Problems when cooking

Bread

Causes of not rising:

• old dead yeast

• yeast is too hot

• not enough time to rise

• room is too cold

Profiteroles/ choux

Causes of sinkage:

• oven door opened

• not enough cooking time

• not enough liquid/ beating to add air

• too low oven temp

Mayo

Causes of a separated emulsion:

• oil added too quickly

• left to stand for too long

• insufficient mixing time

• incorrect proportion of ingredients

Meringue

Causes of watery egg whites:

• old eggs- more alkaline- less stable protein

• not room temp

• yolk or fat in the whites

• overbeaten- strands of protein collapse

Pastry

• loss of shape- crust wasn’t cold enough, oven wasn’t hot enough

• shrinkage- gluten overdeveloped

• soggy bottom- ingredients not cold, too much fat, leak from filling, low oven temp

• tough pastry- rubbing in method

Cake Sinking

• Undercooked- incorrect oven temperature

• Not enough structure from lack of ingredients

Roux sauce

• Lumpy- gelatinisation requires constant whisking or the starch molecules will sink

• The milk could be added too quickly when whisking