suemunzlinger's Recipe

Baking Tips 2

Category: Hints and Tips

When it comes to baking and making cakes, a lot of us use different techniques and tools to get the job done and in many cases, when you're stuck with a problem, a quick fix to get you out of a jam.



When rolling out crust, roll from the center out, very lightly, then cover with a large piece of plastic wrap - continue to roll carefully and turn crust over so that the crust is now on top of the plastic wrap. Place another piece of plastic wrap on top and finish rolling to desired thickness, refrigerate if necessary.
With butter or oil based crusts, the plastic helps hold the shape of the crust, eases annoying splitting of the crust, and helps keep you from adding too much flour.

When emergencies strike, such as a forgotten bake sale or unexpected guests, it is nice to be able to whip up a pie for dessert quickly.
Keep some piecrust mix like Krust-ez or Pillsbury for a quick crust.
Replace a bit of the water with a few tablespoons of sour cream. and the sour cream will add flavor as well as help to make the crust flakier.

Brush some beaten egg white over your pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.

Leftover pie dough? Cover it with some Parmesan or Gruyere cheese and bake it for a delicious appetizer. ( or as my kids always liked cinnamon and sugar)


Sticking cake layers? Try putting them back in a warm oven for a short time. The layers will come out without a problem, or try lining the bottom of your pans with wax paper.

Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan and the marshmallow won't stick to your fingers.

Dropping Cookie Dough - To get cookie dough to drop without sticking, dip the spoon in milk first.

Be sure there are no drafts where dough is rising. Drafts cause the dough to rise slowly and unevenly.

Placing a damp towel under the board on which you are kneading the dough to help keep the board in place.

If you use an electric mixer with a dough hook, spray it with vegetable cooking spray to prevent the dough from sticking.

Pastry Tip: the perfect temperature for optimal volume using the creaming method for cakes is right around 68 degrees.

Pastry Tip: Add a pinch of salt, some fresh mint and a squirt of lime juice to sugared berries for shortcake. The flavor will pop!

Is your baking powder fresh? Put one tsp in 1/3 cup of water. If it does not fizz toss the baking powder it is too old.