Leith's theory Flashcards
What is a Cartouche?
A wet disc of greaseproof paper used to maintain a steamy atmosphere to allow food to soften
What is an Emulsion?
A suspension of fat (e.g. oil) and another liquid (e.g. egg yolk) that would not normally want to mix
Why has my mayonnaise split? How can I fix it?
Split mayo: Added the oil too quickly
Remedy:
- slightly split: Splash of lemon juice/water/vinegar and whisk vigorously.
- very split: slowly whisk split mixture (and remaining oil) in to with a fresh egg yolk
What is a mother and daughter sauce? Give examples of a daughter sauce
Mother sauces serve as the base, and daughter sauces are variations made by adding extra flavours or ingredients.
Daughter sauce examples: Aoili (from stock mayo), Bolognese (from stock tomato sauce)
What are the rules of meringue making and ratio of egg whites to sugar
- Use a clean glass or metal bowl and equally clean beaters. Avoid plastic bowls.
- Ensure your room temperature egg whites are completely yolk free
- Don’t add your first 1 tbsp sugar until you have achieved stiff peaks
- Ensure you return to stiff peaks before further additions of sugar.
2:1 sugar to egg white (e.g. 120g sugar: 60g whites).
How to cook meringues (baking tray preparation, temperature and area of oven) and how to tell when they are cooked
- Piped onto a baking parchment lined baking sheet
- cooked at no higher than 120C
- bottom third of the oven.
- cooked then they are crisp to touch
- peel easily from the parchment paper
Why won’t my egg whites whisk up? (Meringues)
If there is grease in the bowl, on the beaters, or in the whites (if tainted with yolks) then stiff peaks might not be achieved.
Why is my egg white mixture soft? (Meringues)
Adding the sugar in before reaching stiff peaks returning to stiff peaks or whites are overbeaten.
Why are my meringues oozing sugar?
- Too hot an oven
- Cooked for too long
Why are my meringues not crisp?
- Undercooked
- high humidity
The remaining bones with the attached flesh is called the …?
Frame
Fish classification and examples of each
- Flat or round and as either oily or white.
- All flat fish are also white.
- Flat fish examples: plaice, sole, brill and turbot.
- White round fish examples: cod, haddock, bream, bass and Pollock.
- Oily round examples fish: mackerel, salmon and sardines.
Things to look for when buying fresh fish
- Check the fish is not damaged and that all fins are intact
- The eyes should be clear and shiny (grey, cloudy eyes suggest older fish) - The flesh should be firm
- Fish should be shiny with a natural slime and not dry
- The gills should be red pink (darker, browner gills suggest older fish)
- The fish should smell of the sea (ie. salty) or have no smell, but shouldn’t smell fishy
How to tell when fish is cooked
- Flesh turns from translucent to opaque
- Flesh forms flakes
What is the basic recipe for rich shortcrust pastry
250g quantity of flour: 25g water with 1 yolk (50ml weight)
125g quantity of flour: 25g water with 1 yolk (25ml weight initially, 25ml weight more later as required)
Cutting in is …? (shortcrust pastry)
The process of starting to get the fat rubbed into the flour
Rubbing in is ..? (shortcrust pastry)
The process of rubbing the fat into the flour. The mixture should look like breadcrumbs by the end and be a pale yellow in colour
Ridging is …? (shortcrust pastry)
Pressing a rolling pin down on the dough to uniformly flatten it
Rolling is …? (shortcrust pastry)
Flattening out a ridged pastry dough to the desired thickness with a rolling pin
Lining is …? (shortcrust pastry)
Placing pastry dough evenly and uniformly in to a pastry case
Blind baking is …? (shortcrust pastry)
A process to completely cook the pastry before you add any filling.
Done with baking beans to support the sides and stop the bottom rising.
How to cook shortcrust pastry (temperature and area of oven) and how to tell when it is cooked
- Cooked at 200C, ideally in the top third of the oven.
- Cooked when it is a light golden colour with no grey patches and has a slightly sandy feel.
Why might shortcrust pastry come out tough? / greasy? / grey? / shrunken?
- Tough: Overworked/over-handled or has too much liquid added to it
- Greasy: Pastry that hasn’t been chilled for long enough or is overcooked
- Grey: Pastry is undercooked
- Shrunken: Stretched when lining, may have had insufficient baking beans used or may not have been chilled enough before baking.
Types of jam for glazing (for glazed fruit tarts)
Berries/dark fruit: redcurrant jam
All other fruit: apricot jam
