Learn the science behind:
The starting point of your food: the INGREDIENTS. They’re key to making a successful product, so you’d better understand them. What they’re made of, how they work, and what to look out for when choosing just exactly which ingredient to use.
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…
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…
After searching for and buying the right types of cheese, you’re finally ready to start making your cheese fondue. You enthusiastically add the cheese to that special cheese fondue pot, only to end up with a mess of stringy, clumpy…
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,…
Summer is zucchini time. And if you happen to be growing your own, you might well be faced with a zucchini overload. After zucchini soup, zucchini pastas, grilled zucchini salads, you might just start to run out of ideas. So…
Raisins are dried grapes, nothing more, and nothing less (most of the time). But, since grapes contain a lot of water, it requires some smart processing and proper quality control to make sure those grapes actually turn into raisins.
You can use pectin to make gummies, pâte de fruit, a chocolate glaze, jams, and much more. Pectin sets the product. But, using pectin can be tricky. It might form clumps, not become as firm as you expected, or even…
Using pectin can be a great way to make a gummy – a bouncy, slightly translucent gel-like snack. A good gummy holds its shape and isn’t sticky. However, pectin can be a finicky ingredient to work with. It is prone…
Have you ever considered making a cake using Brussel sprouts puree? Or a creamy sweet pie using broccoli? Probably not, but chances are you’ve seen or made something like it, but using another vegetable: pumpkins! Pumpkins work great in lots…
Something clearly happens when you roast cumin seeds. You can clearly smell the aromas rising up from a hot pan. But what causes those smells? Which chemical party causes those odors to be formed and enter my nose? Turns out,…