TIPS FROM MY TRIAL AND ERROR

1. Read the whole recipe before you start.

We’ve all gotten halfway through a recipe only to find we don’t have any buttermilk. Plus, a quick read can help you prepare for what’s ahead, particularly if there are any techniques with which you’re not familiar.

2. Use butter at the right temperature.

Most cake and cookie recipes call for softened butter, which is the right consistency for creaming with sugar. Biscuit and pie pastry recipes call for ice-cold butter in order to create the flakiest layers. If your butter isn’t the correct temperature, your bakes won’t mix up the way they should.

3. Weigh all your ingredients.

When it comes to baking, it’s always preferable to measure your ingredients by weight rather than volume. This ensures you get exactly the right proportions. It may not be critical for something simple like a pan of blondies, but it’s important with fussier baked items, such as macarons.

4. Chill cookie dough.

We know how tempting it is to get your cookies in the oven the second you’re done mixing up your dough. However, chilling the dough can help develop flavors and prevent cookies from spreading too much. Do not skip this step!

5. Coat mix-ins with flour.

When a recipe calls for add-ins (dried fruits, chocolate chips, and/ or nuts), you’ll often see instructions to toss them in a bit of flour before adding to the batter. You might think that’s a waste—after all, there’s flour in the batter. But coating these heavy mix-ins helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. The extra step gives you even distribution and a prettier result.

6. Cool cakes completely before frosting.

Always let your cakes, cupcakes, and cookies cool completely before frosting them. If they are too warm, the frosting will slide right off the top of your cake or melt and soak in. Cooling racks speed up the process. If you don’t have one, take the cover off your ironing board and use the board as a cooling rack.