BAKING TIPS

Did you read through that recipe?
Read through it again… I still occasionally miss things even after reading a recipe twice such as something needing to be toasted or blanched before using. Rereading a recipe helps ensure your success as it gets you more comfortable with what you are about to begin.

Pull out every ingredient you need to make sure you have it.
Ever reach for the light brown sugar to realize you are out? I have. I always set out my ingredients before I start any recipe – just to be sure.

Let all your ingredients come to room temperature.
If I’m baking first thing in the morning, I pull out my ingredients the evening before. Items of the same temperature mix together more easily. Try to give your ingredients such as eggs, butter at least 30 minutes minimum, preferably an hour or two. The sound of a hard clump of butter slamming its way around a mixing bowl is not a pretty sound either…

If you do bake quite a bit, get digital scale.
Measuring by weight is not only more accurate than volume but is also cleaner. I can take a bowl, zero it out on my scale and dump all the cups I need by a single weight measure rather than scoop by scoop of flour that usually ends up leaving a cloud of flour over the counter. I’ve created myself a weight chart for the common items I use i.e. sugar, powdered cocoa, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour, etc. Just be sure to come up with your own chart. Flours from different manufacturers weight differently at the same volume amount so make your own measurement first.

Beat your butter for 8 to 10 minutes.
I found that this single step increased the quality of my baked good pretty significantly. If you’re creating a buttercream, the beating will also lighten the color of the butter. This really gets the butter creamy and smooth and makes it much easier to combine with other ingredients.

Get an oven thermometer and check your oven temperature. Preheat your oven for 30 minutes at a typical medium temperature such as 350 degrees with the oven thermometer inside in an easy-to-read position. Take a look. If you are not at the exact temperature, make a note for yourself exactly how far off and adjust your temperature when baking. If you are dramatically off, say by more than 25 degrees, you may want to have your oven serviced.

Keep that oven door closed.
It’s so tempting to open the oven door and continuously check on your baked concoction but don’t. Every time you open the oven door, precious heat escapes and your oven may need to reheat itself, turning its upper and lower heating elements on and potentially browning the top or bottom more heavily than desired. If it’s a cake I am baking, I open the door and quickly give the cake a gently shake. If it wiggles, I know the batter is too loose. If it doesn’t wiggle, I look for contraction where the cake’s edge has pulled back from the pan’ and light browning around the cake edges as well. Press your finger lightly on the cake and see if it springs back, you’re probably close to being ready. Can you smell the cake? Another sign it is about ready. Close the door and get a toothpick (i like to use a thin kebab bamboo skewer – it’s longer and lessens the chance of me burning myself.

Bread your cake and cookies!
You’re probably going !?!?… When you’ve all had a slice of your cake and there is some left, toothpick a slice of bread to cut sides of the remaining cake. This will help keep it from drying out. This trick also works with cookies. Place a slice of bread in your Tupperware with your cookies and they will stay moist longer.