Food & Ingredients

The thing about trifles, more specifically the custard part of it, is the difficulty in getting things just right. Although the recipe is simple enough, and easy enough to follow, everything has to be made and left to cool with enough time to add the next layer. In the midst of it all, things can […]

It can sometimes be hard to tell if many of our long-life pantry favourites ever go off. Foods that are canned, pickled, or preserved can outlive the human lifespan. But what about our go-to sugary pancake condiment? This article answers the question, does treacle ever go off?   What Is Treacle? Treacle is a sweet

The humble crumble is a firm favourite in Britain, served hot and with custard for a delightful winter warmer, and presented with ice cream, hot or cold, during the summer. You can use a crumble topping for savoury dishes just as much as the sweet, dessert ones that you’re probably more used to seeing. But

A big lesson for many cooking enthusiasts is the art of suitable substitutes. Many of us are prone to picking up the wrong jar of something-or-other, or have ingredients for this, but not that. Some of us are just keen experimentalists! This article asks whether you can use lasagne sauce for pasta.   Using Lasagne

Yellow bean sauce, also known as Hugan Jiang or soy bean paste, is a common ingredient in any Chinese chef’s pantry. Used in many recipes, yellow bean sauce is a type of puree that’s made from leftover soy beans which are used to make soy sauce. Yellow bean sauce has a salty flavour and is

Chewy, sweet and with the unmistakable flavour of golden syrup, flapjacks are a filling treat that has been enjoyed by one generation after another. There are various different recipes for flapjacks, each one declaring its combination of ingredients to be the “secret” to the perfect oaty square. But what happens when your flapjacks refuse to

If you need to save thin, runny icing sugar, don’t panic. Here are four different methods to thicken icing sugar using common kitchen ingredients.   1. Add Powdered Sugar The easiest way to thicken icing sugar is by adding (more) powdered sugar. Additional sugar will ‘soak up’ water, creating a firmer and thicker icing.  

The very British pork pie is usually made of three things: crust pastry, pork, and jelly. Although there are now many variations of the humble and traditional pork pie, the crust and the jelly are usually non-negotiable. But what is it? And why is it there? Let’s take a closer look…   What Is the

Often used as an alternative to many types of cream, crème fraîche is a type of sour cream which can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. Pronounced “krem fresh”, crème fraîche is richer and thicker than sour cream and doesn’t have the same distinctive tang. Due to its higher fat content, crème fraîche

A good sauce can make or break a dish, but it can be tricky to get it just right. It’s not just the flavour you’ll need to consider as the texture and thickness of the sauce are also vital. Whether it’s a gravy for a stew, pasta sauce or a curry, a thin, watery sauce