Biscuits
Biscuits will be crisp on the outside and flaky in the center if you roll the dough thin and fold it over once before cutting outbiscuits.They'll also split open easily when you're ready to butter them.To re-freshen and heat biscuits, put them in a well-dampened paper bag, twist it closed and put in a 300º oven for several minutes or until warm.
If you want soft-sided biscuits, bake them in a pan with sides and put the biscuits close together. If you want crusty biscuits, bake them on a cookie sheet and place them apart from each other.
Bread - How to get a light, soft crust
For a light, tender crust, use very hot water and stir only 20 times. Stirring the dough too much will make the crust tough.
Bread, Crisp Crust
For a slightly browner and crisper crust, brush bread after 20 minutes of baking with a whole egg beaten with a tablespoon of milk.
Bread, Crispy and Shiny Crust
For a crisp, shiny crust, bake the bread for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with an egg white that has been beaten with a tablespoon of water. Return the bread to the oven tofinish baking.
Bread, Getting a Shiny Crust
For a shiny bread crust, brush the top with a mixture of 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon of milk before baking.
Bread, Keeping Fresh Longer
Keep bread fresh longer by placing a rib of celery in the bread bag.
Breadsticks, Quick Fix
For quick and easy garlic breadsticks, split a hot dog bun down the middle and cut each half lengthwise. Butter each strip; sprinkle with garlic salt or garlic powder. Place on a cookie sheet and bake or broil until toasted.
Buttering Bread
To butter many slices of bread quickly and evenly, heat the butter until soft, then "paint" it on with a flat pastry brush.
Dinner Rolls - Freshening When Stale
Seal rolls in a brown paper bag, sprinkle the outside of the bag with water, then heat 10 to 15 minutes in a 350F (175C) oven.
Keeping Rolls Warm
Place aluminum foil under the napkin in your roll basket and the rolls will stay hot longer.
Lowering the Fat, Oil in Baking
Place aluminum foil under the napkin in your roll basket and the rolls will stay hot longer.
Making Yeast Breads More Moist
Yeast breads are more moist when made with potato water (water in which you have boiled potatoes) than when made with other liquids. The potato water keeps the bread fresh longer and gives it aslightly greater volume, but coarser texture.
Rolls, adding a glaze
To glaze the tops of rolls, brush with a mixture of 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup milk before baking.
Soft Bread Crust
For a soft, well-browned but not shiny crust, before baking brush the loaf with a tablespoon of melted butter.
Thawing Frozen Bread Dough
To thaw frozen bread and rolls, place in a brown paper bag and put into a 325ºF oven for 5 minutes to thaw completely.
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