This page is dedicated to my tips and comments about the ingredients commonly used in this blog's recipes and brands that I use or are popular. The list below is permanently tweaked with new ingredients, options or substitutions.
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Chocolate and cocoa
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate. I like Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers or Ghirardelli Premium baking bar.
- Cocoa powder: Always use unsweetened. I like Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, Ghirardelli Premium baking cocoa, and Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder. And, in my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade Oreo cookies known as dark cocoa powder).
- Chocolate chips: Use your favorite semisweet chip. I love Ghirardelli premium baking chocolate chips and Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers (larger chips, our favorite). Nestle Toll House semisweet chips is a very popular one, but not my first choice.
- Chocolate chunks: The chocolate will be more noticeable than if using chips, and we love that. Use store-bought ones, like Nestle chocolate chunks or Barry Callebaut dark chocolate chunks. Or make your own by chopping a chocolate bar like Ghirardelli Premium baking bar. The chunks will be irregular.
- White chocolate: Use white chocolate chips or chunks. When available, I like to use Valrhona caramelized chocolate Dulcey, Callebaut white chocolate chunks, or a white chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped.
- White chocolate chunks: Use them instead of the chips. Coarsely chop a white chocolate bar or use premade like Callebaut white chocolate chunks.
- White chocolate: I usually use Callebaut white chocolate wafers or a white chocolate baking bar.
- Melting chocolate wafers or candy chocolate like Mercken's coating melting wafers. They work well for coatings and candy.
- White chocolate chips: they add sweetness. I use Ghirardelli white chocolate chips or Nestle Toll House premier white chips.
- Milk chocolate: it's sweeter. I use Callebaut milk chocolate callets, Ghirardelli milk chocolate wafers and Lindt milk chocolate bar.
- Milk chocolate chips: Use your favorite brand. I use Callebaut milk chocolate callets, Guittard milk chocolate chips and Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Nestle Toll House chips are also popular, but not my first choice.
Coatings & other chips
- Chocolate: I like to use melting chocolate, the type used for candy-making, such as Merckens' melting chocolate wafers. Or use a chocolate bar that melts well. I use Callebaut 54% chocolate wafers. If you want a sweeter bark, use milk chocolate (like milk chocolate melting wafers).
- Melting white chocolate: use melting white chocolate wafers that are made for candy making, like Mercken's coating melting wafers, Ghirardelli white melting chocolate or Wilton white candy melts. They dissolve easily and create a thin coating.
- Mint chips: an alternative to using extract, they'll add a more subtle mint flavor. Or use them instead of the chocolate chips in the batter for an extra dose of mint. My favorites by far are Guittard Green mint baking chips). Or use chunks such as Andes creme de menthe baking chips and rename them Andes mint brownies.
Dry ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: We use it very finely ground to get a soft texture. Pastry whole wheat flour is usually finely milled.
- White whole wheat flour is white with dark specks and comes from a different type of kernel than whole wheat. King Arthur white whole wheat flour is a popular one.
- Bread flour: It has more gluten and can be easily purchased online. King Arthur's unbleached bread flour is a popular one.
- Rye flour gives bread and other baked goods an earthier tone and a more rustic texture. Use finely milled rye flour for smoother results.
- Almond flour: Make your own by processing whole almonds until finely ground. Or use store-bought like Blue Diamond almond flour or Mandelin almond flour.
- Masa harina: you can't make corn tortillas without it. Don't substitute it for regular cornmeal or cornflour. You can easily buy it online, and there are different types: Maseca blue masa harina (this brand is one of the most popular worldwide), Bob's Red Mill's golden masa harina, King Arthur's white organic masa harina and Masienda red masa harina.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Coconut sugar: It's similar to dark brown sugar in appearance. You can buy organic coconut sugar online.
- Powdered sugar, also called confectioners' or icing sugar, can easily be bought online. Domino powdered sugar is very popular.
- Baking powder: Make sure it hasn't expired. Use a double-acting baking powder that activates with moisture and heat.
- Baking soda: Make sure it hasn't expired. Arm & Hammer baking soda is a popular one.
