Split (1)

train · 60.1k rows

instruction stringlengths 2 23k	output stringlengths 3 23.1k ⌀
cupcakes keep on sinking in center I'm trying to make vanilla cupcakes from scratch and the center is always sinking in and when I touch them they're soft like they're under-cooked? Maybe it's the all-purpose flour that I'm using? I have no idea..	Oven temperature gauges are wildly inaccurate. So it is very likely your times and temperatures are off. It sounds like the cupcakes are under-cooked, and are sinking as they cool. Use a good digital thermometer to test the internal temperature of your cupcakes. Shoot for 205 - 209F (96-98C) internal, at the center...
How can I make failed fudge (hard and crumbly)? Growing up my mother would make my brother and I fudge that was hard and crumbly and we loved it. It wasn't until I was much older that I realized that was failed fudge. I was always disappointed when I got fudge elsewhere that was soft. I'd like to make fudge the way my...	I confess to having never actually successfully made fudge (lazy, and until recently the local Wegmans sold it), but it sounds like you want your sugar to recrystallize. Normally that's strenuously avoided, but: Required: Start with a traditional recipe, not one of the "easy fudge" recipes. The traditional ones start ...
Does ingredient order matter when making Yorkshire Puddings? With a mother-in-law who hails from the North of England I am well aware that when I make Yorkshire puddings my method is scrutinized. Luckily I have been assured by the master of such delights that my method is correct. First put in the flour, then the eg...	People for decades have been convinced that there's one "right" way to make Yorkshire Puddings. The reality is that most if not all of these "tricks" are either unnecessary or outright hurt the outcome. Kenji over at Serious Eats went a bit bonkers and tried out just about all of the different methods and has summarize...
Would sous vide-ing tomatoes result in a deeply caramelised tomato sauce? I am looking to take the effort out of slow-cooking tomatoes for several hours over the stove and wondered if sous-vide may be a possible method of doing this. I understand that the end result may be slightly watery but this sauce can then be re...	It would not caramelize for sure, as caramelization occurs between 110 and 180 degrees celsius depending on the particular sugar - well over the boiling point of water, which is your maximum sous-vide temperature. However, it would serve a few purposes that might well work. For one, it would allow the slow breakdown o...
Does multi-cooker actually bake? I am confused about how multi-cooker actually works. Frying meat on a skillet is one thing. Baking it in the oven is another. Advertisement says a multi-cooker can both bake and fry. How is that possible? If it bakes does it mean it can replace oven at all? Can I actually bake meat in ...	It doesn't necessarily do any of those things well, but yes, it does (more or less) all of the things it suggests. Basically all cooking is the application of heat, in different ways, to food. So a multicooker like you mention is something that's capable of producing heat at different levels and different timings. Bak...
Frozen Octopus or fresh Octopus for recipes? Yeah, I wonder with grilled, fried, steamed, salad recipe, which is better? Frozen Octopus or fresh Octopus Can you compare Frozen Octopus and fresh Octopus, which recipes for which? Thank you so much, sorry for my bad english.	This is my favorite reference for octopus. Near the end, Harold McGee considers the fresh v. frozen octopus debate. His results are not exactly conclusive. McGee found fresh octopus, lightly blanched, to be "sweetly scallop-like and not too chewy. But cooking it turned it bouncier than ever." His conclusion: "Freshn...
Does ripening banans in a bag with other fruit harm the other fruit? Our office just got its first fruit shipment, which included an apology for the under-ripe bananas and the suggestion to put them in a brown paper bag along with an apple to speed up the ripening. Does doing this harm the apple? I'm aware of Why doe...	It doesn't harm the apple, but it does speed up its ripening as well. And that risks over-ripening. So your perfectly crispy apples may begin to become mealy. Eventually they become targets for yeasts, molds, etc and start to rot. But it's not making them toxic or causing untoward chemical changes. They're all just spe...
In making a pudding, can you replace yolks with whole eggs? Can I use six whole eggs instead of six yolks. The recipe calls for: 6 yolks 1.5 c sugar 4 heaping T cornstarch 1 can evaporated milk 1 can regular milk (fill the above can) 1 T vanilla	You certainly can replace the yolks with whole eggs but you wouldn't do one-to-one as that would give you too much volume. The average egg has more volume in whites than in yolks (it's about 60% white and 30% yolk) so you'd want to use three whole eggs, not six. Unfortunately, whites may give your pudding a texture tha...
My milk kefir molded.. What should I do I put my dehydrated kefir grains in one cup fresh whole milk and after 24 hours I change the milk and rainse the grains. But after three days they become molded. Befor this I put my kefir grains in near spoild milk and its color turned out with a bad smell so I threw them away.....	The only safe thing to do is to throw it away. Preferably with a bottle or jar it is in, if you don't care for it. If you want to keep that jar, use dishwasher on it's hottest setting. I would also use sanitizers, but I have them readily available in my kitchen due to beer brewing. You can probably go without them. Ser...
I bought a bag of Brussels sprouts that looked fine but smelled exceptionally bad, even for sprouts I recently bought a pre-packaged bag of brussels sprouts. The sprouts in the bag looked great, green and plump with not a spec of black or brown on them. The next day I cut open the bag and found that the entire bag sme...	What you are describing is what we call a food that has "soured". (This is what I was taught growing up.) The food looks and feels perfect but has that awful sour odor. In my experience it is from improper storage, usually from foods being kept too warm or not getting enough air circulation. (Not necessarily by you, b...
Frying potatoes in cast iron: sticking! I've tried frying potatoes (generally cubed small, like 1/4") in my cast iron pan but they frequently stick very badly. Badly enough so I've got to resort to scraping with a metal spatula. The pan is not like 50 years old and perfectly well-seasoned or anything, but I have no tr...	Preheat the pan for longer than you expect, then preheat the oil as well. Cast iron takes a long time to heat up. With some foods you can get away with not preheating so it may seem silly to just let the pan sit on the burner with nothing else happening, but the potatoes will test your patience because of how much they...
When grinding flaxseeds in a coffee grinder, is it safe to add some water inside? http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/how-to-relieve-constipation-naturally/ says Flaxseed is inexpensive and you should be able to find it at your local health food store. Keep in mind that if the seeds aren't crushed, ground, or broken, ...	Coffee grinders are designed for dry grinding, not wet grinding. The mention of water in your quote is for a blender, not a grinder. There are also wet-dry grinders, but that's not one. So, I'm not sure if it's actually dangerous, but it's certainly not designed to have water in it. And either way, since it's not meant...
