacture them in this country and providing employment opportunities for American workers, especially now that so many companies have relocated or built plants in countries where they can lower their labor costs by paying cheaper wages.

Note: This pan is "Made in the USA from globally sourced materials." That's not surprising, since fewer and fewer products are being manufactured exclusively with USA-sourced materials. 

Excellent Value

For me, the value of a product is a function of both price and quality: is what the product provides in terms of function, form, useful lifespan, etc., worth the price? It's common for manufacturers to compete for market share by identifying popular, successful, highly rated products from other companies and creating their own versions (knock-offs) that look and sound extremely similar and cost less. But in order to sell the product for less, they need to manufacture it for less (or use a different distribution model, such as direct-to-consumer sales). And, often, the way they bring down the retail price is to cut corners, either by removing certain features or using less expensive (and usually lower quality) materials or manufacturing/construction methods. 

Since the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan looks quite similar to the higher-priced Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Loaf Pan of the same size, I decided to compare their technical specs and product descriptions before finalizing my decision to purchase the OXO pan. Here's how they stack up against each other, as of this writing, with differences highlighted in green (better value) or orange (not as much value):

OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Willams-Sonoma Goldtouch Pro
Size: 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches high  8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 inches high
Capacity: 1 lb. 1 lb.
Where It's Made: Made in the USA with globally sourced materials Made in the USA with globally sourced materials
Materials: Commercial-grade aluminized steel Commercial-grade aluminized steel
Light-colored, ceramic-reinforced, PFOA-free nonstick coating Light-colored, ceramic-reinforced, PFOA-free nonstick coating
Max Temperature: Up to 450 ℉ Up to 450 ℉
Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand washing recommended Yes, but hand washing recommended
Construction: Seamless, molded construction Seamed, folded construction
Square-rolled rim formed from a single sheet of steel Rim reinforced with coated wire
Micro-textured diamond-patterned bottom surface Smooth bottom surface
Price as of 1/12/21: $17.99 on amazon.com $21.95 on williams-sonoma.com
Shipping Cost: Prime FREE delivery (for Amazon Prime members) $6.99 shipping and processing fee for standard shipping (3-Day Select)
MA Sales Tax: $1.12 $1.37
Total Cost (Delivered): $19.11 $30.31

Based on the product information I was able to find on Amazon, Williams-Sonoma, and other retailers' sites, the two pans are extremely similar in some ways. However, the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan's seamless, molded construction and rounded corners give it an edge in terms of durability, warp-resistance, and ease of cleaning. Best of all, those superior features and attributes also come at a better price. The total cost for this pan, including the purchase price, sales tax, and delivery, is 30 percent less than the total delivered cost of the similar Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Loaf Pan!

Getting a better pan for less money definitely makes the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro pan an excellent value.

Timing is Everything!

The day before this post was published, I noticed this pan wasn't in stock on Amazon, but could be ordered with an expected delivery date in late February. However, it is a few minutes before this post is set to publish, and it appears that, at the moment, the pan is no longer available to buy new at the $17.99 price with free delivery. A couple of sellers are offering new pans for twice that price, and it's currently available in Used - Very Good condition from Amazon Warehouse for $16.55 with free Prime Delivery. If you're interested in getting one or more of these nonstick loaf pans, I suggest checking back once a week over the next few weeks to see when it becomes available to order new for $17.99 again with free Prime delivery.

Wouldn't Someone You Know Love to Receive a New, High Quality Nonstick Loaf Pan?

Most home cooks and bakers own at least one loaf pan. But chances are good that either they don't yet have a well-made, nonstick loaf pan that's in good shape and has a PFOA-free coating, or that they have a nonstick loaf pan (or two) that is starting to show a few scratches and is no longer safe to use, but they haven't yet gotten around to buying a new one to replace it. 

Either way, I'm sure that one (or a pair) of these OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pans would be a welcome addition to their kitchen cabinet, pantry, or wherever they keep their baking pans. And with a price tag of only $17.99, it's an affordable as well as thoughtful gift that they will likely get a lot of use from. 

Happy baking!

OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Loaf Pan Review by Margaret Schindel

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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Robin Sloan's Sourdough, A Book Review

Sourdough Book Review

We love Sourdough. It is nearly unanimous in our book club. Not a cookbook, it is instead a funny story that is very readable, which is what we all need this year. It is a bizarre yet magical fairy tale of sorts set in today's world. It is about finding your passion and following it and about baking bread and the science of baking bread. In particular, it is about sourdough bread and the life of one computer programmer who learns to make some very special bread. 


