Simple tips for bakers of any experience level!
With the holidays around the corner, many people are gearing up to bake their favorite traditional desserts. Although baking is fun, it can also be stressful - from collecting the right ingredients to making sure the confection doesn’t burn, it is an overwhelming process! Thankfully, there are some tried and true tips which will make any baking adventure easy.
The following five baking tips are guaranteed to simplify and elevate any recipe!
Tip #1 - Always pre-measure ingredients !
This crucial step in the baking process is missed by even experienced bakers. Pre-measuring ingredients and setting them aside before diving into the recipe makes the steps much easier to follow. Not to mention, pre-measuring does take off some stress and quickens the process. The quicker the dessert is completed, the sooner it can be eaten!
Tip #2 - Use glass pans to bake .
Baking with glass pans results in a more moist end product. If one is not looking to bake a moist dessert in a glass pan, then tack on an extra 5-8 minutes to the baking time for a more fluffy rise. The switch from metal to glass pans is a change worth making.
Tip #3 - Use parchment paper whenever possible.
Parchment paper saves lives! More specifically, the lives of oven-baked goods everywhere. Instead of using cooking spray to lubricate, line the pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Parchment paper prevents desserts from sticking and burning onto any pans. Say goodbye to dessert loss caused by slightly un-greased pans… With parchment paper, one can count on stress-free dessert removal! (This tip is not applicable to cake baking).
Tip #4 - Use a plastic knife to cut sticky sweets .
Anyone who has attempted to cut sweets like lemon bars or brownies knows the struggle of how much of a tragic mess may ensue. Do not fear - there is a quick fix for clean cuts! Using a plastic knife to cut into pan-baked sweets allows for goods to be cut without accumulating a large, sticky mess on the knife. For an even easier slice, give the plastic knife a light touch of cooking spray. This tip makes slicing a success!
Tip #5 - Presentation is Everything!
One does not have to be an expert at baking to make home-made goods look professional! A sweet presentation can be as easy and inexpensive as wrapping a treat in cellophane and tying up the open end with a pretty ribbon. Dollar stores have amazing dessert bags and boxes which can make the presentation pleasurable! Presentation is truly the finishing touch which heightens the entire baking experience.
With these five simple tips, one will see (and taste) an improvement in the quality of their baking. Regardless of skill level, these tips will gear anyone with the information needed to tackle any recipe!
For these tips and more, check out Tasty.com's “26 Seriously Useful Baking Tips” and Aspicyperspective.com for their “100 Best Baking Tips.”
-Elysse Fresquez
The following five baking tips are guaranteed to simplify and elevate any recipe!
Tip #1 - Always pre-measure ingredients !
This crucial step in the baking process is missed by even experienced bakers. Pre-measuring ingredients and setting them aside before diving into the recipe makes the steps much easier to follow. Not to mention, pre-measuring does take off some stress and quickens the process. The quicker the dessert is completed, the sooner it can be eaten!
Tip #2 - Use glass pans to bake .
Baking with glass pans results in a more moist end product. If one is not looking to bake a moist dessert in a glass pan, then tack on an extra 5-8 minutes to the baking time for a more fluffy rise. The switch from metal to glass pans is a change worth making.
Tip #3 - Use parchment paper whenever possible.
Parchment paper saves lives! More specifically, the lives of oven-baked goods everywhere. Instead of using cooking spray to lubricate, line the pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Parchment paper prevents desserts from sticking and burning onto any pans. Say goodbye to dessert loss caused by slightly un-greased pans… With parchment paper, one can count on stress-free dessert removal! (This tip is not applicable to cake baking).
Tip #4 - Use a plastic knife to cut sticky sweets .
Anyone who has attempted to cut sweets like lemon bars or brownies knows the struggle of how much of a tragic mess may ensue. Do not fear - there is a quick fix for clean cuts! Using a plastic knife to cut into pan-baked sweets allows for goods to be cut without accumulating a large, sticky mess on the knife. For an even easier slice, give the plastic knife a light touch of cooking spray. This tip makes slicing a success!
Tip #5 - Presentation is Everything!
One does not have to be an expert at baking to make home-made goods look professional! A sweet presentation can be as easy and inexpensive as wrapping a treat in cellophane and tying up the open end with a pretty ribbon. Dollar stores have amazing dessert bags and boxes which can make the presentation pleasurable! Presentation is truly the finishing touch which heightens the entire baking experience.
With these five simple tips, one will see (and taste) an improvement in the quality of their baking. Regardless of skill level, these tips will gear anyone with the information needed to tackle any recipe!
For these tips and more, check out Tasty.com's “26 Seriously Useful Baking Tips” and Aspicyperspective.com for their “100 Best Baking Tips.”
-Elysse Fresquez