how to fold egg whites

The secret to making light and fluffy mousse is to fold whisked egg whites into the whipped cream so the mixture stays aerated. Here's how.

Step 1: Add one-third of the egg whites to the cream. Use a large metal spoon - the edge cuts through the mixture so it doesn't deflate.
Step 2: Fold using a cutting action, turning the mixture in on itself, rather than stirring. This stops the mixture from losing too much volume.
Step 3: Add the remaining egg whites and fold in gently until just combined. Folding in batches ensures the mixture stays light and fluffy.

how to make & freeze breadcrumbs

Fresh breadcrumbs freeze well and are a great way to use up leftover bread.

How to make your own breadcrumbs

You can use bought breadcrumbs to crumb foods, but if you have a food processor it's easy to make your own. Remove the crusts from day-old white bread slices and cut into cubes. Transfer the cubes to the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.

Freezing breadcrumbs

Once you've made your breadcrumbs, transfer to a sealable plastic bag. Label, date and freeze for up to three months. Place the frozen breadcrumbs in the fridge until thawed, then use instead of bought breadcrumbs in recipes.

Creative crumbing combinations

Now that you know the basics of crumbing, you can vary the flavours in your coating to create a range of delicious meals. Try these ideas.

• Add ground spices, such as cumin, paprika or cayenne pepper, to the flour mixture.
• A little finely grated cheese, such as parmesan or cheddar, combines well with fresh or dried (packaged) breadcrumbs.
• Add other flavouring ingredients, such as finely chopped pitted black or green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped capers or lightly toasted sesame seeds to the breadcrumb mixture.
• Add finely chopped fresh herbs, such as continental parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and dill, to the breadcrumb mixture. You could also use dried herbs.
• Add finely grated lemon, lime or orange rind to the breadcrumb mixture. As a guide, lemon rind works well with lamb, veal, chicken and seafood; lime rind is a good match for chicken and seafood; while orange rind is delicious with pork and veal.
• Instead of breadcrumbs, coat the food with other dried ingredients, such as rolled oats, cornflake crumbs, crushed corn chips, polenta (cornmeal) or cooked couscous.

How to prepare julienne carrots

In traditional French cuisine, matchsticks cut from vegetables such as carrots are known as julienne. Here's a quick and easy way to make them.

Step 1: Peel the carrots and cut into 8cm lengths. Trim 1 side and turn to lie flat. Repeat 3 more times to trim the remaining sides.
Step 2: Carefully cut 1 trimmed carrot piece lengthways into 2-4mm thick slices. Arrange the carrot slices in a stack.
Step 3: Carefully slice the carrot stack lengthways into matchsticks. Repeat with the remaining carrot pieces.

How to butterfly chicken

Your step-by-step guide to this popular poultry cut.

Step 1 Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Using kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove.

Step 2 Turn chicken over and place, skin side up, on a clean, flat surface. Using hands, press down firmly to flatten.

Step 3 Carefully push fingers between the breast skin and flesh to separate. Gently push butter mixture under skin.

How to whip cream

Follow these simple tips to whip thickened cream into soft or firm peaks. If it starts to look grainy, you’ve over-whipped it – try folding in some more cream.

Tip 1: Use a balloon whisk or an electric beater to whip cream. If the cream and bowl are chilled, the cream will whip more quickly.

Tip 2: For soft peaks, whisk until cream just clings when the whisk or beater is lifted. This is useful when making mixtures, such as mousse.

Tip 3: For firm peaks, continue to whisk until the cream holds firmly to the whisk or beater. This is useful for serving with desserts.

How to melt chocolate

Is melting chocolate the bane of your cooking existence? Follow these simple bain-marie tips and melt chocolate like a pro every time.


Step 1: Finely chop chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl that fits snuggly in a saucepan (this stops water spraying into the chocolate).

Step 2: Half-fill saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place bowl on top, making sure it doesn't touch water (or it will overheat).

Step 3: Stir with a metal spoon until melted. Avoid wooden or plastic spoons - these retain moisture that makes chocolate seize (harden)

How to make a funky fruit platter

Turn a simple fruit platter into something spectacular with these clever ideas.

1. Make the cut

Try cutting fruit into different shapes. Use a melon baller to scoop balls from different coloured melons, then pile into a serving bowl or glasses. Then add tropical fruits with interesting shapes, such as carambola (star fruit), cut into slices, dragon fruit, cut into wedges, or rambutans, halved.

2. Bowl them over

For clever serving bowls for your platter, use fresh coconut halves or hollowed out melon halves, trimming the base of each melon half so it sits flat. For individual bowls, scoop the flesh from
halved oranges, grapefruit or lemons.

3. Pump up the platter

Add pizazz to your platter with decorative extras. To give an exotic touch to a platter of tropical
fruits, use fresh Asian-style flowers, such as orchids. Or for a spring feel, try adding small bunches of fresh herbs, such as mint or basil. A bowl of fresh nuts adds loads of crunch and flavour, too.

How to test oil for deep-frying

When deep-frying, it’s vital to heat the oil to the right temperature – not hot enough and the food will be greasy, too hot and it will burn. Here’s how to test it.

Method 1: Place a sugar or oil thermometer in the oil and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches the desired temperature.

Method 2: Place the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil. The oil is ready when bubbles begin to appear around the tip of the handle.

Method 3: Add a cube of bread to the hot oil. It will turn golden in 30-35 seconds at 160°C, 15 seconds at 180°C, and 10 seconds at 190°C

how to cook perfect broccoli

The thick stem section of broccoli florets takes longer to cook than the top, so try this trick to ensure your broccoli cooks evenly.

Step 1: Place the broccoli on a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to cut the broccoli into florets, leaving 2-3cm of stem attached.

Step 2: Cut a small cross in the base of each floret. This allows heat to penetrate the stem, so it cooks at the same rate as the floret tops.

Step 3: Cook in a saucepan of simmering water until bright green and tender crisp. To test, insert a sharp knife into the stem.

How to put together the perfect cheese platter

For best results when preparing a cheese platter, follow these tips.

Tip 1:
Remove your cheese from the fridge one hour before serving - the flavour is best when the cheese is at room temperature.

Tip 2:
Use the right knife - a knife with holes helps to stop soft cheese from sticking. For hard cheese, try a cheese planer - shaped like a small cake slice with a blade.

Tip 3:
Provide a knife for each cheese on the platter to avoid mixing all the different flavours.