When you’re new to the kitchen and you are just starting to learn how to bake, it’s easy to commit certain baking mistakes. Whether its cookies, cakes or pastries, the amount of effort and precision in the recipes is definitely a must-follow.
However, even if you follow the recipe word by word, chances are you are still making some kind of rookie mistake. Contrary to other cuisine types, improvisation is not that welcomed. Start by learning the basics, and don’t try to work around them.
Here are 6 baking mistakes you need to avoid in the kitchen.
1. Using cheap flour
We know it might sound basic, but when you think that flour is the primary ingredient in baking, then you probably shouldn’t overlook it. Besides the different flour types – like bread, baking or cake flour – there are actually differences within each of them.
Look for the ash content in your flour – the lower the content, the higher the quality. After that, you’ll need to try them and figure out what works best for you. Maybe your best four for cookies isn’t the same as for cakes – nothing weird about that!
2. Greasing your pans
Greasing the pans is a common baking mistake. You can easily roll a knife around the sides and the cake is ready to come off – but not without a cost.
Greasing the sides of the pans makes it harder for cakes to rise as the batter continuously slips back down. On the other hand, mixing grease with flour will ruin the bottom of your cake. In doubt, you should keep of the grease.
3. Using old ingredients
Really, just don’t. Using obsolete ingredients can ruin any great recipe in a heartbeat. Expired chemical leavening agents, like baking soda or powder, won’t result in the needed rise. The same happens with yeast.
Even spices, which will still work, could alter the overall quality as the essential oils in them would have dissipated. To be safe, try to always resort to fresh ingredients.
4. Overworking your dough
it’s easy to get lost when mixing, rolling and stretching your dough, but its a crucial baking mistake to avoid. Overworking your dough will make it tougher, just as much as adding flour will too.
Use oil in your hand if you must, but most of all, be gentle and don’t massacre your dough.
5. Not letting things cool
This is one the most common baking mistakes, and it influences the results especially for bread and cakes. If you frost a cake that hasn’t cooled completely, you’ll most likely end up with crumbs in the frosting. Also, always take them out of the pan to rest, otherwise they’ll just keep cooking.
