Ask Rosemary
Helpful Tools
We asked you for your questions about cookery techniques, ingredients and recipes. Here are a selection of the best with Rosemary's answers.
Perfect rice
Hi there,
Please help! How do I get my rice light and fluffy?
Tanya, Weybridge.
Rosemary says:
I think the best way to cook fluffy rice is to do it how my mother taught me. Use 300g of rice to about 375ml of water. First of all, soak your rice in water for a few minutes then rinse well to get some of the starch out.
Put it into a saucepan with the 375ml of water and let it simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it for a further 15 minutes without removing the lid. You should have perfect fluffy rice every time!
Pizza dough
Hello Rosemary,
I'd really like to make my own pizza dough, do you know a good recipe? How do I make it crispy?
Thank you!
Gita.
Rosemary says:
This is the pizza recipe, use strong flour, you can't go wrong.
Cooking with gelatine
Dear Rosemary,
Can you give me some advice for cooking with gelatine, mine always seems to go a bit rubbery.
Frustrated pudding maker, Hemel Hempstead.
Rosemary says:
If your puddings are rubbery, you have used too much gelatine, try to cut down the quantity and see what happens. I find it easier to use the gelatine leaves rather than the powder. All you do is soften the gelatine leaves in cold water then squeeze out the water and add the warmed gelatine to your flavoured pudding. Then allow to cool.
Ice cream
Dear Rosemary,
Why does my ice cream always have lots of ice crystals in it? Is it because I don't use an ice cream maker?
Thanks in advance,
Jane.
Rosemary says:
Your ice cream will have ice crystals when you are making it by hand. It's much more difficult to achieve the ice cream effect without a machine. However, you can use something called Italian Meringue* to give a much smoother effect and also using liquid glucose with sugar does help.
*Rosemary's Italian Meringue
Ingredients
5 egg-whites
230g caster sugar
Method:
Put 2 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Place a sugar thermometer into the saucepan and bring the water up to the boil. Keep brushing the sides of the pan with a wet brush to stop the sugar from crystallising. Once the temperature has reached 120°C, remove the saucepan from the heat. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks and slowly add the sugar mixture, whisking until smooth.
Bread
Hi Rosemary,
How much salt should I add to a 500g of flour when making bread? All the recipes seem to differ and I'd like a version that's both tasty and healthy!
Thanks, Sarah.
Rosemary says:
Add 10g of salt to 500g flour, this should give you plenty of flavour without going over the top.
Omelettes
Dear Rosemary,
I always have trouble making consistent omelettes, even though I try my best to follow the published recipes. I have a gas hob and a fan oven.
Can you please give me any tips?
Regards, Terry.
Rosemary says:
Don't cook it too fast, lower the heat! Move the egg around until it starts to set. Then, lift the omelette from the pan and when golden brown on the bottom, turn it over.
Recipes for wild garlic
I have a huge wild garlic crop each year and need uses for it other than in salads, pesto, sauces and compost. Please help!
Thanks,
Mark.
Rosemary says:
Why don't you try garlic sautéed in butter or shred the garlic over lamb or fish. You could also try making garlic soup or a garlic mousse.
Freezing mozzarella
My question please! I understand that some cheeses can safely be put in the freezer, does mozzarella freeze OK?
Regards,
John.
Rosemary says:
No, mozzarella should be fresh. It keeps for quite a long time in the fridge. Freezing changes the texture of the cheese so best avoided.
Chocolate wedding cake and ganache
Dear Rosemary,
I have recently completed two chocolate wedding cakes for my daughter and then my son. I made ganache for both, using exactly the same method - heating double cream to boiling point, pouring over finely chopped chocolate (containing 70%+ cocoa solids), leaving it to stand for a couple of minutes and then gradually beating from the centre. The first cake went like a dream, but last week I had a nightmare. Each batch of chocolate began to 'seize' and go granular. I managed to get the cake done, but it did not have the same beautiful glossy finish as before. Last time I used Green and Blacks chocolate, this time Menier...surely it should still have worked. I have now lost confidence in ever doing it again!
