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Adding Protein Eases Substitution For Pastry Flour

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Mary A. Keith

Published: November 18, 2008

Q What can I use as a substitute for whole wheat pastry flour? It's a recipe for pumpkin muffins, and I don't want to buy a whole bag for one recipe.

A For something as small as muffins, you could probably get away with using regular whole wheat flour. But since the main difference between pastry and regular flour is a little bit more protein, adding a teaspoon or two of dry powdered milk would increase the protein without affecting much else in the recipe. Try that.

Q I got a bunch of wonderful fresh cucumbers and would like to make pickles. But I don't want to have to cook them. Can I do that?

A You can make ice-box or refrigerator pickles, yes. They don't have to be processed in boiling water, but they must be kept refrigerated the whole time. It will take about a week in the refrigerator for the flavor to develop, so don't plan on using them immediately.

Q Do I really have to keep olive oil in the refrigerator like they said on TV? My refrigerator is getting to be more full of supplies than it is fresh food!

A Olive and most other oils will keep fine on the shelf for months or more, as long as they're not really hot. Keeping them in the dark will help preserve their flavor too. If you buy so much that you won't use it all in five to six months, then it might be worth it to refrigerate it. And specialty oils like walnut, almond or other nut oils will keep their flavor and color much better in the refrigerator.

Q I made one batch of apple butter in the crock pot. It cooked OK, but the flavor is very mild. Can I use cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon to build up the flavor in the next batch?

A You can use cinnamon sticks while it cooks, but don't put pieces of cinnamon stick in the jar if you can it or store it a long time. The flavor will get too strong.

Q Is it OK to leave out the salt in a corn muffin recipe? I'm trying to reduce sodium, and the recipe already has baking powder and soda.

A Salt can be omitted in most baked goods except yeast breads without any problems. Salt does help enhance the flavor, so they might taste a little flat, or a little less sweet without the salt.

Q I've been hearing about some kind of flour or starch that is really high in fiber. Do you know what it is, and if I can get it to use at home?

A You're probably referring to resistant starch. It's been partly cooked and then made stale, so that we can't digest it very well. The only kind that I know of that's available for home use is call Hi-Maize, made from corn starch. You can mail order it from King Arthur Flour, www.KingArthurFlour.com.

Q Is it really safe to serve soup in pumpkin shells? I've seen recipes, but worry about the safety.

A It's not safe if it's a leftover jack-o'-lantern, no! But if the pumpkin was fresh, and most recipes call for the pumpkin shell to be baked first, then, yes, that's perfectly safe. The pumpkin is edible when it's cooked, so putting soup in it is fine too.

Q What's the difference between using sorghum syrup and molasses for popcorn balls? This old recipe looks good, but I only have molasses.

A The flavor will be different, but if you like the flavor of molasses, then use it. Sorghum comes from a different plant and has a different flavor, but they'll both work the same to stick popcorn together.

Mary A. Keith, a nutrition and health agent at Hillsborough County Extension, can be reached at (813) 744-5519 or mkeith@ufl.edu.

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