Have you ever tasted something that you absolutely
loved, but when you got the recipe and attempted to reproduce it, you could not
come up with the same results?
I have a few thoughts on why this happens..... Baking is a precise science. You cannot deviate
from the directions—when they say “do not over beat,” they mean it. If you
follow the directions exactly, you will be surprised at the results. You also need to know proper technique. If you have never baked before, then take a few lessons. Your local library is a good source for cooking demos. OR in the comfort of your own kitchen... visit YouTube to learn how to zest, "cream" butter and sugar, etc. Learning and perfecting proper techniques will make all the difference in your finished product! If you are serious about baking read on....
Read your
recipe from start to finish ~ Every baker can tell you a story of
leaving out a key ingredient when they were distracted or multitasking, as many
of us do. Or, after beginning their recipe, they got to the end and read that
it must chill for three hours, and their guests were arriving to eat in one
hour.
Preheat your oven ~ If you are unsure if
your oven is accurate, purchase a small oven thermometer so that you can double-check
that the temperature you set on the outside of your oven is the same as the internal
temperature required for the recipe. If not you will need to calibrate your
oven (refer to the manufacture).
Mise en
place ~ Do NOT miss this step .....Measure all your ingredients ahead of time
into small prep bowls or custard dishes.
Preparing Dry ingredients ~ Use a kitchen
scale to weigh your dry ingredients. The most accurate form of dry ingredients is weight. Put the measuring
container on the scale, the scale will register the weight of the vessel in
order to accurately weigh your ingredient alone, if using a digital scale hit
the “tare” button once so the screen displays zero. Now when placing your ingredient in the bowl
the scale will only weigh the ingredient.
Preparing Liquid ingredients ~ Use a measuring cup with a spout
to measure your liquid ingredients. In lieu of using a scale When preparing dry ingredients scoop it into a measuring cup, place it
on a dinner plate and level it off and by tapping the top of the cup with the back of a knife. This makes sure it settles.
Then use the back of your knife
level it off. To get precise measurements use a cooking scale.
Room Temperature~
Eggs must
be brought to room temperature. If the recipe calls for this
ingredient immediately place eggs in a
container on your counter top so they will be
the appropriate temperature when needed.
Butter Always
use unsalted butter (sometimes referred to as sweet cream butter) unless the recipe
specifies otherwise. *If the recipe calls
for the butter to be:
· Cold- leave butter in the refrigerator until needed.
·
Room
Temperature/ softened –
never melt or microwave the butter. Cut it into tablespoons or cubes to expand
the surface area of the butter enabling it to come to room temperature
faster. The desired consistency is
spread-able.
·
Melted – cut the butter into tablespoons or cubes
put in saucepan over low heat into all butter has liquefied. Do not simmer.
Quality counts!!!
Buy
good-quality chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whenever I shop, I
make sure to stop in the baking aisle of the store to buy chocolate when it is
on sale to keep my pantry well-stocked. Whenever possible, I also use
Vietnamese cinnamon because it’s much more flavorful and will make your deserts
pop!
Only use freshly
ground spices (like nutmeg) and herbs (such as rosemary) whenever possible....aka = always! Also always use fresh lemon, lime, and
orange zest - it will make all the difference in the finished product.
