Cooking

There are plenty of flour varieties out there–whole wheat, rye, spelt, and more. An all-purpose flour may sound like it’s good enough for every making project, but some recipes may call for a bread flour instead. These two are closely related and can mostly be used interchangeably. However, the small differences in protein and gluten content variations can make a difference in the final product. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between all-purpose and bread flour. All Purpose Flour This flour is the perfect balance of protein and gluten for most recipes. It’s made by removing the wheat’s germ and grinding the starch-rich endosperm into a flour with 9% to 11% protein content. This protein will determine how strong, stretchy and tender a baked good will be. All-purpose flour is ideal for cookies, muffins and quick breads. It can also work for most cake recipes and some breads. Bread Flour A bread flour will have more protein content than all-purpose flour, about 11% to 13%. This will ultimately aid gluten development, resulting in chewy baked goods. It’s most commonly used for breads (hence the name) but can also be great for cookies, pizza crusts and more. You’ll notice crumb and texture differences between the flours but they generally can substitute one another. Avoid over-mixing bread flour if you are using it in place of an all-purpose flour or you can end up with chewy, dense baked goods. Source: the Kitchn

If you’re looking to perfect that chocolate chip cookie recipe, you should start with learning the basics to butter. Butter carries all the important factors to a cookie’s flavor and texture. Here’s what the differences in butter can do for your recipe. Butter gives flavor, tenderness and flaky layers to baked goods. It can also bring a bit of structure and rise. For instance, a chocolate chip cookie dough incorporates butter and sugar to incorporate air into the final result. The fat and moisture in butter can enhance or inhibit gluten development which directly impacts the shape, spread and texture in cookies. Softened Butter. At a temperature between 70 and 72 degrees F, butter is soft enough to incorporate air but not soft enough that it will melt immediately in the oven. This will result in super thin cookies and prevent gluten development. Cookies will come out with a finer texture and more cake-like. Melted Butter. In its liquid state, butter will mix with both the sugar and flour for a softer dough that develops more gluten. Cookies baked with melted butter will spread more than those with room-temperature butter. If you chill cookie dough made with melted butter, you’ll end up with a cookie that is soft and chewy but crispy on just the edges. Cold Butter. A cold butter will make baked goods flaky by creating layers in the dough and cutting through the gluten development. A pie crust or croissant would be an example of this method. It makes for a super crispy cookie with a tender center. Source: the Kitchn

Minced garlic is a great way to infuse food with sweet, pungent garlic flavor. However, mincing is arduous and can often bring undesired smells. Follow this guide on when you should skip the mincing altogether even if a recipe calls for it. Smashing or slicing garlic will break down the cells inside the clove which starts a chemical reaction. This reaction is what gives a stronger flavor, so finely minced garlic will be more pungent than smashed cloves. However, minced garlic will also burn easier and often taste bitter if overcooked. Skip mincing garlic for soups, stews and braises. A stew will cook slowly, so there’s no need to mince garlic. The broth will break down the cloves. Maximize flavor by smashing the cloves before tossing them into the pot. Slice garlic for pastas and sautés. Cooking sliced garlic in olive oil or butter will caramelize, adding to the flavor of the base dish. Try frying the garlic in oil and use the oil to sauté vegetables. Minced garlic with these methods could easily burn, leaving a bitter taste. Grate for dressings and marinades. You can mimic the flavor of minced garlic by simply grating it on a fine grater. This is easy to overcook so save it for salad dressings and marinades. Source: The Kitchn

Yeast may be intimidating if you ever find yourself baking bread and are new to baking. Overworking it can leave you with a stone hard loaf and a ruined dinner. Here’s everything you should know about getting started with dry yeast. Activating vs. Proofing Yeast An active dry yeast is a form of yeast that has been dehydrated to give it a longer shelf life. This yeast requires adding some liquid and sometimes sugar to ensure it’s alive enough for baking. A recipe may call for “proving” the yeast which can be confused with proofing the bread. Activating Yeast To activate yeast you’ll sprinkle the dry yeast into a bit of water and let it sit until it’s slightly foamy. This water does not need to be hot–room temperature or slightly warm water works best. After the foam is visible, stir it with a spoon or fork until the yeast is completely dissolved. The yeast should be smooth and silky. Proofing Yeast Yeast proofs when the gluten has been developed through kneading the dough. The yeast will feed off of sugars in the starch and expel gas into the gluten. You’ll most likely want the dough to rise double its size before shaping. This ensures the yeast and gluten will have enough time to proof and develop. Baking the yeast will cause the gas inside to rapidly expand and any water to turn into steam. Properly activating the yeast, kneading the dough and letting it rise in a warm area will allow for the yeast to proof itself. Source: The Kitchn

No need to worry about overcooking another burger with this guide. A juicy burger with layers of cheese and perfect condiments is the perfect way to bring in the New Year. Here’s everything you need to know to master the grill. Temperature. Burgers need to be cooked at just the right temperature. If the heat is too high you could end up with a dry and burnt burger. Too low of a temperature and you’ll end up with a placid and rubbery patty. The sweet spot for grilling burgers is 375F to 400F, for most grills this is medium-high heat. If you’re using charcoals you want to fill the grill with two to three quarts in an even layer. Place the burgers directly over the heat source instead of indirectly cooking them. Time. Burgers at the right temperature need just the right amount of time to get the desired patty. The FDA recommends beef to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F for safety but if you prefer medium-rare and know the beef source, you can remove it at 145F. Medium-rare (red in the middle): 3 minutes each side Medium (pink in the middle): 3 to 4 minutes each side Medium-well (a bit of pink in the middle): 4 minutes each side Well-done (no pink): 5 minutes each side Source: the Kitchn