Be a Better Baker
By Mary Hixson, FCS Extension Agent for Garrard County
(Lancaster, KY - April 13, 2021) — All the talk about eggs, made sense to talk about baking! Cooking or baking—maybe you know a good cook, but the good cooks are not always the good bakers! There is a difference! Cooking can be sweet or savory and does not require a recipe. Baking is more of a science, where teaspoons and ounces need to be exact for a quality product. Don’t skimp on the baking ‘science’, that’s what makes it turn out perfectly every time. There are a few tips that will ensure your baked products are perfect:
Preheat the oven. Most baked goods require a leavening agent that reacts with heat and other ingredients to make the product rise.
Set the timer. Burnt cookies don’t taste good and are a waste of time, effort, and money. Once you have set the timer, resist opening the door to check on the product. Opening the door decreases the oven temperature, causing cakes to collapse if the oven is opened too often.
Grease your pans correctly. You don’t want to leave half the chocolate cake in the pan because it is stuck to the bottom. The best way to grease cake pans is to coat the sides and bottom with butter (use a little on waxed paper or a paper towel for ease of cleanup), and then lightly flour the pans. Using a parchment paper round that you have cut to fit also keeps the bottom from sticking to the pan.
Measure flour correctly. Scooping out of the bag is not an accurate way to measure flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, and then use a straight edge to level off the top.
Sift some ingredients. While sifting flour is usually unnecessary, sifting cocoa powder or powdered sugar will prevent them from clumping.
Use the correct leavening agents. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which requires an acid and liquid to activate and helps baked goods rise. Baking soda is 3 to 4 times stronger than baking powder but creates a metallic, soapy taste if you add too much or forget the acid. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and an acid, usually cream of tartar. Baking powder only needs a liquid to be activated. Most baking powder is double acting: first when it gets wet and then again when it is heated. Dried yeast must be rehydrated with warm moisture first and then it releases carbon dioxide for rising by feeding off the sugar in the recipe. Liquid above 115 degrees Fahrenheit will kill the yeast so your product will not rise. Less than 110 degrees will keep it from becoming rehydrated. Yeast gives a characteristic aroma and flavor to breads.
Resist overmixing. If you overmix cake batter, it will be tough and muffins will have tunneling inside. Go for tender and moist by just mixing until small bits of flour show.
Use substitute ingredients that you know work. For example, 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 cup is an acceptable substitute for buttermilk. If you use buttermilk instead of milk, you will need to substitute baking soda for some or all of the baking powder as the acid in the buttermilk reduces the carbon dioxide released.
Enjoy the baking process! There is nothing better than a kitchen full of the aromas of baking your favorite recipe. But don’t skimp on the ‘science’! For more baking info, contact the Extension Office 859-792-3026
Source: Dr. Sandra Bastin, RDN, LDN, UK Extension Professor, Food and Nutrition Specialist