Baking Basics

Here is an article on how to bake a spice cake. A great recipe from my Aunt. This one will surely cure that sweet tooth! One of my wifes favorites.

I don't know about you all but I just love eating biscuits. I love all types. Buttery and even flacky. I promisewd myself that I am going to learn to make all kinds of biscuits starting with...

There is bound to be a day when you have the taste, that wonderful hunger for something special but you can't figure out just what it is. It can drive you crazy but sooner or later it will come to...

Everybody knows that homemade desserts are best and who doesn't love a warm, fresh-from-the-oven fruit cobbler? A delicious cobbler served up with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped...

It may be hard to bake gourmet cookies, brownies, and muffins in the microwave, but microwaving dessert can be the easiest way to go when just a baking a small amount. There is no out of there...

Bicarbonate of soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a chemical compound commonly known as baking soda. The latter name refers to its popular use as an ingredient in bread dough. Its chemical formula...

Birthdays are special occasions for young children. If you have little girls, you know how much princesses and fairy tales appeal. Why not combine the two? Make a Cinderella coach as a cake. It...

A baker's scale is not the same as a typical food scale. While adjustments can be made throughout the cooking process, the baking process is a science that depends on preciseness--therefore, the...

Bread is a baked item that is usually made with flour, milk, water, eggs and yeast. Occasionally, spices may be added. Freshly baked bread should be properly stored to prevent it from becoming...

You don't need a pizza oven to bake a delicious, crispy crust pizza. Instead you can use a pizza stone, which helps distribute heat and absorbs moisture. Pizza stones come in a variety of shapes...

Just four main ingredients make a perfect, rich pastry dough for any savory dish you make; empanadas, chicken pot pie, crusty casseroles, beef tenderloin en brochette, etc. If you'd like to add...

Maybe you know someone who is vegan -- meaning, he/she doesn't eat animal products (like eggs and milk, for example). Or maybe you have a food allergy. Perhaps you're just looking for a way to...

So you've brought your new GE electric range home, installed it in your kitchen and used it to bake cookies once or twice. Now you have to take the kids to soccer practice this afternoon, but...

Olive oil has more uses and a greater production than almond oil, but the oils do share similarities in uses and benefits. Both oils provide a flavorful additive for cooks, are a good source of...

Layers of chocolate covered and filled with buttery frosting give German Chocolate Cake the flavors of a rich European dessert. But this cake is all-American, named in honor of the man who created...

Cooking sugar and water until it thickens is the way to make simple syrup and is the first step in preparing a variety of candies. Although the process is relatively simple, you need to pay...

Unflavored gelatin has plenty of uses in the kitchen. One of its main uses is for the binding in pies, jams and cream cheeses. It's also used to make the capsules for pharmaceutical pills, photo...

Flour is made from wheat, and different types of wheat yield different types of flour. Cake flour is derived from soft wheats and it is used in cakes because its characteristics allow it different...

Proper mortar and insulation are the keys to an effective wood-fired brick oven. Building strong layers of cement and bricks traps the heat inside the dome and directs it onto the cooking food. A...

It's easy to make chocolate candy bar brownies. All you need to do is tweak the recipe a bit from the one on the brownie mix and your friends and family will think you're a genius.

Bread dough enhancer is an additive that improves the texture and taste of bread. It can also act as a preservative and lengthen the shelf life of baked bread. While it is not an essential...

Sometimes the hardest thing about planning a family dinner is dreading the clean up afterwards! Here's some ways to have a great party or dinner and make clean up simple!

I love a good ham with a sweet crusty outside that compliments the natural salty flavors of the ham. Here is a super easy and quick way to prepare a ham.

Unless you are a serial-baker, a five-pound bag of flour is going to last you a while. But what is the best way to make sure that the last cup measured is as fresh as the first? Air tight storage...

When you're using jars to store food for a long time, such as when you're canning, it is important to sterilize the jars before adding any food. This is key in preventing food poisoning and...

Here’s how to bake a tender, juicy, and delicious whole chicken.

Cooked sweet potatoes usually come in few ways nearly all of which include marshmallows. If you want to mix it up this thanksgiving try this recipe out on your sweet potatoes.

The technique of quick freezing or 'flash freezing' food was invented by Clarence Birdseye in the early 1900s---a technique that revolutionized the frozen food industry. You can access this same...

Something about the combination of sweet with salty always appeals to me, which is probably why I absolutely love potato chip cookies. Yep, that’s right, I said potato chip cookies! And here’s...

This is one recipe that you will because it’s so easy to fix and so easy to cover your taste buds. The prep time usually takes about 29 minutes and takes baking 40 minutes. It tends to serve...

So you need a easy meal tonight? And you have some chicken ready to go? Well here you will find some tips on how to cook that chicken up, and serve it to your family in less then a hour's time.

If you want to make a cake from scratch that is flawless, then there are a number of measures (no pun intended) you need to take. The following information can help you make a cake that is almost...

Christmas is right around the corner, and brown gravy is one thing you will find on most tables during Christmas dinner. This how to will show you easy steps in preparing, brown gravy for Christmas.

Wheat flour is essential to many baked goods because it provides structure. All-purpose flour and self-rising flour can be substituted in many baking recipes with some minor adjustments.

Cake yeast, also known as compressed fresh yeast, isn't commonly seen in stores today. Most of what's sold in yeast packages is dry yeast, because it has a longer shelf life than fresh yeast....

Baking a cake is both a fun and rewarding experience. Whether you're a novice or you're a master, there are a few basic steps that you need to get out of the way in order to create the perfect...

What`s more American than Mom and cherry pie? How `bout Mom`s cherry pie? Here I share a Mr. Food secret family recipe.

Potato starch is a thickening agent used in many soups and gravies. Its versatility also allows it to be mixed with other flours for the purpose of baking.

Cakes split and crack on top when they rise in the center too rapidly after the edges of the cake are set. Some cooks refer to this problem as volcano-topped cakes, and several things can cause...

A combination thermometer and timer lets you keep an eye on a large piece of meat in the oven or on the stove without having to guess when it's done and without having to repeatedly open the oven...

It’s that time of year when everybody is puttin on their apron and turming up the oven and is planning on baking homemade Christmas cookies. Whether you are baking with the kids, a baking veteran,...

Fan ovens, which are sold at department stores, look just like conventional ovens. But fan ovens are especially well suited for making bread because the constant convecting air cooks the dough at...

Nutrition experts keep telling us to eat more whole grains. If you would like to start baking with whole wheat flour, you do not have to get rid of your favorite recipes. It is true that whole...

Low carbohydrate diets have been around for many years now, and can be quite effective for losing weight. One baking ingredient that is hard to do without is flour, but there are some easy ways...

All-purpose flour was produced specifically for casual cooks who make a wide range of recipes in small quantities and without specialized equipment. Baking flours specialized for pastries and...

Is a special birthday coming up for a special person, bake a delicious birthday cake for their amazing birthday coming up or for when your just plane hungry!

Cooking a large turkey need not be hard! It is comparable to cooking any other fowl (chicken or duck). The key is to not overcook and to keep the white meat from being too dry from overcooking.

Often when baking bread using yeast from our pantries we find that our bread will not rise. This costs money and frustrates even the seasoned of bakers. There's an easy way to prevent this...

Apple cider was first brought over to this country on the Mayflower. It is a part of the Thanksgiving traditional foods and drinks of the pilgram. It is use in food recipes as well as made into...

People all over the world enjoy challah bread every day. This bread is part of Jewish tradition and is generally eaten as part of their Friday night dinner. However since almost all...