Stress Baking? Here are My Favorite Tools and Tips for Better Baking
We’ve all been stress baking throughout 2020, yes, even me. As a professional I clearly love baking, but there is something comforting and cathartic about the process.
The task takes focus but isn’t difficult. It’s just enough to give your brain a break about concerns over the pandemic or the economy (or whatever else ails your busy mind). And then, of course, the results are not only tasty but provide some sense of community when shared with friends or family members.
While we’re in a time where we kind of have to make do with what we have, there is no reason to only take your baking projects halfway.
Here are some of my favorite baking tips and tools to take you through the rest of this year, and hopefully help you achieve your special place of zen while baking!
Let them eat cake. All the cake.
If cakes are your jam, I find great results when all the ingredients are at room temperature. If cake decorating is your jam, this super ultimate decorating kit will get you all the tools you never thought you needed (but you do).
Don’t burn your bottoms
One of the most frustrating things that can happen when baking cookies is burned bottoms, but it’s a very common problem. You want the cookie to be cooked to perfection from top to bottom! I like to use a Silpat to help with more even cooking.
Bigger balls aren’t always better
Ain’t that the truth. Cake balls are all the rage, and they’re very simple to make - but they can also go wrong really fast! The perfect cake ball needs to be just about two bites. Don’t make them too big or they may fall apart when you’re coating them. Also, stick with a candy coating. We like these candy melts - look for them also in cocoa or other colors!
Fun with Fondant
Fondant creates that wonderful, smooth look on cakes or cookies (or even cake balls), but a lot of people are scared to try out it. Our advice: just do it! But we suggest sticking with a simple design at first as you get used to working with it. For a splash of color, we like Chefmaster’s gel colors.
Last but not least, do not hesitate to call me! If something about a recipe doesn’t look right or didn’t turn out, please call us. At the end of the day, baking is about community and we love sharing our experience!