Don't have the correct size baking pan for a cake or casserole? Downsize a larger one by simply molding a piece of heavy duty foil and fitting it in the pan to adjust for the desired dimensions as shown. You could also add a second piece of foil perpendicular to the one in place to adjust the width of the pan as well as the length.
By Carolyn from Bellevue, WA
Put a 2 section piece of paper towel on the counter when you start to bake. If you spill anything, it all goes in the trash when you clean up. Mixing spoons and spatulas go on it, too.
When baking, in order to remember which ingredients have been put into your bowl do this: Place all items to the left of your bowl. As you use them; move to the right of your bowl.
If you don't have the air cushioned cookie sheets, just stack two regular cookie sheets together. No more burnt bottoms and lots cheaper than the air sheets! By Debbie
Baking parchment paper can be used more than once! I have found I can get two bakings from one sheet of parchment, even though those baking sessions may be more than a week apart.
Cakes and cookies bake more evenly in the center of your oven. If you are baking more than one item, try to place them as close to the center of the oven as possible but leave about an inch between them.
The right tools make all the difference when baking and cooking. I saved for years to acquire the very best kitchen tools I could find, especially for the "luxury" tools that I now consider essentials, such as different scoops for cookies, meatballs, etc.
I take fruits and put them into a blender and then bake breads, biscuits, cakes etc. with this blend. This way I only have to add a pinch or two of oil. They come out tasteful and really good.
By baking your own pastries, cakes, pies, cookies, etc., instead of purchasing them already pre-made in your grocer's bakery...
When making your Thanksgiving pies or bread, dip your fingers in some melted butter to keep them from sticking to the pie or bread dough.
Dip your spoon in milk when baking cakes, brownies or cookies. This will keep the batter from sticking to the spoon when scraping the bowl or spooning out the batter.
When you are filling your muffin pans, use an ice cream scoop so that your muffins will all be the same size. Also you will not spill the batter on the top of the pans. Clean up is much easier.
When making chocolate brownies or cake and the recipe says "grease and flour the pan" substitute Nestle's Quik for the flour. The cake, or whatever you're making, will release from the pan more easily and the extra taste on the sides is a real family pleaser (especially when you make chocolate fudge brownies).
I just bought a couple new bread pans. Nice shiny ones. It turns out that because of the shine, the bread browns on the top, but doesn't bake or brown well on the bottom.
When baking cupcakes if I don't fill all of the tins, I put an ice cube in the empty cups. This is easier than filling the empties with water.
When you need a cooling rack for a baking sheet full of cookies or a cake pan just removed from the oven, remove one of your stoves burner grills and set it on the counter top to set the cooling pan on top of it, so air can circulate beneath it.
Hello everyone. I hope you had a very happy Holiday. While I was baking cookies with my 8 year old grandson, I complained about all the crumbs left under the cooling rack when I was finished baking and what a chore it was to clean it up.
With the electric oven, my whole wheat muffins were always on the dark side when they finished baking because the oven temperature didn't drop fast enough from 500 to 350 degrees F as printed in the recipe.
Here's some more baking tips I thought I could pass on. While the things I do while baking are habit to me, some may be new to you.
I was thinking about some of the ways I have learned how to make baking easier, less expensive, more creative, or more efficient. Here's my little list, learned from years of experience.
