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New York Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Do I Need to Refrigerate Ketchup? An A-to-Z Guide to Storing Condiments
Soy sauce? Peanut butter? Maple syrup? Settle some scores with this breakdown. Keep shelf-stable bottles tightly sealed in a cool, dark, dry cabinet — not over the stove — as light and heat will speed up oxidation. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Published May 22, 2025 Updated May 22, 2025 You keep mustard in the fridge, but your partner (or roommate or dad) balks at the idea. Who's right? The fine print on the bottle, on nearly all of the bottles — 'refrigerate after opening' — isn't much help. Turns out, that urging is rarely about health risks and more about quality, said Abby Snyder, the associate professor of microbial food safety at Cornell University. Dressings separate, bright sauces darken and fiery flavors fade, given enough time. Spoilage microbes might even get a foothold, making condiments and other ingredients unpleasant but not unsafe to eat. All of these processes are slowed or even halted in the fridge, but they're already heavily inhibited by low levels of water (which bacteria need to survive) and high levels of their nemeses (salt, acid, sugar, active probiotic cultures or other preservatives). So do you even need to refrigerate? 'A good rule of thumb: If you bought it from the refrigerated section at the store, it should stay in the fridge at home,' said Carla Schwan, the director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia. For everything else, other than a handful of examples below, consider your lifestyle. 'If you use it often and it's shelf stable, keep it in the pantry or on the counter,' said Lisa Cheng Smith, the founder of the Taiwanese pantry shop Yun Hai. 'If you use it more rarely, put it in the fridge to make sure it stays in peak condition.' A few other tips for making your condiments last: Keep shelf-stable bottles tightly sealed in a cool, dark, dry cabinet — not over the stove — as light and heat will speed up oxidation. (If you live somewhere hot and humid, you might need to move through them faster or keep more in the fridge.) And always use a clean, dry spoon or knife — no fingers — to avoid planting bacteria or the moisture they crave. Below you'll find everything you need — informed by food safety microbiologists, fermentation experts and the manufacturers and purveyors themselves — to help you make the call on 22 common staples, and set any debates to rest. (Yes, you can move the peanut butter to the cabinet now.) Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Butter is safe at room temperature, though the flavor will eventually go off, so it's best to leave out only what you'll go through within a day or two. Salted will taste fresh longer than unsalted. Kept in an airtight container, ghee — butter that has been simmered until its water evaporates — can keep for six months or longer at room temperature, said Angela Anandappa, a food microbiologist and the founding executive director and chief executive of the Alliance for Advanced Sanitation. With less-compact fat molecules for protection, whipped butters and plant-based butters are more defenseless and should stay refrigerated. Be sure to keep capers submerged in their brine. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Capers are usually sold bobbing in brine or vinegar or packed in salt crystals to block bacterial growth. But, once opened, pop any jars that are packed in liquid into the fridge and keep them submerged in their brine to stave off oxidation. 'Brine is the lifeblood,' said Brandon Gross, the senior vice president of brand for Divina, adding that capers have specific floral and mustard flavors that are enhanced in the fridge. For dry-cured or salt-cured capers, Mr. Gross recommends storing them in an airtight container in the pantry, the same way you would dried fruit. The flavors of your favorite chile crisp will stay intact longer in the fridge. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. While chile crisp is inherently shelf-stable, as with any oil-based product, 'if you don't seal it properly or keep it in a dry, dark place, there is a higher likelihood of oxidation leading to rancidity,' said Jing Gao, the founder of Fly by Jing and author of 'The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp.' She leaves her jars out, but admits that's a matter of speed: 'I go through jars pretty quickly.' Preservative and sodium levels may vary, Ms. Smith of Yun Hai noted. For low-salt, no-preservative chile crisps (or homemade), she prefers to store them in the fridge 'because it preserves all the delicate flavors captured in the oil for as long as possible.' Fish sauce may darken over time if stored at room temperature. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Typically made from tiny fish like anchovies that have been salted and fermented, then pressed, fish sauce is salty enough to stay safe at room temperature after opening. But after a long stretch, 'you may notice the color getting darker and the flavors more muted,' said Tiffany Pham, the chief flavor officer at the fish sauce producer Red Boat. Ms. Pham recommends moving fish sauce to the fridge if you aren't likely to use it within a year. 'In our Vietnamese household, it's a daily use so we keep ours in the pantry, like our moms did,' said Danny Tran, a co-founder of Son Fish Sauce. But even if your fish sauce eventually deepens in color, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. 'Many home cooks actually enjoy this richer, more intense umami flavor as it ages,' Mr. Tran said. 'Some even say it 'matures' like soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.' Keeping honey at room temperature helps it stay smooth and golden. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. So long as you don't let moisture in — a wet spoon, a loose lid in 90 percent humidity — honey will last virtually forever in the pantry, according to Timothy Jackson and Nicole Lindsey-Jackson, the executive directors of Detroit Hives. In fact, archaeologists have discovered well-preserved honey in Egyptian tombs that was most likely still safe to eat. 