Friday, September 17, 2010

The Daring Cooks August, 2010 Challenge: Food Preservation - The apple butter of knowledge


The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home Food Preservation.

This was my first time canning and I wanted to work with something I had. Our host John gave us perfect backgroud and instructions that can be found here. Those who are interested in canning should really read it. I followed the apple butter recipe and also made a mix berries jam, both boiled but to be refrigerated or frozen since I have no faith in my used jar.

I can not believe how wonderful the jam tastes!!! maybe it does not have the consistency of store bought since I did not add any gel, but the taste is soooooo good I am never buying jam ever again. Thank you John!

Mix berries jam
Ingredients:
450grams of mix berries (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry,  black raspberry)
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 tbsp lemon
1 tbsp water

1. Layer berries with sugar and let sit in refrigerator for 1 hr.
2. Place candied berries all the sauce if any came out, with lemon and water and bring to boil.
4. Scoop out any foam and keep boil until thickens.
5. Place berry jam in sterilized jar.
6. Immerse jam jar in water and bring to boil for 15 min.
7. Cool jar asap in refrigerator then freeze it for long storage. Specially if the jars were not covered by water when boiling.
*The foam I added tea and made fruit tea, yum yum yum, h*ll no letting it go to waste.




Recipes: Reduced Sugar Apple Butter Recipe
Recipe Source: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_02/apple_butter_reduced.html
John's preference is to use sweet apples (Golden Delicious) so the need for sugar is reduced. However, tart apples (Granny Smith) can be used. It’s a matter of personal preference. I used fuji apples as that's my hubbie's favorite.
Recipe: Reduced Sugar Apple Butter
Ingredient U.S. Metric Count Special Instructions
Apples 4lbs* 1.8 kg 12 Apples Cut into eights, stem and blossome end removed
Apple Cider 1 Cup 240 ml   Optional: Water or Juice
Sucralose/Splenda 1/2 Cup 120 ml   Optional: Honey, Agave or Sugar - to taste
Cinnamon, Ground 1 Tbl 15 ml    
Allspice, Ground 1/2 tsp 3 ml    
Cloves, Ground 1/4 tsp 2 ml    


Directions:
1. Wash apples well, peel and remove core, stems. Cut apples into quarters or eighths.
2. Combine apples and cider in 8-quart (about 7 ½ litre) saucepan. Cook slowly and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until apples are very soft (falling apart).
3. Smash the apple to puree or you may also pass it through food processor.
4. Combine pulp with Sucralose and spices in an 8-quart (about 7 ½ litre) saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently. Keep it uncovered so that the water will evaporate and thicken.
5. To test for doneness, spoon a small quantity onto a clean plate; when the butter mounds on the plate without liquid separating around the edge of the butter, it is ready for processing. Another way to test for doneness is to remove a spoonful of the cooked butter on a spoon and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon.

6. Pour contents into desired storage container or multiple containers. I stored my apple butter in 1-cup (250ml) plastic containers with screw on tops. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks, freeze up to a year, and home canning is good for a year.

I did not have any allspice but used ground nutmeg instead.
 
