Kitchen tips - How to make cooking easier to you

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Scented Sugars

gt_geransugar01_l.jpg


Scented sugar adds a subtle perfume and flavor to coffee, fruit desserts, and baked goods. Layer granulated sugar with aromatic edibles like scented geranium leaves, rose petals, orange and lemon peel (first set out for a day to dry), or vanilla beans. Mix small batches, and let them sit for a few days in tightly sealed jars while the scents infuse the sugar. One jar or a trio serves makes an unusual present for whomever you think could use a little sweetness.

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/272213...dea&gallery=274471&slide=272213&center=307035
---------------------------------------------

Lavender Vanilla Sugar

5056334712_60103082fb_z.jpg


1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms
1 vanilla bean
small Ball jar
cute ribbon

Pour sugar into a medium size bowl. Top with lavender blossoms. Cut one small end of the vanilla bean off. Split the vanilla bean down the center, revealing tiny, sticky vanilla bean specks. Scrape vanilla beans out with a small knife and add to the sugar and lavender. Cut the vanilla bean pod in half and reserve.
With the back of a spoon, work the lavender and vanilla bean into the sugar. Be sure to press on the lavender blossoms to release their oils and to disperse any vanilla bean clumps that may try to form. Add the reserved vanilla bean pod and continue to press the sugar and lavender and vanilla together. It should smell amazing. Pour into the jar. Tie a pretty bow. Maybe you want to make a cute hand written label.

5055721139_832c8853fc.jpg


Source: http://joythebaker.com/2010/10/lavender-vanilla-sugar/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
10048601765_b261cd84e9_c.jpg


The difference between baking soda and baking powder:

Baking soda and baking powder are both odorless white powders that work their magic in our cakes. Though they’re both white powders, the two are certainly not interchangeable. Let’s talk about the facts behind these baking essentials.

Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate.

When sodium bicarbonate meets with heat, carbon dioxide gas is formed. It’s this gas that gives rise to our favorite cakes, cookies and biscuits. There is one drawback to the production of this gas. When heated, sodium bicarbonate also produces sodium carbonate, which doesn’t taste very good. If you’ve ever eaten any metallic tasting cakes or biscuits, you know what I’m talking about.

Thankfully, the metallic taste of sodium carbonate can be neutralized by acid. Lemon, yogurt, buttermilk, and unsweetened natural cocoa powder can neutralize the taste of sodium carbonate and keep our baked goods risen and lifted.

Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and acid. Yea! Baking powder is part baking soda! Baking powder is made up of baking soda, a powdered acid, and cornstarch.

Most baking powders are labeled ‘double-acting’ meaning they release a small amount of carbon dioxide gas when they’re stirred into the batter or dough, but they release a majority of their precious gas when triggered by the heat of the oven.

Because baking powder is a leavener that contains both the sodium bicarbonate and the flavor-saving acid, it is usually paired with non-acid ingredients like whole milk and Dutch-processed cocoa.

Baking soda need an acid. Baking powder has an acid.

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2013/10/baking-101-the-difference-between-baking-soda-and-baking-powder/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Natural vs Dutch-Processed Cocoa powder





The difference between Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder:

Cocoa powder is just cocoa powder, right? It’s just roasted cacao beans that have been ultra pulverized for cake and cupcake purposes, that’s all. Not exactly.

There is a fundamental difference between Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder. The difference is acid. Yea! We’re talking about acid reactions again, this time by way of cocoa powder. Who knew that cocoa powder was acidic? Well.. now we do! It’s worth understanding.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has been washed in a potassium solution that neutralizes its acidity. The Dutching process also gives the cocoa powder a darker color. Dutch-processed cocoa powder in baking is usually paired with baking powder because, as mentioned in "The difference between Baking Soda and Baking Powder", the baking powder takes care of the acid component in leavening our baked goods.

Was that too many words? Here’s a breakdown: Dutch-processed cocoa powder, acids stripped, dark color, reach for the baking powder!

Natural cocoa powder is cocoa that has not had its acid stripped. Natural cocoa powder is usually lighter in color, and because it has all of its acids in tact, it is usually paired with baking soda because the metallic taste that is released in the sodium carbonate of baking soda is mellowed by the acid in natural cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is what is typically found in American grocery stores. We’re talking Hershey’s Cocoa Powder… that’s natural cocoa.

Too many words again. Here’s a breakdown: natural cocoa powder, acids present, light in color, grab that baking soda!

What if a recipe only calls for ‘cocoa powder’? This happens all the time, right ? Take a look at the recipe. Does it call for a majority of baking powder or baking soda. If the recipe is mostly leavened by baking powder, reach for the Dutch-processed cocoa. If it’s a baking soda heavy recipe, go for natural cocoa powder!
In my experience, most American recipes that call for ‘cocoa powder’ are generally referring to natural cocoa powder.

Are Dutch-processed and natural cocoa powder interchangeable in a recipe? Well… not exactly. As with any baking recipe, it’s best to follow it as written. When we make substitutions, we start fussing with the taste and texture. In a pinch, you can substitute natural cocoa powder if you’re out of Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Although, it’s not a good idea to substitute Dutch-processed cocoa when you’re out of natural cocoa powder. We’d be missing those precious acids!



But your Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder is like… super dark. You’re right! And you’re totally perceptive. It’s called Black Onyx Cocoa powder:

  • Premium, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • Extremely Deep Dark Color
  • Used To Intensify Dark Chocolate Appearance
  • Ultra Dutch-Processed
  • Great To Add Color To Devil's Food Cake, Black-Out Cake & Puddings
It’s ultra-Dutched! It’s the sort of cocoa powder used to make Oreo cookies. Yea. That’s really good news.

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2013/10/baking-101-natural-vs-dutch-processed-cocoa-powder/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Why we use unsalted butter


Let’s talk about butter! It’s my go-to. It’s my boo. It’s my sweetheart.


I’m not shy about sharing my affection for butter, but you may have noticed in the recipes here that I’m very specific about how I like my butter. Sometimes melted and browned. Sometimes cold and cubed. Sometimes beaten with sugar and egg. Always though… most almost always.. UNSALTED! Yea, I get opinionated about my butter. We should talk about why.




