Streusel question
 

When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns from
the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is nice and
soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose and granular
like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I doing wrong?

"Ceil Wallace" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
> cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns from
> the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is nice and
> soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose and granular
> like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I doing wrong?
>

Maybe the bakery one gets soft over time because it has alot of brown sugar
(which attracts moisture). I don't know. Personally, I think streusel should
be crisp, not soft. I don't care for it soft.
Try asking the bakery what they use?

kimberly

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 23:58:41 GMT, "Ceil Wallace"
> wrote:

>When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
>cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns from
>the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is nice and
>soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose and granular
>like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I doing wrong?
>
It depends on your recipe. I did a study on streusel several years
ago while trying to duplicate a streusel bread. Use cake flour for
softness. Melted butter stirred into the dry ingredients (rather than
cutting in solid butter) will make the clumps. You can soften it
further by covering the cake while it's still a bit warm.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Curly Sue wrote:

> On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 23:58:41 GMT, "Ceil Wallace"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
>>cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns from
>>the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is nice and
>>soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose and granular
>>like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I doing wrong?
>>
>
> It depends on your recipe. I did a study on streusel several years
> ago while trying to duplicate a streusel bread. Use cake flour for
> softness. Melted butter stirred into the dry ingredients (rather than
> cutting in solid butter) will make the clumps. You can soften it
> further by covering the cake while it's still a bit warm.
>
> Sue(tm)
> Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

So, if you want it clumpy and crisp, then what?

--
Jean B.

In article et>, "Ceil
Wallace" > wrote:

> When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
> cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns
> from the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is
> nice and soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose
> and granular like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I
> doing wrong?


Here's the streusel recipe from the Cook's Illustrated article about
Blueberry Buckle, July-August issue, page 23:

Streusel
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp grandulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, softened but still
cool.

In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, combine flour, sugars,
cinanmon, and salt on low speed until weel combined and no large brown
sugar lumps remain, about 45 econds. Add butter and mix on low until
mixture resembles wet sand and no large butter pieces remain, about
2-1/2 minutes.

Put streusel on whatever you're topping this way: Squeeze portion of
streusel in hand to form large cohesive clump; break up clump with
fingers and sprinkle streusel evenly over batter (see photo they
provide. :-0) Repeat with remaining streusel.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 7/8/05 WeBeJammin'!

On Sat, 16 Jul 2005 13:41:06 -0700, Nexis wrote:

>
>"Ceil Wallace" > wrote in message
ink.net...
>> When I make streusel using butter, flour, sugar (brown or white) and
>> cinnamon it never comes out like the streusel I get on cakes and buns from
>> the bakery. Mine gets a bit crisp while the bakery streusel is nice and
>> soft and is formed in little round clumps rather than loose and granular
>> like mine. Is there a specific technique or what am I doing wrong?
>>
>
>Maybe the bakery one gets soft over time because it has alot of brown sugar
>(which attracts moisture). I don't know. Personally, I think streusel should
>be crisp, not soft. I don't care for it soft.
>Try asking the bakery what they use?
>
>kimberly
>

Going back about 45 years ago, while working in a bakery, streusel was
made with flour,brown sugar, and cinnamon. This was put in a raising
room (warm & humid), then put thru a screen.

Pan Ohco