Cadbury Crunchie bars from the UK, or Violet Crumble bars from Australia, have a crunchy "honeycomb" material in them that is very tasty. It is also known as sponge candy in the USA. You can make your own "Crunchie" using this recipe. Then pour chocolate on top after it has set. Just make sure it has cooled and set properly before applying the chocolate.
Ingredients.
5 tablespoons sugar.
2 tbs of golden syrup or honey.
2 teaspoons of water.
1 tablespoon sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Cadbury cooking chocolate or chocolate chips.
Steps.
1. Put sugar, golden syrup and honey into the saucepan! This is sticky so do not spill the materials.
2. Melt over medium heat. Bring them to the boil and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently!
3. Once the mixture is caramelised (it should turn brown), remove it from the heat! It gets harder to work the longer it is cooked
4. Mix water and sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) and stir very quickly. The baking soda will form the airy layer of the candy.
5. Watch it turn into a huge orange crunchy foam.
6. Pour it out into a greased dish and wait for it to cool. Work quickly if you want to use a candy mold to make shaped pieces.
7. Eat quickly and enjoy. This treat should be eaten within a day, because natural moisture in the air will make it melt and turn sticky. Put in a sealed container to keep the moisture out if it to help keep longer and refrigeration in sealed container can help make it crisper and less sticky.
8. Finished.
Community Q&A
Question : Can I use butter syrup?
Answer : No, butter syrup will not work since it's made differently and has a different texture. Only golden or honey syrup should be used.
Question : How many minutes does it take to cool?
Answer : It takes about 7-10 minutes for it to fully cool.
Question : How do I stop it from tasting salty? When I make it there is a salty aftertaste.
Answer : That's not meant to happen. Put more sugar in, or less bicarb soda. Perhaps even more honey will do the trick.
Question : Can I make the honeycomb without golden syrup?
Answer : If you don't have any golden syrup, just use honey instead.
Question : Should I mix the baking powder in the water before I mix with the honeycomb?
Answer : The water helps the bicarbonate part release the gas to form the foamy layer. You will get less gas if you premix the baking soda, as the heat is absorbed by the water first and causes the gas to be released faster. Adding them as directed gets the gas into the candy mix and not into the air.
Question : Can I use cream of tartar instead of baking powder?
Answer : It is not recommended as it will change the flavor.
Tips.
Covering the pieces entirely in chocolate keeps the honeycomb from melting, and allows you to enjoy it over time, rather than eating all at once.
Try adding bits of honeycomb to vanilla ice cream, or dip them in melted milk chocolate to make a treat similar to the Cadbury's version.
Golden syrup is eaten mostly in the U.K. and Australia, but Americans and Canadians might be able to find it in specialty grocery stores or very big supermarkets. It should be in the baking aisle. Golden syrup is a cousin of treacle and molasses. Try substituting with light corn syrup if you cannot get golden syrup.
This recipe is about the same as toffee, only with bubbles (because of the baking soda).
The purpose of the greased dish is so the foam won't stick to the dish. Use a glass or ceramic dish (one that can take the heat without cracking). Non-stick silicon mats and parchment paper are also effective if you don't want to grease a dish.
Things You'll Need : Gloves for hot saucepan and dishes, Greased dish, Heavy-based saucepan, Greased dish.
How to Fire Roasting Tomatillos (Broiler Version).
Tomatillos are small, green, tomato-like fruits that are common to Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines. They are easy to roast, and after roasting them, you can eat the tomatillos alone or add them to sauces and salsas.
Preheat the broiler. Switch on your broiler and let it heat up for 5 to 10 minutes.
Most broilers only have two settings: "on" and "off." If you broiler has "high" and "low" settings, though, switch it to the "low" option.
Prepare a broiler-safe baking sheet or baking dish by spraying it lightly with a thin coat of cooking spray.
Slice the tomatillos in half. Use a kitchen knife to cut each tomatillo in half from side to side. Arrange the halves on your prepared cooking sheet.
A horizontal cut is preferable to a vertical cut.
The halves should be cut-side up on your cooking sheet and kept to a single layer. Do not stack them or overlap them in multiple layers.
Coat with cooking spray. Thoroughly spray the exposed sides of the tomatillos with an oil-based cooking spray. Flip the halves over so that the cut sides are now face-down, and spray the skin sides, as well.
The pieces do not need to be dripping wet with cooking oil, but the surfaces should all be covered.
In the absence of cooking spray, you could drizzle a little vegetable oil over the surfaces or brush the oil on with a pastry brush.
