I spent a wonderful hour with some delightful women at today’s Baking Demo where I discussed baking tips and halal ingredient options and substitutions while making a Chocolate-Banana Cake. The questions were great and the discussion lively. For those who attended, I promised to post the tips mentioned during the class and for those who were not able to attend, this is a summary of what was covered.  Happy baking, everyone! 

  Check back soon for the Chocolate-Banana Loaf recipe made at the demo and the Cranberry & White Chocolate Mini Muffins sampled at the demo. For the Banana Blueberry Loaf recipe sampled at the Baking Demo, click here.

15 Baking Tips from the My Halal Kitchen Baking Demo

• Read recipe thoroughly before beginning to bake
• Assemble all of your ingredients before you start the recipe    
• Select fresh, high quality ingredients to include in your recipe
• Keep separate bowls for dry and wet ingredients
• Have your oven calibrated or get an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is working as indicated
• Bring all ingredients to room temperature before working with them
• Preheat oven once you start the recipe
• You don’t always have to sift dry ingredients unless the recipe calls for it. Sifting helps make the end result lighter and fluffier
• Use flavorless oils in baking unless you want the flavor of olive oil, for example, to overpower the rest of the ingredients
• Baking is more of an exact science than cooking. If a recipe calls for a specific pan size, be sure to use it. If you don’t, you’ll have to adjust baking temperatures and cooking time on your own, which can be tricky.
• If you’re using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix and the whisk attachment for whisking.
• If a recipe calls for ‘folding’, use a spoon to carefully mix in things like blueberries and chocolate morsels
• Use ice cream scoop or 2 Tb. scoop to drop cookies or mini muffins, regular muffins
• Rinse the surface of eggs to clean off any unseen traces of contamination (salmonella is commonly found on the surface of eggs)
• Store items like flour and semi-sweet chocolate morsels in the freezer to preserve freshness

 For the Banana Blueberry Loaf recipe sampled at the Baking Demo, click here.

Experiment with….

• Flavored oils
• Flavored yogurts
• Dried fruits
• Frozen fruits

Substitute…

• Yogurt for sour cream and vice versa
• Applesauce for sugar and vice versa
• Vanilla beans for vanilla extract (non-alcohol) and vice versa

  Basic Baking Tools

• Whisk
• Wooden spoons
• Spatula
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups 
• Bowls (stainless steel or glass)
• Sifter
• Baking pans
• Loaf pans
• Cookie sheets
• Parchment paper
• Comfortable shoes or a comfortable mat like Silpat to provide support while standing. Baking often means your in the kitchen for a while!

  Baking Pantry Items to Keep on Hand

• Agave nectar
• Applesauce
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Chocolate, Dark
• Cocoa
• Coffee, ground
• Extracts (vanilla, almond)
• Flour
• Honey
• Nuts (almond, walnut, cashew, pecan, etc.)
• Salt
• Oils
• Sugar- raw cane and brown; powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Vanilla Beans, Whole
• Yogurt, sour cream

 Refrigerated/Frozen Items to keep on Hand for Baking:

• Berries
• Butter
• Chocolate morsels (semi-sweet)
• Crème Fraiche
• Eggs
• Mascarpone cheese
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• Yogurt

For more halal pantry items, click here.