Bakers, I’m here for you.
Not with an apron or a rolling pin but with praise, camaraderie and some real help from baking pros who know why your cookies fall flat, your bread won’t rise and your kolackies look you in the eye and then unfold.
Like you, I found my way to the oven during the 2020 lockdown. Like you, I realized how much I enjoy kneading, mixing, piping and sharing the results, although I only Instagram the successes. Perhaps you saw my focaccia garden?
Alas, like many of you, my success rate is about 75% to 80%. I’d like to get that up to an A.
Because it’s February and National Bake For Family Fun Month, I asked two culinary experts to share some insider tips for resolving common issues.
Elizabeth Nelson is the test kitchen manager at Wilton Brands, which has a store and offers classes in Darien. It also has products in many department stores and hosts a popup shop in Naperville at times.
Jeanne Kraus is pastry chef instructor at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. Her classes are for credit but anyone can sign up to improve their baking skills.
Both women have answers for us. But first, some encouragement. Done with banana bread? Me, too. Here’s a look at what’s new in the baking world.
“My favorite trend is the lunchbox cake,” Nelson said. “It’s a cute, single-serve cake, usually with some fun decorating and sprinkles on top.
“I also love how some more ‘traditional’ piping techniques are coming back for cakes, but with a modern twist of color,” she said.
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According to Kraus, “One of the more popular things in baking right now is bright tropical flavors. Mango, pineapple, coconut.”
Her students are currently learning how to pair these flavors effectively to balance sweetness and acidity, Kraus said. Lime and mango go well together, for example.
People are also having fun with dessert charcuterie boards, some of which feature hot chocolate or s’mores, she said.
“It’s a fun idea for parties,” she said.
And now for some troubleshooting.
Weights and measures
“The No. 1 thing people have trouble with,” Kraus said, “is that many recipes are written in cups. In school we teach everything in weights,” because all flours and sugars do not weigh the same, she said.
Cake, for example, is sensitive to the amount of flour — too much and it will be dry and tough; not enough and it’s going to collapse, she said. And different flours weigh differently because of the protein content, she said.
Nelson added: “Bread flour has a higher protein level, which is what helps give breads their structure. Cake flour has a lot less protein, which keeps cakes soft and tender. All-purpose is in the middle, which makes it useful for all sorts of baked goods. Self-rising flour is basically all-purpose with baking powder and a little salt added in.”
So, Kraus said, for better outcomes, look for a good recipe, grab a scale and measure in weights.
Master the cookie
A baked good everybody should be able to make is chocolate chip cookies, Kraus said.
“I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like them. And you don’t even need a mixer,” she said.
In fact, you’re better off not using a mixer, she added.
Wondering why those balls of dough start out puffy and then end up like pancakes?
“When you mix (with a mixer) until light and fluffy, you incorporate so much air into the cookie dough, it rises up and then flattens out,” she said. “A little secret: Mix the sugars with the butter just until smooth. Just blend. Don’t incorporate a lot of air.
“The best cookies we ever made were when I was a kid and we had to use a wooden spoon to stir it together,” Kraus said.
Avoiding collapse
Nelson said sometimes old baking powder or baking soda can cause a cake to sink in the center, but most times that happens when the cake or brownies aren’t quite baked through.
Because ovens can vary, it’s important to pay attention to any visual cues that your cake is done, like a toothpick or cake tester coming out clean or the top of the cake springing back when touched, she said.
Essential tools
Although fancy kitchen tools are nice, Kraus said the piece of equipment that is her go-to is a thermometer. “Thermapen is an instant-read probe thermometer that is fantastic,” she said.
Another helpful tool is a scale, she added.
And don’t skimp on the parchment, Kraus said.
Spraying and then lining cake and brownie pans with parchment paper is better than smearing them with butter, which contains water and milk solids, and can cause the batter to burn and stick, she said.
Other tips:
Keep yeast in the refrigerator to prolong shelf life, Nelson said.
A flaky pie crust, Nelson said, calls for little pockets of butter that steam when they hit the heat. If the dough is too warm, the butter will melt and the layers will not puff up. “It’s important everything is chilled before starting to mix the dough, and to chill and let the dough rest before rolling and placing in your pie pan,” she said.
Kolacky chaos? Pinching the corners together as you fold can help the ends stay closed, Nelson said. Some people will twist the dough corners and then press into place, she said. You also can brush a little water on the dough to seal it together, she added.
More, more
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Nelson said go to blog.wilton.com for tips and techniques on everything from cakes and frostings to piping and decorating.
Another helpful website, Kraus said, is kingarthurbaking.com. It has recipes in both cups and weights and its blog has tips and techniques, including how to work with chocolate and how to get all of those sticky bits of dough off your hands.
Finally, Kraus said, “Keep notes and practice, practice.”
Remember, practice makes better and mistakes make great trifles.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years.