Baking
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Add egg and xanthan gum to gluten-free bread dough to help it hold its shape.
Gluten-free bread relies on these ingredients to maintain structure since it lacks gluten.
- You cannot achieve the same result as traditional gluten-based breads.
one person who lived it
Buy bulk baking powder from Amish surplus stores if you use a large amount.
It can be cheaper per pound.
one person who lived it
Mix warm water and flour, let it sit covered for 20 minutes, then add salt and yeast before folding or kneading.
It creates great height.
one person who lived it
Wait a couple days for brioche or challah bread to become stale before using it for French toast.
Stale bread absorbs the mixture better than fresh bread.
one person who lived it
Double the amount of yeast when freezing yeasted bread dough and allow it to complete its first rise before freezing.
Some yeast dies during the freezing process.
one person who lived it
Turn stale or hard bread into breadcrumbs or croutons instead of discarding it.
It is a good way to save money.
3 people, independently
Freeze bread ends until you have enough to make breadcrumbs or stuffing.
Gluten-free breadcrumbs are expensive.
one person who lived it
Leave a thicker wall of apple flesh when making baked apple pies to reduce sogginess.
it cuts down on the apple breaking down
one person who lived it
Buy bulk oats and add your own spices instead of using pre-packaged flavored oatmeal to save money.
It is way cheaper.
one person who lived it
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Freeze bread before vacuum packing it.
Vacuum pressure destroys bread by crushing it into a dense puck; freezing prevents this.
one person who lived it
Use wheat bread instead of sourdough for French toast to improve egg absorption and cooking evenness.
It absorbs the egg mixture better and cooks more evenly than sourdough.
- Based on one person's preference
one person who lived it
Use premade pizza dough for pretzel bites by pre-cooking them in baking soda before baking.
They are easier to make and still tasty, though less rich.
one person who lived it
Adjust proofing time based on your specific kitchen temperature, as rises may need 30 minutes instead of 60 depending on the environment.
Not all kitchen temperatures are the same.
one person who lived it
Use barley malt syrup in your bagel recipe for fantastic results.
They come out fantastic.
one person who lived it
Freeze cookie dough balls before storing them to prevent sticking and uneven breaking.
It keeps the dough from sticking together, which prevents it from breaking unevenly when pulled apart.
one person who lived it
Glaze pretzels with leftover caramel from sticky buns.
It creates a salty and sweet combination.
one person who lived it
Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature accuracy before relying on visual cues like toothpick tests.
Incorrect temperatures can cause visual signs to appear too early or late, leading to dry results even when the test seems correct.
one person who lived it
Serve homemade warm bread with garlic butter.
Nothing tastes better than this combination.
one person who lived it
Use specific types of butter for specific baked goods like croissants or cookies.
Specific butters can make a noticeable difference in the final product.
one person who lived it
Weigh flour instead of using volume measurements for baking.
Volume measuring is inaccurate compared to weighing.
one person who lived it
Simulate a bakery proofing oven by letting dough rise at a low temperature with moisture.
This mimics the professional process of proofing on trays in a controlled environment.
one person who lived it
Save the starchy water from boiling potatoes to use in bread dough.
The extra starch enhances yeast metabolization.
one person who lived it