Learn the science behind:
You might have seen it on YouTube, or live, in a candy shop: candy makers pulling on candy. Over and over they pull the candy apart, fold it back together, and so forth, until it’s reached the consistency they’re looking…
No, we can’t answer the philosophical question, of why a lemon has a yellow color. But, we can explain what it is that makes a lemon yellow. Hint, it’s molecules, a specific group of molecules called carotenoids.
Most cakes nowadays become airy thanks to the use of frothy eggs, or more commonly, by adding baking soda or baking powder. However, just like we can leaven bread with yeast, we can do the same for cakes! Though nowadays…
Over 90% of what I use my microwave for (and with me, many others) is to reheat food. Only a small sliver of my microwave activity actually involves cooking food in it. And within that narrow realm of microwave cooking,…
When eating your cereal, whether it’s early in the morning, or late at night, have you ever thought about the texture of the soft raisins and hard crunchy bits? If you did, by any chance, you might have been wondering…
Some say you need a year, others say you can’t start any later than at Stir-Up Sunday, and yet others make it in a day: Christmas cake (or pudding, definitions overlap somewhat but not completely). So what’s the correct answer?…
A good chocolate mousse is smooth, airy, chocolatey, and melts in your mouth. It definitely isn’t gritty, watery, dense, or even clumpy. Making chocolate mousse is all about creating that light foamy texture, without having it collapse on you. And…
Oranges are orange. Not sure which was named first here, the fruit or the color? But, that’s not what we’re interested in anyway. We want to know, why do oranges have this bright, orange color? What is the underlying chemistry?…
Custard ice cream, creme brulée, lemon meringue pie. They all rely on egg yolks. Without them, custards melt too quickly, creme brulées are runny, and the pie filling wouldn’t set. Egg yolks can thicken liquids. But, it’s a fine balance.…
A lot of cake recipes rely on eggs, or parts of an egg to succeed. Without them, the cake might not set or rise. Or the batter, or the final cake itself, turns out dry. But, if you design a…
If you’ve ever watched a tv baking show, chances are, you’ve seen participants trying to temper chocolate at some point. Often, this is a recipe for some drama (which is of course why it’s part of a tv show…). Chocolate…
There are a lot of food books out there. The vast majority are of course cookbooks, collections of recipes. Some with an educational aspect, others purely for entertainment, and yet again others even take some time to discuss the science…