Welcome to Topic 8: Basic Proportions and Methods of Making!

Hello future chefs! This chapter is where the science of Food and Nutrition meets the magic of cooking. We are going to explore the fundamental building blocks—the methods and ratios—that decide if your cake is light and fluffy or hard as a rock!

Understanding basic proportions (the specific amount of flour to fat to liquid) and the correct method is crucial for success in the kitchen. It ensures consistent, perfect results every time you cook.

Quick Review: Why are proportions and methods so important?

  • Proportions (Ratios): If the balance of ingredients is wrong, the chemical reactions (like coagulation or gelatinisation) won't happen correctly. Too much flour = dry product. Too much liquid = sticky mess.
  • Methods: The way you combine ingredients (e.g., rubbing in the fat vs. creaming the fat) determines how much air is incorporated and how the gluten develops. This directly affects the texture (short, flaky, or spongy).

Section 1: Cake, Scone, and Biscuit Methods

When making baked goods, the method you choose determines the texture and final result. Let’s look at the five core methods listed in the syllabus.

1. The Creaming Method

This method is used primarily for rich, light cakes (like Victoria sponge or butter cakes) and certain cookies.

Process:

  1. Beat (cream) the fat (usually butter or margarine) and sugar together vigorously until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
  3. Fold in the sieved flour and liquid/milk alternately.

The Science: Creaming traps tiny pockets of air into the mixture (mechanical aeration). This air expands when heated in the oven, helping the cake rise and giving it a delicate texture.

Tip for Creaming: The "Fluffy" Analogy

Imagine you are whipping up thick shaving foam—you want it as light and white as possible. That’s how the creamed butter and sugar should look before adding the eggs!

2. The Rubbing-In Method

This is used for products where the fat needs to be evenly distributed through the flour to achieve a short (crumbly) texture, such as scones, shortcrust pastry, and some biscuits (like shortbread).

Process:

  1. Sieve flour and raising agents.
  2. Cut cold, solid fat into small cubes.
  3. Using fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  4. Add liquid (usually milk or water) to bind it quickly into a dough.

The Science: Rubbing-in coats the flour particles with fat. This prevents the water added later from mixing fully with the flour, which in turn inhibits gluten development. Less gluten = less elasticity and a "shorter," more crumbly product.

3. The Whisking Method (or Sponge Method)

This method is used for very light, airy sponges (like Swiss rolls or Genoise). It relies entirely on eggs for aeration.

Process:

  1. Eggs and sugar are whisked together over a gentle heat (sometimes called a bain-marie) or very vigorously until they form a thick, pale, voluminous foam (ribbon stage).
  2. Sieved flour is gently folded into the mixture.

The Science: Whisking traps the maximum amount of air within the egg protein structure. Because no fat is used (or very little, melted fat added later), the mixture is light. The folding stage must be gentle to prevent knocking out the trapped air.

4. The Melting Method

Used for moist, heavier products where the texture relies on the liquid ingredients, such as gingerbread, brownies, or sticky fruit cakes.

Process:

  1. Fat, sugar, and liquid (like syrup, molasses, or milk) are gently heated and melted together in a pan.
  2. This liquid mixture is cooled slightly.
  3. Flour and other dry ingredients (like beaten eggs) are stirred into the melted mixture.

5. The One-Stage Method (All-in-One)

As the name suggests, this is the quickest method, often used for simpler cakes and muffins.

Process: All ingredients (excluding any delicate additions like chocolate chips) are placed in a bowl and mixed together simultaneously, usually using an electric mixer.

Key Takeaway: The method dictates the texture. Creaming and whisking rely on physical aeration (trapped air), while rubbing-in is designed to limit tough gluten development.

Section 2: Pastry Methods

Pastry making is all about mastering the distribution of fat to create different levels of richness and flakiness.

1. Shortcrust Pastry

This is the most common, robust, and easiest pastry to make. It should be tender and ‘short’ (crumbly, not stretchy).

  • Method: Rubbing-in method (as described above).
  • Proportion: The classic ratio is usually 2 parts flour to 1 part fat (e.g., 250g flour to 125g fat).
  • Key success factor: Use cold fat and cold water, and handle the dough as little as possible to prevent gluten from developing and making the pastry tough.

2. Rough Puff Pastry

This pastry is designed to be a quick alternative to traditional puff pastry. It is flaky and rises due to steam trapped between the layers of fat and dough.

  • Method: The fat (which is cubed, not rubbed in finely) is mixed into the flour and liquid quickly, leaving visible lumps of fat.
  • Technique: The dough is repeatedly rolled and folded (this is called turning or laminating).
  • The Science: When baked, the fat melts and creates temporary barriers. The water in the dough turns to steam, pushing these layers apart to create the characteristic light, flaky structure.

3. Flaky Pastry

Flaky pastry is similar to rough puff, but often contains slightly less fat and the fat is added in thin, flat pieces during the rolling and folding process, resulting in a more regular lift.

  • Key difference from Shortcrust: In shortcrust, fat is distributed finely (breadcrumbs). In flaky and rough puff, fat remains in distinct layers, creating the lift.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Adding too much water or over-handling the dough. This develops gluten, leading to tough, shrinking pastry.

