8 Baking Tips & Simple Solutions

Blossom Lady

Apr 15, 2021 06:00 AM

Cooking is an Art, Baking is a Science. It’s true that baking is more scientific than cooking, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. There are both hard and some soft rules to live by in the baker’s kitchen that take some of the guess-work and worry away. Experience will teach you which is which, where you can experiment, and what to do when things go south. We all have baked a lot of cookies in our time. Dozens of cakes, a lot of individual treats. Being a baking fan, between all that cooking, I came to a conclusion, that most tested baking recipes can still flop on occasion. It’s usually a culmination of little issues, you may not even be aware of, that add up to flat greasy cookies or a sunken cake disaster.

Today I’m hoping to share with you some useful and basic baking tips and tricks that will help increase your odds of having perfect cupcakes, cookies, and bread every time you bake. Now we’re sharing our collected wisdom with you to help guarantee success the next time you prepare to whip up a batch.

Don’t ever stretch pastry dough.

When you are lining a pie pan with the bottom crust, make sure to carefully lay it in the pan, not pull it into position. Crusts have a memory and will shrink back to their original shape. Ease the pastry dough into the pan. Then gently tuck it into the bottom creases and crimp the edges.

Shiny!

For added color and luster, brush the top of crusts, scones, rolls or biscuits with cream just before baking. You can also sprinkle sugar over the top for extra glitz. Egg wash works as well.

Egg wash.

This mixture of 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon water is used to seal crusts together (like in turnovers) and to add color and shine on the crust of baked goods. I usually use egg wash over pie crusts and pastry dough, and cream over everything else.

Air baking.

I’ve used a lot of baking sheets in my day, and have found these air baking sheets produce the most even results.

Conventional vs. Convection.

If you live in a newer house/apartment, chances are you have an oven with both conventional and convection heat. Convection heat offers greater airflow and drying while baking, creating higher crustier, baked goods. So when should you use convection? The most simple answer is always use what is recommended in the recipe the first time you make it. However, I like to use convection on cookies and breads because it tends to create fuller cookies with an crispy exterior and soft center, and perfectly browned crusty bread.

Right Conversion.

It’s tricky to give an overall conversion rate when adjusting a recipe from conventional baking to convection. It depends on what your baking, how long your baking it, and of course the temperature. Some ovens actually convert for you. However, a general rule of thumb is to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees F. (50 degrees for higher temps) and to check your baked goods 5-10 minutes before the specified bake time. Some of my cookie recipes that take 8-10 minutes to bake conventionally, take 5 minutes on convection.

Hands off the door.

For conventional and convection baking, resist opening the oven door until the minimum baking time has passed, or you will release the oven heat and upset the baking time.

Preheat like your life depends on it. It’s so tempting to throw a pan of brownies into the oven before your oven reaches the specified temperature… but don’t do it! Baking is chemistry, remember? The temperature will highly effect the outcome.

kitchen, cooking, baking

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5 comments

Sylvia Earle

Apr 15, 2021 11:51 AM

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Thank you so much I look forward to your post every day, You have so many interesting educational things you talk about. I am so glad I found this site.

Blessing

Sylvia

Blossom Lady Sylvia Earlereplied to

Apr 16, 2021 12:55 PM

# ↑ ↓

Thank you so much I look forward to your post every day, You have so many interesting educational things you talk about. I am so glad I found this site.

Blessing

Sylvia

Dear Sylvia,

Thank you so much for being my reader! I am happy you enjoy the posts! I will keep doing my best to share different useful things! Have a pleasant weekend! 💐😊

Debbie

Apr 15, 2021 06:44 PM

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What is the product in picture number 7? It looks really good and fun to make.

Thanks,

Deb

Blossom Lady replied to Debbie

Apr 16, 2021 12:56 PM

# ↑ ↓

What is the product in picture number 7? It looks really good and fun to make.

Thanks,

Deb

Hi, Deb!

These are little almond cookies, I'll share the recipe soon! 😊

Debbie replied to Blossom Lady

Apr 16, 2021 02:13 PM

# ↑ ↓

Hi, Deb!

These are little almond cookies, I'll share the recipe soon! 😊

I thought they were almonds. I'll wait for the recipe. Thano you😊

8 Baking Tips & Simple Solutions

Don’t ever stretch pastry dough.

Shiny!

Egg wash.

Air baking.

Conventional vs. Convection.

Right Conversion.

Hands off the door.

Preheat like your life depends on it. It’s so tempting to throw a pan of brownies into the oven before your oven reaches the specified temperature… but don’t do it! Baking is chemistry, remember? The temperature will highly effect the outcome.

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