Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Dear Readers: Did you know that you can substitute cocoa and one other ingredient for baking chocolate? What’s the other ingredient? Solid vegetable shortening. Three tablespoons of cocoa plus 1 tablespoon of solid vegetable shortening equals 1 ounce of baking chocolate. Vegetable oil also can be used.
We tested this, and the vegetable-oil mixture is, as you might expect, a liquid consistency, and the shortening version is more solid.
Also, the date on cocoa is a freshness date, not an expiration date. Nothing in cocoa will actually spoil or go bad, so you can use it past the date.
Heloise
P.S.: The following is another substitute hint.
Dear Heloise: I can’t remember what to do when a recipe calls for buttermilk and you don’t have any in the fridge.
JoAnn Martin, Arlington, Texas
Don’t run to the store! Put 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) in the measuring cup first, then use whole milk to equal 1 cup. Let the milk stand for five minutes or so before using. You also can use 1/2 cup of plain regular yogurt and 1/2 cup of milk as a substitute in a pinch.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: The inside of our dishwasher was awful from iron in the water. I went to the appliance store, and the salesman said he could sell me a cleaner, but he knew something just as effective — unsweetened lemon drink mix. I used two packets and ran the dishwasher on a full cycle. The result was an amazingly sparkling-clean interior.
Page Bradley, Leesburg, Va.
Page, citric acid in the lemon drink does help remove iron and is an ingredient in many commercial rust removers.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: Folks with small farms who raise chickens and sell eggs are eager to recycle your egg cartons. We take ours and those from friends to a local farmers market.
Patt R., Baker, La.
Patt, we love this as a recycling hint, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture advises consumers not to reuse foam meat trays and egg cartons for other food items. There is a risk of cross-contamination, especially if there are any bacteria (think salmonella!) on the surface. You can’t clean a paper carton.
Heloise
Dear Heloise: When I need to drizzle frosting/icing over a dessert/cake, I take some pre-made frosting and melt it in a glass measuring cup for about 20 seconds. I take the squeeze part off my turkey baster and pour the melted frosting through the baster.
Also, after baking a cake, there usually is part of the cake that sticks to the pan. I scrape that off the pan and put the crumbs into my sifter. After I frost the cake, I sift the crumbs over the top.
Susan, via e-mail
Send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, fax it to 210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate