If you love baking, but turn out to be a disaster in the kitchen (or really if you’re just looking for some baking tips and techniques to make your life easier), these are the things you need to know! Sometimes we don’t even realize how easy something can be until we read some internet hacks about it, and I guess this is the case today.
When it comes to baking, having time and patience is the first essential step. After all, there’s no point in wanting to bake something delicious if you keep rushing through the steps of the recipe, right? So, here’s a simple beginner's’ guide to baking to help you make the best out of every recipe!
“I'm just someone who likes cooking and for whom sharing food is a form of expression.” - Maya Angelou
Get Ready Beforehand
Check all the ingredients you’ll need for the recipe you’ll make, and put them on your baking station. Organizing by order of use is a nice way to make your life easier! This tip is also important because the ingredients need to be at room temperature before you use them (unless the recipe specifies the temperature).
Important: Read the recipe beforehand to make sure you have all the ingredients and supplies necessary at home!
Pay Attention to Directions
Of course this is a pretty obvious tip, but it never hurts to say it once again: always follow the exact instructions! If you make one slightly different adjustment, the recipe can turn out really wrong.
For example:
Melted butter and softened butter are two different things! If you use one instead of the other, the consistency and texture of the food will be off - a couple of examples would be: cookies might not be as chewy or cakes might not rise as much.
So, remember:
If you end up asking yourself what went wrong in the recipe, it’s probably something that was missed or misread while reading the directions!
Non-Stick Surfaces
Non-stick surfaces are time (and life!) savers when it comes to cooking! These are the options you have:
- Silicone mat
- Parchment paper
- Baking spray
And if you’re not using any of these, make sure to grease and flour the pan with the same type of flour being used in the recipe!
Bonus: When baking something with chocolate, like cookies or cake, you can use cocoa powder to coat the tray instead of flour!
Baking Supplies
I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that having the appropriate baking supplies is the best thing ever! When I started baking I just used my regular spoons, forks, and knives because I thought it wouldn’t make a difference, but I can tell you it totally does!
Here are some beginner baking tools and supplies you should consider getting right from the start:
- Silicone spatula (prevents doughs from sticking when you’re mixing it)
- Standing mixer (saves SO MUCH time, it’s magical!)
- Nonstick bakeware
- Rolling pin (you can even find some decorated ones that are just too cute!)
- Measuring tools (because we want perfection every single time!)
Cookie Dough
Depending on the cookie dough you’re making, the directions may vary. However, generally speaking, these rules are valid for every single cookie recipe around:
- Don’t overmix
- Make sure the dough is chilled before you start baking
- Ice cream spoons make perfect cookie balls for baking
- Store cookies in a jar with a slice of bread (the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread, keeping them soft, chewy, and delicious!!)
Separating Egg Yolks
There are several ways you can separate egg yolks, though the easiest still seems to be using a small, empty water bottle.
This is how you do it:
Break the egg on a plate (or a cup, that works too), take the bottle (without the lid) and gently squeeze it. Then place the open part of the bottle on the egg yolk and release the pressure on the bottle. The yolk will go right up the bottle and the egg white will stay in place!
In addition:
Break the eggs in a separate bowl, that way it won’t mess up your whole recipe if the egg has gone bad. Or you can simply fill a glass of water and place the egg there, if it sinks, it’s good to go; if it floats, better get rid of it!
Thanks for reading! We hope you’ve enjoyed the tips and that they’ve been useful to you!
Check out some recipes:
- 10 Heavenly Fall Inspired Cookies You Need to Try
- 7 of the Best and Most Delicious Vegan Pot Pies
- 5 Healthy Side Dishes for Your Next Dinner Party
What’s your favorite baking tip? If there’s anything you’d like to share or ask us, please use the comments section below or talk to us through our Facebook page, we’d love to hear from you!
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