Ways To Make Your Life Easier In The Kitchen

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    Keep cream fresher for longer: Make cream, cottage cheese and créme fraîche last longer by storing the container upside down in the fridge to create a vacuum effect that inhibits the growth of bacteria.
    2/20 Keep cream fresher for longer: Make cream, cottage cheese and créme fraîche last longer by storing the container upside down in the fridge to create a vacuum effect that inhibits the growth of bacteria.
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    Pop your dough in the microwave: Next time you bake some bread try placing a wet towel over the bowl when the dough has had it's initial rest and put it in the microwave for just 25 seconds. Rest it again for another five before blasting again for another quick 25 seconds. Leave it to rest for 45 minutes and then bake!
    3/20 Pop your dough in the microwave: Next time you bake some bread try placing a wet towel over the bowl when the dough has had it's initial rest and put it in the microwave for just 25 seconds. Rest it again for another five before blasting again for another quick 25 seconds. Leave it to rest for 45 minutes and then bake!
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    Easy peely: Peeling garlic? Thump the blub with a saucepan to separate the cloves, place them in to a metal bowl and put another one on top. Give the cloves a vigorous shake and they should come out perfectly peeled.
    4/20 Easy peely: Peeling garlic? Thump the blub with a saucepan to separate the cloves, place them in to a metal bowl and put another one on top. Give the cloves a vigorous shake and they should come out perfectly peeled.
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    Blind-baking boost: When you're baking something blind, use foil rather than baking parchment, as it fits snugly into the corners, doesn't curl up and gives a neater finish.
    5/20 Blind-baking boost: When you're baking something blind, use foil rather than baking parchment, as it fits snugly into the corners, doesn't curl up and gives a neater finish.
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    Keep bread fresher: Put your loaf in a plastic bag with a fresh celery stick and leave overnight. The loaf will slowly absorb the humidity from the celery, giving it a fresher taste and bounce.
    6/20 Keep bread fresher: Put your loaf in a plastic bag with a fresh celery stick and leave overnight. The loaf will slowly absorb the humidity from the celery, giving it a fresher taste and bounce.
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    Utilise your utensils: A stylish utensil holder will keep tools upright, helping you to organise your worktop with military precision.
    7/20 Utilise your utensils: A stylish utensil holder will keep tools upright, helping you to organise your worktop with military precision.
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    Streamline your seasonings: Make the most of counter space by using a pedestal cake stand to hold olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. That way, the ingredients you use most often are in one place.
    8/20 Streamline your seasonings: Make the most of counter space by using a pedestal cake stand to hold olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. That way, the ingredients you use most often are in one place.
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    In the Zone: Fill the cupboards in organised zones. Put baking items such as flour, sugar and baking soda together on a shelf; pasta, rice and pulses together; teas, coffees and so on. Avoid putting strongly flavoured foods, such as exotic spices, on a shelf next to delicately flavoured items, like tea or flour, or you'll contaminate their flavours.
    9/20 In the Zone: Fill the cupboards in organised zones. Put baking items such as flour, sugar and baking soda together on a shelf; pasta, rice and pulses together; teas, coffees and so on. Avoid putting strongly flavoured foods, such as exotic spices, on a shelf next to delicately flavoured items, like tea or flour, or you'll contaminate their flavours.
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    How To Remove Labels From Glasses and Vases: Remove sticky labels from vases and glasses by dampening with vinegar, then leaving for five minutes before buffing off with a cotton ball or paper towel.
    10/20 How To Remove Labels From Glasses and Vases: Remove sticky labels from vases and glasses by dampening with vinegar, then leaving for five minutes before buffing off with a cotton ball or paper towel.
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    Use Lemon To Clean: Rub half a cut lemon over a wooden or plastic cutting board to clean and bleach the surface.
    11/20 Use Lemon To Clean: Rub half a cut lemon over a wooden or plastic cutting board to clean and bleach the surface.
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    Stop blades blunting: If you're scraping bits off your chopping board with a knife before cleaning, use the other side, not the blade side, so you don't blunt your knife.
    12/20 Stop blades blunting: If you're scraping bits off your chopping board with a knife before cleaning, use the other side, not the blade side, so you don't blunt your knife.
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    Choose the right containers: Glass looks good and enables you to see the contents easily. Choose jars with rubber seals to lock in freshness and protect from humidity and pests. Make sure jars can be microwaved, refrigerated and put through the dishwasher for ease.
    13/20 Choose the right containers: Glass looks good and enables you to see the contents easily. Choose jars with rubber seals to lock in freshness and protect from humidity and pests. Make sure jars can be microwaved, refrigerated and put through the dishwasher for ease.
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    Keep your herbs fresh: To keep your cut herbs fresh, wrap them in damp kitchen towel in the salad drawer.
    14/20 Keep your herbs fresh: To keep your cut herbs fresh, wrap them in damp kitchen towel in the salad drawer.
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    Save time when you're cooking: How many recipes call for a chopped onion or two as a starting point? Next time you're chopping onions, make triple what you need and freeze in a freezer bag - to cook from frozen when needed.
    15/20 Save time when you're cooking: How many recipes call for a chopped onion or two as a starting point? Next time you're chopping onions, make triple what you need and freeze in a freezer bag - to cook from frozen when needed.
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    Take the fire out of chillies: The fastest and easiest way to deseed a chilli is to halve it lengthways, then use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds in one downwards stroke. Before chopping them, rub some vegetable oil on to your hands. This creates a barrier to prevent your skin absorbing their stingy heat.
    16/20 Take the fire out of chillies: The fastest and easiest way to deseed a chilli is to halve it lengthways, then use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds in one downwards stroke. Before chopping them, rub some vegetable oil on to your hands. This creates a barrier to prevent your skin absorbing their stingy heat.
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    Use redcurrants to help jam set: If you want to make jam, remember that strawberries are low in pectin, which is what causes jam to set, so add redcurrants, which are high in pectin. Stand the jam for 15 minutes before potting to prevent the strawberries floating to the top of the jar.
    17/20 Use redcurrants to help jam set: If you want to make jam, remember that strawberries are low in pectin, which is what causes jam to set, so add redcurrants, which are high in pectin. Stand the jam for 15 minutes before potting to prevent the strawberries floating to the top of the jar.
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    Melt chocolate without a microwave: When a recipe calls for melted chocolate, place it in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, but don't let the bowl touch the water or it will overheat. Don't stir it - let it melt gently.
    18/20 Melt chocolate without a microwave: When a recipe calls for melted chocolate, place it in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, but don't let the bowl touch the water or it will overheat. Don't stir it - let it melt gently.
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    Convert a square cake to a round tin: To convert a recipe that calls for a square cake tin to a round one, just increase the tin size by 1inch. So an 8inch square cake will fit into a 9inch round tin.
    19/20 Convert a square cake to a round tin: To convert a recipe that calls for a square cake tin to a round one, just increase the tin size by 1inch. So an 8inch square cake will fit into a 9inch round tin.
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    Avoid a soggy bottom: If you're making an apple pie, sprinkle breadcrumbs on the pastry base first to absorb moisture and stop sogginess.
    20/20 Avoid a soggy bottom: If you're making an apple pie, sprinkle breadcrumbs on the pastry base first to absorb moisture and stop sogginess.

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Although we love cooking, baking and spending time trying new things, we would all ideally love to spend less time in the kitchen during the week and when we have guests over.

Try our clever tips to help you to save time, from ideas for storage to quick cleaning tips and easy ideas to speed up food preparation.