how to substitute cream of tartar

How to Substitute Cream of Tartar. 

Cream of tartar is a powder ingredient used in many recipes to stabilize egg whites, act as a leavening agent, or prevent sugar from crystallizing. If you are working on a recipe and realize you are out of cream of tartar, no worries! You can easily substitute it with lemon juice, white vinegar, and baking powder, to name a few. Alternatively, omit the cream of tartar substitute if making frostings or syrups. Modify your recipe slightly, and you can easily substitute cream of tartar.

Method 1 Substituting with Common Kitchen Ingredients.

1. Substitute lemon juice for a very effective option. When mixing ingredients for your particular recipe, swap equal parts of cream of tartar for lemon juice. Most recipes call for 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar. The acidity in lemon juice is similar to that in cream of tartar, so this makes for an easy swap.

This is particularly a good idea if you are making lemon meringue pie.

2. Choose white vinegar if you are beating egg whites. White vinegar and lemon are both very helpful substitutes that work great to mimic the effect of cream of tartar. Add equal parts of white vinegar to your eggs as you beat them to easily whisk them up and make them extra fluffy. The acidity of the vinegar helps to add volume, similar to cream of tartar.

If your recipe calls for 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of cream of tartar, use 1/2 tsp (2.4 g) of white vinegar instead.

You may have to add a little bit of sugar to taste if the mixture is too bitter.

3. Try baking powder if you need a leavening agent. If your recipe calls for baking soda and cream of tartar, swap it out for baking powder. Baking powder is another effective leavening agent that you can use in a pinch. Use 1 tsp (14.9 g) of baking powder to replace 1/3 tsp (1.65 g) of baking soda and 2/3 tsp (3.3 g) of cream of tartar.

Baking powder is essentially a mix of baking soda and cream of tartar, so this won’t change your recipe much at all.

This is a good idea if you want to add cream of tartar to blueberry pancakes, for example.

4. Use buttermilk if your recipe calls for lots of dairy. If you’re making a dish with lots of milk or cream, like pies or puddings, you can use buttermilk to add acidity and replicate cream of tartar benefits. Remove 1/2 cup (118.3 mL) of liquid for every 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar, and then add 1/2 cup (118.3 mL) of buttermilk instead.

Buttermilk is an acidic liquid that is left over after churning butter. It is often used in baking pancakes and birthday cakes.

In some cases, you can substitute yogurt for buttermilk. Add milk to your yogurt until it is the same consistency as buttermilk, then use the same buttermilk proportions to substitute your cream of tartar.

5. Skip over the cream of tartar if you are making frostings or syrups. If you are making sugary toppings including icing, syrups, and frostings, leave out the cream of tartar rather than trying to find a substitute. Your topping may crystallize and get hard, but you can easily reheat it in the microwave or stovetop to soften it.

Do this if you are topping cookies, frosting a cake, or stuffing donuts, for instance.

Method 2 Using Cream of Tartar.

1. Use cream of tartar to stabilize egg whites when making meringue. Cream of tartar is what gives meringue its creamy, fluffy texture. Use your meringue to make cookies, pies, and other tasty desserts. Typically, you can use 3 egg whites and 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar to make delicious meringue. Be sure to beat your egg whites well until they are foamy.

Consult your recipe to determine how much cream of tartar and egg whites to use.

2. Add cream of tartar when making baked goods for a leavening agent. Mix cream of tartar with baking soda to create a chemical reaction, resulting in extra-fluffy treats. Use cream of tartar to help cookies, pancakes, and other baked goods.

The amount of cream of tartar and baking soda to add to your ingredients depends on your particular recipe.

For example, add 2 tsp (9.9 g) of cream of tartar when making Snickerdoodles for fluffy, yummy cookies.

3. Include cream of tartar to prevent sugars from crystallizing in icings. The acidic base of cream of tartar helps keep sugars from hardening up when making icings, frostings, or syrups. In addition, cream of tartar gives these sugary toppings a smooth, consistent texture.

For instance, if you are making icing with 3 cups (710 g) of confectioners sugar and 2 egg whites, add 1/4 tsp (1.2 g) of cream of tartar for a creamy touch.

Things You’ll Need.

Recipe.

Lemon juice.

White vinegar.

Baking powder.

Buttermilk.

Tips.

If you store cream of tartar at room temperature in an airtight container, it should stay good indefinitely.

You can also use cream of tartar and lemon juice to help clean household items.

Cream of tartar can be used to substitute baking soda in some recipes.

Warnings.

Remember that these substitutions may have similar results, but your finished product may still come out differently. After all, it is a substitution. You can expect subtle changes in texture and overall appearance.

