18 Common Baking Mistakes 1

Baking is one of the most fundamental food preparation methods, but it can also be daunting for the inexperienced. More than taste or smell, baking relies on physics and chemistry, as evident by the measured amounts of each ingredient, oven temperatures, and many other specific requirements.

 

But don’t let that scare you. To be able to produce delicious baked goods, all you need is a little experience (and knowing your oven will also help). If you’re frustrated with your attempts at baking, these 18 tips will make it easy to figure out what you’re doing wrong and how to correct it.

1. Skipping or Missing a Step in the Recipe  

 

The result: you’re not sure why your pastry failed  

The most common mistake people make when baking is not paying attention to the recipe. It’s not only about missing or skipping a step, but rather not understanding the raw ingredients or the wording. For example, if a recipe calls for “1 cup walnuts, chopped” – it means you need to fill a cup with whole walnuts, then chop them. It doesn’t mean you need to fill a cup with pre-chopped nuts. Another example is supplementing whipping cream for heavy cream, etc. Take your time reading the recipe. 

 

2. Opening the Oven Too Often 

 

The result: your pastry collapses 

It’s tempting to peek into the oven and check how your pastry is doing, but opening the oven, even for a few seconds, lets cold air in, which interrupts the baking process, unnecessarily extending – or even disrupting - it completely. If you want to open the oven, wait until the pastry has fully risen, and even then it is recommended only to check on it at the very end. 

 

3. Working with Room-Temperature Dough 

 

The result: the dough rips, sticks, or is difficult to work with

 

After kneading the dough, it should be placed in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. When left in the fridge, the dough solidifies, making it much easier to handle. Dough that is not chilled will be hard to work with, particularly after flattening and handling it raises its temperature even higher. Furthermore, after cutting your cookie dough into cookies, it’s better to stick them in the fridge for a short time before putting them in the oven. 

 

 

4. Not Preheating the Oven 

The result: your pastry is unevenly cooked 

Almost all pastry recipes will tell you to preheat the oven. Many people skip this step, thinking that it’ll save them time and electricity, but here’s why you shouldn’t: As it heats up, the oven sucks in outside air, which can add unneeded moisture to the pastry. Wait until your oven is at the desired temperature and only then put your dough inside. 

 

5. Doubling or Halving Quantities 

 

The result: the pastry comes out wrong  

On the surface it makes sense – if you need half as many cookies, just use half the amount of each ingredient. Need a bigger cake? Double the quantities. This works for cooking, but when it comes to baking, things get a little more complicated. By changing the quantities, baking time also varies, but it’s not proportional. If you need to double the amount, it’s better to make two batches, and put them in the oven separately. If you want to make a smaller portion, check the oven sooner, to make sure your pastry isn’t burning.

 

 6. Kneading the Dough Too Much 

 The result: the cookies or base come out too hard You probably want your dough to be even and consistent, so you keep kneading it. The problem with this is that over-kneading causes the gluten in the dough to harden, making the pastry come out hard as well. When kneading the dough, use light motions, and stop once there’s no more loose flour in the bowl. If you’re using a blender, only use it combine the ingredients, then knead the rest by hand. 

 

7. Being Stingy on the Fats When Making Cookies 

 

The result: cookies with cake-like texture 

 

Most people prefer to use less fat, but you can be too stingy if you’re making cookies. Fat makes the cookies crispier; that’s why cookie recipes that call for both butter and oil end up producing soft cookies that melt in your mouth. If you forgo fat and use only egg whites, your cookies will have a cake-like texture.

 

 

 8. Not Greasing the Baking Sheet or Pan 

 

The result: the pastry sticks to the bottom Whether you use a baking sheet or not, don’t forget to grease it before placing the dough on it. It doesn’t matter if the pastry is sweet or savory. 

 

9. Beating Cold Egg Whites 

 

The result: the mix doesn’t become stiff, soufflés don’t rise and cakes collapse

 

Room-temperature egg whites will stiffen more, compared to ones that come straight out of the fridge. If you store your eggs in the refrigerator, separate the whites from the yolk and let them warm up to room temperature for a few minutes before you begin.

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