Tips and tricks

[Kake Lover]

I expect everyone has lots of helpful tips and tips and tricks related to cooking.
Would everyone like a thread that anyone can add to?

 

[Kake Lover]

So my first tip is to double sift flour when you want to incorporate as much air as possible in a cake.
I sift the flour into the bowl on the scales then I sift it again as I add it to the mixture.

 

[jennyb]

Here is my tip for poaching eggs. Bring the water to a simmer and put the eggs in their shell in for 30 seconds. Remove and crack the eggs (individually) into a small bowl. Then poach as normal. The pre-cook ensures that there will be no spreading egg white.

 

[Morning Glory]

My tip for peeling shallots (or tiny onions). Place onions in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for ten minutes. The skins come off much more easily.

 

[toddhicks209]

After cutting something such as an onion into slices, cut the slices into tiny pieces by repeatedly mashing down on the handle of a sharp knife, working your way around in a circular motion without lifting the knife for effective dicing.

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

When frying eggs cover them with a lid, the tops then steam and they cook more evenly avoiding crispy edges and undercooked white around the yolk.

 

[Duck59]

Should anyone find themselves in a situation of wondering if eggs are fresh, there is a simple test. Put them in a bowl or bucket of water. This is known to old VSO volunteers like me as the sink-or-stink test. If they sink, they are okay. If they float, remove them from the premises and take whatever action you wish. Personally, I found hurling rotten eggs at Indian House Crows very therapeutic.

 

[Duck59]

I could also provide instructions on how to make photocopies using a tray of jelly. But I'm not convinced this is adding value to the debate.

 

[Morning Glory]

I could also provide instructions on how to make photocopies using a tray of jelly. But I'm not convinced this is adding value to the debate.

 

[Duck59]

The jelly-photocopier incident happened at a VSO training course. It was more as a piece of fun rather than having genuine practical use. What you do is get your tray of jelly (using a long and flat utensil), write something with a marker pen on a sheet of paper and then depress the sheet into the jelly to leave an imprint. You should then be able to make a small number of copies using the jelly.

Strange things can happen on these courses. I once did a computer maintenance course on which a dozen of us (some nursing vigorous hangovers) were required to dismantle a desktop PC each and then put it back together. I swear that by the end of proceedings, we had enough spare parts to assemble another computer. The remarkable thing was that all the PCs seemed to work after we'd finished.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

My tip when you fry something. Cut a little slice of apple with its peel and put it into the hot oil with the thing you are frying. That's to avoid the smell of frying in the air.

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Don't throw the spinach water where you have only blanched or cooked them -or another kind of vegetables (not salted) - You can use to water the plants!

 

[Morning Glory]

Don't throw the spinach water where you have only blanched or cooked them -or another kind of vegetables (not salted) - You can use to water the plants!

Or make stocks and soups...

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Or make stocks and soups...

Or make stocks and soups...

Yes, it is this too..

 

[zuludog]

How do you know if eggs are raw or hard boiled?

Put them on a table and spin them with your fingers. If they revolve perfectly they are hard boiled. If they wobble they are raw