Milk Street Recipes

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Linda - I spoke with the recipe developer, Diane Unger, and she didn't think there was any way to make a "mile high" quiche in a standard tart pan. As for leaks in your springform pan, I've had luck with blind baking the crust and then brushing the crust with egg white to create a layer of protection between the custard and the crust (this is a good tip for any blind-baked custard pie crust). I would also line the outside of the springform pan with tin foil just in case. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Itamar - We think our recipes should work in any oven, so we never use convection in our Milk Street kitchen. If you are cooking multiple trays of food or have a full oven at the holidays, using the convection setting can help keep the air circulated for more even cooking. Convection cooking also increases browning so it can be helpful when roasting meats. As for temperature and time changes, I always recommend lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and starting to check your food 10-15 minutes earlier the first time you use convection for a recipe. This allows you to gauge browning and doneness without the food becoming overcooked. Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Allyson - Sour cream would be the closest substitute for creme fraiche, but isn't quite as rich. Whole milk plain Greek yogurt would be another decent substitute. Since we are talking about a pie filling, I wouldn't recommend using low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt since it might impact the texture due to the lack of fat. You could also try to make your own creme fraiche if you've got heavy cream and buttermilk. Mix 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Partially cover the jar with a kitchen towel and let it stand at room temperature up to 24 hours. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will become. When it has thickened, stir and store in the refrigerator up to two weeks. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Hugh - Pork shoulder is at its best when it's cooked to a relatively high internal temperature, about 190-200 degrees. The connective tissue in the shoulder begins to dissolve as the pork is cooked. At the same time, the fat found in the shoulder melts, coating the meat, keeping it moist and adding rich flavor. Slow cooked pork shoulder is cooked well past the point of standard doneness so that the fibers in the meat separate easily and develop a lush, rich texture. This won't happen until around 190 degrees. That being said, I don't usually temp a pork shoulder. I insert a fork into the center and, if it meets no resistance and starts to "pull" easily, I know it's done. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by April Dodd

Dean - this is a question we have heard many times, and you'll be happy to hear that we recently changed our approach to pasta so that all new pasta recipes we develop will use the full 16 ounce quantity. In the meantime, if you have 4 ounces of any long pasta - like spaghetti, angel hair or bucatini - lying around, a great use is this Parmesan, Thyme and Pasta Frittata: Pasta, Thyme and Parmesan Frittata For any of our old pasta recipes that call for 12 ounces, you can always increase all the ingredients by one third in order to use the full 16 ounce box. - April D.

Answered by April Dodd

Amanda, I'm glad you love the recipe! A gluten-free panko should work just fine, though we haven't tested the recipe that way. The result may be just slightly denser than with traditional panko, but still excellent. Please let us know how they come out! - April D.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Kathleen - Unfortunately, I don't think you could have saved it. In order to cook the under-baked part, the whole cake would have to be heated all the way through. This would cause the already-baked parts to over-bake and become dry. To test when this cake is finished, the cake should spring back when poked in the center with your finger. If your finger leaves an indentation in the cake, it's not done yet. Hope that helps! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi John - I think you could definitely make a steamed cake in an Instant Pot. You'll want to use the rack that comes with your Instant Pot to elevate the cake pan up off the bottom and out of the water. I believe the largest cake pan that will fit in the Instant Pot is a 6-inch pan, which is not a standard size so you may need to buy one. Luckily, Samantha from the My Kitchen Love blog already modified our recipe for the Instant Pot! See her version of our recipe here. Good luck! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Lynn Clark

Hi Susan - We're so glad you enjoyed the soup! We understand that it's helpful to know the nutritional information for recipes. However, we are not a health food magazine and, therefore, do not have a nutritionist on staff to accurately calculate the nutritional details for all of our recipes. Computer programs to calculate nutritional analysis are wildly inaccurate so we don't feel confident in using and publishing their results. Thanks for writing! Best, Lynn C.

Answered by Diane Unger

Hi Thomas - It's hard to answer that question since I did not test smoking while developing the recipe. I have no way of knowing what temp the pork would be at after 3 hours of smoking and I don't know what temp was used for smoking. I would guess that you could smoke it, cut it up, and proceed with the recipe and cook until tender. That would be my best guess! Good luck! Diane Unger, Director of Recipe Development