Milk Street Q&A

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Lori – Here is information from our July/August 2024 magazine: Is It Worth It? Homemade Crème Fraîche Crème fraîche’s rich, velvety texture, tangy flavor and high fat content (compared to sour cream, its closest dairy relative) make it ideal for stirring into soups and sauces. But it isn’t cheap, often costing more than twice as much as sour cream. It is easily made at home, requiring nothing more than heavy cream, a starter culture (such as a dollop of sour cream, yogurt or kefir) and time to thicken. But we wondered whether it’s worth the trouble, so we tried making our own. While crème fraîche made with a sour cream starter was watery and disappointing, we got terrific results from kefir and yogurt—just as good as high-end store brands, and far less expensive. To make your own, in a glass jar stir 1 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon plain kefir or whole-milk yogurt. Cover with cheesecloth or a coffee filter, secure with a rubber band, then let sit at room temperature (70°F to 75°F) for about 48 hours. Uncover, stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate for up to one week. For best results, start with organic cream; avoid cream that’s been pasteurized at ultra-high temperatures (UHT). We love using it to make ice cream.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Gary, What a lovely treat to make for your staff! We have not made this with any sugar substitutes, so we cannot say for certain how it would turn out. That said, we think that it should work ok. We've read that monk fruit sweetener is sweeter than regular sugar, so you might want to reduce the amount of sugar. Let us know how it turns out! Best, Elizabeth

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello John, We are so pleased that you enjoyed the Neapolitan buns! And what a nice idea to serve them for the holidays. We have not made them in a smaller size, but think it should work just fine. The baking time would most likely be shorter, so start checking on them around 20 minutes and keep an eye on the visual cues (golden brown) to determine when they are done. Let us know how they turn out. We wish you a very happy holiday!

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Adam, When you dry-brine beyond 24 hours, the meat starts to cure and become tough. We have not smoked a turkey at Milk Street so we cannot give any advice on that process. Best wishes for a happy holiday!

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello John – Your method sounds like a great plan for easing the stress of holiday cooking and if you are happy with the results, we see no reason to change it. Pulling the turkey meat is easiest before refrigeration and reheating it with broth will remedy any drying out that might happen in the fridge. As they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it! We wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Joanne – Sticky oil bottles and dripping caps are common occurrences in kitchens! Cooking oil can degrade plastics with prolonged exposure and some oils are more aggressive than others. We recommend that you clean the caps fully each time you refill your oil bottles to get rid of any oil that may have built up.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Deborah, The French walnut tart is delicious! We have not make the tart shell using gluten-free flour, but we think it will turn out fine. Enjoy!

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Susanne, We actually did a lot of testing of lemon grass substitutes earlier this year and, unfortunately, did not find any of them to be worth purchasing. There are many sources online that suggest using lemon zest if you can't find fresh lemon grass. One source says that it is the closest common ingredient to lemon grass but the fragrance will not be as intense and complex. They say to use about ½ teaspoon lemon zest for each stalk of lemon grass. Below is the testing information that ran in the July-August issue of our magazine. Taste Test: For Lemon Grass, Accept No Substitutes The fresh lemon grass available in the U.S. tends to be old, fibrous and woody, which is why we peel away the outer layers and even then usually discard the stalks after they have simmered in our cooking liquid. So we wondered whether any of the alternatives available at most grocery stores—including dried, powdered and pastes—were a better choice. They were not. We tested nine of them in steamed rice and found all of them lacking. Though the dried stalks had the best aroma, flavor was muted or unpleasant. Tasters described Wise Wife dried lemon grass as having a citronella candle flavor and Pride of India as acrid and bitter. Also, the dried stalks typically come in small pieces that are more complicated to steep and strain. The powdered options offered little or no flavor. Worse, Spice Way powdered lemon grass actually gave the rice a greasy texture. Meanwhile, the pastes had a sour, tinny flavor from citric acid or other preservatives, and they often contained other ingredients that muddied their flavor, including sugar, lime juice and oil. So fresh—even when it isn’t the freshest—really is best. When shopping for lemon grass, look for stalks with a firm texture, good fragrance and supple leaves. Opt for the heaviest, most bulbous stalks; older ones become lighter as they lose moisture. And use the scratch-and-sniff test: Gently scratch the base with a fingernail to see how much fragrance is released. To use fresh lemon grass, trim the base and the upper part of the stalk so only 4 to 6 inches of the bottom remain, then remove any dry outer leaves. Be sure to also bruise the stalks to release their essential oils. A meat mallet or rolling pin works well.

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello Debra, The "container" refers to the individual-sized containers of yogurt used to make this in France. Here is info from the recipe headnote – "If you’ve got a 4-ounce container of yogurt, bake the cake in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; if it’s a 5.3-ounce container, use a 9-inch round cake pan." You measure all ingredients using the yogurt container. If you don't have a 4- or 5.3-ounce container but you have a kitchen scale, you could weigh the ingredients – remember to multiply by the number of containers called for in the recipe. I've added inserted the specific container info and the optional weights to the ingredient list below: 4-ounce or 5.3-ounce container plain whole-milk yogurt 1 (4-ounce or 5.3-ounce) container grapeseed or other neutral oil 2 (4-ounce or 5.3-ounce) containers OR 8 / 10.6 ounces white sugar 4 large eggs 3 (4-ounce or 5.3-ounce) containers OR 12 ounces / 16 ounces all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon table salt

Answered by Elizabeth Mindreau

Hello David, We would not recommend dry-brining beyond 24 hours, because the meat will begin to cure and become tough. We also would not recommend seasoning the meat with a spice rub at the same time as the dry-bine. The spices will not penetrate the meat as the salt does and could become dull and muted. It's best to add the spices after you remove the dry-brined meat from the refrigerator and let it sit for an hour before roasting.