Experimental cookery

Sugar. Granulated sugar is most commonly used. Finely granulated sugars dissolve more readily than coarse ones. Minton states that, the finer the granulation size, provided it is a natural granulation obtained in the refinery and not a powdered or crushed sugar, the better the creaming quality. The Bakery Research Department of Procter & Gamble Company also state that the fine crystal that has a glossy surface, and is not made by grinding or crushing, gives better creaming volume than the coarse sugars. Brown sugar, because of its flavor, is often used in cake. It is pref- erable to substitute it by weight rather than by measure. The transformed sugar, with its irregular surface which holds much air, should not only carry air into the batter, but many films of fat. Liquid. Water or fruit juices may be used for the liquid in cake. When water is substituted for an equal weight of milk, a more moist cake is obtained. Milk contains about 12 to 13 per cent solids. Baking powder. Patterson states that unless the cake cells are very fine and uniform a very fine baking powder should be used, so that small bub- bles are formed. With many large bubbles of gas formed at the same time, the cell walls may be subjected to too great a pressure and collapse, pro- ducing a fallen cake. Any of the different types of baking powder can be used in cakes. The main discussion of the use of baking powder in cake is given later in the chapter under "Variation of Proportion of Ingredients." Eggs. Eggs vary so in size that they should be weighed for experimental work. As previously stated, eggs beat up more quickly and to a better volume if they are not too cold, so that it is preferable to have them room rather than refrigerator temperature. Methods o£ mixing cakes. There are many methods by which cakes may be mixed. Some old cake recipe directions state to mix the fat with the flour. The sugar is next added and lastly the eggs and milk. This old method may give very good cake. In all the batter and dough products that have thus far been considered, with the exception of cream puffs, the 482 BATTERS AND DOUGHS proportion of fat is usually smaller than in cakes. The method of mixing cream puffs is to melt the fat. It is also a common practise, except for biscuit, to melt the fat for the other dough and batter products. These same methods of mixing are used for cakes, but a new method is introduced, one in which a foam is formed with the fat. Certain procedures of mixing are designated by various names, but each of these methods may have many variations.