Sometimes trying a new recipe for the first time could be a little intimidating. I’ve been there myself more than once, so I have come up with some helpful hints. These tips can help build your confidence and make those new recipes seem less stressful and, hopefully, more fun.
Before You Bake:
Read the recipe: I know this sounds a little silly because of course, you read the recipe first. What I mean is, you should go over it a couple of times before you start the baking. This is also an excellent time to do a little research. You are bound to find some instruction in the recipe that you don’t understand. Google is your friend; it will give you answers and explanations that the recipe doesn’t provide.- Make sure you have everything: Once you are comfortable with the recipe, go to the ingredient list and check to make sure you have what you need. I have made this mistake a couple of times and had to send my husband out to buy some vital ingredient. Leaving your batters half made can affect the final bake so check your ingredients before you start baking. Make sure that you have exactly what the recipe calls for, no substitutions.
- Gather your ingredients: Take out the ingredients that need to be at room temperature (should be at least 30 min. before baking). Weight, measure, and get everything ready for the baking process. This will make things easier and prevents you from over-mixing if you have to measure out the next ingredient. It also makes it hard to forget to add something.
- Keep referring to the recipe: Once you get going on the bake, make sure you keep checking back to the directions so that you don’t miss an important step.
- Don’t rush: Baking can take some time, especially if it is complicated, so make sure you have plenty of time to devote to baking.
There is one more important thing to know about baking and reading recipes. There are some cookbooks out there that are just poorly written which can make baking those recipes really difficult. So if while reading through a recipe, you find it difficult to understand, it might be better to find a different recipe to use. I hope these hints will help you with your baking adventures. Good luck and Happy Baking.
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