'Putting honey in the fridge actually makes it crystallize faster, turning it thick and grainy instead of smooth and golden,' Mr. Jackson and Ms. Lindsey-Jackson wrote in an email. If your honey does turn into sugar, Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike's Hot Honey, recommends gently warming the bottle in a water bath until it's about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or just leaving the bottle on a sunny windowsill. If you encounter bottles with added sugars or corn syrup, they should be used up more quickly. 'These don't have the same natural bombproof stability,' said Kirsten K. Shockey, an author of the cult cookbook 'Fermented Vegetables.' Different hot sauce styles require different storage. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. The hot sauce section is one of the few places you may not see a lot of labels with that familiar 'refrigerate after opening' suggestion, thanks to the high acidity of many brands. But it's worth checking, since there are as many hot sauce styles as there are fancy dog breeds. Vinegary types are fine at room temperature, but 'thick, pasty ones, less acidic ones or homemade hot sauces where the pH is unknown do best in the fridge,' said Julia Skinner, culinary educator and author of 'Our Fermented Lives.' For example, Tabasco, a vinegar-based hot sauce, will be just fine stored in a cool, dark pantry for at least five years after opening, according to Christian Brown, a sixth-generation family member who oversees strategic sourcing for the company. Storing it in the fridge, however, will slow discoloration. The carotenoids that give color to plants (including the red peppers in hot sauce) break down when exposed to oxygen (a.k.a. oxidation), which is why you might start to see the sauce in the top part of an open bottle darken if it's been sitting for a long time. To settle another debate: Yes, you should use a clean butter knife or spoon to scoop your jam. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Sugar binds with water, hampering the growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts. But 'sugar is also what fuels microbes, so until you get to a place where the water is bound up, you have a party for the microbes,' Ms. Shockey said. With that in mind, all varieties of jams and jellies should be kept sealed in the fridge after opening and discarded if they start to taste boozy or show signs of mold, since its roots grow deeper than the fuzz on the surface. Sako Gordon, the owner of the jam business Ayako & Family, said her biggest tip for curbing bacterial growth in open jam jars is 'to try your best to avoid 'double dipping,' or cross contamination. If you can use a clean spoon in place of your butter knife to scoop out your jam,' she said, 'you'll prolong the freshness.' Even after opening, you can keep ketchup out. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Bottles are left out at room temperature in diners, so they can stay out in your kitchen, too (especially if you go through as much as those restaurants do). The acidity in tomatoes makes ketchup shelf-stable, said Jennifer Sargent, the research and development culinary specialist at Conagra Brands, makers of Hunt's Ketchup. 'However,' she said, 'the flavor, quality and texture of your ketchup will deteriorate faster without refrigeration.' The official stance of the United States Department of Health and Human Services' FoodKeeper App — an oft-cited gold standard among food safety experts — is that shelf-stable commercial ketchup is safe when stored at room temperature after opening. Where you store kimchi depends on the flavors you're chasing. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Like yogurt, sauerkraut and other lacto-fermented foods, kimchi is preserved by the hum of happy probiotic bacteria producing lactic acid, which creates a signature tang and wards off pathogens. Fridge temperatures slow down, but don't stop, fermentation. 'You can enjoy 'fresh' kimchi,' allowing it to continue fermenting slowly in the fridge as you eat it, said Lauryn Chun, the founder of Mother-in-Law's, a small-batch kimchi brand, and author of 'The Kimchi Cookbook.' 'Or if you'd like a more fermented taste right away and accelerated fermentation (more bubbly, almost carbonated fizz in your mouth that Koreans love in kimchi), leaving it overnight in ambient temperature is fine. There may be liquid overflow and big 'pop' overflow upon opening the lid.' If the kimchi comes in brine, be sure to keep it completely submerged so microbes don't find a safe place to land. Small jars fit neatly in the refrigerator. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Unlike honey, pure maple syrup needs to be stored in the refrigerator, or it will eventually start to ferment or grow mold. If you don't have room in the fridge for a big jug, consider the freezer. 'Syrup that has been stored in the freezer will never change flavor or color,' said Cecile Branon of Branon Family Maple Orchards. 'It gets deliciously thick.' Keep a smaller amount in the fridge (starting with a clean, dry glass bottle) and refill as needed, letting the freezer jug sit out for 10 to 15 minutes to thin out before pouring it in. If your jug was left out at room temperature and starts to swell or tastes boozy, sour or bubbly, it's fermenting, and Ms. Branon recommends discarding it. 'It likely won't make you sick as it is becoming a maple wine or vinegar. It may not be tasty, though,' Ms. Shockey said. At any signs of mold it should go, especially if you have a mold allergy. You can keep mayo at room temperature, but you may not want to. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Brace yourself: 'Shelf-stable commercial mayonnaise is safe when stored at room temperature after opening,' the Health and Human Services Department advises, giving us three to six months to leave it in the pantry. (The same is not true of the homemade kind, which typically contains raw eggs and should be refrigerated promptly.) However, there are other reasons beyond lingering doubt that you'd want to keep it colder. It can be hard to control room temperature, which means mayo can get too warm and its emulsification can break down. That means it can get too loose or even separate and get an unpleasant oiliness, said Jessie YuChen, a coauthor and the recipe developer of the coming cookbook 'For the Love of Kewpie.' They also caution against freezing mayo, intentionally or accidentally, which might happen by storing it in a fridge that's too cold, especially toward the back. When the water in mayo freezes, it forms ice crystals which disrupt the emulsion, separating the oil and egg yolk. Tucking your jar into the more temperate fridge door should prevent this. Where you find your miso in the store determines where you should keep it. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. You'll find unpasteurized miso — made from salted and fermented soybeans, rice, barley, or other ingredients — in the refrigerated section to keep it alive. 'Miso makers intentionally choose a specific state of maturation, similar to an aged cheese or wine,' Eleana Hsu and Kevin Gondo from Shared Cultures, a producer of miso and other umami seasonings, wrote in an email. Keeping living miso in the fridge slows down microbial activity and pauses the flavor in that state. If your miso was sold at room temperature or says it doesn't require refrigeration, it's been pasteurized. It won't contain active probiotics and can be stored at room temperature, according to Rich Shih, a mold-based fermentation educator and a coauthor of the cookbook 'Koji Alchemy,' but the fridge will help it hang onto its flavor. Pasteurized or not, the salt content will help ward off pathogens, similar to soy sauce, though the exposed surface of miso is more vulnerable to contamination. Cover it with the paper included by the manufacturer or plastic wrap and 'sprinkle a little salt on top of the miso for added insurance,' Mr. Shih said. If you have a lot of different types of mustard, refrigerate them all. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. 'Thanks to the nature of the mustard seed — and ingredients like vinegar and salt — it's inherently stable,' said Brandon Collins, the mustard sommelier at Maille, the condiment brand. 'It's antibacterial, so nothing can really grow in it.' That said, Mr. Collins explained: 'Mustard's heat comes from when water activates its natural defense mechanisms. Keeping it in the fridge slows that reaction down,' preserving the spice. So, if you go through mustard quickly, feel free to keep it out. 'If you're going to enjoy it slowly — or if you've got 100 different mustards on hand,' he said, 'then into the fridge it goes.' Be sure to tighten the lids of oil bottles between uses. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Broadly speaking, refined oils will have a longer shelf life than unrefined, according to Dr. Anandappa, but all will oxidize more quickly in bright light, heat and open air. So tuck oils away in a dark pantry and tighten those lids. Bonus points for metal or dark glass bottles over clear glass or plastic. In homes where temperatures get above 77 degrees Fahrenheit, Takehiro Wada, the fifth-generation chief executive of the sesame producer Wadaman, recommends refrigerating sesame oil. If the oil becomes cloudy in the fridge, just let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes. 'It will quickly return to a liquid state,' Mr. Wada said. The fridge also isn't a bad idea for infrequent users. 'If you leave oils too long in the pantry, they will eventually go rancid and get that paint chip flavor,' Ms. Smith said. There's no real contest here: keep these bottles in the fridge. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. The original oyster sauce was made — accidentally — when Lee Kum Sheung, the founder of Lee Kum Kee, boiled oyster broth down to a concentrated umami slurry. 'Now, it is often thickened with cornstarch,' Ms. Shockey said, 'which changes the nature of the sauce,' diluting the protective powers of salt and acid. 'I definitely refrigerate it,' said the Chinese culinary expert and cookbook author Grace Young, who favors the brand Megachef. (Directives from other brands like Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman agree.) Stir natural peanut butters well before refrigerating them. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Both natural and no-stir styles of peanut butter are inherently low in moisture and can be stored in the pantry for a good three months after opening, according to the National Peanut Board. After that, move them to the fridge. If they've been sitting longer and the butter smells or tastes off, get rid of it. Natural-style peanut butters don't have hydrogenated oils or other stabilizers, so over time the oil will float to the top and can be tricky to stir back in. Keeping them in the fridge after a good stir will slow this separation. In the pantry, periodically flipping the jar to store upside down (and back) will help the oil gently reincorporate. Or less gently, just make some strategic stabs and swipes with a table knife. Keeping pickles chilled also preserves their crunch. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Pickles are how generations have put cucumbers and other fresh vegetables on pause — but it's only a pause. While experts generally recommend storing opened jars in the refrigerator, 'for fermented pickles (think full sours and half sours) you technically can store these on the counter, though your half sours will become full sours if you do,' Ms. Skinner said. Like all pickles, 'keep them completely submerged in brine to prevent pathogen growth and note that fermented cucumbers can get mushy very easily, especially in hot weather.' With varying acidity and salt levels for different styles, popping jars in the fridge errs on the side of caution (and will keep them crunchier, too). Freezing homemade salsas is a great way to preserve their flavor and texture. