Comments on: 10 rules for amateur bakers

By: Canadian Goose sale

Canadian Goose sale — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 04:11:30 +0000

Reserve noticeable, I really enjoy your blog!affiliatespam

By: joyce

joyce — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 07:17:52 +0000

Hi Pete,

I really enjoyed reading your tips. They are super helpful! I hope you don’t mind me re-blogging your post. I also referred it back to your blog.

You can check it out here:
https://mymunchiebox.wordpress.com/2011/02/26/10-rules-for-amateur-bakers/

Thank you!

By: lockbow

lockbow — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 20:34:26 +0000

@Angela
What’s the recipe?
I’m not after your family’s secret recipe as such (although I wouldn’t refuse it =) but it sounds like a poor gluten structure (if I’m correct and you do not want the end result to be crumbly) either from poor kneading or mixing in the fat (if there is any) too early.

Mixing in any fat will coat the flour and prevent the later formed strands of gluten from hooking into each other and the result will be crumbly and flakey. This is the reason why you start with mixing flour and fat when making scones or pie crusts where you want the result to be really flakey and crumbly.

As for them being doughy, I guess it’s all coming down to minute variations in oven temperature (all hail the holy thermostat and all that, but it is not the German wonder of precision we sometimes wish for) or the size of the loaves.
Tell your sister to use a digital thermometer. Depending on the recipe anything between 200-205 F seem to be OK according to “Bread Baker’s Apprentice” but some breads (Pane Siciliano and Panettone) go even lower, down to 185 F.

Simply put: YMMV.

By: Angela Merisso

Angela Merisso — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:58:17 +0000

My sister makes an Italian Anise Easter bread every year following our mother’s recipie. She forms them round loaves. However,the texture is sometimes crumbly and the centers are not fully cooked and are a little doughy. Can you give us some tips on what she is doing wrong?
Thank you

By: Mimi

Mimi — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:21:35 +0000

thank u for these great tips

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:47:23 +0000

Hey Pete!
I just found your site and am attempting your pancakes as I type. I’m pretty new to all things baked and am very grateful for your info and recipes. Thanks!

By: Aisha

Aisha — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:15:20 +0000

Great tips! Thank you!

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:32:36 +0000

Going with the doomed domed layer cake, I’ve also discovered when making brownies, to avoid the same effect, pouring the mix in the pan around the edges and letting it gravitate towards the center helps them bake beautifully flat.

By: Y

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:42:55 +0000

Great list. Must say, I’m guilty of breaking a few of those unspoken rules sometimes.

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:26:35 +0000

I found this article while searching google for “the science of baking.” I’m glad I found it because your recipes are great and I like your writing style.

It’s also nice to find food blogs by people in a similar walk of life to myself. The recipes generally seem more attainable if for no other reason than I know I can get the ingredients. I too am 23, but living in NOVA and working in Washington, DC.