Basic Baking and Cake Decorating (10 Viewers)

Baking hygiene and safety is imperative for both the baker and the consumer and should be considered at all times. If you're a young baker then always ensure you have an adult on hand to help you out as there are lots of potential hazards which can occur in the kitchen. Now I'm not telling you this to scare you off, no far from it, all I'm saying is that it's always good to have someone there just in case you need them. Great rules for adults and children to remember are, go slow, be careful, but most of all, enjoy the experience. Here are a handful of hygiene and safety rules to abide by before you bake. Tie/Clip Hair out of the way: Before you start preparing your ingredients in the kitchen, it's a good idea to tie your hair up...

In baking, there are two ways in which we can mix butter into a cake batter. The first is using the creaming method, and the second is by a technique known as the reverse creaming method. The creaming method is when you beat the butter and sugar together, whereas the reverse creaming method requires you to combine the (solid) butter with the dry ingredients instead. Reverse Creaming Method Combine the dry ingredients first, including the sugar in one bowl. Then mix the wet ingredients except for the butter in another bowl. Now slowly add the sliced butter (fats) to the dry ingredients and a little of the wet (liquid) ingredients. Then add the remainder of the liquids. Reverse Creaming Notes Ensure the butter is soft enough to...

At certain stages of baking, you are sometimes asked to 'fold in'. The term folding in is the process used to stir two ingredients together slowly and softly (without mixing or beating them vigorously) until they have combined. How to 'fold in' ingredients: A lighter mixture such as whipped egg whites is placed on top of your heavier cake batter. You would then incorporate them by running the silicon spatula straight through the middle of the lighter top mixture and denser bottom mixture, along the bottom of the bowl and then up the sides (effectively bringing the bottom layer of the mixture on top of the lighter top mixture). By doing this, you create a circular wave motion that 'folds in' the ingredients together. You would...

If you wish to avoid a recipe for disaster and want to maintain excellent standards in the kitchen, then be sure to run through this quick list of tips to avoid problems and ensure that you bake safe. Coughs and Sneezes If you have any general feelings of being unwell, then you should steer clear of baking or any kind of food prep or decoration. Produce/Ingredients Dented cans, torn packaging, cracked eggs or out of date ingredients should never be used in bakes unless it is for personal use or for people who are made aware of it. If you are happy to use it for yourself, then that's your choice. However, damaged, broken or spoiled products may contain bacteria and cause health issues, so they are best to be avoided. Frozen Food...

Blind baking or baking blind is the term used to bake pastry or a pie crust in the oven without any filling. To assist with this process, the pastry is weighed down with baking/greaseproof paper and some form of ceramic beans, uncooked rice or pulses while it bakes. Reasons why we blind bake: Pre baking the base allows it to set so that a cold filling can then be poured into it. The shortcrust pastry is pre-cooked because the filling that's added has a shorter cooking time or lower baking temperature. Pre baking the pastry or pie crust will prevent a soggy bottom. How to blind bake - Method: 1. Firstly roll out your pre-made or shop-bought shortcrust pastry to the shape of your tin, allowing a little extra to go up the sides of...

You'll sometimes notice that cupcakes and muffins can go stale rather quickly. Therefore to combat, the problem I've put together a few ways to enhance your bakes and keep them moister and fresher for longer. Hand mixing cupcakes - This is sometimes the best method to use as you control how much mixing occurs. The trick is to lightly work the batter until it has combined. By doing so, you prevent the mixture from being overworked, which in turn stops the cakes becoming dense and heavy. Squashed fruit - By adding elements of fruits such as banana or grated apple to your muffin mix before baking, you will add a touch of moisture allowing the cakes to stay fresher for longer. Texture - Putting raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, or...

