If you have a liking for pastries and frequently order a pastry online in Singapore, you may have considered trying your hand at making your own at home. Taking up baking as a hobby can be intimidating at first, but that’s only natural since everything is still new to you. Moreover, there is also the irrational fear of messing things up on the first try, which you should not stress about too much since you have yet to gain some experience. That said, things are bound to go awry at some point if you ever dive straight into something without being prepared. So, to help you become ready to tackle your first-ever baking recipe, let’s find out some of the basic baking terms to know before you begin whipping out a treat!
1. Preheat
Preheating is a simple yet essential step that makes sure whatever you’re baking will come out right. When recipes dictate that you preheat something, typically an oven, it essentially means that you must turn on the appliance and set it to the temperature indicated. This step should take at least 15 minutes prior to placing anything inside the oven so that it has enough time to heat up to the desired temperature.
2. Cream
Creaming is a fundamental baking method that thoroughly beats fat, often softened butter, until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This is typically done simultaneously with sugar to make an aerated mixture, resulting in cakes and other baked delights to be lighter and fluffier. These two ingredients mixed together make it easier to cream the butter and let the sugar partially or totally dissolve before adding the following ingredients.
3. Grease
Greasing generally involves baking pans or a baking sheet and coating them with either butter or oil, depending on the recipe’s instructions. Applying a light layer of grease is best done with a simple paper towel or a more specialised tool called a pastry brush. The key thing about greasing is that it needs to be done thoroughly and should ideally include the entire surface area, especially in corners of baking pans where cakes tend to stick.
4. Beat
The method of beating or vigorously mixing the baking ingredients until thoroughly combined can be accomplished using any type of baking tools, such as a whisk or an electric mixer.
5. Fold
Folding is exactly what it sounds like: placing a part of something on top of another. In the context of baking, folding gathers the ingredients from the bottom part of the bowl and places them on top via a mixing tool like a silicone spatula. This repetitive and gentle motion effectively blends two mixtures, with one typically being lighter than the other, to prevent the air inside it from escaping.
6. Knead
Kneading is usually associated with working the bread dough before baking. This baking method is performed to mix ingredients to create a cohesive dough as well as build and strengthen it. Kneading with your hands is often enough, but you can also use a dough hook on an electric stand mixer.
7. Whisk
Whisking requires the tool that shares its name with – a whisk. Whisking means to stir or beat ingredients together with a whisk to incorporate air into the final mixture and is usually used to whip egg whites into stiff or soft peaks.
8. Sift
Sifting dry ingredients requires baking tools such as sifters or sieves with a fine mesh lining. Sifting is done to sort through the bigger particles of ingredients and separate the grains, i.e. removing the lumps from the loose particles to create a smooth dough or batter.
Conclusion
If you are new to the baking world, you may find yourself scratching your head when reading these baking terms for the first time. Thus, to ensure that your first baked treat comes out as you expect, it would be best to familiarise yourself with these methods, and the common mistakes beginners tend to make.
Learning to bake is definitely a fun experience, but for times when you lack the right tools or equipment to try out new recipes, Polar Puffs & Cakes is here to help you sate your cravings! Come check out our shop to see our delectable offerings, from scrumptious cakes to delightful tarts, or visit our website and peruse our wide range of delicious treats. We also handle deliveries so that you can order cake online in Singapore anytime.
