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Folding Egg Whites

When you begin making souffles, make sure that the egg whites are folded in gently but thoroughly. At first, itīs best to overfold a bit, so there arenīt streaks of egg whites in the finished product.
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Rice Krispy Bars

When making rice krispy bars, use the cereal thatīs already coated with marshmallow instead of plain cereal. The bars will be really yummy!
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Baking Two Crust Bars

I always underbake two crust bars made with crumbly mixtures. When crumbly mixtures are overbaked, the crumbs become unacceptably hard and tough.
6.6 6.6
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Smooth Fudge

For the smoothest cooked fudge, cover the pan for a few minutes after the mixture comes to a boil. This will help dissolve any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan, and keep your fudge smooth.
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Dipping Chocolates

Melting candy for coatings is easier if you use the microwave. Place the chopped chocolate in a glass measuring cup and microwave on medium for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway. Continue to melt for 1 minute intervals, checking frequently. The chocolate is much less likely to scorch in the microwave.
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Refrigerated Fruits

Whole melons should be stored in the middle section of your refrigerator, where the temperature is more moderate. Berries and other delicate fruits do best on the bottom shelf where itīs warmer. And apples and grapes are best stored in the back of the top shelf, the coldest spot in the appliance.
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Help in Dividing Layers

When you cut cake layers horizontally, often the thin cut pieces are very delicate. To move them without breaking them, slid a very thin cookie sheet between the layers after they have been cut. You can easily move the layers around this way.
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Microwave Cleaning

To easily clean the inside of your microwave, place a glass bowl full of water mixed with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice inside. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. The microwave will easily wipe clean.
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Baking Bars

When baking bars, I always like to underbake them by at least five minutes. Underbaked bars are more tender, while if they overbake, the edges will be unacceptably hard and crumbly.
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Fillings

While the crust is baking for these bar types, donīt make the filling too far ahead of time if it contains raw eggs. The salt and sugar mixed with the eggs will react, and the filling will be watery.
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Making Cake Mixes Richer

These ingredients are recommended by Anne Byrn, the Cake Mix Doctor, to make cake mixes taste richer: buttermilk, whipping cream, sour cream, eggs, yogurt, butter, and peach puree. If a recipe you are considering adds these ingredients, it will probably be a winner!
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Apple Pie

The apples in your apple pie will be tender and juicy if you make sure a little lemon juice is included in the pie. The acidity helps break down the apple flesh so juices are released during cooking.
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Crockpot Size

For baking in your crockpot, you need a 5 or 6 quart appliance. This size allows hot air to circulate evenly around the pan during cooking.
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No Fat

Did you know that angel food cakes are totally, naturally, fat free? If you are on a restricted fat diet, this dessert is a great choice.
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Adding Baking Soda

When making brittles, make sure to use a large saucepan. Many recipes call for adding baking soda at the end of cooking, to add air and make the candy more tender. The mixture will foam up, sometimes significantly, and a large pan will contain all the candy without spilling.
6.3 6.3
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Filling Muffin Tins

When you are making cupcakes, make sure to fill the muffin tins as directed in the recipe. This may be anywhere from 2/3 to 3/4 full. If you donīt follow those instructions, your cupcakes will overbake and be hard, or will overflow the tin and make a mess in your oven!
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eggs

Whenever you handle raw eggs, make sure to wash your hands with hot, soapy water to prevent salmonella food poisoning. Even handling the shell can be risky! So wash and wash again!
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Cooling Bundt Cakes

Pay careful attention to the cooling directions in your bundt cake recipe. If it calls for cooling the cake for 10-15 minutes and then removing it from the pan, make sure you do this. Otherwise the cake will stick and your efforts will be ruined.
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Shaken, Not Stirred

When you donīt feel like dragging out the electric mixer to make whipped cream, try pouring 1 cup of heavy cream into a 1 pint plastic food storage container, and shake hard until the cream is whipped. This should take about 3 minutes.
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Crockpot preparation

Follow the recipe carefully when preparing your crockpot for cooking desserts. Make sure to use nonstick cooking spray if it is called for, spraying the inside of the crockpot or liner thoroughly.
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Pasteurized Eggs

When an older recipe calls for using uncooked eggs, you can still make it if you use pasteurized eggs. These can be found in most grocery stores. The eggs have been heated enough to kill bacteria, but not enough to cook them. Be sure to check the use-by date on the carton.
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Following Recipes

Making excellent bars is an exercise in baking. And baking means measure carefully and follow the recipe exactly. Baked goods donīt respond well to experimentation!
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Beating Speeds

Start beating egg whites slowly when making meringue. This helps increase volume by gently stretching the protein molecules.
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Doneness Test

Sheet cakes are done when the top springs back when lightly touched with your finger, and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
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Tube Pans

Tube pans used for baking angel food cakes are almost never greased. The sides of the pan need to be clean so the cake batter can īgraspī it when rising.
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Bundt Cake Fillings

If you are making a bundt cake that has a filling baked in, be sure that the filling doesnīt touch the sides of the pan. If it does, the cake wonīt be as pretty, the filling wonīt be a surprise, and it will probably stick to the pan.
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Egg Whites

Separate the eggs for your angel food cake when they are cold, fresh from the refrigerator. The yolk is firmer then, and wonīt break as easily.
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Peeling Peaches

The peel will slip right off your peaches if you simply dip them into boiling water for 10-15 seconds, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process.
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