Quick Questions on ANYTHING part 2. Please read first post for links to other threads

Penelope_Penguin

mouseymousey99 wrote: »

Hello, I made a fatless sponge today. It rose but I was hoping for much higher. I suspect I need more cake mix (I used 4eggs 4oz flour etc) any other tips please - thank you.

What size cake tin did you use?

Can you post your whole recipe, as the relative quantities you give are a way off what I use

Penny. x

mouseymousey99

The dishes are about 8" diameter and quite deep. I used:-
4 oz sugar
4 eggs
4 oz SR flour
1/2 teasp baking powder.
Separated the eggs - beat the sugar & yolks. Beat the whites and folded into the yolky mix (one spoon at a time altern with the flour). Cooked for 20 mins.
Thanks for your help Penny.
Its from a very old Delia cake book (circa late 70s).

Tim_Deegan

Emptynester wrote: »

Can anyone help me with a new mattress/bed question please?

OH and I need a new mattress. We currently have a divan base with drawers in it, this has a solid top. I am sure I have read somewhere that we need to replace the base and mattress together. Is this correct, if so why? I will buy a new base if it's needed but I don't want to spend my money if the 'you must always get a new base with a new mattress' is just a marketing ploy.

Thank you

Empty

If your old base is in good condition, and has no dips or lumps, then there is no reason to replace the base.

Many retailers will fill your head with rubbish to get you to spend more.

If you do a search in the MSE forums for 'mattress' then you will find that there are loads of threads giving advice on mattresses. As a general rule, stay well away from the big brand names and the big chain stores. For the best deal buy on line from a seller who gives a proper satisfaction guarantee that allows you to unpack and sleep on the mattress. This way it is in the sellers interest to make sure that you make the right choice the first time.

Emptynester

Tim_Deegan wrote: »

If your old base is in good condition, and has no dips or lumps, then there is no reason to replace the base.

Many retailers will fill your head with rubbish to get you to spend more.

If you do a search in the MSE forums for 'mattress' then you will find that there are loads of threads giving advice on mattresses. As a general rule, stay well away from the big brand names and the big chain stores. For the best deal buy on line from a seller who gives a proper satisfaction guarantee that allows you to unpack and sleep on the mattress. This way it is in the sellers interest to make sure that you make the right choice the first time.

Thanks Tim more food for thought. Just concerned that buying online could be problematic as my back is very sore now and I know I need a very firm bed.

Thanks

Empty

Tim_Deegan

Emptynester wrote: »

Thanks Tim more food for thought. Just concerned that buying online could be problematic as my back is very sore now and I know I need a very firm bed.

Thanks

Empty

If you go for a pocket sprung mattress then you don't need a firm mattress unless that is what you prefer. It is only with open coil sprung mattresses that you would need to go for firm.

If you read many of the forums you will see that buying from shops is usually more problematic than buying on line.

flutterbyuk25

Afternoon all

I'm having my first attempt at carmalising red onions and if they turn out ok then I would like to make a tart of some sort later today. I have frozen puff pastry, so have taken it out of freezer to defrost. I was thinking of just putting the onions on top (once rolled out) and adding some basil leaves and topping with cheddar cheese.

Any idea how long I should cook for in oven? The packet doesn't say!! :rotfl:

Any suggestions to other things I can add to topping? (I'm veggie)

TIA

x

CCP

The last time I used puff pastry the packet said to bake for 20 minutes, but I tend to just go for "until it's cooked"!

As for other toppings - tomatoes (fresh or sundried) with mozzarella is very nice, as are roasted veggies with pesto. I'm sure there's lots of other things you could do, too, but these are my two favourites.

HTH.

flutterbyuk25

CCP wrote: »

The last time I used puff pastry the packet said to bake for 20 minutes, but I tend to just go for "until it's cooked"!

:rotfl:that's usually how I cook things too!!

Cheers

x

flutterbyuk25

Ok so I made my caramelised red onion tart yesterday, and it tasted very yummy, just had the 2nd portion for tea tonight. However it was rather oily. The onions had a little oil in the pan to start them off, then I rolled the pastry and placed them in the middle (there was no oil evident in the onions then). It was the pastry that seemed oily not the topping. Any reason behind this? It was Jus-roll frozen puff pastry. I've never used puff pastry before so not sure if it was me or the pastry that went wrong!!

TIA

x

Savvy_Sue

flutterbyuk25 wrote: »

Ok so I made my caramelised red onion tart yesterday, and it tasted very yummy, just had the 2nd portion for tea tonight. However it was rather oily. The onions had a little oil in the pan to start them off, then I rolled the pastry and placed them in the middle (there was no oil evident in the onions then). It was the pastry that seemed oily not the topping. Any reason behind this? It was Jus-roll frozen puff pastry. I've never used puff pastry before so not sure if it was me or the pastry that went wrong!!

Blame the pastry.

Seriously, the way you make puff pastry is to mix your water and flour and your fat, but not to the breadcrumb stage like you would with shortcrust pastry - you're left with lumps of fat. You roll it out in such a way that the fat is stretched into long ribbons, which melt as it cooks, leaving tasty air pockets between the thin layers of pastry.

So where's your fat gone? It melts, but it's still there, and you can still taste it.