temper

Definition

Gradually raising the temperature of a cold ingredient by adding small amounts of hot liquid, preventing curdling or seizing. The cooking technique equivalent of easing someone into a cold pool instead of pushing them in.

Example Usage

Temper the eggs before adding them to the hot cream or you'll have sweet scrambled eggs instead of custard.

Origin

Latin 'temperare,' meaning to mix in proper proportion or moderate

Fun Fact

Tempering chocolate is a completely different process involving precise temperature control to create stable crystals, proving that cooking terminology loves to reuse words in confusing ways.

Source: General cooking technique terminology

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