Baking is an art that is mastered in the details. The right amount of leavening, the right temperature, the proper pan…sometimes the smallest thing can bring either inspiring or disappointing results. Here are a few of my favorite and most useful tips for baking.
1. Use a dark colored pan that absorbs heat well when baking pie or bread to make a good crust. Use a shiny, reflective pan for cookies or cake.
2. Put a blob of frosting on the plate before frosting a cake. The cake will stay put when you frost it. Also, if you have to carry the cake somewhere, you don’t have to worry about it slipping.
3. You can refrigerate or freeze yeast to make it last longer than the date printed on the package. If the yeast is frozen, it can last up to a year. This way, you can buy yeast in bulk and freeze it in portions that you typically use. Store it in zip-style freezer bags and write the date on it. Bring the yeast to room temperature before using.
4. Have you ever wondered what single acting or double acting baking powders are, or which you should use? A single acting baking powder will provide only one burst of leavening. The double acting has two: the first when mixed with liquids and the second when it comes in contact with the oven heat. The double acting powder is better choice if the batters and doughs will not be placed in the oven right away.
5. Always cut slits in the top of your pies or turnovers to let the steam out. If you don’t do this, the steam may pop the sealed edges of your pastry apart.
6. Food bakes more quickly in glass than in metal pans, so check foods baked in glass pans earlier than it says in the recipe.
7. Breads, muffins and cakes should be removed from their pans as soon as possible after removing them from the oven. This is so they don’t get soggy from trapped steam.
8. Bake your pie in the lower third of the oven to prevent the top from getting too brown before the bottom is done.
9. When baking bread, place a small dish of water in the oven. This will help keep the crust from getting too hard.
10. Instead of messy oil, just use nonstick cooking spray to grease the inside of the bowl you’ll be using to raise yeast dough. Spin the dough in the bowl to cover all of the dough.