The last time that I posted about a stove, I mentioned carrying a Fauxbaker (whose steamer basket doubles as a heat reflector under the stove when I'm not steaming). The steamer basket is just a disk a little smaller than my pot, with a lot of holes punched with an office paper punch. There's also a 1 inch by 14+ inch strip of aluminum foil, that I bend in a circle to hold up the steamer. Both are cut from a dollar-store cookie sheet.
I use the setup for muffins and cupcakes on the trail. They're nice for a breakfast or dessert on a lazy day, when I can hang around in camp for a while. The amount of time that they take in the morning isn't actually as crazy as it might seem, because I can do things like stuff my sleeping bag and pad, roll my tent, recoil my bearbag line, and generally get the day under way while they're steaming. Or I can just sit and read, or shoot the breeze with a hiking partner, or think deep thoughts.
At home, I prepare a freezer bag with about 1/4 box (or 4 ounces net weight) of some sort of mix. For this demo, I used "Mixed Berry Scone Mix" from Trader Joe's, which is a just-add-water mix. If the box calls for milk, I throw some powdered milk in the bag with the mix. If it calls for oil, I squirt in some EVOO when I'm ready to bake. If it calls for egg, I might add a little powdered, or I might just ignore it. Most mixes work fine without the egg.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/14021458763_8ff95cbe06.jpg]
Start with a mix by ke9tv, on Flickr
What I need in camp is my stove (with pot stand, windscreen and simmer ring), the cookpot and Fauxbaker, pot stand, about 1.5 ounce alcohol, the mix, my Leatherman to grip hot things, and some water.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14021492813_2e7dbbe86b.jpg]
The setup for baking by ke9tv, on Flickr
I put about 1/2-3/4 cup of water under the Fauxbaker, load the Penny Stove with 3/4 oz of alcohol inside and another 3/4 on top. I light the stove and set the pot on to preheat the water.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/13998304961_ea40113ea4.jpg]
Light the stove by ke9tv, on Flickr
While I'm waiting for the stove to bloom and the water to boil, I splash a little water (a couple of tablespoonsful) into the freezer bag and start kneading it into the mix. Don't use too much - for steaming you want a very stiff batter. Just enough to moisten all the mix. Make sure you work it all the way into the corners of the bag.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14001912784_f64ff298ce.jpg]
Mix the batter by ke9tv, on Flickr
I cut the corner off the bag, and squeeze the mix into the muffin cups. I fill them about 2/3 full. 4 oz net weight of mix will make three muffins.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/13998269242_6b50d60076.jpg]
Fill the muffin cups by ke9tv, on Flickr
When the stove has bloomed and the water has come to the boil, I remove the pot for a moment and drop the simmer ring in place.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/14001907324_610bde50bd.jpg]
Put the simmer ring in place. by ke9tv, on Flickr
I arrange the muffin cups on the steamer:
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/14021471323_b0b542bd85.jpg]
Arrange the muffins on the steamer by ke9tv, on Flickr
And I cover the pot tightly and go off to do something else. With the simmer ring in place, the stove will burn for about 25 more minutes at this point. That's perfect for steam baking or for cooking non-instant rice. Resist the temptation to peek inside the pot. You'll lose the steam if you lift the lid.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7338/14021466333_de699cdfa6.jpg]
Cover tightly and simmer by ke9tv, on Flickr
Keep an eye on the stove. If the pot stops steaming, you need to add more water. The one time this happened to me, I used the hose on my Camelbak so as not to wet the muffins. And of course you shouldn't leave a fire unattended.
When the stove goes out, the muffins are done. They've puffed up over the top of the cups, and a knife inserted in the center of one comes out clean. They don't get the nice brown crust of oven-baked ones, but they're still pretty tasty.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7356/13998255322_fbac73de2c.jpg]
Muffins are done by ke9tv, on Flickr
If you cooked them on your porch in order to demo them for AppalachianTrailCafe.net, then go ahead and arrange them on a plate indoors to show them in better light. Then eat. Share them with the wife.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/13978338376_8991014021.jpg]
The finished product, brought back indoors. by ke9tv, on Flickr
I use the setup for muffins and cupcakes on the trail. They're nice for a breakfast or dessert on a lazy day, when I can hang around in camp for a while. The amount of time that they take in the morning isn't actually as crazy as it might seem, because I can do things like stuff my sleeping bag and pad, roll my tent, recoil my bearbag line, and generally get the day under way while they're steaming. Or I can just sit and read, or shoot the breeze with a hiking partner, or think deep thoughts.
At home, I prepare a freezer bag with about 1/4 box (or 4 ounces net weight) of some sort of mix. For this demo, I used "Mixed Berry Scone Mix" from Trader Joe's, which is a just-add-water mix. If the box calls for milk, I throw some powdered milk in the bag with the mix. If it calls for oil, I squirt in some EVOO when I'm ready to bake. If it calls for egg, I might add a little powdered, or I might just ignore it. Most mixes work fine without the egg.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/14021458763_8ff95cbe06.jpg]
Start with a mix by ke9tv, on Flickr
What I need in camp is my stove (with pot stand, windscreen and simmer ring), the cookpot and Fauxbaker, pot stand, about 1.5 ounce alcohol, the mix, my Leatherman to grip hot things, and some water.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14021492813_2e7dbbe86b.jpg]
The setup for baking by ke9tv, on Flickr
I put about 1/2-3/4 cup of water under the Fauxbaker, load the Penny Stove with 3/4 oz of alcohol inside and another 3/4 on top. I light the stove and set the pot on to preheat the water.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/13998304961_ea40113ea4.jpg]
Light the stove by ke9tv, on Flickr
While I'm waiting for the stove to bloom and the water to boil, I splash a little water (a couple of tablespoonsful) into the freezer bag and start kneading it into the mix. Don't use too much - for steaming you want a very stiff batter. Just enough to moisten all the mix. Make sure you work it all the way into the corners of the bag.
[IMG:https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2911/14001912784_f64ff298ce.jpg]
Mix the batter by ke9tv, on Flickr
I cut the corner off the bag, and squeeze the mix into the muffin cups. I fill them about 2/3 full. 4 oz net weight of mix will make three muffins.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7184/13998269242_6b50d60076.jpg]
Fill the muffin cups by ke9tv, on Flickr
When the stove has bloomed and the water has come to the boil, I remove the pot for a moment and drop the simmer ring in place.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/14001907324_610bde50bd.jpg]
Put the simmer ring in place. by ke9tv, on Flickr
I arrange the muffin cups on the steamer:
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/14021471323_b0b542bd85.jpg]
Arrange the muffins on the steamer by ke9tv, on Flickr
And I cover the pot tightly and go off to do something else. With the simmer ring in place, the stove will burn for about 25 more minutes at this point. That's perfect for steam baking or for cooking non-instant rice. Resist the temptation to peek inside the pot. You'll lose the steam if you lift the lid.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7338/14021466333_de699cdfa6.jpg]
Cover tightly and simmer by ke9tv, on Flickr
Keep an eye on the stove. If the pot stops steaming, you need to add more water. The one time this happened to me, I used the hose on my Camelbak so as not to wet the muffins. And of course you shouldn't leave a fire unattended.
When the stove goes out, the muffins are done. They've puffed up over the top of the cups, and a knife inserted in the center of one comes out clean. They don't get the nice brown crust of oven-baked ones, but they're still pretty tasty.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7356/13998255322_fbac73de2c.jpg]
Muffins are done by ke9tv, on Flickr
If you cooked them on your porch in order to demo them for AppalachianTrailCafe.net, then go ahead and arrange them on a plate indoors to show them in better light. Then eat. Share them with the wife.
[IMG:https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/13978338376_8991014021.jpg]
The finished product, brought back indoors. by ke9tv, on Flickr
I'm not lost. I know where I am. I'm right here.