Any Home Bakers Here?

[sunflour]

Curious have any of you replaced sugar with real stevia? I've got a plant growing happily but I'm not really sure what to do with it. All the talk about custard made me think that might be a good place to start...I could add a couple of leaves to the milk when heating maybe?

I have never used stevia, but your post got me curious: here's link to drying and making stevia powder.

http://www.gardenguides.com/116522-use-stevia-plant.html

There's not a lot of info about using green leaves except you can place them in a warm beverages and get some earthy sweetness - not sure how that would taste in custard.

 

[N F C]

A bit off the baking subject but I have a cast iron question...

I "inherited" a rusty cast iron skillet and once it's cleaned up I think it will be great to have. But how to clean off the rust? Some people say to clean it with salt crystals, some say oil it down and some even say to immerse in water, scrub & re-season.

Any suggestions?

 

[sunflour]

A bit off the baking subject but I have a cast iron question...

I "inherited" a rusty cast iron skillet and once it's cleaned up I think it will be great to have. But how to clean off the rust? Some people say to clean it with salt crystals, some say oil it down and some even say to immerse in water, scrub & re-season.

Any suggestions?

I would get the rust off with a brillo or steel wool ( or if you know someone who can help, get it sand blasted if severely rusted ). then wash in dish detergent, rinse, dry with a towel, then place on a medium hot stove eye a few minutes to get it really dry. Once it cools,then re-season with grease all sides and handle and then to the oven to fix the grease.

I'm never sure about the oven temp - in the old days folks went high temp, now most recommend low to moderate temps - 300-325 F. Get it hot and let it cool in there overnight. Place foil on a rack below to keep the grease out of your oven. But place the skillet on an oven rack, not on a cookie sheet. You want to season the outside as well as the inside.

 

[ronott1]

A bit off the baking subject but I have a cast iron question...

I "inherited" a rusty cast iron skillet and once it's cleaned up I think it will be great to have. But how to clean off the rust? Some people say to clean it with salt crystals, some say oil it down and some even say to immerse in water, scrub & re-season.

Any suggestions?

If it is not too bad, steel wool and then re season.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-res...illet-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-203086

 

[wyoDreamer]

If you can, re-season it outside.
I re-did a castiron pan in my oven and my fire detector went off. (no range hood in the kitchen) The house smelled burnt for a couple of days also. I baked the greased pan for 350 degrees for an hour. Then the next day, I did it again; to make sure I got it seasoned well.
DH now does any cast iron on the grill on a medium heat.

 

[ronott1]

If you can, re-season it outside.
I re-did a castiron pan in my oven and my fire detector went off. (no range hood in the kitchen) The house smelled burnt for a couple of days also. I baked the greased pan for 350 degrees for an hour. Then the next day, I did it again; to make sure I got it seasoned well.
DH now does any cast iron on the grill on a medium heat.

Oh Dear!

This is a great tip!

Do you need a better vent hood? UC Berkeley released a study about toxins release by cooking. The recommendation was to run the vent hood on high any time the stove or oven was on(Gas more so of course).

 

[DigMyChicks]

If it is not too bad, steel wool and then re season.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-res...illet-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-203086

Thanks ronott...I have my husbands grandmas old pan and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I would like to use it for homemade pizza but kind of nervous to try it.

 

[N F C]

You guys are the best! Thanks for the cast iron directions!

 

[ronott1]

Thanks ronott...I have my husbands grandmas old pan and wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I would like to use it for homemade pizza but kind of nervous to try it.

Once you get the cast iron fixed, make sure that you season it anytime it gets wet. If you do, it will never rust.

You guys are the best! Thanks for the cast iron directions!

Your Welcome!

 

[ronott1]

What I do is add Heat the clean pan up and then pour in about half a teaspoon of oil and then wipe it around with a paper towel. using a pot holder, turn the pan over and use the oil on the paper towel to oil the sides and bottom. The outside will rust too.