1. Desserts
Pies, Cakes, & Cookies

2. Pastry Desserts Pies, Tarts, and Turnovers All prepared with…
Pastry dough: TONS OF USES
Ingredients in pastry dough…
Flour- Use for structure.
Fat – Makes pastry tender by inhibiting gluten development.
Water – Provides moisture – only need a small amount.
Salt – Contributes flavor – can be left out if desired.
Preparation
Microwaving can be successful – watch temperature and time.

3. Handling Pastry Dough Please DO NOT!!! High quality pastry is..
Over mix when adding liquid.
Use rolling pin meanly
Stretch pastry when fitting in into the pie plate.
High quality pastry is..
Tender and flaky.
Light and evenly browned.
Melt in your Mouth Good!!!

4. Kinds of Pies Fruit Cream Custard Chiffon 2 Crust (apple, rhubarb)
1 Crust – Thickened pudding mixture, usually have meringue topping (Banana Cream, Coconut)
Custard
1 Crust – Milk, eggs, sugar, & sometimes more ingredients (pumpkin)
Chiffon
1Crust – Gelatin and beaten egg whites & whipped cream – chill to set.

5. Kinds of Cakes Shortened Cakes Unshortened Cakes Chiffon Cakes
Contain fat (butter, margarine, shortening)
Tender, Moist, & Velvety
Yellow Cake, Pound Cake
Unshortened Cakes
Do not contain fat (foam – leavened by air)
Light & Fluffy
Angel food, Sponge
Chiffon Cakes
Cross between shortened and unshortened.

6. Cake Ingredients Flour Sugar Eggs Cream of Tarter Liquid Salt Fat
Give structure
Sugar
Sweetness, helps tenderize gluten in flour
Eggs
Improves flavor & color, gives additional structure, sometimes a leavening agent.
Cream of Tarter
Stabilizes egg proteins in unshortened cakes.
Liquid
Provides moisture.
Salt
Provides flavor.
Fat
Tenderizes the gluten.
Leavening Agents
Gives the RISE (baking soda or baking powder).
Flavoring
Not essential, adds flavor.

7. Principles of Preparing Cakes
Measuring
Use CORRECT proportions.
Mixing
Don’t over or under mix – follow directions!
Over mixing shortened cakes = tough cake
Under mixing unshortened cakes = small volume
Baking
Grease shortened cake pans.
DO NOT grease unshortened cake pans.

8. Mixing & Baking Methods
Quick Mix Method
Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl.
Beat the fat and part of the liquid with the dry ingredients.
Add remaining liquid and eggs.
Microwave Baking
Good moisture, less browning – microwave 1 layer at a time.
Conventional Method
Cream the fat and sugar together.
Beat the eggs in.
Combine the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with any other liquids.

9. Baking Shortened Cakes
Pans in the oven should NOT touch!
Check for doneness by touching the cake with your fingertip (bounce back test) or with a toothpick.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes or more before trying to remove it from the pan.
Characteristics of a good shortened cake include…
Small, fine cell walls.

10. Preparing Unshortened Cakes
Characteristics…
High volume
Spongy cell walls
Testing for Doneness…
Gently touch the cracks of the cake.
They should be dry and no imprint should remain.
Examples
Angel Food (egg whites)
Sponge Cake (egg yolks)

11. Kinds of Cookies Stiff Dough Cookies Soft Dough Cookies Rolled Cookies
Roll and cut with cookie cutters.
Sugar Cookies
Refrigerator Cookies
Form into a long roll, wrap & refrigerate – slice & bake.
Pinwheel
Pressed Cookies
Use a cookie press.
Spritz
Molded Cookies
Shape with hands.
Crescents, Balls, etc.
Dropped Cookies
Drop or push off of spoon.
Chocolate Chip
Bar Cookies
Spread evenly in a pan & bake.
Brownies

12. Cookie Ingredients… Flour Sugar Liquid Milk, Juice Fat
Butter, Shortening
Salt
Eggs
Leavening
Baking Powder, Baking Soda
Extra Ingredients
Chocolate, Nuts, etc.

13. Microwaving Cookies
Not effective for cooking dozens of cookie – great for a few.
Works well for bar cookies.
Cook on medium power.
Use a microwave safe pan!
Test doneness with a toothpick.

14. Storing Cookies… Storing Crisp Cookies Storing Soft Cookies
Container with a loose fitting lid.
To retain crispness, they must remain dry.
Storing Soft Cookies
Air tight container.
NEVER store soft and crisp cookies together!
Freezing is ok.

15. Freshening Stale Cookies
Soft cookies that have gotten hard…
Place a piece of bread or slice of apple in the container.
Crisp cookies that have gotten soft…
Place cookies in the oven at 300˚ for a few minutes.