The Novice’s Guide To Baking Desserts: 5 Things You Should Know
If you’re tired of craving your abuela’s tres leches, tortican de moron, or just want a good old fudge brownie, you don’t need to worry about finding authentic businesses and bakeries. We’re sharing some of the best, foolproof tips for baking desserts that are going to help you make your favorites all the time.
Try out the following tips and advice whenever you bake, and enjoy the process to the fullest:
Precision is key when it comes to baking
If you’ve cooked in a Latino home, you’re probably pretty familiar with cooking instructions like ‘a little bit of paprika, some salt, pepper…’ and figured out how to make a recipe taste great by eyeballing and following your instincts. Baking, however, is all about precision. You can’t eyeball and wing it when it comes to these ingredients, and you need to be very precise.
Be sure to follow every recipe down to a T, making sure to measure every ingredient accurately. Use a scale, measuring cups and spoons, and other tools to make sure everything is exactly as much as you need it to be. Too much or too little of something can really turn your entire dessert upside down.
Always preheat the oven before baking desserts
Preheating your oven is crucial and one of the most important steps in ensuring that your baked goods turn out perfect. A cold oven won’t get yeast, baking soda, and baking powder to react and may even leave your food undercooked or flattened. A preheated oven also ensures that your food is cooked faster.
Use ingredients like eggs and butter at room temperature
It’s important to use ingredients like eggs and butter at room temperature when baking desserts, to ensure that they properly cream and mix. If they’re too cold, you run the risk of having them take too long to mix or get solid. Eggs that are at room temperature rise better and bake well too. Another tip is to beat and add eggs separately to make sure they’re fully beaten and mix a lot smoother; adding them all in at once may leave them raw and undercooked.
Be sure to grease and dust your pans really well
One thing that many people forget to do is grease their pans properly. You should grease your pans really well, using butter, a spray, or some cooking oil, and then either dust them or use baking sheets properly to keep food from sticking to them. Make sure that your pan’s bottom, edges, and sides are properly greased and that there are no dry spots left behind.
Let your baked goods cool fully before unmolding them
Speaking of which, when you are baking desserts and your items are ready, you should let them cool fully before unmoulding them. When cooled, items pop out more easily and tend to stay in form. Otherwise, they may crumble, crack, or even break. You may even end up burning yourself if the pan is still hot.