Endless possibilities in baking

Each cooking teacher has an amusing story to tell. For chef Dennis Hipolito, the most unusual incident involved a recipe that called for the addition of an alcoholic beverage. The chef had just finished explaining the baking procedure to the class in what he thought was the simplest manner possible, when a hand shot up. The student asked ingenuously, "But if we don’t have any brandy, can we use rubbing alcohol instead?"

There was a short, incredulous pause before the rest of the class burst out in laughter. To his credit, chef Dennis is blessed with a keen sense of forbearance and diplomacy. The student, after all, was a novice without previous experience in the kitchen. With a straight face, he patiently explained the difference between alcohol for human consumption and external rubbing alcohol compound. Indeed, there are endless possibilities in baking, but using rubbing alcohol for food was definitely not one of them.

Endless Possibilities in Baking is also the title of the book written by chef Dennis Hipolito for Universal Robina Corporation’s Flour Division, manufacturer of Universal, Globe, Blend 100, Continental, White Rose, Sampaguita, and Daisy brands. "Any baker knows that the most important baking ingredient is good flour. Along with butter, sugar and eggs, reliable flour is key to unbridled production," chef Dennis writes in the recipe book’s foreword, or Chef’s Note. This is an expert opinion from a trained professional. Chef Dennis graduated from the baking and pastry arts program of the Culinary Institute of America and trained under World Pastry Cup champion En Ming Hsu during his apprenticeship at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago, USA. Currently, he is consultant chef of the Flour Division of Universal Robina Corporation, editorial consultant of Baking Press magazine, and contributor to F&B World and Food magazines.

The recipe book is divided into four main sections: cakes; breads; cookies and pastries; and specialties. The procedures are concise, and a "chef’s tip" is included with certain recipes to ensure successful results or suggest variations. However, what distinguishes Endless Possibilities in Baking is the use of precise measurements. Ingredients are weighed to ensure that the product outcome remains constant. "But I don’t have a weighing scale in my kitchen!" one may protest. Not to worry. A conversion table at the end of the book makes it easy to measure out ingredients. A 15 milliliter portion is simply one tablespoon, with 200 grams of eggs equivalent to four eggs. (A "large" egg is approximately 50 grams.)

The appetizing photos of the baked products will encourage you to head for the kitchen to try your hand at baking, especially as the procedures are not daunting at all. They are so simple and easy to understand, in fact, that the reader may wonder, "Why did I ever think that baking was difficult and tedious?"

The reader-friendliness of the book is easy to explain. Chef Dennis Hipolito teaches at the culinary school of Maur Lichauco in New Manila and the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan, and like a dedicated and unselfish mentor, hopes to encourage more people to study and enjoy the craft of baking. "We hope that this recipe book will inspire you to develop your own variations and recipes for baked goods, using the right type of quality flour to achieve exactly the product you have in mind. In baking, as long as you have a solid foundation of basic principles and techniques, recipe variation becomes second nature, allowing you endless baking possibilities," he writes. In addition, dessert aficionados like myself couldn’t agree more when chef Dennis Hipolito says, "A great meal is never complete without wonderful desserts."

Chocolate & Fruit Bars

150 grams (3) eggs

200 grams (1 cup) sugar

2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) salt

3 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla

150 grams (1-1/4 cups) Continental all-purpose flour

7 grams (1-1/2 teaspoons) baking powder

180 grams (1 cup) mini bittersweet chocolate chips

150 grams (1-1/4 cups) dates, coarsely chopped

100 grams (3/4 cup) maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped

110 grams (1/2 cup) walnuts

In a mixing bowl, whip eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla until triple in volume. Blend in Continental all-purpose flour and baking powder. Fold in chocolate chips dates, cherries and walnuts.

Put batter in a greased and lined 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool before unmolding. Cut into bars.

Chef’s tip: Use a mixture of dried mangoes, dried papaya, dried kamias, and dried santol for a more Filipino-inspired concoction. Bake only until the center is set.

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