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To soften butter for easy spreading on removal from the fridge
Soften for 35-40 seconds on 270 W (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
270 W (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
