Q–I know that in baking rye bread, many cooks use sour dough to get that distinctive ”sour rye” flavor. I`ve also heard that you can get this flavor by using vinegar, without waiting the few days for the sour dough to develop. Do you know how much vinegar to use?
Wilma Steffes, Chicago
A–The rye flavor in a rye bread comes from a combination of rye flour, caraway seeds and yeast. The sour flavor results from the addition of something with an acidic flavor–usually a sour dough culture or vinegar. When sour dough batter is added to a rye bread dough, the rye bread ends up with a sour flavor caused by the presence of lactic acid in the sour dough. When vinegar is added, the sour flavor is caused by the presence of acetic acid in the vinegar. Though both flavors are sour, they are different–just as white wine vinegar and red wine vinegar or lemon and lime juice all have different flavors, although each is sour.
We asked Beth Anderson, assistant librarian at Kansas` American Institute of Baking, for proportions: ”If you substitute 1/2 cup vinegar for 1/2 cup water in any rye bread recipe calling for 3 cups of flour or more you`ll end up with a rye bread having an increased sour flavor,” she said.
Q–Do you have a recipe for a cookie type pie dough that can be pressed, rather than rolled into a baking dish or pie pan?
Marcia J. Wiliczko,
Franklin Park
A–Here`s a recipe for a cookie type crust that can be either pressed or rolled into a pie pan.
COOKIE CRUST
Two 9-inch crusts
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Pre-baking time: 20 minutes
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon each: baking powder, salt
1 cup butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg yolk
1. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture, then use a pastry blender to incorporate until mixture looks mealy. Add sour cream, lemon juice and egg yolk, working ingredients together until a soft dough is formed. Squeeze dough with hands, then form into a ball. Divide ball into 2 equal parts.
2. Place half of the dough in the center of a 9-inch pie pan and lightly pat and push dough to edges of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer, then prick well with the tines of a fork and pre-bake for about 20 minutes in a 350-degree oven–just long enough for dough to be cooked through but not to have taken on any color. If dough still looks raw, return it to the oven for a moment or two, watching carefully.
3. Allow to cool completely, then fill and bake as desired. If edges begin to get too brown, cover them with foil.
Got a question? We can`t answer letters or telephone calls directly, but will print questions of general interest in this column. Write to Cooks`
Dialogue, The Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
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