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----- Original Message -----
From: Heidi
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 2:18 PM
Subject: Caster Sugar Recipe Request
Hello Uncle Phaed
Would you be so kind as to try to find me instructions on how to make Caster Sugar?
I have checked websites and your Archives with no success. The only thing I found out
(by word of mouth) was to put it in a blender. I'd like to know for how long and how
fine. I am trying to find a recipe for Shortbread that uses Caster sugar as my
Sister-in-Law lost hers.Thank You so much!
Heidi
Hello Heidi,
"Caster sugar", as it's called in the UK, is just superfine sugar. That's what it's
called in the U.S. - "Superfine sugar". It is ground finer than granulated sugar but
not as fine as powdered sugar. Caster sugar got its name because the sugar was ground
fine enough to be used in a sugar "shaker" or "caster", which is similar to a powdered
sugar shaker like a salt shaker. Caster sugar's main benefit is that it dissolves quicker
than granulated sugar.
To make a reasonable facsimile:
Put granulated sugar in a food processor and process for about a minute. use in any recipe
calling for caster sugar.
You can, however, substitute ordinary granulated sugar for it in almost any recipe that calls for it.
Phaed
----- Original Message -----
From: carolyn
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 6:32 AM
Subject: Coffee cake recipe
I hope you can help me locate this recipe. I don't have a year but I remember my mother
making this and it was absolutely wonderful.
Some of the ingredients and I can't remember all of them:
Brewed coffee
Raisins
Flour
Sugar
And there are a couple more but ?????
Bake in oblong pan at ?? For ?? Mins.
I remember that it was very moist and very TASTY!!
My name:
Hi Carolyn,
That's not much to go on. There are lots of coffee cake recipes with those ingredients
plus more. See below for three possibilities.
Phaed
Coffee Cake With Raisins
1 c. raisins
2/3 c. hot coffee
2/3 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. milk
4 tbsp. margarine
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
Pour hot coffee over raisins. Let stand until cool. Cream shortening and sugar.
Add eggs. Stir dry ingredients together, then add alternately with drained coffee
to shortening mixture. Stir in raisins last. Spread on greased 10 x 15 pan. Bake
at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk and margarine. Add powdered
sugar and flavorings. Beat until smooth. Frost cake while hot.
-------------------------------
Coffee Cake
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter
3 eggs
1 c. molasses
1 c. raisins
1 c. strong coffee
2 tsp. soda
4 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and stir well. Sift flour, spices and soda together.
Mix alternately with molasses and coffee. Add raisins last. Bake in a loaf pan at
350 degrees.
---------------------------
Coffee Cake
2 c. coffee
1 box raisins
2 c. sugar
2 sticks margarine
4 eggs
4 c. chopped nuts
3 c. self rising flour
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
Boil raisins in coffee until liquid is soaked up. Let cool. Cream together sugar
and margarine. Add eggs, continuing to cream until well blended. Sift together dry
ingredients. Add. Add raisins and coffee, then nuts. In loaf pan that has been well
greased and floured, bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mareni
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 2:20 PM
Subject: ginger bread
Hi,
This is Marie again.
Was wondering if you could help me find a gingerbread recipe using B'rer Rabbit Molasses.
I think my grandma got it out the Chicago Tribune or Sun-Times in the late 60's early 70's.
I know it uses a dash of red pepper.
Tx!
Marie
Hello Marie,
I can find several gingerbread recipes with Brer Rabbit molasses, such as the one below,
but I cannot find any with red pepper.
Phaed
Old Time Ginger Bread
1/2 C. Shortening
3/4 c. Brer Rabbit (Green Label) molasses
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
1 c. buttermilk
Cream together shortening, molasses and sugar. Sift together dry ingredients.
Add with remaining ingredients and mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes in
8 x 8 inch pan. Cool and cut in squares.
----- Original Message -----
From: Mary
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 10:00 AM
Subject: Info request....Paraffin Wax in food?
Hello Uncle Phaedrus,
Love your site and went through just about every listing to see if I could
find info on using "Paraffin wax". I have several recipes that require the
chocolate and the wax be melted together before covering candies.
I ignored the wax and used melted chocolate but it made the top real
hard and impossible to slice. What's the reasoning behind using wax?
Is there a substitute method? If not, where do you get this wax?
Many, many thanks!
Mary
Hi Mary,
Many older recipes for chocolate candies and chocolate coatings call for paraffin
to be added to the chocolate. There are three reasons:
1) The resulting product has a glossier shine to it
2) The resulting product is firmer.