- Cream of tartar: the ingredient that makes snickerdoodles what they are. There's no substitution. You can buy it in supermarkets and online (like McCormick gourmet cream of tartar).
- Cornstarch: It’s used as a thickener. Argo 100% pure cornstarch is a popular one.
- Milk powder: also known as dry milk powder or powdered milk, is regular milk that has been evaporated to dryness, creating a powder with a long shelf life. It's easily available at the grocery store. Nestle Nido dry whole milk powder is a popular one.
- Dry cake mix: the type you find in the supermarket or grocery store, whatever brand you want. I use yellow cake mix or White cake mix for this recipe. Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines are popular ones.
- Oats: I use old-fashioned rolled oats (traditional oats) because they have more texture, but you can use instant or quick-cooking oats.
- Coconut: I always use unsweetened shredded coconut.
Flavorings & sweeteners
- Cinnamon: Any ground cinnamon you normally use works fine. I like Frontier Vietnamese cinnamon and Simply Organic Ceylon cinnamon.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
- Vanilla sugar: it can be bought online, like Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar or Alsa vanilla flavored sugar. You can make your own by adding some vanilla beans to a jar of powdered sugar. Or, easier than the latter, mix powdered sugar with some pure vanilla powder, which will instantly flavor the sugar.
- Crushed peppermint candy: You can crush whole candy canes or buy crushed ones, which is way easier. I used Atkinson's Mint Twists crushed candy and love it as it stays soft to the bite after it's baked.
- Mint extract: I use Simply Organic peppermint flavor or Nielsen-Massey pure peppermint extract.
- Creme de menthe syrup is usually less concentrated and sweeter than extract.
- Coconut extract: It reinforces the coconut flavor, which can sometimes be lacking. I used Frontier coconut flavor. Watkins coconut extract and McCormick coconut extract are other popular ones.
- Coffee extract is a great option when you don't want to add liquid to a recipe. I like and use Watkins coffee extract and Nielsen-Massey pure coffee extract.
- Almond extract: it's the way to get that characteristic sharp almond flavor in pastries, cookies, glazes and baked goods in general. I've been using Nielsen Massey pure almond extract and Simply Organic almond extract for years.
- Maple syrup: I like pure Grade A maple syrup. But the one you regularly use is fine.
- Maple extract is used for a boost of maple flavor. It's optional, but I like to use it sometimes when I don't want to add to much liquid to a recipe. You can buy maple flavor extract online.
- Molasses: I use dark unsulphured molasses, but you can use light molasses if you favor a lighter color and less sharpness.
- Rum essence or emulsions: they can replace rum or can be added for more flavor. Popular ones are LorAnn Rum baking emulsion or Cook's pure rum extract.
- Lemon extract or emulsion can quickly and easily enhance the lemon flavor. I use pure ones like Nielsen Massey's pure lemon extract or McCormick's culinary pure lemon extract. You can also use artificially flavored ones that you know are good, like Frontier lemon flavor.
- Paste and emulsion: these are thicker than extracts and concentrate a lot of flavor. I love and regularly use vanilla paste, but have never tried a citrus alternative. But I heard good things from both Nielsen Massey's Pure lemon paste and LorAnn lemon emulsion.
Salt, spices and seasonings
- Salt: I like using kosher salt when baking, but regular table salt works just fine. For coarser sea salt, I love Maldon sea salt.
- Rock salt: a very coarse salt.
- Paprika: It can be sweet paprika, hot, or smoked paprika. I usually use a mix of smoked and hot paprika.
- Cayenne pepper: I use it ground, and it can vary a lot in hotness. I use a regular cayenne pepper from McCormick.
- Harissa: It's a hot, spicy condiment made with red peppers or chilies that can vary in hotness. You can buy harissa paste, mild harissa paste or ground harissa powder.
- Tomato paste: it's a concentrated flavor. You can buy a tube of tomato paste or a jar of tomato paste.
- Pepper: I usually use black pepper freshly ground from a pepper mill. For some recipes, you can use black pepper pods and white peppercorns and use them coarsely crushed.
