I can cook a perfect boiled egg every time. But peeling it? Complete disaster. I end up with craters and chunks missing.

I've tried:

• Shocking in ice water
• Peeling under running water
• Rolling on the counter
• Using older eggs

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. No consistency.

What actually makes an egg peel easily? Is it the cooking method, the egg age, the cooling process, or something else?

And more importantly – is there one technique that actually works every single time? Not "usually works." I mean 10 out of 10.

Recipe:
- 250g vegetable oil
- 250g caster sugar
- 2tsp vanilla paste plus 1tsp vanilla extract
- 3tsp ground cardamom
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 300g self raising flour
- 1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 110g custard powder
- 250ml shop bought buttermilk
- 1/2tsp salt

I started off by looking up random cardamom cake recipes and would take bits from each recipe to make one final one. All I can remember is that I cut the sugar amount by around half for my recipe above, as most I saw called for 300g. I dislike heavily sweet things and I understand sugar contributes to moisture but I cannot for the life of me have something that sweet. I’ve since experimented with a few different things to make it better.

I’ve experimented with using both butter and oil for the fats (150g butter and 100g oil) but for the cake I made yesterday I used vegetable oil for the whole 250g and the cake was INSANELY pillowy soft. Perfect. I also used proper cultured buttermilk from the shops whereas before I’d make my own buttermilk by adding lemon to 250ml milk. I much prefer the outcome with the buttermilk, and I of course added the bicarbonate of soda to this version.

I’d say I’ve finally tweaked the recipe to perfection but the only thing it slightly lacks is MOISTURE. It’s very soft and tender but feels ever so slightly dry in the mouth. How can I fix this? I think I will also use a bit of cardamom essence for a stronger flavour.

The batter is also a little on the thicker side.

Any tips?

Thank you all!

Hi, Im going to be making a lot of red lentil pasta and I plan on freezing it all. My university classes are starting up again soon, I have a very long daily commute and do not feel like cooking everyday. Is it better to cook and freeze the sauce, the pork meat and pasta separately or can I mix them as I usually would and freeze it together? What do you recommend? Dont know if it matters but the sauce is just tomato sauce along with some evaporated milk and basic seasonings.

I tried to make chicken mousse yesterday to stuff a boned out chicken leg and make a balloutine. I followed Adam Byatt’s recipe below but just ended up with what I can only describe as runny raw chicken cream. It wasn’t split but just not thick and pipe-able. Perhaps I didn’t whip it enough?

Is there a rule of thumb for ingredient ratios when making mousse or something to know that I may not pick up from this recipe? Some Googling around seems to show hugely varying egg and cream to chicken breast ratios so I’m at a loss - less cream or more protein is my gut feeling but would love to know if anyone has any tried and tested recipes.

FYI - everything was kept super cold throughout. A pinch of salt was added at the start but the rest was going to be added after beating. Never got there though.

Recipe:

Chicken Mousse
250g chicken breast
1 whole egg
15g table salt
750g double cream
20g chopped tarragon

Blend chicken with egg, add salt and pass through a tamis. Beat cream into chicken mousse over ice until stiff and glossy. Boudin a small amount in clingfilm and poach to test seasoning.

There is also a video of him doing this on YouTube. Not sure if I’m allowed to post here though.

Hey guys,

I’m visiting some friends down in the states (MN) for a few days and wanted to cook for them. Problem is I’m flying and I can’t transport Farmers/Mennonite Sausage from Canada due to policies and such. However I’m having a hard time figuring out what would be a good substitute other than kielbasa. I’m wondering if there are any other better options that I could possibly use that I don’t know of?

For reference farmer sausage is more peppery than kielbasa and it is not smoked.

Thank you!

I have a recipe for an apple cream tart from “When French Women Cook” by Madeleine Kamman, and the pastry recipe requires you to rub the butter into the flour to form pieces no smaller than a teaspoon, then you do three book folds and six turns, but the butter is already in the dough from the start, so it’s not a rough puff.

Is this just a flakey pie dough recipe with the addition of folds? I usually make the ATK foolproof pie dough recipe, and I was wondering if I can sub that, since the instructions are a lot clearer.

thanks in advance.