Category Archives: Ingredients

No matter how carefully you may crack those eggs, a piece of egg shell always seems to get in the batter. You can try to get it out with your fingers, but that gets very frustrating, very quickly. A knife is a better choice, but it can sometimes break that shell you’re trying to get. The easiest way to get those egg shells out is to use the rest of the shell. Simply scoop up the piece of shell with the half shell, then let...
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Yes, baking soda and baking powder do go bad. But there is an easy way to tell if you need to toss that container in your cabinet and buy a new one. For baking powder, add about 1/4 tsp powder to about 1/2 c hot water. If it bubbles, it’s good. For baking soda, add about 1/4 tsp of vinegar to 1/2 c hot water, then add about 1/4 tsp of soda. If it bubbles it’s good. If either of them don’t bubble, time...
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When the recipe says to cream the sugar and butter, you want to do this for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture turns white and fluffy. If using a stand mixer, be sure to use the paddle attachment, not the whip (unless it says to whip the butter). The whip will create too many air pockets, causing a dry baked good. Happy Holiday Baking! For more baking tips and tricks, check out our Baking Tip Tuesday archives....
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When you’re baking those holiday treats, make sure to take your butter out of the fridge an hour or so before baking, to warm the butter. It should have some give when you touch it, but it should not be mushy (approximately 65 degrees). If you need to warm it up faster, cut it up into small pieces and let it sit out for 15-20 minutes. Do not microwave it, as it will break the delicate emulsion and affect the texture of your baked...
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