- Mustard seeds: they will give the cauliflower a very sharp flavor. There are yellow mustard seeds and black mustard seeds, and I use both.
- Turmeric powder adds that yellow color and spiciness, but it does stain a lot, so be careful or just don't use it.
- Jalapeños: I use fresh jalapenos when available and jalapeño powder the rest of the time. You can use other types of spicy chiles.
Nut butters, dulce de leche, sauces & frostings
- Peanut butter: recipes in this blog use the thicker, commercial type, like Skippy creamy peanut butter.
- Peanut butter chips: I like Reese's peanut butter chips.
- Almond butter: choose the thick commercial type for best results, like Barney's smooth almond butter.
- Cookie butter: I use Biscoff cookie butter.
- White frosting: from the store, like Duncan Hines Vanilla frosting or Pillsbury supreme white frosting.
- Chocolate frosting: from the store. The classic ones like Duncan Hines chocolate frosting, Pillsbury's supreme fudge frosting and Betty Crocker's gluten-free chocolate frosting. Or opt for a sweeter one with milk chocolate, like Betty Crocker's milk chocolate frosting or Hershey's milk chocolate frosting.
- Dulce de leche: You can make homemade dulce de leche following my tips. It's not hard at all and uses few ingredients. You can easily buy it online. I use dulce de leche Chimbote, dulce de leche Cachafaz, and San Ignacio milk caramel spread.
- Dulce de leche as a filling: Use the thicker kind, like dulce de leche repostero Vacalin. It's the one I use and highly recommend.
- Caramel sauce: You can buy the topping online, like Ghirardelli caramel-flavored sauce.
Dairy & oil
- Sweetened condensed milk: Use the regular type, such as Carnation condensed milk or Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk, not unsweetened or evaporated milk.
- Cream cheese: The regular type, full-fat cream cheese, is needed for consistency and creaminess. I always use Philadelphia original cream cheese, but other premium brands work fine.
- Ricotta cheese: I use whole milk ricotta due to its richness. You can use low-fat ricotta. Don't use salted ricotta, which is dry and has a different consistency.
- Cottage cheese: I like full-fat small curd cottage cheese, but you can also use low-fat cottage cheese.
- Mozzarella: You can buy shredded mozzarella or a large piece and cut it into small cubes.
- Provolone cheese: it melts well and I love it for burgers, pizza, pizza rustica, scones and other dishes. It usually comes in slices or large pieces.
- Sour cream: I use the regular, full-fat sour cream. It adds richness and moisture.
- Buttermilk: it makes the preparation tender and counteracts the metallic flavor of the baking soda. What if you don't have fresh buttermilk? You can buy buttermilk powder and prepare it as you need to.
- Milk: I always use whole milk because of its richness, but reduced-fat, lactose-free, and almond milk also work.
- Dry milk powder, also known as powdered milk, is regular milk that has been evaporated to dryness, creating a powder with a long shelf life. It's easily available at the grocery store. Nestle Nido dry whole milk powder and Hoosier Hill Farm whole milk powder are popular ones.
- Coconut oil: If you don't already use it, you can buy organic coconut oil online.
- Olive oil: it's the one I use the most. For the best quality, look for extra virgin (cold-pressed) olive oil. There are several good brands.
- Sunflower oil: it's a neutral vegetable oil that's good for almost everything and easily available. It's my choice when I don't want to use olive oil. There are several good brands, and La Tourangelle sunflower oil is a popular one.
- Sesame oil: it has a unique flavor. You can buy pure sesame oil or toasted sesame oil.
Yeast
- Types of yeast: besides active-dry yeast, you can use instant yeast (¾ of the amount given for active dry) and add it to the flour, then add the water. Or fresh yeast (3 teaspoons) that you crumble and mix with the water first.
- Yeast: I use active-dry yeast, which needs to be hydrated before. You can use instant yeast (¾ of the amount given for active dry) and add it directly to the flour, then add the water; no need to foam it first. If using fresh yeast (the ratio is 3:1 to dry), and it is used in the same way as the active-dry, you need to hydrate it first and let it foam.
