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WORKING WITH BATTER

When creating a cake batter, use these pointers to prevent a

heavy, dense cake or a cake with large air pockets. For other

types of batters, such as brownies, read the recipe directions

carefully as these tips may not apply.

Folding in Ingredients

• To fold whipped egg whites (or whipped cream) into a

batter, you want to retain as much aeration as possible,

so use a gentle hand and as few strokes as possible.

• With a large rubber spatula, dollop a scoop of the whipped

egg whites onto the batter, then gently stir it in; this step

lightens the batter to make it easier for folding. Spoon the

remaining egg whites onto the batter.

• Starting in the center of the bowl, use the rubber spatula

to “slice” through the whites and batter to the bottom of

the bowl, then pull the spatula up the side of the bowl

and swoop over the top and back to the middle. This

action will gently mix the egg whites and batter together.

• Continue with this motion, rotating the bowl, until the

mixture is combined and no white streaks are visible,

being careful not to overmix and lose the aeration.

Mixing Batter

• To prevent overmixing, stop mixing just when you see

that the ingredients are evenly blended and you can

no longer see streaks of individual ingredients.

• If you see streaks of ingredients like flour or baking

powder in your batter, be sure that you mix the

ingredients thoroughly until evenly blended to prevent

undermixing.

WORKING WITH DOUGH

Depending on what you’re baking, different doughs will

have different textures, visual cues, a different methods of

handling. These expert how-tos prevent results that are

dense, tough, or chewy.

COOKIE DOUGH

The first few times you work with cookie dough can be

tricky. But like other rewarding baking adventures, practice

makes perfect—especially if you follow these handy tips.

Rolling out Dough

• Flour your work surface and rolling pin before getting

started. Or, if the dough becomes too sticky and tricky,

roll it between sheets of waxed or parchment paper.

• When rolling out dough, work quickly so that it doesn’t

become too warm. This will help ensure that the cutout

shapes don’t spread when they bake. If your kitchen is

warm, refrigerate the cutout cookies on a baking sheet for

15 to 20 minutes before putting them in the oven.

Cutting Dough

• Dip cookie cutters in flour before pressing them into the

dough, and place cookie cutters close to the edge of the

rolled-out dough so you can cut out as many cookies as

possible and minimize scraps.

• If you can’t find the right cookie cutter, trace the shape out

with scissors. Then place this template directly on the rolled-

out dough and cut out shapes with the tip of a paring knife.

• For special occasions, make a big impact by using cookie

cutters in the same shape but in an assortment of sizes.

Try this with Gingerbread Cookies (page 45) during the

holidays. Be sure to group similar sizes together on

separate sheets so they bake evenly.

general baking tips

From mixing batters and making doughs to storing them properly, different baked goods

require different methods. Here are our tips and techniques for achieving the best results

with your baking.

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BAKING FAVORITES