I would really love to do some baking while I'm in Egypt. I remember reading here on ES some time ago (over a year ago) that there is a difference between the flour in Egypt and the flour in the U.S. I would do a search to try to find the post but it seems that function allowed anymore. Can anyone tell me if there is a difference, and if so, how can I make up for it? Also, are most baking supplies/ingredients that we use in the U.S. available in Egypt? I already figured I would pack a set of measuring cups/spoons and my favorite recipes to take with me so I think I'm ok there.
Any other advice for baking/cooking while I'm in Egypt?
posted
yes, an oven thermometer, definitely. Everything is gas it seems and no temperature gauge to speak of and goes by celcius if there is one so if you are not used to it you wont know what temp your oven is
posted
It depends on what equipment you have to cook with.. I am from UK and cook with margarine, but there is no cooking margarine here. I use butter for every thing
I can get all types of flour....plain,self raising, bread making, pizza, pancake.....many flours. But it will depend in what part of Egypt you live as to whether you can have the choice.
I find sugar the most difficult. I like to decorate cakes, but I cant find a fine icing sugar. Dried fruit is a bit limited
Posts: 290 | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I agree with what is said above, it depends on where you will be in Egypt and what is available to you. I have made some things thousands of times in my life but can't seem to make them right in Egypt...
Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
I wonder what the temps were for the ovens? I am used to 350, 375, 400, etc, Farenheit. But my oven in Egypt was Low Med High. ???
Also I had trouble baking. Once when I was shopping, a Yemeni doctor told me he had the same problem when going there. It was they call baking powder, is our baking soda. We have both. They have one. Once I returned and researched it, I saw that it could definately have been the problem.
HTH
-------------------- شكرا و أللام عليكم شيبى Posts: 2133 | From: Redneckland | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Thanks for the replies. I guess i'll add oven thermometer to my list of things to bring. And possibly baking powder/soda. Most of what I want to make are quick breads and cookies. Perhaps in the post I was remembering, the person had bought the wrong kind of flour. Who knows. I'll be in Cairo so I would hope that I could find most of what I need.
Posts: 1283 | From: Cairo | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
In Hurghada you can't get self raising flour. There are different grades of white flour though and plenty of bread flour. I just use the best grade white flour and add baking powder. There is no need to bring baking powder, there is always a plentiful supply in the shops. Oven temperatures, well mine is supposed to go up to 280, I put a thermometer into it and the highest it goes is 180. Luckily I have a 3 in 1 microwave so bake my cakes in that and they turn out just fine.
posted
Cooking in Egyptian kitchens is near impossible.
And western supermarkets don't sell the type of utensils and appliances I rely on.
Right now I am trying to facilitate an agreement with the counsel of female relatives a way to hand off certian items that I have multiples of to charity.
Because I didn't have a marriage reception party I got nothing but hand me downs. At first I was really ticked because it got more than 2 of an item and thought most of it was useless. But I learned that these items are used to make our favorite scandinavian/american dishes. So now I am delighted that the female relatives counsel had the faith in me that I would learn to cook eventually.
Organization, ease, hygeine, and variety of kitchens in Egypt is just aweful.
Posts: 3168 | From: If you don't like it, don't look or read it! | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
You don't need baking powder or soda, LO, they are available everywhere. The thermometer, measuring cups and spoons are a good idea though. I have yet to find the spoons or thermometer, the cups were sold at Alpha Market, but very pricey.
Muffin tins are another thing I have yet to find. The nice round 6/12 teflon coated ones.
Posts: 3291 | From: I DO believe in Karma! | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I was rather proud that I made my first fruit cake the other day. This was the first cake I have ever made in Egypt. Didn't have any proper scales so was just guess work, but after the heavy sweet Egyptian cakes it was just wonderful.
I agree Sono that kitchens in Egypt are very different to what we are used to but if you watch the way the women cook you can understand why as they use completly different techniques. A friend of mine that is teaching me Egyptian cookery can't understand why I need a chopping board. I can't use her knifves to cut downwards and she can't use mine to cut crossways in mid air. Have you ever watched an Egyptian woman finely chop an onion without needing a chopping board. Its facinating.
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Measuring spoons, muffin tins, cooking thermometers are available but as you say, quite pricey. As I do a LOT of baking, in fact have started a little side line selling things, finding good quality bakeware is a problem. Also all the tins are soooooo big!
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