If you know how to freeze cakes and cupcakes the right way, you can bake days or even weeks ahead without losing any softness. In fact, a well-wrapped cake often…
A French soufflé rises tall and golden in the oven, and then it starts to sink within minutes. That is normal, because a soufflé is mostly hot air trapped in…
A cracked cheesecake still tastes good, but the deep split across the top can be disappointing after hours of work. Usually, cracks come from one of five things: overbaking, too…
When bakers compare Swiss vs Italian buttercream, they are comparing two silky, less-sweet frostings made from meringue and butter. Both pipe beautifully and taste lighter than American buttercream; however, they…
If croissant butter leaks onto the tray while your croissants bake, they turn out greasy, flat and dense instead of tall and flaky. The good news is that the cause…
Most chocolate tempering problems show up after the chocolate sets: white streaks, a dull gray surface, or chocolate that stays soft and melts on your fingers. Others happen while you…
Macarons have a reputation for being difficult, and most French macaron problems come down to a few small details: how you whip the meringue, how long you fold the batter,…
Good sugar syrup storage keeps your attar or simple syrup clear, fresh and ready for knafeh, basbousa, baklava and drinks. Because sugar is a natural preservative, syrup lasts quite a…
Over-whipped cream looks grainy, lumpy and slightly yellow instead of smooth and fluffy. It happens in just a few seconds, especially with an electric mixer. Fortunately, you can usually save…
Cookies spreading too much turn into thin, flat discs that run into each other on the tray. Usually, the cause is warm butter, too little flour, too much sugar, or…