I never succeed in thickening sauces with pasta water. What am I doing wrong? Every cook praises how starchy pasta water is great for thickening sauces and helping the sauce cling to the noodles. But no matter how much pasta water I add, it never thickens the sauce.Yesterday I cooked one pound of pasta in a liter of w...	You seem to have the wrong expectations. No, it will never be as thickening as a cornstarch slurry. If that's the level of thickening you expect, you are really better off using the slurry. Don't forget that pasta water thickening is a traditional technique from the time when people did not go to the supermarket to buy...
Welsh Rarebit in a microwave? Welsh Rarebit has always been a staple lunch for me. Are there any other methods of cooking it, possibly in the microwave? My method is as follows. 225g Grated Cheddar Cheese Large spoon of butter A few dashes Worcestershire sauce (Lee & Perrins) 4 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons flour Sa...	When considering your options, you'll need to remember that the cheese mix must have a certain cooking time independently of the heat source: The flour needs some time to gelatinize. Basically, the flour, butter and milk in your mix form a roux. If you heat it too short, you'll get a floury sludge instead of the cheesy...
How should I decorate a Spanish Epiphany cake? I live in Spain, however, being a Brit, Jan 6th really isn't high on my list of holidays - but what the heck! Tonight I have a few Spanish friends coming over, so I have made a bit of a buffet, laid down quite a bit of alcohol and want to make the cake that they all see...	If you do a google image search for roscón de reyes (Spanish spelling) you'll find them usually decorated with candied fruit, either just red (glacé cherries), red and green or red, green and orange. Sources vary, whether the fruit are supposed to stand for the jewels, the Three Wise Men brought to Bethlehem or for the...
How do I become more time efficient in the kitchen? The only thing holding me back from truly enjoying cooking is that it takes so much of my time. The prepping, cooking, cleaning... What techniques do professional chefs utilize to cook a three course meal in the time an average cook finishes seasoning a beef roast? ...	Chefs, professional cooks (and experienced home cooks) do a LOT/MOST of the preparation in advance. They prepare all vegetables in advance (clean, cut, blanched (if necessary). They prepare all meats and fish in advance (clean, cut...) They do all sauces in advance. They have all ingredients at hands and know what ingr...
When to add noodle water to tomato sauce? I keep hearing about adding some of the pasta water to the sauce, either to thicken it or to make the sauce stick to the noodles. But when are you supposed to do this? Wouldn't you be boiling your noodles right before you eat them? And wouldn't the sauce be finished cooking at...	This is a technique used for sauces that are otherwise very thick, such as a well-reduced marinara or a cream sauce (which will thicken as it cools). You wouldn't add it to a sauce which is already at the right texture. As you deduce, yes, it's the kind of thing you do just before serving. You boil the pasta, save some...
Why arent my pancakes browning correctly? I am using a cast iron pan and all of my pancakes are coming out like this. I leave them on and they get crispy on the outside and cook through but they do not brown. I tried turning the heat up and that just burns them in splotches. Then I tried a lower heat and they turn gol...	You seem to be doing everything alright with the heat and pan. This sounds like a problem with the recipe. Add more milk (or yogurt, or whatever dairy you are using) - you need lactose for browning, so soy milk or enzymatically treated cow milk won't work. Also consider replacing part of the sugar with fructose, HFCS ...
Can you leave chicken in smoker after it quits cooking to stay warm Can you leave chicken in the smoker after it has stopped cooking to keep it warm?	Safety-wise, as long as you keep the chicken above 140°F, you can keep it there forever. Once you get below 140°F, you're supposed to have it either eaten or cooled to 40°F within 2 hours. (It's actually safe a little lower—but it's best to leave a margin of error!) For details, see How do I know if food left at room t...
How does imitation cinnamon flavor differ from real? To me, imitation cinnamon flavor (like the extract, or artificially flavored candies) tastes pretty harsh, and not all that much like cinnamon. I can only assume it's an artificially-made form of the main aromatic compound in actual cinnamon. So why do they seem so ...	Imitation cinnamon is primarly pure cinnamaldehyde, or a related chemical. That's chemically identical to what's found in cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon, so you're not consuming anything you wouldn't also be getting from real cinnamon. It's what produces the piquancy (burn) of cinnamon, as well as the scent and fl...
What to do with leftover cream after churning butter? I used a manual butter churn for the first time and made delicious butter. Yay! And it left behind something that resembles milk... It's lighter than the heavy cream that was churned into butter. It had warmed a bit during the churning process so I stuck it in the ...	Technically, this is "buttermilk" - the milk left over from churning butter. Of course, this is sweet buttermilk, so it won't really work for most recipes calling for buttermilk (they assume the cultured version, which is acidic, and has that purpose in recipes). For sweet buttermilk, you can just drink it. You can us...
What is this cooking utensil labeled "Orka by Mastrad" and "1 ml = 1 pinch"? It is labeled "Orka by Mastrad". It also says "1 ml = 1 pinch" on the right-side part. What is this object and what is it used for?	This is a single salad tong, as seen here Notice the way the two tongs connect at the handle, and how the nearer one has the same shape as the poster's image.
how can I mince a small amount of meat? I want to be able to mince a small amount of meat for steak tartar to eat right away. I want the mince to be fresh each time, so mincing more in advance and storing is not an option, no matter what you do, the meat will never be as fresh as stored in a large piece and minced jus...	There are a few workarounds to mince your meat, but the results may be not what you are looking for: Some immersion blenders have a special attachment especially for mincing meat or stringy veggies. It's got two super-sharp "winglets". (I'll add a photo once I find mine.) You need to be super careful and fast, or the ...
Do Parathas, Naan, and Roti have to be burnt a little? On asking the owner of a restaurant, he told me that the Tandoori chicken I was served was meant to have burnt edges because it is roasted on charcoal. I checked, and found it to be true. But, I see restaurants all over India serving parathas, naan, and roti wit...	The charring is crucial to both the flavor and the texture. The charred part itself brings a bitter note to the flavor. If you don't like it, you can cut it out, but many people would miss it. It's also crunchy, which provides a pleasant contrast to the chewy parts of the bread. It's also incidental to the way it's coo...