Broil the tomatillos for 8 minutes. Place the tray of tomatillos in your preheated broiler and cook them for about 8 minutes, or until the skins begin to brown and shrivel.
At this point, you should remove the tray from the broiler and flip the halves over to the other side.
Broil for another 5 minutes. Place the tomatillos back into your broiler and continue roasting them for another 5 minutes, or until the skin side is charred and blistering.
The flesh of the tomatillos will be very soft at this point.
Cool before use. Remove the roasted fruit from your broiler and let the halves rest at room temperature until they are safe to handle with your bare hands. Use as desired.
You can peel the skins off after cooking the tomatillos, if you so desire, but charred skins can enrich the flavor of sauces, salsas, and other recipes with a smoky taste.
Things You'll Need.
Fire Roasting (Broiler Version).
Baking dish or baking sheet.
Knife.
Tongs.
How to Fire Roasting (Grill Version).
Cut the tomatillos in half. Slice the tomatillos with a kitchen knife. Cut them into horizontal halves--side to side—rather than cutting them vertically—from top to bottom.
Preheat the grill.[3] A charcoal grill is usually preferred, but you can use a gas grill, as well.
If using a gas grill, preheat all the burners to a medium-high temperature. Allow the grill at least 10 to 15 minutes to reach an ideal heat.
If using a charcoal grill, light a full chimney of charcoal on fire. Once the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them out into your grill and spread them across the bottom.
Spray the cooking grate. Remove the grate from the grill and coat it in cooking spray. Place the grate back inside the grill when done.
If you do not have cooking spray, you could also coat the grate with vegetable oil.
Make sure that the grate is also clean before you oil it.
Grill the tomatillos. Place each tomatillo half on your oiled grill grate cut-side down. Grill them until they begin to soften.
By this point, the cut sides and skins should both be brown.
Flip and continue grilling. Use tongs to turn the halves so that they are cut-side up. Continue grilling for another few minutes or until they have completely softened.
The skins will usually be charred and blackened by this point.
Cool to room temperature. Remove the tomatillos and place them in a bowl or on a cutting board sitting out at room temperature. Let them cool until they are safe to handle with your hands.
The skin can affect the texture of your final dish, so if desired, you can peel the skin off your tomatillos after cooking them. Since charred skins contribute a smoky flavor to finished sauces and dishes, though, many cooks prefer to leave them intact.
Things You'll Need.
Fire Roasting (Grill Version).
Grill.
Fuel (propane or charcoal, lighter fluid, and lighter).
Tongs.
How to Fire Roasting (Culinary Torch Version).
Hold each tomatillo with tongs. Grab a whole tomatillo with long-handled tongs. Make sure that you have a firm grasp on the fruit.
To prevent yourself from getting burned, you may also want to slip on a flame-resistant oven mitt.
Alternatively, you could place the tomatillo on a heatproof surface.
Apply heat from a culinary torch. Switch on the culinary torch and apply the flame directly to the surface of the tomatillo. Torch the skin for several minutes until it blackens and cracks.
Make sure that you turn the tomatillo as you torch it so that the flame can touch it from all sides. If you do not rotate the fruit, it may cook unevenly.
Note that the tomatillo will also become very soft as you roast it.
Cool before use. Turn off the flame and place the tomatillo in a dish. Let it rest at room temperature until it is cool enough to handle with your bare hands, then use or eat as desired.
You can easily peel off the charred skins if you do not like the flavor and texture, but the skins are perfectly edible and can be left on if you choose to do so. Moreover, the skins take on a smoky flavor when charred, so they may even enhance the overall taste of a sauce or salsa.
Millions of people around the world are hitting the streets this year in support of students who are demanding an end to fossil fuels. But we can also strike with our forks: global food production contributes around a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia was recently flagged as one of the countries with the greatest potential to reduce diet-related greenhouse gas emissions.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) declared that it is crucial for all sectors to rally against global heating, and targets to slow it down simply can’t be achieved without addressing food production and land management.
Environmental degradation also goes hand-in-hand with the global pandemic of chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. This double whammy includes other factors associated with industrial monocrops, such as pesticides and fertiliser.
So tweaking dietary habits is a win-win for people and the planet. But just what would a climate-friendly diet look like?
Meat would feature less
Meat and dairy are two primary contenders, according to the IPCC – cattle production is a major source of methane emissions and deforestation. This is particularly relevant for Australians who relish their steaks and sausages – they are the world’s second biggest meat eaters.
