Baking from scratch is a wholesome, old-fashioned hobby that can put a smile on your face.
This can seem a little overwhelming at first, but with a bit of time and patience, you’ll find the
payoff is worth it, especially when you use fresh ingredients that add a whole new dimension of
taste to your goodies!
This post will break down everything you need to know about easy baking from scratch, as well
as some baking tips for beginners to ensure that you’re ready to take on any baking challenge.
What Does It Mean to Bake from Scratch?
If you’re wondering how to start baking at home, you’ll need first to understand what it means
to bake from scratch. Baking from scratch is a phrase that encompasses everything in the
process of making baked goods, right down to the dough.
Bakers will start with raw ingredients and combine them to create delicious cakes, bread, or
pastries. Baking can be as complicated or simple as you want it to be, depending on how “raw”
of ingredients you use, and the tools used to assist in the process.
For example, some bakers use complicated recipes and mold cakes into their desired shape,
while others prefer just throwing together their favorite flavors and using molds. The best way
to bake from scratch is to use tools and methods that feel the best and most comfortable to
you!
Fill Your Pantry with The Right Ingredients
Before any type of baking extravaganza, it’s essential that you have your pantry stocked with
the right items. Depending on what you’re making, you may need very specific ingredients, like
a particular powder or spice. However, most recipes will use similar ingredients, which means
it’s essential to keep your pantry stocked with these staples. Make sure to have these items on
hand, including:
● Sugar (white, brown, honey, or other alternatives)
● Salt
● Baking Soda
● Baking Powder
● Eggs (or egg alternative)
● Butter
● Cream
● Vanilla Extract
● Flour
● Yeast
With this combination of ingredients, you’ll be able to create a variety of goodies such as cakes,
cookies, pies, and brownies. If you’re feeling uninspired, you can always search for new baking
recipes to try with the ingredients you have on hand. You’d be surprised what you can use to
bake with!
Choose The Right Equipment
While having the right ingredients is very important, choosing high-quality equipment can
either enhance or hurt the baked goods you’re trying to create. You’re going to need a variety
of different pans depending on what you enjoy or want to bake, like a muffin tin or loaf pan.
Bakers will also want to have things like cookie cutters on hand to create different shapes of
cookies, as well as tools such as measuring cups and spoons for precision using your
ingredients.
It can become extremely expensive and take up a ton of time to try to purchase each of these
items on your own, which is why we suggest purchasing one of Baker Secret’s Bakeware
collections which features the perfect collection of pans based on what’s important to you.
So whether you want to start with a simple essentials kit or want a cast aluminum set, you’ll be
able to find the perfect equipment to get your bake on!
The Right Temperature Is Key
Another important aspect of baking is the temperature of your baked goods – because if you
under or overcook your baked goods, all of your hard work can be ruined! Bakers should look
into purchasing an oven timer with alarms so they don’t need to worry about constantly
checking the internal temperature of their goodies by opening the door (which causes steam to
escape and can lead to uneven baking).
The other key factor in temperature is your oven, which needs to be set to a specific degree.
Bakers should initially pre-heat it for ten minutes before putting their goodies inside. While this
may seem excessive now, this will allow the heat of an empty oven to really spread throughout,
so you don’t need as high of heating later on when your baked goods are actually cooking!
Finally, bakers must ensure that all ingredients are room temperature or close enough because
cold eggs or butter can immediately cause cookies and cakes to collapse after being placed into
a hot oven while still raw. However, if they’re too warm, these baked goods won’t rise properly,
just like how dough becomes hard when not appropriately mixed.
Measurements Are Key
When you’re cooking regular food, you don’t need to follow specific measurements to get the
desired results, as you’re often able to improvise and still have delicious food. On the other
hand, lots of baked goods require specific measurements to yield the results that you’re looking
for.
For example, if you overbeat Macaroons or add the wrong amount of ingredients, you’ll end up
with a flat or cracked result instead of the delicious treat you were hoping to create. To avoid
this, make sure to invest in a good set of measuring spoons and cups, and always double-check
measurements to make sure you didn’t use a tablespoon in place of a teaspoon (it’s happened
to the best of us!).
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to get better at baking is by practicing. Bakers should start with easy recipes, such
as a batch of cookies or muffins, and work their way up to more complicated items like cakes or
pies! This will help you become familiar with the different ingredients and techniques you need
in order to create edible goodies that are tasty and perfect for any occasion.
Have patience with yourself throughout the process. There are many times when you’ll need to
wait for the dough to rise, the oven to pre-heat, or you’ll mess up a batter and need to start
again. Bakers should never be discouraged because their first recipe doesn’t come out perfect
right away! Keep practicing, and with consistency, you will get better at baking from scratch!
It’s Easy Baking with These Simple Tips
Baking from scratch might have felt overwhelming at first, but by following these baking tips for
beginners, you’re sure to have a ton of fun throughout the process. Make sure you’re prepared
by stocking your pantry, purchasing one of Baker Secret’s Bakeware collections, as well as other
measuring tools you need to create your favorite baked treats! Happy Baking!
