You will soon come to look upon the Stanley as a
reliable companion to help you during a busy baking
session or when you are preparing that extra-special
meal. The following tips are ways in which you will
find the Stanley invaluable: no doubt you will quickly
add discoveries of your own to the list.
1.
Baking
: If you are using butter or margarine
from the refrigerator, simply place the required
amount of fat in a heatproof bowl on the hob,
near to the hotplate. It will be quickly brought
to room temperature, making it easier to work
with.
2.
Breadmaking:
Stand the required liquid for
the recipe in a heatproof jug on the hob near
the hotplate to warm. Take care not to overheat
as yeast is killed at high temperatures.
3.
Breadmaking
: Depending on what mode the
cooker is set at, the hob, plate rack or lower
oven can be used for proving the dough.
4.
Baking:
To dissolve gelatin, place two
tablespoons of water or liquid from the recipe in
a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle the required
amount of gelatin on the liquid and place on or
near the hotplate to dissolve. A small stainless
steel bowl is useful for this type of job.
5.
Baking:
When melted chocolate is needed in
a recipe or for decoration work, simply place
the chocolate in a heatproof bowl near the
hotplate. This method is easier than placing
over a pan of hot water, which can often splash
into the chocolate and spoil it.
6.
Baking:
Syrup tins and jam jars with only a
little left in them are easier to empty when they
have warmed on the hob.
7.
Cooking:
If a recipe requires a small amount
of fried or softened onion, place the finely
chopped onion and a little butter or oil in a
heatproof bowl on or near the hotplate to
soften. I use this method often, because it is so
much easier than having to wash up a frying-
pan! Many different types of vegetables can be
prepared this way before adding to a recipe.
8.
Cooking:
To make breadcrumbs, simply place
the bread on a baking sheet in the lower oven
and allow to dry out. Crush and store for future
use.
9.
Cooking
: To make croutons, cut the bread into
small cubes, place in a shallow cast iron dish
with a little oil and fry, using the base of the
main oven. (If the oven is in use, fry on the
hotplate) Drain, spread out on a baking sheet
and put to crisp in the lower oven. Croutons
can be frozen for use when required.
10. Drying:
An abundance of fresh herbs need not
be wasted. Place on a baking sheet, after
washing and patting dry with kitchen paper, and
leave to dry in the lower oven. Store for future
use.
11. Drying:
Cooker rice can be spread out on a
baking sheet and left to dry in the lower oven.
12. Baking:
When making fruit cakes, wash the
dried fruit, place on a baking sheet and allow to
dry off in the lower oven before use. Moist fruit
will sink to the bottom of a cake and spoil it.
13. Preserving
: When you are bottling, the depth
of the main oven makes it easy to sit a tray of
bottled fruit all on the same shelf to cook in one
session.
14. Preserving:
When you are making jam the
graduated hotplate enables you to control the
simmering of a large preserving pan much
more easily than on a conventional cooker,
where the pan is too large for the burner or ring.
The warming of sugar, drying of the prepared
fruit and the warming of jars and bottles can all
be done with plenty of space using the lower
oven and plate rack, if you have one.
USER COOKING TIPS
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