Questions about the toppings and browning of baked goods flooded our mailboxes in the past weeks.  Here are our answers. 

Q: Jun Jun and Adoree, I have a question regarding egg wash. Is it just made with eggs or is it mixed with something else? I see different shades of brown depending on the type of ingredient used.  Please enlighten me with your answer. (CJ of Parañaque)

Jun Jun: Yes, there are different kinds of egg washes and the mixture will depend on the color or shine that you want to appear on the baked product.  I use a mixture of one egg, a tablespoon of water, and a pinch of salt, this mixture gives me a consistent color when it comes to cream puffs. 

With breads, brushing evaporated milk on them will give you that funny shine associated with Asian breads.  Some put simple syrup and enough browning will be achieved. But not all baked products need egg washing; it is usually used only on those that don’t have enough sugar because less sugar means it has very little to caramelize. 

Adoree: Most egg wash mixtures consist of whole egg with a little milk or water. But there are some that only use egg with no accompaniment. All of these can be used to help in the browning of your baked product. Egg wash also gives your baked product some sheen or shine.

Q: Streusels are pie dough? Why do you have to put some on top of muffins, will it just blend with the batter? What is its main function in a recipe? (Erika of Manila)

Jun Jun: Yes, it looks like pie dough but it should have more sugar in the mixture. Its main purpose is to give a baked item a secondary texture, meaning, if your muffin is soft and moist the streusel will add a crisp and crunchy texture to it. It should not blend with the main mixture of the item you are making, so you shouldn’t use too much of it or else it will sink to the bottom.

Adoree: Streusels are usually a mixure of sugar, flour, nuts, and butter. Some have more ingredients like oats. Their function in your baked product is to give texture. Streusels don’t normally blend into the batter so do not worry about it.

Q: Can butter be used to brown breads or any cake when brushed? How should it be used? (Jinna of Makati City)

Jun Jun: Butter, in its melted form, is brushed on top of breads to make it more flavourful and rich. It rarely browns a baked product, especially if it is brushed after baking. However, since it is a fat, it gives some sort of shine when it is heated or newly brushed. Remember to check on the sugar quantity of the dessert, since you might not need further browning. 

Adoree: Butter can be brushed on bread dough before baking to help in the browning process. It is a matter of preference; some prefer egg wash, some like to use butter.

Q: I see some chocolate chip cookies with formed chips but are melted inside, how is this done? Is it a special kind of chocolate chip? (Anita of Makati City)

Jun Jun: There are special kinds of chocolate chips that remain whole even when heated and baked, but when eaten are soft and melted. These are your imported, branded ones, and commercially, these are usually known as hard bake. You can get this through a baking supplies company.
  
Adoree: There are chocolate chip morsels that stay solid even after baking. Check your favorite baking store for this.

Q: What are the toppings used on Asian breads? Why are these breads very shiny? (Mary of Quezon City)

Jun Jun: Asian breads use a lot of chopped spring onions and shredded meat as stuffing. Topping the bread with the stuffing inside is a form of marketing. Doing this makes it easy for the consumer to identify what is inside the bread. We like making funny shapes and figures with Asian breads and the fillings are mostly savory. The shine comes from the use of milk as a browning agent for the bread.

Adoree: Most breads use milk to aid in their browning process. Milk gives the nice dark brown color and the sheen that is found in Asian breads.

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