I took the recipe I used from an American adaptation. I am considering using Mimi Thorisson's version next time. I have made some nice meals from her French Country Cookbook. Once in a while I take the leap and use German or French recipes. I do have a nice digital scale that does both metric and imperial.
For sure, I am no Alton Brown, nor a trained chef. So I appreciate any help, recommendations, and solutions, whenever offered. But I am fearless in the kitchen, none the less. thank you, Brad
Your cakes looks quite good overall. Nothing to be ashamed of in the least. Even the most experienced of us run into problems in the kitchen.
If you use a Mimi Thorisson recipe keep these differences in mind.
Flour:
France Is categorized by ash. Ash simplified is the remaining mineral content in the flour when sample has been burned.
Most flour in the world is milled by separating the wheat kernel; bran, endosperm, and germ are then milled separately. These are referred to as streams. The endosperm is pure starch. The center of the endosperm is considered has no residue of the bran. So that is a separate stream.
The separate stream are then blended to create different types of flours. The more percentage of the kernel that is added back determines the flour. That percentage is called extraction rate. 100% extraction of the kernel is whole wheat flour; 75% extraction of the kernel is all purpose flour; 45% extraction of the kernel is a cake flour.
The French do not mill their flour this way. The French mill the entire wheat kernel. They then sieve out the bran and germ to create the different types of flours. So their flours are embedded with more bits of bran and germ. This gives the flour more nutritional value, rich color, higher ash content, and better performance in bread and most pastry making than flour that is milled by separating the kernels. Somethings like an angel food cake cannot be made with these flours.
it is illegal in all European Union countries, Canada, Australia, and most Asian countries to bleach flour.
In the US we label flour by its use, all purpose, bread, cake. French flour is labeled by the percentage of ash content. Type 45 indicates 45% ash. The higher the ash content, the higher the protein content.
Type 45: equivalent to pastry flour
Type 55: equivalent to all purpose
Type 65: the first in a line of what we call bread flour French really really passionate about bread, so they have
several wheat “bread“ flours
Types 80: high gluten bread flour
Type 110: Another type of bread flour that has unique blend bran and germ so it performs bit handles more like an all purpose flour, but has some of the nutritional value, colors and aromas of a whole wheat flour.
Eggs:
I mentioned eggs are graded differently in Europe. The large egg in Europe is equivalent to a medium in the US and Canada.
Average America large egg shell weighs 8 grams. I note the weight of the shell because knowing the average weight of the shell will help you in reducing waste if you bake by weight.
For American large eggs
A 58g -59 g egg in shell will yield 50g of raw egg
A 61g - 62g egg in the shell will yield 53g of raw egg
The yolk weighs about 38% of the large raw egg
Eggs must meet a MINIMUM size to be included in a grade side. So any egg in the US between 56.7g - 63.7g is graded as a large egg.
United States | | |
Size | Minimum mass per egg | |
Jumbo | 70.9 g | 2.5 oz |
Extra-Large (XL) | 63.8 g | 2.25 oz. |
Large (L) | 56.7 g | 2 oz. |
Medium (M) | 49.6 g | 1.75 oz. |
Small (S) | 42.5 g | 1.5 oz. |
Peewee | 35.4 g | 1.25 oz. |
| | |
| | |
Canada | | |
Size | Minimum mass per egg | |
Jumbo | 70 g | |
Extra Large | 63 g | |
Large | 56 g | |
Medium | 49 g | |
| | |
| | |
Europe | | |
Size | Minimum mass per egg | |
Extra large (XL) | 73 g | |
Large (L) | 63 g | |
Medium (M) | 53 g | |
Small (S) | Less than 53 g | |
Imperial vs US weight:
Most people are not aware that an oz in Imperial is not the same as in the US. You’re using a recipe from Europe that is using Imperial, then know that American weight is not the equivalent.
US 1 Tablespoons = 14.78 mL
closest to 100mL in US TBSP is 6 3/4 TBSP (99.76mL) or 7 TBSP (103.46mL) and not 8 TBSP (118.2mL0
US 1 oz = 29.57mL
UK 1 oz = 28.41mL
US N/A
UK 1 gill = 5 oz = 142.07mL
US 1 cup = 8 oz = 236mL
UK N/A
US 1 pint = 16 oz = 473.18mL
UK 1 pint = 20 oz = 568.28mL
US 1 quart = 32 oz = 946.36mL
UK 1 quart = 40 oz = 1.137L
US 1 gallon = 128 oz = 3.785L
UK 1 gallon = 160 oz = 4.546L