Tips on Cooking Multiple Items in an Oven

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 17:04:28 +0000

Forward Planning

Whether you are preparing a holiday meal or just filling your freezer or taking the time to plan your work can save you a lot of misery. Make sure all the pans you are using will physically fit into the oven at the same time and that large items can fit on either the upper or lower shelf. Leave ample space between the pans for air to circulate, otherwise your foods won’t cook evenly.

The Main Event

If you are cooking a turkey or a roast, organise everything else around that. Usually a big entree starts at a high temperature to crisp and brown; the exterior and then the temperature is turned down to finish cooking. That’s the strategic time to start putting in other foods. Adding other items makes the main ingredient’s roasting time unpredictable, so use your oven’s probe thermometer or buy one separately to monitor its temperature.

Ins and Outs

Your main dish can take hours to cook, so there’s plenty of opportunity to rotate casseroles and side dishes in the oven. Cool them for later use, as they come out or keep them warm for tonight’s meal. Particularly helpful is the warming drawer. You can also reheat side dishes after your main dish comes out, while it is resting on the cutting board.

Advanced Features

Advanced oven features can simplify your cooking projects. By simply using the convection way, it reduces your cooking time and provides even cooking and browning. Dual-oven ranges are also handy, allowing separate temperatures for different foods. It takes a step further by offering a removable divider, making it to be single or dual oven when needed.

Entertaining is often as frantic as it is fun, and finding ways to simplify the whole affair can go a long way to preserving your good spirits.

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 11:22:04 +0000

Flourless Chocolate Cake: What You Need

Chocolate is never a bad choice, and a flourless chocolate cake is nearly ideal for all gatherings. It’s rich, decadent, and as a bonus it’s gluten-free. All you’ll need for a 10-inch round cake is half pound each of butter and chocolate, a half-dozen eggs and a pinch of salt. If your chocolate is especially dark, intense and bittersweet, you might also need a bit of sugar or other sweetener.

Melting the Chocolat

Preparation couldn’t be simpler. Chop or break the chocolate into a microwaveable bowl, cut the butter into chunks and add. Place the bowl in your microwave. Heat the chocolate gently, remember you need to stir. At the end of the cycle, let the chocolate sit for a minute to finish melting.

Final Assembly

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Whisk yolks and sweetener into your chocolate mixture, then beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them in. That’s it; you’re done. Pour the batter into a round or springform tin lined with parchment paper, and bake until it sets. Let the cake cool and firm up for a few minutes, then remove it from the pan and set it on a wire rack. Serve with a sauce or glaze, or simply dust it with confectioner’s sugar.

Upcycle The Rolls: Go for Bread Pudding

One common result of successive gatherings is leftover breads, ranging from dinner rolls and morning croissants to rich holiday breads. Turning them into an elegant, upscale bread pudding is a yummy solution. Forget the sodden stodge your granny served, modern bread pudding is a sophisticated treat for adults.

Dry the Bread

Start by cutting your leftover breads into crouton-sized cubes. Remove the crusts if they’re tough and chewy, otherwise you can leave them on. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and dry them for an hour or two in a low oven. If you have a dual oven, you can do this in half of your oven, while using the other compartment for baking or roasting.

Give It a Nice Soak

Layer the dried croutons into a large baking dish and soak them in custard, using one to three eggs for every cup of milk or cream. Let your imagination run wild with add-ins: Pecans or almonds, white or dark chocolate, and fresh, dried or candied fruit are all good choices. For an extra-rich dessert, heat the custard mixture and melt white or dark chocolate into it.

Lush and Rich

Cover the baking dish, and use your refrigerator’s Power Cool feature to quickly reduce it to a food-safe temperature. Let it soak overnight, or at least for an hour or two, for the flavors to meld and the bread to soak up the custard. Drizzle it with rum, brandy or Bourbon at the last minute, if you wish, then bake it until the custard has nearly set. Serve chilled or warmed, with a suitable sauce.

Rustic Desserts: Free-Form Fruit Galette

Sometimes the simplest and most rustic desserts look the most elegant. That’s certainly the case with galettes, open-faced fruit tarts shaped free-form and baked on a sheet pan. It looks best with fresh-made pastry, rough edges and all, but if you’re crust-challenged don’t be shy. Use a store-bought piecrust, and tear its edges artfully to create the right appearance. After all, this is about keeping things simple.

Dried Fruit Fun

For a super-seasonal filling, gather up all the raisins, almonds, figs, dried cranberries, candied citrus peel and other dried fruit and nuts you’d purchased for holiday baking. Soak the fruit in warm water or juice heavily spiked with rum, Bourbon or any aromatic liquor. Once they’re plumped, drain them well and toss them with fresh orange zest, warm spices and halved or sliced nuts.

Fresh & Fruity

Alternatively, peel and slice your favourite fresh fruits. Apples, pears and cranberries are entirely appropriate for the holidays, but feel free to use whatever you like as long as it’s ripe and sweet. Toss the fruit with sugar, spices, and a thickener, such as cake crumbs or cornstarch to soak up any excess juice. For berries, peaches or other really juicy options, line your crust with slices of pound cake.

Crust Time

Centre your crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and mound the fresh or dried fruit into a flat dome in the middle. Fold the edges of the dough inward, encasing the filling carefully but leaving at least half of the tart’s surface open. Brush the pastry with egg wash, and sprinkle it with coarse sugar, for an especially elegant appearance. Bake at 375-degrees Fahrenheit until the crust is golden and the fruit tender.

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