fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3219 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3219 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

[Suicide Squad]

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02.

[Dragonlance Legends]

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03.

[Takehiko Inoue's "Real"]

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04.

[Avatar the Last Airbender/Legend of Korra]

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05.

[Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis]

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06.

[The Twelve Kingdoms]

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07.

[Dramatical Murder]

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08.

[Hemlock Grove, Bill Skarsgard]

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09.

[Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D]

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10.

[Psycho]

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11.

[Outlander series, Dougal/Claire]

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 042 secrets from Secret Submission Post #460.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

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How should I start learning to bake? I want to learn how to bake fancy cakes/desserts particularly. What recipes should I start with? What are some basic tools I should buy?

I'm not a baker myself, but I love to cook. I've come across this:

https://imgur.com/a/vgbgm

Some pretty useful tips, tricks, and basic knowledge! I hope this helps with your question.

All you need to start baking is normal kitchen stuff: Mixing bowls, cake pans, measuring utensils, I like wooden spoons and whisks for mixing by hand, but you could also use a hand mixer. Rubber spatula is good for getting all the batter out. Maybe a cooling rack if you're not leaving cake in the pan.

Start with what you want to eat. Find good instructions and go for it. If you mess up, don't sweat it. If it's amazing, bask in your awesomeness.

Get a good mixer. Even if it's the basic beaters, but make sure you have a good start with that. If money's no object, my dream goal is to have a KitchenAid mixer. Get a nice set of glass bowls. I'm partial to these Pyrex bowls because they have lids so I can mix the dough one night and bake the next.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FBUMLQ?keywords=pyrex%20glass%20bowls&qid=1445989178&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Check out your neighborhood, they might offer nice advanced cooking classes or decorating tips (Michaels Craft Stores around here offer Wilton decorating classes)

As far as basic recipes, I suggest just even starting with cake mixes and goign from there. Or get a nice cookbook, like the Better Homes and Garden red and white cookbook and starting from there. A lot of baking is trial and error.

How well do you know your oven? Is it pretty good with the temperature or more uneven? Get a oven thermometer if that's the case. Feel free to bug me more (I just created a recipe of mint chocolate chip cookies from a basic sugar cookie recipe)

If you're interested in cakes, start with basic cakes. Pound cake, chocolate cake, yellow cake...

Move on to more complicated tortes and chiffon cakes once you have mastered the basic cakes.

Having a stand mixer is not necessary but highly encouraged if you intend to be doing a lot of beating egg whites. A whisk and a sieve are necessary, and you might want to look into a candy thermometer for icings.

Cookies are a really easy way to start, if you just want to get the hang of it. Then I'd suggest moving on to cupcakes and quick breads, then cakes and fancier desserts.

I disagree with the need for a stand mixer; to be honest you can mix everything by hand just fine until you confirm you want to take the plunge into an expensive machine. One thing I would recommend if you're going to be rolling out pastry is a silicon mat. They make life soooo much easier and are not expensive.

http://www.joyofbaking.com/

This is an excellent resource: tested recipes, photos and often they have videos, too. Resist the urge to attempt something super fancy right away, because you really do need to learn the basics first. I agree with the suggestion of starting with plain white, yellow and chocolate cakes. Make your frosting from scratch. Buttercream isn't too difficult and it tastes sooooooo much better than the stuff in a can.

Basic tools:

* mixing bowls - you'll need at least one, but 2 is probably better. They don't need to be fancy, just serviceable plastic is fine.
* measuring cups
* measuring spoons
* rubber spatula
* mixing spoon
* whisk

Sturdy is good. There's no point in going super fancy for cups, spoons and spatulas, IMO. Get the sturdiest tools you can for as cheaply as you can.

* 9x13" sheet baking pan
* 9" square baking pan
* 9" round baking pan
* pie pans
* cookie sheet
* muffin pan
* quickbread pan
* bundt pan - you can put off getting this, but it's nice for when you want a dessert that looks fancy

When it comes to bakeware, what you're looking for is something sturdy. Avoid thin metal. If you can flex a piece of bakeware with your bare hands, it's not going to hold up. Nonstick is okay for baking pans, but keep in mind that even if you get nonstick, you'll still have to use butter/oil/shortening to grease pans/sheets, and possibly parchment paper. For the cookie sheet, I'd actually go with heavy gauge aluminum, which is cheap at a restaurant supply store. You can also look into springform pans and tart pans after you get more accustomed to the basics.

* hand mixer - a stand mixer is great if you can afford it, but you don't absolutely need one to bake the basics.
* parchment paper - your cookies will never stick, plus they can be helpful in lining cake tins, too
* rolling pin
* wire cooling racks
* oven thermometer - if your oven is old the calibration might be off so it helps to have a more precise measurement of how hot it's REALLY getting on the inside.

DA

This is all really good advice, OP, but I would suggest going for metal or glass mixing bowls instead of plastic. They're easier to get totally, completely *clean*. Plastics tend to pick up flavours or not come quite clean in a way glass doesn't. Wooden spoons also do this, so don't trust a wash to get all the food colour/flavour/grease out, or at least not easily.

Also, seconding the note to make sure you grease non-stick pans if the recipe says to. The grease is actually part of the recipe, and it'll be tough and a little dry if you don't, not just stick in the pan.

And wax paper is not the same as parchment paper. They can be substituted in the fridge or on the counter, but *not* in the oven. This one my Mom was laughing at me as she explained. Considering I'd just set off all the smoke detectors, laughter was probably the best response I'd have gotten at that point.

And, if at all possible, use the oven light and the window to check on baking instead of opening it. This changes the temperature and air currents. It won't ruin anything, or at least not usually, but it's a very good habit to get into.

Good luck!

Seconding the recommendation for cookies and quick breads! They're easy to make and easy to share. For many of them, you don't even need an electric mixer, just a strong arm. I love this vintage banana bread recipe, which comes from the 11th edition of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It slices beautifully and stands up well to being spread with peanut butter or cream cheese.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/14816/fanny-farmers-banana-nut-bread.html

And anyone can look down their nose at me who likes, but I take no shame in making this cake with Aunt Jemima baking mix. You can have it ready to go in the time it takes the oven to preheat, then serve it warm with the fresh fruit of your choice and vanilla ice cream (but not Cool Whip, that's where I draw the line).

http://www.auntjemima.com/aj_recipes/recipesToppings/recipe.cfm?recipeID=11553&toReturn=L2FqX3JlY2lwZXMvcmVjaXBlc1RvcHBpbmdzL1NlYXJjaFJlc3VsdHMuY2ZtP0tleXdvcmRzPXNwaWNlIGNha2UmYW1wO0NsYXNzSURfMT0mYW1wO0NsYXNzSURfMj0mYW1wO1Byb2R1Y3RJRD0yNzQ3JmFtcDtTdGFydFJvdz0x

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