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To preheat [an] oven, turn it
on and allow it to reach the desired temperature before placing
the food inside. Unless a recipe specifies otherwise, the oven
should always be preheated. Ten to 15 minutes is usually
adequate time to allow an oven to preheat. The heating element
will temporarily turn off in an electric oven, or will lower in
a gas oven, when the set temperature is reached. Setting the
thermostat to a higher temperature will not cause the oven to
heat more quickly.
For a room temperature food, remove
it from the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before using in a
recipe.
To soften food like butter or cream
cheese, allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or
until it is no longer firm to the touch.
To soften cold butter in the
microwave: Place 1 stick of butter, uncovered, on a plate.
Microwave on high for 15 to 30 seconds.
To soften cold cream cheese in
the microwave: Place unwrapped cream cheese on a plate. For
three ounces, microwave on high for 15 to 30 seconds; adjust
time accordingly if softening more.
Melted foods have been thoroughly
liquefied.
To melt cold butter in the
microwave: Place 1 stick butter in a microwave-safe liquid
measuring cup or bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then
stir. Heat and stir in 10-second intervals until butter is
melted, if necessary.
To melt chocolate chips in the
microwave: Place 1 cup of chips in a microwave-safe liquid
measuring cup or bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds, then stir.
Continue to heat and stir in 15-second intervals until chips are
melted. Use caution, because chocolate can burn or scorch. (If
the recipe calls for liquid, add a tablespoon or two of it to
the chips at the time you place them in the microwave. This
helps prevent scorching and makes them easier to stir into a
smooth, melted base.)
Cooled food has been allowed to
stand at room temperature for a specified amount of time, or
until it can be comfortably touched. Stirring the food speeds
the cooling process.
Chilled food has been allowed to
stand in the refrigerator for a specified period of time, or
until the outside and the inside of the food are below room
temperature.
Thoroughly chilled food has been
allowed to stand in the refrigerator until both the inside and
the outside of the food has reached the refrigerator's storage
temperature, a process that usually takes an hour or more,
depending on the amount of food and the shape of the container. |