What did I do wrong?
I'd be grateful for your help,
Margot.
Rosemary says:
It is never good to put chocolate into too higher heat because it can start to turn grainy at 55 degrees Celsius.
Try taking the temperature of the cream down, melt the chocolate to 50C by itself. Cool the cream down and then fold together. This should give you a nice smooth consistency. It's also a good idea to add butter which will help give it a good gloss at the end.
Soggy roast parsnips
Dear Rosemary,
How do I roast parsnips without them becoming soggy or burnt?
I look forward to your reply and thank you for reading my email.
David aka The Mature English Wolf + Head chef and bottle washer.
Rosemary says:
The trick is to place them in olive oil that is already hot, pop them in the oven and make sure you turn them. Take them out of the oven when almost cooked, brush them with honey, then put them back in the oven for 10 minutes in a hot oven.
Ideas for mushrooms
Hello Rosemary,
I am looking for advice on ways to have mushrooms on a summer buffet. I have tried them with mascarpone cheese, are there must be better ways to serve them?
Regards, Jim Smith.
Rosemary says:
I always go back to the retro way of cooking and make mushrooms a la greque. Add lots of chopped celery, a bay leaf, lemon juice, peppercorns and garlic. Place them all in a dish together with a little bit of water and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes then allow to cool. Delicious!
A honey substitute
Rosemary,
I do not like the smell or taste of honey what can I replace it with?
Thanks, Sandra
Rosemary says:
Try using maple syrup. It is slightly stronger than honey but it will give you a very different flavour.
Chocolate brownies
Hi,
Every time I make chocolate brownies, I get a papery film on the top of the brownies, so I have to dust them with icing sugar. Is there any way I can prevent this from happening?
They still taste fantastic, but the appearance is not perfect.
Also, how long does home made lemon curd keep for if stored in preserving jars in the fridge?
Many thanks, Natalie.
Rosemary says:
This is normal, they're meant to be like this. Getting a crust like this is the sign of a good brownie!
With regards to the lemon curd. Perishable goods never keep too long - I'd suggest 3 months.
Stalks and leaves
Hi,
My better half and I have been disagreeing lately about what parts of mushrooms and cauliflowers are edible, and the best way to prepare them.
In the case of ordinary closed cup mushrooms I just trim a small sliver from the bottom of the stalk, wipe and either slice or leave whole depending on the recipe. My dearest says that the best way is to discard at least half of the stalk if not all and then thinly slice. As you can see, I disagree.
With the cauliflower I break it down into individual florets trimming outer leaves and stalk. I then steam the florets whilst steaming in another section the stalk and the healthy leaves. My dearest says that I should discard the leaves as they are bad for you to eat and she can't see the point in using the ('waste') stalk.
Could you please settle this for us. Your help would be truly appreciated.
Best regards,
Steve.
Rosemary says:
The stalks and leaves have all the good flavour. I completely agree with you. The stalks are also great raw or you can peel the stalks and grate them into a salad. The leaves are also good for decorative purposes.
Caramel
When I make caramel it always seems to turn out gritty. Why is this and how can I avoid it?
From Sue, Camden.
Rosemary says:
Your caramel certainly shouldn't turn gritty. It sounds like you're crystallising it. You need to heat it more slowly. Once all the sugar is melted then turn up to a high heat. Continue to cook until you get it to a nice light golden colour. Immediately remove from heat.
Like this, you'll love...
Recipes from Rosemary Shrager
Watch a video clip from the show
Rosemary's top ten ingredients
Rosemary's top ten kitchen utensils
More on Rosemary
Hi there,
Please help! How do I get my rice light and fluffy?
Tanya, Weybridge.
Rosemary says:
I think the best way to cook fluffy rice is to do it how my mother taught me. Use 300g of rice to about 375ml of water. First of all, soak your rice in water for a few minutes then rinse well to get some of the starch out.
