Posts by Ben Chapman

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  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to BenWilson,

    To avoid the shame of being caught out by physicists, I actually mean you can turn the element right down, whilst maintaining the same high temperature. Boiling water is boiling water. It’s going to be 100C as long as there’s any liquid water in there.

    Well, with the lid on, the pressure in the pot should increase, which will increase the boiling point above 100°C...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Carolyn Judd,

    Ok, not a hack but a blog. You should check out the awesomely named www.kitchenfuckery.com . Beware of strong language! and delicious food, just sayin’

    Similar:Thug Kitchen

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Joanna,

    Strain out the rinds and freeze them – they are AMAZING in baking or pasta.

    When I made limoncello, the rinds that came out of the liquor felt like they were made of wax. All of the goodness had leached out.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to John Armstrong,

    Pizza is supposed to be flat, isn’t it?

    Yes, but a long rise time allows for more fermentation, which does good stuff for your dough.

    If you leave your pizza dough overnight, it develops sugars, which brown when cooked, making for a crispier base. You need to inhibit the yeast activity though, or it'll eat up the sugar, so you need less yeast and should keep the dough in the fridge.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Gary Young,

    I’ve done that with some of the lemons from my own tree and I like the pleasantly rustic look they give to my kitchen shelf but I have to ask – how does one actually use a preserved lemon?

    Wouldn’t they be a bit too salty for a conventional desert?

    Preserved lemons can go in all sorts of things, but almost all of them savoury.

    The kids at our kindy preserved some of the lemons from their garden and used them in a fish ball casserole that they served at their Matariki dinner on Wednesday.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks,

    Fresh pineapple chunks with grated chocolate

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Paul Campbell,

    ...put the ingredients out so the kids can build their own pizzas

    Very nice.

    At my son's last birthday party, he and his friends all made their own pizzas. We even had them roll out their own bases.

    Then they built their own sundaes.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Hebe,

    Pizza hack 3: cut down on the yeast and leave to rise overnight.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks, in reply to Kyle Matthews,

    No! You’re messing with my entire life of cooked chips now. What does cause chips to soak up oil then?

    I think oil is absorbed as it replaces lost moisture in the potato. When cooked from cold, less moisture is lost because the potato doesn't reach a high enough temperature for the moisture to evaporate rapidly.

    In contrast, I suspect less oil is soaked up at very high temperature compared to merely high temperature because the potato cooks much faster, giving the moisture less time to evaporate.

    The moisture that is retained in the potato also poaches the interior, making it nice and fluffy.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Kitchen Hacks,

    Wheat berries. Boil 1/2 cup in lots of water for about an hour, then add to your favourite bread recipe.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2008 • 135 posts Report Reply

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