Given that more than one in 10 people – and rising – is vegetarian some of us are eating an awful lot of animal flesh. In fact, Australian meat consumption has grown from 93kg to nearly 95kg per person each year – that’s equivalent to everyone eating a very large steak every day.
“The mass production of meat is the single biggest cause of land clearing around the world, if not directly for the animals themselves then indirectly for the monocultures such as corn or soy that feed them,” says economist Dr Gillian Hewitson from the University of Sydney.
Sustainability expert Dr Michalis Hadjikakou, from Deakin University, Melbourne, agrees that reducing meat is a good start, but acknowledges radical shifts to vegan or vegetarian diets are difficult for many. For those who struggle, he suggests cutting back on beef and lamb, meats with the biggest environmental footprint.
Vegetarians might need to rethink too
New research is making it harder to gloss over dairy’s impact, suggesting that swapping out bacon for haloumi is not much gentler on the planet.
The study models country-specific dietary changes that could alleviate our climate, water and health crises.
Plants would feature more
In any event, switching to more plant foods is considered paramount for planetary and human health – especially as most Australians don’t eat enough of them.
A wider variety of plants would be eaten
Possibly some of the most sustainable – and nutritious – foods could be growing wild in our backyards or footpaths: edible weeds. Most cities even have guided foraging tours to help residents find them. Gardening expert Kate Wall, for instance, runs regular weed workshops in Brisbane that explore which weeds are edible and what can be done with them. “We have a forage and together we create a three-course meal with drinks, all based on weeds,” she says.
We’d eat less overall
Quality is more important than quantity, says Dr Mario Herrero Acosta, chief research scientist at CSIRO, and IPCC contributor.
Junk food would be binned
Cutting back on junk foods and drinks – highly processed products teeming with sugar, salt and unhealthy fats – would make a big difference, says nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton. Tackling these “discretionary” items that are unnecessary for a healthy diet is not only critical for human but also planetary health. Hadjikakou calculated that producing junk food contributes to more than a third of Australia’s food-related environmental impact, in terms of their water and land use, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
And home cooking would make a comeback
Australia has become a “takeaway nation”. While we love watching celebrity chefs cook, increasingly Australians shun our own stoves in favour ordering in or going out. In just 10 years, the money Australians spent on eating out doubled to a whopping $3.5 billion.
Avocados are a delicious superfood packed with nutrients, healthy fats, and fiber. While there are many ways to cook with this versatile fruit, baking avocados is one easy and delicious technique that leaves plenty of room to be creative. You can cook a simple but delicious breakfast with avocado and eggs while adding your own zesty toppings. For a healthy alternative to potatoes, you can roast avocado fries as a side dish to a meat- or plant-based burger. And if you're in the mood for a quick and easy snack, simply putting avocado halves in the oven topped with your favorite cheese will fill you up!
Ingredients.
1 avocado.
2 eggs.
1 lime.
Salt and pepper.
Optional toppings.
Flour or corn tortillas (optional).
Baking sheet.
Steps.
1. Preheat the oven to 450 °F (232 °C). A standard oven will work fine for baked avocado with eggs. As your oven is preheating, gather your avocado, eggs, lime, salt, pepper, and any additional toppings.
For best results, adjust the oven rack so that it is located in the middle position.
2. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut the avocado by taking a sharp knife and cutting lengthwise down the middle around the pit. At this point, you can open the two halves, exposing the pit.
3. Scoop out the center of each avocado half. After you have removed the pit, use a spoon to scoop out the center of each half about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons (22 ml). Each center should be able to hold one egg.
You can save the scooped avocado centers as a small condiment for other dishes. A useful way to store avocado is to coat it with olive oil or lemon juice and place it in an airtight container in the fridge.
The remaining avocado makes a delicious spread for sandwiches.
4. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado halves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. After you have added the lime juice, salt, and pepper, crinkle two pieces of foil and set each half into the foil. Place the avocado halves on a baking sheet.
The foil helps keep the avocado halves secure and prevents them from rolling around in the oven. The foil also helps keep the toppings intact.[4]
5. Break one egg into the center of each avocado half. Be careful to keep the egg yolk intact as you break the egg into the center. Do not worry if some of the egg whites spill out of the avocado. Just make sure that the yolks stay inside the halves.
As with most recipes that call for eggs, be careful not to let any shells into the avocado. You can prevent this by lightly tapping the egg on a bowl or edge of the kitchen counter. Only create a small crack and carefully separate the egg shell over the avocado half. If a piece of shell falls into the egg, simply use the shell to scoop it out.