Vegan patty binders I am looking to understand the nature of how binders work. I made patties the other day. A potato, two carrots, a can of black beans, a bit of bread crumbs. It blended to a decent grainy slush and fried up nicely. Then I tried a sweet potato, broccoli, and chick peas. The mixture felt right, but ...	In case of vegan kitchen, you would need to use ingredients with high levels starch or binding proteins, such as gluten. One important thing to remember about starch is that it is removed (into the water) in the process of cooking. So, if you pre-cook your potatoes before adding them into patties, they will provide les...
What is the name of this Turkish chocolate? They are from Turkey but have no idea what they are traditionally called. Although the box is generic, the contents are from a Turkish confectionery. The brown and white ones are almonds covered in chocolate and the green and white ones are pistachios covered in white chocol...	Alibaba has a site that let's you search by region, and indeed there is a page for Turkish chocolate including chocolate covered almonds. As far as I can tell brand names seem to be Tafe and the ChocoVia and Dojo produced by Besler. Those brand names do not exclusively refer to chocolate covered almonds - which are ca...
Accidently mixed instant and cooked pudding packages I'm making the layered pudding dessert and without looking I dumped an instant pudding mix and a cook and serve pudding mix in the same bowl. I am now staring at said bowl in horror. Too late to scoop and separate. How do I save this? Was my last two packages!	update: It seems that the salts used in instant pudding are heat stable (one turns into the other one at 450°C), so it's possible that it might work by following the cooked directions ... but I'd advise a slurry as a backup. You're going to have to add something to fix it. Either more gelatin (to have it set cold), or...
Piping whipped cream icing vs buttercream I'm looking to try piping whipped cream icing, instead of buttercream -- what are the major handling differences the feel to it, different tips to use, any tricks or pitfalls I should be aware of? I've never done whipped cream icing before, but it was requested. I am used to a...	You could try adding a piping gel, such as the one found here, which contains no eggs or dairy. Alternatively, the colder you keep the whipped cream icing, the better it will hold its shape. You could refrigerate the icing until immediately prior to serving which would help.
Ways to separate kefir grains from thickened kefir, how big are the kefir grains? I'm super-new to the kefir business ^_^ been making it at home for a week from a batch of grains my neighbor left me when his batch overgrew. So, I'm fond of the idea to make kefir more thick, more alcoholic, more sparkly (cheese beer ya...	First off, not all kefir grains are alike. Maybe they're all descended from the same family tree long ago, but kefir grain activity will change significantly even in the same house from season to season (due to temperature and other environmental fluctuations), and depending on what you feed them (type of milk), and o...
Can I use a cheeseboard as a cutting board? Nowadays I see that most cutting boards sold are made up of several pieces of wood that are stuck together with wood glue. I'm not so sure of the safety of the wood glue that is used as most of the ones sold in my country are manufactured in China and not subject to FDA appr...	You certainly can use a "cheese board" or other single-slab piece of suitable wood as a chopping board. What you might want to consider is that there is a reason why even expensive, good-quality chopping boards are made from multiple pieces instead of one big slab: Wood can warp and / or develop cracks if exposed to c...
Vietnamese Sandwiches - Spread Identification? A short while ago, I was on vacation, and ate several times at a Vietnamese sandwich shop (in North America) that served what were presented as traditional Vietnamese style sandwiches. While most of the ingredients were self-explanatory, one of them was something I've ne...	Pate can vary in color depending on what you put in it, so I'd say what you were eating was pate! Here's a pate recipe with a resultant gray hue: http://berriesandspice.com/vietnamese-banh-mi-pate/
Bumps on carbon steel seasoning, can I repair it I've just got a new De Buyer carbon steel pan and I'm 3 seasons in (oven method) and I'm noticing quite an uneven surface (especially little bubbles). I've tried as best as possible to keep the layers of oil used very thin. I'm wondering if I should strip it down and st...	I think you are fine. I personally feel the best way to continue to season a pan is to actually just to cook in it. The first things I like after the oven or range top seasoning is to use onions, green onions and other inexpensive ingredients. Perhaps also to deep fry some onion rings or french fries as well. This ...
How are bitter almonds detected or used? Bitter almonds contain traces of hydrocyanic acid, which can be lethal to animals and humans. 7 to 10 unprocessed bitter almonds can be lethal to a human, according to “Encyclopedia Brittanica.” The sale of raw bitter almonds is prohibited in some countries but it's quite ofte...	I only have an answer for your first question: How does the food industry detect the bitter almonds? They don't need to. According to Wikipedia, bitter almonds come from bitter almond trees, and "sweet" almonds from that variety, so if you plant only "sweet" almond trees in your orchard, you don't need to sort through ...
Is plastic wrap safe to use when tempering chocolate? Tempering chocolate can be a messy process at times. So I had an idea to cover the plastic bowl that I use for tempering with plastic wrap so that once I'm finished, I can remove the plastic wrap, the bowl will end up clean and I can easily collect the leftover cho...	Most microwave suitable plastic wrap (cling film) still says you should avoid contact with the food and just use it as a cover. But of course in that case the food is intended to get properly hot, and of course you don't want much heat. If you do get local hot spots the film may well soften. At that point it might impa...
How do I mellow out the saltiness in black olives? I have some dishes where the umami olive flavor would be perfect if not for all the saltiness that is added to the dish. I am looking for a way to mellow the saltiness in the olive in a subtle way so I could incorporate them to more dishes.	You can sometimes get olives that aren't in brine, but instead in oil (often with herbs & garlic which might be a good thing or might not). They're less salty but still have some salt as it's used in the processing. If you can't get those, or want to use everyday olives you already have, don't just rinse them but also...
How to tell when broccoli has gone bad? I often get big jumbo bags of pre-cut Broccoli from Costco with a sell by date that is usually about a week out from my date of purchase. The florets seem perfectly fine on the sell by date, and I've cooked and eaten them as much as a week later. What signs should I look for s...	As many people here have noted, these "sell by" and "best by" dates are not very consistent, accurate or well defined. If your broccoli looks fine and smells fine, chances are it's fine. Signs of spoilage to look for are: sliminess on the surface, mushy areas in the broccoli flesh, small dark areas dotting the "canopy"...
