Baking Powder
Published December 1, 2015.
We always assumed all baking powders were created equal. Boy, were we wrong.
Dark Chocolate
Published November 1, 2013.
It’s easy to find a great snacking chocolate. But cooking is different: Choosing the right dark chocolate can make the difference between a dessert that’s flawless and one that’s a flop.
Processed Egg Whites
Published February 1, 2013.
How do these packaged products compare to fresh egg whites—both in taste and performance?
Ready-Made Pie Crusts
Published December 1, 2012.
Many store-bought pie crust options are grim: dense and doughy or greasy and cracker-crisp. Could we find a crust that’s closer to homemade?
Supermarket Cocoa Powder
Published November 1, 2012.
These days cocoa powder fetches anywhere from $7 to nearly $24 per pound. But is price any indication of rich chocolate flavor?
Almond Extract
Published February 1, 2012.
Just ¼ teaspoon of almond extract can perfume entire cakes with the unmistakable scent of almond. Given its potency, will any brand do?
Molasses
Published November 1, 2011.
Terms like "mild," "full," and "robust" are meaningless when it comes to molasses. The only surefire way to know what we were getting was to taste them.
Vanilla Beans
Published July 1, 2011.
For custard-based recipes in which vanilla is the star, we’ve found that vanilla beans impart deeper flavor than vanilla in its more familiar form, extract.
Creamy Peanut Butter
Published March 1, 2011.
“Natural” peanut butter used to mean an oil slick on top and a texture so stiff you could stand a stick in it. Is the new breed of butters any better? And what exactly makes them “natural”?
Whole-Wheat Flour
Published March 1, 2011.
If you thought all whole-wheat flours are created equal, you were wrong.
Milk Chocolate
Published February 1, 2011.
Has trendy dark chocolate changed our taste for good old milk chocolate?
Unsweetened Chocolate
Published November 1, 2010.
With no added sugar or dairy, 100 percent pure chocolate can be a clear route to rich chocolate flavor—or bitter proof that not all bars are created equal.
All-Purpose Vegetable Oils
Published March 1, 2010.
Vegetable oil should stay behind the scenes, whether you’re baking, sautéing, or making salad dressing. But pick the wrong oil, and your food could taste like old fish.
Instant Espresso Powder
Published March 1, 2010.
Is the right espresso powder the secret to intense chocolate flavor in brownies and other baked goods?
White Chocolate
Published November 1, 2009.
We tasted real white chocolate alongside "fake" supermarket brands to determine if the real deal was worth tracking down.
Cinnamon
Published November 1, 2009.
Cinnamon used to be the most basic spice in your cupboard. Now it’s gone upscale. So will a fancy brand from Vietnam costing $8 an ounce actually make baked goods taste better?
Stone-Ground Oats
Published July 1, 2009.
We tested one brand of stone-ground oats. Could they please our tasters' palates?
Quick Oats
Published July 1, 2009.
For emergencies only?
Steel-Cut Oats
Published July 1, 2009.
Judging from the brands and styles cramming supermarket shelves, there's an oat for almost every taste. Are any better for breakfast or for baking?
Rolled Oats
Published July 1, 2009.
We prefer rolled oats for baking. Here are our recommendations for what brand to use.
Milk Chocolate Chips
Published May 1, 2009.
We were looking for a chip with intense chocolate flavor, moderate sugar, and a goodly amount of cocoa butter.
Dark Chocolate Chips
Published May 1, 2009.
Do Nestlé Toll House morsels still deserve to be the nation’s top-selling chips?
Vanilla Extract
Published March 1, 2009.
In the battle of pure versus imitation extracts, could we declare a winner?
Dark Chocolate
Published December 31, 2007.
Does spending more for "gourmet" chocolate buy richer, more complex flavor and yield better baking results?
Lemon Curd
Published April 1, 2007.
We tasted jarred varieties to see if we could find an acceptable substitute for home-made.