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Fresh salsa is easy. If you made it yourself or bought it chilled at the grocery store, keep it in the fridge. Rick A. Martínez, the author of 'Salsa Daddy' (who also develops recipes for NYT Cooking), recommends eating it within four days or freezing it in an airtight container. 'By freezing, you will lock the flavor and color, and the salsa will remain fresh tasting for up to six months.' Chopped salsas like pico de gallo should be blended first to sidestep the slumpy texture of frozen-then-thawed raw vegetables. Blend on medium-low speed, 'no higher or you will incorporate air and activate the pectin and make a salsa jelly,' Mr. Martínez said. Shelf-stable salsa from the grocery store aisle is trickier: It's theoretically processed to be safe in the pantry after opening, according to the Health and Human Services Department. Food safety and fermentation experts are more cautious, since salsas have some of the acidity of ketchup, but more moisture for microbes to latch onto. To keep either type at its brightest, store in the fridge after opening and serve on an ice pack during hotter months, recommends a representative from Teresa's Gourmet Foods, which makes fresh and shelf-stable salsas. Some varieties of soy sauce are fine in the pantry. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Soy sauce has enough salt that harmful microbes can't take hold, and most commercial types are pasteurized for added shelf stability. 'However, if you buy artisan or higher-end soy sauce' that's been traditionally fermented, 'keep it in the fridge to retain its nuanced flavor,' said Kenji Morimoto, a chef and the author of the coming cookbook 'Ferment.' Low-sodium varieties benefit from the extra protection of the fridge, too. Mr. Shih agrees, but notes that even small-batch soy sauces won't change quickly, unless the conditions are extreme. 'Don't freak out if you leave a bottle out overnight,' Mr. Shih said. Turn the jar upside down to prevent the solids from settling at the bottom. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Made from ground sesame seeds (and typically nothing else), tahini is low-moisture and safe to store at room temperature after opening. 'Pantry storage gives you an easier-to-mix texture, ideal for drizzling, dressings and sauces,' said Amy Zitelman, the chief executive and a founder of the tahini producer Soom Foods. For easier stirring, she recommends keeping the jar upside-down to counteract the solids settling into the bottom, which can happen more quickly at room temperature. When tahini is chilled, it thickens to a nut-buttery paste. 'If you store it in the fridge and want it thinner for a recipe, just stir some ice-cold water into your bowl of tahini (not the jar!),' Ms. Zitelman said. (As with other condiments, introducing water will invite other forms of life to grow.) The tahini may seize up at first — just keep whisking in a little water at a time until it smooths out. Vinegars can, in fact, develop off flavors. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. While vinegar is a pantry staple and the stuff many things are preserved in (see: pickles, capers, hot sauce), it's not invincible. You'll want to keep it away from heat, sunlight, air and moisture. 'In other words, not next to or above your stovetop as many people do,' said Michael Harlan Turkell, the author of the cookbook 'Acid Trip: Travels in the World of Vinegar.' Rarely, some lower-acid or unpasteurized vinegars will have labels recommending storing in the fridge. Mr. Turkell said the same advice would apply for any bottles that are cloudy or have a lot of particulates, which can age too quickly and develop off flavors. Mr. Turkell's rule of thumb: If it doesn't smell like acetic acid — the powerful main component of vinegar — don't use it. 'Put the bottle down,' he said, 'because if acetic acid isn't in the forefront, it isn't vinegar anymore.' The vinegar and salt in Worcestershire help preserve it. Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Both traditional and vegan brands are vinegar-based and amply salted, so they're considered safe at room temperature after opening. However, if Worcestershire doesn't move quickly in your household, the flavors will diminish faster in the pantry than at cooler temperatures. 'If you do choose to store open bottles at room temp, I'd say get a smaller size bottle and keep it in a cool, dark place,' said Hadar Cohen Aviram, an executive chef at McCormick & Company, which makes French's Worcestershire. And if you're shaking it into meatballs and loaves, make sure to wash your hands well before grabbing the bottle. Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
New York Times
10-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken
I usually use this space to provide helpful information, important context or a back story for a recipe. But in this case, for Ina Garten's perfect roast chicken, I don't think you need any of that. It's Ina Garten. It's a roast chicken. It's perfect. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and off you go. Featured Recipe View Recipe → French lentil salad: This bright, mustardy lentil salad from Lisa Donovan would be wonderful on its own, a showcase for whatever you've brought home from the market (radicchio, carrots, lots of herbs). But you could also assemble it while the above chicken is roasting, and then you have a fantastically Frenchy meal I think Ina would approve of. Slow cooker Tajín chicken and peppers: Hear me out: Now is the time to build a collection of slow- and pressure-cooker recipes you love so you can lean on them in the dead of summer, when it's too hot to use your stove or oven. This new Sarah DiGregorio recipe would be an excellent anchor for taco night. Tortellini pasta salad: This Ali Slagle recipe is for anyone who's ever eaten an Italian sub and wished it was a salad. With cheese tortellini. Lower-alcohol dirty martini: For Mother's Day dinner, from Rebekah Peppler, because Mom loves dirty martinis, but does not love hangovers. Giant strawberry turnover: For Mother's Day brunch, from Yossy Arefi, because Mom loves fruit-filled flaky pastries but does not love how most of the time they're not in giant, shareable form.
