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Baking with buttermilk. milk and sour cream. Which one is best? The short answer...they all have their place in the kitchen. But one of them seems to shine above the rest.

We asked Chef Eddy Van Damme, Imperial's world-renowned chef affectionately known as the "Prince of Pastry," to weigh in on each ingredient. "A lot of recipes call for milk," he said, "but what most people don't know is that milk actually dries out rather than adds moisture to many recipes. Both sour cream and buttermilk yield a more tender final product."

According to Chef Eddy, both buttermilk and sour cream contain acids which 'shorten' or tenderize gluten strands (the protein web in baked goods). "Many times baked treats that contain buttermilk or sour cream contain baking soda as well. Baking soda tenderizes baked goods, giving your recipe a double whammy of sweet, tender goodness."
Baking with Buttermilk
Scrumptious buttermilk biscuits and pancakes often appear on brunch menus of gourmet restaurants - and for good reason. Buttermilk (fermented milk) brings a rich flavor to baked goods without adding fat. Made by adding lactic acid bacteria to regular milk, you can create buttermilk in your own kitchen if you are in a bind by adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to milk. Just let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes so it has the chance to thicken.

Tip: To substitute buttermilk for milk in a recipe, use 2 teaspoons less baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon more baking soda than called for in the recipe for every cup of buttermilk used.
Baking with Sour Cream
The creamy texture of sour cream makes baked goods more moist than if you used milk. This makes sour cream an excellent choice for recipes that are known to have drier results, like sponge cakes. Sour cream can also serve as a suitable substitute for other ingredients like yogurt or regular cream. Note that sour cream has a higher fat content than buttermilk or milk, so you can replace with a light or fat-free version. If you do, you'll notice a slight change in flavor. The creamy texture may also be compromised.
The Verdict:
Because most recipes that call for milk work just as well (or better) with buttermilk, and the fact that sour cream can alter the taste or texture and add more fat to a recipe, Chef Eddy's top choice is (drum roll, please).... buttermilk.

We've gathered some of our favorite recipes with buttermilk and sour cream for you to try. You can also find more buttermilk and sour cream recipes on our website.

Buttermilk Bliss:

Blueberry Curd Buttermilk Chiffon Cakes with Buttermilk Whipped Cream - A moist, spongy buttermilk chiffon cake layered with fresh blueberry curd and topped with lightly sweetened buttermilk cream.

Buttermilk Pumpkin Pie - The addition of buttermilk to your classic pumpkin pie creates a deliciously tangy and velvety filling you will love!

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes - Make your morning better with old fashioned buttermilk pancakes.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Fudge - We resurrected this classic Buttermilk Fudge recipe from 1951 Sue's Candy Kettle cookbook. 60+ years later and it is still just as delicious - plus there are only 5 ingredients!

Sour Cream Sweets:

Beeville Honey Cakes - This classic recipe has been a fan favorite for over 38 years! Sweet little Honey Cakes topped with an ooey, gooey honey and brown sugar glaze.

Colossal Coffee Cake - Wake up your loved ones with the aroma of fresh coffee cake baking in the oven. This Colossal Coffee Cake has a ribbon of walnuts, ground cinnamon and cocoa running through the middle.

Apple Pound Cake with Rum Glaze - A fresh and fruity twist on pound cake. This moist pound cake is loaded with crisp apples and topped with a rum glaze for a little kick.

What do you think? Do you prefer baking with buttermilk or sour cream?

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Baking with Buttermilk, Milk and Sour Cream - Sweetalk

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Baking with buttermilk. milk and sour cream. Which one is best? The short answer...they all have their place in the kitchen. But one of them seems to shine above the rest. We asked Chef Eddy Van Damme , Imperial's world-renowned chef affectionately known as the "Prince of Pastry," to weigh in on each ingredient.

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Boiling is the method of cooking food in boiling water or other water-based liquids such as stock or milk. Simmering is gentle boiling, while in poaching the cooking liquid moves but scarcely bubbles.

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definition of cooking boil - Google Search

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Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is made from a white roux and milk. It is, since the seventeenth century and on, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine. It is used as the base for other sauces.

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Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is made from a white roux and milk. It is, since the seventeenth century and on, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine. It is used as the base for other sauces.

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1. a utensil for whipping eggs or cream.

