Are you new to the baking scene or just want to sharpen your skills? Well, here are 10 tips to get you started.
#1 Follow The Recipe
If you could only take one thing out of this article, only one tip, then this is it. Generally, everything is in the recipe, from oven temperature to whether or not greasing the pan is needed. I know, I know, most times you will need to grease your pan. However, there are occasions where you shouldn’t. That also goes for the battle of using butter at room temperature as opposed to cold. But instead of trying to retain all of that information, along with the various exceptions to each rule, and the exceptions to the exceptions, just remember – Follow the recipe. Isn’t that what it’s there for?
#2 Measure Properly
That means properly weighing ingredients. This mostly refers to the dry ingredients, since they can be notoriously difficult to measure properly using cups or other volume measurements utensils. It’s a good idea to find recipes that list the ingredients in grams as opposed to volume. You can always do the conversions yourself, but if a recipe is written that way to begin with, it’s usually going to work better.
#3 Fresh! Fresh! Fresh!
This is literally across the board. From your spices, to any fruits and dairy. Spices will lose their potency over time, especially the pre-ground spices. In my opinion, the most important would be baking powder and baking soda. Since chemical leavening agents can lose a lot of their effectiveness around six months or so, the result will show in your baking – meaning your baked goods don’t rise the way they should.
#4 Over Mixing And It’s Effects
It’s fairly evident that batters and dough’s are made with flour, and flour contains gluten, which becomes progressively firm and elastic the more it is kneaded, beaten or stirred. You may want that with some dough’s (like pizza dough), but definitely not with pie dough, for example.
Luckily, the recipe will guide you through the process by letting you know how long, how much and how intensely to mix. So, as rule #1 states, follow the recipe!
#5 Try Not To Change
Remember rule #1? Basically, don’t just randomly throw in a handful of strawberries to a plain banana bread recipe.
Now I’m sure strawberry banana bread would be delicious. But, if that’s what you want to make, then just find that recipe. I’m sure a quick search on Google or any other search provider will drum up such a recipe.
#6 Oven Calibration
This is an issue many bakers come across. You pop your batter in the oven, set the temperature to 350 F, not knowing that the actual temperature is only reaching 330 F or maybe it’s hitting 380 F. It’s safe to say, your recipe is going to be effected.
No need to rush out and repair your oven or buy a new one. All you need is an inexpensive oven thermometer. Set your oven to 350 F and check the thermometer reading. If they don’t match up, adjust accordingly.
#7 Light Pans & Baking Sheets
This is to avoid the dreaded bottom burn. Since dark colored pans absorb more heat than light colored pans, it’s always a good idea to use the latter. Generally, recipes are prepared and tested using light colored pans. In the event you only have dark pans, you can adjust the cooking time or temperature. However, this is an infringement on rule #1. If you can, an investment in light pans is ideal.
#8 Salted Or Unsalted
As usual, the recipe will let you know, so follow it. However, in the event that it doesn’t specify, I recommend that you opt for unsalted butter. Salt will change the way the gluten’s in flour develop and can seriously effect the dough’s consistency. Not to mention, the added salt will impact the flavor.
#9 Scrape The Edges
Even though most recipes will remind you to do this, but when you’re mixing batter in a stand mixer, you’re trying to mix all ingredients as comprehensively as possible, and this will not occur if significant parts of the ingredients, like sugar, butter, or eggs, are stuck to the edges of the bowl. Fortunately, mixers come with an “ON/OFF” switch, which makes turning it off every 30 seconds or so to scrape down the edges that much easier. The key thing here is that you remember to do it.
#10 Keep The Door Closed
Like Pandora’s Box, you’re going to be tempted to open it. But you shouldn’t. The influx of air, the change in temperature or even the vibration of the oven door, can effect your baking.
Some people like to rotate pans midway through the cooking (like with cookies, for example), but the benefit from doing so is definitely not worth losing heat over it. Keep the door closed.