Dall Sarah - For the Love of Baking

This is a book for people who love baking. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced baker, there is something for everyone. For me, baking is a joy; it is the creative and fun side of cooking. What would life be without the occasional wicked treat? That treat is even more delicious when you have created it yourself in your own kitchen.

I believe that for baking to be a success, you have to be relaxed, in control, have more than enough time and have all of your ingredients at hand. We have all been in that position, of being halfway through a recipe when you realise one of the ingredients is missing. A mad dash to the grocery store follows and the end result is usually disappointing. I cant stress strongly enough how important it is to use the best and freshest ingredients. Always check the products expiry date especially with baking. It is a chemical process and freshness really does matter.

Remember that not all cakes are always a success. If you have a disaster, be creative and turn it into something else. Create a trifle or an ice cream, or come up with your own take on Eton mess.

I planned this book to be one that could be used throughout the course of the day and year. It starts with breakfast and ends with Christmas. There is a chapter on preserves and other home-made goodies that the regular baker would want to have in their pantry and there is even something for the kids.

The book is called For the love of baking so whoever you are, however much you do or dont bake take the book into your kitchen and have fun! I hope after using this book you will all love baking as much as I do.

Useful tips and hints in and around the kitchen.

To test if a cake or pudding is cooked, gently press down the top with one finger; if it springs back its cooked. Alternatively insert a metal skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked through.

To check if your sugar thermometer is accurate, place it in boiling water and make sure it reads 100 C. If its off by a few degrees just subtract or add where necessary.

Agave nectar, a sweetener made from the Agave plant, is available from most health shops. It is a healthier option than sugar. The syrup is 30% sweeter than sugar, thus you require less agave nectar than you would sugar. If a recipe calls for agave and you would rather use sugar, just add an extra 13 to the listed quantity.

Simply add baking powder to cake flour. For every 250 ml flour add 5 ml baking powder.

I really believe baking powder has a limited shelf life. Before you start to bake, make sure your baking powder is fresh and has not passed its expiry date. I replace my baking powder every few months.

Everyones oven differs. If you are not familiar with baking and dont know your oven well, I would recommend that you get an oven thermometer and check that your oven temperature is correct before you start baking.

Add 50 ml lemon juice to 450 ml full-cream milk; this makes 500 ml buttermilk.

I prefer to use gel colouring to regular food colouring. It doesnt have the artificial and synthetic taste that other colouring agents have. With recipes that call for more than 5 ml colouring, you really should use gel colouring. It is available at specialist baking stores.

I prefer using vanilla paste or vanilla pods and seeds but realise that others prefer vanilla essence. You can substitute 2.5 ml vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod, split open and deseeded, for 5 ml vanilla essence.

A lot of my recipes call for a pinch of salt salt enhances flavour and I like the fact that it cuts through very sweet things, it is essential when making something really sweet like meringues.

I always use salted butter, it adds more flavour and I always have it in the house. Unsalted butter is also more expensive.

To test if your jam has set, place a side plate in the freezer until it is completely cold. Spoon a little jam onto the cold plate and let it cool. Touch it gently with your finger and if a skin has formed and it wrinkles, the jam is ready. This indicates that it will set.

Some recipes in this book call for extra large eggs and some for large eggs. It is preferable to use the specified size, but if you dont have the correct size you can make do with what you have. Its not going to affect your final result seriously. For the best results when baking, store and use your eggs at room temperature.

Place the egg in a glass of water. If the egg floats to the top, it is old. If it stays at the bottom of the glass, it is still fresh.

I always line the base of my cake pans and baking trays with greaseproof paper and grease them generously with butter. With muffin pans, it is not necessary to line the bases, just grease with butter.

I prefer to use digital scales for baking, as they ensure the most accurate reading when weighing ingredients. For good results where baking is concerned, accuracy is essential.

To ensure crisp, golden and glossy scones and pastry, brush with an egg glaze. I add 15 ml milk to one egg and whisk well. This mixture is enough to brush over a standard tart or batch of scones.

If you require castor sugar and have none in the house, here is an easy solution. Place granulated sugar into a food processor and pulse a few times. If you dont have a food processor, spread sugar between two sheets of paper on a tray and roll with a rolling pin or empty wine bottle.

I am not a fan of silicone cake moulds. I find they dont hold their shape and the cakes tend to come out a bit wonky. They also change the outside texture of cakes and arent true to tradition. If you like baking with them and thats what you have in your kitchen, then by all means use them.

Keep your cakes and baked goodies in airtight containers in a cool place and they will stay fresh for at least 2 days.

I dont like keeping my cakes in the fridge, as they tend to dry out. When a cake has been refrigerated it loses the light fluffy texture of a freshly baked cake. Freezing cakes is a great solution if you are pressed for time; you can simply bake your cake let it cool, wrap it well in clingfilm and freeze. When you need it, remove from the freezer and let it defrost. Frozen cakes still taste fresh.