BAKING 101: Junjun De Guzman & Adoree Uy
It’s so funny that as the year started, we got a tremendous amount of baking questions that were interesting and quite strange. However, it is always a joy for us to answer them; they make us think, think, think, and discover the scientist and the detective in us. Even our daily conversations with our friends and family become adventures, especially when they also have their own inquiries as to our baking method, techniques, and, of course, secrets.
The oven is our subject this week. We have a hilarious first question. Read on!
Q: Chef Jun Jun, I want to save time and space when I bake. Would it be possible to bake cookies on some of the racks of my oven and roast some chicken on another? ( Marijo of Quezon City )
Jun Jun: Even though, this question is really one for the books, I find that it is very important to answer it, since what Marijo wants is to maximize the use of her oven, and, of course, her time. I don’t recommend baking two very different food items simultaneously. You will mix the odors of both types of food, and affect the way they both taste. For example, the garlic in any roasted food item will easily be absorbed by any baked good. It would be so unappetizing to taste a cookie that smells (and has!) a garlicky flavor. It might be better to bake two similar types of baked products together, such as brownies and cookie bars.
Also, since the temperature that the chicken needs to cook will be shared by the cookie, it will take longer than usual to bake. Please, Marijo, never attempt what you asked about. Use another oven to bake savory dishes or, at the very least, bake savory dishes after your cakes, cookies, and pastries are done. This way, your oven will not make each dish smell like what was cooked before it.
Adoree: Sorry, Marijo, but Jun Jun is right. It is not possible to bake cookies and roast a chicken in the same oven at the same time. I know that oil prices and electricity bills have gone up, and we all want to cut costs, but I’m sorry to say that your proposal is not one of the ways to do this. You will just end up wasting the ingredients you used in making your cookies—which would mean you did not save at all. That’s because your cookies will absorb the odor of the chicken while they bake together.
Q: I make a lovely cream caramel, but when we made it at my friend’s house using her oven (which had a fan inside), the dessert had "waves" on its surface. What happened? (Jean of Jaro, Iloilo)
Jun Jun: Your friend’s oven is a convection type oven; the heat coming from the electric coils is spread out by the fan in the back wall, thus ensuring even heating inside the oven. The air circulating inside created the "waves" on the surface of your crème caramel; these were instantly set by the heat of the oven. If her oven had a selector, you should have turned off the convection mode. If it doesn’t have a selector, then you cannot bake custards or any other baked items with egg white foam in that type of oven. You are so lucky that your friend owns that oven, and not you.
Adoree: The uneven surface or the "waves" were caused by the fan in the oven. It is recommended that crème caramel be baked in a conventional oven (which does not have a fan), to attain a smooth top.
Q: Hello Chef Jun Jun and Chef Adoree! It’s so great to have people like you whom we can ask questions about baking for free, and we get the answer fast! Anyway, can I really bake some of my cakes in a turbo broiler?
Jun Jun: Aba, oo, that is true, and I’ve done it quite a number of times. I remember my Tita Mary Santos making a special cake for us when we were in Baguio, and all she used was a large turbo broiler. Do you remember the Orange Cashew Cake in Pinoy Big Brother? That was made in a turbo broiler too, and it was devoured by the whole ABS-CBN crew; they liked it a lot. But only cakes that have no egg white foam can be baked in a turbo broiler. Brownies, bars, and some cakes can also be baked in it. Another precaution you have to take is to cover your cake with foil in the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, while it darkens, since the heat comes from the cover (where the main machinery is located). Easy fruit and vegetable cakes are best for baking in this type of equipment.
Adoree: Yes, you may bake some cakes using the turbo broiler, but not the delicate varieties, such as chiffon, sponge, and angel cake. These delicate cakes cannot withstand the hot wind from the fan. You may use your turbo broiler to bake beautiful butter and coffee cakes, though.
Q: Chef Jun Jun, how do I clean my oven? ( Miguel of Makati )
Jun Jun: Most of the new imported machines have a self-cleaning mode, but you must have a water line just for this purpose. Old ovens, like the one I have, are cleaned with an oven cleaner. You spray the entire interior of your oven then switch the oven to a very high heat. When the oven has cooled, you can easily sweep out the debris and use a rag to remove the sediments and the dirt. I only do this once a year since I usually mess up my oven when I bake!
Adoree: It depends on what the interior of your oven is made of, though most ovens can be cleaned with a mild detergent and a sponge, especially if the interior is coated with a smooth paint finish (one that does not rust). Just don’t use abrasive scouring pads! Prevent the openings and electrical connections from getting wet. Before starting, be sure to unplug the oven! Also be sure to also wipe all surfaces dry after cleaning.
We would appreciate more letters from all of you…keep them coming!
Version Recipe: Banana Choco Bars
Easy and cheap, but wonderful for all of you, my readers! Enjoy! Use Cavendish bananas when they are soft and a bit mushy because they will be at the peak of sweetness. You’ll love me for this!
Ingredients:
½ cup softened butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 pc egg
¾ cup mashed ripe bananas
(about 2 pcs )
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2/3 cup chocolate chips
½ cup cashew nut or walnuts
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line a 9-inch square pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add in egg and mashed bananas. Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add to mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in it comes out with some bits on it. Cool in pan. Cut into bars and just watch how everyone loves it!
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