Master mix…in time for the holidays
November 19, 2008
St. Charles County
by Kris Kolk
A master mix is a blend of common baking ingredients, mixed together ahead of time for convenience. Like a brownie mix or a cake mix--only bigger!
Having been intrigued by homemade baking mixes for a few years, I decided to give it a go. There are recipes for master mixes to make pancakes, muffins and biscuits. And there are mixes to create cookies. But I wanted an all-in-one mix…dang it.
This recipe claims to do it all:
Master Baking Mix
Ingredients:
9 cups flour
1/3 cup baking powder (double acting)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ cup sugar
2 cups shortening
Mix together until consistency is crumbly. Pack in Zip-lock bags or a canister with a tight-fitting lid. Use within a couple of months.
There are lots of goodies to bake from this mix by adding just a few more ingredients.
This is the first recipe I tried, and it was a hit with the family. These chocolate cookies are nothing like Toll House chocolate chip cookies. These are more like brownie cookies…with chocolate chips inside.
Chocolate Drop Cookies
3 cups master mix
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
½ cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
¼ bag of chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips)
Shape into walnut-sized balls and bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes. (I baked mine a bit longer—they still seemed too soft).
Next on the agenda
Wouldn’t it be so convenient to have the ability to create many recipes from pantry staples--without the need of fresh ingredients?
To make these recipes even more pantry-friendly, I’d like to try substituting powdered milk for fresh milk and a soy flour/water* combo for any eggs.
Stay tuned for more master mix recipes.
*soy flour/water combo—in place of one egg in baking, use one tablespoon of soy flour mixed with one tablespoon of water.
Copyright 2008 Neighbors About Town