15. BAKING
Baking is a cooking technique that involves using dry heat, typically in an oven, to cook food items such as bread, cakes, pastries, cookies, and pies. It’s a method of food preparation that transforms raw ingredients, such as flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, into finished baked goods through the application of heat.
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Baking requires precise measurements, timing, and temperature control to achieve the desired results. It can be done at home for personal enjoyment or professionally in bakeries, restaurants, or other food service establishments.
Requirements
- Ingredients: Gather high-quality ingredients, such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and leavening agents like baking powder or yeast, according to your recipe.
- Recipe: Follow a tried-and-tested recipe or create your own, ensuring accurate measurements and understanding of instructions.
- Equipment: Have basic baking equipment on hand, including mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, an oven, baking pans, and utensils like spatulas and whisks.
- Knowledge: Understand baking principles such as ingredient functions, mixing techniques, and baking temperatures to achieve desired results.
- Techniques: Learn various baking techniques such as creaming, folding, kneading, and shaping dough or batter.
- Timing: Practice proper timing for mixing, proofing, and baking to ensure even cooking and optimal texture.
- Temperature Control: Maintain accurate oven temperatures and adjust as needed based on your recipe and desired outcome.
- Presentation: Pay attention to presentation by decorating and plating your baked goods attractively.
- Practice: Regularly practice baking to improve skills and experiment with different recipes and techniques.
- Safety: Follow food safety guidelines, including proper handwashing, hygiene, and safe handling of ingredients, to prevent foodborne illness.
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