the building blocks
Techniques & equipment
The techniques and equipment used in our recipes that make the cooking easier, each step by step with photos.
Techniques
Aioli
A garlic mayonnaise that features in many traditional Provencal recipes and also makes a delicious dip when served…
Bechamel Sauce
How to make a Bechamel Sauce - A versatile easy to make white sauce that can be used in many different recipes.
Berry Coulis
A versatile fruit sauce that can be used to infuse berry flavours or accentuate your dishes presentation.
Custard
This custard thickened with both plain flour and corn flour is very versatile. It can be used as base for a…
Harissa Sauce
A sauce with beautiful African and Middle-Eastern flavours that can be used in dishes such as Couscous or as a base…
How to Air Dry Chilli Peppers
For those of us for whom a little Chilli goes a long way, drying Chilli Peppers is an easy way to extend the life…
How to Blind Bake Pastry
Blind Baking, an explanation of how it works and why you need to use the blind baking technique.
How to Cut a Chicken into Eight Pieces
Cutting a whole chicken into eight pieces, believe it or not, itâs not as hard as youâd think
How to make a Bouquet Garni
How to make a Bouquet Garni. A pouch of herbs used to flavour stocks and stews.
How to make a Brown Stock
A rich stock used to infuse other dishes with the flavours extracted from the stock ingredients.
How to make a Fish Stock
This recipe shows how to make a beautifully balanced and deliciously delicate fish stock using the left over head,…
How to make a Ganache
This delicious creamy chocolate ganache can be used as an icing or filling for cakes and can be flavoured with a…
How to make a Salt and Pepper mix
A quick, easy and stylish alternative to a set of Salt and Pepper shakers.
How to make a Whisked Sponge Cake
A whisked sponge boasts the lightest texture of all cakes. Its volume relies on the amount of air incorporated when…
How to make Choux Pastry
This pastry is the base of many desserts and savoury hors d'oeuvre. Some examples include profiteroles, éclairs…
How to make Shortcrust Pastry
How to make Shortcrust Pastry, a simple to make pastry that can be used for savoury or sweet tarts.
How to Melt Chocolate
Be it Dark, Milk or White chocolate, to work effectively with it you need to know how to melt chocolate properly.…
How to Quick Skim Stock
Quick Skimming is used to remove excess fat from a freshly made stock without having to wait for it to cool.
How to Roast a Red Capsicum or Pepper
There is no way better to release the gorgeous sweetness and delicious flavours of a capsicum than to roast it…
How to segment Citrus Fruit
The technique required to separate the segments of citrus fruit so as to leave the bitter pith behind.
How to Separate an Egg
It has to be said that eggs are a truly amazing ingredient. They are made up of two parts with completely different…
How to Temper Chocolate
Believe it or not, itâs not that hard to temper chocolate. There is no mystery to it, have a go, it makes a huge…
Mayonnaise
A simple recipe showing how to make your own fresh, creamy Mayonnaise
Quick Skimming
A quick easy way to remove excess fat from a stock or sauce.
Rack Drying Chilli Peppers
Our last article on drying chilli peppers covered the air drying method whereby you hang the chillies on a string…
Rouille Sauce
A mayonnaise like sauce full of Mediterranean flavours which is usually served with dishes such as fish stews,…
Equipment
Butane Burner
If you are intending to try and make recipes such as a Crème Brulee there is really no substitute for the hand held…
Decorative Martini Glass
Not just for drinks, the conical shape of these glasses make them perfect for presenting a wide variety of entree…
Ice Cream Maker
For a beautiful soft creamy icecream far better than any you could buy. Invest in an icecream machine to take the…
Pressure Spray Bottles
These bottles are great. They basically allow you to fill the bottle with whatever liquid ingredient you like and…