En-8
To soften butter for easy spreading on removal from the fridge
Soften for 35-40 seconds on (for 150g). Remove any foil
beforehand.
Swelling dried fruit
Add 4 tablespoons of water to 200 g of raisins or prunes, (they can
be swollen with rum for cakes). Stir and heat on 1000 W for 2 to 3
minutes. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Restoring cheese to room temperature
Cheese removed from the refrigerator must be placed in the oven
and "warmed" for 30 seconds -1 minute (depending on the size of the
cheese) at 250 W.
Blanching almonds or hazelnuts
Cover with hot water and cook for 3-6 minutes on 1000 W (return to
boil). Cool, drain and the skin is then easy to remove.
Drying herbs
Place absorbent paper on the turntable. Carefully spread out the
finely chopped, fresh herbs on the paper. Repeat several times if
necessary. Heat on 1000 W for a few minutes, checking them every
30 seconds until the herbs begin to dry. Extreme care must be taken
to ensure that the herbs do not remain in the oven too long;
otherwise, they will disintegrate, and possibly catch fire. Leave the
herbs on the absorbent paper for a further 2 hours at room
temperature, then store in air-tight containers.
Making caramel
Cook 100 g of sugar with 2 tablespoons of water in a bowl for 2-
3 minutes on 1000 W, checking halfway-through cooking time.
Remove caramel before it becomes darkened since it will continue to
cook outside. You can stop the cooking with 2 tablespoons of very
hot water (beware of sharp edges).
Liquifying hardened honey
Remove the lid to the pot, place in oven and heat on 250 W for 30-
50 seconds, depending on the quantity. Stir and repeat if necessary.
Croutons in minutes
Cut two slices of white bread into small cubes. Spread out these
cubes on a plate. Heat on 1000 W for 2 minutes then allow to stand
for 5 minutes. You can rub a clove of garlic on the slices of bread
before cutting them or drizzle with a few drops of olive oil.
How to obtain more juice from an orange or a lemon
Before squeezing, place orange or lemon in microwave for 30-40
seconds on 1000 W, then squeeze immediately; this will produce
more juice.
Melting butter
100g of butter in a ramekin dish covered with a saucer will melt in
around 1 minute at 600 W.
Melting chocolate
Break 100 g chocolate into little pieces into a bowl and heat at 600 W
for 2-2
1
/2 minutes (the time may vary depending on the cocoa and
sugar content). Stir at least once during cooking.
Leaving dough to prove
Place the covered dough in the oven and heat for around 5 minutes
on (for 500 g of dough). Leave the dough in the oven (away
from air currents) until it has doubled in volume.
Making mulled wine
In an ovenproof glass (or mug), mix together 20 CL of red wine, the
zest of a lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, one clove and 2-4 teaspoons
of sugar according to taste. Heat on 1000 W for 1-1
1
/
2 minutes.
"Deodorise" your oven
To rid your oven of that "fishy" smell, place a bowl of white wine
vinegar or water with the juice of a lemon inside the oven. Heat on
1000 W for 5 minutes. Wipe off the steam that collects on the oven
walls.
Preparing a hot compress
Heat a clean, damp, folded cloth on a plate for 1-2 minutes on
1000 W. Check temperature before applying the cloth.
Microwave Cooking Tips
