November 29, 2001

Prairie Fare: Easy Baking

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

As I recently perused the holiday ads, I saw it again after all these years. Easy-Bake ovens made their first appearance in the 1960s and they’re still around. When I was in elementary school, I wanted an Easy-Bake oven so bad I could almost taste the tiny cakes that came out of the oven.

I imagined myself smiling as broadly as the little girl pictured on the box while I served the delicious morsels to my family and dolls. I guess no boys baked back then. "All my friends have them," I pleaded. Actually only two of my friends did, but that was close enough.

The then-avocado green oven that operated on a 60 watt light bulb was so stylish, and it didn’t take up much room either. I never did get one. Instead I got to bake in the "real" oven with lots of supervision. Now how exciting was that? And so my days of experimenting with food began.

Baking is a science as well as an art. Cooking, on the other hand, is a lot more forgiving of ingredient swaps when the chef discovers a household shortage. With all the interest in reducing fat in the diet, it may be tempting to cut the amount of fat in recipes to make them more healthful. It is possible to reduce fat in recipes, but some rules must be followed, especially in baked goods.

Fat serves a variety of functions in baked goods. Strands of gluten are formed when flour is mixed with liquid. In biscuits and pie crusts, fat prevents the gluten strands from adhering to each other, and therefore keeps the products tender and flaky.

In cakes, fat has a tenderizing effect by "shortening" the gluten strands as they are formed during mixing. Fat also helps hold pockets of air in the batter and keeps the product moist and tender. Fat, of course, also lends flavor and richness.

Most researchers have found that fat content in baked goods can be reduced by up to one-fourth of the original amount without adversely affecting the quality. For example, a recipe calling for 1 cup of shortening could be reduced to three-fourths of a cup of shortening. This type of substitution works best in quick breads, muffins and cookies (especially drop cookies), but not as well in cakes. The minimum amount of fat for acceptable cookies is generally one-fourth cup of shortening per cup of flour. For quick breads, the minimum amount of fat is generally 1 tablespoon shortening per cup of flour.

Another way to reduce fat content is to substitute prune puree or applesauce for some of the fat in baked goods. Start small, because there may be some flavor or texture effects. There are some commercial products consisting of pureed fruit available in many grocery stores. Low-fat margarines/spreads are generally not a good option for use in baking; the water they contain can lead to spreading of the dough – in some cases, right off the pan.

Some recipe modification recommendations suggest trimming sugar in addition to fat in cookie and cake recipes. Researchers, however, have found that reducing sugar in recipes can actually result in a less moist, less acceptable product. You’re better off adjusting fat content instead of sugar.

Are holidays a good time to experiment? Don’t tamper with perfection if you have Great Grandma’s famous sugar cookie recipe. If you’re concerned about fat and calories in holiday goodies, try eating smaller amounts. To keep temptation at bay, keep the cookies, bars and other goodies in the freezer and only take out a few at a time as guests visit during the holidays.

Here’s an easy-to-make holiday goodie from the Kellogg Kitchens. You won’t even need an oven for these tasty, festive treats.

Date Nut Balls

1/2 cup margarine
1 1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup chopped nuts

In medium saucepan, combine margarine, dates, cherries and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes a smooth, soft paste. Remove from heat. Add cereal and nuts. Mix thoroughly. Measure level tablespoons of mixture onto waxed paper coated with cooking spray. Shape into balls and let stand until cool. Makes 3 1/2 dozen. Each date nut ball contains 80 calories, 4 grams fat and 1 gram dietary fiber.

###

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu