Here are some easy baking tricks to help you get better results with less effort:
1. Room Temperature Ingredients
Always bring butter, eggs, and dairy to room temperature before baking. This helps them blend more easily into your batter and creates a smoother, more consistent texture.
2. Sift Your Dry Ingredients
Sifting flour, baking powder, and other dry ingredients is a simple way to prevent clumps and ensure your batter rises evenly. It also aerates the flour, giving you lighter baked goods.
3. Use Parchment Paper
For easy cleanup and non-stick baking, line your pans with parchment paper. It also helps prevent cookies and cakes from sticking to the pan.
4. Don’t Overmix the Batter
When you’re making cakes or muffins, mix the ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense, tough results. A few lumps in the batter are totally fine!
5. Chill Your Cookie Dough
If you’re making cookies, chill your dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. It prevents spreading, so your cookies will hold their shape and be chewier.
6. Use the Right Pan Size
Make sure you’re using the correct pan size for the recipe. If you use a pan that’s too small or too large, it can affect the baking time and texture. If you don’t have the exact size, check online for conversions.
7. Check for Doneness Early
Ovens can vary in temperature, so start checking for doneness a few minutes before the recipe suggests. Use a toothpick to check cakes and muffins—if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, it’s ready.
8. Add a Little Extra Leavening for Lightness
If you want cakes and muffins to be lighter and fluffier, you can add an extra teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda to the recipe. Just be careful not to overdo it, as too much leavening can cause a metallic taste.
9. Use a Scale for Precision
If you want to get your measurements just right, a kitchen scale is a game-changer. It eliminates the guesswork from scooping flour, ensuring more consistent results.
10. Make Your Own Buttermilk
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, then fill it up to 1 cup with milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using it in your recipe.
11. Add a Pinch of Salt to Sweet Recipes
A little salt can bring out the sweetness in your baked goods. It balances flavors and enhances the overall taste. Just a pinch can make a huge difference!
12. Rotate Your Pans
To ensure even baking, rotate your pans halfway through the baking time. This is especially helpful if your oven has hot spots or if you’re baking multiple trays at once.
13. Preheat the Oven Properly
Make sure your oven is fully preheated before you put anything in. An oven that’s not at the right temperature can cause uneven cooking or underbaking.
14. Keep Your Oven Door Closed
Avoid opening the oven door too often, as it lets out heat and can cause your baked goods to collapse, especially in delicate recipes like soufflés or cakes.
15. Brush Pies and Pastry with Egg Wash
For a golden, glossy finish on pies and pastries, brush them with an egg wash before baking. Just whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water or milk, and apply it with a pastry brush.
With these simple tricks, you’ll find baking more manageable and more rewarding!