Baking, a completely soothing art that fills your home with the sweet aroma of ingredients. It’s an entirely different world comprising of a whole new set of instructions and methods. Those scrumptious cakes and lip-smacking macaroons can be made easily in just one go. To be very honest, baking is no rocket science. Just like cooking, you need to follow some standard rules and you are good to go.
In this blog, I am going to tell you simple techniques to start with. So, if you are a beginner in this tempting world, just fasten your seat belts to have the most delicious flight and become a pro.
The Ingredients:
Flour, eggs, milk, butter and other flavorings are all you need to produce a variety of baked goods. Be it a cake or cookies, bread or pastries these simple ingredients are much enough to satisfy all your cravings. You must pay careful heed to the character and quantity of each ingredient, the method of combining them and the various steps involved. Unlike cooking, baking doesn’t permit you to use any substitute for ingredients. Substituting one ingredient with the other will lead to a completely different result. All the ingredients must be accurately measured and at room temperature.
The Measurements:
Baking is all about having the perfect measurements of the ingredients. A slight variation in any of them will change the complete taste of the desired product. It’s my secret for making sure that my recipe turns out with a great taste and texture every time I make them!
* Flour: There are many types of flour out there. All-purpose, wheat flour, oats, almond flour all aren’t the same. Before mixing it in a recipe, it must be bought on room temperature unless stated otherwise. Buy a good set of measuring cups and spoons to measure the exact quantity of flour. Many recipes mention measurements by weight that can easily be converted online.
* Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder are the chemical leavening agents used to fluff the air in baked goods. Always remember to scoop them out with a measuring spoon and leveling them with a knife.
* Liquids: Oil, milk, honey, juice or syrup are a little tricky. Always place a measuring cup on the top of the platform and pour the liquid till the edge. DO not overflow the cup and keep in mind t mix all the liquid ingredients at room temperature.
* Butter and fats: Never use melted butter unless stated otherwise in a recipe. Bring it to the room temperature, cut it into small cubes with a knife and measure it with the help of cups.
The Recipe:
Read through the recipe completely and carefully before beginning. It only takes two more minutes but doing do will save a lot of time and effort. Use the ingredients as stated in the recipe and follow the method as it is.
The Mixing: Baking involves several mixing and combining methods. I am going to tell you a few of them as stated below:
* Beating: Vigorously mixing of foods to incorporate air. Blending: Mixing ingredients for even distribution.
* Creaming: Combining sugar and butter for incorporation of air.
* Cut and Fold: Gentle mixing of dry and wet ingredients to avoid the formation of lumps.
* Kneading: Working on the dough to produce gluten.
* Whipping: Beating vigorously to produce soft and stiff peaks.
Pro Tip: While baking, always mix all the dry ingredients first and keep them aside. Beat the wet ingredients to incorporate air. Gently fold in the dry ingredients in batches to avoid lumps. Adjust the consistency and bake it at the desired temperature.
Comments are closed.