Butter is my go-to fat in the kitchen. Olive oil is nice. Coconut oil is lovely. Butter gets the job done!

Butter is typically made from cow’s milk and consists of mostly butterfats. Low-fat buttes are suspicious, at best. Butter is generally about 80% fat, with the remaining 20% consisting of water and milk solids.
You have a choice when you go to the grocery: salted or unsalted butter. If you’re thinking about slathering your butter on a warm baguette, you’ll want to reach for the salted butter. If you’re baking a cobbler, you’ll most definitely want to reach for the unsalted butter.




Here’s why:

Most importantly: unsalted butter ensures that you can control the amount of salt you add to your cakes and cookies. Different companies add different amounts of salt to their butter. How are we to know how salty our butter is, and how we should adjust the salt in the recipe? It’s too much of a guessing game. Removing the salt from the butter equation puts us in control of salting. Control is very important when it comes to flavor.

When a recipe calls for unsalted butter, that means that the salt levels in the recipe account for no other salt source. If all you have salted butter, try cutting the instructed salt amount in half.

Also, salt is a preservative. Salted butter has a longer shelf life than unsalted butter. That means that unsalted butter is typically fresher.

Salt can mask flavors! We may not be able to taste or smell if our butter is off because clever clever salt can mask funky taste and odors. Tricky.

Does butter really go bad? Heck yes it does! Unsalted butter lasts about 1 month in the refrigerator. Salted butter lasts for just over 3 months in the refrigerator (that’s so long, right?). If you think your butter might be off, give it a good sniff. The nose always knows. Also, slice your butter. Is the inside the same color as the outside… or is the outside a darker casing around the butter? Bad butter is two different colors.

What happens if I use salted butter in baked goods?

Well… the world will end, and that’s that.

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2013/09/baking-101-why-we-use-unsalted-butter/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Must we sift this flour?




Question: Do we really need to sift the flour?
Answer: Nah… it’s cool, why bother?
We’re done here, right? Almost…



You’ve seen the recipes… they read something like ‘sift together flour, baking soda and salt’, or they say something like ’3 cups sifted flour’.

If you’re anything like me, you read those recipes more like ‘take out that sifter that you sometimes use as a pasta strainer, dirty it up with flour, make more of a mess than you intended, and then keep baking.’ Not ideal. I know.

Do we rreeeaalllyyy have to sift the flour when baking? No, and yes.

Sifting is meant to aerate flour before it is incorporated into a dough or batter.

First things first: be honest about your flour. Is your flour sitting in the paper sack you bought it in? Is it hiding in the back of your cupboard with a discarded bag of brown sugar sitting on top of it?

Just by virtue of being shipped from a place in a bag on a truck means that your flour has been packed and compressed within its confines. It’s best to transfer flour to a large, airtight storage container when you get it home. Transfer it to a big ol’ container and give it a big stir with a wooden spoon. You just aerated the flour! Boom. That was easy.

Second things second: now it’s time to make and bake! Take the big ol’ flour container out of the cupboard and once again give it a stir with a wooden spoon. That’s air in the flour. Use a light hand when spooning flour into the measuring cup (we’ll talk about measuring vs weighing soon!) and swipe the flour with a knife to that the flour is flush with the measuring cup. Place in a bowl. Combine the flour with the other dry ingredients. Things like baking powder, baking soda, and salt will likely also go with the flour.

Next: we ‘sift’… with a whisk! Whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Literally. With a whisk. Just get in there and go for it! Whisking is just the aeration we need to create in our flour. Using a whisk is like killing two birds with one stone. The flour is aerated and the dry ingredients are combined. Whisking the flour also gives you a chance to really look at your flour, making sure it’s fluffy and debris-free.

But wait! What if the recipe calls for 3 cups sifted flour? Well…. plunge that whisk right down into your flour container (because you have a big one now), give it a good whisking and then measure accordingly. I promise things will work out.

Hold up! Should I sift powdered sugar? Yes. You should. Powdered sugar is one ingredient that will meet your laziness with lumps. Rude (the lumps not the laziness.)

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2013/09/baking-101-must-we-sift-this-flour/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
What´s the best salt for baking?


2363284960_8aacf1f5b8.jpg


It’s possible that you’ve never even considered the question of salt, but salt in an essential component in baking. Sure, you may only add 1/2 a teaspoon at a time to your baked goods, but don’t take salt for granted! Salt accentuates the flavor of bakes goods. It particularly enhances the flavors of butter, and flour, and salt works wonders in a recipe with chocolate!

In bread baking, salt helps the gluten hold more water and carbon dioxide. Did you know that it also creates a stronger and tighter crumb.

There are three major types of salt in stores. How do you choose?

Jump on over, let’s talk salt!


2363282578_47d1e912b5.jpg


Iodized Table Salt

Table salt is made by sending water down into inland salt mines and then evaporating that water until only salt crystals remain. In the 1920′s iodine was added to table salt in an effort to prevent goiters (yikes…) which were caused by an iodide deficiency. Most table salts sold in the United States are iodized.

Kosher Salt


Kosher salt is an additive free salt. It is racked during evaporation, which creates its characteristic flakes. Kosher salt comes in a course grain and a fine grain. The fine grain is great for baking, because it disperses quickly into ingredients. A course grain salt could have trouble evenly distributing through a baking recipe, and you wouldn’t want that.


Sea Salt


Sea salt is created from evaporated sea water. The process is a bit more costly than the inland mining process of table salt, and sea salt may contain trace amounts of minerals. Because there are many seas around the world, there are many varieties of sea salt: Celtic sea salt, Hawaiian sea salt, Fleur de Sel, and Sicilian sea salt, to mention just a few. Basically, if there’s a sea, there’s a good chance it has a salt. I use a fine grain sea salt- La Baleine from France. It’s nothing terribly fancy and can be found in most grocery stores in the states.


