Cream is made by skimming the layer of butterfat from the top of milk before the milk is homogenized. Varieties of cream are defined by how much milk fat they contain. Creams with less fat are fine for coffee, but they can’t be heated or whipped. Cultured creams (sour cream, crème fraîche) break down when heated, and are best drizzled or dolloped after you've finished cooking a dish.
The spectrum of cream from lowest to highest butterfat content:
Half & Half: A mix of half whole milk and half cream. No whipping. No heating.
Light Cream: AKA Table Cream - Usually contains 20% milk fat. No whipping. No heating.
Crème Fraîche, Mexican Crema and Sour Cream: The cultured creams. No whipping. No heating. Cultured creams have sour undertones that differ from the silky sweetness of creams that are not cultured.
Light Whipping Cream: Has more milk fat (30-36%) than light cream. Whips into soft peaks. Heats nicely, too.
Heavy Cream (aka, Heavy Whipping Cream): 36-40% milk fat. Can be whipped into stiff peaks. Heats to a silky, rich thickness.
Recipe: Pappardelle With Creminis, Cream And Sage (Cookthink)
Recipe: Cream Of Broccoli Soup (Cookthink)
Reference: What do I do with leftover heavy cream? (Cookthink)
Like chocolate, cocoa powder is made from the pod-covered cocoa beans of the cacao tree.
Cocoa powder is produced from a dried paste called chocolate liquor that is left after 3/4 of the cocoa butter is extracted from fermented, dried, roasted and cracked cocoa nibs. Hardened chocolate liquor is ground into unsweetened cocoa powder, which can be used to make hot chocolate or in baked goods.
Dutch cocoa is treated to neutralize its natural acidity and has a rich chocolate brown color.
Is chocolate really an aphrodisiac?
Is chocolate really an aphrodisiac?
So deeply rooted is our belief in chocolate's romantic properties that it's become a cliché to offer chocolates to a beloved. Blame it on the Aztecs. They may have been the first to push the notion that chocolate put would-be lovers in an amorous mood.
Modern science has looked at the question of whether or not chocolate is really an aphrodisiac, investigating the hope that chemicals found in high-quality chocolate act as mood enhancers that could theoretically increase sexual desire.
But if chocolate contains both tryptophan (a component of the brain chemical serotonin that has an effect on sexual arousal) and phenylethylamine (a stimulant that gets released when we "fall" in love), evidence is scant that the traces found in chocolate can actually increase sexual desire.
While it is said to have done the trick for Casanova and Montezuma, research suggests that women are more susceptible to the mood-altering effects of chocolate. And some recent studies have claimed that the chocolate-lover may get more amorous pleasure out of eating it than actually having sex.
Corn syrup is a light or dark sweet syrup consisting mostly of glucose that is made from cornstarch that is processed with enzymes and acids. Light corn syrup is clarified to make it colorless and clear; dark corn syrup has added coloring and caramel flavoring, plus a stronger flavor. High-fructose corn syrup is a variation on the syrup that contains other enzymes that convert glucose into fructose, making it sweeter.
Corn syrup's big trick is that it inhibits crystallization, lending a smooth texture to and extending the shelflife of processed foods. It is found in many commercially prepared foods, like soft drinks, ketchup, jam, breakfast cereals, candy bars, crackers, ice creams and baby formula, to name a few. Many nutritionists believe that highly refined high-fructose corn syrup is worse for you than regular sugar and is a leading cause of obesity in America.
What's the difference between white and brown eggs?
What's the difference between white and brown eggs?
Don't judge an egg by its shell. Whether an eggshell is white or brown is determined by the breed of the hen who laid the eggs. It has absolutely nothing to do with taste or nutritional value.
The only time you may want to consider the color of the eggs you're buying is around Easter and Passover time, since white eggs work better for dyeing and decorating purposes.
What does it mean to grease something?
What does it mean to grease something?
To grease a pan means to coat it in some sort of protective shortening or fat -- usually butter -- to prevent whatever you are cooking from sticking.
Greasing has fallen out of favor with the demonization of fat and in the advent of non-stick pans, parchment paper, non-stick cooking sprays and silicone baking liners and tins.
While it's not always necessary to grease a cookie sheet or a cake tin, you have no choice if you want your soufflé to rise.
Pâte sablée is the richest of the French short pastry crusts. It is used to make sweet flans and tarts.
A pâte sablée is made with butter, flour or powdered almonds, butter, egg, sugar and flavored with vanilla. It has more calories than a pâte brisée or pâte sucrée and the most flavor.
Once a prize kept under lock and key in wealthy households, sugar is now ubiquitous and comes in many forms. Most commercial sugar is made from cane or beet root. Here's a look at the most common types of sugar used in the kitchen.
Granulated white sugar: White sugar is highly refined and made from sugarcane or beets. This all-purpose refined white sugar has small but fairly coarse crystals and is used to sprinkle on food, sweeten beverages, or add to dishes during cooking. Golden granulated sugar is a brown sugar made from sugar cane molasses that is similar but has a light brown color.
Castor (caster) or superfine sugar: This refined white sugar has fine crystals that dissolve more quickly than regular granulated sugar, making it a good choice for baking meringues. Golden castor sugar is made from unrefined cane sugar.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar is nothing more than white sugar that has been mixed with molasses to color it and give it a moist texture. Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark brown sugar. Brown sugar should not be confused with raw sugar, which has a similar color and taste but is actually the residue from processed sugarcane.
Turbinado sugar: A sugar cane extract that is made by steaming unrefined raw sugar. It has large crystals and a slight molasses flavor. It's a shade paler than brown sugar and can be substituted for brown sugar in recipes. We like to use turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of muffins, cookies and scones. It holds its texture well and, when cooked, has a nice sweet crunch.
Demerara Sugar: True Demerara sugar is raw or partly refined sugar with large crystals, but some impostors are nothing more than white sugar stained with molasses.
Muscovado Sugar: This raw cane sugar comes in light and dark varieties and is used to make cakes and desserts.
Powdered, icing or confectioner's sugar: This sugar is made by reducing granulated sugar to a powder and mixing it with starch to prevent it from lumping up. It's used to decorate cakes and can also be used in making sweet dishes and baked goods.
Both baking soda and baking powder are leaveners, which means they make cakes and muffins rise. So what's the difference?
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. Not only will baking soda fluff up your muffins, it can also put out a grease fire, clean your teeth and deodorize your carpet. When you cook with baking soda, you need to balance it out with an acid like lemon juice or buttermilk. Otherwise, your muffins may have a bitter, soapy flavor.
Baking powder, which usually comes in a can, is a combination of baking soda and a few other ingredients, most notably cream of tartar, a dry acid. Out of baking powder? Make your own by mixing one part baking soda with two parts cream of tartar.
