Adjust Temperature For Different Pans

The type of pan you use when baking is important. The right pan can determine the outcome of your dish. If you are substituting pans or dishes, here are some guidelines to keep in mind: Glass pan substitutes: Turn down baking temperature by 25 degrees Shallow pan substitute: Reduce overall baking time by 1/4 Deeper pan substitute: Increase overall baking time by 1/4

Gather Ingredients Before Beginning Baking Process

Prepare everything before you begin the baking process. Read the recipe several times. Gather ingredients and necessary equipment, including pots, pans and oven racks. Cut, chop and slice all necessary ingredients. Take sanitary precautions, such as wiping down counter tops, washing dishes and hands, etc. Everything about the baking process is exact, so preparing as much as possible before you begin eliminates the potential for errors. Be sure to set the position of your oven rack before turning the oven on. It is easier to do it when the racks are cold.

A Nutty Suggestion

When a recipe calls for ground nuts, be careful not to overprocess them or the nuts' oils will be released, and you'll wind up with nut butter. Instead, for evenly ground (but not liquefied!) nuts, try using the following rule of thumb: Use no more than 2 cups of nuts at a time and process in 3-second intervals, checking the texture as you go, until the mixture is finely powdered. For particularly oily nuts like pecans or cashews, add a small amount of flour or bread crumbs to absorb excess oil.

Baking Tips

There are many ins and outs to the baking process. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind: When you make a pastry with cold water, it will turn out flaky. When you make a pastry with hot water, it will likely turn out crumbly. When you are cooking cupcakes and smaller cakes, grease the bottom of the pans on the bottoms, but not on the sides. Fill up cupcake containers only halfway to give the batter room to expand. The easiest way to decorate a frosted cake is to draw the design with a toothpick. Then, fill an empty squeeze bottle (a ketchup bottle works well) and go over the toothpick lines.

Make Homemade Whipped Cream For Recipes

Cream is a common ingredient in most dessert dishes. There are many ready-made creams available; however, it is best to make a fresh, homemade batch to add to your recipe. You can whip cream must faster if you first chill the cream itself as well as the bowl and beaters. You can also add a couple of drops of lemon juice to the mixture, which will also aid the cream in whipping faster and more consistently.

Use Flour Wisely

Measuring out flour for baking is no easy task. The easiest process to follow is to level off the cup without packing down the flour. Use a butter knife to scrape off any surplus. To reduce the amount of flour wasted in cooking recipes, dust the flour from a powered duster onto whatever you are cooking, instead of dipping the food into the vat of flour. This is easier and more sanitary.

Tips For Baking Cake

Cake baking is a cooking pastime that occurs in almost every home in America. Here are some tips for baking the perfect cake every time: Always bake cakes on the center rack of your oven. This gives the cake a more even, consistent baking pattern. Always use the right pan size and preheat your oven. The wrong pan size can burn your cake or have it sticking to the sides of the pan. Properly measure all ingredients for the right taste and consistency. Grease cake pans with shortening and then lightly dust them with flour. However, do not grease pans when you are cooking sponge-type cakes.

Always Expect the Unexpected

Always keep frozen fruit (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, or any combination) and pre-made pie crust on hand to whip up dessert should unexpected guests arrive. For a fabulous impromptu crostata, place a disk of pie dough onto a nonstick baking sheet and set aside. Then combine two cups of frozen fruit (no need to thaw) with three tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon of melted butter. Spoon mixture onto center of reserved dough, leaving a 1 ½ - 2 inch border. Fold and pleat dough all the way around to enclose filling. You're going for rustic appeal here, so don't worry about what it looks like. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven, or until crust is golden and filling is hot and bubbly. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche.

Quick Tips To Slice Cake

Slicing a cake into layers can be a difficult task. A quick trick is to take a loop of dental floss and bring around the width of the cake. Cross the ends and pull it in gently, but firmly. This will cause the floss to cut directly through the cake.

Freezing Homemade Pumpkin Pie

The answer to the question concerning freezing homemade pumpkin pie isn't as easy to answer as it may seem. The pies can indeed be frozen but some people think that the taste is compromised when doing that. If you're freezing pumpkin pie, it's recommended that you remove it from the freezer within two months. Expect the consistency of a frozen pumpkin pie to change after being frozen, and it will also get "watery" when thawed. When it is time to defrost the pie, do it in the refrigerator. A better idea is to make and freeze your crust and then fill it with fresh filling and bake the day before serving if saving time is a priority.

Flakier Crust

For a flakier pie crust, brush the top lightly with cold water before you bake.

No Stick Pie Crust

A great hint for rolling pie crust or biscuits is to roll on a piece of thick gauge natural canvas. It uses only a little additional flour, so the dough doesn't get tough. This works better than parchment paper, because the dough doesn't stick at all.

Let Cake Cool Before Frosting It

Frosting a cake can be one of the most difficult parts of baking a cake. If you are going to do it the traditional way, let the cake cool off for at least four hours, or preferably overnight. Slice off a thin layer, or if the cake is domed, then the top. Use a pastry brush to clean off loose crumbs. Take a spoon of icing and put it on a serving plate to keep the cake from sliding around. Gently use the brush to slather on icing, but not too thick.

Self-Rising Flour

Self rising flour is a mixture of 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder plus 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup flour.

Filling a pastry bag

The neatest way to fill a pastry bag is to stand it upright in a tall glass (a pint sized beer glass works perfectly), then fold the top edges down over the glass, and fill. Both hands will be free.

To sift, or not to sift

Most brands of flour are now pre-sifted, making it unnecessary to sift before you measure the flour. Gently stir the flour, and then lightly spoon it into your measuring cup.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

To make an amount equal to one can of sweetened condensed milk, stir together... 2 cups Instant Powdered Milk 1 cup Granulated sugar 1/2 cup hot (not boiling) Water

Whipping Cream

When whipping heavy cream always whip in a stainless steel bowl. Aluminum bowls will cause the cream to turn grayish in color and the cream will taste metallic.

Be Specific In Measuring Sugar

Not all sugar measures out the same way. Measure granulated sugar by lightly putting it into a measuring cup. Then, use a straight edge to level off the top of the sugar. Sift confectioner's sugar both before and after measuring, lightly spoon it into a cup and level it off.