Quick Tips: Baking Short Cuts

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Kitchen too cool for the yeast dough? Should be 80 to 85° and no drafts. Set covered dough in cabinet (or oven) beside pan of boiling water. When water cools, re-heat.

Dough sticky? So it won’t be difficult to knead without using lots of flour: After mixing, turn dough onto lightly floured canvas; cover with mixing bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.

For quick pastry rolling, use floured canvas and ribbed stocking cover on rolling pin. Flatten dough slightly. Then roll from center to edge. Draw circle for size guide.

Well-filled custard pies without spilling. Pull rack part way out of oven. Set pastry-lined pie pan on rack. Pour filling in clear to top. When pie’s filled, slide rack back into oven.

Eggs and milk cold? Warm them to room temperature for a “new quick-method” cake. Break eggs into custard cup, pour milk into measuring cup. Stand in warm water.

Lattice tops on fruit pies are messy to make if fruit’s juicy. Weave strips of pastry on waxed paper. Slip hand under paper, aim right, then quickly flip lattice top over onto fruit.

Source: Elsa Wallin Louis, Meredith Publications (Better Homes & Gardens Magazine), 1946