November 30, 2019

how to easy cook figs

How to Easy Cook Figs.

Figs are popular fruits that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Figs taste great on their own fresh or dried, but you can add a lot of extra flavor by cooking them. They can be oven roasted with brown sugar and cinnamon, sautéed with cinnamon and almonds, or poached with red wine. The possibilities are endless! Your finished cooked figs make a great topping with both sweet and salty treats, such as cheese, meats, and even ice cream.



Ingredients Oven-Roasted Figs.

5 fresh figs.

1 tablespoon (15 mL) brown sugar (optional).

1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) cinnamon (optional).

Honey (optional).

1 Whole nutmeg or 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) grated nutmeg (optional).







Method 1 Oven-Roasted Figs.



Gather 5 fresh, ripe figs. To roast your figs, make sure you get some that are fresh and ripe, not dried. Ripe figs are firm and give slightly to pressure, not too hard like an apple, but also not too soft or mushy. When you cut them, they should hold their rounded shape. Different types of figs come in various colors, including yellow, brown, red, purple, and even black.



Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Fresh figs can be baked in the oven to give them an even sweeter taste. To ensure that the figs are cooked all the way through and are nice and soft, preheat the oven while you prepare your ingredients.



Wash the figs and remove the stem. You should always wash fruit before cooking and eating it. To wash your figs, place them in a large bowl and rinse them under the sink in cool water. Then remove them from the bowl and gently dry them off with a paper towel or dishcloth. Once they’re dry, remove their stems. You can pull off the stems with your fingers, or cut them off with a pairing knife.

When washing, use your fingers to remove any dirt on the surface of the figs. Don’t scrub to hard though, because figs are delicate.



Slice the figs lengthwise and place them on a baking dish lined with foil. To cut a fig, place it on its side and slice down the center with a knife. Do this for all your figs, and then lay them face up on a baking sheet. Put the figs close together on the sheet. You don’t want large gaps between them when you sprinkle on your seasonings.



Choose some sweet toppings for your recipe and sprinkle them over your figs. There are a lot of different toppings to choose from for your figs that will taste amazing when roasted. Below are just a few of your options:

Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on your fig slices. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of brown sugar with 1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of ground cinnamon. Then add a handful of rosemary sprigs on top.

Pour liquid honey and grated nutmeg on your figs. Add enough honey to lightly cover all of your figs. Then get 1 whole nutmeg and grate it over the figs and honey. You can also sprinkle 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of ground nutmeg if you don’t have a whole one.





Put your figs in the oven and roast them for 40 minutes. The figs will start to release their juices after about 30 minutes. Given an extra 10 minutes, there will be almost no juice left, and they end up slightly dry and wrinkled. This dry, wrinkled texture combined with your choice of seasonings makes a tasty desert.

Remove the figs from the oven after 30 minutes if you want to make a fig jam.



Take your figs out of the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove your finished figs from the oven and turn off the heat. Let them sit in the pan and cool down for 10-15 minutes before serving.



Serve with cured meats and cheese or a salad. Figs can be served with almost anything you’d like. But they make a great side with meat and cheese. Cured meats like prosciutto go great with figs, as well as special cheese, such as stilton or brie.

Save your leftover figs by putting them in a covered dish in the refrigerator. Eat them within a week to ensure that they are still fresh.



Things You’ll Need.

Oven-Roasted Figs.

Paring knife.

Large bowl.

Paper towel or kitchen towel.

Baking dish.

Foil.

Oven mitts.







Method 2 Sautéed Figs with Cinnamon and Almonds.



Ingredients Sautéed Figs with Cinnamon and Almonds.

2 Pounds fresh figs (about 24 figs).

1.5 tablespoons (22 mL) extra virgin olive oil.

1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) cinnamon.

1⁄4 teaspoon (1.2 mL) cardamom.

1⁄3 cup (79 mL) almonds, slivered.

1⁄4 cup (59 mL) sweet white wine.



Wash 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of fresh figs and slice them in half. To wash your figs, place them in a large bowl and rinse them under cool water. Then, remove them from the bowl and wipe them down with a paper towel or dry kitchen towel. Remove the stems by pulling them off with your fingers, then use a paring knife to cut them in half.



Sprinkle cinnamon and cardamom powder over the figs. For this recipe, season the figs with 1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) of cinnamon and 1⁄4 teaspoon (1.2 mL) of cardamom. Make sure to sprinkle them so they cover all of the figs.



Heat 1.5 tablespoons (22 mL) of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Grab a large skillet and pour 1.5 US tbsp (22 mL) of olive oil inside. Put it on the stove and turn the heat up to medium high until the oil starts to sizzle.

