Baking 101: Questions and Answers
Welcome to Baking 101 series! This series is a little behind and I apologize. There has been so much happening around here, GREAT things, that I have gotten behind.
So, today I wanted to address some of the questions that readers had for me about baking. Again, I am NOT a professional, I have never had any schooling or classes. I am just a Mom and wife that loves to bake and share my tips and tricks for making it easier for you.
I will continue the series soon, with some more videos {I owe you a pie crust video}, but it will be a couple weeks while I get caught up. {I hope}
The following questions were from readers, if you have a baking question, please leave it in the comments and I will answer it, to the best of my knowledge.
Gigi asks…when a recipe calls for softened butter, do you melt the butter completely?
If I can remember to set the butter out to soften I do, it is better that way, but if you don’t remember, you can soften it in the microwave for about 20 seconds {depending on your microwave}, you can lay it on the warm stove or in the sun by a window. If the recipe calls for softened, you just want it SOFT not MELTED.
I am making a soup that calls for heavy cream…is that the same as heavy WHIPPING cream?
Here is what I found on Difference Between.net “Heavy Cream is a special dairy product that is made out of the top most layer of milk which is rich in cutter fat. On the other hand, the very term “whipped cream” or “whipping cream” refers to such cream that is subjected to a process of continuous beating till it gets fluffy and light.”
Now, with that being said, I personally use heavy whipping cream for both. I have never found JUST heavy cream.
Should eggs really be at room temperature before using?
I very rarely use eggs at room temperature. I have never really noticed a difference.
If a recipe isn’t specific about butter, should salted or unsalted be used?
I always use unsalted butter. Most recipes call for salt, and if you use salted butter you are doubling up the salt. In my opinion, you really don’t need it.
Why does the idea of using a simple candy therometer scare the daylights out of me? What is a good one to buy?
Honestly…I don’t use one. I’m not a big candy maker, but I do know it is important to use one on certain candies. Here is a good one I found from Wilton.
What is the best way to get recipes from friends that were handed down in their family? Or is this something that shouldn’t be asked?
I would absolutely ASK! I feel like if recipes are not handed down, the history of the family does not continue. I would compliment them on the recipe and tell them that you would be honored to give it a try.
Measuring: should dry items be measured in the pre-measured cups or can everything be measured in a measuring cup? You know, like i do.
Dry ingredients should be measured in a dry ingredient measuring cup and liquid should be measured in a liquid. I have a video on How to measure.
How do you know if a cookie or cookie batter should be frozen before it’s baked or after it’s baked?
I actually rarely freeze cookies, but that is just preference of taste. I have frozen cookie dough a few times with great results. Just scoop and place on a cookie sheet, and flash freeze {place in freezer for a few hours} and then place them in a resealable bag. Baking 911 has a great article on cookies.
If you have baking questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments and I will answer them soon!
I’m linking to…Works For Me Wednesday
Hi! I have the problen about making puff pastry. The butter always melt while I fold the dough because the weather is so hot. I take the dough out of the fridge only 2 min and it melt. Are there any methods without put it in the fridge oftenly? Or should I fold the dough in the room with the air conditioner? Thank you a lot.
Hi! My cupcakes always break in the middle when they are baked. Why does this happen and how to solve it.(I fill the batter about 3/4 as the recipe write.)
Hi Tam- Perhaps your oven is too hot? Try baking at 325 instead of 350. Also, make sure to not overbeat the mixture. Hope this helps!
I am having difficulty with donut dough. The recipe calls for all purpose flour, instant yeast, eggs, sugar, whole milk and salt. I cannot get the dough to rise very well. I used milk warmed in the microwave (not too hot at all) eggs warmed to room temperature for two hours on the counter, mixed all in my stand mixer, covered in plastic in a glass, greased bowl, set it on the patio where the temp is about 85F. took about 3 hours to rise. Rolled out the dough, cut out the donuts, took forever for the second rise. This was my third attempt. The first two batches never even rose the first time and I threw them out. It’s been very frustrating. I just want to give my kids some nice fresh donuts with breakfast that they can help make. Should I just try another recipe?
I’m not sure about the recipe since I have never used it. Here is a recipe for chocolate donuts: http://hoosierhomemade.com/chocolate-doughnuts-for-secret-recipe-club/
And we have a few others on the site!
Very strange thing happened when I was making lemon squares. I followed a recipe I have done very successfully in the past. I did modify–I replaced about 1/2 of the lemon juice with orange juice. the result–it is as if the liquid mixture of eggs and juice etc.somehow penetrated the baked shortbread crust and the final cake has an even layer of a lemony custard at the bottom and the crust is above. I can literally turn the pieces over and they look like lemon squares, except the soft part is not pasty. What happened?
