baking & roasting

An even lighter result is achieved ifsome of the flour is replaced with cornflour.Sponge is usually fat-free, althoughsome recipes call for melted, thenre-cooled butter to be folded into themixture just before baking.Sponge should be baked until golden. Ifit is baked for too long, it will be toodry and may crack easily. If using for aSwiss roll, the cake will then not besoft enough to roll. Turn Swiss rollcakes out onto a clean, damp tea towelimmediately after removing them fromthe oven. Sprinkle water over thebaking parchment, peel it off and rollthe cake up with the tea towel. Youcould scatter some caster sugar overthe clean towel if liked, then roll thecake up in the tea towel.Puff pastryPuff pastry is made up of several layerswhich rise during baking. When rollingthis pastry out to cut shapes, do notknead the remaining pastry beforere-rolling as this will stop it rising inlayers. Instead, pile the remainingpastry up and re-roll.Puff pastry has a neutral flavour, andcan be either filled with sweet fillingssuch as cream or fruit, or with savouriessuch as cheese, vegetables, meat orfish.Choux pastryThe name itself is enchanting! Thepastry is first cooked in a pan on thehob before being baked in the oven.The first ten minutes of baking iscritical for choux pastry. On no accountshould the oven door be opened duringthis time, as this would cause thepastry to sink.Choux pastry has a neutral flavour, andcan take either a sweet or a savouryfilling.To prevent pastries, such as eclairs,becoming soggy, they should not befilled until just before serving.Rinse baking tins and trays with waterbefore placing the pastry on top. Thisensures that there is sufficientmoisture for the pastry to rise.23