When You Cook
What I have here are ingredients and types used to prepare the recipes you have accumulated. They may help you to purchase just the right utensil or the ingredient that will make that cake, casserole, or those cookies the best ever
FLOURS AND STARCHES
All-Purpose Flour: If a recipe specifies all-purpose flour, you may use bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour.
Cake Flour: Use the plain type, not self-rising.
CornStarch: Plain cornstarch available in the supermarket.
Potato Starch: During Passover, this is sometimes substituted for cornstarch, which is made from grain and therefore forbidden.
Bread Crumbs: Fine dry breadcrumbs may be bought in the supermarket. Make sure to buy unflavored ones. Fresh white breadcrumbs are made by removing the crust from fresh bread, dicing the bread into small peices, and reducing it to crumbs in the food processor.
SUGARS AND SWEETNERS
Graunlated Sugar: Use plain graunlated sugar in all your recipes, never superfine sugar.
Brown Sugar: Use light or dark, whichever you prefer; but remember that dark sugar has a more pronounced molasses flavor and light a milder one.
Confectioner's Sugar: This is mainly for sprinkling on finished cakes, pastries, and sometimes as an ingredient in meringues, or specialty pastry doughs. Never use it for sweetening whipped cream, it contains cornstarch because it will add a chalky taste to the cream.
Corn Syrup: Light Corn syrup may be used as an ingredient in marzipan and some fillings. Dark corn syrup is used when its stronger flavor is required.
Maple Syrup: Grade A is the best and most expensive, more delicate in flavor, and meant to be used as a table syrup. Grade B is stronger-flavored and much better for baking--and usually lower priced.
Honey: Usually a dark, full-flavored honey, not necessairly one with a fancy pedigree.
Molasses: Unsulfured molasses, which tends to be milder in flavor than the other marked "robust flavor."
LEAVENERS
Yeast: All the recipes i've used call for active dry yeast, measured in teaspoons and tablespoons, not envelopes. 2 1/2 teaspoons equals an envelope. If you are a frequent baker it is more practical and less expensive to buy yeast in bulk. Remember to use the yeast before the expiration date.
Baking Powder: Use double-acting baking powder. There are several reliable brands available. Always check the can for an expiration date.
Baking Soda: Plain bicarbonite of soda. Be careful to crush any lumps before measuring and adding to other ingredients.
FLAVORINGS
Salt: Use fine sea salt for both baking and cooking. When you need a coarse salt use a kosher salt from the supermarket.
Extracts: Whether your extract is vanilla or another flavor, make sure the label states that it is pure. The same for almond extract. The label may say "pure vanilla extract" in large letters and " with artificial extract added" in smaller letters.
Liquors: False economy can really influence the flavor of what you are preparing. If a large bottle of good imported rum or liqueur is expensive, buy a smaller bottle rather than a lesser brand.
Chocolate: Most recipes specify either bittersweet or semisweet chocalate. Remember that bittersweet is not the same as unsweetened chocolate. Bittersweet contains sugar, while unsweetened does not.
Cocoa Powder: Use alkalized (Dutch-process) cocoa. It's easy to identify, the package has a Dutch-sounding name or it will state that it is alkalized.
Coffee: Brew triple-strength espresso (3 tablespoons coffee and 3/4 cup boiling water) or use instant espresso, the flavor is improved by dissilving it in brewed coffee.
Herbs and Spices: Whenever possible use fresh. Fresh herbs have become more available, even in the supermarket in the winter. If using dried herbs, make sure they are not stale and that they have a lively fragrance when you bruise some between your thumb and first finger. Store herbs and spices in a cool, dark place, away from heat.
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