Thank you, Orit
How can i sweeten dried tart cherries to bake in biscotti-type cookies?
I have never tried this, but after a little Googling, it looks like you could add some sugar. It would depend on how sweet you want the cookies, how much you add. You might have to experiment a bit- but that just means more cookies!
Many times when I bake quick breads (carrot nut, cranberry nut, etc) the top center of the bread is still a little too moist where the rest of the bread seems a little dry. I follow the baking temperature and time, then check the center with a toothpick but because the center is till moist I usually bake about 5 minutes longer. I’ve checked the oven temperature with two oven thermometers and it seems to be accurate. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Rosie, I’m not totally sure, my guess would be that it’s either how much you are mixing or how your oven is baking. This post might help > http://firstwefeast.com/eat/how-to-make-quickbreads-oil-cakes/
Hi…I’ve heard a term used when baking french macarons that sounded like “coulie” yet cannot find it on the Internet. Do you know what word I am thinking of?
Hi Marci, I’m sorry I don’t, but I will ask around and see if I can figure it out.
~Liz
my biscotti sometimes get holes in them……why
Hi Kat, I have never actually made biscotti. Have you tried searching Google? Sorry I can’t be of help to you. I guess I need to add it to my baking list.
~Liz
I made brownies and the box suggested using instant coffee grounds for coffee brownies. I added noninstant coffee grounds. Is that ok? Thanks!
It should be fine Colleen, although I have never used them so I can’t say for sure.
~Liz
I’m making toffee and after spreading chocolate I sprinkle crushed peppermint on the chocolate and put in refrigerator. After sitting for a few hours I go to check on it and the peppermint is melted and runny. Any ideas to stop this from happening?
Hi there, the trouble is the refrigerator. If you leave the chocolate out at room temp it will be fine.
~Liz
fresh rhubarb pie-can I the substitute sugar-free jello for the 1 1/3 cups of sugar?
Hi Mae, I have used strawberry jello in rhubarb jam but not in pie. However, I don’t see why you couldn’t use it, at least it’s worth a try.
Happy Baking!
~Liz
I cooked French bread and cinnamon rolls. Using package yeast neither rose properly. It was 100 degrees outside and so I put the dough outside under a damp cloth and it rose about half of what it should have. Any suggestions
Hi Allan, I would first check and make sure the yeast was not out dated. Then if it was okay, I would think probably the outdoor heat and possible humidity is what caused it.
Here are some yeast basics from Fleischmann’s > http://www.breadworld.com/education/Yeast-Basics
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have other questions and I can ask them at Fleischmann’s.
~Liz
Can I just put another pie plate in place instead of using “pie weights” when cooking pie pastries without any filling in them? The recipe says not to prick the crust, and I think the weights would be so that it doesn’t shrink too much. Thanks
Hi Eunice, sure you could try that. It would depend on if your second pie plate fit inside the first pie plate well. I would be sure to put parchment paper or wax paper in between the crust and the second pie plate.
~Liz
Thanks Liz, the inserted pie plate with parchment paper between worked well!
So glad it helped!
I have a confession – layer cakes are my downfall! I’m opening a coffee shop in just under 2 weeks and I know someone is going to ask for a layer cake. My cupcakes, cheese cakes and cookies are fantastic but I cannot hide behind my cupcakes forever lol. So please – tips, suggestions ? Should I freeze the cake before cutting and frosting? Because that’s what usually happens – I cut the cake sort of lopsided – always and then frost and it always slides and breaks. Thanks for any help you could provide. Gonna head to the store to attempt to make one -again lol.
Hi Kristie, that’s exciting to be opening a coffee shop. Honestly I don’t bake a lot of layer cakes, but my friend Amanda bakes amazing cakes. Here is her post on it >> http://iambaker.net/how-to-build-a-layer-cake/
Good luck in your new adventure!
~Liz
I ended up with a large amount of cooked breakfast oatmeal after my boyfriend failed to locate leftovers to reheat: he made an even larger amount than was already in the fridge. This oatmeal contains quick cooking oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk. If I added enough flour to get it to cookie dough consistency, and added some baking powder, possibly some baking soda, and some vanilla extract, do you think cookies baked form this mixture would be awesomely delicious, barely edible, or a waste of time? And do you have any advice as to whether these additional ingredients will be enough to transform this cereal into cookies, or should I also add some eggs, or some oil, or some applesause?
Hi Kristi, I think it could work. At least it’s worth a try. You would definitely need to add at least 1 egg, flour and baking soda. Here is a recipe we like >> http://hoosierhomemade.com/peanut-butter-oatmeal-cookies/ You could use the recipe as a base to compare to the ingredients you already have.
Happy Baking!
~Liz