New York Times
31-03-2025
- General
- New York Times
How to Make Your Own Yogurt at Home
All you really need is good-quality milk, a few spoonfuls of your favorite plain yogurt and time. With just minutes of work, you can have delicious homemade yogurt. Karsten Moran for The New York Times Published March 31, 2025 Updated March 31, 2025 [This article was originally published on July 18, 2018.] If you love yogurt, making your own should be a culinary rite of passage, along the lines of baking your own bread or roasting a chicken, though easier than either. Mere minutes of active time, and the payback is huge: a pot of tangy, silky yogurt, made with ingredients you can control and personalized to your tastes. Karsten Moran for The New York Times A good, heavy-bottomed saucepan , to heat the milk evenly. While people were making yogurt before they were invented, a good, digital instant-read thermometer takes out the guesswork. Whisk or wooden spoon, for stirring. Cheesecloth and fine sieve or colander , for straining and thickening. Containers with tightfitting lids , for storing. If you have a yogurt maker, a slow cooker or multipot with a yogurt button, you can make yogurt directly in that appliance. Check your manual for instructions since brands and models vary. Wirecutter, a product recommendations website owned by The New York Times Company, has guides for picking the best instant-read thermometers and slow cookers . Homemade yogurt can elevate any recipe that calls for the store-bought version, like this berry dessert from Yossy Arefi. Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Yogurt is simply milk that has been mixed with specific types of good bacteria, then left to ferment. Good-quality, store-bought yogurt made without additives can be expensive — if you can even find it. Those who eat dairy may find some at farmers' markets or in gourmet stores, but fine alternative yogurts are much harder to come by. Making your own guarantees a supply, and, in time, you'll make yogurt that's even better than the fancy brands for a lot less money. To make your own, you'll need good-quality milk (dairy or non) and your favorite plain yogurt. The dairy milk is heated to between 180 and 200 degrees (just under boiling) to denature, or unravel, its protein structure, allowing it to thicken when it meets the bacteria. (Nondairy milk is simply simmered here to activate the starch.) Then, in both cases, the milk must be cooled to 110 to 120 degrees before the bacteria (also called the starter culture) is added. This step is important: Anything hotter than 130 degrees could hurt the bacteria; anything cooler won't encourage its growth. Then the milk is set aside to ferment in a warm(ish) place for 6 to 24 hours, during which the good bacteria multiply, and the milk gains body and texture. Finally, the yogurt is refrigerated, to stop the fermentation while the yogurt thickens. You can't make yogurt without a starter culture, that is, specific types of friendly bacteria to activate the fermentation process. The two bacteria most often used are Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus turns lactose into lactic acid, producing a sour or tangy flavor. Streptococcus thermophilus also breaks down lactose into an acid — digestible fatty acid. For dairy yogurt, the easiest starter culture is any plain live yogurt: Look for the words live, living or alive in the ingredient list. You'll also want to choose a starter yogurt without preservatives, but with a flavor you enjoy since you'll taste it in your batch. You can use homemade dairy yogurt in the subsequent batches, but bear in mind that it'll weaken over time. After a third or fourth use, it's best to use a new starter culture. (Note: Homemade nondairy yogurt cannot be used as a starter culture.) Yet another option is heirloom yogurt starter, available at some health-food stores and online. The yogurt you make from these strains can be used as a starter indefinitely. Think of it as analogous to a sourdough starter for bread: Just as you would in bread baking, you'll have to use it frequently (at least once a week) to keep it active. The first batch you make from an heirloom starter might turn out on the thin side, but should thicken in subsequent batches. To culture nondairy yogurt, you can use commercial yogurt, probiotic powder or probiotic capsules, found at health-food stores or online. (If using capsules, choose refrigerated ones over those stored on the shelf.) You can also use a vegan yogurt starter, or if it doesn't bother you, a dairy-based starter culture will work in a nondairy yogurt. Karsten Moran for The New York Times You can make yogurt from just about any kind of milk, whether it comes from cows, goats or camels, nuts, pulses or grains. But no matter what milk you use, the higher the quality, the better your yogurt will be. You have several options for dairy milk, the most common, of course, being cow's milk. You