Proofing Yeast

If there is any doubt about whether or not the yeast is still alive, it should be "proofed" before it is added to the other ingredients. Proofing is accomplished as follows -

1. Combine the yeast with warm liquid and a small amount of flour or sugar.

2. Let the mixture rest at room temperature until a thick surface foam forms.

3. The foam indicates that the yeast is alive and can be used. If there is no foam, the yeast is dead and should be discarded.

Sourdough starters are used to leaven a variety of country-style breads, biscuits and even pancakes. Sourdough starters are essentially cultures produced by blending flour and water. This mixture is then inoculated with an existing yeast, or is left exposed so that wild yeast, naturally present in the air, will begin the process of fermentation.

Starters can be kept alive for extended periods, by replenishing the flour and water as some of the starter is removed to prepare baked goods, This long life has become the stuff of legend in some bakeries where the culture has been kept alive for years, even decades.

Different parts of the world have different types of wild yeasts, which lend a particular flavor to the sourdough starter. In addition, the degree of sourness considered appropriate varies from one region or country to another. San Francisco sourdough is different from that produced in France.

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Puff Pastry

A wonderfully rich and flaky pastry, puff pastry is made by enclosing butter inside a sheet of pastry. Once the pastry is wrapped around the butter, the dough is rolled and folded several times to make many thin layers of butter and pastry. When it is baked, the pastry rises and separates into layers as the steam released from the butter lifts up the thin sheets of dough. Puff pastry makes incredibly luscious sweet and savory baked goods, including tart shells and napoleons. Yeast is sometimes added to puff pastry to make the dough used for croissants.

When storing, wrap well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Dip the cookie cutter into flour to prevent it from sticking when cutting shapes out of dough. To avoid an uneven rise, use a cookie cutter that has a relatively sharp edge. Cut straight down and lift straight up without twisting from side to side. If you are slicing pastry dough, use a pastry wheel or pizza cutter. If you are using knife, it should be sharp. Press the blade through rather than dragging it through the dough. Also, make sure that any egg wash that you brush onto the cutouts does not drip down the sides.

To save preparation time, stock commercially prepared, frozen puff pastry. It is widely available and is such a versatile product that it should be a staple in every home cook's freezer. Defrost the pastry in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using.

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Puree

Purees are used to make soups, dips and spreads, and to add body to sauces, purees are made by reducing solid foods to a paste. It may be savory or sweet. Vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, or carrots can be pureed to make comforting side dishes. And fruit purees are often used as sauces and fillings for cookies, cakes and tarts.

Some of the basic -

• To puree small quantities of food : Use a mortar and pestle, the perfect tools for crushing small amounts of food with minimal effort.

• To make chunky purees of vegetables or fruits : Use a wire masher.

• To make the finest-textured purees : Add only a small amount of liquid.

• To puree fruits and vegetables and eliminate any seeds or skins in the process : Use a food mill. The best ones have interchangeable plates to make fine to coarse purees.

• To puree very liquid mixtures, such as soups : Use a food processor, blender, or handheld immersion blender.

• To make perfectly smooth purees : Strain the puree through a sieve.

• To store leftover purees : Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 1 month.

Vegetable purees make a unique and flavorful side dish, and when steamed, the vegetables retain their nutritional value. If serving more than one vegetable puree, place contrasting colors side by side, swirling the two together (such as spinach and butternut squash). You can also use a vegetable puree as a low-fat base for soups or sauces. Purees lend a velvety texture that allows you to eliminate or use less cream, milk, or other dairy products.

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