Now, more than ever, folks are home bound and are learning to bake delicious treats on their own. There has been a terrific culinary renaissance in cooking and baking, but every great baker must start somewhere, so we would like to share these baking basics you should be following next time you’re in the kitchen!
Read the Recipe Through Completely
At the risk of sounding way too basic, this one deserves repetition. You must read and re-read your recipes before beginning anything. Human error, even for the best bakers, can get in the way and ruin your entire endeavor. How terrible it would be to get all the way into a recipe, only to discover that it needs to cool for eight hours (when you want it ready in three).
Follow the Instructions Exactly
You should never make substitutions for anything unless provided for by the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for light brown sugar, don’t sub it with honey. Some changes might seem small, but they can have a dramatic impact on the final product.
Ensure the Ingredients Are Measured Properly
There can be a huge difference in measuring depending on how you read the instructions. For instance, “1 Cup All-Purpose Flour, Sifted” is not the same as “1 Cup Sifted All-Purpose Flour.” The order in which you do things will dictate how ingredients are measured.
Preheat the Oven Fully Before Baking
This involves using an actual oven thermometer. Did you know that the reading on your oven could be inaccurate? It might be over 50 degrees off from the actual temperature. You will want to preheat the oven and be aware of how hot in really is. Failing to do this could render your cake into toast.
Measure and Prep All The Ingredients Before Beginning
Some people may be able to improvise on this, but I wouldn’t count on it. If you don’t measure and prepare everything before putting your recipe together, you run the risk of destroying your recipe by trying to wing it as you go.
Notice the pattern here? These instructions are great advice because they center around the common theme of precision and accuracy with your cooking. The baking basics can be summarized as paying attention to the details and executing them as planned. You do not have to come up with the most unique and exotic creation. It’s much more important for a beginner to master the basic rules first.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this. For more ways to learn about great baking, please visit us our website. We’d also love to have you come visit us here at Sweet Melissa Patisserie! You can find us located at 56 Payne Road in Lebanon.
