BAKING
BASIC
TIPS




GETTING READY EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS

FLOUR

BUTTER

BAKING SODA AND POWER

EGGS



If baking a perfect cake and having your family applaud when you
present it is a dream of yours, baking basics and tips will help
you achieve it. Imagine being crowned queen of the bake sale. All
of this is possible, and it isn’t even difficult. Our baking tips
from the experts in the Kraft Kitchens cover everything from the
right way to measure ingredients to choosing baking pans. You can
use your newfound skill when making cakes, cookies and cupcakes.

If chocolate is your fave, we’ve got more detailed baking tips for
you, with loads of info at our chocolate center. If cheesecake is
more in line with your family’s taste, visit the cheesecake center,
where PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese reigns supreme.

We have even more baking basics and tips. For the inconvenient times
when you’ve run out of an ingredient you need, check our baking
substitution chart to see if you have a swap. Our guide to freezing
baked goods is perfect for leftovers or planning ahead for holiday
baking.

And on the off-chance that you want a dessert but don't feel like
baking, we’ve got you covered with our collection of no-bake desserts.
Even if you aren’t baking, our baking tips will help.




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SECTION 1



GETTING READY
EQUIPMENT




• Don't mess with the basic ingredients, the flour, liquid, salt, fat
and leavening in your recipe. Unlike other types of cooking, you must
measure your ingredients accurately and have the right tools to do so.

• Dry ingredients are measured in flat-topped measuring cups and are
made to be filled to the top and leveled off.

• Liquid measures are usually glass, with more space at the top, and
a pour spout. Add liquids to the cup, set it on the counter and look
at it sideways, on its own level. Do not substitute liquid and dry
measuring cups for one another -your ingredient measurements will be
inaccurate if you do.

• Tableware spoons should not be used for measuring since they vary
in size.

• For best results use shiny aluminum baking sheets without sides
(baked products will brown more quickly on dark-colored baking sheet
because they absorb more heat than the shiny type). You can also turn
a jelly-roll pan (15 x 10 x 1-inch pan) upside down and use it in place
of a baking sheet.

• Prepare baking pans according to the recipe. Cookies with a high fat
content may not need to be baked on a greased surface. Remember some
non-stick pans can be ruined if you apply non-stick sprays.

• Tip: allow baking sheet to cool completely before reusing.

• Tip: Line baking sheets with parchment paper. The paper will withstand
high temperatures without scorching. This makes the baking sheet easier
to clean, and you can slide the sheet of parchment with the baked cookies
right onto your rack for cooling. However, as they cool you'll need to
turn them over to complete the cooling and prevent the bottom of the
cookies from getting soggy.

• Bake only one sheet of cookies at a time on the middle rack in the
center of the oven.

• A wire cooling rack speeds the cooling of cookies, etc. It allows steam
to escape from all sides of the baked product so the bottom doesn't get
soggy.

• Tip: use a cooling rack with closely spaced wires so cookies have adequate
support when cooling.




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SECTION 2



INGREDIENTS




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SECTION 2A



FLOUR




FLOUR


• All-purpose is a good choice for a wide variety of recipes from cookies
to breads to cakes.

• It comes in 2 basic forms; bleached and unbleached, which can be used
interchangeably.

• All purpose flours today are "pre-sifted" therefore no need to sift the
flour unless a recipe specifically states to do so. Do not tamp it down
when measuring. Spoon it into cup and let it heap up, then use the flat
side of a knife to level it off.

• Whole wheat flour is heavier. If you substitute it for all-purpose
you'll end up with a baked brick. You can substitute half the flour in
an all white flour recipe with whole wheat, but no more than that.




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SECTION 2B



BUTTER




Butter

• Substituting a spread product for butter or margarine is the most
frequent baking mistake people make and often a guaranteed way to
wind up throwing your results in the trash.

• If the first ingredient on the product label is water, don't use
it for baking. Spreads that are less than 60 percent fat have a lot
of water included and will make cookies spread too thin or otherwise
mess up recipes.

• Stick margarine that is at least 80 percent fat can be substituted
for butter. For best results, use butter if the recipe calls for butter.
Buy it on sale when it is cheap and freeze in original packaging.



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SECTION 2C



BAKINF SODA
BAKING POWER




Baking Soda and Powder

• Place a teaspoon of baking powder in some warm water. It should foam
and bubble quite actively if it is fresh.

• Place a teaspoon of baking soda in a small bowl, add 1 Tbsp. vinegar.
If the mixture fizzes the baking soda is still good.

• Baking powder cannot be substituted for baking soda. They are not the
same thing.

• Baking soda is used instead of baking powder when a recipe contains acid
ingredients like buttermilk, vinegar or sour cream. It creates a chemical
reaction as soon as the liquid ingredient is added so the recipe should be
baked immediately after mixing or the gases will escape and the product
will not rise.




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SECTION 2D



EGGS




Eggs

• Egg sizes range from jumbo to small. Always assume and use large size
eggs in recipes unless it is specified differently.

• Before purchasing, always check the carton to make sure there are no
cracked eggs.

• Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator. For optimum quality use
them before the "Best Before" date expires.

• When eggs lose their freshness, the yolks flatten and the whites become
runny. A fresh egg will sink in a bowl of water whereas an old egg will
float.

• When adding eggs to a recipe, break them one at a time into a small bowl
before adding to the other ingredients. This way you can check the quality
first and remove any pieces of shell.



Baking Basics And Tips
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/cooking-tips/chartsguides/baking-basics-and-tips.aspx



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The Grocer's Encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grocer%27s_Encyclopedia/




What Eats?
http://www.whateats.com/




Fermentation in food processing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation_in_food_processing




Portal:Agriculture and Agronomy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Agriculture_and_Agronomy




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