FIND: In the baking aisle (natural cocoa) or the coffee and tea aisle.
STORE: In a tightly covered container in a cold, dark place for up to two years.
cookies
WHAT: Purchased cookies, such as graham crackers, chocolate or vanilla wafers, biscotti, shortbread, gingersnaps, or any other crisp cookie.
USES: Cookies are often used to make delicious, easy crumb crusts for pies, tarts, and cheesecakes. The cookies are ground into fine crumbs, then combined with butter or shortening and usually some sugar to form a moist, sandy texture that clumps together when squeezed, ensuring that the crumbs will stick to the sides of a pan.
FIND: In the cookie aisle or—depending on the cookie—in specialty foods stores or ethnic markets.
STORE: Unopened packages usually last a month or more.
cornstarch
WHAT: A white, silky powder made from dried and ground corn kernels.
USES: Lends a fine texture to cakes, cookies, and other pastries (it sometimes replaces part of the flour) and is used to thicken puddings, pastry creams, and cooked fruit fillings for pies and cobblers. Sauces thickened with cornstarch remain clear, whereas those thickened with flour turn opaque. To avoid lumps, mix cornstarch with a cold liquid, such as milk, then gradually whisk it into the hot liquid, or mix it with sugar, then add a cold liquid and stir while cooking. For cornstarch to thicken properly, it must come to a near boil.
FIND: In the baking aisle.
STORE: In a cool, dry place for up to a year.
corn syrup
WHAT: A derivative of cornstarch, corn syrup comes in light and dark varieties.
USES: It is often used in recipes for caramel, fudge, and frostings, as it inhibits sugar from crystallizing and creates a smooth texture. It also keeps ice cream creamy by preventing the formation of ice crystals. Light corn syrup is clear and thick and imparts a mild, sugar-like sweetness. Dark corn syrup contains caramel color and flavoring and adds a molasses-like sweetness. It can also be used as a topping for pancakes, waffles, and cornbread.
FIND: Light corn syrup can be found year-round in the baking aisle at the supermarket; dark corn syrup is available at many supermarkets and is especially easy to find at holiday time.
STORE: For up to six months in a cool, dry place.
cream cheese
WHAT: A soft, spreadable cheese made from cow’s milk.
USES: Cream cheese is the basis for most cheesecakes and many frostings. When baking with cream cheese, we prefer Philadelphia brand, as it sets frostings and cheesecakes better than other brands. (Do not substitute whipped cream cheese or low fat or nonfat cream cheese.)
FIND: In the dairy case.
STORE: Once opened, cream cheese should be used within ten days. Unopened, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month past the sell-by date.
cream of coconut, sweetened
WHAT: Cream of coconut is made from coconut milk that has been sweetened with sugar. (It is much sweeter than coconut milk, and these two items are not interchangeable.)
USES: Used mainly in desserts and mixed drinks.
FIND: It is available canned as Coco López or in a squeeze bottle as Coco Reál in the beverage and mixers section of most liquor stores and supermarkets.
STORE: Unopened, it will last for up to a year in a cool, dry place.
cream of tartar
WHAT: A fine white powder made from tartaric acid.
USES: It is beaten into egg whites when making meringue to help stabilize the egg foam and prevent it from weeping. It also serves as the acid in many baking powders. Because it inhibits the formation of sugar crystals, it is often used in candies and frosting to create a creamy texture.
FIND: In the spice section of the baking aisle.
STORE: In a cool, dry, dark cupboard for up to a year.
dairy products: buttermilk
WHAT: Originally, buttermilk was the liquid that remained after butter was churned. Today it’s made in a similar way to yogurt and is known as “cultured buttermilk”: Bacterial cultures are added to milk, and the mixture is heated at a low temperature. The bacteria cause the milk to ferment and thicken, resulting in buttermilk’s creamy texture and slightly tart flavor. Despite its name, commercial buttermilk is low in fat, with only 0.5 percent to 2 percent butterfat.
USES: Buttermilk is used in many baked goods, such as cakes, scones, corn-bread, and coffee cake, though it can also be used to make deliciously tangy ice cream, custard, and panna cotta.
FIND: In the dairy section of the supermarket.
STORE: In the refrigerator. Check the sell-by date on the package.
dairy products: cream
WHAT: Cream is formed naturally when milk separates into two layers—a thick, creamy top layer with a thin milky liquid below. The percentage of milk fat in the top layer determines what kind of cream it will be: Heavy whipping cream, which is what Bon Appétit dessert recipes call for, has 36 percent to 40 percent milk fat. For the thickest, richest whipped cream, use pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) heavy whipping cream. Note that organic whipping cream will take much longer to whip.
USES: Whipping cream lends an unmatched richness to desserts and a tenderness to many baked goods. Heavy whipping cream is the basis for rich custards, ice creams, ganache, and, of course, fluffy whipped cream. Whipping cream becomes thick and airy and doubles in size when whipped, and the process occurs more quickly when the cream, mixing bowl, and beaters are well chilled.
FIND: In the dairy section of the supermarket.
STORE: In the refrigerator. Check the sell-by date on the package.
dairy products: sour cream & crème fraîche
WHAT: Sour cream is similar to yogurt in that it is treated with a lactic acid culture to give it a tangy flavor and thick texture, but cream is used instead of milk. Crème fraîche is also made with a starter culture—the result is a sweet, tangy cream that’s similar in consistency to sour cream.
USES: Sour cream, along with yogurt and buttermilk, is a key ingredient in baked goods, as its acidity not only helps tenderize cakes, quick breads, and pie crusts, but also helps set the proteins so that pie crusts don’t slide down the sides of the pie dish. Crème fraîche is often used in place of sour cream or as a tangy alternative to whipped cream as a topping.
FIND: In the dairy section of the supermarket. Crème fraîche is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.
STORE: In the refrigerator. Check the sell-by date on the package.