In my time baking, I’ve learned a few tried-and-true strategies and techniques which have made a world of difference in the consistency and overall quality of my bakes. Some of this is learned through my own trials and tribulations, and some is gleaned from baking bibles like The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar Cookbook. Here it is for you to learn without making too many of the mistakes I have! Though mistakes and failures are part of the process (and they usually taste good anyways!). Happy baking, friends!
Creaming Butter & Sugar
When a recipe calls for creaming butter with sugar, this means A) butter is room temp, B) mixing on medium-high speed, and c) cream for 3-5 minutes at least, until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy. Under-creaming results in a dense and fallen crumb. Properly creaming butter and sugar for cookie doughs and cakes is essential.
Proofing Dough
Proofing can be a tricky and finicky process, as it relies on the temperature and airflow of your room. When a recipe calls for a dough to be proofed, it assumes there is little to no airflow in the space and the space is at warm room temperature (about 75 degrees F). One strategy is to preheat your oven to 100-150 degrees. Then, place your dough inside to proof and turn off the heat. Don’t open the over door until the specified proofing time has elapsed. Some ovens (like mine) have a proofing setting, but you’ll want to make sure it’s the right temperature. If you keep your kitchen warm and don’t run fans, leaving dough out on the counter to proof can work too. Lastly, make sure your dough doesn’t dry out while proofing. Cover well with plastic wrap wrap or carefully with a dishtowel. Trust me, proofing is well worth it when you get to taste the bread later!
Room Temperature Ingredients
All dairy ingredients (butter, milk, cream, sour cream, cream cheese) and eggs should be left to come to room temperature completely, unless otherwise specified. This reduces the probability of your batter/frosting curdling during mixing, which can be a huge bummer. Your baked product is heavily affected by the temperature of your ingredients, so keeping them at optimal temperature yields optimal desserts! And who wouldn’t want that.
Using Whole Fat Dairy
Don’t cheat yourself and sub low fat milk for whole milk, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or cream cheese in a recipe. You can do it, but it won’t be quite the same. Just trust me.
You Make What You Bake With
Quality ingredients–> quality product. I invest in brands and products I know have high quality standards. This goes a long way with butter, flours, cocoa powder, and extracts like vanilla. When financially feasible, I like to bake with organic/European butter, and organic, pasture raised eggs. My rule of thumb is, if you don’t want to buy the absolute fanciest, go with a middle tier ingredient, and upgrade where you can. Quality vanilla extract is a non-negotiable :).
Prepare Yourself
Mise en place is the French term for putting everything in its place before beginning to cook. This means that you should know your recipe, have your needed equipment ready, and even pre-portion ingredients if you have a time-sensitive or complicated recipe. I believe that part of the beauty of baking is the process, which is why I love cultivating that just-right vibe with music and having things mise en place to reduce stress/chaos in the kitchen. Baking should always be relaxing and fun in my book, so set yourself up for success.
Know Your Oven
All ovens are different and oven temperature very much affects how your baked good turn out. For instance, I have a fan oven and have to bake all things on the bottom two racks, and about 10 degrees below conventional oven temp. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer to determine what your oven actually heats to, as well as finding out what type of oven it is (conventional, fan, or convection). I’ve learned this lesson the hard way recently (looooots of burnt cookies) and understanding my equipment has made all the difference!
I hope all of these tidbits help you make more delicious bakes. If you have any questions or would like to discuss, reach out to me or DM me on instagram! I’d love to chat baking technicalities.