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a mixture of fat (especially butter) and flour used in making sauces.

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ried quickly in a little hot fat.

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Parbaking is a cooking technique in which a bread or dough product is partially baked and then rapidly frozen for storage. The raw dough is baked normally, but halted at about 80% of the normal cooking time, when it is rapidly cooled and frozen.

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the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat.

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Drop CookieDrop cookies are the ones dropped from the dough from a spoon or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. 

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Drop CookieDrop cookies are the ones dropped from the dough from a spoon or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. 

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Drop cookies are the ones you drop the dough from a spoon or a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. Think chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin. Here are a few reminders that will have you making mouth-watering drop cookies.

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StreuselIn baking and pastry making, streusel is a crumbly topping of flour, butter, and sugar that is baked on top of muffins, breads, pies, and cakes. 

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StreuselIn baking and pastry making, streusel is a crumbly topping of flour, butter, and sugar that is baked on top of muffins, breads, pies, and cakes. 

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You'll find yourself using this Basic Streusel Recipe over and over again! It's so simple to make, in just one bowl, and it's great on everything from muffins and breads, to pies and fruit crisps. This buttery, sweet crumb topping is sure to be a favorite on all your best homemade baked goods!

Yes, you read that right. This is a recipe for streusel. Just streusel. Only streusel.

I know it may sound a bit strange to devote a whole post to crumb topping, but the thing is, I just recently realized just how often I find myself referring back to this simple formula.

Here is what I like about it:

1. It's easy. It all happens in one bowl (or pot, as it were). No big clunky food processor with tons of pieces to wash. You don't even have to get your hands dirty!

2. You don't have to bake it. You can- but if you want to put it on a no-bake type situation, or an already baked type situation, just stir it over medium-low heat for a minute or two, to cook out the raw flour taste.

3. It's versatile. I use this buttery crumble topping on everything from muffins and breads, to fruit crisps and pies, even donuts!

4. It's customize-able. Putting this on a berry dessert? Sub out the cinnamon for citrus zest. Want something a little lighter and more subtle? Use white sugar instead of brown. Want to add some substance? Try adding oats, chia seeds, and/or nuts. My hubby and kids love when I add walnuts or pecans to this. They give it some added crunch and a toasty flavor that's just so warm and homey.

** WATCH THIS QUICK VIDEO TO SEE HOW IT'S DONE! **

It's all as easy as melting a bit of butter and adding flour, sugar, and salt. Throw in some cinnamon too! You can go with as much or as little as you like. When I'm making something like pumpkin bread or apple pie, I'll add a lot of cinnamon- two whole teaspoons. This time, I chose to keep it a little more subtle with just one.

Toss it all together with a fork until the ingredients are evenly dispersed. I like when there's an even mix of big, boulder-like hunks and smaller, finer crumbs.

Basic Streusel Recipe

by Allie {Baking A Moment}

Big fan of anything with streusel? Here are some more ideas for how to use this recipe:

I think you'll find yourself looking to this recipe again and again. It's just so great on so many things. If you end up trying it, I'd love to see how you choose to use it! Shoot me an Instagram pic! You can tag me with @bakingamoment 😉

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You'll find yourself using this Basic Streusel Recipe over and over again! It's so simple to make, in just one bowl, and it's great on everything from muffins and breads, to pies and fruit crisps. This buttery, sweet crumb topping is sure to be a favorite on all your best homemade baked goods!

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DisherUsed for scooping chocolate truffles, cookie dough, portioning muffin batter, and scooping ice cream.

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DisherUsed for scooping chocolate truffles, cookie dough, portioning muffin batter, and scooping ice cream.

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Learn about the different kitchen scoops and dishers, their colors, numbers and equivalent ounces/cups and tablespoons.

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Muffin MethodMIxing the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. You then pour the wet over the try and combine, mixing as little as possible. Eggs and sugar are both considered wet. https://www.escoffieronline.com/baking-using-the-muffin-method/ 

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Muffin MethodMIxing the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. You then pour the wet over the try and combine, mixing as little as possible. Eggs and sugar are both considered wet. https://www.escoffieronline.com/baking-using-the-muffin-method/ 

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Fold InThe process of blending a light ingredient, such as beaten egg whites, into a heavier ingredient by lifting from underneath with a spatula or spoon In order to fold ingredients properly, the heavier ingredient is placed at the bottom of a bowl and the lighter above.