6. Bake the avocado in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Once you see that the egg whites are set and the yolk is runny, remove the avocado halves from the oven and garnish with the toppings of your choice, such as: cilantro, scallions, and or chopped jalapeños. Let cool. Bon appetit!
This recipe can be served with warmed flour or corn tortillas. For best results, warm tortillas on a skillet, in the oven, or over a direct heat source, such as a gas range stove.
Tips.
As with most fruits, ripeness is key. Always cook with ripe avocados. You can tell when an avocado is ripe by holding it in the palm of your hand and squeezing. If the avocado is hard, it is not ripe. If it is mushy, it is overripe. The perfect avocado will yield a minimal amount of pressure, and the skin should “give” slightly but not remain indented.
Some methods for increasing the ripening speed for avocados include putting the fruit in a paper bag overnight or baking the avocado wrapped in foil at 200 °F (93 °C)}. While these methods might work occasionally, it is always best to let avocados ripe naturally.
There are countless ways to bake avocados. Be creative with your ingredients, and do an online search for many more recipes.
Warnings.
As with any baking recipe, make sure to use safe handling practices when removing your avocados from the oven. Be mindful of oven temperatures, and keep a close eye on your avocados as they are baking.
Practice sanitary cooking methods, and wash your hands often.
Wipe down all kitchen surfaces with an antibacterial cleaner and disposable paper towel.
Meat on a stick is always a big hit at barbecues. But kabobs aren't just about the protein -- mixing in some tasty veggies with the steak, chicken, or pork gives you a complete meal, all on one handy skewer. The good news is you don't even have to wait for a barbecue to enjoy kabobs. Grilling is certainly the classic way to cook them, but you can also throw the skewers in the oven under the broiler and wind up with kabobs that are just as delicious.
Ingredients.
3 ½ pounds (1.6 kg) protein, such as beef, chicken, pork, or seafood.
3 to 4 vegetables, such as onions, bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms.
Marinade (optional).
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional).
Part 1 Making the Kabobs.
Cut a protein into cubes. You can use any type of protein that you like for your kabobs, but beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and seafood are the most common options. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 ½ pounds (1.6 kg) of the protein you’re using into approximately 2-inch cubes (5-cm) that you can easily thread on a skewer.[1]
When it comes to seafood, choose heartier fish, such as salmon, swordfish, or tuna. Shrimp also work well for kabobs.
If you’re a vegetarian, you can omit the protein or substitute tofu for any type of meat.
Marinate the protein for a few hours. To ensure the most flavorful kabobs, you should create a marinade for the protein. Choose a marinade that complements the type of protein that you’re using, and allow the meat sit in it for to 2 to 5 hours.[2]
A marinade doesn’t really penetrate the meat or protein, so there’s no need to marinate overnight.
If you don’t want to marinate the protein, you can simply season the protein on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Make a basic marinade by mixing 1 cup (237 ml) of vegetable oil, ¾ cup (177 ml) of soy sauce, ½ cup (118 ml) of lemon juice, ¼ cup (59 ml) of Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup (62 g) of mustard, 2 garlic cloves, and freshly ground black pepper.[3]
You can also try a pineapple marinade, Jack Daniel’s marinade, Coke marinade, or your personal favorite marinade recipe.
Chop the vegetables. To ensure that the kabobs cook evenly, pair your protein with veggies that have the same cooking time. Onions, bell peppers, zucchini, grape tomatoes, and yellow squash are good options with most proteins. Use 3 to 4 whole vegetables, depending on their size, and cut them into chunks that are the same size as your protein.[4]
You can also use fruit, such as pineapple, peaches, and mangoes, for your kabobs.
Choose metal or wooden skewers. To assemble the kabobs, you’ll need some type of skewer. Metal skewers are reusable, but they can be difficult to clean and are often hot to the touch when they’re done cooking. Wooden skewers are inexpensive so you can throw them away when you’re done and not worry about cleanup. They are prone to charring, though.[5]
For a good sized portion, choose skewers that are about 12-inches (30-cm) long.
Soak wooden skewers for a half hour. Because wooden skewers can burn easily, you should soak them in water before you cook your kabobs. Place the skewers in a shallow dish, and cover them with water. Allow them to sit for about 30 minutes.[6]
Space the ingredients on the skewers. When your protein is finished marinating, you can assemble the kabobs. Thread the protein and vegetable pieces onto the skewers, pushing the items so they’re close together without actually touching. Make sure there’s some space at the end of the skewer to avoid overcrowding -- 2 -inches (5-cm) is usually enough. [7]
You can thread the protein and vegetables on the skewers however you like. Alternating them is usually the most common method.