Sugar syrup with orange juice foams excessively Today I made an orange chiffon cake with buttercream frosting. I used Rose Levi Beranbaum's Classical buttercream recipe, in which 100 g of sugar and 90 g of water are cooked to a softball-stage syrup (114.5 Celsius) and then added to the yolks. After making the cake ba...	I don't know what exactly it is about citrus - whether a particular combination of proteins, essential oils, lots of small particulates, or something else - but in my experience this is common to many citrus fruit. It seems to be a general property that they capture gas bubbles very effectively, leading to froth. Cit...
defrosting homemade frozen bread I made several loaves of bread 7 days prior to use due to time constraint, so I decided to freeze them after fully cooled, 8 hours after cooked. Normally with frozen bread I would let out at room temperature while sealed for 4 to 5 hours. Will bread be fresh if I assemble sandwiche...	As a possibility, here's what I do for make-ahead sandwiches with (previously) frozen bread. I'd suggest only a couple things beyond what you are planning. After the bread is out of the oven and fully cooled (8 hours or over-night as you did), I slice before freezing. This allows me to take slices out of the freezer a ...
Should enriched doughs pass the windowpane test? I'm trying to make the nan-e qandi recipe from Hot Bread Kitchen; recipe re-printed here. It contains sugar (honey) and a fair amount of fat, with full-fat milk for hydration and over a stick of butter in ~850g dough. It is rather low hydration, and also contains sugar ...	Yes it should - sort of. Your observation is right on point, a very rich dough will tear more easily. (I did the same experiment once myself.) But it will still show some characteristics of the windowpane test: it will stretch smoothly and the "pane" should be very even, not show streaks of thicker and thinner areas....
Why throw pizza dough besides for show? What are the reasons to throw pizza dough beyond putting on a good show? Related: How to throw a pizza dough?	A lot of it depends on the type of pizza you make. Where I worked we did thin crust pizza, and these were the reasons we tossed: Speed. Trying to roll or pat out a 17 inch pizza would be very time consuming. Consistency. Was easier to make the crust a consistent size and shape. Space. Rolling or patting a person needs...
Why should one boil water over medium-high heat for pasta? I have encountered a pasta recipe with this as the first step: Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat. What is the purpose of using medium-high heat? Isn't it faster and more efficient to use high heat to boil water?	A few lines of thought: Pasta water boiling over happens to the best of us. Either from not paying attention, using too little water, or using too much water. Using the medium-high heat versus max heat helps mitigate boil overs from happening. On my own stove, when the burner is at its highest setting, much of the hea...
Which potatoes are best for twice baked potatoes Which potatoes in the US are best for twice baked potatoes? My twice baked potatoes didn't turn out right. The skins broke, and punctured to easily. I was using Yukon golds of medium size lightly washed, and punctured with a fork.	There are two main types of potatoes: starchy and waxy (although some are considered in-between). The difference, as you might imagine, has to do with the starch content of the potatoes. When cooked, starchy potatoes (like Russet potatoes) tend to break apart. They are often used in baking and frying. They also are mo...
Pastry flour for bread I was looking through my Julia Child cookbook and noticed she said that the French use low protein flour for their plain French bread with a value of about eight percent. That is the value of protein in pastry flour but the only pastry I could find was Arrowhead Mills brand. On a whim, I thought...	As rumstcho said in comments, European flours operate on a completely different system than the American "protein = gluten = strength of flour" system. Not to go too far into this, but American flours vary a lot depending on type of wheat. "Harder" wheats produce higher gluten/protein flours. If you buy American "pa...
To tell if meat has gone bad, is touch enough evidence? I have meat in my fridge that range from a couple of days to the sell-by-date to several months. All of it is slimy on touch, but it doesn't smell bad. Should it being slimy be enough of a reason to throw it away? I read that sliminess and smell were ways of dete...	TL:DR version: you are thinking about it wrong. Food safety is not about finding evidence that it has gone bad (that's usually impossible), it is about having evidence that it is still good. If you don't have it, that automatically throws it in the "unsafe" category. Food safety has basically two rules: if it has e...
How to salvage hardened peanut butter from jar bottom How can I salvage hardened peanut butter from the bottom of the jar? Is there anything I can put in it that will soften it but also add to the taste, or at least not affect it negatively?	As long as the peanut paste at the bottom of the jar hasn't gone rancid, I'm pretty sure the bottom of the jar gets hardened and dry because the peanut solids have sunk to the bottom while the peanut oil has floated to the top, and as you use the peanut butter, a deficit of peanut oil develops at the bottom of the jar....
Peeling coconut meat from shell I roasted these two coconuts at 350℉ for about 15 min. I was hoping it would make it easier to detach the meat from the shell but it didn't so much. I peeled it but I struggled with a butter knife. Is there a way to cook it differently to make it easier to peel or is there a better to...	Cross-hatch it several times with a sharp knife (every 2-3 cm or 1 inch). Then you can pry up the chunks more easily.
Difference between burritos, chimichanga, and enchiladas? What is the difference between burritos, enchiladas, and chimichangas?	An enchilada is a corn tortilla wrapped around some filling (often meat and/or cheese), covered in sauce. The sauce is really defining here: the word is derived from a verb meaning "to season with chili". The sauce usually involves chili peppers, but doesn't always, especially for Tex-Mex and American Variants. Since i...
Is the miracle thaw safe? I have a miracle thaw from my mother from many years ago. It works fantastic but I would like to know if this thing is safe? Does anything penetrate into the meat?	It's certainly safe in terms of food contact. See How does a Miracle Thaw work? - it's really just a sheet of metal. It's not very much different from just putting your food on a baking sheet. Just be sure to clean it between uses as you would with anything else that touched raw meat. However, you do still have to be c...
What modifications would I have to make when substituting veal for pork? I would like to make this recipe for Pork Osso Buco, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yNgna9mZoa4, but I'll be using veal beef shanks and not pork. Do I have to make any modifications like the time it's braised or seared?	In the particular recipe you've provided no change in the cooking method is required. The only thing to keep in mind when cooking veal is that it is a drier meat. In your case however, the recipe cooks the meat in liquid which moisturizes it. Keep an eye on whether it is cooked all the way through and always note recip...
