TIPS FOR BAKING A BLUEBERRY PIE

If you love blueberry pie but would like yours to have more structure, here's a tip for you.

Add a peeled and grated apple to your blueberry filling! Apples are rich in pectin, a natural thickener, and will add structure to your filling.

Soggy crust? Before adding the filling to the pastry, sprinkle 3 to 4 tablespoons of basic cookie crumbs over the pastry. The cookie crumbs will absorb liquid released by the berries as they bake.

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HOMEMADE HEAVY CREAM

FYI...

DAIRY PRODUCTS AND BAKING

In most cases, for optimal results, you should set your eggs, butter, and other dairy products out at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to using.  There are times, however, that your recipe will call for cold butter, ice water, etc.  So check out your recipe first.  If your recipe does not call for these items to be cold, go ahead a set them out a few minutes ahead of time so they reach room temperature.

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BOX CAKE MIX BAKING TIP

The boxed cake mixes on the market today are mostly delicious. However, here is a tip if you want to make a box mix a little moister and more delicious. Try adding a shredded apple, pear, etc to the mix. Just add to the batter before pouring into the baking pan.  I'm sure you can think of other combinations.

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RUN OUT OF BAKING POWDER?

Love this tip from King Arthur Flour.

Have you ever run out of baking powder in the middle of a recipe? Make your own: 2 teaspoons cream of tartar + 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 teaspoon baking soda = baking powder. 

SOME COOKIE BAKING TIPS

Most everyone knows how to bake cookies but there are a few tips that may improve your cookie baking skills. Here are a few of them:

• Spoon the flour into the measuring cup; level with a knife. Flour that is packed into the measuring cup with give you a dry cookie.
• Set butter out a room temperature at least 30 minutes before using, an hour is even better. Do not melt butter unless the recipe calls for melted butter.
• If you can afford it, use pure extracts. They are more expensive than imitation extracts but the difference in taste is worth it.
• If you substitute dark brown sugar for light brown you may notice more of a molasses taste to your cookies.
• Never use Dutch-process cocoa powder unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Otherwise, use regular or natural cocoa powder.
• Parchment paper is great for cookies, less clean up and the bottoms of your cookies are less likely to burn. Exception: Spritz cookies - the nonstick coating of the paper could cause the dough to spread out.
• Remove cookies from pans to cooling racks as soon as you can. When left on the hot pan they continue cooking and the bottoms may become too brown.
• For uniform-sized cookies, use a cookie or ice cream scoop.

 Happy Baking!

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