2362452261_a70052e27d.jpg


So which salt is best for baking? I know I’m supposed to have a definitive answer for you, but really… just use whatever salt makes you feel fine and dandy. The truth of the matter- in a blind chocolate chip cookie taste test, you may not be able to taste the difference between table salt, kosher salt and sea salt. It depends on how sensitive your palate is to salt. I happen to to think that iodized table salt has a stronger salt taste. I choose sea salt because it feels like it has a cleaner salt taste that accentuates other ingredients but isn’t an assault on the taste buds.

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2008/03/whats-the-best-salt-for-baking/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Six rules to bake by


2591112287_64798c4d1e.jpg


Preheat. Why? Because it says so! If a recipe asks you to preheat the oven to a certain temperature. Well… you should. What the recipe is trying to tell you is that your cupcakes, or loaf of zucchini bread or blackberry muffins need to combine with a certain temperature to do their thing. And we all know, we want out baked goods to do their thing. Even if they don’t, we’ll probably still nibble on them on their way from the oven to the trash bin. But everything seems to work out like sunshine and roses if our baked goods do their thing. Right?

You Don’t Need Gadgets. You might want them… but you don’t need them. Is it just me or has baking become kind of trendy lately? I’ve noticed all sorts of intricate, multi layered whisks, and scrapers, and bumper stickers for your Kitchen Aid mixer. It turns out that you don’t really need any of that stuff to produce some killer cupcakes. You’ll need some stainless steel bowls and a fantastic candy thermometer but really, stick with the basics.


Yeast- You Can do It! I know, yeast is a little intimidating. But really- you can do it! There are a few things yeast needs to get going- warm water and sugar. Simple as that. You have live yeast. These cinnamon rolls were some of the first yeasted breads I mastered. They were more approachable to me because the dough has creamed butter, sugar and eggs. It starts off like and cake and finishes as a bread. If you’re scared of yeast, please give this recipe a go!

2478938231_0b90e232e3.jpg


Oil up- This tip isn’t really a baking tip. If you’re dicing up peppers, before you handle the peppers rub your hands with vegetable oil. This will help make sure that the hot pepper juice doesn’t soak into your hands for you to find later when you brings your hands up to your mouth and nose. Ouch!

Butter is butter. Margarine is NOT butter. I don’t mean to yell. I just really need you to understand that margarine is not butter. Butter is fat, milk solids, water and sometimes salt. Margarine is hydrogenated yellow. And you know what!? They (margarine makers) have to dye it yellow! Margarine is really a dull grey color that they bleach white and then dye yellow to make it look more like butter. Not kidding. Not cool. Google it. Use butter. It tastes good and we know where it comes from. If you’re a vegan- please don’t yell at me, because I like tofu and I’m not listening.

Cool To Room Temperature. Translation- Wait. I tend to be a bit of a rule breaker, which has produced some pretty disastrous baking results. One of those tragedies came when I didn’t let a cake cool properly and I tried to frost it while it was still a bit warm. Fail. Not good. My cake turned into a slip and slide. Frosting was oozing out of the layers and the whole thing wouldn’t stay together no matter how I cursed. Some lessons you have to learn the hard way. I’ll never frost a warm cake again.

Source: http://joythebaker.com/2008/06/six-rules-to-bake-by/#more-106
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
The best Buttermilk substitutions





Let’s take a quick minute to talk about buttermilk.

What is buttermilk? Buttermilk is a slightly sour milk. The sourness of buttermilk comes acids in the milk, most notably, lactic acids. Because the proteins in buttermilk are slightly curdled, buttermilk is slightly thicker than regular milk, but not quite as thick as cream. Buttermilk is also usually much lower in fat than regular milk and cream.

Say you wanted to make some butter and buttermilk waaaaay back in the day. First you’d take your fresh milk from the cow, let’s say a big old bucket full… and you’d leave it out at room temperature for a few days. After a few days the rich cream would separated and formed a thick layer on top of the milk. During these few days, the milk would fermented a bit from the lactic acid forming bacterias in the milk. Gross? Not at all! The bacteria produced would help lower the pH of the milk and protect with milk from icky microorganisms, making the butter easier to churn. Once the butter is churned the residual liquid that’s produced…. that’s buttermilk!

Nowadays, buttermilk is a whole other production. Cultured buttermilk, as it is called in the United States these days, is a pasteurized milk product. Instead of letting the milk ferment naturally, most dairies now add a culture of lactic acid bacteria to produce the same thickening and curdling of the milk. Many dairies also add tiny yellow colored flecks of butter to simulate the old fashioned product.

Buttermilk is an important part of baking. The acidic milk combined with baking soda in a recipe is a baker’s dream. See… when baking soda is combined with the lactic acids of buttermilk, the soda releases carbon dioxide that when heated, released tiny bubbles that expand and lift and lighten whatever you’re baking.

But what if you’re plum out of buttermilk? There are solutions…. let’s talk.


In a pinch and you’ve run out of buttermilk?

Lemon and Milk

In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Top the lemon juice with with skim, low fat or whole milk. Stir and let sit for two minutes. After two minutes, your milk is both acidic and curdled. Perfect!

Yogurt and Milk

Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup of milk. Stir and make it a quick substitution for buttermilk.

Milk and Cream of Tartar

Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. To ensure that the mixture doesn’t get lumpy, mix the cream of tartar with 2 Tablespoons of milk. Once mixed add the rest of the cup of milk. Cream of tartar is an acid and will simulate the acidic environment of buttermilk in a pinch.
Source: http://joythebaker.com/2009/10/the-best-buttermilk-substitutions/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
How to make pie crust




Any respectable pie crust has butter. Lots of butter. Lots of cold cold cold butter.




I’ve cut up our two sticks of cold butter into cold cubes and tossed them with the dry ingredients.




Next… dump the whole dang thing on the tabletop. The whole dang thing. Don’t be scared. We’re in this together.




Bust out that rolling pin. I use the rolling pin to flatten out the cold butter cubes and incorporate them into the dry ingredients. Some people use their fingers. Some people use a pastry cutter. Other people use a food processor. Sure… but that’s not what we’re talking about here.



Roll the loose dry ingredients and the cold butter, using your hands or a bench knife to pile up the mixture and roll it out again. The goal here is to make flattened sheets of cold butter within the flour mixture.