can start with creamline (non-homogenized) or homogenized milk. Creamline will create a yellow layer that sits atop the yogurt, while homogenized is smooth throughout and won't separate. For best results, choose pasteurized milk instead of sterilized or ultrapasteurized (UHT) milk. It tends to have a better flavor than ultrapasteurized, and ferments more willingly. If you'd prefer to use sterilized or ultrapasteurized milk, you don't need to heat it to 180 to 200 degrees. That was done before you bought it. Just heat it to 110 degrees, stir in the culture, and let it ferment. Another variable is fat content. Fat adds creaminess and body, so the less fat a milk has, the thinner the resulting yogurt will be. (Higher-fat milks yield thicker, richer yogurts.) First published with a 2016 column, our master recipe, which calls for whole milk, with the option of adding cream, yields a luscious yogurt, but you can substitute low-fat milk: 2 percent works much better than 1 percent, both in terms of flavor and texture. You can also make yogurt from goat's, sheep's or buffalo milk. Each has its own flavor. Goat's milk, for example, is tangier than cow's milk, and may need less time to ferment. For these yogurts, you can use a cow's milk starter, a starter of the same milk variety (if you can find it), or a store-bought starter culture powder. Simply substitute the milks 1-to-1 for cow's milk in our master recipe. Lactose-free milk often won't ferment and thicken properly. If you can't tolerate lactose, use an alternative dairy-free milk instead. Nondairy milks generally stay thin even after fermentation. They're tangy like yogurt, but tend to be more pourable than spoonable. Thickening them, however, isn't hard. Our master recipe uses arrowroot or cornstarch, but you can experiment with gelatin, pectin, cornstarch, agar powder or gums (locust bean or xanthan). Or enjoy them as they are in smoothies or poured over cereal. After much testing, we've found cashew milk yields the best results when used in nondairy yogurt. It's rich, gently flavored, and ferments willingly with either a yogurt starter culture or probiotic capsule. Almond milk also works, but unless it's homemade, it stays very thin. Soy milk thickens without having to add starches or agar powder, giving you a lushly textured yogurt. (For more, see our chapter on Other Nondairy Yogurts below.) Less successful, however, is oat milk, which takes on a cardboard-like flavor when fermented. This is a great opportunity to try things out: Feel free to make the yogurt with different milks until you find the one you like best. Karsten Moran for The New York Times You can substitute low-fat milk here if you'd rather; 2 percent works a lot better than 1 percent. Skim milk will give you a thinner yogurt, though if you add some dry milk powder to the milk as it heats (about ½ cup), that will help thicken it. Creamline (non-homogenized milk) will give you a cream top on your yogurt. Homogenized milk is smooth throughout. With just minutes of work, you can have delicious homemade yogurt. Karsten Moran for The New York Times Of all the nondairy milks you could use for yogurt, cashew milk works best, turning pleasantly sour with an underlying sweetness. If you wish to go beyond cashew milk, and use soy milk, coconut milk or your homemade nut milk, see below. There are about as many kinds of nondairy yogurt as there are nondairy milks, and, since it can be an inexact science, you can and should experiment. Here are three variations to get you started. Substitute soy milk and eliminate thickener. Heat milk to 180 degrees, let it cool to 110 degrees, then continue with recipe as directed for from Step 2, skipping the thickener. Substitute 2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk for the nut milk, and use ½ cup yogurt or 2 probiotic capsules as the starter. Coconut milk can often take a bit longer to ferment than other milks, so you can leave it for up to 48 hours if necessary. In a large bowl, cover 1 cup cashews, almonds or other nuts with at least 2 inches water. Soak at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. Drain and transfer the nuts to a blender, along with 4 cups filtered water. Blend until very smooth. Strain mixture through two layers of cheesecloth, squeezing on the solids, into a medium pot. Heat milk to 180 degrees, let it cool to 110 degrees, then continue with recipe as directed for from Step 2. The thickener is optional here. If using, follow directions in master recipe. Karsten Moran for The New York Times There are myriad ways to top yogurt, whether the usual granola and honey, flavored syrups or jams, compotes, fresh fruit, coconut, nuts, and even vegetables, hot sauces and pickles. Here are some ideas to get you started. Once you've made plain yogurt, you can think of it as a blank canvas. You can, of course, top your yogurt with nuts or any number of granolas — whether one made with olive oil and dotted