127 USEFUL BAKING TIPS

Store cookies in an air tight tin with a slice of bread as the moisture from the bread will keep your cookies soft and fresh.
When baking cookies if you run out of sheets to put them on then just turn a baking tray upside down and drop the cookies on that.
Add 2 tablespoons of salad oil to your cake mixture, as this can keep the mixture moist and less crumbly.
If you add a beaten egg slowly to your batter mix it prevents the batter from becoming too stiff.
If you don’t have a skewer or something similar to check your cake try using a piece of dried spaghetti instead.
Don’t over-beat your cake mixture as too much air in it will cause the cake to crack.
For the flakiest upper pie crust, brush the top lightly with cold water before baking.
To avoid your pie crust from becoming too soggy, sprinkle it with equal parts of sugar and flour before adding filling.
Sift your flour and baking powder together 2 – 3 times when making a cake, as it will give your cake a very light and even texture and stop air pockets from forming.
Leave your cake on a wire rack in the tin you have baked it in for 10 minutes before you turn it out.
Always use eggs at room temperature when baking with them
Try to store flour in an airtight container as it keeps better that way
Try using buttermilk instead of milk as it gives a better texture to your cake. For every 250ml of buttermilk used add half a teaspoon of baking soda.
Before putting your cake mixture into the oven, tap the cake tin on a counter to release any large air bubbles in the mixture.
To extend the life of your cake store with half an apple or a couple of sugar lumps.
Never open the oven door in the first half hour of baking as the cold air will interfere with the rising of your cake.
Take your butter out of the fridge in advance so it’s nice and soft.
To keep cartons of double cream fresher for longer just turn the carton upside down in the fridge. I have no idea how this works but it does.
If you haven’t got a pastry cutter for your mince pies then improvise with an aerosol lid instead.
To stop pastry sticking to your rolling pin, put the pin in the freezer or fridge so that it’s cold before you use it.
A pinch of salt added to margarine makes whisking quicker.
If your custard goes lumpy, quickly put the base of the pain into some cold water and keep whisking until things are going smoothly again.
For firmer whipped cream, beat it with honey rather than sugar.
Eggs will whip more easily if left for 10 minutes in cold water before breaking.
Place the egg in a bowl of water, if it sinks and lies on its side, it’s fresh.
If it sinks and stands large-end up, it’s on the turn so use within a couple of days.
If it floats, bin it, as it’s gone off.
Add dried fruit to your recipes it can actually be better for you than fresh fruit, as the dehydration process can make some nutrients more concentrated.
The antioxidants in dried cranberries and grapes are twice as potent as in fresh fruit.
Make sure you check the sugar content of some of them in particular cranberries, as they can be very high.
The secret to making a fantastic bread is to always keep a little dough back from previous day;s batch to add to the new mixture.
For a great rolling pin, fill a claret bottle with warm water and replace the cork securely
Stand Mixers – these are good for mixing and whipping, whisking and also kneading dough.
Electric Whisks – these are easy to store, perfect for creaming butter, making meringues and easy cake recipes – I couldn’t live without mine.
Mini Processors – great for purées (small amounts) and for chopping nuts and chocolate to complete your cake with ease.
Stay Cool Rolling Pin – you fill the rolling pin with icy water and it will keep the dough cool and make perfect pastry. You can also fill it with warm water and then its great for yeast dough.
Stacking bowls, anything that takes up less storage space is great.
Cake Liners – an absolute must.
Digital Scales – with some, the lid becomes the measuring bowl and you can weigh liquid and dry ingredients with the add and weigh function.
Sunflower Oil Spray – it saves messing with butter, try using the low fat cooking spray which will get into the corners of the tin if you have no liners in stock.
Silicon Pastry Brush – non stick and heat resistant to 315C so you can baste with hot oils
Of course, a couple of good spatulas and wooden spoons are also a must have.
If you weigh four whole eggs in their shells, then whatever the weight is, that’s how much each of flour, sugar and butter you should add. This will ensure an delicious cake every time.
Wheat flour is the most common in the UK but there are also many different types of those.
The main difference between them is their protein content – it’s this protein that when mixed with water will make gluten. Its the gluten that determines the elasticity and structure of the finished product.
Flour in baking, a high gluten flour would be used for bread and a low gluten flour for cakes
So use flours with high protein content such as strong and durum, for breads and pasta. Use plain flour which has a low protein content for baking cakes, pastries and biscuits and also for thickening sauces.
A common mistake when rolling out pastry is to change the direction of the pin rather than the pastry which then encourages the pastry to stick. To prevent this, give the pastry a quarter turn every few seconds while rolling with the pin in the same position and lightly dust the surface frequently with flour.
