5 Baking Tips from a Professional Baker
Professional Baker?? Yep, that’s me! If you follow me on Instagram you probably know my story and how I grew up baking. But did you know that I also worked as a professional baker after college? That’s right! My first job was the Head Baker at a bakery called Cookie Fix in Birmingham, Alabama.
I learned everything from how to make the perfect buttercream, to how to ice a cake. I also learned cake piping skills and how to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookies. Throughout this experience, I was able to hone my skills as a baker, be surrounded with other cookie-loving people, and learn more than I could have dreamed.
The dividend? I have a plethora of exciting tips and tricks to elevate your home baking game. These 5 Baking Tips are my most tried and true tricks and hacks to help me have consistent, delicious baked goods, and also a pleasent baking experience.
Drum, roll, please!! I present to you, the 5 Best Baking Tips from a Professional Baker:
BAKING TIP #1: Read the entire recipe before starting
— This is something I can easily pass over many times, but whenever you take the time to read the entire recipe, you definitely end up with a much better baked good. Knowing the exact timeline, steps, and ingredients allows you to know what to prepare for… and prevents a frantic grocery store run in the middle of baking cookies!
BAKING TIP #2: Crack your eggs on a flat surface
— Believe it or not, this is one of the best pieces of advise I can give you to avoid having a shell catastrophe in your mixture. I’m willing to bet that you probably crack your eggs on the side of a bowl or the side of the counter. However, this breaks the egg in a million little pieces, leaving shells behind. Alternatively, if you break your egg on a flat surface, this creates a clean break and the egg is far less likely to scatter shells into your beloved muffin mix. If you try this, give me a DM on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
BAKING TIP #3: Measure each ingredient properly
— Unlike cooking, baking is a science. When following a recipe, make sure you measure all your ingredients with precision and accuracy. I usually use a knife to level off my measuring spoons, and for even more accurate baking, I use a kitchen scale. Kitchen scales can really help make every ingredient the most accurate and ensure the best result. The bottom-line is to make sure your measurements are as accurate as possible— in baking, every ounce of an ingredient has a purpose!
BAKING TIP #4: Use the temperature of butter that the recipe calls for
— I know it is much easier to use butter right from the fridge or counter. However, butter can be used in a variety of different ways and create completely different baked goods depending on the temperature. If the recipe calls for softened, unsalted butter, don’t use cold, salted butter… there is a big difference, and it will most definitely affect your finished product.
BAKING TIP #5: Don’t open the oven while something’s cooking
— It’s always so exciting to check on your baked goods to see how they’re doing throughout the baking process. However, opening up the oven let’s the hot air escape and replaces it with the cooler air in your kitchen. To check on your baked goods, consider turning the oven light on instead of opening the oven completely. This will allow for your baked good to cook more evenly and prevent a delay in cooking time.
Overall, I hope these baking tips and tricks help take your baking to the next level. During my time as the head baker at Cookie Fix, these tips and tricks guaranteed my success in the kitchen. I hope they do the same for you!
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