Baking tips for beginners

Julia Child once said ‘Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it’. If you’re a baker or aspire to be one but don’t know where to begin, this is for you.

No matter how hard you try, a messy kitchen is inevitable. But when you get your final dish from the oven, it makes it all worth it. Here are a few basic tips every beginner should know:

Keep the ingredients ready

Have everything ready at the counter before you start working. It will not only avoid last-minute hassle but also allow you to work without panicking.

Read the recipe carefully

Make sure you read and understand the recipe well before you begin. If there are words or instruments used that you do not understand, look them up and find out what they are.

Measure the ingredients

One wrong measurement and it can ruin the whole dish. Use measuring cups to get your proportions right. Use a digital weighing scale for dry ingredients and a clear liquid measuring glass for wet ingredients.

Keep an eye on the oven’s temperature

Do not frequently open the oven door; this may result in outside cooler air to slow down the baking process. In order to not let your dish burn, set the timer 2 to 3 minutes earlier than the actual time so that you can have a peek at the process.

Buy the right utensils

From spatulas to bakeware, the right utensils help yield better results. Use silicone-based spatulas or wooden spoons. Pastry brush to grease a pan or to paint milk on top of pastries is important too. Even if you have an electronic mixer, keep a whisk handy. You have to have baking trays — glassware, ceramic, metal or silicone.