Latest Cooking Answers

What kind of flour keeps bread dough from sticking in a proofing basket?

When proofing down in a bread basket (not just a smooth bowl), what kind of flour keeps the dough from actually sticking? Is there a technique that works? Nor

What the advantage of a 'bakers couche' for proofing bread and is it safe?

A bakers couch is just floured fabric, whats the advantage to using it? King Arthur's site says that it promotes chewy, crunchy crust - how's that? If I'm ju

How do I fix my flat sourdough loaf?

I have made sourdough bread several times using roughly the same technique that I use when I make artisan bread. I let it ferment several times folding between

How careful do you have to be with adding flour for kneading?

When you're working a dough (kneading or rolling out), instructions often say to flour the surface you're working on and your rolling pin or hands. This helps t

How to get uniform slices from bread?

We make bread for sandwiches a few times a week, but slicing them is always a pain. The pieces just don't come out uniform. I end up with angled pieces as the

What defines a bread as 'artisan'?

'Artisan' is a term thrown around a lot right now in the bread world. What defines something as an 'artisan' bread? Is it a function of the recipe, the techni

Why should I let bread cool before slicing and eating?

Many recipes for bread and such suggest that bread should be fully cooled (like 2 hours or so) before eating. It's sooooo tasty right out of the oven - why wai

How can I reduce the amount of hooch my sourdough starter is making?

Sometimes my sourdough starter goes hooch (the brown liquid, alcohol) nuts and produces a ton. Other times it goes days and produces very little. I've never be

What should I cover bread dough with while it's rising?

If you let (bread) dough rise, the recipe always asks to cover it. Years ago, I read to cover it with a wet towel. Nowadays, I see more and more recipes that as

What is a German potato grater called?

I know of this grater via German cooking, but it may NOT be specific to Germany. Regardless, I am trying to determine the name of this kind of grater so I can

How do I make authentic Russian black bread?

I am interested in making the dense pungent black bread that is traditional in Russia. Recipes for black bread are varied and seem to disagree with one another.

Homemade Pepper Sauce - Suggestion for a serving bottle

I'm planning on making a homemade pepper sauce that I saw on Serious Eats. The recipe is straight forward, but am concerned about the best way to 'serve' this

Is there a difference between the grocery store package of chow mein noodles and the package of lo mein noodles?

I'm looking at making a recipe that calls for lo mein noodles. All I can find in the grocery store are chow mein noodles. Is there a difference between these

How to convert between flours?

As we've seen in previous questions, certain flours have different gluten contents. Time and time again, I find reviews of King Arthur Flour recipes indicating

Annatto Oil Substitute

We have a recipe that calls for us to make annatto (achiote) oil and fry some chilli peppers in it. We are unable to find annatto seeds. Is there a good subst

What type of flour should I feed my starter with?

Different sites recommend different flours for the feeding of my established starter, so I suspect it depends on the purpose, but I can't find a definitive answ

Why didn't my 100% whole wheat bread proof?

After enjoying many of the recipes out of The Bread Baker's Apprentice I moved on to Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads to learn about how to make hearth-style

Could rice or pasta be cooked without hot water?

I moved in a brand new house. I have no stove, microwaves or hot water for a week or two. I'm vegetarian and I've already prepared fresh veggies wrap, salad,

How should I incorporate oil into focaccia?

Last weekend, I tried making focaccia for the first time. I tried two recipes at once, the one from The Bread Baker's Apprentice and a traditional Genovese foca

How do you get 'ears' when baking bread?

When slashing bread, how can I produce crusty 'ears' on the places where the slash opens up? Most of the time they open up, but just end up flush with the rest

My sauerkraut brine seems slightly slimy but the batch otherwise seems normal--is it ok?

Recently I started a batch of sauerkraut, the first after several years. Unlike my previous batches this one is much smaller (half a head of cabbage, as oppose

What is the practical way to peel off zest of an orange?

Peeling the zest doesn't seem like peeling a full peel of an Orange. Any special kind of knieves to be used? Any special method? What precautions need to be tak

How can I create steam in a normal oven to promote bread oven spring?

Oven spring and a crisp crust on bread are largely due to high heat and high humidity. Commercial bakery ovens have steam injectors. How can I replicate this

What can I do to keep high hydration dough from sticking to my hands?

Whenever I try to knead (by hand) or move after kneading, a high hydration dough like ciabatta, it sticks to my hands terribly and often seems ruin any shaping

Replacing cream and butter in a carrot casserole/pie

Casserole from pureed carrot (it may be a "pie" rather than a "casserole" though - my footing in Anglo cooking terms isn't very strong, feel free to edit) is a

Freezing lasagne made with previously frozen meat

It has always been assumed at our house that if you make a meal with previously frozen meat that the meal cannot then be frozen itself and reheated at a later d

How can I warm bread making ingredients to room temperature?

My room temperature is 65°F (18°C). The recipe calls for the ingredients (milk, egg, butter, etc.) to be at room temperature, 75-90°F (24-32°C).

How can I prevent dough from wrapping around a dough hook? [duplicate]

I have a 5.5qt KitchenAid stand mixer with the burnished spiral ("pigtail") dough hook. This is not the C-hook. When I make a small amount (fo

How to poach an egg without vinegar?

What is the best way to poach an egg without vinegar? Is there a quick and easy alternative?

Why baste bread with cornstarch?

In this sourdough recipe, it suggests basting the bread with a cornstarch slurry. I would assume this is meant to promote crust development, but how does that w