Baking Tips

Baking Tips

Help when it comes to recipes that call for the "science" behind baking.

Pastry Cutter:

If your recipe calls for a pastry cutter and you don’t have one, reach for a large fork instead. It’s not as efficient as a pastry cutter, but it’ll still get the job done of combining the ingredients, without changing the consistency of the butter. Since pastry cutters are bulky, if you have limited storage space, don’t worry about picking one up.

Storing Flour:

It’s important to always store flour in an airtight container, and store any open bags in large Ziploc bags. If you have a flour you aren’t going to be using for a while (for example, I have multigrain flour from a recipe a couple months ago), then place it in a Ziploc bag and stick it in the freezer. Just be sure to take it out in advance before baking with it.

Other items to keep in airtight containers, just in case: sugar, cornstarch, pasta, cereal, cream of wheat, oatmeal, rice, crackers, and, of course, your clean pastry cloth. Please note, that these items only need be stored in airtight containers once they’ve been opened.

Pie Plates:

The next time you’re bringing a pie to a party, don’t use the disposable aluminum foil ones. Not only are they tough to recycle (even if you can clean them), they aren’t great for the pies. The shiny metal reflects the heat instead of evenly distributing it.  Pick up some studier, but still inexpensive, reusable alternatives like this one. Having a few on hand means you won’t mind if you don’t get it back right away.

Baking Powder Bind?:

You’re in the middle of a recipe and realize you’re out of baking powder.  Instead of running to the store, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, plus 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon of baking powder.