Nuts & dried fruit
- Whole almonds: I buy nonpareil because they are easily available and the best if you want to remove the skins. But you can use Marcona or any other you like.
- Almond flour: Make your own by processing whole almonds until finely ground. Or use store-bought like Blue Diamond almond flour or Mandelin almond flour.
- Almonds for toppings and garnishes: they're used for the topping. Sliced almonds are traditional, but slivered almonds work just as well.
- Walnuts: There are different types and presentations. When you want them for decoration or to make a pattern, use walnut halves. If the recipe calls for ground or chopped, buy walnut halves and pieces or chopped walnuts; both are cheaper. There is no need for fancy walnut halves unless you want some to decorate the cake.
- Pistachios: You can buy shelled raw pistachios (my first choice) or unsalted pistachios with shells that you have to shell.
- Pine nuts: they're not commonly used, but have a unique flavor and creamy consistency. You can buy raw pine nuts online. Be careful if they have been stored for a while because you can get pine nut mouth, and it's not a pleasant situation. I recommend you buy small amounts when you need them.
- Apples: I use Granny Smith apples exclusively (the green ones, my absolute favorites for baking due to their tartness). They bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven. If you have another favorite that you usually bake with (Pink Lady, fuji, gala, Honeycrisp apples), by all means, use it.
Canned food & pantry staples (savory)
- Apple pie filling: store-bought or homemade. Duncan Hines apple filling is a popular one.
- Pumpkin puree: Use homemade pumpkin puree or buy pure canned pumpkin puree.
- Sweet potato purée: Use homemade sweet potato puree or buy canned sweet potato puree. NOT pumpkin pie filling, which is a different product.
- Couscous: I use the regular type (not pearl or Israeli). It's the smallest one; you can buy Moroccan couscous online.
- Rice: For risotto, I use the classic Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice.
- Vinegar: For chutneys and pickles, I use distilled white vinegar most of the time and apple cider vinegar sometimes. Other ones also work, like red wine or white wine vinegar, malt, and champagne vinegar (it's lighter in taste).
- Sun-dried tomatoes: you can purchase sun-dried tomato halves on their own, which need to be hydrated in boiling water, or sun-dried tomatoes in oil or brine or organic dried tomatoes in olive oil, which keeps them softer and can be used directly, especially if they're already cut into strips or julienned.
- Chickpeas: also called garbanzo beans, they are used cooked. You can use canned (like Goya organic chickpeas) or dried garbanzo beans that have been hydrated for several hours and cooked until tender.
- Red peppers: If you need roasted peppers for sauces like romesco and harissa, you can buy a jar of roasted red peppers online.
- Red lentils: the small orange/red ones, also known as Turkish lentils.
- Pumpkin puree: Use canned fresh pumpkin or make homemade pumpkin puree. Please don't mistake it for pumpkin pie filling, which is a different product.
- Gelatin: I use unflavored gelatin powder, or flavored gelatin that comes in different colors. For pies and red cups, I use strawberry jello, cherry jello or raspberry jello.
For candy corn cups, I use yellow pineapple jello or lemon jello, together with orange jello or peach jello. - Dijon mustard: I use the smooth Dijon mustard or the grainy one (ancienne or country mustard).
Canned food & pantry staples (sweet)
- Graham crackers: I use homemade graham crackers or regular graham crackers when I can get hold of them, but sometimes I use Honey Maid graham crackers and cinnamon graham crackers.
- Plain vanilla cookies: I like vanilla wafers.
- Cookie butter cookies: I use Lotus Biscoff cookies, the original ones.
Decorations and toppings
- Halloween: Use edible candy eyes, large or small.
- Sprinkles: choose them depending on the holiday or occasion, like a mix of Halloween sprinkles.
Alcohol and juices
- Tequila: Any tequila you normally use is fine. I like Jose Cuervo gold tequila.
- Beer: Use a regular, blonde supermarket one, like Heineken beer.
- Cranberry juice: I like 100% unsweetened cranberry juice.
Other ingredients
Limes: I use the small green limes that are easy to find, called Persian limes.
For questions regarding ingredients, please leave a comment below. Thank you!