Learn the science behind:
Why would you use one cocoa powder over the other? How do you choose a replacer for egg? Sometimes, you learn the most about an ingredient when you compare it with another one. It forces you to think about what’s important and what makes it work. That’s what we do in all these posts, whether it’s butter, cocoa powder or tomatoes.
If you want to learn more about how ingredients change when you use them check out our posts on using ingredients. If you prefer a deeper dive in specific ingredients, we have a category for that too!
Previous step: all these ingredients started out at a farm!
A cappuccino wouldn’t be the drink it is without a foamy milk layer on top. The same goes for a latte, macchiato and many other fancy ‘coffee shop drinks’. It changes them from a simple cup of coffee into something…
If you’ve ever switched butter brands, you might have noticed that one butter isn’t necessarily the same as another. Your new butter might have a paler color, be harder, or differ in flavor from what you’re used to. Sometimes, the…
Have you ever experienced making a trusted chocolate cookie or cake recipe that somehow tasted different? Despite having made it the exact same way, several times before. Did you by any chance switch out cocoa powders? If so, that will…
A lot of recipes for cakes call for eggs. In a pound cake, they even make up about a quarter of the recipe. But, what if you don’t have eggs on hand, or can’t or don’t want to eat eggs?…
Paneer is a style of fresh cheese, originally from South Asia, but now eaten more globally. Depending on where you live, you may find paneer being made from cow’s or buffalo milk. Both make a seemingly similar product, but they’re…
They stand right next to each other in the store: golden, or yellow, brown raisins. They seem identical, except for their color. Is that true? Is their color the only difference? And if so, why even are most raisins brown,…
HM, LMA, LMC, rapid-set, slow-set. There are a lot of different types of pectin, some of which sound like code names! But which one do you need to make a sugar-free jam? Or a tart raspberry gummy? Or a new…
If you’ve ever moved between countries or went to a specialized (online) baking store, you might have experienced it: flour analysis paralysis. There are so many different types of wheat flour, making it hard to decide which one you need.…
If you want to give your food a vanilla flavor, you have a range of options to choose from. You can use vanilla vs vanillin, or ethyl vanillin. Synthetic or natural vanilla flavoring. Or, choose between a vanilla extract, a…
Have you ever wondered why some potatoes brown easily upon frying or baking, while others remain a pale yellow? Good news: you can influence this browning process yourself. According to theory, at least… Of course, we put this to the…
It’s not the most common baking ingredient, but it shows up here and there. You might have come across it if you’re into baking cookies or cakes of a Northern European origin. Or, if you’re looking for gluten-free alternatives. It’s…
In the Netherlands, sour cream and creme fraîche often share a shelf in the supermarket. They’re packaged in very similar packaging and even look and taste alike to some extent. But recipes can be very specific about using just one…