03-26-2002, 11:23 AM
Am I right in thinking if I whip up some "heavy" cream it will work for a victoria sponge? I haven't made any creamy type desserts out here yet so I'd be glad of some input.
03-26-2002, 11:23 AM
03-26-2002, 11:31 AM
Yes you can. And you can flavour it with vanilla and sugar if you want to. It will be nice on it's own or with fruit (fresh strawberries or kiwis).
03-26-2002, 11:41 AM
grin grin grin
Dear Dianey, where oh where do you live??(grovel, grovel) I umh, wondered if I could have some of that Victoria sponge you are talking about??...
It's like I have to have some..or else I feel I will go completely Mad and embarrass my Family...so please, please, Fed Ex me some or something..
Dying for a slice of Victoria Sponge..especially with Kiwi fruit on top..yum yum
Dear Dianey, where oh where do you live??(grovel, grovel) I umh, wondered if I could have some of that Victoria sponge you are talking about??...
It's like I have to have some..or else I feel I will go completely Mad and embarrass my Family...so please, please, Fed Ex me some or something..
Dying for a slice of Victoria Sponge..especially with Kiwi fruit on top..yum yum
03-26-2002, 11:42 AM
Just don't over beat it or else you'll end up with butter....
Also, place the bowl in which you plan to whip the cream into the fridge/freezer for a short while to cool it down, it will make whisking the cream a lot easier.
Andrew
Also, place the bowl in which you plan to whip the cream into the fridge/freezer for a short while to cool it down, it will make whisking the cream a lot easier.
Andrew
03-26-2002, 12:19 PM
So I'd best hand whip the cream then? DD, this is a first attempt at making a cake for quite a while. My first few out here were complete flops because baking is completely different at high altitude. Cake is baking at 5,800 above sea level here in Boulder as I type!
03-26-2002, 12:43 PM
Bah! Why does nothing rise very well at altitude?
03-26-2002, 12:55 PM
From my next door work neighbour who lived in CO too
This lower pressure affects the baking of cakes in several ways.
Heat rises from the bottom of an oven, but since there isn't sufficient air pressure from above to balance this upward pressure, the cake tends to expand too rapidly.
Air cells in the cake can break and escape because of this too-rapid expansion, resulting in a cake that will dip or fall.
Batter may overflow the pan due to the too-rapid expansion of the cake.
Cakes can remain underdone if temperature is not raised to adjust for the lower boiling point at high altitudes.
Due to rapid evaporation of liquids at high altitudes, cakes must be carefully timed to avoid excess dryness.
High-altitude conversion tips
To convert standard recipes into those that can be used for high-altitude baking
Use 5% more flour to disperse the leavening action and slow down the rapid rise of the cake.
Use 20% more water to counterbalance the rapid evaporation of liquids at high altitudes and the extra flour added to the cake batter
Bake about 25 degrees higher to help "set" the cake's crust
Reduce baking time by about 20% to prevent overbaking at the higher temperature
Fill pans 1/3 to no more than 1/2 full to avoid batter overflow caused by rapid cake expansion.
Use cold water and large, cold eggs to give cake extra strength
Generously grease and flour cake pans to prevent cake from sticking
Remove top oven rack to prevent cake from sticking to it, since high-altitude cakes rise higher
Have oven calibrated by a serviceperson periodically, since some thermostats are affected by altitude
High-altitude cookie adjustment
Only cookies with lots of chocolate, nuts, or dates need adjustment
Reduce baking powder/soda by 1/2.
At very high altitudes, a slight reduction of sugar may help.
Andrew
This lower pressure affects the baking of cakes in several ways.
Heat rises from the bottom of an oven, but since there isn't sufficient air pressure from above to balance this upward pressure, the cake tends to expand too rapidly.
Air cells in the cake can break and escape because of this too-rapid expansion, resulting in a cake that will dip or fall.
Batter may overflow the pan due to the too-rapid expansion of the cake.
Cakes can remain underdone if temperature is not raised to adjust for the lower boiling point at high altitudes.
Due to rapid evaporation of liquids at high altitudes, cakes must be carefully timed to avoid excess dryness.
High-altitude conversion tips
To convert standard recipes into those that can be used for high-altitude baking
Use 5% more flour to disperse the leavening action and slow down the rapid rise of the cake.
Use 20% more water to counterbalance the rapid evaporation of liquids at high altitudes and the extra flour added to the cake batter
Bake about 25 degrees higher to help "set" the cake's crust
Reduce baking time by about 20% to prevent overbaking at the higher temperature
Fill pans 1/3 to no more than 1/2 full to avoid batter overflow caused by rapid cake expansion.
Use cold water and large, cold eggs to give cake extra strength
Generously grease and flour cake pans to prevent cake from sticking
Remove top oven rack to prevent cake from sticking to it, since high-altitude cakes rise higher
Have oven calibrated by a serviceperson periodically, since some thermostats are affected by altitude
High-altitude cookie adjustment
Only cookies with lots of chocolate, nuts, or dates need adjustment
Reduce baking powder/soda by 1/2.
At very high altitudes, a slight reduction of sugar may help.
Andrew
03-26-2002, 01:16 PM
Thanks MacZip. I've already been given a few tips from the locals but whatever I do, it's never the same as sea level baking. It isn't too bad, pretty light in fact but just a touch saggy in the middle and a smidgen too dry.
03-26-2002, 01:23 PM
After you split the cake in two,smeer some rasberry jam on the two halfs and then fill with the whipped cream,this will stop the cream from making the cake soggy.
Happy eating
Captmar
Happy eating
Captmar
03-27-2002, 12:18 PM
Boy, am I glad I don't live in a high altitude area! I don't think I would bother baking again. It sounds like too much hard work.
