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Sunday, August 4, 2024

Baking Problems

    BISCUITS


  • Rough biscuits.....Insufficient mixing

  • Dry biscuits.....Baking too slow; handling too much

  • Uneven browning.....Cooking in dark pan; too high a temp; rolling dough too thin


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    BREADS (YEAST)


  • Porous bread.....Over-rising; cooking at too low a temp

  • Crust is dark and blisters under crust.....Under-rising

  • Bread does not rise.....Over-kneading; using old yeast

  • Bread is streaked.....Under-kneading; not kneading enough

  • Bread bakes unevenly.....Using old, dark pans; too much dough in pans; crowding the oven shelf; cooking at too high a temp


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    CAKES


  • Cracks & uneven surface.....Too much flour; too hot an oven

  • Dry cakes.....Too much flour; too little shortening; too much baking powder; cooking at too low a temp

  • Heavy cakes.....Too much sugar; baking too short a time

  • Sticky crust.....Too much sugar

  • Coarse grained cake.....Too little mixing; too much shortening; too much baking powder; using shortening too soft; baking at too low a temp

  • Fallen cakes.....Using insufficient flour; under baking; too much sugar; too much shortening; not enough baking powder

  • Uneven color.....Cooking at too high a temp; crowding the shelf; using dark pans

  • Uneven browning.....Not mixing well


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    COOKIES


  • Uneven browning.....Not using shiny cookie sheet; crowding oven shelf

  • Soggy cookies.....Cooling cookies in pans instead of racks

  • Excessive spreading of cookies.....Dropping cookies onto hot cookie sheets; not chilling dough; not baking at correct temp


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    MUFFINS


  • Coarse texture.....Insufficient stirring; cooking at too low a temp

  • Tunnels in muffins, peaks in center & soggy texture.....Over-mixing


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    PIES


  • Pastry crumbles.....Over-mixing flour & shortening

  • Pastry tough.....Using too much water; over-mixing the dough

  • Pies do not brown (fruit or custard).....Bake at constant temp (400-425 degrees) in Pyrex or enamel pie pan