ESBIT: Simmering and Ultralight Baking

[hikin_jim]

While ESBIT is generally recognized as the lightest backpacking cooking option, it's not exactly known for flame control.

I've been testing an ESBIT stove, the Epicurean Ti, that not only can be used for boiling water but also for low, steady heat applications like simmering and ultralight baking.


I've found the Epicurean Ti to be a really easy to use ESBIT stove that simmers well without any trouble.


If you're interested in having a few flame options other than just "high" or you find the idea of ultralight baking intriguing, check out:
the Epicurean Ti ESBIT stove.




HJ

[QiWiz]

Who would think that you could do this with Esbit?
An even more ultralight option is available from this guy I know ; )

Here's a link to the burner and a video of it in action.
http://qiwiz.net/ULtimateEsbit.html
This one folds flat, which is great if that suits the rest of your kit.

[hikin_jim]

Wow, Rob,

Looks pretty cool. The video cuts off at 3:26. Do you have a full video? Or a part II or something? I want to see the finished product!

HJ

[rocketsocks]

Very interested in trying this, nothin like fresh baked goods on the trail. thanks for posting Jim and Qwiz.

[Another Kevin]

Very interested in trying this, nothin like fresh baked goods on the trail. thanks for posting Jim and Qwiz.

Check out http://www.trailcooking.com/thefauxbaker . I've tried it with my Penny Stove with the simmer ring in place, in a GSI cookpot. It works pretty well. The disc doubles as a heat reflector under the stove when I want "high heat" to boil water fast.

There's nothing like a hot muffin in the morning!

[hikin_jim]

Very interested in trying this, nothin like fresh baked goods on the trail. thanks for posting Jim and Qwiz.

You're very welcome. I've had a lot of fun.

The particular set up I'm using puts out some really nice muffins.


and biscuits.


And here's a cake I made for a friend's birthday:


The set up I'm using works well with either a 4" baking pan or a 5" baking pan. The 4" pan is good for 2 or 3 people. The 5" pan even though it's only an inch wider nearly doubles the volume of the baked good and is better for groups of 3+.

HJ

[rocketsocks]

Check out http://www.trailcooking.com/thefauxbaker . I've tried it with my Penny Stove with the simmer ring in place, in a GSI cookpot. It works pretty well. The disc doubles as a heat reflector under the stove when I want "high heat" to boil water fast.

There's nothing like a hot muffin in the morning!

Will do, thanks AK

You're very welcome. I've had a lot of fun.

The particular set up I'm using puts out some really nice muffins.


and biscuits.


And here's a cake I made for a friend's birthday:


The set up I'm using works well with either a 4" baking pan or a 5" baking pan. The 4" pan is good for 2 or 3 people. The 5" pan even though it's only an inch wider nearly doubles the volume of the baked good and is better for groups of 3+.

HJ

Man those are three dollar muffins in the store!

[hikin_jim]

Man those are three dollar muffins in the store!

Heck yes!

And with the 5" pan, I can make a really king sized muffin. Really more of a cake.



HJ

[QiWiz]

Wow, Rob,

Looks pretty cool. The video cuts off at 3:26. Do you have a full video? Or a part II or something? I want to see the finished product!

HJ

Hopefully I fixed the video. Here 'tis:

[hikin_jim]

Thanks, Rob. I'll have a look when I get home tonight. Pretty cool concept.

HJ

[rocketsocks]

Heck yes!

And with the 5" pan, I can make a really king sized muffin. Really more of a cake.



HJ

Happy freakin Birthday to you!....Nice, you must have lots of friends come diner time, hehe

[QiWiz]

Thanks, Rob. I'll have a look when I get home tonight. Pretty cool concept.

HJ

This video is more descriptive of how the burner and base plate and bake pan work with the FireFly; shows how everything folds flat.

[hikin_jim]

Nice, you must have lots of friends come diner time, hehe

Strangest thing. I never have leftovers when I bake...

HJ

[hikin_jim]

... I fixed the video.

Hi, Rob,

That's a very cool video. A very interesting and (Super) UL approach. Probably a bit more fiddle, and the approach I'm taking produces a much larger muffin with less fuel. I can produce a 5" diameter x 2" height muffin on one ESBIT cube compared to 1.5 ESBIT cubes for 3" x 3" x 1" muffin on yours. I imagine the efficiency on mine is due to the design of the windscreen which has a very controlled air flow. Yours on the other hand is much more compact. Both interesting designs.

It's nice to see that there are so many lightweight choices out there! Say, anybody getting hungry?



HJ

[Bronk]

Another way to cook muffin or cake mixes on a camp stove is to simply fry them. I just put 1/2 an inch or so of vegetable oil in the bottom of the pot and heat up the oil while I'm mixing the batter, then plop it in.

[hikin_jim]

Interesting. How's the taste? Sounds a bit caloric, but if one were on a longer hike like a through hike, then those calories would actually be very helpful.

HJ

[QiWiz]

Hi, Rob,

That's a very cool video. A very interesting and (Super) UL approach. Probably a bit more fiddle, and the approach I'm taking produces a much larger muffin with less fuel. I can produce a 5" diameter x 2" height muffin on one ESBIT cube compared to 1.5 ESBIT cubes for 3" x 3" x 1" muffin on yours. I imagine the efficiency on mine is due to the design of the windscreen which has a very controlled air flow. Yours on the other hand is much more compact. Both interesting designs.

HJ

Yes, your setup is likely to be more efficient, but there may be other factors like how moist the mix is (or did the cook add too much water). I can, for example, bake a similar size corn bread muffin with just one Esbit cube.

[hikin_jim]

Hi, Rob,

Corn bread sounds good. Now why didn't I think of that? I've just experimented with muffins, biscuits, cookies, and cakes.

What kind of a mix are you using? Do you need oil?

HJ

[Wise Old Owl]

prod_NtHonCrnBreadMuff_th.jpg yes oil+dry milk (Nido) and a egg which is dried egg.

http://www.krusteaz.com/cornbread-pr...nstructionstab

[hikin_jim]

Interesting. Thanks, WOO. So, how much dried egg = one real egg? A tablespoon? Two? Haven't tried the substitution before.

HJ