Latest Cooking Answers

Dipping Cakepops in Callebaut Callets

I just received my Revolation machine and will be tempering my Callebaut callets in them tonight. I will be using it mostly for dipping cakepops. I roll them

Does salt-seasoned pasta and starchy water in my sauce have to yield a salty sauce?

When cooking pasta, there are a couple of techniques that I like to follow--individually they yield great results, but when combined they interfere with one ano

How can I prepare left over Stir Fry for the fridge?

I like making Stir Fry and I've tried several times to make two meal's worth so I can refrigerate half and take it to work, but so far every attempt has been su

How much does a cup of hazelnuts weigh?

I need to purchase 1.5 cups of hazelnuts for a recipe I want to make but they’re sold by weight not volume. Approximately how much does a cup of them weig

What's the use of onions in teriyaki sauce?

I make my own Teriyaki sauce. Soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, olive oil and onion. Normally, after marinating, I dry the piece I'm going to sauté and remo

Can you substitute butter in a box cake recipe that calls for oil? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate:Conversion rule: how to switch oil and butter? Most box cake mixes call for adding oil and water. What would be th

Why didn't my brioche rise?

This weekend I attempted to make this recipe for brioche. I did the first step and combined the the milk, yeast, 1 egg and 1 cup of flour which caused very big

What's the difference between fajitas, enchiladas and tacos?

I'm not familiar with Mexican cuisine, but I enjoyed the things I've eaten so far. To me, they are all quite similar. Is there a real difference between fajitas

Cheese that Pairs with Spicy Food

I regularly make spicy Indian meals, but have been unable to find a cheese that pairs well. Does anyone know of one?

How can I tell when red bananas are ripe?

Recently we bought a hand of red bananas. We watched them for a while, but couldn't sense a change in them (they don't change color). We eventually opened one a

Why is butter incorporated into the dough last when making Brioche?

I made Brioche for the first time tonight using the Rich Man's Brioche recipe from Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice. The recipe basically leaves out the but

What does cream of tartar do in baking recipes?

I am making the following recipe for a birthday party: Pinata cookies!, and it calls for cream of tartar in the dough. This is the first time I've seen that in

Can you cook bone stock in two hours, if not what are the problems?

I tried to make my first stock, used 1 chicken carcass, brought to boil and simmered all in 2 hours. Regrigerated it and next day everything was gel. I know r

Can I use a dark cocoa candy bar in place of bakers chocolate?

I am making this new gluten free brownie mix and am wondering if I can substitute the Baker's chocolate squares called for in the recipe, with 70% or higher coc

How can I get a corn tortilla to be pliable enough to work with?

I like the flavor and texture of corn tortillas (store-bought), but they always tear apart whenever I try to use them in a non-flat way - enchilada-style, for e

How do tomatillos differ in taste from under-ripe tomatoes?

I can't get access to tomatillos, but I would like to know what they taste like. This helped me a bit, but it's not entirely clear to me what would be differen

Reusing pickle brine

So I just finished a jar of home-made pickles. They were excellent! Not too salty, a bit spicy, very good. They were so good that I'd like to get some more pick

How can I remove the skin from peanuts?

I will be making Ban ban ji chicken for tonight's dinner, and have picked up some shelled peanuts. The peanuts are still in their skins, and I was wondering: wh

How can I rehydrate dried chillies more efficiently?

When I make chilli, I use dried ancho and chipotle chillies which I rehydrate in beef stock. However, as they are light, they just float on top of the liquid an

Is there an alternative wrapping for tamales?

I'd like to have a go at making tamales, but the corn husk wrappers are hard to come by here. Is there anything I can use as a substitute wrapper?

What beans can I use to make refried beans?

Refried beans are traditionally made with pinto beans. However, I'm having trouble finding them; what other beans can I use to make refried beans?

What can I use instead of annatto?

Annatto is a common spice in Mexican cookery, especially in the Yucatan. However, like many Mexican ingredients, it's hard to find in Europe. What can I use as

How long is it safe to store rice horchata for?

I have a recipe for Mexican horchata, which is a kind of smoothie made with rice. However, it doesn't specify how long I can store it for, and as rice can be da

What can I use instead of amaranto?

Amaranto (amaranth grains) is a popular cereal used in Mexican cuisine, used in both savoury and sweet dishes. However, it's hard to come by here. What can I us

cooking time for chicken-pesto in the oven

I love to make chicken stuffed with pesto. I cut the chicken breast in half, and then fill them with pesto and make a roll of it. I first bake the chicken in

Does a granite pestel need to be re-grooved?

I have a granite Mortar-Pestle, which I use to grind spices and other stuff. I got it 2nd hand and I've been using it for a 3-4 months. I have noticed that the

How sharp should a filleting knife be?

I'm trying to learn to fillet and skin fish, and getting conflicting advice. Most sources say that the boning/filleting knife should be quite sharp. But when a

Can I safely clean/eat harvested foods that have aphids on them?

So a friend of mine went to harvest some spinach and lettuce she planted, only to find lots of aphids. Assuming she can clear off the aphids is there anything p

What's the difference between masa for tortillas and for tamales?

I often buy fresh prepared masa from Mexican markets in order to make tamales and pupusas. Mexican cookbook authors stress getting the correct masa for the rec

Vacuum sealing with a submerged ziplock vs home machine vs professional machine

Typically I'll seal food for storage or sous-vide in a Ziplock bag, submerging it in water whilst closing the final inch to remove air. How close to a machine