If you’re not sure if the cooking time of the protein and veggies matches up, you’re better off making separate kabobs for the protein and vegetables.
Part 2 Grilling the Kabobs.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. It’s best to grill kabobs over direct medium-high heat. Allow it to preheat at medium-high for 10 minutes with a gas grill and 20 to 25 minutes with a charcoal grill.[8]
For a gas grill, you can just set the temperature gauge to medium-high for preheating.
With a charcoal grill, you can tell that it’s reached the right temperature by holding your hand 4 to 5 inches (10- to 13-cm) above the cooking grate. When you can only keep your hand there for 4 to 5 seconds before the heat is too much, it’s at medium-high heat.
You can also use a grill pan on your stove to cook the kabobs.
Grill the skewers on the first side for several minutes. When the grill is preheated, arrange the kabobs in a single layer on the cooking grate. Let them cook for several minutes on the first side depending on what type of protein you’re using:
Grill steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minute per side.
Grill pork for 6 to 8 minutes per side.
Grill lamb for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Grill shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Grill salmon, tuna, or swordfish for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Grill tofu for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Flip the kebabs over and cook for another few minutes. When the kabobs are finished grill on the first side, use a pair of tongs to turn them over. Cook them on the second side for the same amount of time that you did the first.[9]
The kabobs are done grilling when the veggies are tender and all of the protein and vegetable pieces are browned on all sides.
Part 3 Broiling the Kabobs.
Preheat your broiler. Place your oven rack so it’s approximately 4-inches (10-cm) from the broiler element. Turn the broiler up to high, and allow it to preheat for about 10 minutes.[10]
Be sure to follow your oven’s instructions for proper use of the broiler.
Place a baking rack on top of a baking sheet. To keep the kabobs from steaming in the liquid they release, it’s important to keep them elevated. Set a baking rack on top of a large baking sheet so the liquid can drip below while they broil.[11]
Arrange the kebabs on the rack. With the baking rack on the baking sheet, set the kabobs on top of the rack.Set them in a single layer so they’ll cook evenly.[12]
Broil the kebabs for a few of minutes. Place the baking sheet under the preheated broiler. Allow the kababs to broil for several minutes depending on what type of protein you’re using:[13]
Broil steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Broil chicken for 6 to 8 minute per side.
Broil pork for 6 to 8 minutes per side.
Broil lamb for 4 to 6 minutes per side.
Broil shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Broil salmon, tuna, or swordfish for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Broil tofu for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Turn the kebabs over and cook for another few minutes. When the kabobs are finished broiling on the first side, use a pair of tongs to turn them over to the other side. Let them broil on the second side for the same amount of time that they broiled on the first side.[14]
You can tell that the kabobs are done broiling when all of the sides are browned and the vegetables are tender.
Finished.
Tips.
You can get creative with your kabobs. Try different combinations of protein, marinades, and veggies to see which are your favorite.
To save time, you can tell the butcher that you’re making kabobs when you purchase your meat. That way, they can cut it into cubes for you.
For fancy, flavorful kabobs, try using herbs as the skewer in place of metal or wood. Rosemary works well because its stalks are woody and thick.
How to Find a Substitute for a Wire Cooling Rack (Baking).
A wire cooling rack is an indispensable piece of kitchenware when you want to quickly and efficiently cool down baked goods. However, you might not always have one handy. If this is the case, improvise a rack out of other common things you can find in many kitchens or set pans down where they have airflow so the bottom cools down faster. If you can’t create a makeshift cooling rack or set a pan somewhere where it will cool down faster, transfer baked goods to other cool, flat surfaces to cool them down faster.
Method 1 Improvising an Elevated Surface.
1. Use a removable grate from a gas stovetop as a cooling rack. This will work if you have the type of gas stove with raised grates that sit over top of the burners. Take a grate off and set it on the counter, then set a pan on it so the bottom of the pan cools faster or transfer large baked goods directly to it.
If you want to transfer a large baked item, such as a loaf of bread, directly to the grate to cool, clean the grate thoroughly with soap and water first.
2. Roll up pieces of foil and put them on the counter 2 in (5.1 cm) apart. Roll at least 3 pieces of foil into tight cylinders thick enough to lift the baked items you want to cool off the countertop and allow air to circulate underneath. Place the rolls about 2 in (5.1 cm) apart from each other, then set a baking sheet, pan, or large baked item on top of them.
