A Guide To Using Our Recipes

For best results, use good quality ingredients in all recipes.

Read each recipe through before starting to cook.

Measure liquids in glass or clear plastic liquid measuring cups.

Measure dry ingredients in nesting dry measuring cups (usually made of metal or plastic) that can be leveled off with a straightedge, such as a knife. 

Measure flour by spooning (not scooping) it into a dry measuring cup. Level off with a straightedge without tapping or shaking cup.

Do not sift all purpose flour unless otherwise specified. Cake flour, however, should be sifted before measuring.

Unless otherwise specified, do not sift icing sugar before measuring.

Cocoa is first measured and then sifted.

Use all purpose flour unless otherwise specified. If other flour (unbleached or whole wheat) is substituted, there may be a change in texture.

Use large eggs in recipes. Egg whites will give a greater volume if allowed to stand at room temperature for 1/2 hour before beating.

Use butter or hard margarine in recipes. Do not use soft tub margarine or cooking oil as a substitute as this may adversely affect the final product.

Use liquid honey in recipes calling for honey unless otherwise specified.

Unless otherwise specified, use 2% milk in recipes calling for milk.

Low fat and regular sweetened condensed milk may be used interchangeably.

Use chocolate chips made from pure chocolate. All chocolate chips are formulated to keep their shape in baking and may not melt as smoothly for use in cakes and tortes. Imitation chocolate-flavoured chips may be very difficult to melt.

Unless otherwise specified, do not use light (lite) products (cream cheese or sour cream) as they may give poor results in baking due to differences in fat and moisture content.

When melting chocolate, melt slowly in top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Moisture or overheating chocolate will cause it to "seize" or become thick. Remove chocolate from heat before all chocolate is melted. Stir to melt remaining chocolate.