Sometimes I forget how simple it is to get things right the first time, every time.
And yes, although it took me several years to get the 'flow' of how a fresh and yummy gluten-free bake should feel, look and taste, I want you to enjoy a deliciously baked goodie without missing some key reminders and tips for your next bake.
Knowing what tips make all the difference will save you precious time on where your attention should be focused while in the kitchen.
It saddens me to think back on how I used to bake gluten-free desserts. Actually, cringe and shudder is more accurate. 🫣
So without further ado, here are your 3 (easy-as) tips for baking your next delicious gluten-free dessert.
3 Tips for Baking Delicious Gluten-Free Desserts
First, weigh in baby! That's right. If you're used to baking with cup measurements, we'll have to change that.
Why?
Because cup measurements are neither accurate nor consistent, period.
If you're using a variety of different flours, grains and starches, that alone will tell you there are vast differences at play.
Then you have variances in flour blends, right? They're not all the same either.
Want to create your own recipe?
If you're stuck in cup measurements, chances are you will stay stuck and never go beyond the basics because your bakes won't be consistent.
Either that, or they'll be boring as. You will always be depending on someone to help you 'figure' it out or spend waaaay too much time getting it right.
Weighing your flours, liquids, and solids (yes some are the same in weight form as in liquid measurements) will most definitely yield a happy bake and baker alike. 😃
Not sure about that? Consider your last gluten-free bake.
Have you wondered why this time it didn't turn out, whereas last time it was so yummy?
Weighing will give YOU the control needed in knowing where to adjust your ingredients when it comes to fluffy and moist, dense and delicious or simply creating a bake you want to test for yourself.
Its been said that baking is a science, so its best not to mess.
Get yourself a simple kitchen scale.
If you go to IKEA, it'll set you back $20 max. All you need to do with these babies is simply replace the battery once in a while.
Lastly, if you're worried it'll take you decades to convert your recipes from cups to weight measurements, simply start with your next bake.
Weigh as you go, and take note with a pen/pencil, next to your recipe, what the weight is and you only have to do this ONCE! You can always use Google to check your cup to weight conversions if you're unsure. Its SO easy!
Secondly, we have a French phrase Mise En Place. You heard of that one before?
Mise En Place (pronounced meees on plaass with your best French accent) means everything in order, or 'putting in place'. This has TWO considerations.
Primarily its having all your ingredients organized and 'together' before you actually start baking.
Measure out your ingredients in bowls in front of your workbench, before you're ready to start the magic.
Secondly, it means YOU (here's looking at you, kid 😉) are organized!
Any Casablanca fans? Anyhoo...
Trying out a new yum-looking gluten-free bake for the first time?
Make sure you read the instructions with care and that you have everything (ingredients and tools) and give yourself extra extra time!
When it comes to baking a delicious gluten-free dessert, you're introducing it as something special already. You don't eat dessert every day, right?
So take your time with the baking process. Seriously, it DOES matter.
If you find this hard to break yourself into, get yourself an apron, put on some quiet, relaxing music to 'download' the criteria for the perfect ambiance.
And yes, you can dress it up with a glass of red beside you.
If you find you simply are short on time, take my advice and buy the darned cake. Please. Or get flowers instead of a dessert.
I know with gluten-free cakes out there, you're taking a HUGE risk in buying something as it falls short on so many levels, but you're only doing yourself in by rushing through a recipe, somehow expecting it to magically 'turn out perfectly' when it naturally begs for time and care.
Unless you're in the local Brisbane area and I can help you out by baking for your event, do something else for dessert.
You won't fool anyone. Trust me.
Thirdly, please do NOT use imitation ingredients. Use real ingredients.
Don't get cheap butter, fake vanilla, chalky chocolate or those
nuts that are on 'sale' because their shelf life is ebbing away....
What you bake with will come through 100% in flavour.
It pains me to say this so bluntly but .....deep breath in ...(here it goes)....melting and baking ingredients DOES NOT HIDE THEM in the final product. There, I said it. 😵
Sigh.
You don't have to make your own vanilla extract with exotic spiced rum or top shelf vodka and have it sit for a full year to enjoy in your next vanilla cake. (not that that's not worth doing...just sayin')
Good vanilla extract is easy to find at the grocery store. Just bite the bullet on the cost as they've done all the hard work for you and get a couple of bottles already.
As for chocolate, it goes without saying that fewer ingredients in your bar will yield a fuller flavour. Fillers added to cheaper chocolate give it a grainy, sickly sweet taste that doesn't taste like...well, chocolate!
With chocolate, go deep. 70% cocoa deep. It gives a beautiful, rounded out decadent experience to the palate.
If you're into sweet rather than mouth-watering flavour as a hit, this may very well be where we part ways, friend.
Baking fresh and delicious gluten-free desserts isn't for everyone. I get. There's dedication to the desired outcome.
Try these three tips for your next gluten-free recipe bake, and tell me where it made the most difference!
Do you have any other tips you find ABSOLUTELY helpful with gluten-free baking? Let me know in the comments!🙂.
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