hIntS & tIPS
WARM AREA foR RISInG
•
Yeast, either when sponging or in the
dough, requires warmth to rise.
•
To create a warm area for dough to rise,
place baking tray over a bowl of fairly
warm water, place prepared dough item
on baking tray, cover loosely with lightly
greased thicker-style plastic wrap or a
tea towel. Ensure kitchen is warm and
free of drafts. Allow the dough to rise
until doubled in size.
•
Alternatively, place the dough into a
greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap
and place in an oven. Fill a medium/
large bowl with hot water and place
next to the dough. Close the oven door
and allow to rise. The heat and moisture
creates and ideal environment to proof
the dough.
foR BEttER BAKInG
•
Check the ingredients and read the
recipe before starting to bake.
•
Weigh and measure ingredients correctly.
•
Variations may occur in raw ingredients
used so adjust other ingredients and
baking times if required.
•
Preheat oven before starting recipe
preparation, this will ensure the
correct temperature is achieved
before baking starts.
•
Temperatures and cooking times may vary
with some ovens so adjust accordingly. If
using a fan forced oven (convection oven)
reduce the temperatures in the recipes by
20°F (10°C).
•
When mixing, start the mixer at a
lower speed then gradually increase to
the recommended speed in the recipe
especially when adding dry ingredients.
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•
Ensure wire whip and mixing bowl are
clean and free of fats when whipping
egg whites as these will impede aeration.
•
Instead of greasing baking pans or trays,
line with baking paper or parchment
paper where appropriate. However, a
little light greasing in pans will keep the
paper in place.
•
Pre-warm a measuring spoon in hot
water for easy measuring of golden
syrup or honey.
•
Butter should be softened at room
temperature to make creaming butter
and sugar easier.
•
Keep surfaces and ingredients chilled
when making, handling or rolling out
pastry. Butter for pastry making should
be kept refrigerated.
•
Avoid stretching pastry when rolling
out as it will shrink when baking. Use
light, even strokes in one direction and
avoid pressing down hard on the rolling
pin. Where possible, rest pastry in the
refrigerator before baking.
•
Eggs should be at room temperature
to give better volume when whipping.
Break eggs individually into another
container before adding to other
ingredients to avoid potential spoilage.
•
Separate egg whites carefully to avoid
inclusion of egg yolks. Egg yolks contain
fat and will prevent successful whipping
of egg whites.
•
Rinse beaten egg residue from wire whip
and mixing bowl or other utensils with
cold water immediately after use. Using
hot water will set the egg and make
removal difficult.
hIntS & tIPS
•
Test if cakes are cooked at the end of
baking time by touching the top lightly,
the cake will spring back if cooked. A fine
skewer or toothpick can also be inserted
carefully into the center of the cake, if it
comes out clean the cake is cooked.
•
For crisper results when baking cookies,
remove the baking trays from the oven
and place directly onto wire racks. Move
the cookies slightly away from their
baked position on the trays and cool
completely before removing.
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