with pistachios and apricots or flax and mixed grains. You could sweeten it with honey, brown sugar or maple syrup, or branch out with any number of jams and compotes, store-bought or homemade, experimenting with favorite flavors. Or try other, more savory toppings: poached eggs and mint, cucumbers and olive oil, crunchy chickpeas, and roasted root vegetables like beets, carrots, and even sweet potatoes. You can also use your yogurt as a topping itself, to bolster other dishes. A dollop is a welcome addition to a batch of oatmeal, offering a bit of tang to an otherwise mellow dish. And you can always use it to top soups in place of sour cream. Making yogurt is simple, but even the simplest things can go wrong on occasion. Take heart. It happens to the best of us. Here's a list of issues that may come up, and the best course of action if they do. Christopher Testani for The New York Times The longer you let it sit, the more sour it will be. Ferment your first batch during the day (instead of overnight), so you can taste it every few hours and make sure it's to your liking before you refrigerate it. If it seems too mild after 12 hours, you can let it sit out to increase the tanginess: It can be out at room temperature for up to 24 hours without spoiling. In a warm place. A turned-off oven with the oven light on; wrapped in a heating pad, towel or warm blanket, like a sheepskin or down quilt, and set on a countertop, a corner of your kitchen, or on top of the fridge. Some people like to put it in a cooler filled with a few inches of hot water. It doesn't matter where, as long as it's relatively warm. The warmer the spot, the more quickly the milk will ferment. The ideal temperature range is 90 to 105 degrees, but even warm room temperature will get the job done, albeit more slowly. And this should go without saying, but keep the setting yogurt away from a cold draft or air conditioner. Rub an ice cube over the inside bottom of the pot before adding the milk. Harold McGee, who writes about the chemistry of food and cooking, says: 'When you rinse the pot with water, you precoat the metal surface with water molecules, and that coat seems to protect the surface from direct contact with the milk proteins when you pour the milk in. When you turn on the heat, the protein molecules take longer to contact the hot metal and bond to it. So less protein sticks to the pan bottom and scorches.' Take it off the heat immediately, stirring it to cool it down, or transferring the pot to an ice bath. Boiled milk will make for a thicker yogurt, but perhaps one with a bit less bacteria. As long as you bring it down to 110 to 115 degrees before adding the starter culture, the yogurt should be fine. If the milk was boiling to the point that it's curdled, start over. At that point, both texture and flavor will have been compromised. It is easiest to let the heated milk cool to 110 to 115 degrees without the use of an ice bath, as long as you have the time. (It can take 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on your pot and how much milk you've heated.) Letting the milk cool by itself (uncovered) allows it to release steam, which results in a thick, custardy yogurt. With an ice bath, you run the risk of cooling the milk too much or unevenly: Make sure to keep a watchful eye and stir constantly. If you plan to ferment the yogurt in the same pot you set in an ice bath, you might want to warm the pot slightly before setting it aside to ferment. Otherwise, the milk's temperature could continue to drop: Simply put the pot back on the stove for a few seconds to warm it. It could be the starter culture, which loses its thickening power over time. As a precaution, buy a new yogurt starter after about every 3 to 5 batches. Adding starter to milk that is over 130 degrees can also kill the bacteria, so avoid any bacteria-decimating hot spots by stirring the milk well before taking its temperature. Milk with too many preservatives (nondairy milks, in particular) may not ferment. Those preservatives are doing their job, that is, inhibiting the bacteria. Start again with new milk. Here are more tips from readers. A dairy-based yogurt shouldn't need extra thickening unless you're starting with skim or low-fat milk. In those cases, ½ cup dry milk powder can be added to 2 quarts milk before heating. If you're starting with whole milk, consider adding cream, or strain the yogurt after it sets. To do so, set a colander or sieve over a bowl and line the colander with cheesecloth. Take the finished yogurt, before or after chilling, pour it into the colander, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2 to 6 hours to drain the excess water, or whey. When it looks thick enough for your liking, transfer it to a storage container. If it becomes too thick, stir some of the whey back in. Reserve the remaining whey for smoothies, soups or lemonade, add it to bread and pizza dough or use it to marinate poultry.
