Tips: How I do it...

Para versão Portuguesa clique aqui: “Dicas:Eu faço assim…”

I created this page in order to share with you a few tips. Small gestures and little details that sometimes make a big difference when preparing a recipe. Every time I come up with information that may be useful I’ll update this page, so be sure to check it out frequently!

Whenever I bake a cake, I make sure the eggs are at room temperature.

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Whenever I need to frost a cake, I improvise a turning plate by using the one from the micro-wave oven.

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 Whenever I need to cut a cake in half to frost, I mark it with toothpicks to guide me when cutting.

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Whenever I have to chop onion, I cut it in half lengthwise and pull down the peel without removing it. This way I can hold onto it and chop the onion right to the end easily.

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Whenever I whisk egg whites I use glass bowls. Plastic, no matter how clean, always holds particles of grease that may compromise the final result. When separating the eggs I make sure that absolutely no egg yolk ends up in the egg white because that is all it takes for the whites not to rise.

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Every time I try out a new recipe I follow it exactly and then take notes of the changes I want to make (or don’t). I continue doing this until I come up with the recipe that works for me.

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Whenever I melt chocolate over a double-boiler I make sure the top pan doesn’t touch the water in the bottom pan. Chocolate will melt with the heat from the steam only.

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When I use the pressure cooker I make sure the lid is well placed and locked. When the valve begins to release steam with some intensity, it means the inner temperature has reached its limit so I lower the heat so valve rotates slowly.

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When I make pie dough, I make sure the butter is very cold. I try to handle dough as little as possible. The butter will form tiny holes in the flour making the baked dough delicate and flaky.

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When I melt gelatin sheets I make sure it’s completely melted so I don’t get bits of rubbery lumps in the dessert. I also take care not to let it boil or it will lose its thickening properties.

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In order for the cream to expand and thicken when beaten, I place the bowl and paddles in the refrigerator and the cream in the freezer 30 minutes before I whip the cream.

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