Baking Tips

To create an amazing looking cake is one thing but the base, whether cake, cupcake or cookie is the first step and possible the most important thing to master. If you've got a good base to work with you are well on your way to creating a masterpiece.

The recipe - you want something that taste great but that you can work with, experiment and find your favorite recipes. I will post some recipes.
INGREDIENTS
1- Ingredients are key if you use good quality ingredients your end product will taste better.
2- Eggs should always be at room temperature.
3- Flour - there are different types of flour that contain different amounts of protein and are refined differently. Cake flour is more refined than all-purpose flour. Pastry flour has a lower protein content.
4- Whole milks fat helps bind the ingredients better.
5- Coco should have a 22 to 24% fat content and be the best quality.
6- Vanilla should be pure vanilla extract not imitation.
7- Butter, don't substitute butter with other spreads, the water quantities are different and you can taste the difference.

BAKING
1- Ovens - always preheat your oven to the require temperature, a cheap but useful tool is an oven thermometer, thus you will ensure that you oven is at the right temperature, always place your oven rack at the require height/level in your oven.
2 - Prepare baking trays and cake tins properly. I always line my baking trays with baking/parchment paper and I grease and flour my cake tins.
3- Follow directions, baking is quite a science different things react to each other and there are reasons for doing certain things (like stir, beat, cream, sift, blend, knead).

EQUIPMENT
1- Baking doesn't require much specialized equipment, however if you are baking on a more professional scale good equipment can make your life much easier.
2- Oven and stove should be in good working order (of course).
3- Microwave is a fast and easy alternative for melting chocolate, and heating ingredients.
4- Stand mixer, a sturdy mixer with paddle and whisk attachments are a great investment.
5- Baking trays, cupcake molds and cake pans, non stick are great, be aware that shiny silver and dark trays bake at different speeds.
6- Rolling pin is essential for making biscuits as well as pastry, invest in a good sturdy one.
7- Scale and measuring cups and spoons, ensure that these are accurate measurements (i.e. USA and UK use a 15ml tablespoon and Australia use 20ml tablespoon) according to the origin of the recipe.
8- Wire rack for cooling baked products.