If you are making a bundt cake and are worried that the cake may not slide out in one go (because you cannot line it), then make sure you do the following steps to allow for a stress-free bake. 1. Grease the tin/pan thoroughly with a cake release spray, or using a pastry brush, put melted butter, vegetable oil or shortening into all the crevices of the tin. You then have the following options for coating:- a) Add a little flour to the greased tin and shake out any excess. b) If you make a chocolate cake, replace the flour and lightly coat the tin with unsweetened cocoa instead. c) If you are not going to cover your Bundt Cake with drizzle or frosting when it comes out of the oven, then you can coat the greased tin with sugar...

If you are having problems with scones not rising properly, and they're not looking as gorgeous as you had hoped then here are a couple of reasons as to why your scones may not be rising properly. Cut Straight - When cutting out your scones always ensure that you cut them straight down. If you twist the cutter, you run the risk of binding the dough together, thus preventing your scones from rising properly. Another reason may also be... Egg Wash - If you brush the top of your scones with egg wash then be sure that you only lightly glaze the top, the reason being is if the egg wash drips down the sides it can lead to scones rising unevenly. Related Posts English Cherry Scones Tutorial

If you have ever had problems with cake leaning or tilting, then you may wish to have a glance at this post to see if any of the following explanations can give you a clue as to why this has happened and tips on how to prevent it. Trapped Air/Settling This happens when air pockets form after the cake layers have been stacked and then begin to settle. To prevent this, try using a thicker buttercream/filling to help the cake support its own structure and weight. Another solution is to place a tin/plate on top of the filled layers for a while. This creates a pushing/weighted motion, allowing any trapped air to be expelled. Do this before covering your cake in icing fondant. Uneven Layers This may have been caused by adding too much...

As a rule, I would not opt to store iced or fondant covered cakes in the fridge because they will sweat and go sticky. Cakes that have been filled with buttercream can be stored at room temperature. If a cake requires a filling that needs to be refrigerated, then it shouldn't be covered in icing/sugarpaste/fondant. To keep cakes clean and cool store them in a cardboard box and place them in the coldest/driest places in your kitchen until required. Basic Baking and Cake Decorating Hints, Tips and Tools Recipes and Guides Tutorials

With the summer fast approaching, I thought it might be an idea to put together a few helpful hints to help you survive the searing heat! So what better way than to give you 5 ways to beat the heat with icing, fondant or sugarpaste. 1. Keep it Cool - summer causes many problems for us bakers, and the kitchen is no fun to be in when it's hot and humid. So to combat the fondant frustrations, here are a few things you can do: Buy a dehumidifier which will zap all the moisture out of the air. Invest in some much-needed air-con if you can afford it. Get a fan; if nothing else, it will create air movement in your kitchen and hopefully cool you down in the process. Keep blinds and windows closed to keep as much of the heat out as you can...

When you begin cake decorating, you will find that having a range of paintbrushes in your toolbox will be extremely handy. Now I don't mean pinching them from your little ones; no, what I do suggest is that you have a set just for cake decorating. They're relatively cheap to buy and will help you get that professional look when you use them. Here are what a few of them can do for you. 1. Slim thin-tipped brushes can be used to paint model faces and small strokes. 2. Soft brushes can be used to remove icing sugar or cornflour from your decorations. 3. Flat square brushes are suitable for brush embroidery when piping. 4. Large soft brushes can remove excess crumbs from cakes before covering. Top 10 tools used for cake...

Here is how to make a DIY Disposable Piping bag with and without a nozzle:- 1. Get a zip-lock or resealable food bag and open it up. 2. Scoop your filling into the bag. 3. Squeeze the air out softly and then seal it. 4. Push the contents into one of the bottom corners and then twist the bag to force the remaining contents further into the corner. You may wish to apply a rubber band around the twisted section of the bag to hold it in place, like below. 5. Now, snip off a small portion of the corner of the bag with scissors. (Make sure it's a small cut as you don't want the filling oozing out). 6. If you lightly squeeze, you will now be able to pipe, frost or drizzle chocolate onto your cakes, cupcakes or biscuit cookies. Tip...