Butter
Butter is made from fresh or soured cream and must contain at least 80% fat by law. The remaining 20% is composed of milk solids and water.

For baking, ONLY use butter in the stick form. Whipped butter has air beaten into it and cannot be directly substituted for stick butter.

The HERSHEY'S Kitchens uses regular stick butter that contains salt in all recipe development and testing. Unsalted butter may be substituted for regular butter with little difference in the overall taste of the recipe.

Margarine
Margarine must contain 80% vegetable fat by law. It is often made from soybean, canola and corn oils. Because margarine is made from vegetable oil, it contains less saturated fat than butter.

For baking, ONLY use margarine in stick form. The softer margarine found in tubs may have air beaten in to it which will negatively affect the outcome of your recipe.

Margarine made with 80% fat is the only acceptable substitution for butter. Read package labels carefully. Many products will look like margarine, but they are actually spreads.

Spreads
Spreads contain less than 80% fat by weight. Water typically replaces the fat in spreads. DO NOT use spreads in baking unless a recipe calls for a specific type of spread. For example, 1/2 cup 60% vegetable oil spread.

Reduced-Calorie or Low-Fat Butter or Margarine
These products have considerably less fat than regular butter or margarine and usually contain added water and air. Unless a recipe specifically lists these products, do not use them for baking as poor quality and texture will occur.

Measuring Butter or Margarine
It is easiest to measure butter or margarine by using the tablespoon and cup indicators on the wrappers. If your butter wrapper doesn't list tablespoons and cups, use the following guidelines: 1/4 cup equals 4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick, 1/3 cup equals 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, 1/2 cup equals 8 tablespoons or 1 stick.

Melting
Visit the techniques section for a variety of information about melting our baking chips and baking chocolate.

Storage
Chocolate products will stay fresh for well over a year if stored in a cool, dry place (65-70 degrees F.) It's a good idea to keep an eye on the temperature and humidity. Bloom, the gray-white film that sometimes appears on chocolate bars and chips, occurs when chocolate is exposed to varying temperatures. It does not affect the taste or quality of the chocolate.

Substitutions
HERSHEY'S Cocoa can be used as an easy substitute for most forms of baking chocolate and even baking chips called for in recipes. Use the following chart as a guideline for your needs:

Product	Cocoa	Shortening	Sugar	Amount
Unsweetened Baking Chocolate	3 Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.		Equals 1 oz. Scale up accordingly.
Pre-melted Unsweetened Baking Chocolate	3 Tbsp.	1 Tbsp.		Equals 1 envelope
Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate	6 Tbsp.	1/4 cup	7 Tbsp.	Equals 6 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate or 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Sweet Baking Chocolate	3 Tbsp.	2-2/3 Tbsp.	4-1/2 Tbsp.	Equals 4 oz bar

Storage
HERSHEY'S Cocoa keeps very well when stored at room temperature in the original container. It retains its freshness and quality without refrigeration.

When storing HERSHEY'S Cocoa, avoid contact with moisture and/or high heat. Both can cause clumping and gray discoloration, although neither affect cocoa flavor or quality.

Toasting Coconut
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spread MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes in a thin layer in a shallow baking pan.
3. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown.

Tinting Coconut
1. Combine 1/2 teaspoon water and a few drops of food color in a small bowl, small covered jar or re-sealable plastic bag.
2. Add 1 cup MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes.
3. Toss with a fork or shake closed jar until coconut is evenly coated; store in airtight container.

Storing Coconut
To store a bag of MOUNDS Coconut after opening, tightly close the bag and place it in the refrigerator. You can also place the opened bag inside a heavy re-sealable plastic bag and store it in the freezer.

Beat
To combine ingredients vigorously with a spoon, fork, wire whisk, hand beater or electric mixer until the ingredients are smooth and uniform.

Blend
To combine ingredients with a spoon, wire whisk, or rubber scraper until very smooth and uniform. A blender or food processor may also be used, depending on the job.

Boil
To heat a liquid until bubbles rise continuously and break on the surface and steam is given off. For a rolling boil, the bubbles form rapidly and will not stop forming even when the liquid is stirred.

Fold
To combine ingredients lightly while preventing loss of air by using two motions: Using a rubber spatula, first cut down vertically through the mixture. Next, slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side, turning the mixture over. Repeat these motions after rotating the bowl one-fourth turn with each series of strokes.

Grease
To rub the inside surface of a pan with solid shortening, using a pastry brush, wax paper or paper towels, to prevent food from sticking during baking. Nonstick cooking spray may also be used; do not use butter or margarine (especially in a baked recipe) because sticking may occur.

Grease and Flour
To rub the inside surface of a pan with solid shortening before dusting it with flour, to prevent food from sticking during baking. After flouring the pan, turn it upside down, tapping the bottom to remove excess flour. If the batter to be added to the pan is chocolate, HERSHEY'S Cocoa may be used in place of flour to add a rich brown coating to the final product.

Heat Oven
To turn the oven controls to the desired temperature, allowing the oven to heat thoroughly before adding food. Heating takes about 10 minutes.

Mix
To combine ingredients in any way that distributes them evenly. This can be accomplished using a hand utensil or an electric mixer.

Soften
To allow cold food, such as butter, margarine or cream cheese, to stand at room temperature until no longer hard. Generally this will take 30 to 60 minutes.

Stir
To combine ingredients with a circular or "figure 8" motion until they are of a uniform consistency.

Whip
To beat ingredients with a wire whisk, hand rotary beater or electric mixer to add air and increase volume until ingredients are light and fluffy, such as with whipping cream or egg whites.