How far in advance can I prepare vegetables without it detracting from their flavour/ texture etc? I've seen there is a related thread about restaurant practices and how long to retain food, but I don't think food safety comes into this as I'm only talking about cut vegetables kept for maybe 3 to 4 hours? It's more th...	The easy answer is that almost all things will start to deteriorate at soon as cut, but noticeable is the key. John points out, this will vary by item. Most fruits and softer items will be far less forgiving. Potatoes, a relatively hard item tends to oxidize badly, but water dunking tends to fix that with them as we...
Is chocolate still "tempered" even after it has cooled since bringing it up to working temperature? The usual process of tempering (dark) chocolate involves bringing it up to 45°, then down to 29° and back up to 31°. If I leave the tempered chocolate in a piping bag for a while and it cools down, would the chocolate s...	The point of tempering chocolate is heating it before it "breaks" - thus tempered chocolate has that "snap" to it you always want to keep intact. If you've done your tempering (understand melting) correctly there is nothing to worry about. Work the chocolate as long as you can - meaning as long as its pliability caters...
I forgot to turn my slowcooker on overnight w/ chicken in it, can I eat it still? I put chicken breasts and a bunch of salsa into a slow cooker to be cooked while I slept. I forgot to turn it on. When I woke up I noticed and put it back in the fridge. I plan to cook it tonight (and hopefully not forget to turn it on)....	Without knowing for sure that the temp didn't stray into the danger zone, I wouldn't eat it. Within 9 hours I think it is very likely that the chicken went from refrigerator temperature to danger temperature. 40 degrees F is the start of the danger zone. See: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safet...
What is the proper technique for torching a creme brulee? Should you ever have your torch face downwards? When I do that I get huge flames. I try to torch it from the sides, but the sugar caramelizes very unevenly.	There are good videos on the internet showing how to properly caramelize the sugar; are you doing things differently ? Most of them just have the torch a couple of inches facing down over the sugar and in a slow side movement, caramelize the sugar. The torch flame needs to be "blue" so that it is at its hottest.
Why did my whole milk go bad faster than skim milk? Why did my whole milk curdle and get yucky and smell before my skim milk when left out? I thought it was supposed to be the opposite.	Bad luck. There isn't consensus on which would spoil faster. Apparently there has been a controlled study that found that skim spoiled faster but the difference was slight. It would have to be in a controlled environment. At home, with all the other variables involved, it would look much more random. Does whole milk s...
microwave use after cell phone heating My daughter put a cell phone in the microwave and switched it on. The phone was heated for less than a minute at maximum temperature. There was a strong smell from the burnt phone and the microwave. Can we use the microwave again? Which steps are necessary to bring the microwave ...	I would ventilate it well, wipe everything down and wash up the turntable. Then, when the smell has cleared (and doesn't come back when the door has been shut for a while) use it but only for covered (loosely) food at least at first. I'd also test that it heats up a cup of water before cooking anything real in it.
How do you keep dehydrated broth (powder) from clumping? I have some dehydrated store-bought broth mix (chicken and vegetable) that has clumped into a large solid block. I haven't been able to find any information on the Internet about how to fix this. I suspect it is a matter of hydration (too hydrated or too dehydra...	The clumping is a result of air and moisture entering the container with the substance. This especially happens if you pour the mix directly from the container over a hot dish - the steam enters and immediately clumps the spices. What you can do is to transfer your mix into a new dry and airtight container. Hope this h...
Ran out of salt can I use MSG (monosodium glutamate) instead? I can't read in local language and was looking to buy some salt, so I went to local shop picked up what looked like it (white crystals in plain plastic bag without much colour and decoration). I tasted it and it did have 'salty' feel to it, so I bought it.....	Sure you can. It will not taste salty, but it also will not taste bland, it will have a "seasoned" taste. Will you like it that way, or miss the salt? That's not something we can predict (or you, for that matter, if you have not tried it before). You have to taste it so you can know if you personally enjoy eating saltl...
How to translate a baking recipe for box mixes for cast iron skillets? I recently purchased a skillet at the advice of a trusted friend. I have seen a number recipes for a lot of foods including baked goods. But, the recipes are all "from scratch". Now, I realize that this is probably the best way to go. But, I saw re...	I follow the directions on the package, with one modification: when preheating the oven, I preheat the skillet in there as well. I add the batter or dough to the warm skillet then bake. I use the baking time on the box as a reference, but monitor by eye toward the end. It usually is done within -5 to +3 minute range a...
Damaged knife blade repair I've got a set of knives I've been using for roughly 12-13 years, which I've never had sharpened since the day they came home. They also haven't always been the best cared for, and occasionally abused. As a result of these treatments, the blade is, quite obviously, rather damaged. A few yea...	Professional sharpeners here (The Netherlands) would charge around 50 cents per centimeter of knife or, more common, just 5-6 euro per knife, regardless of size. You paid around 10$ per knife (9 euro and a bit). The price of the knives alone (150$ for 14 knives 12 years ago, let's say 190$ corrected for inflation) do...
Is there a use for bean juice - the cooking liquid of beans? When I cook beans there's heaps of brown-coloured water. Is there a use for this? Do you drink it or something?	It can be used as an egg substitute in various baking applications; search with the keyword "aquafaba" to learn more about this. Also, it is used as a thickener in some bean-based dishes (eg common in chana masala). Also, it can be used as stock for some types of soups. Since you describe the juice as brown, it seems t...
Are all emulsifying agents created equal My question relates to the 5 of 6 emulsifying agents I am aware of for stabilizing emulsification. namely; egg yolk, garlic, mustard, tomato paste, honey, and cream. I haven't personally used each of these as as emulsifying agents but that's the extent of my list. Anyways. So...	From a chemistry standpoint, yes, there is a difference. That depends on the desired effect and composition of your emulsion, so there are more appropriate emulsifiers for water-on-oil than oil-on-water, and also depends on what size of micelles you want forming, texture and etc. A complete explanation is a whole cour...
My new pan has a max temperature of 350 F but the recipe calls for 425 F. What should I do? My recipe calls for an oven temp of 425 degrees but my pan can only withstand 350 degrees per manufacturers instructions. If the original recipe called for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. How long would it be at 350 degrees?	The best solution is - use a different pan if you want the recipe's advertised results. If something is baking at 425 F for only 15 minutes, it's very likely that you need that high heat to get the result you want - which is generally going to give you a toasty, well-browned exterior and a cool, just done interior. If...
