Knowledge is Delicious

Handy baking tips.

1. Use a wire rack for cooling pies. It prevents condensation which makes for a soggy pie.
2. Crack eggs on a flat surface, not the side of a pan since tiny egg shells will be pushed into the egg.
3. Roll a lemon or lime around the countertop a few times before juicing.
4. To test your baking powder, put 1 tsp baking powder in 1/3 cup hot water. If it does not foam, the baking powder is stale and needs to be replaced.
5. If you don't have a sifter, put flour in a bowl and whisk it.
6. Always bring ingredients to room temperature before using.
7. Do not use metal bowl for rising - it conducts heat and causes the dough to rise too fast.
8. To prevent a crust from forming on rising dough, cover it with a towel.
9. After mixing dough, let it set ten minutes before kneading.
10. Cookies: Rest the Dough and Chill
    Chilling the dough after mixing is key: It prevents the butter from getting too warm and the dough from becoming sticky. Also, the refrigerator rest allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten formed during mixing to relax.
11. Cookies: Browning Butter
    Browned butter has a deeper flavor than butter that has been simply melted; as the milk solids brown, they take on the flavor of toasted nuts. Browned butter can also improve the texture of cookies where too much moisture is a problem.

Send us your baking tips. We will publish them and give you a mention.

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