Below are some info that John gave us, I just copied and pasted from The daring baker's page to keep track. 
Why Preserve Foods?
There are many reasons – save the harvest from our garden for later in the year, control the ingredients that go into our food, nostalgia (memories of our parents or grandparents), make gifts, satisfaction of making it yourself… etc. For me, it’s curiosity, controlling what I eat and just the satisfaction of making it myself.
Why foods go bad?
Before we start preserving foods, we need to know why foods spoil.
The two main culprits are
1) The obvious culprit is bacteria, molds and yeast/fungi. I call them “bad bugs.” There are “good bugs” that help with fermentation (yogurt, beer, wine, sourdough breads and pickles), but the bad bugs rots foods, gives foods an off taste and can make us sick.
2) The other culprit is enzymes. Enzymes are molecules that occur naturally in food which encourage chemical changes, some of which are desirable - help ripen fruit by converting starch to sugar, soften fruits or vegetables, or reduce acidity level. Some changes are not desirable, browning when an apple is cut, or the fruit becomes overripe where the flesh becomes soft and mushy.
The other supporting culprits are oxygen and unintentional moisture loss. Fortunately, when we eliminate microorganisms, the rest of the culprits are taken care off at the same time.
Good bugs and bad bugs keep growing and growing?
Bacteria, molds and yeast are living organisms that are present at all times – in the air, on surfaces, and on our food. In order for organisms to survive, they need food, water, oxygen (although some microorganisms can survive without oxygen) and a comfy environment.
A better way to remember food, water, oxygen and comfy place to live is by remembering “FATTOM” or “FAT TOM”. No, FATTOM is not the guitar riff to “Smoke on the Water” [F-A-T, T-T, O-M; F-A-Tee-Tee-O-M].
FAT TOM represents the six conditions microorganisms need to grow/multiply.
FAT TOM is Food, Acidity, Temperature, Time, Oxygen and Moisture.
* Food - Microorganisms, like people, need nutrients. Unfortunately, that means microorganism eat what we eat. Some microorganisms can get by with sugar while other need protein. The foods of concern from a food safety standpoint are low acid, protein rich foods, such as, meat, dairy and egg containing foods.
* Acidity – Acidity is a value between 0 to 14 (known as pH) where values less than 7 are acidic and values above 7 are alkaline. For example, water is generally neutral at pH = 7 while vinegar is acidic with a pH between 2.4 and 3.4. Most foods we eat have a neutral to acidic pH where foods with values 4.6 or higher are considered low acid foods.
* Temperature – Temperatures between 40F (4.4C) to 140F (60C) is considered the Temperature Danger Zone (TDZ) where microorganisms can grow. The optimal temperature for growth is typically between 70F (21C) to 100F (38C). Note: In the USA, the FDA is lowering the higher temperature from 140F to 135F (57C).
- Food Safety Tip: Hot foods should stay hot, above 140F (60C). Cold foods should stay cold, below 40F (4.4 C)
* Time – Given the right conditions and temperatures 40F to 140F, microorganisms start growing. Given enough time, the population will grow rapidly to levels that can make us sick.
- Food Safety Tip: Two hour rule and the Four hour rule.
Foods kept at room temperature (in the TDZ) should be refrigerated before two hours. Foods are to be thrown out after 4 hours in the TDZ. For hot days, for example a 90F (32C) day, the time is cut in half.
- Food Safety Tip: Also, cooling foods in the refrigerator, foods should be cooled within two hours (from 140F (60C) to 70F (21C)). Of course, faster is better. For example, a pot of chili beans can be cooled quickly by pouring into a baking dish where the chili beans are spread out into a thin layer.
* Oxygen – Most microorganisms need air. There are a couple bad bugs that don’t need air to grow where Clostridium botulinum (Botulism), being the most notorious bad bug that prefers a no oxygen environment.
* Moisture – Pure water is the key to life while salt water is less desirable.
How does knowing FAT TOM help us preserve food?
Food preservation works by changing the condition of our food to discourage bad bug growth. Food is what we are trying to save and Time is beyond our control. The remaining factors we can change are Acidity, Temperature, Oxygen and Moisture.
Brief summary of how each food preservation method works.
Preservation Method Acid Temperature Oxygen Moisture
Freezing   Storing foods at 0F (-17.8C) or lower Airtight packaging  
Boiling Water Canner (high acid foods)/Pressure Canner (low acid ) Some foods can be acidified using vinegar or lemon juice Heats foods to kill bad bugs and neutralize enzymes Jars form a vacuum seal – creates a low oxygen environment
Pickling and Fermentation Food is acidified by using vinegar or natural bacteria creating lactic acid     Brines (salted water) and sugars reduce fresh water
Drying Airtight packaging Removes up to 90% of the moisture
Jam and Jellies Vinegar or Lemon juice, Fruits naturally acidic Cooking, canning or Freezing Canning will create a vacuum seal Sugar reduces water available
For this daring challenge, we will be focusing on Freezing and Boiling Water Canning.
Freezing:
Freezing refers to storing foods in airtight containers at 0ºF (-17.8ºC) or lower. Freezing does not kill bad bugs. The cold temperature causes the microorganisms to go into hibernation/suspended animation.
Freezing is the easiest food preservation method, especially with modern freezers.
The main pointers for freezing:
1) Freeze foods quickly. Quickly freezing creates smaller ice crystals. Water is a funny substance where water expands when frozen. This means larger ice crystals can puncture cell walls (such as whole berries) so when defrosted you end up with a mushy mass.
2) Try not to freeze too much at once. Typical advice 2 to 3 lbs (1 kg) per cubic foot (28 Liters) of freezer space.
3) Containers should be airtight and leak proof.
4) Minimize air and gaps in the packaging. This reduces the chance for freezer burn – drying.
5) Label and date the package. Frozen foods tend to look the same over time, especially when a layer of ice has formed.
6) Vegetables can be blanched to deactivate enzymes. Blanching is quick cooking in boiling water for a few minutes and cooled rapidly in ice water.
7) For initial freezing using pliable freezer bags, freeze on a smooth, flat surface to prevent the bag from molding itself to the rack.
Boiling Water Canning:
Boiling water canning sterilizes the food using the temperature of boiling water. The jars form a vacuum seal which creates a low air/oxygen environment.
Important!
The temperature that water boils varies with altitude. At sea level, water boils at 212ºF (100ºC) while at 5,000 ft (1524 m) water boils at 203ºF (95ºC). What this means is canning (processing) times increase with altitude. Fortunately, we don’t need to do the math. Canning recipes include processing times for different altitudes
Boiling water canning is appropriate for high acid foods (foods with pH values lower than 4.6). Typically, fruits are high acid foods while vegetables are low acid. There are a few fruits that are on the border (pH 4.6), such as, tomatoes. However, some borderline pH foods can be acidified by adding vinegar or lemon juice. In home canning, lemon juice (and lime juice) refer to bottled concentrate, unless the recipe calls for fresh. Also, vinegar refers to vinegar with 5% acidity. The percentage strength can be found on the label.
In the USA, home canning uses Mason jars, a thick-walled jar. The lid is a two piece assembly – the lid with a reddish sealing compound and a metal band/ring.
Jars should be inspected before each use – looking for cracks and chips. Washed with detergent dish soap and dried. To reduce thermal shock (hot food cracking a cold jar), the jars should be kept hot. Clean jars can be kept hot by submerging in the boiling water canner or in a dishwasher. Also, a warm oven can be used.
For processing (canning) times less than 10 minutes, the jars need to be sterilized for 10 minutes in boiling water. For altitudes higher than a 1,000 ft (305 meters), an additional minute is added for each 1,000 ft (305 meters) above sea level.
Jars, Lids and Rings
Figure illustrates the jars and lids used in the USA.
The basic steps for using a boiling water canning.
1. Check your jars for chips, cracks and nicks. Wash and preheat your jars.
2. Fill you canner half full with water. Preheat water to 140ºF (60ºC) for raw packing foods or 180ºF (82ºC) for hot packing foods.
3. Fill jars with food prepared according to the recipe, remove bubbles and adjust headspace.
4. Load jars into the canner. It’s important to keep the jars level.
5. Add more hot water, as needed, so the jars are submerged by at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) of water.
6. Cover the canner with the lid and turn the heat to high.
7. Set timer when the water comes to a vigorous boil. You can lower the heat, but the boil must be maintained.
8. When the time is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Wait 5 more minutes.
9. Remove jars making sure the jars are level and set on a towel. Allow to cool to room temperature, undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
Terminology
Headspace – is the gap between the top of the container to the level of the liquid or food.
For freezing, headspace is important to ensure there is room in the container for the expanding food. For canning, headspace ensures that a proper vacuum seal will form without the food spilling out of the jars while canning.
Headspace
Raw Pack (canning) – foods are placed in jars raw and, typically, a flavored liquid is added to the jars before processing. Advantages: Food is not cooked twice. Retains shape better. Disadvantages: Uses more jars. Foods may float due to trapped air.
Hot Pack (canning) – foods are cooked before jarring. Advantages: Foods are cooked down so more can be packed into a jar. Less air in food. Disadvantages: Original shape is lost.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Almond Biscotti - The no oil snack ^-^