Add salt and pepper to the oil to add a little extra flavor.



Sautee the figs for 6 – 7 minutes. Place the seasoned figs face up on the skillet and stir them with tongs or a spatula so all sides get sautéed. Cook them until get tender, which should take about 6-7 minutes in total.



Add almonds and white wine and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour about 1⁄3 cup (79 mL) of slivered almonds and 1⁄4 cup (59 mL) of sweet white wine into the skillet with the figs. Mix all the ingredients together and let it cook for 2-3 more minutes. Continue to stir occasionally to make sure all of the ingredients are combined.



Serve sautéed figs over your favorite treat. Figs taste great with desserts like ice cream or sorbet. They also make a great breakfast topping over pancakes or waffles. Or, go for a salty and sweet treat with figs with cheese and crackers.

If you have any leftover figs, place them in a dish, cover them, and put them in the refrigerator. They will last up to a week when cooked.



Things You’ll Need.

Sautéed Figs with Cinnamon and Almonds.

Large bowl.

Paper towel or kitchen towel.

Paring knife.

Large skillet.

Tongs or spatula.









Method 3 Wine-Poached Figs.



Ingredients Wine-Poached Figs.

1 ounce (28 g) figs, dried (about 6 figs).

1⁄2 cup (120 mL) red wine.

1⁄4 cup (59 mL) sugar.

Salt and pepper.

2 Sprigs fresh thyme.



Gather 8 ounces (230 g) of dried figs, cut the stems, and slice them in half. Make sure to wash the figs before you cook them. To wash, place the figs in a large bowl and rinse with cool water. Then dry them off with a clean paper towel or kitchen cloth. Once they’re dry, remove the stems by pulling them off with your fingers and cut them in half with a paring knife.



Combine red wine, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan. For this recipe, you’ll need 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of red wine, 1⁄4 cup (59 mL) of sugar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix all of these ingredients together with a spoon in a medium saucepan.



Add the prepared figs to the pan and bring them to a boil. Combine your figs in the pan with the wine mixture and put the stove burner on medium-high heat. Mix the ingredients gently until the liquid comes to a boil.



Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. The wine should be reduced by half and slightly thickened. Let it simmer at this temperature for about 10 minutes.



Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 sprigs of fresh thyme. After simmering, turn off the burner and remove the pan so it can cool down. Gather fresh thyme for garnish and stir it into the fig mixture.



Serve your poached figs with cheese and bread. Wine-poached figs taste great with cheese. Serve with an assertive cheese, such as Manchego or Taleggio over a slice of bread.

If you have any wine-poached figs left over, store them in an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator. Eat them within 5-7 days.





Things You’ll Need.

Wine-Poached Figs.

Large bowl.

Paper towel or kitchen towel.

Paring knife.

Spoon.

Medium saucepan.

November 18, 2019

how to cook sago

How to Cook Sago.

Sago is an important food for the people of New Guinea, but this starchy treat is now sold throughout the world. Sago often comes in pearls that are cooked to make pastes, pancakes, or small balls. It works great in puddings and drinks. Boil normal sago to prepare it or soak big sago pearls throughout the day (for about 6 hours) so its ready in time for dinner. Mix sago with all kinds of fruits to create new variations of sago dishes.



Ingredients.

Sago.

1 cup (237 ml) uncooked sago pearls.

6 cups (1.4 L) water.

½ cup (118 ml) granulated white sugar.

Serves 5.



Big Sago.

5.3 oz (150 g) big sago pearls.

2.1 qt (2 L) water.

6.8 fl oz (200 ml) water.

Makes 1.3 lbs (600 g).



Mango-Sago Dessert.

2 cups (473 ml) of cooked sago (chilled).

¾ to 1 cup (177 to 237 ml) of pureed mangoes (chilled).

½ to ¾ cups of coconut cream (chilled).

Sugar (to taste).

Chopped fresh mangoes (optional).

Crushed ice (optional).

Serves 4 to 6..



Method 1 Boiling Sago.

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Measure out 6 cups (1.4 L) of water and pour it into a large pot. Place the pot on your stove top and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium.

2. Cook the sago over medium heat for 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup (237 ml) of sago into the boiling water. Cover the pot with a lid and set a timer for 30 minutes. Stir the pearls about once every 10 minutes.

3. Add sugar to the water and sago. Pour in a half cup (118 ml) of granulated white sugar into the pot and stir the contents thoroughly. Now you're ready to lid the pot and reset the timer for 20 minutes. Stir the pearls every 10 minutes.

If the water boils low, add more. The sago should be submerged in water at all times.

