ACF Classic Cooking Techniques 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes the 'en papillote' cooking method?
- Cooking food submerged in clarified butter at low temperature
- Baking food sealed in a parchment or foil packet using steam from the food itself (Correct answer)
- Grilling food wrapped in banana leaves over an open fire
- Roasting food in a covered Dutch oven with added liquid
Correct answer: Baking food sealed in a parchment or foil packet using steam from the food itself
En papillote seals food in parchment paper; as it heats, moisture from the food creates steam that cooks it gently.
Question 2: What is the function of a 'sachet d'épices' in stock or braise production?
- A cheesecloth bag of aromatics tied together for easy removal after cooking (Correct answer)
- A marinade mixture rubbed onto meat before roasting
- A dry spice blend incorporated into a roux
- A packet of powdered gelatin added to clarify consommé
Correct answer: A cheesecloth bag of aromatics tied together for easy removal after cooking
A sachet d'épices (spice bag) holds aromatics like peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, and parsley stems, allowing easy removal before serving.
Question 3: In sauce espagnole (classical Spanish sauce/brown sauce), what is the primary thickening agent?
- Arrowroot slurry
- Reduction of brown stock only
- Dark roux (Correct answer)
- Tomato paste alone
Correct answer: Dark roux
Espagnole is thickened with a dark (chocolate) roux combined with brown stock, mirepoix, and tomato paste.
Question 4: What distinguishes 'pan-steaming' (also called 'covered sautéing' or 'étouffée') from traditional sautéing?
- Food is cooked in deep fat rather than a shallow pan
- A lid is added mid-cook to trap steam and finish the food through moist heat (Correct answer)
- Food is blanched in water before being placed in the sauté pan
- The pan is tilted to submerge one side of the food
Correct answer: A lid is added mid-cook to trap steam and finish the food through moist heat
In étouffée-style cooking, a lid traps steam from added liquid, combining initial sautéing with a finishing moist-heat step.
Question 5: Which acid is traditionally used to acidulate water when poaching eggs to help the whites coagulate quickly?
- Citric acid crystals
- White vinegar (Correct answer)
- Lemon juice
- Cream of tartar
Correct answer: White vinegar
White vinegar lowers the pH of the poaching water, causing the egg white proteins to coagulate faster and wrap tightly around the yolk.
Question 6: What is the term for the light egg-and-cream mixture used to finish and enrich cream soups and sauces?
- Gastrique
- Liaison (Correct answer)
- Monter au beurre
- Tempering
Correct answer: Liaison
A liaison of egg yolks and heavy cream is whisked in off-heat to add richness and a slight thickening to velouté-based soups.
Question 7: Which classical sauce is produced by reducing white wine and shallots, then finishing with whole butter (monter au beurre)?
- Hollandaise
- Beurre blanc (Correct answer)
- Béarnaise
- Sauce suprême
Correct answer: Beurre blanc
Beurre blanc is built on a white wine–shallot reduction into which cold butter is whisked to form a warm emulsified sauce.
ACF Classic Cooking Techniques 4
Which of the following best describes the 'en papillote' cooking method?