Ingredients & technique

Ingredients worth understanding and techniques worth practising, with the food-safety facts that go with them.

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  Black Garlic: What It Is, How It Is Made, and How to Make and Use It Safely at Home

  Black garlic explained: the slow heat-and-humidity process behind it (Maillard reactions, not true fermentation), its flavour, how to make it at home in a rice cooker or slow cooker, safe storage, and what the health research really shows.

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  Choux Pastry: A Reliable Method, the Science of the Puff, and How to Fix Flat Choux

  A methodical choux pastry recipe by weight, how steam makes it puff, how to judge the panade and the egg consistency, baking temperatures, troubleshooting flat or soggy choux, and safe handling of cream fillings.