My bread always burns I'm using a recipe from a video (see below), at the right temperature (350°F). I don't know what the problem is, but the edges are always burnt. Should I try putting the pan over a container with water? Carrot bread recipe: 2 cups of flour 2 cups of sugar 2 tsp of cinnamon 2 tsp of baking soda 1...	Bake 1 hour It seems that you are baking by the clock. This doesn't usually produce good results, you should bake until it is done. The time suggested in the recipe is a rough guideline, not the time when you should take it out of the oven. Start testing for doneness when it starts looking good, and take it out when...
Use fry sieve to steam vegetables Can I use a fry sieve to steam vegetables in a pot? Does it work for the purpose of steaming collard greens? The pot lid doesn't seal when the sieve is in the pot.	Anything that keeps the product off the bottom of the pan, and allows steam to circulate, can be used to steam vegetables. In this case a picture would be helpful, because fry sieves come is all different shapes and sizes. As you point out, the key will be keeping the steam in the pot and around the vegetables. You ...
What do you call it and where to buy some What do you call these in English, before the frying process, and where can they be purchased?	I don't think there is an English word for these. It seems as though we just call them by their Indian name, of which there are several. Pappadam and Appalam seem to be the most common names, although in different regions of India the name can vary slightly. In the picture you posted these are referred to as Round Chip...
Is pouring hot stock into a blender safe? I have a "ThermoResist Glass Blender" attached to a mixer. It is supposed to be safe for blending hot liquids. I'm rather new at this and I'm not sure about how is it supposed to be used and how hot can the liquids be. Can I prepare stock for soup over a stove top, cook vegeta...	Yes. At the link you provided in the specifications section, it says "Capacity: 1.6 quarts cold liquids; 1.2 quarts hot liquids". The word "hot" is a bit arbitrary, but stock will be fine. Also, it's called ThermoResist.
Is it safe / advisable to use a nonstick baking sheet on an induction cooktop for pancakes (375 F)? I bought a large non-stick baking pan and I would like to use it on my thermador freedom induction cooktop to make pancakes. The cooktop will apply energy evenly to the rectangular footprint of the pan. The pan is coate...	I'm using nonstick pans on my induction cooker without any issues. Also frying pancakes is fine. So, if something smells weird, it must be a particular issue with your pan, not a general induction-cooker-vs-nonstick-pan thing. 375 F (190°C) should not be a problem for any decent cookware, regardless of the cooker the c...
How did I screw up this rice pudding recipe? I've never made rice pudding before so I tried this recipe, exactly (no frills like raisins or anything). Ingredients: 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups steamed rice 1 dash nutmeg Steps: Separate eggs, beat yolks. Add sugar,...	I've never made a baked rice pudding before but I have a couple of guesses at what went wrong... 1. Chosen rice preparation method caused loss of needed starch. First, I don't think the type of rice matters much but I will say that your method differs from the standard method in the US for cooking rice. Generally, we b...
Allergic to the whole pepper family - what can I use in its place? I am allergic to the whole pepper family including black pepper. I don't know what to use as a substitute. I don't eat salt, so that's out. I am having to check every item that I buy to make sure it doesn't have pepper any it. Can anybody give me some...	Grains of paradise are peppery but don't seem to be too closely related to black pepper, so perhaps you won't be allergic to them. They're a bit smaller than peppercorns but can still be ground in pepper grinders.
Sweeten/Fix Eggnog I made some non-alcoholic eggnog using the same recipe I had previously used but this time it came out too eggy (tastes a bit like tapioca but too much egg taste, even for eggnog). Is there a quick or easy fix to sweeten the eggnog to balance the eggy taste? Is adding sugar the best way?	Sugar won't dissolve enough. You should use a simple syrup. Equal parts sugar and water, boiled to dissolve then cooled. I get that eggy flavor in my eggnog when I overcook it. Another way to try and mask it is to add more rum flavoring.
What are the keys to leopard-spotting pizza crust? What are the most important factors to achieving leopard-spots on pizza cornicione? I've tried so many different things but still can't get to the level of consistent leopard spots that I've seen others create. I want a pale crust except very distinct charred leopar...	I would guess the secret is having your dough be irregularly textured. The spots have to be cooking, and scorching, before the rest of the crust is even browning. You might be able to achieve this by deliberately texturing your dough, but I expect the original reason was gas bubbles trapped just under the surface of...
Fudge as a cake layer? I have seen countless recipes for cakes that involve a fudge frosting, a soft, gooey layer of fudge that goes between layers of sponge. I have yet to find any cake/sweet recipes where traditional fudge, the type you make or buy in blocks, is used as a layer in a cake. Why is this not done? Does ...	Fudge icing is actually not made with fudge believe it or not, often it's a chocolate buttercream but there are other recipes. There are a few problems I can see with using traditional cooked fudge as a cake layer: It is not the right texture for a cake: Imagine you're eating nice fluffy cake and then you run into har...
What reasons might make day-old pastry the preferred choice in these recipes? Almond croissants ("croissants aux amandes") are a French pastry sold in every bakery. Several websites (FR) describe (FR) recipes using croissants that were baked the day before. Is there something specific to puff pastries that might resul...	It may be a matter of texture, rather than taste. The recipes you link involve putting a wet paste on top of a previously baked croissant. Most baked goods change in texture after sitting out for a few days, mostly because they get drier. If you want to turn bread into crumbs or croutons, for example, you slice it and...
Is a boxed-mix cake sturdy enough to construct a sphere? I am going to attempt to make a (roughly) spherical cake. The plan is bake two hemispheres, then put them together into a sphere. However, I'm rather concerned about the stability of the cake. I would prefer to use a boxed mix (to keep the overall preparation si...	There are a number of ways to increase the density of a box-cake mix. Add the number of eggs in the direction, but add two extra egg yolks. Instead of the water, use the same amount of whole milk. Another method is to add a package of instant pudding, and many mixes have a recipe for this right on the box. To each bo...