Like this! I’ve put it all back in the bowl. I used my hands to do this. I also made a little well in the center of the butter and flour mixture. That’s where I’m going to pour in the cold buttermilk. Mmmm.



Believe it or not this is the dough after I’ve added the cold buttermilk. But it’s so shaggy!? Yes… yes it is. It’ll all come together. It just needs a good pressing together and an hour long rest in the refrigerator.




I’ve divided the dough into two rough balls.



Wrap the balls in waxed paper and place in the fridge for at least an hour. Resting the dough like this is super important. It helps the butter re-chill which is important when it comes to rolling out and baking the dough aaand the rest helps the liquid incorporate properly into the dough.



Chilled dough disk on a well floured surface just before the rolling out process. I’ll sprinkle flour on top too before I attack this thing with the rolling pin.




Rolled out.





Panned up and trimmed.





This particular pie crust was for an Apple Pie.



Once the top crust is rolled out and placed over the filling, trim the excess dough so that there’s about 1/2 to 1-inch of extra crust.



Pinch the extra dough together with your fingers or with the tines of a fork. Make a pretty pattern.
Not so bad… right? Tomorrow we throw berries in the mix. Prepare.

Buttermilk Pie Crust
makes a double crusted 9-inch pie crust


2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
2 1/2 (12 ounces) cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (5 to 6 ounces) buttermilk


1. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Measure out the buttermilk and store in the refrigerator to keep it cold (you could even put it in the freezer for a few minutes too).

2. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Take the cold butter from the freezer and toss it with the flour mixture.

3. Dump the cold butter cubes and flour mixture onto a large work area for rolling. With a rolling pin, roll the mixture, flattening the butter cubes with the flour into long, thin, floured butter sheets. Work quickly to ensure that the butter stays cold. Below is what the rolled butter and flour look like after I’ve gathered them together on the work surface a bit.


4. Place the flour and flattened butter back in the large bowl and chill for 10 minutes. When the butter is cold, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, make a small well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Add the cold buttermilk to the bowl all at once. Begin to bring the dough together with one hand ( keep the other hand free to answer the phone). Moisten all of the flour with the milk, using your hand to break up large clumps of milk and flour. The dough will be rather shaggy, but you can add another tablespoon of buttermilk, if you see that all your flour isn’t moistened. Form the dough into two disks. The disks will be rough, and hard to shape together, but once they rest in the fridge for an hour, they’ll be easier to roll out.


5. Chill the dough for at least an hour in the refrigerator. At this point, the dough will keep in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three weeks. For freezing, roll the dough out into sheets and wrap them in plastic film.

6. Roll out the top crust large enough to cut a 12-inch circle.

Transfer the pie filling mixture to the pie shell. Moisten the border of the bottom crust by brushing it lightly with water and place the top crust over the filling. Trim the overhang of the top crust so that there is only 1/2-inch of overhand. Tuck the overhand under the bottom crust boarder and press down all around to seal it. Crimp the border using a fork or your fingers and make about 5 evenly spaced 2-inch slashes starting about 1 inch from the center of the pie and radiating toward the edge. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour before baking. This will chill and relax the pastry, preventing shrinking.


Source: http://joythebaker.com/2010/06/how-to-make-pie-crust-do-it/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
How to Make Brown Sugar

4851110558_d930829ab9.jpg


1 cup granulated cane sugar
1 Tablespoon unsulfured molasses

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the sugar and molasses. It’s that easy. There’s a part in this process where the molasses is super gunky and clumpy. You’ll think to yourself: Joy, you were wrong… this is coming out all wrong. Don’t worry. Keep mixing it all together. It will even itself out. Work it until completely incorporated and no big molasses globs remain. For dark brown sugar, add another tablespoon of molasses. Use as you would in your favorite cake and cookie recipes. Store in an airtight container or in a ziplock bag with the air pressed out.
 

Fashionista

Junior Member
How to make pie crust




Any respectable pie crust has butter. Lots of butter. Lots of cold cold cold butter.




I’ve cut up our two sticks of cold butter into cold cubes and tossed them with the dry ingredients.




Next… dump the whole dang thing on the tabletop. The whole dang thing. Don’t be scared. We’re in this together.




Bust out that rolling pin. I use the rolling pin to flatten out the cold butter cubes and incorporate them into the dry ingredients. Some people use their fingers. Some people use a pastry cutter. Other people use a food processor. Sure… but that’s not what we’re talking about here.



Roll the loose dry ingredients and the cold butter, using your hands or a bench knife to pile up the mixture and roll it out again. The goal here is to make flattened sheets of cold butter within the flour mixture.



Like this! I’ve put it all back in the bowl. I used my hands to do this. I also made a little well in the center of the butter and flour mixture. That’s where I’m going to pour in the cold buttermilk. Mmmm.



Believe it or not this is the dough after I’ve added the cold buttermilk. But it’s so shaggy!? Yes… yes it is. It’ll all come together. It just needs a good pressing together and an hour long rest in the refrigerator.




I’ve divided the dough into two rough balls.



Wrap the balls in waxed paper and place in the fridge for at least an hour. Resting the dough like this is super important. It helps the butter re-chill which is important when it comes to rolling out and baking the dough aaand the rest helps the liquid incorporate properly into the dough.



Chilled dough disk on a well floured surface just before the rolling out process. I’ll sprinkle flour on top too before I attack this thing with the rolling pin.




Rolled out.





Panned up and trimmed.





This particular pie crust was for an Apple Pie.



Once the top crust is rolled out and placed over the filling, trim the excess dough so that there’s about 1/2 to 1-inch of extra crust.



Pinch the extra dough together with your fingers or with the tines of a fork. Make a pretty pattern.
Not so bad… right? Tomorrow we throw berries in the mix. Prepare.

Buttermilk Pie Crust
makes a double crusted 9-inch pie crust


2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter
2 1/2 (12 ounces) cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (5 to 6 ounces) buttermilk


1. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Measure out the buttermilk and store in the refrigerator to keep it cold (you could even put it in the freezer for a few minutes too).

2. Sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Take the cold butter from the freezer and toss it with the flour mixture.

3. Dump the cold butter cubes and flour mixture onto a large work area for rolling. With a rolling pin, roll the mixture, flattening the butter cubes with the flour into long, thin, floured butter sheets. Work quickly to ensure that the butter stays cold. Below is what the rolled butter and flour look like after I’ve gathered them together on the work surface a bit.


4. Place the flour and flattened butter back in the large bowl and chill for 10 minutes. When the butter is cold, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, make a small well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Add the cold buttermilk to the bowl all at once. Begin to bring the dough together with one hand ( keep the other hand free to answer the phone). Moisten all of the flour with the milk, using your hand to break up large clumps of milk and flour. The dough will be rather shaggy, but you can add another tablespoon of buttermilk, if you see that all your flour isn’t moistened. Form the dough into two disks. The disks will be rough, and hard to shape together, but once they rest in the fridge for an hour, they’ll be easier to roll out.


5. Chill the dough for at least an hour in the refrigerator. At this point, the dough will keep in the fridge for up to three days, or in the freezer for up to three weeks. For freezing, roll the dough out into sheets and wrap them in plastic film.

6. Roll out the top crust large enough to cut a 12-inch circle.

Transfer the pie filling mixture to the pie shell. Moisten the border of the bottom crust by brushing it lightly with water and place the top crust over the filling. Trim the overhang of the top crust so that there is only 1/2-inch of overhand. Tuck the overhand under the bottom crust boarder and press down all around to seal it. Crimp the border using a fork or your fingers and make about 5 evenly spaced 2-inch slashes starting about 1 inch from the center of the pie and radiating toward the edge. Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 1 hour before baking. This will chill and relax the pastry, preventing shrinking.


Source: http://joythebaker.com/2010/06/how-to-make-pie-crust-do-it/

thx so much for doing step by step sister really helps me understand better inshallah when i have time i will try learning all these dishes and will show my parents
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
In some recipes is needed marshmallow creme, what is an American food item and might be difficult to find in other countries. It too is possible to make at home. Here are some recipes:

Marshmallow Creme 1

1 cup sugar, divided
4 egg whites
Pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and simmer syrup without stirring until the thermometer reads 240°, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush.

Meanwhile, place egg whites, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment. Whip on high until frothy. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. Continue whipping until medium peaks form. Reduce speed to medium, then pour hot syrup into meringue in a slow, steady stream while whipping. Increase speed to high and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and whip until meringue is cool.

Source: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/homemade-marshmallow-creme

------------------------------------------------

Marshmallow Creme 2

Ingredients

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
5 1/2 ounces granulated sugar, divaded (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon)
9 ounces light corn syrup (3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the cream of tartar over. Beat, increasing the speed to medium-high, until the eggs starts to get light, airt and frothy. With the mixer running, slowly pour in 7/8 ounce (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar. Continue to beat until firm (but not stiff) peaks form. set aside.

2. Fit a small saucepan with candy thermometer ready nearby. Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in the saucepan and stir together. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then, using a heat-safe spatula, stir very frequently as you cook the syrup mixture to 240 degrees F, maintaining a consistent boil. Once at 240 degrees F, remove from the heat immediately.

3. Start the mixer on second speed and slowly pour the syrup in as it mixes until all of the syrup has been added. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl if needed and then increase the speed to medium-high and beat another 5 minutes. The mixture should have expanded and you should now have white cream that able to hold some shape. Add the vanilla, wipe down the bowl and beater, and beat for about 1 more minute, until the mixture is even in color again and has reached the desired consistency of marshmallow creme.

4. Store creme in an airtight container in the refrigerator.


Heavenly-Homemade-Marshmallow-Creme.jpg



Source: http://www.brighteyedbaker.com/2013/03/15/diy-marshmallow-creme/

------------------------------------------------------------

Marshmallow Creme 3

Ingredients:

¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
Pinch of salt
2 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

2. While the sugar mixture is boiling, add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. The egg whites should be ready and waiting when the sugar mixture reaches 240 degrees F. If the egg whites reach soft peaks before the sugar mixture reaches its temperature, turn off the mixer.

3. Once the sugar mixture reaches 240 degrees F, turn the mixer speed to low and very slowly drizzle the syrup down the side of the mixer bowl. Once all of the syrup has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled substantially, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the vanilla extract during the last minute or two of beating.

4. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.


marshmallow-creme-1-600.jpg



Source: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/05/16/homemade-marshmallow-creme-recipe/
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Yeast

yeastgroup.jpg

yeast Notes: Yeast is a one-celled fungus that converts sugar and starch into carbon dioxide bubbles and alcohol. This has made it a useful ally in the production of bread, beer, and wine. There are many varieties of yeast. Bread is made with baker's yeast, which creates lots of bubbles that become trapped in the dough, making the bread rise so it's light and airy when baked. A small amount of alcohol is also produced, but this burns off as the bread bakes. Beer yeast and wine yeast are used to convert sugar into alcohol and, in the case of beer and champagne, bubbles. You should never eat raw active yeast, since it will continue to grow in your intestine and rob your body of valuable nutrients. But once deactivated through pasteurization, yeast is a good source of nutrients. Brewer's yeast and nutritional yeast, for example, are sold as nutritional supplements, and Australians are fond of yeast extracts--like Vegemite, Marmite, and Promite--which they spread like peanut butter on bread.


