Chocolate
Melting Chocolate
Place chocolate pieces in a bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and return to microwave. Heat and stir in 30 second intervals until chocolate reaches smooth, melted consistency. For a smoother melt, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil per 500 g of chocolate. Never introduce water into the mix; this will seize the chocolate. You cannot recover chocolate once it has been scorched.
Dairy Products
Eggs
Remove eggs from the refrigerator approximately 15 to 20 minutes before you are going to use them. Check the shells of eggs to determine its freshness. Fresh eggs have shells that are rough and chalky. Old eggs have shells that are smooth and have lost the chalky appearance. Or place in cold salt water and if it sinks, it is fresh. If it rises to the surface, it is old and should be discarded.
When storing egg yolks, keep them moist by pouring one tablespoon of water over them and store in a covered container.
If raw eggs become mixed up with hard-boiled, you can determine which are hard boiled by spinning the eggs. The hard-boiled eggs will spin and the raw will wobble.
To make hard boiled eggs easier to peel, try this tip: Before boiling the eggs, poke one end with a needle. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water before boiling. As soon as the eggs are ready, crack the shell and place them in cold water.
When adding an egg to hot liquid, first beat the egg in a little bowl, then add a little of the hot liquid to the egg and mix thoroughly. Then add the egg mixture into the pan.
Beating Egg Whites
Add a pinch of salt when beating egg whites. This helps them to froth up quickly. Or add a pinch of cream of tartar powder will do the same if you prefer to keep down your salt intake.
Egg Whites did not get stiff?
Add a dash of lemon juice to the mixture.
When a small chip of eggshell falls into the egg mixture, fish it out by using a broken half of eggshell.
Fresh Cream
Before whipping up fresh cream, it is advisable to put the beater accessory in the fridge for half an hour before use.
Add a pinch of salt when beating egg whites. This helps them to froth up quickly. Or add a pinch of cream of tartar powder will do the same if you prefer to keep down your salt intake.
Egg Whites did not get stiff?
Add a dash of lemon juice to the mixture.
When a small chip of eggshell falls into the egg mixture, fish it out by using a broken half of eggshell.
Fresh Cream
Before whipping up fresh cream, it is advisable to put the beater accessory in the fridge for half an hour before use.
Milk
Avoid Spilling
Just brush a little oil or ghee or butter to the edges of the saucepan while boiling milk. By doing so, the milk will never spill over.
Fruits
Frozen Fruits
When frozen fruits are used, do not thaw them. Use them as it is according to recipe.
Honey & Sugar
Brown sugar
Placing a piece of bread in with the brown sugar will prevent it from becoming hard, or sealing the package tight and storing it in the refrigerator will also keep it soft and fresh. To soften brown sugar after it has hardened, place a fresh apple wedge in the bag of hardened sugar. Seal bag and leave it for 1 to 2 days until the sugar is soft again. Remove the apple wedge and stir sugar. Store in an airtight plastic bag.
Another brown sugar saver
Never worry about finding your brown sugar hard again. Store brown sugar in its original box inside your refrigerator. It will remain soft and easy to mix with other dry ingredients.
Never worry about finding your brown sugar hard again. Store brown sugar in its original box inside your refrigerator. It will remain soft and easy to mix with other dry ingredients.
Keep ants away from sugar
To keep ants away from sugar, just add 3 or 4 cloves in the sugar pot.
Measuring Honey
Dip spoon in oil first before using it to measure honey. The honey will not get stuck to the spoon.
Softening Honey
If clear honey has crystallised in its jar, remove the lid, place the jar in the microwave and cook on high for 1-2 minutes. Stir the honey thoroughly, leave to cool and use as required. It is important not to overheat the honey. Or place bottle in a pot of water and cook over low heat until ready.
Vanilla Pods
Do not throw away empty vanilla pods. Grind them with sugar and sift the mixture. Voilà, you will get your own home-made vanilla sugar. Store in airtight containers.
Nuts
How to store nuts
Opened bags containing nuts should be sealed and stored in the freezer. One has to be extra careful with hazelnuts as these go bad rather quickly.
Wheat Products
Flour
To prevent bugs from getting into the flour, add a bay leaf to your flour container or store it in the freezer.
Make your own cake flour by substituting two tablespoons of cornstarch for two tablespoons of all-purpose flour for every cup of flour called for in the recipe.
Make your own self-raising flour by adding 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup flour.
Leftover Food
Leftover Pancakes or Waffles?
Make large batches of pancakes and waffles. That way when there are leftovers, put a piece of aluminum foil between them, place in a freezer bag, then freeze. For a quick breakfast, remove what you want from the bag, microwave for 1-2 minutes. No more buying the expensive frozen pancakes and waffles!
Extra Tips
Baking Paper
In order that the baking paper does not move around during baking, place a little dough on each corner of baking tray.
Baking Powder Test
If you are unsure about the freshness of your baking powder, try this test: Put one teaspoon in 1/3 cup of water. If the water does not fizz, throw away the baking powder cos it is too old.
How to prepare Air Kapur (Lime Stone Water)
In a jug, add 1 tbsp of kapur sirih and 500 ml water. Stir well and leave to stand until the kapur has sinked to the bottom. The top water layer is known as Air Kapur. Sirih Kapur is a lime stone paste which is the main ingredient used in betel-nut chewing which is a tradition in Singapore, Malaysia & Indonesia. It is used in both baking and cooking. It can be kept in a jar without any refrigeration for indefinite time. To reuse, just add water to the jar and stir it. Note: You can buy kapur sirih (white lime stone paste) - thai version in any asian supermarkets.
How to get crispier Streusel?
Add melted butter to mixture instead of using soft or frozen butter.
How to get lighter Pancakes?
By adding buttermilk or mineral water to the batter.
How to make your own Rempah Kuih (Mixed Spice) for Lapis Legit or Fruit Cake?
Mix the following spices together & store in an airtight container:
2 tsp cinnamon powder (serbuk kayu manis)
1 tsp clove powder (serbuk bunga cengkih)
1 tsp cardamon powder (serbuk buah pelaga)
1/2 tsp star anise powder (serbuk bunga lawang)
Measuring Syrup and Honey
Dip measuring cup or spoon either in hot water or brush with oil before pouring in the syrup. This way, you will get all that's in the cup to come out.
Raisins sunk in cake?
Before adding raisins to cake batter, dust them with flour beforehand.
Rolling out Dough
Place dough in a zip-lock plastic bag and roll from the centre outwards to get a perfect thickness.
Working with dough
When working with dough, do not flour your hands; instead coat them with olive oil to prevent it sticking to your hands.
To test whether wet Yeast is still fresh
Throw a small piece of fresh or wet yeast into a bowl of hot water. If it rises to the top, that will mean that it can still be used.
Thank you for the tips!
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