Which technique describes raising the temperature of a cold liquid by adding hot liquid in small portions?

• A. Temper
• B. Steep
• C. Sauté
• D. Scald

Answer: (A)

Tempering is a gradual heating method where you introduce small amounts of hot liquid into a cold liquid while whisking or stirring constantly. This slow, incremental warming helps the two liquids blend smoothly and prevents problems like curdling or separation that can happen when heat is applied too quickly. It’s the technique you use when you want to raise the temperature of a cold mixture without shocking it, such as adding hot milk to eggs or gradually integrating hot sauce with a cold base. Steeping involves soaking to extract flavor, sautéing is cooking in a small amount of fat, and scalding means heating a liquid to just below its boiling point; they don’t describe the process of adding hot liquid in portions to a cooler one like tempering does.