People often say that baking is an exact science – that once you stray from the recipe, you’ll be sure to fail.
However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many creations, like the crack pie, tarte tatin, and chocolate chip cookies were a result of baking accidents.
Simply put, baked goods don’t have to be perfect every time. You can overcome mishaps and create something even better with the right techniques!
Let’s conquer your kitchen fears and discuss the unconventional techniques for stress-free baking.
3 Unconventional Techniques for Overcoming Baking Fears
Baking is a daunting task for many individuals. The fear of failure may prevent you from picking up the hobby and stress you out.
Even so, there’s no need to worry. You can conquer baking with the most basic knowledge!
Here are three tips and techniques for stress-free baking.
1 – Bake With an Oven Toaster
The most common hurdle for people who want to start baking is the oven or their lack thereof. Yet, you don’t need to have a full working oven to begin baking.
Personally, my baking journey began with a humble oven toaster. This tiny and affordable machine can produce cookies, muffins, and even a whole banana bread loaf!
To bake with an oven toaster, all you have to do is loosely cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil. The foil prevents the top of your dessert from burning as you bake.
Afterward, remove the foil three to five minutes before the timer ends. This allows you to achieve a beautifully browned top.
I love using an oven toaster for baking because it’s convenient and easy to clean. The portion sizes are also perfect if you’re only baking for one or two.
2 – Use Ready-Made Ingredients
Many recipes tell you to make each component of the dessert from scratch. However, there’s no need to spend hours on fillings and curd when you can buy them ready-made!
In some cases, buying ready-made ingredients saves you extra costs. They cut your baking time and give you a better chance of success.
You can definitely swap that crust for frozen puff pastry and still achieve great results. What matters most is your creativity.
Learn how to give store-bought ingredients a personal touch, and your guests won’t be able to tell the difference!
3 – Substitute Ingredients
Sometimes you might not always have everything on an ingredients list in your pantry. When this happens, know that you can use alternatives to those ingredients.
For instance, milk and vinegar may substitute buttermilk. All-purpose flour and cornstarch can be an alternative to cake flour.
There’s no need to stress out when you suddenly realize you’re missing an ingredient. The possibilities are endless when you do a little bit of research!
Other Fun Baking Ideas to Try
Using unconventional techniques for baking means getting creative and exploring different methods. Below are some fun ideas you can try to make baking easier!
- Microwave Cooking: Did you know you can make quick cakes, flans, and brownies in a microwave? A microwave is useful for melting chocolate and cooking bread pudding within seconds.
- Pan Baking: Many don’t realize they can bake desserts on a stovetop using a pan. You can cover a cast iron pan to recreate the heat of an oven to make cookies and cakes.
- Campfire Baking: Your campfire isn’t limited to making smores. You may bake bread and cakes in it to produce rustic desserts.
- Steaming: Steaming cakes is a common practice in Asian cuisine. I love using my steamer to make cute bread buns and rice cakes.
- Grilled Desserts: You can bake desserts while cooking barbecue on your grill. Pop the whole cake pan into the grill or smoker to make a delicious sweet treat!
Final Thoughts
Baking is a relaxing hobby that doesn’t require preciseness at all times. You can have fun with it and experiment with different ingredients.
A few unconventional techniques to try are baking with an oven toaster, microwave, or griller. Don’t be afraid to swap ingredients if you don’t have them in your pantry.
Once you embrace imperfection, you may even come up with a unique dessert!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.