3) The resulting product has a slightly higher melting temperature. This is important
in the summertime and in areas with warmer climates, such as the Southern U.S. It helps
to keep your chocolate candies and chocolate-covered things from melting too easily and
becoming messy.
Some folks say it isn't necessary and make it sound, well... "icky." See:
Ochef
The texture of chocolate can also be improved by adding vegetable shortening to it.
If you do wish to add paraffin to your chocolate, you can find it in the grocery store,
usually with the canning supplies. If you are using melted chocolate chips, you can melt
the two together, but if you use other kinds of chocolate, it works best to melt them
separately and then mix them when they're both melted.
There are instructions for using paraffin in chocolate here:
Tempering Chocolate
Chocolate Basics
Although the labels on ordinary paraffin wax may say "not for human consumption", I've
never heard of anyone being harmed by eating the paraffin/chocolate combination. I live
in the Southern U.S. , where paraffin has long been used in homemade chocolate candy, so
I've been eating candies made that way all my life with no known ill effects. It's often
sprayed on apples, etc to make them shine, so we've all probably ingested a bit of it at
one time or another.
Phaed
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ken "
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 1:17 PM
Subject: probably impossible request
I roasted a chicken - organic and all that - the other day and, although it
was succulent, tender etc. it was so boring.
Do you have a delicious recipe for roast chicken? Perhaps a marinade or
stuffing to enhance the "flavour" of the meat?
Cheers, Ken
Hi Ken,
Well, it's hard for me to choose a "delicious" recipe, since I don't actually
try all these recipes. So, all I can do is pick a few that look to me like
they'd be good and definitely not boring. See below for three such choices.
Phaed
Roast Chicken Alla Novarese
4-5 lb. roasting chicken (washed, fat removed)
12 oz. ground veal
8 oz. Italian sausage, peeled
4 oz. Uncle Ben's rice
2 eggs
1 med. onion, chopped
4 oz. pancetta (Italian bacon)
Optional: 2 carrots, celery, 2 garlic cloves, Italian rice
Pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Cook rice (al dente) and set to one side. In skillet, combine onion,
pancetta, veal, garlic cloves; cook only partly. Remove to a mixing bowl
and stir rice in together with everything. Fill cavity of roaster with the
stuffing and sew closed with thread. In preheated oven, place chicken after
seasoning outside, approximately 2 hours at 325 to 350 degrees. (Add water
or broth or white wine). Add carrot and celery cut in chunks to roaster pan.
-------------------------------------
Roast Chicken With Chinese Basting Sauce
Serves 2 to 4. 1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb.) chicken
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. grated ginger root
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Place chicken in large deep bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in blender
or food processor fitted with steel knife and puree. POUR SAUCE OVER
CHICKEN, COVER AND REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT. Drain sauce off chicken and set
aside and proceed with basic recipe. After chicken has cooked 20 minutes,
pour sauce over. Continue roasting, basting with sauce every 20 minutes.
(Chicken is cooked 25 minutes per pound.)
----------------------------------------------
Roast Chicken - Cantonese Style
1 lg. chicken
1 c. sugar
5 oz. soy sauce
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. red wine (opt.)
1 clove garlic, crushed (opt.)
1/8 tsp. ginger
Combine all ingredients and pour into the cavity of the chicken. Marinate
1 1/2 hours. Roast in covered roaster for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 325 degrees.
Baste occasionally.
Timm has some tips:
To bring out the flavors of a chicken I usually brine it. Brining enhances the natural
flavors and allows the chicken to absorb added flavorings while keeping the chicken
moist and juicy
Brined Roast Chicken
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken, washed inside and out
For the Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
4 cups water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 to 2 sprig fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
Instructions:
Mix together salt, brown sugar and water in saucepan until sugar and salt dissolve.
Bring to a boil and then remove from heat; add the herb and spices and allow cooling
to room temperature.
Place the chicken in a food-safe plastic bag and add slices of 1 lemon to the bag or
place in the chicken's cavity. Add the brine to the bag, making sure the chicken is
covered completely. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and refrigerate
for 1 hour per pound of chicken, agitating the brine mixture from time to time.
Do not leave the chicken for more than 6 hours or it will become too salty.
Remove the chicken from the brine and discard brine. Thoroughly rinse the chicken with
cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place you favorite herbs under the skin of the
chicken and roast at 400F degrees until the temperature reaches 170F degrees.
Sometime I place the chicken in a Reynolds Oven Bag. The chicken stays juicer; no basting
required and cleanup is a snap.
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