Baking Tips | My Site 7

Baking is very much like science, for the experiment to work well it requires precision. Therefore it is very important that the measurements are precise for the baking experiment to work !!!

A good idea for measurements would be by using a recipe with grams or pounds. Another good idea is to spoon Flour into measuring cup rather than scooping it and level it with a knife.

Do not be afraid to use Salt if indicated in recipe. Salt helps to strengthen the dough, stabilizing yeast fermentation rate , enhancing the flavor of the product and increasing dough mixing time.

Sifting is another important process in baking and makes a difference. For example, when sifting flour it is easier to mix with other ingredients as it is lighter than un-sifted flour. It also helps to promote consistency by removing larger particles that could potentially result in dense textured baked good or even ones that sink in the middle.

Butter is another important ingredient when it comes to Baking. The most obvious role of Butter is to give flavor to baked goods. Butter is the solid fat product that results from churning cream.

If you need to use chilled butter, grate it and freeze it for about an hour. Since it is already quite cold and in pieces you will handle it less which will prevent butter from melting and keep fat molecules intact.

Cold butter is usually used for an kind of flaky pastry such as Biscuits , Pie Crusts, Puff Pastry ,Scones etc.

Softened Butter is usually used when creaming with sugar. The Ideal temperature for butter that will be creamed is 68-70F. Therefore when creaming Butter and Sugar together consistency should be pale and fluffy not yellow and gritty .

Cookies are one of the most famous baking goods around the world.

When baking cookies always take them out of the oven when edges have hardened. Most of the time, a cookie isn't completely done cooking until up to 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven: as it cools it firms up, sets, and finishes baking.

Coat fruit and Chocolate Chips in flour before adding them to the mix ,it prevents all bits from sinking to bottom and ensures an even distribution of flavor.

To keep cookies fresh, place a piece of bread in an airtight container with them. Cookies will absorb moisture from the bread which keeps them nice and soft.

Chill Cookie dough this helps to solidify fat in cookie before baking. As cookies bake the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less cookies spread. In addition, the sugar in the dough gradually absorbs liquid.

Cookies are generally baked in a moderate oven - 350 F/175 C for around 8-12 minutes - depending on size of the cookie. For chewy cookies allow to cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack.

Oven Temperatures

250F - 120 C - Gas Mark 1 (very low)

300F - 150 C - Gas Mark 2 (low)

325F - 165C - Gas Mark 3 (moderately slow)

350F - 175C - Gas Mark 4 (moderate)

375F- 190C - Gas Mark 5 (moderately hot)

400F - 205C- Gas Mark 6 (hot)

450F - 230C - Gas Mark 7 ( very hot)

500F- 260C - Gas Mark 8 (extremely hot)

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