How to Fix 21 Common Cooking and Baking Mistakes

How to Rx Common COOKING AND BAKING ONEL Mistakes Cooking Too Salty • For soup dishes, dilute with water. Add a raw cut potato while cooking to absorb salts. • Add acidity with white wine vinegar or lemon. • Soak uncooked meats that are too salty in water for 2 hours. • Add a creamy component like avocado, sour cream, or heavy cream, if possible. Too Spicy • Add dairy like sour cream, mayo, or plain yogurt. • Add some texture like rice or quinoa. Add a little sugar. • Stir in a tablespoon of nut butter. • Add more of the non-spicy ingredients included in the recipe. Too Sweet • Add lemon or lime juice to balance sugar. • Add fats, such as olive oil or avocado. • Do NOT add salt. Too Sour • Add a bit of honey or sugar to dishes with excessive vinegar. • Add chopped carrots to overly acidic sauces. Poor Searing • You may be flipping the meat too soon or too often. It is ready to flip when your spatula slides underneath easily. • Make sure the pan is hot enough before adding meat. Wait for oil to ripple. Medium to medium-high quickly cooks the outside while sealing in moisture. Food is Soggy or Doesn't Brown • Overcrowding a pan prevents steam from escaping and increases moisture. Make sure there is no overlapping. MAONEL Deep-Fried Food Too Greasy • Make sure the frying oil is heated to between 325 and 400 degrees. Hotter oil repels water. • Frying in smaller batches helps maintain hot oil temperature. Rubbery Hard-Boiled Eggs • Immediately submerge cooked eggs in cold water to halt the cooking process. Overcooked or Soggy Pasta • Heat oil in a large shallow pan and add drained pasta. • Add plenty of salt to the water. This helps prevent sogginess by roughing up the surface. Baking Cracked Layer Cake • Cracks in cakes are usually caused by a too-hot Dry Cake • Poke holes in the top and brush with simple sugar Uneven Cake • Wrap Bake-Even strips around the pan, or make your own – cut a towel into strips, soak in water, and tie around pan. • With a clean paper towel, gently push down on the raised top of a baked cake while still hot. oven. syrup. • If top of cake is cracked, carefully slice it off with a serrated bread knife. • If cake is tasty but too crumbly, try making a trifle by layering cake pieces in a deep bowl with whipped cream and fruit. Not Baking Evenly • Make sure dough is rolled and distributed evenly. • Check if oven temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer. • Test for hot spois. Toast slices of bread in the middle of the rack and note more toasted areas. Avoid these spots or rotate pans while baking. Cookies Spread Too Much • Let butter soften to room temperature for about an hour. Don't microwave. • Place eggs in warm water for 10 minutes to reach room temperature. • Make sure baking powder and soda are fresh and active. • Chill the dough before baking. Weird Texture • Sift flour to aerate it out for consistent measurements. Level with the flat edge of a knife. • Use the right kind of measuring cup for liquid and dry ingredients. BAKING SODA BAKING Egg Whites Won't Fluff • Use room temperature eggs. • Use a copper, stainless steel, or glass bowl and dry mixers. • Whip at high speed until stiff peaks form and stay when you lift beater out of the bowl. Sunken Baked Goods • Put batter in the oven as soon as it is ready. • Do NOT open the oven door while baking. • Make sure you use the right amount of rising agent. Too Firm and Chewy • Avoid overmixing the dough or cranking up the speed of your mixer. • Mix wet ingredients first, then add dry ingredients. This prevents the over development of gluten. Storage Changed Cookie Consistency Cookies Harden After Cooling Melted Chocolate Clumping • Add a small amount of vegetable oil and stir. • Make sure oven temperature is accurate with oven thermometer. • If using a dark cookie sheet, reduce temperature by 25°F. • Grease cookie sheets sparingly, or use parchment • Always cool cookies completely before storing. • Don't combine crisp and soft cookies in the same container. • Store in airtight containers. • Store soft cookies with apple wedge to retain moisture. • "Recrisp" crisp cookies by baking at 300°F for five minutes and cool on rack. • Don't refrigerate cookies unless they have a cream or custard filling. paper. Original creator and source: https://www.titlemax.com/discovery-center/home-and-family/how-to-fix-21-common-cooking-and-baking-mistakes/ Based on tips found here: seriouseats.com and foodnetwork.com OF