When making your cake, leave the eggs and fat our overnight so that they will be at the same temperature.
For a really moist fruit cake, use marmalade instead of candied peel.
Always soak your dried fruit overnight and for extra flavour soak the fruit in apple or orange juice or marinate in your favourite liqueur (brandy) for three days, stirring it every 12 hours.
For an extra rich, tasty fruit cake, use cold coffee instead of milk.
For a moist fruit cake with extra flavour, grate a cooking apple into the mixture.
For a moister fruit cake in electric ovens or Agars, place a dish of water on the floor of the oven when baking.
‘Always’ turn our oven on before you start, to ensure it is the correct temperature.
If you do not have any cake liners then always make sure you brush your cake tins well with melted butter or oil.
Measure all your ingredients accurately
Avoid over mixing as it can cause a heavy texture, beat the mixture until it is just smooth
Bake your cake immediately once mixed as the baking powder begins to act as soon as its combined with liquid.
Avoid opening the oven door to often as this reduces the temperature of your oven and can then cause the cake to sink.
Always leave your cakes to stand for a few minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
The longer you knead dough, the longer you should leave the dough to develop for the best finished bake.
A back pain baking tip – to avoid hurting your back, don’t turn your body at an angle when rolling pastry. Turn the pastry around instead.
Always let pie pastry dry throughout before adding filling as it will prevent it from seeping while cooking.
When making an apple pie, pop your apple slices into some water and add a little salt or lemon. It will stop them from discolouring.
Leave scones for a minute before you pop them into the oven as resting them allow the baking powder to become active.
To soften hard brown sugar, leave it in a bowl covered with a damp tea towel.
When baking shortbread cookies, substitute half of your plain flour with cornflour. It gives them a really nice taste.
To make sure the essence you use adds flavour to the whole cake, mix it into the egg before adding the egg to the mixture.
Use a muslin instead of a sieve when dusting your cake with icing sugar as it looks really pretty.
Before icing a cake, sprinkle the top with some flour, this will stop the icing from running down over the edges of the cake.
Eggs will stay fresher longer if you store them pointed end down.
To bring out the flavour of strawberries when cooking them in deserts, add a touch of balsamic vinegar.
To test whether old baking powder is still got some oomph in it, mix 2 tsp of it with 200ml (fl oz) of hot water. The mixture should bubble and fizz immediately if the powder is still active. If there’s little reaction or it’s delayed, discard it.
Over whipping cream can ruin the best desert, it usually happens most often in hot weather or if the cream has been left out of the fridge for a while. It the cream does look more like butter just fold in a splash of milk to restore it.
If you forgot to get your eggs out for baking then just pop them into a bowl and cover with hot water. Take them out after a couple of minutes and use for baking as normal.
Tip for making bread from The Great British Bake Off Winner 2011, Jo Wheatley. When making bread, put the empty baking tin upside down in the oven beforehand, and let it heat up. When you drop the dough in, it puffs up and creates the lighter bread.
When mixing butter cream in a free standing machine, cover the whole machine with a damp tea towel to stop clouds of icing sugar dust going over the kitchen.
Get even portions of cupcake mixture by using an ice cream scoop.
Hull strawberries easily by using a straw.
Make a cupcake carrier out of a box lid by cutting crosses into a cardboard lid.
Bake cupcakes directly in an ice-cream cone.
Turn your muffin tin upside down and put your cooking dough over the top of the moulds. You then have cookie bowls which could be filled with fruit or ice cream or both.
If you need to transport a job lot of cupcakes, the black plastic trays you get from the garden centre for bedding plants make great carriers.
Add a pinch of pure sea salt to any chocolate recipe to really bring out the taste of the chocolate. Do the same with any caramel recipe. (Maldon or Cornish sea salt).
When making muffins, instead of using a spoon to put the mixture into the paper cases, use a spring release ice-cream scop instead. It will release the perfect amount of mixture into your cases.
Do not overcrowd your oven, the pans should never touch each other, or be placed over or under each other.
The easiest way to grease the dishes is by using a piece of paper towel.
Always stir flour to loosen before measuring.
Use cocoa instead of flour for dusting a greased tin when making chocolate cake.
When baking cakes, always sift the flour first as this will incorporate air and will create a light bake.
Never open the oven for at least the first half of the baking time as the cold air will interfere with the rising of the cake.
Use a shiny pan for baking a cake as they reflect heat.
Always sift the flour with raising agents or spices before adding to a mixture so that they are evenly distributed.
If you run out of self raising flour, add 2.5 tsp of baking powder to each 225g/8oz of plain flour and sift together before use.