Varieties:
yeast-activedry.jpg

active dry yeast = dry yeast Equivalents: One package = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1/4 ounce Notes: This is the yeast called for by most bread recipes. It's largely displaced the fresh yeast our grandparents used since it has a longer shelf life and is more tolerant of mishandling. To activate it, sprinkle it on water that's 105° - 115° F and wait for it to begin foaming (about five minutes). Look for it in the dairy case--it's usually sold in strips of three packages or in 4-ounce jars. Always check the expiration date to make sure it's fresh. Dry yeast can be stored at room temperature until the expiration date--or within 4 months of opening--but it lasts even longer in the refrigerator or freezer. Always bring yeast to room temperature before you use it. It's important to keep stored yeast away from air and moisture, so use the smallest container you can find and seal it well. Substitutes: fresh yeast (Substitute one cake for each package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast.) OR instant yeast (Substitute measure for measure, but don't dissolve it in liquid first. Your bread will only need to rise once.) OR bread machine yeast (Substitute measure for measure, but don't dissolve it in liquid first. Your bread will only need to rise once.)
yeast-breadmachine.jpg

baker's yeast = baking yeast = bread yeast Equivalents: 1 tablespoon = 1 package = 1 cake Notes: This is used as a leaven in breads, coffeecakes, and pastries like croissants and brioche. It works by converting sugar into carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise so the bread will be light and airy. Yeast comes either as dry granules or moist cakes. It becomes less potent after the expiration date stamped on the package, so dough made with it may take longer to rise, or not rise at all. If the potency of the yeast is in doubt, test or "proof" it by putting some of it in warm water (105° - 115° F) mixed with a bit of sugar. If it doesn't get foamy within ten minutes, you'll need to get fresher yeast.
lageryeast.jpg
beer yeast = brewer's yeast Notes: This is used to produce alcohol and bubbles in beer. There are several varieties, each matched to specific varieties of beer. It's available either as a liquid or powder at beer-making supply stores. Don't confuse this with the brewer's yeast that's used as a nutritional supplement. That type of yeast is deactivated, so it won't produce any alcohol or bubbles.
yeast-breadmachine.jpg
bread machine yeast Equivalents: One package active dry yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast Notes: This type of dry yeast is highly active and very finely granulated so that it hydrates quickly. Breads made with this yeast require only a single rise, so this yeast is handy to use in a bread machine. Most machines will have you add this yeast last, on top of the dry ingredients. If you're not using a bread machine, add this yeast to the flour and other dry ingredients. It's often sold in 4-ounce jars. You can store unopened jars at room temperature until the expiration date stamped on the jar, but the yeast lasts even longer in the refrigerator or freezer. If you freeze yeast, let it come to room temperature before using. Substitutes: instant yeast (This is very similar. One envelope active dry yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast) OR active dry yeast (One envelope active dry yeast = 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast. Ordinary active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water first, and the bread will need to rise more than once.) OR compressed yeast (Substitute one cake for each package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast. This needs to be dissolved in water first, and the bread will need to rise more than once.)
brewersyeast.jpg
brewer's yeast Notes: This inactive yeast is rich in protein and B vitamins, and it's used a nutritional supplement. It's a by-product of beer-making, which gives it a slightly bitter flavor. If you object to the bitterness, try nutritional yeast, which is made from the same yeast strain but grown on molasses. It's more expensive but has a more pleasant flavor. You can also buy debittered brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast comes powdered (the most potent form), in flakes (best for health shakes), and in tablets. Don't confuse this with active forms of yeast, like the kinds bakers, brewers, and winemakers use. If you eat them, active yeasts will continue to grow in your intestine, robbing your body of valuable nutrients. Substitutes: nutritional yeast (better, nuttier flavor, lighter color) OR yeast extract
yeast-cake.jpg
fresh yeast = compressed yeast = active fresh yeast = cake yeast = baker's compressed yeast = wet yeast Equivalents: 2-ounce cake = 3 X 0.6-ounce cakes Notes: This form of yeast usually comes in 0.6-ounce or 2-ounce foil-wrapped cakes. It works faster and longer than active dry yeast, but it's very perishable and loses potency a few weeks after it's packed. It's popular among commercial bakers, who can keep ahead of the expiration dates, but home bakers usually prefer dry yeast. To use, soften the cake in a liquid that's 70° - 80° F. Store fresh yeast in the refrigerator, well wrapped, or in the freezer, where it will keep for up to four months. If you freeze it, defrost it for a day in the refrigerator before using. Substitutes: active dry yeast (Substitute one package or 2 1/4 teaspoons for each .6-ounce cake of compressed yeast) OR instant yeast (Substitute one package or 2 1/4 teaspoons for each cake of compressed yeast) OR bread machine yeast (Substitute 2 1/4 teaspoons for each cake of compressed yeast)

yeast-dry.jpg
instant yeast = quick yeast = rapid rise active dry yeast = quick rise active dry yeast = fast-rising active dry yeast = fast rising yeast Equivalents: One package = 2 1/4 teaspoons = 1/4 ounce Notes: This very active strain of yeast allows you to make bread with only one rise. The trade-off is that some flavor is sacrificed, though this doesn't matter much if the bread is sweetened or heavily flavored with other ingredients. Unlike ordinary active dry yeast, instant yeast doesn't need to be dissolved in liquid first--you just add it to the dry ingredients. Look for it in the dairy case--it's usually sold in strips of three packages or in 4-ounce jars. Before buying it, check the expiration date to make sure it's fresh. Dry yeast can be stored at room temperature until the expiration date stamped on the jar, but it lasts even longer in the refrigerator. Substitutes: bread machine yeast (very similar; substitute measure for measure.) OR active dry yeast (Substitute measure for measure. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water first, and the bread will need to rise more than once.) OR fresh yeast (Substitute one cake for each package or 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast. This needs to be dissolved in water first, and the bread will need to rise more than once.)
nutritionalyeast.jpg
nutritional yeast Equivalents: 1 tablespoon powdered = 2 tablespoons flakes Notes: This nutritional supplement has a pleasant nutty-cheesy flavor and is packed with protein and B vitamins. It comes in flakes or powder and is popular with vegans and health buffs who use it to make cheese substitutes, gravies, and many other dishes. It's also a great topping for popcorn. Nutritional yeast is very similar to brewer's yeast, which is also used as a nutritional supplement and is made from the same strain of yeast. The difference is that brewer's yeast is a by-product of beer production and retains some of the bitter flavor of hops. Don't confuse nutritional yeast, which is deactivated, with active forms of yeast, like the kinds bakers, brewers, and winemakers use. If you eat them, active yeasts will continue to grow in your intestine, robbing your body of valuable nutrients. Look for nutritional yeast at health food stores. Get fortified nutritional yeast if you're taking it as a source of vitamin B12. Substitutes: brewer's yeast (inferior flavor, darker color) OR Parmesan cheese (as a condiment; higher in fat, less nutritious) OR wheat germ (works well in baked goods or sprinkled on cereals) OR yeast extract
smoked yeast = bacon yeast = hickory-smoked yeast Notes: This is yeast that's been smoked, giving it a bacon-like flavor. It's used to flavor other dishes. Don't confuse it with active forms of yeast, like the kinds bakers, brewers, and winemakers use. If you eat them, active yeasts will continue to grow in your intestine, robbing your body of valuable nutrients.
wineyeastballs.jpg
wine ball = wine cube Notes: These are balls of brewer's yeast that are sold in Asian markets. They're used to make wine.
wineyeast.jpg
wine yeast Notes: This is used to convert the sugar in fruit juices into alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are different varieties, each best suited to producing a certain wine. Champagne yeast, for example, produces more bubbles than other forms of wine yeast.
yeastextract.jpg
yeast extract Notes: This is a nutritious, pungent, and salty paste that's popular in Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. It's often spread with butter on bread, or mixed with hot water to make a drink Popular brands include Vegemite®, Marmite®, which is sweeter and perhaps a bit more palatable to Americans, and Promite®, which is sweeter yet but hard to find. Substitutes: miso OR beef extract OR peanut butter
yeaststarter3.jpg