Section 3: Sauce Methods

Sauces rely on starch (usually flour) to thicken liquid. We need to understand how to incorporate the starch without creating lumps.

1. The Roux Method

The roux (pronounced 'roo') is a mixture of cooked fat and flour, and it is the foundation for many classic coating sauces (like Béchamel or Cheese Sauce).

Step-by-Step (White Roux):

  1. Melt the fat (butter/margarine) in a pan.
  2. Stir in an equal amount of flour (e.g., 25g fat + 25g flour) to create a paste (the roux). Cook this for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
  3. Remove from heat, then gradually whisk in the cold liquid (e.g., milk).
  4. Return to heat and stir continuously until the sauce boils and thickens (gelatinisation).

The Science: Cooking the flour in fat (step 2) helps prevent lumps because the fat separates the starch particles. Adding cold liquid to the hot roux (or hot liquid to a cold roux) ensures even thickening.

2. The Blended Method (Slurry Method)

This is often used for thickening gravies, stews, or fruit sauces when you want to add the thickener quickly at the end of the cooking process.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Mix the starch (usually cornflour, arrowroot, or flour) with a small amount of cold liquid (water or milk) to form a smooth paste called a slurry.
  2. Pour this slurry into the hot liquid that needs thickening.
  3. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.

Did you know? Cornflour gives a clearer, shinier appearance than flour, which is why it is often used for fruit sauces.

3. Pouring and Coating Sauces

These terms refer to the consistency required.

  • Pouring Sauce (Thin): Should flow easily (e.g., thin custard, thin gravy). Requires a lower proportion of starch/thickener.
  • Coating Sauce (Thick): Should be thick enough to cling to the back of a spoon (nappe) and cover the food without running off (e.g., Béchamel, cheese sauce). Requires a higher proportion of starch/thickener.

Key Takeaway: Starch must be separated before adding it to hot liquid to prevent lumps. The roux method uses fat for separation; the blended method uses cold liquid.

Section 4: Batters

Batters are simple mixtures of flour and liquid (often including eggs). They are quick to prepare and rely on chemical or physical methods for rising (like steam or raising agents).

1. Thin (Pouring) Batters

These have a high liquid content and flow very easily.

  • Uses: Thin pancakes (crepes), Yorkshire puddings, or very thin coatings.
  • Aeration: Steam (especially in Yorkshire puddings due to high oven heat) or chemical agents like baking powder.

2. Coating Batters

These are thicker than pouring batters and are designed to cling to the food being fried.

  • Uses: Fritters, onion rings, fish (e.g., in fish and chips), or tempura.
  • Proportion: Less liquid is used than in pouring batters to achieve the necessary viscosity (thickness).

Tip: Letting a batter rest for 30 minutes allows the starch granules to fully absorb the liquid, resulting in a lighter texture when cooked.

Section 5: Sweet and Savoury Yeast Products

Yeast products are unique because they use a biological raising agent. This requires careful attention to temperature and technique.

The Yeast Method

Yeast is a tiny, single-celled fungus that, when given the right conditions, converts sugar (from flour or added sugar) into carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) gas and alcohol. This process is called fermentation.

Conditions for Yeast Success:

  • Food: Sugar (dextrose/sucrose) or starch from the flour.
  • Moisture: Water or milk (must not be too hot or it will kill the yeast).
  • Warmth: Optimal temperature is around 25°C to 35°C (too cold slows it down, too hot kills it).

Process for Yeast Products (e.g., Bread, Doughnuts, Sweet Rolls):

  1. Activation: Mix yeast with a little warm liquid and sugar (this starts the fermentation).
  2. Mixing: Combine with flour and salt (salt controls the yeast).
  3. Kneading: This step is vital. Kneading develops the gluten (the protein network in the flour). Strong gluten is necessary to trap the \(CO_2\) gas produced by the yeast.
  4. First Proving (Rising): The dough is left in a warm place to ferment until it has doubled in size.
  5. Knocking Back: Punching the dough down to release large air bubbles and redistribute the yeast.
  6. Shaping and Second Proving: The dough is shaped and allowed to rise again before baking.

The Science of Kneading: Think of gluten like chewing gum. When you knead it, you stretch and strengthen it, allowing it to form elastic walls that can hold the \(CO_2\) bubbles without breaking.

Key Takeaway: Yeast requires careful temperature control and kneading to develop gluten and allow fermentation to successfully raise the product.

Quick Review Checklist (Basic Methods)

Use this table to quickly test your memory on the primary function of each method:

Baking Methods Summary
  • Creaming: Incorporates air into fat/sugar. Result: Light, rich cakes.
  • Rubbing-in: Distributes fat finely. Result: Short, crumbly texture (scones, shortcrust).
  • Whisking: Incorporates maximum air into eggs/sugar. Result: Very light sponges.
  • Roux: Separates starch with fat. Result: Thick, creamy coating sauces.
  • Kneading (Yeast): Develops strong gluten structure. Result: Elastic dough that holds gas (bread).