Category Archives: Preparation

Baking Tip Tuesday! Tip #17: Stand Mixers I get asked fairly regularly about which attachment to use in stand mixers. Here are the general rules: – If the recipe says whip, whisk, or aerate, use the whip. – If the recipe says beat, mix, combine, or incorporate, use the paddle – If the recipe says fold, use the dough hook, unless you are folding whipped cream or whipped egg whites (meringue). If you are folding either of these things, it must be done by...
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One very important rule that many people forget is that you should have all of your ingredients at room temperature (approximately 70 degrees F) prior to baking. There are two ways to determine the temperature. The first is to purchase a chocolate thermometer (about $10) and test your ingredients. The second is to put a glass of water on the counter when you first get up in the morning. When you’re ready to bake, stick your finger in the ingredient (after washing your hands...
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Did you know that the material of your pans can have an effect on your final product? Most recipes are designed for metal pans. If you are using a glass pan, make sure to lower the oven temperature 25 degrees so your cakes don’t overcook and dry out. Happy baking! For more baking tips and tricks, check out our Baking Tip Tuesday archives....
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While we’re on the subject of the silicone mat, you can also use that to roll out your pie crust. You’ll need to flour the surface lightly and you will need to flour your rolling pin, but you’ll end up using a lot less flour than usual, preserving the quality of your pie crust and saving some money in the process. For more baking tips and tricks, check out our Baking Tip Tuesday archives....
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