I hate PAM

[Shimmer]

But see, I don't always want to spend the time clarifying butter at home just for a pan of brownies! We use it at the restaurant I work at, and it's amazing how long it can stay in pans and never burns! That was my problem even using butter before- it made everything stick and burned onto the pans.

So is there a fast way to clarify a small amount of butter?

If I were to use tinfoil, should I cook at a lower temperature?

~~Shimmer~~

[monpetitchoux]

Nope. It's just as much work to clarify a small amount of butter as it is a large amount. What I do is clarify about 2 lbs at one time. I actually boil the butter until it separates. Then I stop the cooking from below with a bowl of warm water. You won;t believe how fast the solids sink. Then I strain through a large coffee filter in a big strainer or double cheesecloth in a fine strainer. I keep the clarified butter in a container and keep that in the fridge or freezer well wrapped. Then I have clarified on hand. It's just a smaller version than the restaurant. The other thing I can do is buy a jar of ghee, since it's already clarified. But Ghee tastes stronger than butter. Sometimes desirable, sometimes not.

As for the foil, I've never baked brownies without it. Be sure to butter the foil and don't modify the temp.

Btw, a trick I use to get the foil into the corners of the pan without breaking is that I mold it on the pan turned upside down. Form the corners. Lift foil up. reinvert the pan and fit the molded foil in gently.

[ May 20, 2001: Message edited by: monpetitchoux ]

[mudbug]

Shimmer & monpetitchoux,

Paddy has a point with ghee... I don't find it too much trouble to make 1/2 a cup. I put some butter in an individual ramekin and heat it in the microwave for less than a minute. Skim and you're done!

[momoreg]

I agree that Pam is disgusting, but I do use it for cakes and brownies, because the fact is, I don't serve the edges. That part gets cut off anyway, and I use so little of the Pam, that there is no way to tell that I've used it. Some recipes just don't release with butter, or even oil.

Hey you just made me so happy, PAM is not available in Germany and everytíme I make Muffins I have to grease all these little cups and wish I had Pam but now I feel so much better hearing it's not the answer to all the greasing questions...

[Svadhisthana]

Funny, I was just thinking about coming here and reccomending clarified butter in a mistio. I have one in my cabinet with all my oils, but have yet to use it. (it was a gift)
The tip about the beauty supply store was a great one. They also have squeeze bottles cheap that can be used for coulis.

[ June 14, 2001: Message edited by: Svadhisthana ]

[Isa]

In The Art Of The Cake the authors talk about an experiment they did with cake. Some pans were sprayed with Pam or the equivalent. Butter was used in the other pans. Everyone present said they prefer the cake where butter was used. Too bad they don't give numbers thought.

I wonder if I could use those spray bottle to spray nappage, in it’s liquid form, on my tarts...Has anyone ever tried it?