Make more than 3 foil cylinders if whatever you plan to cool is large and heavy. As long as the cylinders can be spaced 2 in (5.1 cm) apart from each other, there is no limit on how many you can use to distribute the weight.
Tip: You could use chopsticks instead of foil to improvise a cooling rack using the same principles.
3. Create a grid out of metal open-style cookie cutters to use as a rack. Position several open-style metal cookie cutters of any shape next to each other with a little space between them so air can move around. Set your pan or baking sheet of baked goods down on them or transfer a large baked item to sit directly on top of them to cool down.
You won't be able to transfer smaller baked goods, such as cookies or muffins, directly onto the cookie cutters because they won't be able to balance on them.
4. Place baked goods on top of a cool burner on an electric stove. Set a hot pan or baking sheet down on the burner so the airflow will cool it down faster or transfer large baked items directly to the burner. Clean the burner thoroughly before you put any baked goods directly on it.
Make sure none of the burners around it are on, or else the baked goods won’t cool down effectively.
5. Use a spare baking rack if you have one available. Pull an extra rack out of the oven, toaster oven, or roasting pan. Set it on the counter and set a hot baking sheet or pan on it to cool or transfer the baked goods directly to the baking rack to cool them even faster.
If there isn’t enough clearance under the rack to allow a lot of air flow, you can set it on something that will lift it up higher and still allow air underneath all of it. For instance, a frying pan or a pot would work.
Tip: If you want to transfer small baked items like cookies to the rack, cover it with parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from falling through the cracks.
Method 2 Transferring Items to a Cool, Flat Surface.
1. Place baked items on a clean, cool baking sheet to cool down faster. Transfer baked goods from a warm baking sheet or pan to the cold one. This will help the undersides of the baked items cool down faster than leaving them on the sheet they were baked on.
Set the baking sheet aside and away from the oven ahead of time to ensure it is cool when you want to put the baked goods on it.
2. Put baked items on a countertop lined with paper towels to cool down. Line a countertop with paper towels. Transfer the baked goods from the pan or baking sheet to the paper towels and wait for them to cool.
The paper towels will also absorb extra oil, butter, or grease from the bottoms of the cookies.
3. Transfer baked goods to a cool plate to cool them faster. A room temperature plate that is large enough to hold the cake, cookies, bread, or pastries will work to cool them down more quickly. Carefully remove the baked goods from the pan or baking sheet and place them on a clean, cool plate with space between individual items.
Put a paper towel down on the plate first if you want to absorb extra oil or butter from the bottoms of the baked items.
Tip: Avoid stacking the baked items or you will prevent air from circulating and the baked goods will turn soggy.
4. Use a room-temperature pizza baking stone to cool baked items if you have one. Simply slide the baked items onto the pizza stone or transfer them with a spatula. Leave them to cool at room temperature.
Make sure to clean the pizza stone properly after you use it to cool down your baked goods.
5. Move baked goods to a cool cutting board to let them cool down. Any kind of clean cutting board works as a good flat surface to cool down baked items on. Transfer the baked goods to the board so they cool down faster than if you leave them on a baking sheet or in a pan.
Marble or granite chopping boards can be an especially good surface to cool a baked item on because they stay very cool.
Lay a paper towel on top of the cutting board first to absorb extra fat from the baked goods if you want.
Question : I need a rack for cooking pork chops I don't have a rack
Answer : You can create a rack out of rolled up pieces of tin foil, open-style cookie cutters, or even place a small over rack from something like a toaster oven inside of a roasting pan to improvise.
Question : What can I substitute for baking a cake and not having a wire rack
Answer : You can transfer the cake to a cool, flat surface like a plate, cutting board, or cool baking sheet to let it cool down.
Question : I need a cooling rack to put on top of tinfoil lined baking pan to bake bacon orderve to let grease drip through. What can use? I have no cooling rack?
Answer : If you have something like a toaster oven you could take the rack out of that to use. You could also try making a rack out of rolled up pieces of tin foil.
Question : What is the difference between parchment and wax paper?
Answer : Wax paper is made with wax and can melt or even ignite in the oven. Parchment paper is made from paper and is oven safe.
Question : How do I keep mini quiche and egg rolls warm and not soggy for serving at a buffet?
Answer : If you are cooking it fresh, leave them in the oven at a lower temperature once they're done so as to not cook them further, but retain the heat and not get soggy.
Question : Can I bake a 13x9-inch cake in an aluminum pan?
Answer : If the aluminium pan is 9x13, then yes. But you might have to bake it a little longer.
Question : I do not have a rack for my turkey. What can I do?