Avoid using low fat spread in baking as it has a high water content and can give poor results in conventional recipes.
Fats should be used at room temperature when baking for easier mixing.
Use eggs at room temperature for baking as they give a better volume and hold air when whisked.
To separate eggs for baking, tap the shell against the side of a mixing bowl to crack, then break open, letting the white run out into the bowl and holding the yolk in one half of shell. Tip the yolk backwards and forwards from shell to shell to let all the white run into the bowl.
Unless the recipe states differently place your cake on the centre shelf of your oven.
Don’t open the door too often during cooking your cake as the temperature will drop and may prevent the cake from rising properly.
To test a sponge cake, press the top lightly with a fingertip. It should feel spongy to touch and spring back when pressed.
Cool cakes for 5 mins in their tin before turning out as this helps them to shrink from the sides of the tin and become firmer making it easier to get them out.
Always use a metal cooling rack for cakes as this will ensure any excess steam escapes without leaving your cake soggy.
If your food tastes bland, it probably just needs salt…And it might need sugar, too.
For glossy, restaurant-quality sauces, finish them with a pat of cold butter…
And always deglaze your pan.those brown bits that get stuck to the bottom of the pan (aka fond) are what makes pan sauces so flavorful! Instead of washing them down the drain, deglaze them with wine or stock to build a flavorful base for your sauce.
Completely dry your meats before cooking them.
For maximum flavor, toast your nuts and spices.
If your food tastes flat, add a touch of acid.Acid makes your food come to life. A squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar cuts through fat, brightens flavors, and wakes up flat dishes. Just like salt and sugar, acid balances flavors and makes food shine.
Cooking for a crowd is all about keeping it simple.
Finish cooking your pasta in its sauce and always reserve some pasta water.
Cook your pasta until it’s almost done, then transfer it to your sauce to finish cooking. The pasta will absorb a ton of flavour and cling to the sauce better. If the sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water to thin it out and give it a beautifully glossy shine.
Cook your eggs over low heat to prevent them from becoming dry and rubbery.One guaranteed way to fail for the day was to present overcooked eggs to your teacher. If you want perfect eggs, you need to cook them over low heat and never get the pan hot enough to brown them. This will prevent them from getting tough and result in perfect, emoji-like eggs.
For perfectly juicy meat, brine it. Be patient and stop poking your meat….Keep your heat high, flip it once, and stop poking it. And let it rest before cutting into it.
If you flour nuts and dried fruits before adding them to your cake recipes, they won’t sink to the bottom.
When making loaf cakes, try adding a little bit of baking powder to give extra lift and dont over combine your mixture.
Chill Your Tools Before Making Whipped Cream
Freeze your metal mixing bowl 15 minutes before whipping cream,”
Room temperature eggs are the secret to baking success,” says associate food editor Paige Grandjean.
Cold eggs equal stiff eggs. Warming eggs to room temperature gives them more flexibility, which means they can better do their job in a dough or batter.
Meringues are an egg white mixture that is slowly dehydrated in a low-temperature oven. If you’re cooking in a humid environment, be prepared for a longer bake time. Or, save those recipes for cooler, drier days. “Candies and meringues work best at low humidity,
Here are some pro tips for making a great crust and baking the perfect pie.
Flour: Pastry flour is the best choice for pie dough. It has enough gluten to give the dough structure and flakiness, yet low enough in gluten to yield a tender product. Note: all purpose flour has more gluten than pastry flour, so if you’ve ever made a pie crust and thought it turned out tough, try pastry flour next time.
Use a cast iron pan for a browner crust
Invest in a pie scorer for even slicing
Cast-iron pan will ensure your crust is evenly browned because it retains and holds heat much better than a ceramic pie dish or metal pie tins. The distribution of heat on all sides of the crust will also reduce the moisture, thus making for a more flaky crust.

NB. Add Vinegar to the Batter: (Oops, I lied, that’s a 128 tips!!)

Adding a small amount of vinegar to the cake batter can help achieve a soft and fluffy texture. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda or baking powder in the batter, producing carbon dioxide bubbles that contribute to the cake’s rise. This technique is especially useful when baking in a cooker, as it can compensate for any potential uneven heating.

Learning how to properly season food is an important part of becoming a better cook.

There are points in a recipe where it’s especially important to stick to the instructions laid out for you. One such instance is when measuring your ingredients. This is especially imperative when adding seasoning; you can always add more seasoning to a meal, but you can’t really ever take it out. Using measuring tools — like cups and scales — helps to ensure that this cooking step goes smoothly.

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