Put it into a saucepan with the 375ml of water and let it simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it for a further 15 minutes without removing the lid. You should have perfect fluffy rice every time!
Pizza dough
Hello Rosemary,
I'd really like to make my own pizza dough, do you know a good recipe? How do I make it crispy?
Thank you!
Gita.
Rosemary says:
This is the pizza recipe, use strong flour, you can't go wrong.
Cooking with gelatine
Dear Rosemary,
Can you give me some advice for cooking with gelatine, mine always seems to go a bit rubbery.
Frustrated pudding maker, Hemel Hempstead.
Rosemary says:
If your puddings are rubbery, you have used too much gelatine, try to cut down the quantity and see what happens. I find it easier to use the gelatine leaves rather than the powder. All you do is soften the gelatine leaves in cold water then squeeze out the water and add the warmed gelatine to your flavoured pudding. Then allow to cool.
Ice cream
Dear Rosemary,
Why does my ice cream always have lots of ice crystals in it? Is it because I don't use an ice cream maker?
Thanks in advance,
Jane.
Rosemary says:
Your ice cream will have ice crystals when you are making it by hand. It's much more difficult to achieve the ice cream effect without a machine. However, you can use something called Italian Meringue* to give a much smoother effect and also using liquid glucose with sugar does help.
*Rosemary's Italian Meringue
Ingredients
5 egg-whites
230g caster sugar
Method:
Put 2 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Place a sugar thermometer into the saucepan and bring the water up to the boil. Keep brushing the sides of the pan with a wet brush to stop the sugar from crystallising. Once the temperature has reached 120°C, remove the saucepan from the heat. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks and slowly add the sugar mixture, whisking until smooth.
Bread
Hi Rosemary,
How much salt should I add to a 500g of flour when making bread? All the recipes seem to differ and I'd like a version that's both tasty and healthy!
Thanks, Sarah.
Rosemary says:
Add 10g of salt to 500g flour, this should give you plenty of flavour without going over the top.
Omelettes
Dear Rosemary,
I always have trouble making consistent omelettes, even though I try my best to follow the published recipes. I have a gas hob and a fan oven.
Can you please give me any tips?
Regards, Terry.
Rosemary says:
Don't cook it too fast, lower the heat! Move the egg around until it starts to set. Then, lift the omelette from the pan and when golden brown on the bottom, turn it over.
Recipes for wild garlic
I have a huge wild garlic crop each year and need uses for it other than in salads, pesto, sauces and compost. Please help!
Thanks,
Mark.
Rosemary says:
Why don't you try garlic sautéed in butter or shred the garlic over lamb or fish. You could also try making garlic soup or a garlic mousse.
Freezing mozzarella
My question please! I understand that some cheeses can safely be put in the freezer, does mozzarella freeze OK?
Regards,
John.
Rosemary says:
No, mozzarella should be fresh. It keeps for quite a long time in the fridge. Freezing changes the texture of the cheese so best avoided.
Chocolate wedding cake and ganache
Dear Rosemary,
I have recently completed two chocolate wedding cakes for my daughter and then my son. I made ganache for both, using exactly the same method - heating double cream to boiling point, pouring over finely chopped chocolate (containing 70%+ cocoa solids), leaving it to stand for a couple of minutes and then gradually beating from the centre. The first cake went like a dream, but last week I had a nightmare. Each batch of chocolate began to 'seize' and go granular. I managed to get the cake done, but it did not have the same beautiful glossy finish as before. Last time I used Green and Blacks chocolate, this time Menier...surely it should still have worked. I have now lost confidence in ever doing it again!
What did I do wrong?
I'd be grateful for your help,
Margot.
Rosemary says:
It is never good to put chocolate into too higher heat because it can start to turn grainy at 55 degrees Celsius.
Try taking the temperature of the cream down, melt the chocolate to 50C by itself. Cool the cream down and then fold together. This should give you a nice smooth consistency. It's also a good idea to add butter which will help give it a good gloss at the end.
