Mastering baking basics involves understanding rising agents and finding the right substitutes for butter or milk. Learn how to fix a crumbly cake, avoid soggy pizza dough, and ensure your baked goods rise perfectly every time.
Refrigerating bread dough is one of the most convenient ways to store it for an extended period of time. Depending on the composition of your dough and how you’re planning to bake it, you may be able to put it in the oven straight from the fridge, but it’s helpful to set aside some time for rising.
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With every new model on the market, home-use ovens acquire more features that were once the exclusive purview of commercial kitchens. One such feature is Frigidaire's Speed Bake system, a convection-based technology that enables you to cook casseroles, meats, breads and pastries in less time than traditional ovens.
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Instant chocolate pudding mix is added to cake mixes to make a very moist cake. It makes a quick pie filling or a parfait dessert when layered with whipped cream and berries.
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When you are craving a rich piece of chocolate cake, the box of white cake mix in your cupboard just doesn’t cut it. Luckily, with the addition of a few ingredients you may have in your pantry, you can turn that box of cake mix into a sweet chocolate dessert in no time.
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Bell peppers are very high in vitamin C and low in calories. One medium size pepper contains just 25 calories and 190 percent of the daily value of vitamin C. This versatile vegetable can be prepared in many ways, including baked and broiled, and it can also be eaten raw.
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If you are considering trying rockfish for the first time, chances are good that you already have. While rockfish is the general name for this large species of fish, you may recognize and already enjoy red snapper or black bass, two of its more common varieties.
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Canned pumpkin puree is a convenient choice for pumpkin breads, pies, waffles and soups; however, shortages can make it difficult to find, and some stores don't stock it all year round.
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Wontons, also referred to as wonton wrappers, are made with ingredients similar those used in pasta and made in small, square sheet form. Wonton wrappers come from Chinese culture and can be prepared in several ways, from boiling for a soft texture to baking in the oven for a crispy outside.
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Pies from scratch can take several hours to make, when you factor in the time it takes to prepare the dough, make the filling and assemble the dessert. Many home bakers find that it's worth it to make a second pie at the same time.
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Bundt cakes make quite an appealing presentation on a dessert or kitchen table due to their simplicity and beautiful shape. Your cake mix may be homemade or from a box. Pound cake batters do especially well when baked in a bundt pan.
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Baking bread in covered clay pots creates an old-world style artisan loaf. This bread has a thick, crisp crust like bakers used to produce in wood-fired clay ovens before the advent of electricity. This just can't be done in your normal kitchen oven.
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Although some people say that butter makes everything better, it also adds a whopping 1,600 calories and 177 grams of fat for every cup you use while baking. Fats such as butter are typically used to add tenderness and moisture to breads, muffins, cakes cookies and other baked goods.
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Nearly all of the different types of chocolate available in most supermarkets can be used in baking. The main difference between the various types is whether or not the confection is sweetened.
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If preparing food were education, cooking would be liberal arts and baking would be hard science. When it comes to making cookies, cakes and pies, you need to be precise in both ingredient measurements and preparation technique.
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Freshly baked bread without a loaf pan? No problem. Bread dough can easily be formed into a variety of shapes, including rolls, wreaths and braids, and baked on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Braiding pieces of bread dough is an easy way to produce a loaflike shape with a special twist.
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Aside from often being more affordable than artisan or high-end chocolate bars, baking chocolate is found in a different part of the supermarket and distinguishes itself as a treat that’s meant to add flavor rather than to eat out of hand.
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For guilt-free baked goods, applesauce makes a fine stand-in for vegetable oil. Applesauce adds not only moisture and flavor to baked goods, but fiber and nutrients. Using it successfully takes some experimentation, though. Stick with oil or butter for cookies, and substitute only part of the oil initially.
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Banana bread is a “quick bread,” meaning that it is leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda rather than yeast. Banana bread baked in a traditional loaf pan measuring 9 by 5 by 3 inches takes about 55 to 60 minutes to bake. Small loaf pans or mini-loaf pans require less time to bake.
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Making falafels at home can be a bit tricky at first, but after a few batches you'll feel like a pro.
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As binding agents, eggs are a standard ingredient in most baking recipes. They also provide moisture and volume to baked goods such as cakes, cookies and muffins. If you're a vegan, have an egg allergy, don't like the taste or simply find yourself out of eggs, use an egg substitute in a pinch.
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