Before you use this Book

Appears in

The Professional Pastry Chef

By Bo Friberg

Published 1989

About

Certain ingredient information is standard throughout the book. Please note the following conventions:

Salt used in these recipes is common granulated salt. If you prefer using kosher salt.
Butter is always specified as “unsalted butter.” Salted butter can be substituted if the salt in the recipe is reduced by about ⅕ ounce (6 g) for every pound of butter. However, you cannot substitute salted butter if the recipe contains little salt or if the main ingredient is butter.
The number of eggs specified in each recipe is based on 2-ounce (55-g) eggs (graded large). If you use eggs of a different size, adjust the number accordingly. For convenience in kitchens where a supply of separated egg yolks and whites is available, a volume measure is given when yolks or whites are used independently. The quantity of yolks, whites, and whole eggs per cup has been rounded to twelve, eight, and four, respectively, for these measures.
Raw eggs: When egg yolks, whites, or whole eggs are included in a recipe in which they are not cooked, e.g. in a mousse or gelatin-fortified cake filling, they are first heated to at least 140°F (60°C) to pasteurize them. This is done using different procedures depending on the recipe; often it involves whisking a hot syrup into the eggs or whipping the eggs over a bain-marie with another ingredient.
Yeast is always specified as “fresh compressed yeast.” To substitute dry yeast for fresh, reduce the amount called for by half. “Fast rising” yeast should be avoided. It is treated with conditioners that accelerate the yeast and give the chef less control. Furthermore, it impairs the flavor of baked goods in most cases.
Gelatin is called for as unflavored powdered gelatin. To substitute sheet gelatin.
The unsweetened cocoa powder called for in the recipes in this book refers to the alkalized (Dutch-process) type, preferred for its darker color and smoother flavor, and also because it dissolves more easily. Natural cocoa powder, which is somewhat acidic, may be substituted provided it is used in a recipe that contains a sweetener. However, it should not be used to sift on top of a pastry or to coat a truffle, because it can be bitter eaten alone.
When recipes in this text call for both sweet dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, the combined weight of these two can be replaced with either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, depending on the original ratio of sweet to unsweetened.
Both metric and U.S. units are given throughout. However, to avoid unmeasurable fractions, metric amounts have been rounded to the nearest even number. The equivalent for 1 ounce, for instance, is given as 30 grams rather than 28.35 grams.
When 1 ounce or less of an ingredient, dry or liquid, is needed, the quantity is always given in teaspoons or tablespoons and is based on an exact measurement. Hedges like “scant” or “heaping” are not used in this book.
Avoid the temptation to convert ingredients into cups and tablespoons. Weight measurements are used in professional recipes for better accuracy, and a good scale can be purchased inexpensively. Make certain that your scale (old or new) is properly calibrated.
Sheet pans are the standard American size. Full size is 16 × 24 inches (40 × 60 cm), and half size is 12 × 16 inches (30 × 40 cm). Both have a 1-inch (2.5-cm) slightly slanted border.
In some recipes, instructions are given to spread a batter (most often a sponge batter) over a sheet of baking paper set on the work surface and then to drag the paper onto a sheet pan. This is done to facilitate spreading the batter evenly without the sides of the sheet pan getting in the way, as the standard industry sheet pans in the United States have 1-inch (2.5-cm) sides. Readers throughout Europe and in other countries where regular sheet pans contain raised sides only on the short ends may eliminate this step.
Some recipes in this text include instructions for making templates. Thin cardboard is one possibility because it is readily available and easy to work with; however, plain cardboard templates are intended for one-time use only. (A simple method to extend the life of a template is to spray or brush 2 or 3 layers of food-grade lacquer on both sides, so the template can be cleaned and reused.) A sturdier and more practical template can be made from 1/16-inch (2-mm) plastic. These take a bit more effort to construct, but they can be used over and over. I prefer the laminated type of plastic (the type often used to cover office files or documents) since it will lie perfectly flat and will not tear, but polyurethane sheets also work well.
Any recipe in this book can be scaled up or down in direct proportions as long as it is not multiplied or divided by any number greater than four. In calculating ingredients that do not divide straight across, e.g. to divide in half a recipe calling for 3 eggs or 1⅓ cups of a liquid, round the number up (using 2 eggs or 5½ ounces of liquid for the examples given).
When a weight yield is given for baked goods (for example, four 1-pound, 4-ounce [570 g] loaves), it relates to the product before being baked. As a general rule, ten percent of the weight is lost in steam during the baking process of any item. When a large amount of liquid is part of the ingredients (such as for bread), up to 2 ounces (55 g) for every pound (455 g) of dough will expire.
A properly calibrated thermometer is of great importance for both safe food handling and to obtain desired results whenever the exact temperature of the ingredients determines the outcome. Refer for instructions on how to calibrate a thermometer.
The ingredients and equipment used to produce these recipes are discussed in detail in the appendixes and the recipe introductions, sidebars, and chef’s tips. These sections contain a tremendous amount of information, and I strongly urge readers to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the products used to make a particular item, not simply for the sake of curiosity, but to ensure the best possible result in the safest manner.
When white flour is used in recipes in this book, cake flour, bread flour, or high-gluten flour is specified. All-purpose flour, pastry flour, and the dozens of other specialty white flours are not used. Many recipes combine cake flour and bread flour to create the desired protein content. If you do not have cake flour or bread flour, all-purpose flour may be substituted with a good result in most cases. When high-gluten flour is unavailable, bread flour may be used instead. The protein content of cake flour is generally around 7 percent. Bread flour has a protein content of approximately 12 percent, and high-gluten flour about 14 percent. When cake flour and bread flour are combined in equal amounts, they essentially create all-purpose flour, which has a protein content of approximately 9 to 10 percent. All of these protein percentages vary depending on the manufacturer.