Cory's Corner: Ringing in the Holidays

Hi Cory-

Can you please explain the difference between the following and when to use which: Active Dry yeast, Easy-Bake yeast, and Bread Machine yeast?
 
Kind Regards,
June

Dear June,
As we approach the holidays, many baked favorites include yeast-raised rolls, breads and sweet breads. All of these have different yeast applications or methods of preparation. A useful tutorial is our
Yeast: The Basics article. I have also included links to our Baking Yeast Breads and Holiday Baking articles, which should answer your questions and give you some great recipes.

Happy baking!

Dear Cory:
 
We are having a progressive supper and I am making appetizers for 26 people. Can you please tell me how many per person I should be serving?  Also, is there any kind of rule as to what kind of things should be served for this kind of evening?

Thank you,
Kathy


Hi Kathy,

Sounds like a fun evening! There are no rules, but I would start by counting how many courses are being served. Is there a theme for the dinner? Determining the main entree will help when choosing recipes for additional courses.
I recommend serving no more than 3 appetizers when you're having multiple courses; figure 2-3 small servings of each appetizer per person. I would go with finger foods, served at room temperature, with maybe one serve chilled. If you choose something hot, plan for it to come out of the oven as your guests arrive. Serve buffet-style with access on both sides of the table--that will help a group of this size to keep moving throughout the room. By having a buffet rather than passed appetizer trays, you will eliminate last-minute work be able to enjoy your guests. Enlist a teenager to help with the clean-up so that you can move onto the next course with the rest of the group and not stay behind tidying the kitchen. I have included some yummy appetizer suggestions for your party.

Have fun and good luck!

Dear Cory,

Here's a tip if your fudge will not set:
Stick it in the freezer for an hour to firm up. Remove from freezer and make bite-size balls. (Now, it is fudge, so you may not want to make them any bigger than a walnut.) Place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and set them back into the freezer until they set hard. Choose an almond bark flavor that will complement your fudge, and dip the fudge balls in the melted almond bark and let set. After the almond bark dries, you will have truffles--and you won't have wasted all your time and money!

Sandy

Thanks Sandy!  What a great tip to pass along to our Allrecipes community!

With just a few basic tips and the right equipment, you will be baking like a pro!

• Read through your recipes completely. It will give you tips for proper ingredient handling or other special instructions.
• Always measure accurately; now is not the time to “wing it.”
• Do not over-beat your doughs or batters when adding flour; mix just enough to incorporate the ingredients. 
• Preheat your ovens and check the oven temperature with a thermometer for accuracy. 
• Rotate your cookie sheets for even browning halfway during the baking time.
• Have a shallow bowl of flour handy when making cut-out cookies. Dip cookie cutters in flour before each cut to prevent sticking.
• When storing cookies, place a square of parchment in between each layer of cookies to keep them from sticking.
• Iced cookies should be allowed to dry overnight before wrapping or stacking them.
• Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they will last 3-7 days, depending upon the type of cookie.
• To ship cookies, see our advice articles:

• Cooling racks: 1-2 wire racks for cooling baked items
• Cookie sheets:  about  4, both with and without rims
• Measuring cups:  one set for flour and dry goods, plus a liquid measuring cup that holds 1 pint
• Silicone whisks: these heat-proof whisks won't scratch your pans.
• Rasp-style zester/grater: zest citrus in seconds, easily grate Parmesan cheese and make chocolate shavings in a snap!
• Parchment paper: this is a must-have for cookie bakers. It prevents cookies from sticking and makes clean-up a breeze. Parchment can be purchased at your grocer in rolls or at a restaurant/baking supply store in larger quantities. Better yet--do what the professionals do and purchase a durable, reusable silicone baking mat.
• Silicone Baking Mat
• Flour storage: keep your flour fresh, dry and easy to scoop in this see-through container with an easy-open lid.

Send in your cooking questions and cooking tips to coryscorner@allrecipes.com.