Baking Techniques

Baking cookies is a great way to bring a family together. But sometimes getting them to turn out can be difficult. There are a few causes for thin, crispy cookies. Follow these simple steps for...

Since I was a small girl I never liked apple pie until I made this. Then I doctored it up a little. Now I get all the rage at holidays because it is so easy and good. Easy as pie.. Pardon the pun

Tapioca flour is a slightly sweet white starchy flour derived from the cassava root. Tapioca flour is also grain free so it is a great choice for those who are wheat or gluten intolerant. Tapioca...

Wheat gluten flour is a high-protein low-starch flour often used in combination with all purpose or whole wheat flour to make bread. Glutens are proteins that increase the strength and elasticity...

Greasing the pan is a necessary step when doing any baking project, but flouring the pan is equally important. To ensure that your cakes come out perfectly with no tears or snags, greasing...

Spelt flour is a nutty-flavored flour derived from the spelt grain, which is related to wheat. It can be substituted for a portion of the wheat flour in any recipe without compromising texture....

The little red hen ate all the bread herself. Why? She both ground the flour and baked the bread herself. Be the little red hen: Grind your own flour at home or at the grocery market. The...

Chocolate Chip Cookies! One of the most popular cookies in the U.S. There are many different recipes for them but I have found through trial and error that this is the one my family and I enjoy...

Nutty-flavored and high in protein, soy flour can be used as a substitute for a portion of the wheat flour that is called for in any recipe. Although adding too much soy flour can adversely affect...

Brown rice flour and sweet rice flour are used in baking as alternatives to wheat in a gluten-free diet. Brown rice flour is made from unpolished brown rice and is higher in nutrients than its...

A few simple tips to make perfect cookies every time.

Most machines will allow you to make the 1 1/2 pound loaf types. This is just that. A recipe I developed for bread machines to bring out the true flavor of a yummy home made bread. The recipes...

Soy flour is a powder made from crushed soybeans that can be combined with other types of flour in baked goods or used as a thickening agent in cooked dishes. Since soy flour is produced from...

Wheat-based flours including all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour cannot be completely replaced by soy flour in most recipes for baked goods. Soy flour does not contain gluten, which is...

A fruit cake is one of the most delicious things to eat. It can be made in advance and stored in an airtight tin until needed.It can be made a little plainer by leaving out certain fruits. It is...

I learned how to make pie crust by following the directions in a magazine many years ago. I haven’t had the article for a long time, but I wrote down and kept what I thought I might forget; the...

Hi, I'm going to share with you a few things I learned to make a light and fluffy cake. It's easy!

A countertop convection oven, often called a "toaster oven," can be used to cook or bake nearly any dish you would cook in a conventional oven. Convection ovens can bake food up to 30-percent...

Faults when mixing, scaling, baking and cooling cakes can be avoided by checking this list of remedies.

Alternation you can make to your recipes for baked goods that help reduce fat, sugar, calories, and refined ingredients

Baking conjures up images of rising breads and cakes in an oven. However, with innovation and effort, you can bake bread on your grill easily. Once you know how to work with your grill, you can...

Making cakes can be fun, but the fun goes down a notch if your cake sticks to the baking pan. In order to prevent this, you must grease and flour the cake pan before you bake the cake. Greasing...

This is a great holiday dessert to enjoy at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I hope you like it as much as I do.

If you like the taste of fresh-made bread, but don't have the time or desire to make it by hand, a bread machine is a convenient alternative. Bread machines are easy to use and versatile; you can...

a pastry crust is a very delicate venture and requires certain prostheses to ensure success.

The secret to making Perfect Madeleines is mastering the Genoise type cake batter, here are some tips to help you.

To make southern style biscuits, you need self-rising flour, lard and water. If you choose to use all purpose flour, you will need to add baking powder. Use the self-rising flour for less steps...

Cloudy pie filling refers to the density and opaque quality of the filling after it cooks in a pie. While some bakers prefer clear gel-like pie fillings, others like fillings that have a more...

Few things are as delicious as a sweet, moist cake baked and iced to perfection. From birthdays to holidays, cakes are used for all types of celebrations. They are perfect as the finishing touch...

if you love blue berry muffins then you love this delicious recipe. for this recipe you can use blueberries, cranberries, bananas or whatever you prefer. you and your family will love this easy...

Activating, or 'proofing,' a sourdough starter is essential before making bread. If starter has been refrigerated or frozen between uses, follow these steps to feed and bring it to life for the...

In the Fall, cooler weather calls for sweet, warm desserts like pumpkin bread. For a change, why not bake some in a coffee can? By following this method, once baked and cooled, you'll be able to...

Some of the common mistakes people make when making biscuits, are to overwork the dough, use a rolling pin, add too much flour, or cook them in the wrong type of cookware. I will give you the...

For an inexperienced baker, the perfect, flaky crust can seem like the Holy Grail of pastry making. The humble-looking pastry blender doesn't look like much, but the secret to achieving that...

Sifting flour is crucial in many baking recipes, especially cakes and breads. Most avid bakers use a special tool called a flour sifter to incorporate air into the flour, and separate the...

Everybody has their own tastes. That is why the perfect cookie is not a recipe, but a how to on how to create the type of cookie you love. Do you like fat cookies? Chewy? Crispy? Then this is...

Ah, the pleasures of baking – beautiful textures, wonderful aromas, exquisite taste. A recipe that comes out perfectly is a joy to behold. But when that muffin, brownie, or cake sticks to the pan,...

We all know that making the perfect flakey pie crust is not easy. My grandmother taught me how to make this flakey crust and it's one that is anticipated among family when the holidays come...

Almost nothing can compare to the smell of fresh bread baking. Bread baking is considered an art by many home cooks. Refine your technique and expand your bread baking expertise by learning as...

The simple trick to making fresh and light whole wheat bread.

If you are willing to take the extra time to make your own pasta I highly recommend it. It is worth making it yourself, and this recipe is very simple. I will also give you some tips on flavoring...

The creaming method produces tender cakes that are light as a feather. You can easily adapt most cake recipes to the creaming method. Simply replace the mixing instructions in the recipe with the...

Tired of flavorless pie crusts from the grocery store freezer? Learn how to create your own flaky crusts for pies and tarts using a few basic ingredients and common kitchen tools.

Making sourdough bread isn't nearly as complicated as you might think. Once the starter has been established, the yeast will last for years as long as you add a little flour and water to the...

It's great to get creative when baking, but when you're making a pastry for the first time, it's best to stick with the recipe. Cooking is chemistry, after all, so using exact measurements,...

Many people who learn how to bake cakes from scratch start with a basic two-layer round yellow cake. Round cakes are less likely to fall than rectangular or square cakes, and the yellow cake is...

Grains must be ground until they become flour. Precise amounts of water, yeast and any desired seasoning are mixed with the flour in a large mixer. The mixture is kneaded with more water added...

You can smell the mouth-watering aromas that seem to flow out of a bread bakery. Many of the aromas that engulf your senses are a result of yeast and gluten, which help bread rise. Can you imagine...

Does the scale reflect your love affair with cookies? Deciding to drop a few pounds doesn't have to mean that you have to leave the cookies on the shelf. With a few simple recipe substitutions,...

Baking with whole grains often results in baked goods that are more dense and do not rise as high as desired. By adding vital wheat gluten to the dough, the resulting baked goods will be lighter...