Books > Baking 9-1-1 > Excerpts

Introduction: Why Baking 9-1-1? What should I hope to get out of this book?

This book is for you, the home baker.

As a professional baker, I am a magnet for baking questions. When I made cookies for Manhattan boutiques and stayed to help sell them, customers wanted to know how to make a chocolate chip cookie that was thick and chewy. As I distributed gourmet foods to specialty stores in the Northeast, shoppers would constantly stop me just to ask a "quick question" about their cheesecake that would always crack or their bread that wouldn't rise. Inevitably, we'd swap more than a few tidbits of advice. Sometimes when I'm picking up items in the baking section of the grocery store, shoppers ask me about ingredients. They must think that anyone who would fill her cart with fifty pounds each of flour and sugar, or ten boxes of chocolate squares, must know about baking.

Part science, part nuance, and a lot of art, baking leaves people stumped. Yet, there's such an upside -- impressive desserts, breads that rise like the summer moon, and pastries as flaky as anything you'd find in Paris -- that I understand why people go in search of help as if they were seeking the Holy Grail. In my many incarnations -- as baking mix company proprietor, specialty food salesperson, obsessive home baker, and founder of www.baking911.com -- I have answered more than 75,000 questions. The best questions were the perplexing ones that left me performing kitchen chemistry and testing recipes.

However, when I didn't have time to experiment or couldn't conjure an answer, I didn't know where to direct bakers. Common baking questions such as "When a recipe indicates, '1 cup flour, sifted,' do I sift first and then measure or vice versa?" (page 33), "What is 'room temperature' butter?" (page 14) "Can I use ingredients right from the refrigerator instead of waiting for them to come to room temperature?" "What is the best way to store what I make?" and others confound bakers endlessly because answers to these questions aren't written down anywhere! When I looked in my collection of over 200 cookbooks, sometimes I couldn't find anything more than a recipe with little information for the home baker.

So, I decided to create my own source. I wanted to give you something that would fit on your kitchen counter, a manageable tome you could depend on for easy reference, that you would reach for as quickly as your favorite pan. I believed answers to more than 130 questions I was asked most frequently would assist any baker, from novice to professional. To accompany my answers I developed forty recipes for the baked goods people most like to make, because I discovered that many recipes aren't tailored toward getting you the result you want. My recipes are designed to help you circumvent the problems that leave you with disappointing outcomes. Some recipes took months to develop and refine, and don't appear on my website -- this book is their debut!

My favorite saying is "the recipe rules!" A recipe is a blueprint, ensuring you will get a specific outcome. In essence, you can't get thick chocolate chip cookie unless you have a recipe written to make one. Yes, techniques help, such as chilling the dough or avoiding placing cookie dough on a warm baking sheet, but the ultimate DNA of a cookie comes from its recipe.

My goal in solving problems was to keep the baked goods as close as possible to the color, texture, smell, and other qualities people most adore. I also explain why things happen the way they do so you can predict and avoid disappointment when baking other recipes.

My promises to you

There's nothing more frustrating than hearing someone make empty promises about baking, which, again, is all about the odd combination of science, nuance, and art, which are ethereal and unpredictable. When I sat down to write this book, I vowed the following:

• To never say "It is quick and easy," because baking isn't: especially when you're learning how to bake or making a recipe for the first time. Baking becomes easier with practice (and with this book, even if you just bake for the holidays), but it isn't automatically a breeze.

• To never use the word "perfect." Baking is a creative process in which there are hundreds of variables at play at once. It is not a realm in which you should strive for perfection. However, I will show you tips and tricks that will minimize mishaps.

• To always explain why something happened the way it did. Recipes leave out explanations and can simply say: "Prepare pan;" "Cream butter with sugar;" "Whip egg whites;" "Take it from the oven when done." If you know why to do something you can apply that knowledge to all areas of baking and cooking.

• To avoid funny-sounding or obscure ingredients. I worked hard to develop recipes that use common ingredients, with familiar mixing and baking techniques.

• To avoid recipe variables that make you play chemist: Recipes that suggest "If you add two tablespoons of flour you will get a puffy cookie" or "More chocolate makes for a fudgier brownie" are vague and invite disappointment.

• To not be vague: If you understand what you are doing, baking will make much more sense and become easier. I have set out to give ample and detailed explanations throughout the book.

Perfection is highly overrated

The most common question I get is, "What did I do wrong?" Perfection is the theme of all the e-mail I receive: "I want my recipe to turn out flawlessly because the relatives are coming for Christmas, and I haven't baked all year!" "I want to surprise my new husband with a cheesecake, but I've never made one before." "I want to make cupcakes that are richer than anyone has ever had for my son's birthday."

My answers and recipes will help anxiety-ridden bakers, but the best advice I give is simple: Worrying is a waste of time. Be yourself and do what you can do -- and always pat yourself on the back for trying to make something homemade. The thought, effort, and love you put into your recipes are always revealed at the table.

If you do end up with something subpar, do what I do: serve it as is or have an extra dessert on hand, either from the store or one you baked from a cake mix and stored in the freezer for emergencies. Don't say a word; cover it with whipped cream. I always say: "Whipped cream hides most baking sins!" Or serve a bowl of ice cream and some fresh fruit.

Take my suggestions but trust yourself

The suggestions in Baking 9-1-1 reflect my observations, what I have learned from others, and what I have gleaned from experimentation. My family always jokes that as long as I'm baking and cooking, they'll never eat anything twice. If you have a way to bake that works for you, then stick with it (as long as safety concerns are followed) and see if my tips help you to improve upon what you know.

What's the best way to use this book?

Whether you're a novice or experienced, an everyday baker or holidays-only, I think you will find ideas and recipes here that will work their way into your baking practice and canon of favorite things to make. Of course you can use this book in any way that suits you, but here's what I recommend:

• Explore the first three chapters, either skimming if you're experienced or reading intently if you're a novice. You'll find essential background on some of what you'll be doing as you bake, whether with my recipes or with others.

• Move on to the chapters that have baked goods that interest you -- cakes, cookies, pastry, pies, chocolate, breads, and quick breads. Each chapter explains the interplay of ingredients, essential methods, and tips. Avoid making substitutions, unless you've fully considered their impact and compensated for it.

What if I still have questions?

You can ask me baking questions any time. Just go to www.baking911.com, click on "Ask Sarah," and post your question.

I hope these questions, answers, and recipes help make you a supremely confident baker, and a successful one. Enjoy the fruits of your labor of love!

Happy Baking!

Copyright © 2003 by Sarah Phillips