yeast starter = sponge = levain Equivalents: 2 cups yeast starter = 1 package active dry yeast Notes: A starter is a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients that's been colonized by wild airborne yeast and friendly bacteria. These one-celled immigrants lend the starter--and the breads made with it--a special character. Sourdough starter, for example, contains a strain of yeast that's tolerant of the lactic and acetic acids produced by the lactobacilli. Those acids give sourdough bread its characteristic tang. The French use a soupy starter called a poolish to make their breads, while the Italians use a thicker one called a biga. Up until the late 19th century, all yeast breads were leavened with starters, and keeping a starter alive in its crock was a routine household chore. To keep your own starter alive, wait until it's established, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To keep it healthy, bring it to room temperature once a week and remove all but about 25% of it (either make bread with it or discard it). Replace what you've taken with a mixture of equal parts warm water and flour, stir, then return it to the refrigerator. Properly maintained, a starter can last for decades, developing an ever more distinctive character as it ages. To use a starter to make bread, remove some of it (usually about 2 cups), and use it in place of other forms of yeast. Replace the amount you took with a mixture of equal parts flour and warm water. Discard your starter if it becomes orange or pink, or if it develops an unpleasant odor. It's easy to make starters from scratch, but even easier to borrow some from a friend. Since sourdough starters must be colonized by strains of yeast and lactobacilli that are particular to certain regions (like San Francisco), a homemade starter might not yield sour bread. Your best bet is to get a powdered sourdough starter mix from your supermarket or a mail order supplier. To make your own: Sprinkle 1 package of active dry yeast on 2 cups of warm water, wait 10 minutes, then stir in 2 cups of flour. Cover loosely, and let the mixture sit at about 85°.


NOTE that temperatures in the article are by Farenheit. Easy changing table to Cencius you will find: http://www.goodcooking.com/conversions/temp.htm

Source: http://www.foodsubs.com/LeavenYeast.html
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Cooking Tough Meat Made Easy with Tenderizers

There are various circumstances that affect how tender a piece of meat is. The length of muscle fiber is what makes meat tough, so the cut of meat you choose is particularly important. How the meat is handled after the animal is killed also has a great impact on whether it is tough or tender. If the meat has been handled properly, it will be juicier, resist spoiling longer, and have a better texture. But of course, you have no control over that.

Mechanical, Physical, and Chemical

So, once you get your tough cut of meat home, you’ve got to find ways to break up or soften the muscle fibers. Using mechanical means, you can flatten it with a tenderizing mallet, the bottom of a heavy pan or some other blunt object (most people place the meat between two pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap to keep it tidy), you can score the meat across the fibers with a sharp knife or use a tenderizing tool, or, in dire cases, you can grind it and turn it into hamburger. Once the meat is cooked, you may have another opportunity to physically tenderize it. A flank steak, for instance, is cut in the direction of the muscle grain and is inherently tough. Once cooked, you always slice it thinly against the grain, which transforms a tough piece of meat into a still somewhat chewy, but very edible, serving.

There are also chemical solutions — some better than others. There are a variety of powdered tenderizers on the market (some instant, some requiring a period of rest). These include a powdered form of papain, an enzyme found in papaya, which has been used for this purpose for centuries. An awful lot of cooks have various reasons for avoiding commercial powdered meat tenderizers, though. They can make the outside of the meat mushy while leaving the inside tough, leech out the juices, and impart an unpleasant flavor.

A widely accepted alternative (and the basis of many cookbooks) is to marinate the meat, which not only tenderizes somewhat, but adds flavor. To be an effective tenderizer, a marinade must include an acid, which "denatures" or unwinds the long proteins in the muscle. Marinades also may not get inside the meat very well, leaving it tough in the center. Some recipes call for you to inject the marinade into the meat at various points to get below the surface, and there are injectorson the market for this purpose. Dry marinades and rubs impart flavor, but do nothing to tenderize the meat.

Finally, for large tough cuts of meat, the best solution is long, moist cooking — stewing or braising. That is the reason pot roasts and stewed hens spend hours in the oven.
You can turn tough, cheap meat cuts into juicy, tender bites by using fruit as a meat tenderizer. Kiwi, pineapple and papaya all contain enzymes that break down protein molecules, necessary to tenderize tough meat cuts. Indigenous populations around the world have used fruit to tenderize their meat in traditional recipes. You can make a modern version of folk dishes by marinating or cooking your meat with fruit and adding your favorite herbs and spices.

PINEAPPLE JUICE

Step 1
Place slices of meat in a bowl or baking dish.
Step 2
Pour 10 oz. of fresh pineapple juice over the meat.
Step 3
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cooking. The longer you allow the meat to marinate in the pineapple juice, the more tender the meat will become. Marinate the meat overnight for very tender meat.