Soggy roast parsnips
Dear Rosemary,
How do I roast parsnips without them becoming soggy or burnt?
I look forward to your reply and thank you for reading my email.
David aka The Mature English Wolf + Head chef and bottle washer.
Rosemary says:
The trick is to place them in olive oil that is already hot, pop them in the oven and make sure you turn them. Take them out of the oven when almost cooked, brush them with honey, then put them back in the oven for 10 minutes in a hot oven.
Ideas for mushrooms
Hello Rosemary,
I am looking for advice on ways to have mushrooms on a summer buffet. I have tried them with mascarpone cheese, are there must be better ways to serve them?
Regards, Jim Smith.
Rosemary says:
I always go back to the retro way of cooking and make mushrooms a la greque. Add lots of chopped celery, a bay leaf, lemon juice, peppercorns and garlic. Place them all in a dish together with a little bit of water and bring to the boil, simmer for 10 minutes then allow to cool. Delicious!
A honey substitute
Rosemary,
I do not like the smell or taste of honey what can I replace it with?
Thanks, Sandra
Rosemary says:
Try using maple syrup. It is slightly stronger than honey but it will give you a very different flavour.
Chocolate brownies
Hi,
Every time I make chocolate brownies, I get a papery film on the top of the brownies, so I have to dust them with icing sugar. Is there any way I can prevent this from happening?
They still taste fantastic, but the appearance is not perfect.
Also, how long does home made lemon curd keep for if stored in preserving jars in the fridge?
Many thanks, Natalie.
Rosemary says:
This is normal, they're meant to be like this. Getting a crust like this is the sign of a good brownie!
With regards to the lemon curd. Perishable goods never keep too long - I'd suggest 3 months.
Stalks and leaves
Hi,
My better half and I have been disagreeing lately about what parts of mushrooms and cauliflowers are edible, and the best way to prepare them.
In the case of ordinary closed cup mushrooms I just trim a small sliver from the bottom of the stalk, wipe and either slice or leave whole depending on the recipe. My dearest says that the best way is to discard at least half of the stalk if not all and then thinly slice. As you can see, I disagree.
With the cauliflower I break it down into individual florets trimming outer leaves and stalk. I then steam the florets whilst steaming in another section the stalk and the healthy leaves. My dearest says that I should discard the leaves as they are bad for you to eat and she can't see the point in using the ('waste') stalk.
Could you please settle this for us. Your help would be truly appreciated.
Best regards,
Steve.
Rosemary says:
The stalks and leaves have all the good flavour. I completely agree with you. The stalks are also great raw or you can peel the stalks and grate them into a salad. The leaves are also good for decorative purposes.
Caramel
When I make caramel it always seems to turn out gritty. Why is this and how can I avoid it?
From Sue, Camden.
Rosemary says:
Your caramel certainly shouldn't turn gritty. It sounds like you're crystallising it. You need to heat it more slowly. Once all the sugar is melted then turn up to a high heat. Continue to cook until you get it to a nice light golden colour. Immediately remove from heat.
Like this, you'll love...
Recipes from Rosemary Shrager
Watch a video clip from the show
Rosemary's top ten ingredients
Rosemary's top ten kitchen utensils
More on Rosemary
Comments
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Latest Comment
Hi Rosemary I am looking for a good brownie recipe, so as to get fudgy not cake like brownies. Do you have any suggestions? Also how can I substitute leaf gelatine for powdered? I understand that there are many grades of leaf gelatine. How does it work? Thanks in advance
Morning Rosemary, do you have a favourite recipe for Lemon Curd if so do you wish to share it. Also how long does it store in sterilsed jars. Many thanks Jennifer, Huddersfield
Hi Rosemary, Can i make cream cheese from well out of date extra thick cream? would i need to add anything to it? Or can i just add it to my cheesecake mix? Thanx Sue, Portsmouth