Baking Tips
There are so many tricks of the trade, and I definitely love to share them. Being a professional baker for 30 plus years, there are so many things that are second nature to me . Most days I just barrel from sheer muscle memory. Tips will vary according to whatever item you are baking. Cookies, pies, tarts, cakes, muffins; they all have their individual needs. I do promise to provide tips whenever I write recipes specifically. But here’s a few things for beginners and not-so-beginners that I think are super important.
Get organized, pastry is made of components What are you making and in what order? Most times you can make cake fillings and frostings in advance, bake cake layers, then fill and assemble the next day.
Read through recipes. This really helps develop the plan. Most good recipe writers will list ingredients and steps in order .
Update your supply of spices, nuts, baking soda and baking powder. These can lose their pungency, and expire, especially if you only use them once a year. Holiday only bakers, this means you :)
Freeze cookie doughs and/or bar crusts in advance. It’s better to freeze cookie dough and bake off fresh cookies when you need them rather than freeze already baked cookies.
Invest in some heavy duty cookie trays for more even distribution of heat.
Get you oven calibrated or just KNOW YOUR OVEN. Even brand new ovens have hot spots, so the more experience you have with your own oven the better. Rotating cookie sheets halfway through the baking time can work, too.
Invest in a stand mixer. Hand mixers get the job done, but you can be more efficient . Butter and sugar can start creaming while you crack eggs and prep other ingredients.
Soften butter properly. I usually use a microwave and soften just until your finger holds an indent. This rule of thumb, pun intended, works for most baked goods. Use unsalted butter for most baking unless otherwise specified in the recipe.
Use parchment paper to line cookie sheets and/or cake pans. This takes the guess work out of how much to grease and eliminates messy cleanup.
Always set the timers for less than what you think. You can always add minutes.
Open and close the oven quickly. The temperature will start to drop the longer you linger and take a peek. A glass oven door is ideal for watching.
For cakes, have all ingredients at room temperature. This provides better blending to achieve a lighter consistency.
Use a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake to check for doneness. Most recipes will say when the tester comes out clean, but I like a little crumb. At the bakery, we don’t de-pan the cake immediately ( they can break!) so the cakes will continue to bake as they cool in the pans.
Don’t Stress, Looks aren’t everything . A simple dusting of powdered sugar, frosting or strategically placed fruit toppings can hide a lot of imperfections in your baking.
Divide and conquer. Organize a cookie swap or cookie baking day with friends to share the fun. You can even organize and buy ingredients in bulk and then share to offset costs.
Start small and simple, then try more advanced recipes.
Lick the spoon! It’s so important to taste along the way.
Make a double batch of anything and share!