Batters.

Question 1

What are batters a mixture of?

Answer 1

Batter are a mixture of plain flour, liquids (milk or water) and egg.

Question 2

Why is a batter mixture well beaten?

Answer 2

The mixture is well beaten to make it smooth and incorporate air.

Question 3

What acts as a raising agent when making batters?

Answer 3

The air expands when heated and acts as a a raising agent together with the liquid which produces steam upon heating making the mixture light.

Question 4

What are the three types of batter?

Answer 4

• Thin batter.
• Coating batter.
• Fritter batter.

Question 5

What dishes can you make with thin batter?

Answer 5

Pancakes.
Yorkshire pudding.
Toad-in-a-hole.

Question 6

What can be coated in coating batter?

Answer 6

Fish and meat.

Question 7

What dishes with examples can be made with a fritter batter?

Answer 7

For sweet (banana, apple, pineapple).
savoury (beef, sausage).
fritter.
kromeskies.

Question 8

What are the proportions for coating batter?

Answer 8

100g plain flour.
125ml milk.
1/2 tsp of salt.
1 egg.

Question 9

What are the proportions for a thin batter?

Answer 9

100g plain flour.
250ml milk.
1/2 tsp of salt.
1 egg.

Question 10

What are the proportions for a fritter batter?

Answer 10

50g plain flour.
1 egg white.
pinch of salt.
3 tbsp of water.
2tsp vegetable oil.

Question 11

What are 2 things to remember when making food with a coating batter?

Answer 11

Food coated must be dry to ensure even coating.

If coated food is to be deep fried make sure the oil is at the correct temperature.

Question 12

What is the traditional method of making a batter? 7 steps.
CLUES: Sieve.
              A well.
              Add
              Stir.
              Beat.
              Beat.
              Use the mixture.

Answer 12

• Sieve flour and salt.
• Make a well in the centre of flour using a wooden spoon.
• Add egg and half of the milk.
• Stir gradually.
• Beat in the rest of the milk slowly.
• Beat until smooth with no lumps.
• Use the mixture according to the recipe.

Question 13

What flour is best for batters and why?

Answer 13

Strong flour gives the best results as the gluten gives a good elastic structure.

Question 14

What is the effect of eggs in a batter?

Answer 14

The effect of egg is to help retain the air beaten into the mixture until the batter is set by cooking (baking powder or yeast can be used instead of egg).

Question 15

Why does lightness depend on the correct cooking temperature.

Answer 15

High at first to cause rapid expansion of gases and later a lower temperature to ensure that the inside is cooked.

Question 16

What are the six principles of making batter?

Answer 16

• Air is beaten into the mixture and egg albumen retains air.
• Water vapourises in heat of cooking.
• Gases and water vapor expand on heating and stretch the elastic gluten in the mixture.
• Albumen of egg and gluten of flour set in the heat.
• Starch grains gelatinise and absorb liquid.
• Malliard reaction and dextrinisation contribute to brown color.