Have you been thinking of getting into baking? Do you want to make your own cakes, cookies, pizza, and other goodies for you and your loved ones to enjoy together? What do you need to do to ensure that everything goes well on your first try? How do you avoid messing things up and wasting your money, time, and effort?
A lot of people dream of being able to bake their kids’ birthday cakes or make their favorite pizza at home any time they crave it, but the thought of cooking on their own from scratch intimidates them. For some, measuring and mixing different ingredients or getting the oven to the right temperature seems so complicated. But baking is not some task that requires you to have specialized skills. It is an activity that even kids can take part in.
So what exactly should you do to make your first baking attempt a success?
Collect the Ingredients before Starting
You should do your grocery shopping before you start to bake. Read your recipe and take note of what ingredients are needed so that you can get them ready in advance. At the supermarket, make sure the things you buy are exactly what are called for. For instance, know the difference between baking soda and baking powder, plain flour and whole wheat flour, or white sugar and brown sugar.
Prepare the Necessary Baking tools and Equipment
Depending on your chosen recipe, you might already have some of the baking tools and equipment it calls for or you might need to purchase some. If you decide to make pizza, for example, you should look into buying a baking steel or pizza stone for oven use. With a baking steel or pizza stone for oven use, your pizza can be cooked more evenly and will taste much better.
Follow the Recipe Instructions
Do not think that you can just add an ingredient because you really want the taste of that ingredient or that you can skip a step just because you do not have the proper tool to do that particular task. If you do this, the final product will only disappoint you. To get the right results, you should stick to everything stated in the recipe. If it says that you need to use cake flour, be sure to use cake flour and not bread flour. If it says that you have to preheat the oven for 15 minutes, set the oven to the specified temperature and leave it switched on for 15 minutes before putting anything inside.
Always Measure
Experienced bakers know how important accurate and precise measurements are in baking. Making is a science so knowing how to measure ingredients properly using the right tools is crucial to your success. So, if you need to add dry ingredients, your best choice is probably a kitchen scale. For your liquid ingredients, prepare your liquid measuring cups. Unlike with cooking, it’s not best to “eyeball” ingredients if you want to ensure the best result.