Hot-canning non-acidic, pressure cooked food The reason given for pressure-canning non-acidic food is that botulism spores can survive boiling temperatures, which would spoil the food while in the jars. If that's the case, would it be possible to hot pack pressure-cooked food into a sterilized jar?	While that'd be a lot less risky than no pressure cooking at all, it's not fully safe. For complete safety, it's important that the actual canning processing be pressure cooking. The problem is, even if the jar is sterilized, and the food is safe before you put it in, there's no way to completely ensure that no additio...
How can I thicken heavy cream without changing the flavor? I am trying to make a thickened heavy cream that would be the same texture as "Creme Fraiche", but have not yet come to a desirable solution. As you guys know Creme Fraiche has a tangy taste similar to Sour Cream which is not what I am looking for. Please advi...	There are several ways to thicken without turning it into whipped cream or imparting other flavors: Boil until reduced to desired thickness (whisk constantly, do not burn which will cause the flavor to change) Add and incorporate gelatin Add and incorporate corn starch or flour Your desired thickness will dictate how...
What type of Paprika If a recipe calls for "paprika", what type should I use? Does it mean Hungarian, Spanish, California? Also, what type, Hot, Bittersweet, Sweet?	If the recipe is just asking for "Paprika", they want generic paprika labeled as such. Like this: According to the McCormick website, this is "sweet" paprika. The dried, ground pods of Capsicum annuum L., a sweet red pepper. Similarly, the Spice Islands site calls it sweet Vividly red in color, paprika is made fro...
The side of my microwave set on fire I was microwaving a potato cake, which definitely has no metal inside it (or any which would cause a fire), it was in the middle of the platter when suddenly the side of the microwave caught on fire, there's a small piece of what looks like metal built into the device, but I fail t...	If anything that is actually part of the microwave caught fire, of course you should replace it. (Theoretically you could have it repaired by someone knowledgeable, but repairing a microwave is not cost effective.) Continuing to use damaged electrical equipment is asking for a fire or damage to your electrical systems....
Accidentally used salted butter I'm making some brownies for my nieces church school and I accidentally used salted butter and my batter is incredibly salty. Is there any way I can counter the saltiness of it? I'd hate to waste a it.	I use salted butter all the time in my baking and never "incredibly salty" results. I think you must have used salt instead of sugar perhaps in your recipe to get that result. Try it again with salted butter and make sure you use "sugar" that is called for in the recipe and it will be just fine.
Are Blood Oranges actually that red I have tried 2 different brands of Taroccan blood orange and I have also had some Moro ones but none of them are that red like you see in pictures. Do I need to let them ripen or is it just hard to get ones that red? The ones I have had have a reddish tinge but still look like a nor...	The simple answer is they can vary in redness. That would depend on the conditions they were grown in and the particular sort. Generally blood oranges are a deep (blood) red and lack the yellow tint of the other oranges. Your experience sounds perfectly normal. Hope this helps :)
I think i undercooked my ghee - can I reboil it? I made ghee for the first time on my gas stove. I followed several recipes, but I guess I got shy about how long it was taking. I definitely didn't get any brown bits at the bottom, although it did cook for at least 15 min on high heat. Can I, and should I reboil?	I don't think there is any downside to heating it again. Note that the brown bits come from milk solids so if you've already removed those (e.g., scraped them off), then you're just stuck with clarified butter. Also, for the next time you try this: the way its boiling changes as it runs out of water—and that's when the...
What to do with butter that has been mixed with baking soda? I was making sugar cookies andI had a baggie that had about 1/2 cup or more of baking soda in it but I thought it was powdered sugar so I added it to my butter! I don't think I can use it for the cookies. Doesn't taste too bad in the beginning but it has an...	Honestly, if you really don't want to throw it away, I would suggest sticking it in your freezer, and slowly using it up when you need baking soda and don't mind a bit of added butter. Baking soda is water soluble, so the butter shouldn't change it too much or activate before its time, I hope. Maybe you can mix thorou...
Can I store raw meat in the fridge after defrosting in the microwave? I had a frozen package of bacon. I only wanted to use half the bacon, but couldn't separate the frozen bacon strips, so I defrosted the whole package in the microwave. The bacon got quite warm - not fully cooked, but smelling like bacon. I used what...	You can use it in a few days, that will be fine. Issues with food safety come into play largely when food is kept in the danger zone, around 40-140F for an extended time. The texture of the bacon might not be quite as good since it's kind of like the second time you'll be cooking it.
Turmeric sprouted - is it safe to eat I had a glass container with turmeric roots. When I was preparing curry I noticed that they have sprouted but seems to be firm and not problematic in other way (no mold etc.). Is it safe to use them?	Yep, it's perfectly safe. The only time you should discard it is if mold has formed, or if the roots give easily when you squeeze them. You can store them in the fridge in an airtight container along with a desiccant pack to prolong shelf life, but much like any other root they're at peak flavor within a few days of p...
Banga Sauce Preservative Ripe and mature Palm fruits. Boil soft and pound to get paste, remove some palm oil, then filter to get banga Sauce. How do I get a long shief life Preservative.?	If this is for a commercial product, talk to a distributor/maker of preservatives directly and discuss your exact product - be prepared for them mandating changes to the recipe. They will also know what your local laws (and the laws of any intended target market) allow or do not allow. Consider consulting academic/prof...
Add spices/herbs early or late to a chili or stew in a crockpot slow-cooker? Should spices and herbs be added early to a chili/stew in a crockpot slow-cooker to maximize their flavors? Or do the spices/herbs cook-out over a long time, effectively disappearing, and should instead be added late in the cooking process? O...	As a general rule they should go in early for a couple of reasons: Flavours don't really cook out, they get distributed within the dish. So adding spices etc. early allows the flavours to combine. If they did cook out you could just add a touch more. Opening a slow cooker during the cooking time lets write a lot of he...
Can I reheat roast potatoes? I'm making Heston Blumenthal's roast potatoes, but I need my oven to finish sous-vide prepared spare ribs as well. The potatoes need well over an hour, the ribs around 40 minutes. The long times both need makes it impossible to prepare both dishes sequentially. Can I make the roast potatoe...	There should be no flavor contamination between the potatoes and the ribs; so you can start the potatoes and put the ribs in later on. You could start the potatoes in advance and pop them in a really hot oven to get them hot and crispy again. (that is what I would do).
