While both sentiments hold their own truths, when it comes to baking, I prefer the former. I have wasted who knows how many hours and thrown away who knows how many pounds of food and shed who knows how many tears over very silly mistakes that I could have easily prevented by doing a few simple things. So trust me, LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES!
This page is just a running list of tips so you won't go through all the frustrations I did (unless of course you like to make your own mistakes; then you can stop reading right about now). I will try to keep this updated as I go along and make more mistakes (as I know it's bound to happen), and if you have your own tips for novice bakers, please add them in the comments!
- Make sure you have all the ingredients you will need (and enough of them) BEFORE you begin baking. I've made many panicked phone calls to friends asking them to pick something up from the store for me on their way over, and they have graciously complied, but don't be like me. Don't hassle your friends for ingredients. This can be avoided by keeping a well-stocked pantry*** and by doing the below.
- Thoroughly read through the entire recipe (not just the ingredients list) before you begin. This is good for two reasons: you will know how long this endeavor will take, and you will know if you have all the right equipment. The last thing you want is to be up until 2am with a cheesecake still in the oven because you put it in at 11pm not realizing it takes hours to cook, let alone have a bowl of cheesecake batter that you have nowhere to put because you didn't realize you don't have a springform pan.
- Use common sense. This means that if your dough is looking mostly like flour or way too soupy for whatever you're using it for, don't just proceed. Stop and review the recipe, and analyze where you went wrong. If something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.
- If you're using a recipe off of a website where users can comment, ALWAYS read the comments. You don't have to study them or anything, but just skim to see what people have said who have already made it. The consensus is usually on point, although there are always people who post negative comments for EVERYTHING. You can just disregard sourpusses unless most of the comments left are negative. There's also usually some good variations and helpful hints included in the comments section.
- When making a recipe for the first time, unless you're an expert baker, follow it to the tee. Once you get a feel for how the recipe goes, the next time you make it you can add your own variations because you'll know in what areas the finished product can be changed for the better.
- Distinguish between liquid and dry measuring cups.
- A white pie/tart crust is a bland pie/tart crust. Don't take it out of the oven until it's slightly brown. It will bring out all the flavor in the crust and it will also be a stronger and better built crust.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Various spices
- Milk
- Butter
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Confectioner's sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Vanilla (and other) extracts
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Apple cider vinegar
- Egg replacer
- Various starches (corn, potato, etc)
- Agave nectar
- Vegetable oil
- Vegetable shortening
- Vegan butter
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Vanilla (and other) extracts
- Various spices
- Sugar
- Confectioner's sugar
- Brown sugar
- Non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
- Flax seeds
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cups
- Dry measuring cups
- Spatulas
- Mixing bowls
- An electric mixer
- Whisk
- Glass pie pan
- 8x8 inch brownie tin
- Baking sheets
- Sifter
- Candy thermometer
- 3 9-inch cake tins
- Cooling rack
- Oven mitts
- Muffin tin
- Tart pan with removable bottom
- Springform pan
- Tin foil
- Wax paper
- Pastry bag (for icing) or frosting syringe
- Heavy-bottomed sauce pan
- Rolling pin
I hope this page is helpful. Once again, please leave additional tips or list items in the comments section. It would be greatly appreciated!
Happy baking.
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