PAPAYA

Step 1
Chose a slightly unripe papaya that is green in color and firm to the touch.
Step 2
Cut the papaya into slices.
Step 3
Cook the meat covered with slices of papaya. Alternatively, remove the flesh of the papaya from the skin and wrap the meat completely with papaya skin before cooking.

KIWI

Step 1
Slice the kiwi into rounds.
Step 2
Rub the meat with the juice from several fruit rounds.
Step 3
Cover the meat with the remaining fruit rounds.
Step 4
Remove the kiwi rounds after 10 minutes and discard.

TIPS AND WARNINGS
Pierce the meat with a fork several times on all sides to allow the fruit enzymes to tenderize the internal meat.

Leaves

The most common meat tenderizer used in India is raw (un-ripened) papaya.

The leaves, and green skin of raw papaya contain an enzyme called Papain. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain. Papaya is preferred tenderizer for red meat (Lamb, Mutton, Goat, Beef). It can be used for fowl.

You should NOT discard the tenderizing paste. When the connective tissue gets gelatinized, the gelatin gets mixed with the tenderizing paste. If you discard the tenderizing paste, you will throw out a lot of flavor.

In United States, Papain is available in Grocery stores as Adolph's Meat Tenderizer. You can also buy Papain in tablet for at health food stores.

If you score the skin of a raw Papaya with knife, the fruit will exude a milky white substance known as the latex that contains Papain.

Preparing Papaya Tenderizer Paste
Raw Papaya
1. Peel green skin up about 1/8th to ¼" deep off the raw papaya.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt per two Tablespoons of Papaya.
3. Grind to a paste. You need 2 Tablespoon of Papaya paste for one pound of meat.

Adolph's Meat tenderizer
You do not need to add salt. Adolph's meat tenderizer already has the salt. Add one teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon of water to make Papaya paste. You need 2 Tablespoon of Papaya paste for one pound of meat, it only hast 2 teaspoons of the Adolph's meat tenderizer.

In addition to papaya leaves, orange and jackfruit leaves are also effective in tenderizing not only with tough meat but also with beans such as monggo. Just pick 1 to 3 yellowish jackfruit leaves that are still attached on the stem then boil them together with the meat till it gets tender then discard the leaves.

NOTE

The best way to have your tough meat tendered is to cook them with low heat and you need to wait though.

Source: http://www.bubblews.com/news/445796-cooking-tough-meat-made-easy-with-tenderizers
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
This is not cooking tip but might be useful at summer:

HOW TO KEEP FLIES OUT OF DRINKS

Simply place a baking cup over your glass to keep flies and other insects out of your drinks!

 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own ghee at home:

Equipment:

  • A medium saucepan, preferably one with a heavy bottom
  • A large spoon to stir
  • A fine meshed sieve
  • Several layers of cheesecloth to line your sieve
  • A large bowl or measuring cup to receive the ghee (preferably one that has a pouring spout)
  • One or two glass jars to store your ghee in
Ingredients:
  • The best quality UNSALTED* butter you can get your hands on *if you use salted butter, your ghee will end up being WAY too salty. Do stick with unsalted. Capiche? UNSALTED!
Ghee-2.jpg


Start with one or two pounds of the best quality butter you can find, depending on how big a batch you want to make. One pound of butter will fill a 1 pint Mason jar almost to the top.

Ghee-1.jpg


Cut your butter into roughly one inch by one inch squares.

This will help your butter melt faster and more evenly.

Ghee-3.jpg


Set your butter to melt over medium heat, stirring it gently from time to time.

Ghee-4.jpg


Pretty soon, you’ll see a thick, white foam start to form at the surface.

Notice how bright yellow and opaque the butter is at this stage of the process.

Ghee-5.jpg


Keep stirring until your butter starts to simmer, at which point you’ll want to turn the heat down to medium-low.

Ghee-6.jpg


For the next 5 minutes or so, you won’t be doing much stirring.

Just let the butter simmer and watch the bubbles emerge from that thick foam, increasing in size and number.

Ghee-7.jpg


As the bubbling increases, you’ll notice that the foam will become thinner and the bubbles will become bigger and clearer.

Ghee-8.jpg


Soon, the milk solids will start to curdle and attach the sides of the pan. That is completely normal and desirable.

Just scrape the sides of the pan from time to time to help those milk solids sink to the bottom.

Ghee-9.jpg


As the milk solids sink to the bottom, you will notice that your butter is beginning to clear up.

Ghee-10.jpg


It will get more and more translucent, the bubbles will get larger and the foam will eventually completely disappear.

Ghee-11.jpg


Your butter will start to take a nice golden coloration as the milk solids, which are now at the bottom, begin to brown.

Ghee-12.jpg


Keep a close eye on your butter and keep stirring, scraping the sides and bottom so the milk solids don’t attach to the pan and burn.

Ghee-13.jpg


Notice how big the bubbles are getting? Oh yeah! We’re almost there…

Watch this really closely now!

Ghee-15.jpg


That, right there! That’s what you are looking for!

See how the butter just started foaming for a second time? This is the indication that your ghee is now ready to be strained.

Now you want take it off the heat and let that foam settle for a few seconds.

Ghee-16.jpg


Line your sieve with several layers of cheesecloth and set that over a large bowl, preferably one that is equipped with a pouring spout.

Pour your ghee right in!

Ghee-24.jpg


These are the milk solids that get left behind.

You will want to discard this.

Ghee-18.jpg


Now transfer your beautiful filtered ghee into a glass jar.

There is a chance that you might need a tissue at this point, to wipe off the tears from the corner of your eyes.

The smell alone will probably make you weep for joy!

Ghee-26.jpg


And what about the color. Have you ever seen a color so beautiful?

Liquid gold is what it is!

Ghee-22.jpg


Cover your jars loosely and let your precious ghee set for several hours at room temperature.

This generally takes a full day. I know, be patient!

Ghee-27.jpg


And there you have it. Your beautiful home made ghee is now ready to use.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful shade of yellow?

And talk about creaaaaamy.

Source: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/homemade-ghee/
 
Top