Ingestion of small piece of uncooked meat I have a question about e coli. I ate a little bit of a very small piece of uncooked beefalo hamburger. I am under 18, and over 11. I know that there are bi-products of this, but what exactly are they? I was being an idiot, and ate it. The piece I bit off from was an inch at m...	The reality is you will likely be just fine. Food poisoning, or getting E coli. are possible when eating raw meat that hasn't been handled properly. Cooking the meat to the USDA guidelines is merely done to reduce that likelihood to near zero. If you start to feel ill you may need to see a doctor, but we can not give m...
Why does the Instant Pot use pressure while steaming? I think this question falls under "equipment", but if it's off-topic, please close and I'll delete it. I recently acquired an Instant Pot. To my surprise, its "steam" setting generates and uses pressure. If I steam something for 10 minutes, for example, I have to ...	TL;DR The Instant Pot is primarily a pressure cooker and its "steam" function is for pressure steaming. I guess typically you do raw/frozen veggies and seafood with this function. You can do normal steaming in "sauté" mode with a vented glass lid (sold as an optional accessory, or if you have a vented lid that fits). ...
Can I add milk to tea while it is steeping? Can I add milk to tea (bagged or loose) while it is steeping? Or will it stop or otherwise mess with the process? If so, does the temperature of the milk make a difference? Ideally, I'm looking for solid info on the chemistry, or effects of milk in the water on diffusion thr...	The big issue is temperature. There are various guidelines for setting temperatures for various kinds of tea, but the most common advice for traditional black tea is to use boiling water. If you add cold, or even warm, milk to the tea it's certainly going to alter the rate at which various flavor components (caffeine, ...
How long should pearl barley be boiled for? Different recipes that involve boiling pearl barley recommend boiling pearl barley for different periods of time. How long should pearl barley be boiled for, and why do different packets of pearl barley recommend different cooking times?	It's hard to give a universal answer to questions like this. But, two reputable sources, The Kitchn and Serious Eats each have the same recommendation of 30 minutes. The article from The Kitchn discussed Hulled Barley (has the bran left on) taking longer to cook than Pearl Barley, which may be why the packages you are ...
Color of fried beef steak: sometimes dark, sometimes light-colored. Why? I have noticed that sometimes when I am frying beef steak it does not turn dark but it becomes rather light-colored. I have also noticed that those steaks that do turn dark during the frying tend to taste much better (more juicy, more like beef) ...	It's quite likely that the steaks that ended up darker were dry when you started cooking them. If you don't dry off the surface of your steak, the heat is used to evaporate the moisture on the surface, which ends up steaming the steak rather than developing a good char/crust. The darker colors are the result of a chemi...
Does oven size affect baking? My bread sometimes burn and I've checked my thermometer and it works fine. Does the oven size affect the baking?	First off, try and check the temperature more carefully. By far the most common reason people have trouble with their oven is that the temperature isn't what they think it is, and burning is a really good sign of that. It's very likely that when you set your oven to 350°F, it's actually hotter than that. Ideally, you s...
Meaning of 'sift together' What is the exact meaning of the phrase 'sift together'? If I need to 'sift together' flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt, does that mean put each one into the sifter sequentially, operating the sifter until is is empty before adding the next one? Or maybe I'm supposed to dump all the...	Or maybe I'm supposed to dump all these things into the sifter at once and then sift until it's empty? Bingo. Bonus points if you can tell me if I still need to stir ingredients which I have 'sifted together' in order to mix them. Nope. The sifting process and subsequent stirring in of other ingredients should do ...
Shall I use xanthan, guar, both? I have guar, lbg and xanthan in the pantry. I would like to do 2 things : thicken whole milk to make "creamy" sauces (would like to try a chicken champagne recipe I found but replace the 30pct fat cream with thickened milk) give a more traditional "pate" (or rillettes) texture to a ...	For making sauces and dressings XG, GG and LBG have different qualities. Especially in lower concencrations my go-to thickener would be XG however as you start using more of it the texture becomes “snotty”. GG on the other hand, gets more sticky as it gets more concencrated. To balance each other out you can mix it to...
Can I still cook this white king hot cake without using any eggs? So I have a hotcake mix in a box, White King Hotcake Creamy Classic, but I ran out of eggs. It's 1:10 AM here in the Philippines and there are no stores open so I'm asking if I can still cook this Hotcake without eggs.	Generally pancake mixes that require eggs use them as a binder, so if you try to cook them without eggs, they may not hold together. You can decrease the liquid, but then you'll end up with something tough and probably not what you want. You may want to have a look at suggestions in answers to this question.
What is the purpose of resting non yeast flour dough? When making something like flour tortillas, which don't call for yeast in the dough, it's called for to have the dough rest for about an hour before forming to a tortilla and cooking. What is the purpose of resting a flour dough without yeast?	Flour is essentially dried ground wheat, and when you mix it with water, it takes a long time for the flour to absorb water and soften. This is necessary for the gluten to have a chance to connect, so that you have a streachy dough.
Tray to hold a big turkey I have a 40 pounds Turkey. I want to cook it on the oven. Where can i get a tray big enought to hold it. The ones in walmart are not big enough.	That's a big bird! I'd recommend buying something like the Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Sheet, or picking something large off the list of Turkey Roasting Trays available on the linked list. Another option is to break the turkey down before cooking, and then you won't need a big tray!
How to conserve kefir grains for 2 weeks? I guess there's no need to freeze them, just keep them dormant, so I guess this question doesn't apply. My thought was to put them into clean milk and into the fridge, would this do or is it risky?	Yes, you can refrigerate them for up to three weeks. Refrigeration slows down the fermentation without killing the culture. Three precautions: Use a jar with a tight lid. This will prevent cross-contamination with other flavors in the fridge. If you have other cultures there as well, such as yogurt, that's an additio...
Can I substitute gluten for eggs in coconut flour pancake recipes? I'm looking to reduce carbs, yet still have things like pancakes, waffles, and maybe even tortillas. I've tried several coconut flour pancake recipes, but they all come out tasting like fried eggs to me. I was thinking I could probably add vital wheat ...	The primary reason coconut flour recipes (especially a high hydration recipe like pancakes) end up tasting like eggs is because they are primarily eggs with very little flour. Coconut flour is extremely absorbent, which means two things: For the same amount of liquid, you need less coconut flour compared to other flou...

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.