Does taking a bite of your favorite gives you the desire to bake your own? Many think that baking is a hard task to do. The fact is, you can learn to bake on your own without going to any culinary schools. One way to learn is through the internet. There are a lot of tutorial and tips available online. Some websites even provide video and voice recordings.
Baking can be fun and the best part is afterwards, tasting and sharing the finished pastry with family and friends. All you really need are the right tools, a good recipe book and a patient and hard working self. So, before you start baking, here are a few important things that I consider the must-haves in baking:
Baking Tools
Measuring Spoons. Measuring spoons are used to measure ingredients, usually leavening agents and flavorings, in small amounts. They come in different measurements: 1 tablespoon, ½ tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon, and 1/8 teaspoon. There are spoons made out of plastic and metal, I recommend buying plastic-made since they are not hard to clean and maintain, and do not rust. Buy two sets because a recipe often calls for measuring two kinds of ingredients, wet and dry. It would allow you to measure quickly without having to clean the spoon.
Measuring Cups. There are two kinds of measuring cups: dry measuring cups and a liquid measuring cup. You would need to buy the two kinds since dry measuring cups do not measure liquid accurately, and in baking accuracy is most important.
A liquid measuring cup is shaped like a pitcher with an easy-grip handle. It has measurement labels on the side, usually in ounces and cups, and is transparent so you can see the liquid through. It is either made out of glass or plastic, I recommend buying plastic since it will not break.
Dry measuring cups come in different measurements: 1 cup, ½ cup, 1/3 cup, ¼ cup and 1/8 cup. Buy only a set of plastic measuring cups, for the same reason of easy maintenance.
A wire whisk will be used to mix your batter. When buying a wire whisk, look for one with sturdy wires and with a handle that you can easily grip.
When I started baking, I only bought one small-handled wire whisk. One time, I was mixing a batter for two cake recipes, the wire whisk would not reach the bottom of the mixing bowl without my hand dipping into the batter. So buy a long-handled and short-handled wire whisk.
I also consider an electric mixer an important baking equipment. However, if this is your first time in baking, I would not recommend buying an electric mixer for two reasons. First, it is expensive and you might not want to continue baking. It would just add up to the kitchen appliances that you do not use and need. Second, mixing by hand would allow you to observe what happens to your batter as you add ingredient after the next.
Spatula. A rubber spatula can be very handy to have around. I use mine when I cream my butter and sugar, and in scraping batter from the mixing bowl.
Sifter. A recipe would either ask for pre-sifted flour or ask you to sift dry ingredients together. There are other sifting methods you can use, but as a beginner, a sifter is a good tool to have.
You may already have mixing bowls in your kitchen but if you don’t, I recommend buying glossy, smooth-surfaced, stainless aluminum-made in three different sizes.
You can’t bake without baking pans. If you are a beginner, I recommend buying only two kinds, a 9” round and a 9” square pan. Buy two of each since it would allow you to make layer cakes. When you decide to continue baking, here are other kinds you should have: cookie sheet, 8’ x 12” pan, a bundt pan with a flute tube and muffin trays. Again buy two sets of each.
Since most ingredients are perishable, I usually buy ingredients enough for a certain recipe I would be baking. I always have enough on hand though, to make a cake for emergencies. So, before I give you a list of the ingredients that you will need, below is a sample recipe that I’ll go through with you to decode.
Ingredients
1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, softened
1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
Butter is either salted or unsalted. If a recipe does not stipulate what kind to use, assume unsalted.
Sugar. Buy white sugar that has fine granules. When a recipe asks for brown sugar, use brown and do not substitute with white. White and brown sugar have different glucose content.
Eggs. Practically, every recipe has egg in it. However, there are recipes that would ask for yolk only or both yolk and white but separately. So, follow what is asked. Here's a tip on how to easily separate the yolk from the white: refrigerate the egg for at least thirty minutes.
Vanilla is a kind of flavoring in liquid form. There are also other flavorings that are commonly used. They are: cinnamon, nutmeg and almond extract.
Flour. In this recipe cake flour is used. However, all-purpose flour is commonly used in recipes. There is a difference between the two, so be sure to use what is asked. If a recipe does not stipulate what kind to use, assume it calls for all-purpose flour.
Baking powder is a kind of leavening agent and is commonly used in recipes. There are two others that are commonly used: baking soda and cream of tartar. A recipe may also call for two kinds of leavening agent.
Salt is used in a small quantity only, I do not know the correct explanation why it is used. I only know that it is important. The sweetness of the pastry doesn't come out quite right wihtout it. I use salt that has fine granules.
Milk. Always assume that recipes call for milk in liquid form unless it says so otherwise.
Now that you know what to buy, you can now start making your own cake. But before that, you would need to know the meaning of a few confusing words that you might come across in the "procedure" section of a recipe. So, below is the procedure part that goes with the above list of ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350°
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow. Add eggs, then yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
2. In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir about a third of the flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in half the milk just until blended. Stir in another third of the flour mixture, then remaining milk, followed by remaining flour. Scrape batter equally into two 9-inch round cake pans lined with wax paper and spread level.
3. Bake in oven until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on racks in pans for 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto racks and remove pans. Cool completely before frosting.
Preheat. Preheating is important to attain the needed cooking temperature of a recipe. Baking is all about accurate measurements and the right heat. So, follow the temperature called for.
Cream. Creaming is a procedure done to food to obtain a smooth and creamy consistency, like cream. I do mine with a rubber spatula or a plastic ladle in a back and forth motion, rubbing and scraping butter against the side of the bowl.
Stir. Stir the batter in one direction only, either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Other miscellaneous items
There are other things that you would need while baking. A skewer-a toothpick would do but there are cake testers available also, towels, aluminum foil, waxed papers, cake holders, cooling racks and plastic storage containers-for storing your ingredients.
Now you are ready to embark on your first baking experience. The only thing missing is a good recipe book and of course your oven. Luckily, there are a lot of websites that will provide you with good recipes and tips. So, start exploring the fun world of baking the e-way!
Note: The above copy is written for those who are acquainted with their own ovens, the hazards and such.
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