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Fold InThe process of blending a light ingredient, such as beaten egg whites, into a heavier ingredient by lifting from underneath with a spatula or spoon In order to fold ingredients properly, the heavier ingredient is placed at the bottom of a bowl and the lighter above.

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Learn how to fold with these simple step-by-step instructions.

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Molded CookieCookies made by shaping dough by hand into small balls, logs, and other shapes. Also called a hand-formed cookies.

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Molded CookieCookies made by shaping dough by hand into small balls, logs, and other shapes. Also called a hand-formed cookies.

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I usually use my silicone molds to make fondant decorations, but this time I tried using cookie dough and was very happy with the results.

I made my own mold using Amazing Mold Putty. It's so much fun to go into second hand shops and antique stores to find beautiful pieces for mold making. Cameos, costume jewelry and buttons are a few of my favorite things to use. This particular mold was made using a decorative piece from my grandmother's collection.

This is a great way to use up dough scraps that are left after cutting out cookies. I never use scraps more than once to make rolled cookies because of the problem of misshapen and bubbly cookies, but the scraps worked perfectly for this application. My general rule is to keep the dough cold while working with it, but this is an exception. The dough needs to be at room temperature in order to press it into the mold.

Press the dough into the mold and remove the excess around the edges. It is helpful to grease the mold first with a little shortening or butter. I used my Orange Vanilla Spice cookie recipe, which is available here in my shop.

Immediately turn the mold over and bend the mold back to release the dough. You can use a scribe tool to help get the dough out of the small crevices.

Place the cookies in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes (or wrap them up and freeze them for up to 3 months until you're ready to bake). It's best to unmold these directly onto a sheet tray so that you don't have to move them around while they're soft. Then, when they're cold enough to handle, move them to a room temperature sheet tray and into the oven.

Bake the cookies according to the recipe, but keep an eye on them as they are very thin so they will brown more quickly. I baked these for about 8 minutes.

Once the cookies are baked and cooled, you can dust them in powdered sugar. I dusted some and left some bare. These cookies are buttery with crispy edges and are a little chewy in the middle. I had a really hard time not eating the whole batch!

You can see other ways that I used the silicone molds here, here and here. Feel free to share photos of the different ways you've used silicone molds on my Facebook page.

Click on the images below for more cookie projects:

This entry was posted in Tutorial and tagged baking, cookie, molded by Amber. Bookmark the permalink.

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I usually use my silicone molds to make fondant decorations, but this time I tried using cookie dough and was very happy with the results. I made my own mold using Amazing Mold Putty. It's so much fun to go into second hand shops and antique stores to find beautiful pieces for mold making.

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Molded Cookie
Cookies made by shaping dough by hand into small balls, logs, and other shapes. Also called a hand-formed cookies.

http://www.sweetambs.com/tutorial/how-to-make-molded-cookies/

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Pastry BrushA pastry brush, also known as a basting brush, is a cooking utensil used to spread butter, oil or glaze on food.

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Pastry BrushA pastry brush, also known as a basting brush, is a cooking utensil used to spread butter, oil or glaze on food.

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A pastry brush is typically used to apply sauces, oils, glazes, and other liquids to dishes before and during the cooking process. Learn more at WebstaurantStore.

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A pastry blender is a kitchen tool used to mix a hard fat into flour in order to make pastries. 

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A pastry blender is a kitchen tool used to mix a hard fat into flour in order to make pastries. 

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A pastry cutter, also known as a pastry blender or dough blender, is used to work solid fats, like butter, shortening or lard into flour to create dough. If you're making pie crust, biscuits or some other baked good that calls for this tool, and you don't have one, there are several things that you can use instead. Here's a look at your options:

A Fork

Cut the butter (or whatever fat you're using) into small pieces.

Add it to the bowl with your flour and other dry ingredients. Then, use a fork to mash the butter into the flour, until you achieve a crumbly consistency.

Butter Knives

Hold a knife in each hand, and work both knives over the ingredients in the bowl, until the butter and dry ingredients are well combined.

A Food Processor

Pulse the butter and dry ingredients in your food processor, until you achieve a nice, crumbly texture. It won't take long, so be careful not to overwork your ingredients.

