Need some experienced know-how re: few baking ?'s
#25182 - 11/02/03 12:01 PM
|
|
|
|
lithelady
Reged: 08/15/03
Posts: 339
Loc: Novato, CA
|
|
|
Hi,
Here are my ?s:
1) why do recipes for baked goods add salt?
2) is there a safe substitute for low-fat sweetened condensed milk?
3)what IS wheat germ and is it IBS safe?
Thanks for the help!
--------------------
Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi - for your questions:
1. Salt - did a quick search and found this:
The Role of Salt
The salt used in baking has the chemical formulation NaCl (sodium chloride). Salt adds flavor of its own, and potentiates the flavor of other ingredients. Salt also slows down all the chemical reactions that are happening in the dough, helping to control fermentation activity to a steadier level. This will produce more consistent flavor and texture in the product. Salt also makes the dough a little stronger and tighter.
Salt's Effects on Shelf Life
Salt impacts the shelf life of baked goods, but its effects depend on weather conditions. Salt is hydroscopic, which means it absorbs water. In dry climates, the salt helps hold water in the pastry longer, inhibiting staling, and thus extending the product's shelf life.
I would add that when I've baked without salt, I can really taste the difference. This is true even in sweet cakes - it's not that the result is "saltier", it's that the salt seems to kick up the other flavors, and when it's omitted, you really notice that something is missing, even if you can't identify what, exactly, that something is.
2. Do a board search for this - TessLouise just posted a bunch of suggestions for making substitutes. This was actually just in the past week or so, so you might just scroll down through the posts.
3. The germ is the very interior of the whole wheat berry. It is insoluble fiber, like the bran (which is the very exterior), but it seems to be more tolerable for most folks. It's highly nutritious. You can likely add a small handful of wheat germ to something like cream of rice cereal and tolerate it just fine, or use a small amount (like 1/4 cup) in a baked loaf of zucchini or pumpkin bread or some such.
- Heather
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
What resources do you use to look up info like what you found about salt and wheat germ? As a budding "cheftess" [does this word exist? LOL], I'd like to be able to do this for myself and not have to take up yours or anyone else's time here. However, so far I haven't found a resource that answers my unusual questions! Wish I could stop thinking so unusually!! 
--------------------
Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Don't worry LL - if you didn't ask here, then the rest of us wouldn't learn something new either! 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I never add salt when baking and I did yesterday. I baked muffins and they were the best I've had in a long time.
Although I realized I can not eat walnuts. I had sharp pain going down my left side for a couple of hours today and than went away. 
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Lithelady, did you ever find a recipe for sweetened condensed milk? If not, this is the one I use. I can tolerate unsalted margarine, so I use that, but if that's a problem for you I'm sure soy margarine would work fine, too! This recipe is equal to one 14-oz. can Eagle Brand.
Sweetened Condensed Soymilk
1/2 cup boiling water
3 Tablespoons unsalted margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups instant soy milk powder (I use Better Than Milk-Light)
1. Combine margarine, sugar, and soymilk powder in a medium bowl.
2. Pour in boiling water.
3. Stir well.
--------------------
"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi Kree,
Thanks for this recipe. Where u get the Better than Milk Light? I wonder if they make it in rice rather than soy milk?
I have found Rice Dream milk, mozzarella cheese & cream cheese at Wegmans, but have u found any more rice milk products anywhere in Rochester?
Also, am wondering if you and Berky got my info abt. the docs and also the IBS Study being done in Roch. that I sent you a while back. I got an appt. thru calling abt the study and figured it might be worth a try for you 2
Marnie
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
 Thanks so much for this one!!!!
When I asked, a while back about rice milk powder I had in mind making the sweetened condensed milk with it. Now I don't have to experiment!!!! (I'm assuming the rice powder will do as nicely as the soy.)
Kandee 
--------------------
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hi,
Where do you find the powdered rice milk???? I'm allergic to soy and love having this recipe too.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Hey Marnie!
We just talked about this the other day - here's the post: web page
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