Answer : You could keep the turkey in the pan and put the pan on the two nearest burners of the stove.
Question : Do I really need a rack for my jam in the oven?
Answer : It is a good idea because it makes it easier to cool. However, you could always use a cool oven rack and leave the door open.
Tips.
Wire cooling racks are inexpensive items that are very handy to have in the kitchen. If you don't have one, consider picking one up next time you visit a kitchen supply store.
Things You'll Need.
Improvising and Cooling Down Pans Faster : Spare baking rack, Removable gas stove grate, Burner on electric stove, Foil, Open-style cookie cutters.
Transferring Items to a Cool, Flat Surface : Baking sheet, Plate, Pizza stone, Cutting board, Paper towels (optional).
You've probably had stewed or boiled gizzards, but they're also great on the grill. Marinate clean chicken gizzards with a sweet and sour sauce or a gingery spiced sauce. Then thread the gizzards onto soaked skewers along with peppers, if you're using them. To make Filipino grilled gizzards, you'll also need to simmer them in spices and brush the kebabs with hot sauce while they're on the grill.
Ingredients.
Gizzard and Pepper Kebabs
1 1⁄4 pounds (570 g) chicken gizzards
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) oil
1 garlic clove, sliced
1⁄2 cup (120 ml) Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons (50 g) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vinegar
1 cup (225 g) tomato sauce
2 yellow peppers
2 red peppers
Makes 14 to 16 kebabs
Combine the oil, garlic, sauce, sugar, vinegar, and tomato sauce. Pour 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of oil into a large bowl along with 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of vinegar and 1 cup (225 g) of tomato sauce. Stir in 1 sliced garlic clove, 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of Worcestershire sauce and 4 tablespoons (50 g) of dark brown sugar until the marinade is combined.
You can use olive, coconut, or vegetable oil.
Try using white or apple cider vinegar for the marinade.
Clean 1 1⁄4 pounds (570 g) of chicken gizzards. Rinse any blood or debris off of the gizzards and set them on a cutting board. Cut each gizzard in half lengthwise and then rinse out the centers to remove debris. Pull away and discard the tough yellow lining from each gizzard.
You'll need to use your fingers to rub the debris free from the gizzards as you rinse.
Stir in the gizzards and refrigerate them for 45 to 60 minutes. Put the cleaned gizzards into the bowl with the marinade. Stir to coat them with the mixture and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the gizzards in the marinade so they soften and become flavorful.
Soak the skewers in water for at least 15 minutes. Place 14 to 15 bamboo or wooden skewers into a long shallow dish. Cover the skewers with water and leave them to soak at room temperature while you prepare the peppers and the grill.
Soaking the skewers will ensure they don't burn when you put them on the grill.
Chop 4 bell peppers. Rinse 2 yellow and 2 red peppers. Trim the stems and discard the seeds from the center of each pepper. Then use a sharp knife to cut each pepper into 2 in (5 cm) chunks.
If you prefer, you can also use orange or green bell peppers.
Heat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Turn a gas grill to high or fill a chimney with briquettes. Light the briquettes and dump them in the center of the grill once they're hot and ashy.
Thread the gizzards and peppers on the skewers. Remove the gizzards from the marinade and drain the water from the skewers. Slide 1 gizzard onto the skewer and then thread 1 to 2 pieces of pepper. Continue to alternate threading gizzards with peppers.
You should be able to make 14 to 16 kebabs.
Put the kebabs on the grill and brush them with the marinade. Arrange the kebabs on the hot grill and use a basting brush to coat them with the marinade.
Keep the lid off of the grill so you can turn the kebabs frequently.
Grill the kebabs for 12 to 15 minutes. Set a timer for 12 to 15 minutes and turn the kebabs every few minutes so the gizzards cook evenly. The gizzards should look slightly crisp around the edges and the peppers will char.
To ensure the gizzards have finished cooking, insert an instant-read meat thermometer. They should reach 165 °F (74 °C).
Remove and serve the gizzard kebabs. Use tongs to transfer the kebabs to a serving platter. Consider serving them with boiled or grilled sweet corn and salad.
Refrigerate the leftover gizzard kebabs in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
How to Substitute Baking Powder Adding Lemon Juice.
Baking powder is a leavening agent used to help batters rise when they’re cooked. Luckily, if you’re out of baking powder and in a pinch, you can make your own with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Your homemade mixtures will work in your batter more quickly, so make sure you bake it right away!
Ingredients.
1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda.
1⁄4 tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice.
Substitutes 1 tsp (14 g) of baking powder.
Steps.