Your Hands

Work the butter into the flour with your hands. Just squeeze the ingredients between your fingers to break up the butter and bring everything together. Use cold hands and try work quickly, so the butter doesn't melt.

A Cheese Grater

Use a box grater to grate up the butter called for in the recipe. Then, mix it into the dry ingredients. Use cold butter, so it grates easily (you can even use frozen butter).

Tips for Success

When a recipe calls for the use of a pastry cutter, it's because the butter (or whatever fat is called for) is supposed to be cut up into tiny pieces and distributed throughout the dry ingredients, rather than incorporated into them. If you cut the butter in properly, you'll end up with a crumbly texture, rather than a uniform texture.

And that's important because it's that texture that'll give you the flaky baked goods you're after. Whether you're using a pastry cutter or one of the stand-ins discussed above, you need to ensure the butter doesn't melt into the flour while you're working with it (that'll wreck the crumbly texture). Use cold butter, and try not to work the ingredients more than necessary, so the butter remains in solid form.

Should You Buy a Pastry Cutter?

If you do a lot of baking, a pastry cutter may be a worthwhile addition to your collection of kitchen gadgets. It's a u-shaped hand-held tool, with a series of dull blades or wires at the bottom, and a handle at the top. It's designed specifically for cutting solid fats into butter.

Since it covers a bigger surface area than a fork or two knives, it makes quick work of the job; and it's a lot less messy than using your hands. If you decide to buy one, opt for a model with blades, rather than wires. It'll be a lot sturdier. And go with stainless steel. It won't rust, so one pastry cutter should last you a lifetime.

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Here Are 5 Things That You Can Use Instead of a Pastry Cutter

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A pastry cutter, also known as a pastry blender or dough blender, is used to work solid fats, like butter, shortening or lard into flour to create dough. If you're making pie crust, biscuits or some other baked good that calls for this tool, and you don't have one, there are several things that you can use instead.

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Biscuit MethodThe biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as Thebiscuit method is one of the only mixing methods that does not require you to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. 

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Biscuit MethodThe biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as Thebiscuit method is one of the only mixing methods that does not require you to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. 

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Updated with a new photograph, expanded information, recipe links and shopping options on November 16, 2015

The biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as scones and, well, biscuits. That's American biscuits, not cookie-biscuits, if you're visiting from across the Big Blue Ocean.

The biscuit method is one of the only mixing methods that does not require you to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. Your fats and liquids should be cold for the biscuit method. The colder, the better. Why? Well, the whole point of the biscuit method is to keep discrete little pieces of fat dispersed throughout your dough. That way, when they melt in the oven, the steam the little pieces creates assists in with the rise. Also, you get all of these wee little buttery pockets. I love me some biscuits.

How to Perform The Biscuit Method

So, here's how it goes.

1. Mix all your dry ingredients together with a whisk: flour, baking powder and/or baking soda, salt, sugar, dry spices, etc.

2. Cut your very cold fat into about 1/2 inch chunks (if you're using shortening, or part shortening, put that stuff in the freezer. I vote all butter, personally, for flavor and for no trans fats, but do what you want).

3. Toss the butter/shortening with the dry ingredients.

4. Using your fingers, break up the butter/shortening, rubbing it into the flour. When you're done, the pieces should be anywhere from the size of grits to the size of peas. Nothing too much bigger than a pea. If your hands are warm, throw everybody into the fridge to firm up.

5. Pour in your liquid (milk/cream/half and half/buttermilk-whatever the recipe calls for). Toss together with the dry. Don't mix viciously.

6. Turn your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a square about 1/2″ thick.

7. Cut into squares (no waste) or circles. (You can re-roll the scraps, but those biscuits will be tougher. I vote squares).

8. Brush with cream/butter/egg wash. Bake at about 400 degrees, F, until risen and golden brown and lovely.

I will now take your questions. Yes? You in the back. "Why can't I mix viciously. I need to get out my aggression."

Me: If you need to take out your aggression on something, make some bread or take a kick boxing class. You want to handle your dough gently once the liquid is in there. Biscuits are supposed to be tender, and a bunch of mixing will just activate the gluten in the flour and you'll end up with chewy biscuits.

Yes, sir. You there, in the brown sweater. "Can I use my stand mixer or food processor?"

