COOKING CATASTROPHES Cake Doesn't Rise Cut the cake into thin slices, fry it in melted butter, then coat it with powdered sugar and serve. Cracked Cheesecake Slice the cake in the kitchen before serving, or top with sliced berries or your favorite jam mixed with 1 tablespoon of liqueur to make it more spreadable. Allow the topping to seep into the crack, then add more topping to even the surface. To reduce cracks, place a pan of water on the oven rack below the cheesecake while it is baking. Overbeaten Egg Whites Stir in 1 extra egg white for each 5 you have already beaten. Beat until the whites are of the texture required for the recipe. Remove about 1/4 cup to correct for the extra white. Meat Too Dry Melt 1/2 stick of butter and mix with gravy or the pan drippings. Slice the meat thinly, place in a shallow baking dish, and smother with the mixture. Cover with foil and place in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes, then serve. Lumpy Gravy Pour the gravy through a mesh strainer. To avoid lumps, combine the thickening agent (flour, cornstarch, arrowroot) with enough liquid to make a paste, then whisk the paste into the hot liquid to evenly distribute it. Soup Too Salty Add 2 raw, chopped potatoes to the soup, cook for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove. Honey can also help even out a salty taste, or adding more of the other ingredients. To avoid oversalting the soup, season it just before serving. Sauce Too Thick Whisk in broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable) until the sauce reaches the desired thickness, or pour the sauce through a strainer. Sauce Too Thin Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to some water. Create a paste, then whisk it into the sauce. Adding dry cornstarch directly to the sauce will create lumps. If you are making a tomato-based sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste and stir to evenly distribute. Sauce Too Garlicky Remove any visible garlic pieces using a slotted spoon or handheld strainer, then add honey to balance the flavor. Brown Sugar Is Hardened Place hard brown sugar in a microwave-proof dish and cover with a couple of damp paper towels. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then check to see if the sugar has softened, carefully removing and setting aside partially loosened sugar with a fork and re-microwaving still-hard clumps. Repeat as necessary, watching closely to make sure the sugar does not melt. Wilted Lettuce Fill your sink with warm water. Submerge the lettuce for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove from the water. Dry the lettuce with a salad spinner or paper towels, cover the lettuce with a damp towel, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Soufflé Collapses Cover the top with whipped cream or a very thin layer of chocolate pudding, and serve "baked pudding." To prevent a soufflé from collapsing, use room-temperature beaten eggs, never open the oven door while the soufflé is baking, and place the soufflé on the lower oven rack to give it room to expand.
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