1. Add 1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda to the dry ingredients of your batter. Whisk the baking soda thoroughly with the rest of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Pour 1⁄4 tsp (1.2 mL) of lemon juice into the wet ingredients. Keep the wet ingredients, like eggs or milk, in another mixing bowl separate from the dry ingredients.
Lemon juice can affect the flavor of your baked goods if you use too much. If you don’t want added citrus flavor, do not use lemon juice.
3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients according to the recipe. Stir all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. This combines the lemon juice and baking powder, causing the reaction that creates baking powder.
This creates a single-acting baking powder. Store-bought baking powder is usually double-acting, meaning it leavens your batter when it’s first mixed and when it cooks. Cook the batter once you mix in the baking powder.
Things You’ll Need.
2 mixing bowls.
Measuring cups and spoons.
Whisk.
Tips.
Mix the baking powder substitutes together right before you plan on cooking with them.
Warnings.
The baking powder substitutes you mix are single-acting, meaning they release gas as soon as they’re mixed. Put your mix in the oven soon after you make the substitute.
How to Substitute Baking Powder Using Cream of Tartar.
Baking powder is a leavening agent used to help batters rise when they’re cooked. Luckily, if you’re out of baking powder and in a pinch, you can make your own with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Your homemade mixtures will work in your batter more quickly, so make sure you bake it right away!
Ingredients.
1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda.
2 tbsp (10 g) of cream of tartar.
1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch (optional).
Substitutes 3 tbsp (41 g) of baking powder. Steps.
1. Mix 1 tbsp (14 g) of baking soda with 2 tbsp (10 g) of cream of tartar. Use a small whisk to thoroughly sift the powders together. The cream of tartar causes a reaction with the baking soda and forms baking powder.
Cream of tartar can be found in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
2. Store the mix in an airtight container if you’re not using it right away. Use a resealable plastic container and store it in your pantry. Make sure no moisture gets inside the container since your baking powder could clump.
Baking powder can be stored indefinitely. You can check if your baking soda is fresh by pouring hot water on it and seeing if it bubbles.
3. Add 1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch to prevent clumps. If you don’t plan to use your baking powder right away, it will start to clump up and be hard to use. Stir in 1 tsp (3 g) of corn starch with a whisk to prevent clumping.
Tips.
Mix the baking powder substitutes together right before you plan on cooking with them.
Warnings.
The baking powder substitutes you mix are single-acting, meaning they release gas as soon as they’re mixed. Put your mix in the oven soon after you make the substitute.
How to Substitute Baking Powder Using Yogurt or Buttermilk.
Baking powder is a leavening agent used to help batters rise when they’re cooked. Luckily, if you’re out of baking powder and in a pinch, you can make your own with ingredients that are probably already in your pantry! Your homemade mixtures will work in your batter more quickly, so make sure you bake it right away!
Ingredients.
¼ tsp (1.5 g) of baking soda.
½ cup (122.5 g) of plain Greek yogurt or 1⁄2 c (120 mL) of buttermilk.
Substitutes 1 tsp (14 g) of baking powder.
Steps.
1. Add 1 tsp (4.6 g) of baking soda to your dry ingredients. Keep the dry and wet ingredients in separate mixing bowls. Use a whisk to mix the baking soda entirely into the other dry ingredients.
2. Use either ½ cup (122.5 g) of Greek yogurt or 1⁄2 c (120 mL) of buttermilk. Both types of dairy are fermented and can trigger the reaction needed to make baking powder. Make sure to use plain, unflavored dairy so it doesn’t affect the flavor of your baked goods and mix it with the rest of your wet ingredients.
Check the dairy section of your local grocer for Greek yogurt or buttermilk.
3. Reduce the other liquids used in your recipe to account for the dairy. Buttermilk and yogurt will make your batter runnier if you don’t change the amounts of the other ingredients. Adjust the amounts of your other wet ingredients until you remove 1⁄2 c (120 mL).
If there are other dairy products in your recipe, reduce their amounts first. Then adjust the levels of any extracts or flavorings you would normally add to the recipe.
This may affect the flavor and bake of your recipe.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients according to the recipe. Mix all the ingredients together in 1 of the mixing bowls. This starts the reaction between the dairy and baking soda to make baking powder.
Use the batter right away to get the baking powder’s full effect.
Tips.
Mix the baking powder substitutes together right before you plan on cooking with them.
Warnings.
The baking powder substitutes you mix are single-acting, meaning they release gas as soon as they’re mixed. Put your mix in the oven soon after you make the substitute.
