Essential Cooking Skills for Teens: Mastering Savory Sauces and Dessert Techniques

Instructions

Below are a few classic sauces you can practice making. Follow the recipes and write down your experiences and thoughts for each. Be sure to include any tips you learn along the way!

1. Béchamel Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in flour to form a roux, cooking for about 2 minutes.
3. Gradually whisk in milk, cooking until thickened.
4. Season with salt and white pepper.

Experience:

2. Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• Salt, pepper, and basil to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onions until translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and seasonings.
4. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes.

Experience:

3. Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, heat heavy cream until just simmering.
2. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

Experience:

Reflection Questions

1. Which sauce was your favorite to make and why?

2. What was the most challenging part of any of the recipes?

3. If you were to add an ingredient to any of these sauces, what would it be and why?