Me: I would stay away from the food processor because it can generate a bunch of heat, and you don't want your butter to melt. You can use a mixer as long as you use the paddle attachment and stop and check the consistency and the size of your butter pieces every 30 seconds or so. You don't want to end up with paste. Once you get the liquid in there, I would take the bowl off the mixer and fold the liquid in with a spatula. You don't want to develop that gluten."

That's enough for today. Thank you all for coming.

PS The Biscuit Method is also the method most often used for making pie crust. Any time you're cutting pieces of fat into smaller pieces of fat mixed into flour and adding a little bit of liquid, you can bet your biscuit you're using The Biscuit Method.

Biscuits and other Biscuit-like items on Ye Olde Blogge that Utilize The Biscuit Method for Mixing

Here are some biscuit and pie crust recipes you might want to try out. Take a look in the instruction section of all the recipes. I'm sure you'll be able to recognize the basic method.

Pie Crust Recipes on Ye Olde Blogge that Utilize The Biscuit Method for Mixing

Shop the Method

Like most of the basic mixing methods, you don't need a ton of fancy equipment to perform them properly, but here are a few of my recommendations for baking sheets, pie plates, biscuit cutters, etc, you might find useful. These are affiliate links. Thank you for helping me keep the lights on. I appreciate the support.

First up, a bench knife is a must-have. For me, I usually cut my biscuits in squares so I don't have any dough to re-roll. A bench knife does this beautifully. As well, you'll find tons of ways to use it in performing the biscuit method and beyond. Best less-than-six dollars you will ever spend.

If you do like round biscuits, I can recommend this set of graduated cutters. Choose your biscuit size from petite to mondo to any size in between. And of course you can use them to cut cookies and pie crust, as well. If you like fluted biscuits, this set of fluted cutters also gives you a choice of size.

I love a good aluminum pie pan. Light weight, conductive so you get great browning of the bottom crust, and inexpensive What's not to love? The standard size is 9″ or you can go crazy and get a 10″ pie pan.

Last up, it's absolutely necessary to have at least one heavy-duty half-sheet pan that will not warp in the oven. I like my Nordic Ware half-sheet pan. Give it a look.

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The Biscuit Method for Making Tender Biscuits and Flaky Pie Crust

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Updated with a new photograph, expanded information, recipe links and shopping options on November 16, 2015 The biscuit method is a method for making quick breads such as scones and, well, biscuits. That's American biscuits, not cookie-biscuits, if you're visiting from across the Big Blue Ocean.

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Why Sour Cream is Important in Baked GoodsThe creamy texture of sour cream makes baked goods more moist than if you used milk. This makes sour cream an excellent choice for recipes that are known to have drier results, like sponge cakes. Sour cream can also serve as a suitable substitute for other ingredients like yogurt or regular cream.http://www.imperialsugar.com/blog/baking-with-buttermilk-milk-and-sour-cream/

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Why Sour Cream is Important in Baked GoodsThe creamy texture of sour cream makes baked goods more moist than if you used milk. This makes sour cream an excellent choice for recipes that are known to have drier results, like sponge cakes. Sour cream can also serve as a suitable substitute for other ingredients like yogurt or regular cream.http://www.imperialsugar.com/blog/baking-with-buttermilk-milk-and-sour-cream/

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Cut InCut means working solid shortening into dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender until well mixed. When making a pastry, solid shortening, lard, or butter is cut in to a flour mixture until the particles are the size of small peas.

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Cut InCut means working solid shortening into dry ingredients with two knives or a pastry blender until well mixed. When making a pastry, solid shortening, lard, or butter is cut in to a flour mixture until the particles are the size of small peas.

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Bar CookieA type of cookie made by baking batter in a sheet pan, then cutting it into bars or squares.https://pastrychefonline.com/2008/11/01/the-biscuit-method/

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Bar CookieA type of cookie made by baking batter in a sheet pan, then cutting it into bars or squares.https://pastrychefonline.com/2008/11/01/the-biscuit-method/

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It can be used as a subsitute for baking soda

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work (moistened flour or clay) into dough or paste with the hands.

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Also known as the 'sugar-shortening' method, the sugar and shortening fat are blended together first and then creamed by added mixing. During creaming, small air cells are formed and then incorporated into the mix. ... Sugar and shortening are creamed at a medium speed until soft and light

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carmelization-is the oxidation of sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color. Caramelization is a type of non-enzymatic browning reaction.

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Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.