With the holidays just around the corner, my tiny kitchen gets put to work with all the entertaining of friends and family. I'd like to think that I can 'throw down' when it come to baking, but the truth is that my cookies always turn out unintentionally hard and things that should be sweet somehow end up either salty or bitter...lol Not to mention that I can sometimes feel the baking heat with the space constraints and limited counter space since I like to spread out all my ingredients before hand.
This is why I've look to the expert! Pastry Chef, Jacqueline Young-Sterling of She Bakes shares with us some of her tips on how to bake it up this holiday season in your small kitchen. I for one will definitely be integrating these into my next baking attempts. Maybe next time my cookies will not turn out so salty. Have a great Tuesday Small Space Dwellers!
Sending love,
Sending love,
Recipe #1 (for the unequipped kitchen)
1 store bought carton of
eggnog
1 bottle of brandy, bourbon
or rum
Pour a glass of eggnog, add
alcohol of you choice to taste!
Recipe #2 (for the equipped kitchen)
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 (or so..) ounces brandy, bourbon or rum
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks
until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to
beat until it is completely dissolved. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, over high heat, combine the
milk, heavy cream and nutmeg and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove
from the heat and gradually temper the hot mixture into the egg and sugar
mixture. Then return everything to the pot and cook until the mixture reaches
160 degrees F. Remove from the heat, stir in the alcohol, pour into a medium
mixing bowl, and set in the refrigerator to chill. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites to soft
peaks. With the mixer running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat
until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the chilled mixture.
Tip #2 - Clean up!!
Nothing makes a work
space feel smaller than clutter. Clean up and do all the dishes before you
start baking and don't forget to clear up as much counter space as possible. Once finished reward
yourself with some more eggnog, and run a fresh sink of clean dish water so you
can clean as you go. You’ll thank me later!
Tip #3 - Set the mood and prepare for baking
Turn on some holiday
music (or tunes of your
choice)! Have another glass of
egg nog...
For the unequipped kitchen
- open your oven
- take out the shoes, extra bedding and cobwebs
- open your oven
- empty it out
- pre-heat (you got this!)
Tip #4 - Let's Bakes
Gingerbread snaps are a timeless holidays treat! Easy for both starter and first time bakers!
Recipe #1 (for the unequipped
kitchen)
Follow directions
Recipe #2 (for the equipped
kitchen)
1 cup packed
dark brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
2 1/4 cups
all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon
baking powder
1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
1/4 teaspoon
salt
1 3/4 teaspoon
ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon
ground cloves
3/4 cup (1 1/2
sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
1 cup white sugar ( for
rolling )
Whisk together
flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl add in ginger, cinnamon
and cloves whisk until evenly combined. Cream your brown sugar, molasses and
butter together, cream for 2-4 minutes, add egg, cream for an additional
minute. Add the rest of your dry ingredients and mix until just combined (no
longer than 1 minute)
To make the
cookies, preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough into balls the size of large
marbles, toss in white sugar, and place an inch apart on ungreased baking
sheets. Bake in the middle of the oven until firm and lightly browned on edges,
about 14 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Drink some more eggnog
you’re doing well!
Tip #5 - Organize!
While your cookies are
baking and you’ve done most of your washing up, have a look around your
kitchen, have a sip of egg nog, and get organized. The real key to baking (or working) in small
space is organization! Once a month I take all my dry storage out of the
cupboards (I only have two cupboards for dry storage), give them a wipe and
reorganize them to make more space. Ever notice that the word “organize” is only
one letter away from “organic”? The more organized your space is, the more
organic it will feel to work in!
Tip #6 - Storage
In our space (660 square
feet, with no locker) we have had to find storage solutions. I have to keep A
LOT of baking supplies around my kitchen and I simply do not have the cupboard
space to store it all. To solve this, I’ve collected a few large mason jars over the years and
keep my flours, sugar, rolled oats, cornmeal, cocoa powder, rice, pasta and
much more in them! They are are all on display on an open shelf that I also keep my stacked pots and pans on.
Tip #7 - Don't burn the cookies
If you haven't already, don't forget to check on your cookies! You don't want to overbake these little beauties! You may have to adjust the baking time plus or minus one minute depending on your oven. Also, if you want a crispier cookie, replace half the butter with shortening.
Tip #8 - Enjoy
Turn off your oven, your tiny spaces heats up quickly when that baby is running! Then phone up some friends and invite them over for eggnog and cookies!!
Happy Holidays
love,
She Bakes
Please don't drink and drive
I love her tips! And I agree everything always bakes and cooks better with alcohol!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Rachel Ashley
http://fashionablyliving.com
Oh yes! definitely cooks better... Maybe I will attempt baking with it...lol
Deletexoxo
-Nike