Cooking advice for pastry, flour, and cheesecake

Hi.

Sorry if I have posted this on the wrong board. I really need some help. I am looking for Filo Pastry, reading made in Supermarkets. I thought maybe it might be called Strudel Blatterteig but either it isn't or I just can't find it!

Also is there an equivalent for Self Raising Flour in Germany and/or can someone explain what the different grades of flour are and can be used for.

Lastly! I am looking for a baked cheesecake recipe, hopefully low in fat.

Any help on any of the above is gratefully appreciated.

Cheers

Suzanne

I have never been able to find self raising flour here in the normal supermarkets however maybe I have never looked properly or checked for what the German equivalent actually is!

I have however always found it in the Indian shops in Frankfurt so you could check that out if you have one near you.

I might have a low fat cheesecake recipe I will have to have a look.

Hope this helps

Amanda

Thanks Amanda.

That does help. At least I know it is not my German! Have to sign off now but will check back later.

Cheers

Suzanne

Apparently "Selbsttreibendes Mehl" doesn't exist here in Germany:-

http://www.was-wir-essen.de/fusetalk/textt...3&threadid=3573

http://www.wer-weiss-was.de/theme96/article881384.html

They suggest you can make self-raising flour from normal flour by adding a suitable quantity of baking powder...

As has been mentioned you can make your own self-raising using Baking powder and/or cream of tartar (gereinigter Weinstein) and natron

Self raising flour

Hi,

Have you tried Normal Blätterteig, you can find it in the fridges/freezers of most large supermarkets, probably somewhere near the ready made pizza dough and the "knack & back" tubes of dough. (maybe it only comes frozen, I can't remember)

Here is a description(in german) of what it is.

Perhaps not exactly filo pastry, but could be used as a substitute?

Cheers
Neil

And for info on Flour Type:

type info

I found this:


Here http://www.answers.com/topic/flour-1

Thanks for asking that question, as I have been meaning to find out what the flour type was myself, but kept forgetting!

A good way of making your own S.R. flour is to buy Mehl Typ 405 (plain flour), add Backpulver (1 little packet is enough for 500g flour) and shake it up in a large freezer bag. That way the baking powder is evenly distributed and you have a supply ready for baking.

You can find a good substitute for filo in the Turkish supermarket - it's used for those really sweet cake thingys and for savoury filled slices and isn't as greasy as flaky pastry.

Many Thanks to everyone who has replied to my posting. The suggestions and info were all great and much more than I had hoped for. Sorry for not checking back earlier but I have been a bit under the weather Ok now though

Neilg and Purple Muffin - I would really love to try both the Baked Cheesecake recipes if you have time to post them?

Thanks again. Its nice to know everyone is so helpful

I have a quick recipe for a Green Thai Chicken Curry if anyone is interested? I have been told is tastes authentic by a friend from Thailand.

Suzanne

P-Muffin and Neilg, I too would love your baked cheese-cake recipes ...

Non-baked if you have em too!

Suzanne, please post your green curry recipe too!!

I'm getting hungry! :$

Neil has cooked a green Thai curry when I visited him... that was fantastic. [img]http://www.moneymakergroup.com/style_emoticons/default/yahoo.gif[/img]

Can Editor Bill open up the recipe blog so others can add to it?

Ok here's my recipe for a quick thai green curry.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
2 green chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
2 -3 tablespoons of green thai curry paste (to taste)
1 stalk lemongrass cut into two large pieces and bashed a bit! (it does work without if you can't get it)
2 - 3 Lime leaves, finely sliced (ditto as above)
600g of chicken breast/leg, cut into bite size pieces
450ml hot chicken stock (veg if you haven't got chicken)
150ml coconut milk
1 mug (becher) basmati rice (dried volume) (if you like lots of rice you may want to do more)
250g green beans, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 Yellow pepper, diced roughly
3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Heat oil and add onion and chillies, cook gently on medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add paste and stir frequently for 2 mins. Add lemongrass and chicken and cook, stirring occassionally, for 5 mins. Add stock and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Meanwhile put rice on to cook. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins. Then add beans, pepper and lime leaves and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove lemongrass and serve curry on a bed of rice sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you like it.

Suzanne

agree with Mack on that. About time you posted the recipe Neil...

...good idea 'will give it some thought ...I did a brilliant cookery course in a local thai restaurant

Hi. Anyone know if there has been a new spot created for recipe postings yet? Probably just being a bit dense today but I can see one!

Cheers
Suzanne

Anyone got a good recipe for Yorkshire Puddings?

Dunc.

Weeman,

Flour, egg, milk, salt, pepper.

Mix them, then pour into a tins (with some lard of course) and stick them in a hot oven until done.

At least thats how I learnt.

There are no doubt millions of recipes out there if you search google here is one example:

Yorkshire puddings

Thanks for reminding me of them, I must make some more soon!

Neil

Ta neil!!

The critical part of making yorkshire puddings is - make sure you use fresh eggs
and make sure the fat in the trays is hot before pouring in the batter!!

That's the tips I learnt

never really worried about the eggs myself, always figured if the didn't smell bad they would be ok, could be a point though.
But the comment about having hot fat is valid. As is cooking them in a hot enough oven, if cooking in a non fan assisted oven with a roast, ensure that the yorkshires are above the roast, otherwise the may not rise.
Also ensure you get enough air into them whilst beating them to make them rise.

N.

my Mum always says to keep them out of the fridge as well

Thanks Guys,

I will try on Sunday and report back.

Duncan.

can anyone explain please, for what you need, what you call self raising flour?

Hi Hannah,

You use it for the same things that in Germany you would use normal flour, and backpulver. In the case of self raising flour you dont have to add the backpulver.

Neil

yep, thats what I thought by reading. But isn't this bullshit? Because different receipes need different amounts of Mehl and Backpulver. Whats the big deal? Just mix them both in the moment when you need it.

Lazy brits

Well I have never managed to get a cae to rise with just normal Mehl and Backpulver but maybe I am just stupid!!!

I am a pre-school teacher and every Friday we do some baking together (cakes, waffles, muffins, pancakes etc etc). This is the only time I ever do cooking, just to give you an idea of how undomesticated I am. I just mix regular flour and baking powder together and I never have a problem with the cakes rising etc or the taste of the end result. I usually get one of my kids to just pour some of the baking powder in without worrying too much about quantity. I am sure somewhere there are some ratios of how much baking powder you are meant to add in relation to the flour - but I kind of don't have that domestic gene that makes me go and find out for sure!

From memory if you get the sachets it's one sachet per 500 grams. I haven't got any kitchen scales so I just guess all the ingredients and never had a problem and I make mean oatmeal raisin cookies!!

On the subject of self raising flour - It is a base to use in most recipies however some do require you to add additional baking powder! I'm sure it's a conspiracy by UK supermarkets to sell more flour!!

What I don't understand is the UK makes things easy by giving us self raising flour - but here bread mix is much more widely available yet in the UK I always end up having to make it from scratch which is more difficult than adding a bit of powder!