All About Cooking by Moi

I'm not an expert and I don't claim to be.  But I thought I'd put here a few tips and hints that I've come across when cooking.  When first moving to the UK I had a really difficult time coping with all the conversions I had to remember when shopping.  Below is some of the problems I've had to cope with and thought I'd pass on the knowledge. 

As our world gets to be smaller and people travel more the likelihood of you buying an American cookbook is high. This will help you decipher what is different and what is not.  Also you might find this program handy as well. I use it to convert the recipes from metric to US measures and vice versa. Please only do this if you are confident in you cooking abilities. If at all in doubt do not attempt this. 

This isn't meant to be a comprehensive list (not even I can do that!). If you've come across something other than what I've listed here let me know (e-mail address on index page) and I'll post the hint along with credit!   

All About Chocolate

Most US chocolate is crap. I'm from there, tasted it and can offer an opinion on it! I'm now spoiled with all the European versions.  However, there are some differences worth noting. 

In the US we have a chocolate called un-sweetened chocolate and it is also known as bitter or unsweetened chocolate. There is no sugar added and it about 50-58% cocoa solids.  Recently another student at school e-mailed me this link, which is an on-line UK store selling unsweetened chocolate amongst a whole bunch of other hard to get American food items.  They come in 'squares' and it is equal to one ounce of bitter or unsweetened chocolate.  Here is a substitute that I've come across that might help: 

Make sure when you do use this that you dissolve the cocoa in 1/4 cup liquid from the recipe. This releases the full flavour of the cocoa - trust me!  This conversion is for one ounce of unsweetened chocolate. To use more than one ounce then just multiply it by each ounce needed.  If you have to use say 1 1/2 squares then divide.  Those math skills are put to the test with cooking/baking! 

Another tip I found is that you can substitute semi-sweet or plain chocolate (use the highest cocoa solid you can afford when doing this) ounce for ounce for un-sweetened chocolate in your recipe.  Just minus 1 tablespoon sugar for each ounce of chocolate used from the recipe.  You might get into a bother if you have both white and brown sugar in your recipe in that case I'd minus the white as you would probably need the moisture content and flavour of the brown sugar.

I've found the chocolate chips sold in the UK to be the same as the ones sold in the US.  The only difference is the US is sold in larger volumes for cookie recipes.  For example, a 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips would be about 340 grams of chocolate chips.  I've only found Nestle chips to be like the mini-chips that are sold in the US.  Most chips in the US are labeled as semisweet and this can contain between 15-35% cocoa solids, in the UK this would be called Plain Chocolate Chips.

Plain chocolate is comparable to the US semi-sweet.  Unfortunately, the US doesn't put how much of a percentage of cocoa solids are in the product.  When a recipe calls for dark chocolate or bitter sweet you should stay in the 55-75% cocoa solids content.  This means that the semisweet kind is out due to its low cocoa content (plus they add additional sugar and vanilla).

The difference between unsweetened cocoa and Dutch-processed cocoa is that in the Dutch kind they add an alkali to lower the natural acidity of the chocolate.  Thus creating a richer and darker product, hence affecting your final product.  I recently was asked about which kinds of cocoa powder here in the UK are Dutch processed.  

According to the Cake Bible author most European cocoa powders are Dutch processed.  She specifically mentions the brands Lindt from Switzerland, Poulain, Valrhôna.  I've not found them locally but that doesn't mean you won't find them.  I've only come across Van Houten in Tesco in a special container that I just happen to pick up because I wanted the container.  I've tried Green & Blacks and the Fairly Trade one (Oxfam used to be on the label but it isn't now).  Both have given me excellent results and can be found at most UK supermarkets.  

I'll only make one more comment on chocolate. If you go to the trouble of making something really nice use quality ingredients. Why else bother then? 

All About Sugar

Castor sugar is a fine granulated sugar.  Ideal for baking and desserts as well as tea. The US equivalent would be super-fine sugar. 

Granulated sugar is labeled the same in the UK and the US, although the US version has a some what smaller grain - between the UK's granulated and castor kind. It can be either white or raw (where the molasses isn't totally stripped during the manufacturing process). 

Demerara sugar is a coarse, crunchy, brown sugar. It is good in cereals, topping crumbles, and in coffee but isn't a substitute for brown sugar. You might be able to find this in specialty or gourmet shops in the US but I've yet to see it on the store shelves. 

Muscovado sugar is a soft and dark (or light) brown sugar which would be equivalent to the US one calling for light or dark brown sugar.  I've recently been reading up on sugar - who would know there is so much information on the subject?!  If you want 'real' brown sugar then stick to Muscovado sugar.  In the UK Billington's is by far the best.  In the US Domino's is OK but it isn't 'true' brown sugar.  It is white sugar that had had the molasses replaced.  Sort of defeats the object doesn't it??  I'll leave you to decide - you now have the information...

Palm sugar is a good substitute for light brown sugar when called for in either US/UK recipes. Although I have found this to be a bit difficult to measure - treat it like molasses and grease the cup first!

Pearl (or sometimes called barley) sugar is made from a very pure sugar and are formed into small pearls. It isn't sold retail in the UK but you can find it on the Continent and it is also sold in the US by this web site. 

Preserving sugar is for making jam and jelly (not to be confused with jelly in the UK as that's Jell-O by US standards!). It already has the pectin mixed in the sugar.  It is probably advisable to follow the package directions.  I make my jam with pectin packets - I found them to be easier as I can then reduce the sugar content (not something you want to do first time making jam!).  

