Baking Techniques Every Baker Should Know

Baking techniques provide a tried-and-true method for consistent results. Baking is a science, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! Understanding these basic techniques will increase your confidence. Read on to learn which techniques are essential to baking success.

Basic Baking Techniques Every Baker Should Know

There are many baking techniques every baker should know. These steps are here to guide you through the process of baking. As a novice baker, you’ll find that these fundamental tips will become second nature with enough practice.

Creaming the Butter and Sugar

Unsalted butter and sugar create the foundation of the most delicious cookies. Beating butter and sugar together with a stand mixer creates a light, fluffy consistency. Of course, the incorporation of air is the secret to getting that homogenous mixture.

However, the butter must be at room temperature for this to work. To learn more about the importance of temperature in baking, check out these baking tips for beginners. 

Reverse Creaming

Reverse creaming is a popular method. For decades, bakers incorporated it into their cake recipes. With reverse creaming, you get cakes with a softer crumb. You can implement this technique by adding softened butter to the dry ingredients. Resulting in quality texture, while preventing excessive gluten development.

Mixing Dry Ingredients

Mixing the dry ingredients is crucial. There are consequences for skipping this step. It can negatively impact the taste. For example, you may have pockets of salt that cause this problem. When the salt is not properly combined with the dry ingredients some portions may taste salty, while others lack in flavor.

In some cases, it’s necessary to sift the dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients. Use a mesh strainer to sift the dry ingredients and remove clumps.

Alternatively, baking Soda or baking powder gets mixed into the dry ingredients. Baked goods may have issues rising for several reasons. This can happen when ingredients don’t get mixed into the batter properly. Mix the dry ingredients with a balloon whisk to properly combine them.

Sifting Techniques

The purpose of sifting is to break down clumps. Another benefit of sifting is an improved texture. You can also use a strainer to garnish a dessert with powdered sugar. This is done by gently tapping the side of the strainer. Powdered sugar is a great addition to Bundt Cakes or lemon bars. Best yet, a strainer is the perfect tool for dusting tiramisu with cocoa powder.

Oven Temperature

Oven temperature is one of the most important aspects of baking. A common issue bakers have is hot spots. These hot spots inside your oven cause inconsistent baking. A loaf of bread may be done on the outside, but raw in the middle. However, an oven thermometer eliminates this problem. With this baking tool, you can determine the temperature of your oven.

Prepare and Line a Baking Pan

There are several ways to prepare a baking pan. Bundt pans are one of the most challenging. To prepare a Bundt pan use a pastry brush to coat the entire pan with melted butter. Forgetting to prepare the baking pan makes it nearly impossible to transfer the dessert.

The other method is lining a baking pan with parchment paper. Just cut a sheet of parchment paper the size of the sheet pan and place it on top. It’s that easy. This is ideal for baking cookies.

My favorite way to prepare and line round cake pans is with cooking spray. I spray the pan with cooking spray first. It allows the parchment paper to stick to the pan without any movement.

Chopping Fruits and Vegetables

Dull knives lead to injury. I sharpen my knife before chopping to prevent the blade from slipping. For best results, use a sharp knife when chopping. Sharpen your knives regularly to get precise cuts. Making these tweaks reduces your chances of chopping large chunks. Cutting fruits and vegetables the same size or shape promotes even cooking. Additionally, fruits can absorb spices or syrup much more easily.

Folding Ingredients

Aside from mixing, folding is another method that evenly distributes ingredients like chocolate chips, nuts, berries, etc. To fold, use a baking spatula to mix the ingredients into the batter. When you “fold in” the ingredients it allows you to distribute ingredients without overworking the batter.

Weighing Ingredients

Many bakers agree that weighing is the most accurate way to measure ingredients. When shopping for a scale, look for one with great reviews. If you can find a scale from a brand you’ve had a good experience with, even better.

Precision is a necessity when it comes to baking. Scales yield the most consistent results. It’s important to note that some measurements don’t easily convert to cup measurements. For example, a recipe that calls for 2 and 3/4 cups of butter. Having the option to measure in grams is more efficient in situations like this.

I understand the allure of measuring cups, but sometimes those measurements are rough estimates. When measuring water in a liquid measuring cup you may notice something interesting. If you become eye-level with it, the water may be less than 8 ounces of water.

While many pastry chefs prefer a scale, some bakers (including myself) know when to pull out the scale or save it for another day.

To that end, you can bake fantastic treats without using a scale. If you refrain from over or under-measuring, everything will be just fine.

Whipping Ingredients

Even though a stand mixer’s purpose is to do the hard work for you, you still need to keep an eye on it. Of course, we all get distracted from time to time. But these distractions have consequences. Keep an eye on the mixture. Sometimes stiff or soft peaks form earlier than expected. By the same token, when you overbeat heavy cream or egg whites, it curdles.

Navigating Recipes

Always read the entire recipe before you start baking. Practicing this will save you from missing crucial steps.

Similarly, understanding what can and can not be omitted from recipes is a valuable skill. For example, nuts are an ingredient that is preferred, but not necessary. Many people dislike nuts or have allergies. Removing them from a recipe won’t affect the quality of what you’re baking. However, you may experience issues if the recipe requires pistachio or nut flour.

In most instances you can substitute cloves with all spices when baking pumpkin or ginger-flavored treats. Better yet, if you happen to run out of brown sugar there’s a solution for that. Make your own! To do this pour granulated sugar into a stand mixer bowl. Then add molasses and mix with the whisk attachment. Massage with your hands as needed.

Lastly, you can use salted butter instead of unsalted. Don’t add salt to the batter when substituting unsalted butter with salted butter.

Freezing Methods

Freezing is an important part of the baking process. Plastic wrap prevents air from getting in and drying out your baked goods. Ensure that there is enough room in the freezer for proper storage.

Freezing cake layers allows you to decorate on your schedule. I like to freeze cake layers the night before I plan on decorating. Tightly wrap each cake layer with plastic wrap. For easy transfer, stack the layers onto a plate.

Cookie dough is perfect for freezing. I use a freezer-safe container to chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Then transfer the cookie dough to the freezer.

Tips for Success

Always label your baked goods with the expiration date. In addition, you should write the baking time and temperature before storing it in the freezer. Sharpies and blank labels work great.

Overall, these baking methods will give you the foundation to understand the baking techniques every baker should know. Practice these techniques the next time you bake.