DESSERT COOKING TIPS 2

COOKING APPLES

If you want to cook fresh apples, remember you will be left with only half the amount you started out with. I kilo of raw apples = 1/2 kilo cooked apples.
Substitute one cup of sugar, with two cups of corn syrup.
JELLY BELLY

To unmould jellies, dip the container into hot water up to the rim, place an inverted plate over it, then invert the tin and plate again, shake the tin a little and the jelly will come off.
MERINGUES

To store meringues, wrap in foil or arrange in an airtight tin, putting grease-proof paper between two layers. Will keep fresh for up to two months.
CARAMEL CUSTARD

Do not cook a caramel custard too quickly, as this will cause bubbles in the mixture.
SHORT CUT DESSERT

arrange stewed or canned fruit in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with icing sugar and brandy, cover with marshmallows and brown under a hot grill.
FREEZE ICE-CREAM

Always turn the refrigerator to its coldest setting, one hour before freezing ice-cream. When cream has frozen, turn back to normal.
SHORT CRUST PASTRY

When making short-crust pastry, the higher you lift flour while crumbling, the more air you infuse, and thus make the pastry lighter.
BROWN SUGAR BLUES

To soften rocky brown sugar, simply add a slice of soft bread to the package and close the bag tightly. In a few hours the sugar will be soft again.
ICE CREAM

Always chill glasses before preparing the ice cream in it. It will not melt quickly. Never try to refreeze ice cream that has melted completely. It will taste awful! Instead, convert it to make a delicious milk shake or add a fruit and run it in the mixie for a fruit shake.
PASTRIES

Always use whole milk rather than skim or reduced fat milk in your pastry recipes
OLD CHOCOLATE

If you notice a grayish color on your chocolate slab, don?t worry. This is called ?bloom?, and it is a sign that the cocoa butter has risen to the surface. It does not affect the flavour of the chocolate, and the grayish color will disappear when the chocolate is melted
CHOCOLATE

Always let chocolate come to room temperature to prevent it from flying around when being chopped; cold chocolate is too hard to cut and the knife may slip and cut you.
For maximum flavor and the best results when nuts are called for in a recipe, toast them before incorporating them into the batter or mixture.
NUTTY DESSERTS

To prevent nuts and fruits from sinking to the bottom of a cake during baking, warm them a bit in the oven and toss them with flour. Shake off excess flour before mixing them into the batter.