Icing sugar in the UK is called confectioners sugar in the US.  It is sugar finely ground with corn flour in the UK and corn starch (what they call  anti-caking agents) in the US to keep it free-flowing. You should always sift before using to prevent lumps from forming in your final product. 

Baker's Ammonia

It's no secret that I collect cookbooks. So when flipping through one I came across a term I didn't recognise, it was hartshorn salt.  What was this I wondered?  With the modern day equivalent being bicarbonate of soda.  Well a search on the web told me this answer.  After finding a supplier, and trying it myself I found out that you'd only want to use bicarbonate of soda as a last resort.  Although smelly, it does the job and makes very crisp biscuits (cookies on the other side of the pond!).  You might only want to go to that extra trouble when you want very crisp cookies! 

Baking Soda and Baking Powder

Note that there is a difference between American baking powder and British baking powder! American is double acting and British is single acting.  Therefore, when making an American recipe remember to double the amount of baking powder or you might end up with a rather flat cake!  I have found that at times using twice the amount tends to leave a baking powder taste.  If possible try to get some baking powder from America. Double it only as a last resort. 

Baking soda however, is the same here as in the US - just one is called Bicarbonate of soda and the other is called baking soda. Go figure! 

Substitution for Buttermilk

I've not tried this - I can usually still find it at Tesco but it is becoming harder to find!  If you want to substitute buttermilk you can use any of the following to your recipe. But bear in mind it won't give the same type of flavour that traditional buttermilk has but it will replace the acidity. 
 
For every cup (8 ounces or 240 ml) use 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white (distilled not malt!) vinegar along with enough milk to make up one cup or 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1 cup of milk.

Jelly or Jell-o?

There really isn't a UK equivalent to Jell-O.  The UK version also won't yield the same results as the US Jell-O version.  You might be better off trying to use gelatine or its vegetarian counterpart.  Sorry I don't have much more to offer on this subject - I absolutely hate jelly or Jell-O. 

Flour or Flower?

Plain flour in the UK is a good substitute for all-purpose flour, which is how it is marked in the US. 

Superfine sifted plain flour is the nearest equivalent to cake flour in the US.  A good thing to remember about this type of flour for cakes is that the protein content per 4 ounces/113 grams should be lower then 8 grams. If it is then it will be fine since most labels in the UK do not say specifically cake flours like in the US. 

So for example, on a popular brand of plain flour marked for cakes and biscuits here in the UK the protein content is 9.8 grams. 9.8 x 100 / 113 = 8.67 grams of protein.  Now to be fair we don't have 'cake' flour here so you'll have to just search around for the lowest protein content you can find.  I've found this to be about the best I can do - until the supermarkets get wise and start stocking those wonderful flours from the Continent! 

I've recently found a substitute for cake flour.  For 1 cup (remember American cup!) use 3/4 of a cup of sifted, bleached all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or corn flour in the UK).  It isn't a great substitute but will do until I find another. 

Self-raising flour has the raising agent (baking powder) already included so no extra raising agent is needed.  Salt is also included within self-raising flour as well.  It is not used much in US recipes although this is beginning to change! Remember if you use an American recipe with British self-raising flour to add a bit extra of British baking powder as American kind is double acting!

Strong flour is good for breads and such and it is labeled the same in the US. It should have about 14 grams of protein per 4 ounces/113 grams. 

Corn flour as it is called in the UK is called corn starch in the US. 

Recipe Templates

Would you like a .pdf template for typing out your recipes? I got it from the Martha Stewart site but she no longer has it there. At least I couldn't find it despite hours of trying. Here is a .pdf file of some of her recipes as well. The template is nice however you can't save them so it isn't all that practical however, I've included it as someone might find it useful. 

Toasted Nuts - yeah toast them baby!

A little known tip but one worth noting is that if you toast any nuts you intend to use in a recipe they will have a huge impact on your final product.  So when I'm making banana nut bread or brownies and want to include nuts in them then I put them flat on a baking tray (sheet) and put them into a 175 Celsius (350 degree F) oven and leave them for 8-10 minutes (watch them!) and when you can just smell them they are done.  Cool and then get on with your baking!

US/UK Differences in Milk Products

Half cream in the UK is called half n' half in the US.  I've since found out that half n' half is whole milk with cream added and has between 10.5% to 18% milk fat.  I'd say the most common kind of half n' half is the lower 10.5% kind but perhaps someone who is in the US can mail me (e-mail address on index page) if they find out something different.

Single cream in the UK is 18% butterfat and slightly thicker than half cream. Nothing to compare this to in the US, although maybe it has changed. 

Double Cream in the UK is 48% butterfat and very thick. It is mostly used in custard recipes in the UK and for cooking. I've not seen an equivalent to it in the US. 

Whipping cream is 40% butterfat and comparable to heavy cream in the US. 

Clotted cream is something special to the UK and I've not heard of it in the US as of yet.  I think the only kind you can find there is imported from the UK.

Sour cream is 18% butterfat and is slightly thinner in consistency than its US counterpart.  Lately, I've been buying Co-op's brand of sour cream and have found it to be a lot like the US counterpart.  Although, most brands I have used and all have come out quite good - I found this one to be better for whatever reason. 

Spooning cream is 30% butterfat and is appropriate for as the package implies spooning (i.e. over fruit and puddings). It can't be substituted for whipping cream so don't even try it. 

Vanilla or Vanilla Essence?

Revised: 06 March 2005.