After baking a failed chiffon cake, with extra time (cus my hubby's playing mass effect 2 for 8hrs non-stop now) I've decided to bake some biscotti, the traditional Almond Biscotti found on The Joy of Baking with a little change (I doubled the recipe, less sugar, less almond, and added sesami).







Yields 30pcs of biscotti 
Ingredients:         
1 cup (145 grams) whole almonds, toasted and chopped coarsely
1/2 cup of toasted sesami (white or black)  
2 teaspoon (10 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 cup (150 grams) granulated brown sugar 
6 large eggs
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract (I didn't have any so added none)

Preheat the oven to 150 Celcius (300F).
1. Beat all the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla and almond extract) with sugar til cream.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add in the mixed wet ingredients. Becareful not to over knead.
3. Lightly flour parchment paper. 
4. Shape the dough into logs of  3cm (1.2 inches) thick, I made mine 3 logs of 13*25cm (doubling recipe).
*Note that it will rise to almost twice its height and spread a little bit.
5. Bake in 150Celcius for 30min~35min.
6. Remove and cool on rack. (keep the oven on)
7. Cut the log into biscuits of 2cm thick (that's the thickness I like) and arrange on baking sheet.
8. Bake for 15min both sides (flip them over and bake for another 15 min).

Totally love this no-oil snack!!!! The dough sticks to hands so wet or lightly flour your hands. I also used a spatula. 

*Edit 14th of September* After the cookies were done I waited for 2 hours to cool then placed them in zipper bags. The next day, they were a bit chewy in the middle with "flour" taste. I re-baked them for 20min at 150Celcius (without flipping). Let them sat in the oven until overnight, then zipped bagged them. It's been 2 days and they are still crunchy with the best "egg" flavour, like Taiwanese 孔雀餅乾.