NOCTI Culinary Practice Exam 2025 – Your All-in-One Guide to Mastering the Culinary Exam!

Question: 1 / 400

What commonly causes cream soups and sauces to curdle?

Not enough cream in the recipe

Insufficient starch to stabilize the milk

Cooking temperature too high

The correct answer relates to the fact that cooking a cream soup or sauce at a temperature that is too high can cause the proteins in the dairy to denature rapidly. When these proteins denature, they can aggregate and form clumps, leading to curdling. Cream and milk are sensitive to heat; therefore, maintaining a gentle simmer rather than boiling is essential to preserve the creamy texture of the soup or sauce.

Additionally, if the cooking temperature exceeds a certain threshold, it can also break down any starch thickener used, compounding the problem. Although other factors like the proportion of cream or stabilizing starch can contribute to texture, they do not primarily lead to curdling the same way that excessive heat does. Thus, controlling the cooking temperature is crucial for achieving a smooth and homogenous cream soup or sauce.

Get further explanation with Examzify DeepDiveBeta

Failure to thoroughly mix the thickeners

Next Question

Report this question

Download National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Culinary Practice Exam PDF Study Guide
Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy