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BaKInG tIPS
GeneRaL BaKInG
• Before starting any recipe carefully read it through from beginning to end.
• Ensure you have all ingredients and utensils ready before you start.
• Careful and correct measurement of all ingredients is essential for recipe success
• Refrigerated ingredients such as butter, cream cheese and eggs should be at room
temperature for best results (unless otherwise specified). Set these out ahead of time.
• Always adjust the oven shelf to the desired position and then preheat oven to baking
temperature recommended in the recipe. Get to know your oven. Most ovens have
"hotspots" and it may be necessary to turn food or swap shelves during cooking. However,
be aware that every time you open the oven, the temperature drops. Only open the oven if
necessary and be sure to close the door quickly.
• Break eggs into a small bowl before adding to mixture. This eliminates the chance of
contaminating mixture with shells or rotten eggs.
• During mixing, ingredients may splash to the sides of the bowl. Pause the mixer and use a
rubber or plastic spatula to scrape the bowl. neVeR USe a KnIFe, MetaL SPoon oR
FoRK, as these can damage the beater and bowl. a light scraping after the addition of each
ingredient assists in achieving efficient mixing.
MaKInG a SUcceSSFUL DoUGh
• To add interest to breads:
Brush dough with a little milk and sprinkle loaves or buns with poppy, caraway or sesame
seeds before baking.
Sprinkle loaves with shredded cheese during the last few minutes of baking.
Drizzle cooled, sweet tea rings or buns with icing, or dust with icing sugar before serving.
• Glazes may be brushed over the dough before, during or after baking.
• For a shiny crust, brush with cream or evaporated milk before baking; or with warm sieved
apricot jam after baking.
• For a glossy crust, brush with beaten egg white before baking.
• For a matt finish, brush with melted butter or margarine after baking.
• Some flour tends to absorb or want more moisture/liquid, especially on warm or humid
days. add more water, a drop at a time, until you reach a smooth ball/dough.
• If the dough is smooth and sticky without lumps, add a little flour at a time and knead the
dough until it is smooth, soft to the touch and bounces back when pressed with the tip of
your finger. Dough should not be sticky to touch.
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caKeS, BIScUItS anD SLIceS
• When cooked, a cake should shrink slightly from the pan.
• When testing most cakes (not sponges,fruitcakes or cheesecakes), gently touch the surface;
it should feel firm. At this stage, remove the cake from the oven and close the oven door to
retain the heat. Insert a thin skewer into the deepest part of the cake. When cake is done, no
uncooked mixture should adhere to it.
• For most types of biscuits, you can test if they are cooked by gently pushing the biscuit on
the tray with your finger. If it moves without breaking, the biscuit is cooked.
• Do not over beat any mixture. Be careful that you only mix/blend mixtures for the specified
time. When folding, do so until just combined. Over beating or mixing can cause toughness,
close texture, excessive shrinkage or effect rising.
• Curdling can sometimes occur when adding eggs to a mixture. If this happens, continue with
the recipe as it will come back together when the dry ingredients are added.
• To obtain the greatest volume when beating egg whites, be sure the bowl and beater are
completely clean and dry before use. The smallest amount of grease or water can prevent
the whites from aerating.
• The term "soft peaks" means that the egg white barely supports itself. When the head of the
mixer is lifted, the egg white mixture will curl and may fall from the beater.
• The term "firm peaks" means that the egg white holds its shape. When the head of the
mixer is lifted, the egg white mixture will remain pointy and firm.
• When making pavlova or other meringues, always use caster sugar as it dissolves much easier
than other coarser sugars. Sugar should begin being added at soft peaks. If you wait until the
egg whites reach firm peaks and are dry, it will take longer to dissolve the sugar.
• To test if sugar is dissolved, rub a small quantity of mixture between your fingertips. If it feels
grainy, continue beating until smooth.
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