Do you enjoy baking? We do! Let’s talk about baking together!
Last week we gave you some interesting reading and exercises to practice your English and learn about pumpkins. You can see it below!
We also promised to share Robin’s favorite pumpkin bread recipe. You can make it with cooked pumpkin, butternut squash or acorn squash. It makes 2 big loaves, or 4-5 small ones. These make great gifts! Bring a loaf to a friend’s house for Halloween, Thanksgiving or the December holidays. Or just enjoy it yourself! Here we go....
We have written important vocabulary words in CAPITAL LETTERS. Let’s match these words first - a little extra English practice:
VOCABULARY
___1. converting
___2. fluid
___3. ingredients
___4. to mash
___5. room temperature
___6. to steam
___7. to measure
DEFINITIONS
a. the foods that are put in a particular dish
b. to cook food by heating it over boiling water
c. not chilled or heated, just at the temperature of the room
d. to take an exact quantity of something
e. changing from one measurement to a different one
f. liquid
g. to crush food into a puree
ANSWERS: 1.e 2.f 3.a 4.g 5.c 6.b 7.d
Let’s Bake!
The first important thing to notice is that in the United States, cooking MEASUREMENTS are written in FLUID ounces, pints, cups, teaspoons and tablespoons. We do not use the metric system. So it’s very important to read the recipe carefully!
Changing metric measurements to the U.S. measures is called CONVERTING. If you need help converting your own recipes to U.S. measurements, here’s a useful link to do that:
https://www.infoplease.com/science-health/weights-measures/us-metric-cooking-conversions
It’s always a good idea to measure and organize all your INGREDIENTS before you start baking. This is called “mise en place”. Yes, that’s French! Thank you to our French friends! It means, “put in place.” You need to put everything in place first. Now you know that you have everything you need. (Sometimes I need to run out to buy something that I’m missing! Luckily, in New York City, some supermarkets are open 24 hours every day.)
The ingredients should all be at ROOM TEMPERATURE. So take the butter, eggs and juice out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you plan to start baking. MEASURE your ingredients carefully. STEAM your pumpkin or squash, MASH it, and then let it cool a little. You don’t want to add eggs to hot pumpkin – the eggs might start cooking!
For extra help with baking actions, you can go to this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RKYwD7wuFw
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!!!
Robin’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread
This is a moist, sweet bread that keeps well and may also be frozen. Delicious!
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup butter
2 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin or squash (2 cups mashed = about 2½-3 pounds before you take off the skin)
1/4 cup orange juice, apple cider, or water (juices are recommended!)
3 1/3 cups sifted flour (Sift the flour FIRST, then measure 3 1/3 cups.)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
(If desired, sprinkle another ½ cup chopped walnuts on top before baking.)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350° F (Fahrenheit).
2. Cut off the skin, throw away the inside seeds and pulp. Cut the pumpkin or squash into chunks. Steam until very soft. Mash them.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Add to the sifted flour. Mix well with a whisk.
4. Cream shortening and sugar for 2 minutes with an electric mixer.
5. Beat eggs into the butter/sugar for 2 minutes.
6. Stir pumpkin and juice (or water) together, then blend into the wet ingredients.
7. Blend in the flour mixture for 1 minute.
8. Stir in nuts and raisins, if desired.
9. Spoon batter into 2 greased, lightly floured loaf pans (8 ½ inches x 4 ½ inches). Or use 3-5 smaller pans. Fill each pan half to two-thirds full. (You can see the photo of our different size pans and breads below.)
10. Bake in preheated 350° oven until they are lightly brown and slightly firm to the touch. A toothpick or cake tester should go in and out clean without any batter on it.
Baking times:
Tiny loaf: 25 minutes
Small loaf (5 in x 3 in): 38 minutes
Medium loaf (7 in x 3 ¾ in): 42 minutes
Large loaf pan (8 ½ inches x 4 ½ inches): about 50-60 minutes
Enjoy! And Happy Halloween!