BOOK SUMMARY

Robin Sloan's Sourdough Book Review
Author Robin Sloan reckons that Sourdough may be the first English book to feature a sourdough starter that has feelings as as an important supporting character.  The other main character is a lonely young woman named Lois who takes a programming job in San Francisco where she passes the days and nights of her life doing work that she does not care for. 

Eventually, Lois is finds an escape after repeatedly ordering takeout from a mysterious little café. The owners of the café serve up  combination of spicy soup and sourdough bread that is very comforting to Lois and that restores both her body and her soul. She becomes their Number One Eater or at least a very loyal, regular customer. However, her relationship with the café comes to an abrupt end but not before she takes ownership of the sourdough starter. The starter is alive, which means she has to look after it or it will die. 

Anyway, it turns out that this starter is quite special and Lois makes the best sourdough bread ever with it. Indeed it is so successful that she leaps head first into baking bread and the bread literally changes her life. It helps her to climb out of the low spot that she has been barely surviving in by introducing her to new people and giving her a passion project. 

Eventually the bread leads her to a farmer's market unlike the one you thought of when I said the words farmer's market. This market is a part of the underground economy. It is radical and it is filled with experimental foodstuffs. To be invited to this market means that there is something unusual about what you do and in Lois' case it is because of her story. That is a successful software programmer turned baker. What happens next? Well, let me just say it is all very unexpected and you will have to read the book to find out.

Sourdough is about San Francisco. It is about geeks, nerds, coders, secret societies, conspiracies, books and even about robots. It is a look at two kinds of culture: the worlds of high-tech culture and bread culture, which you might not think could collide. Finally and obviously, it's about bread.


IS IT RECOMMENDED?

Sourdough Bread Story by Robin Sloan
Yes! The book Sourdough  is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me though I am pretty partial to sourdough bread, too. The book may have bread as the focus but it is not boring. It is a work of fiction that is easy and light and might just make you happy. Consider what these others have had to say about the book:

The Guardian says, "Sourdough is a soup of skillfully balanced ingredients: there’s satire, a touch of fantasy, a pinch of science fiction, all bound up with a likeable narrator whose zest for life is infectious. The novel opens a door on a world that’s both comforting and thrillingly odd. Savour it."  I like this recipe and I did savour the book.

The L.A. Times says, “Sourdough displays both lightness and a yearning for escape, but only in the best sense." I agree. Lois is on an entertaining adventure that I was only too happy to go along on.

In her letter to the book blogger Nut Free Nerd (NFN) says, "You (the book) reminded me of the value of carving out time in a busy schedule to do the things you love, and that you never know where life will take you...You were so wacky and whimsical and witty and entertaining that I found myself constantly thinking about you in between reading you and I still find myself thinking about you all these weeks later." I'm with NFN. I was reminded to stop working and to make time for life and the things I love and enjoy and like NFN, I am still thinking about the book, still cultivating sourdough starter and still trying to make sourdough bread in my bread machine. 

Finally, here's a one-minute review of the book:


 

WARNINGS

Sourdough by Robin Sloan is a Good Loaf
Some prefer the first half of the book to the second as the second half takes a turn you might not see coming. I was okay with the twist, which is simply totally unexpected and not offensive in any way. There is really not a lot to be offended by in this book. There is some mild swearing and of course, this book will make you want to to eat or maybe even bake sourdough bread. There is the potential to gain weight if you find yourself needing sourdough bread. Finally, there is a lot of food wastage but at least, it's not real food that is being wasted and definitely no characters go hungry in the book. Slurry, anyone?

WHO WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK?

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book including but not limited to foodies and bread lovers, bakers and non-bakers and computer folk.  Anyone who is looking for something fun with an almost discernable scent of bread will enjoy it and as the L.A. Times says, anyone who is looking for a book that is "light but not trite" will find that this book rises to the occasion , pun intended. This book will entertain you and it might also leave you pondering which is a better of doing things - the traditional way or new and improved ways.

I recommend buying the hardcover copy of the book. It has a textured cover that glows in the dark, which is totally appropriate for the this book and the properties of the sourdough starter. Find your copy of Sourdough in whatever format you prefer on Amazon by clicking right here

Finally, I want you to admit that the loaf of sourdough bread in the introductory photograph was not baked by me. It is a product of the most amazing folk at Black Walnut Bakery in Cumberland near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

See you
at the bookstore!
Brenda

Quick Links:



Sourdough or, Lois and her Adventures in the Underground Market by Robin Sloan


A review of the novel about Sourdough bread by Robin Sloan








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