4. Turn off the heat, cool, and enjoy. After your 20 minute timer rings, turn off the heat. Rotate the pot to a cool burner. While keeping the pot lidded, allow it to cool until it reaches room temperature. Transfer the sago to serving bowls and enjoy.



Method 2 Soaking Big Sago.

1. Add sago to a large pot of boiling water. Pour 2.1 qt (2 L) of water into a large pot and place it on a burner of your stove. Set the burner to high and boil the water. Add 6.8 fl oz (200 ml) more water to the pot along with 5.3 oz (150 g) of big sago pearls.

2. Cook the sago on low heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Return the water to a boil after adding the sago, then reduce the heat to low. Keep the lid off the pot during this time and stir the sago occasionally with a slotted spoon.

3. Cover and soak the sago for 1 hour and 30 minutes. After the sago has cooked on low for 15 minutes, set the burner to high and return the water to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and let the sago soak for one and a half hours.

Whenever boiling the sago, stir it occasionally with your slotted spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

4. Return the water to a boil and soak the sago for an hour and 30 minutes. You'll end up repeating this soaking process four times total. Set the burner to high, bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat, then cover and soak the sago for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Because the process of reheating and soaking the sago requires little attention, it helps to have other chores, errands, or activities planned.

When all is said and done, you'll have soaked the sago in this fashion for a grand total of 6 hours (or four total soaking periods each one and a half hours long).

5. Strain and rinse the sago, then serve it as desired. Place a colander in the sink and strain the water from the sago. When the water has drained, rinse the sago thoroughly under cool water to reduce starchiness. Now the sago is ready to eat.

Some kinds of sago may cook slower others. When ready to eat, the big sago will be translucent, with just a little bit of whiteness in the center.

You can keep soaking your sago as described until it is completely clear, with no white remaining, for a less chewy texture in the pearls.



Method 3 Making a Mango-Sago Dessert.

1. Combine the cooked sago and pureed mango in a mixing bowl. Pour the cooked sago and pureed mango into your mixing bowl. Use a utensil, like a wooden spoon, to mix these ingredients until they are evenly distributed.

2. Stir coconut cream into the sago and pureed mango. When the ingredients are evenly mixed, stir in the coconut cream. Mixing the coconut cream into the sago and pureed mango is the easiest way of making a big batch of this dessert.

To improve the presentation of this dessert, ladle the mixed sago and mango puree into serving bowls and drizzle coconut cream on top.

3. Add toppings, if desired, and enjoy. A few chunks of cut mango nested on top can also add a lot to the look of this dish. To accent its tropical features, you might want to add some coconut shavings. Experiment freely with toppings until you find your favorite combination.



Method 4 Trying Other Sago Dishes.

1. Whip up a sweet potato and sago dessert. This sweet, relatively healthy dessert can be made in less than 30 minutes. The pandan leaves used in this recipe will impart a flavor similar to vanilla to the dish, giving the boiled-soft sweet potatoes an almost candy like quality.

2. Try Asian style coconut sago. This version of sago is especially popular in Malaysia and Japan. If you’re a sushi fan, you may have even seen this dish before, as it’s a popular side with sushi. Sago pearls in a sweet cream served with fruit makes for a great summer treat.

3. Mix cold fruit in with chilled sago. Fresh fruit and sago go together like peas in a pod. The smooth texture of the sago complements the similar quality of most kinds of fruit. This is an excellent healthy snack for kids who are picky when it comes to fruit.

Traditionally, fruit like watermelon, honeydew, and mango are used in recipes like this, but adding other kinds, like grapes and berries, might make it even tastier.

4. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with flaked oatmeal and sago. This is a great breakfast meal that’s particularly easy if you’ve stored away some sago in simple syrup. Cook oatmeal as you would normally. When it’s done, stir as many sago pearls as you want and enjoy.

Be careful when adding sago pearls stored in simple syrup. Adding too many could result in your oatmeal becoming too sweet.

Mix in a few sliced bananas, a dash of vanilla extract, and a light sprinkling of nutmeg to create add some flavor to your sago oatmeal.



Warnings.

Whenever cooking, use caution. Improperly using kitchen tools or heat sources (like your stovetop), could result in harm or property damage.

Things You’ll Need.

Boiling Sago : Pot (medium to large sized), Timer, Wooden spoon (or similar stirring utensil).

Preparing Big Sago : Pot (large sized), Slotted spoon (or similar stirring utensil), Timer, Colander.

Mango-Sago Dessert : Mixing bowl (large sized), Serving bowls, Ladle, Wooden spoon (or similar stirring utensil).

Februari 29, 2020