Jessica Banh
Pastry Chef
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Co-authored Articles (14)
How to
Melt Caramels
Many recipes call for caramel, but if you don't have the time to make it from scratch, the easiest thing to do is to melt some caramel candies. The key to getting it right is to use ''soft'' caramels as opposed to hard. ...
How to
Make Caramel
Caramel is the result of melting and browning sugar. While perfecting caramel takes practice, sugar is cheap, so mistakes aren't costly. Choose between wet caramel (used for sauces and dipping apples) or dry caramel (fir...
How to
Melt Sugar
Melt sugar easily on the stove with this helpful guideMelting sugar breaks the bonds of granulated sugar so it can be recrystallized into different shapes by using molds or other tools. Melting sugar is also the first st...
How to Turn Vanilla Cake Mix Into Chocolate: Tips and Tricks
If you're craving chocolate cake but only have vanilla cake mix on hand, we've got lots of simple solutions to convert your cake mix! It's easy to add cocoa powder to white or yellow mix, but we'll also show you how to g...
How to Thicken Ganache: Quick Fixes for Runny Ganache
Reheat hardened ganache with these expert-backed tips You’ve just made a batch of delicious chocolate ganache, but it’s too thin for your baking needs—don’t despair! You can try a few different tricks to thicken ...
How to Make Hand-Spun & Hand-Pulled Cotton Candy
Everything you need to make your own candy floss at home Creating cotton candy in large quantities is virtually impossible without a machine designed specifically for doing so. However, you can make your own beautiful cr...
How to
Make Sugar Syrup
A basic sugar syrup is about as simple as it gets: combine sugar and water, heat, and stir until dissolves. For cooks that enjoy experimentation, there are plenty of tips for avoiding sugar crystals, extending shelf life...
How to
Use Measuring Spoons and Cups
Many recipes require measuring cups and spoons so you can include precise amounts of various ingredients. These are quick and easy to use once you know the basic abbreviations, terminology, and techniques. Purchase measu...
How to
Roll Fondant
Fondant is a form of cake icing that can be shaped and molded across a cake or into figurines, letters, and other designs. But before you manipulate your fondant, you'll need to roll it out, first. However, this process...
How to
Thaw Puff Pastries Quickly
Puff pastry is a very valuable asset for baking and while you can make it yourself at home, the puff pastry you can buy at the supermarket is just as good. If you decided to bake something out of the blue, chances are yo...
How to
Use Leftover Cream Cheese Frosting
It’s easy to make cream cheese frosting in large quantities, and delicious leftovers are almost a guarantee. Thankfully, it stores well and its sweet and slightly salty flavor plays nicely with a wide variety of flavor...
How to
Make Fondant
It's frustrating to run out of fondant when you're in the middle of decorating a cake. Never run out again once you learn how to make your own fondant! Create classic fondant using gelatin, corn syrup, and shortening or ...
How to
Make Fondant Shiny
On its own, fondant generally has a matte appearance. There are several techniques you can use to make fondant decorations and fondant-covered cakes shiny, though. The degree of gloss varies depending on the technique, s...
How to
Make Kunafa
The buttery pastry of kunafa is typically prepared and eaten during Ramadan. The dessert has Middle Eastern and Greek origins and often features a creamy filled center and a lemon simple syrup glaze on top. While you can...