New York Times
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
14 Desserts for Anyone Who Really, Really Loves Dark Chocolate
Yossy Arefi's chocolate lava cakes can be made for two, a perfectly romantic dessert. Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Published Feb. 7, 2025 Updated Feb. 7, 2025 Milk chocolate is great for a quick hit of nostalgia or sugar, but dark chocolate is for real chocolate lovers. The desserts below highlight the true complexity of this ingredient — its savoriness, its fruitiness and acidity, and its sweetness. Make these chocolate-forward desserts for the friend, family member or partner who has really stuck with you through life's bitter moments — and its sweet ones. Read on for dark chocolate recipes that let this ingredient's richness shine and, yes, satisfy on a level of pure deliciousness, too. Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. This elegant dessert from Yossy Arefi puffs up like a soufflé in the oven before you allow it to intentionally collapse. The resulting cake has a rich, creamy center and a light, crisp exterior you won't soon forget. And to make it even more memorable — and chocolaty — use chocolate with around 70 percent cacao. Recipe: Chocolate Soufflé Cake David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. These Valentine's Day classics from Eric Kim are a crowd pleaser, sure. But they're also an education: Making them will also teach you how to temper chocolate, and knowing this crucial technique — which provides that shiny, perfectly snappable chocolate coating you see in professionally made candy — will pay dividends in future desserts. Recipe: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff. This two-ingredient dessert from David Tanis is the perfect thing to make and stash in your freezer. Throw it on a platter with berries and your favorite store-bought cookie, and you've got a totally hands-off dessert the next time you host guests or need an emergency sweet snack. Recipe: Pistachio Chocolate Bark Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. This warming chocolate beverage was first prepared thousands of years ago by Mesoamerican women who drank it for its medicinal properties. This version, which Kiera Wright-Ruiz adapted from Churrería El Moro in Mexico City, is best made with Celyon cinnamon, which is milder and sweeter than cassia cinnamon. Commenters point out that you can riff on the original recipe and make it spicier by adding black pepper, cayenne or cloves. Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling) For a dessert that delivers both sophistication and a touch of nostalgia, make Yewande Komolafe's sandwich cookies. Marshmallow fluff nestled between malted chocolate shortbread evokes childhood cups of hot cocoa, but a dark chocolate ganache topping makes these full of chocolaty intensity fit for adults. Recipe: Malt Chocolate and Marshmallow Sandwiches Craig Lee for The New York Times This Melissa Clark recipe, like many chocolate cake recipes before it, harnesses the power of espresso to make the chocolate flavor all the deeper. It also calls for soaking the cake in whiskey, which adds notes of caramel, praline and booze. The whiskey flavor is prominent, so make sure to use one you really love. Recipe: Whiskey-Soaked Bundt Cake Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. The pieces of 70 percent dark chocolate folded into the batter are only the start when it comes to sophisticated, savory flavors. The pastry chef Zoe Kanan also includes nutty ingredients like black sesame paste, sesame seeds and rye flour. Your cookie eaters probably won't be able to identify seaweed's flavor outright, but the saltiness and umami flavor will have them coming back for more. Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies With Black Sesame and Seaweed Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Light and fluffy but still so rich, chocolate mousse is one of those kitchen wonders that seem like they should be achievable only in restaurants — but it's actually so easy to make at home. Here, David Tanis forgoes folding in whipped cream (as many recipes call for), opting instead to use egg whites for lift. As a result, you get a more robust chocolate flavor. Splashes of espresso and citrus add intrigue, and the candied ginger, a lovely garnish, also lends a welcome kick. Recipe: Dark Chocolate Mousse With Candied Ginger Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Homemade ice cream can feel intimidating, and to minimize that intimidation factor, Melissa Clark skips the fussy custard-making in this recipe. A few tablespoons of bourbon come to the rescue, softening the texture of the ice cream and ensuring that it won't freeze solid. Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Photographer: Simon Andrews. Lava cakes were something of a restaurant fad in the '90s, but that's part of their appeal. It's romantic to make Yossy Arefi's take on this dessert in a 10-ounce baking dish perfectly sized to serve two. But you can also divide the recipe into two cakes and bake them in ramekins. In fact, here's an idea: Have one cake solo on the night of Valentine's Day, then eat the other for breakfast the next day. Recipe: Chocolate Lava Cake for Two Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling) Several complex flavors join forces in this recipe from Samantha Seneviratne — Earl Grey, orange zest, and, of course, dark chocolate. The Earl Grey adds subtle floral notes, but some commenters suggest increasing the amount of tea to make it more prominent. Fold in chopped pieces of dark chocolate rather than using chips so you get delightful, uneven pockets of melty richness. Recipe: Earl Grey Tea Cake With Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times Cherries and chocolate are a beloved flavor combination for a reason, and these buttery shortbread bars from Melissa Clark bear that out. Cherry jam provides a bright pop against a rich, creamy ganache. That said, you can choose any flavor of jam you want. It's optional to add a splash of booze to the ganache, but if you do, choose one that matches your jam flavor, like Kirsch for cherry and Grand Marnier for orange. Recipe: Dark Chocolate-Cherry Ganache Bars Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times This pudding from Melissa Clark combines the deep chocolate flavor of a French chocolate custard with the ease of an American stovetop chocolate pudding. Heavy cream and brown sugar give this an extra creamy, fudgy texture. Top with crème fraîche for a bright contrast to the rich chocolate. Recipe: Dark Chocolate Pudding Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne Sometimes you want an easy dessert; others, you want to make a showstopper. For those times, there's this chocolate truffle tart from Erin Jeanne McDowell. A press-in crust and an easier-than-it-looks ganache filling make this achievable even for beginner bakers. You can top the tart with homemade truffles rolled in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, and vibrant freeze-dried fruit powder for a fun project, but it's also fine to use store-bought truffles. Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Tart Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
