Kitchen Q&A: How Much Is A Knob Of Butter? (Plus More)

Getting Ready To Bake

Tipnut’s Kitchen Questions & Answers is a new weekly feature I’ll be running for the next little while. Each week I’ll list a dozen random questions and their answers pertaining to the kitchen (cooking, baking, ingredients, etc.). Some already have full articles of tips on the subject here on Tipnut but it’s a nice way to review these little gems.

Kitchen Q&A: How Much Is A Knob Of Butter? (Plus More)

1. How much is a knob of butter? Not an exact measurement but about two tablespoons.
2. Is it possible to use brown sugar once it’s gone hard? You bet, brown sugar is easy to get soft again, see 10 Ways To Soften Hard Brown Sugar.
3. What is heavy cream? A heavy whipping cream with 36% to 40% fat content (should be on label). Most recipes should be fine with a regular whipping cream (30% to 36% fat).
4. What exactly is “ghee”? The clear yellow liquid obtained by melting unsalted butter and discarding the sediment settled on the bottom. You’ll find lots of cookery terms and their meanings here: Cookbook Lingo: 101 Cookery Terms & Definitions.
5. What is salad oil and can I use vegetable oil instead? Salad oil is an umbrella term for any edible vegetable oil. You can use olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, etc.
6. What’s the difference between baking soda and baking powder? Both contain sodium bicarbonate which is needed to help goods rise while they are baking. Baking soda is a faster acting agent (when it comes in contact with a liquid acid) and baking powder works on a slower pace as it dissolves with other ingredients.
7. Is there a way to tell if an egg is fresh or not? Yes, see How To Tell If An Egg Is Fresh.
8. What is alum powder used for and where can I buy it? Alum powder is a common ingredient in pickling recipes since it helps keep the produce crisp. You should be able to find it in the spice section of your local grocer.
9. How much salt do I add when using unsalted butter in a recipe that calls for salted? Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per 1/2 cup of butter.
10. What’s the difference between tomato paste and tomato sauce?: Tomato paste is a thick concentrate made from tomatoes that is used as a base when making sauces or adding tomato flavor to dishes without adding a lot of liquid. Tomato sauce is a thinner consistency and is ready to use (for pastas, etc.).
11. How to bake a frozen apple pie? For an unbaked pie that’s been frozen, pop it in the oven (still frozen) at 400°F for about 60 minutes then watch. Once the crust is golden brown and the center is hot, the pie is ready. Check on the pie half-way through and if the crust is browning too quickly you can wrap the top (or just the edges) with foil and continue to heat. Remove foil the last 10 minutes or so of baking. For a baked apple pie that was frozen, bake in an oven at 375°F for about 45 minutes.
12. What are dill heads? Dill heads are the flowering part of the dill plant.

Don't Miss These Tips:

• How To Soften Butter: Quick Tips
• Cooking With Apples: Kitchen Q&A
• Kitchen Q&A: What’s Half & Half Cream? (And More)