One thing I have noticed here is the flour is more glutenous. I am having to add more liquid to my recipes from home. And it can't bee the altitude here 'cause we are at sea level grin
I have also noticed it is very easy to burn cakes in the american electric ovens. I now have gas and I find it a bit easier but you still have to be careful.
I have also noticed that cakes that have oil in instead of butter seem to be less dry, don't burn quite so readily and slip down into the stomach better grin
One thing I have noticed here is the flour is more glutenous. I am having to add more liquid to my recipes from home. And it can't bee the altitude here 'cause we are at sea level grin
I have also noticed it is very easy to burn cakes in the american electric ovens. I now have gas and I find it a bit easier but you still have to be careful.
I have also noticed that cakes that have oil in instead of butter seem to be less dry, don't burn quite so readily and slip down into the stomach better grin
03-27-2002, 01:18 PM
Ben,
I don't think there are many differences between US ovens and UK ovens, temperature is temperature.
What could be the issue is that your oven may need calibrating. Another thing to bear in mind is that ovens have "hot spots", whereby there will be areas in the oven that are slighty hotter than others.
Simple test. Buy a good oven thermometer, run one test and set the thermostat on the oven to 350 and check the oven thermometer to see what the *true* temperature is.
Run the test agin, but with the oven set at 400. See what the difference is.
Also, to detect where you'r oven might have hot spots, place the thermometer in different areas/levels at a set temperature to see what readings you get.
Also bear in mind a dirty oven will run slighty hotter due to accumulated carbon, so you may want to regularly run the oven cleaner program (if you have one with your oven).
You should have the oven checked on regular basis anyways, as things do deteriorate significantly over time (the thermostat gets dirty, breaks down etc).
You can also do the same set of testfor your fridge to make sure it's holding it's temperature correctly.
Andrew
I don't think there are many differences between US ovens and UK ovens, temperature is temperature.
What could be the issue is that your oven may need calibrating. Another thing to bear in mind is that ovens have "hot spots", whereby there will be areas in the oven that are slighty hotter than others.
Simple test. Buy a good oven thermometer, run one test and set the thermostat on the oven to 350 and check the oven thermometer to see what the *true* temperature is.
Run the test agin, but with the oven set at 400. See what the difference is.
Also, to detect where you'r oven might have hot spots, place the thermometer in different areas/levels at a set temperature to see what readings you get.
Also bear in mind a dirty oven will run slighty hotter due to accumulated carbon, so you may want to regularly run the oven cleaner program (if you have one with your oven).
You should have the oven checked on regular basis anyways, as things do deteriorate significantly over time (the thermostat gets dirty, breaks down etc).
You can also do the same set of testfor your fridge to make sure it's holding it's temperature correctly.
Andrew
03-27-2002, 02:10 PM
Thanks for the tips, Andrew.
The electric oven that I had problems with was in the rented home we had in NJ but it was a relatively new oven so it never occurred to me there could be something wrong with it. I always put it down to the fact the elemant is not covered at the bottom. It was exposed. Once I started to buy the stone pots/trays and special cookie trays, things didn't burn as much. I just presumed all electric ovens were this way and that is why you can buy the trays with the extra padding on the bottom. You don't seem to get these trays back in the UK.
With our oven here being gas, the bottom of the oven has a cover and not exposed so it isn't a problem. I have learnt to adjust things to work better here. smile
The electric oven that I had problems with was in the rented home we had in NJ but it was a relatively new oven so it never occurred to me there could be something wrong with it. I always put it down to the fact the elemant is not covered at the bottom. It was exposed. Once I started to buy the stone pots/trays and special cookie trays, things didn't burn as much. I just presumed all electric ovens were this way and that is why you can buy the trays with the extra padding on the bottom. You don't seem to get these trays back in the UK.
With our oven here being gas, the bottom of the oven has a cover and not exposed so it isn't a problem. I have learnt to adjust things to work better here. smile
03-27-2002, 03:21 PM
Ben,
The fact that the element is exposed will not make much difference, with gas ovens, the flames are behind a plate (which is used to disapate heat.
The pizza stone is an excellent way of maintaining a constant temperature in an otherwise dodgy oven.
When I first moved here the oven we had was just ON and OFF, so I learnt to cook with that (evil) machine by positioning in the oven and by using a pizza stone to maintain a constant temperature.
Andrew
The fact that the element is exposed will not make much difference, with gas ovens, the flames are behind a plate (which is used to disapate heat.
The pizza stone is an excellent way of maintaining a constant temperature in an otherwise dodgy oven.
When I first moved here the oven we had was just ON and OFF, so I learnt to cook with that (evil) machine by positioning in the oven and by using a pizza stone to maintain a constant temperature.
Andrew
03-27-2002, 06:43 PM
Well, Andrew, I am so glad my oven wasn't that bad otherwise I would have flown home lol
Thanks for the advice. You're a great help grin
Thanks for the advice. You're a great help grin
03-27-2002, 11:35 PM
We will have no more trouble with uneven heat and such ,my wife hated the oven that was in the home we recently purchased( a builders special ) those that have new homes will know what i mean a oven that barely has the basics no self clean etc .
Anyway she went out and spent some of our tax rebate on a top of the line Kitchenaid convection oven with so many bells and whistles that im still reading the instuction book 3 days later .
Nice to have such a machine in the house but ill miss the &1300 it cost .....
Anyway she went out and spent some of our tax rebate on a top of the line Kitchenaid convection oven with so many bells and whistles that im still reading the instuction book 3 days later .
Nice to have such a machine in the house but ill miss the &1300 it cost .....
Pages: 1 2