Baking Tips from Pastry Chef Emily Luchetti

Need inspiration for baking delectable holiday treats? Try these helpful tips from renowned Pastry Chef Emily Luchetti:

  1. Toast walnuts before using them in recipes (350 degree preheated oven in a single layer on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes). This prevents the nuts from getting soggy and intensifies their flavor.

  2. Measure accurately. If you take a couple seconds to measure properly your desserts will come out much better. For flour, dip the measuring cup into the flour container until overflowing. With a knife or your fingers level off the top. Do not press or shake the four into the measuring cup.

  3. Read the recipe all the way through before starting to bake. You don’t have to memorize it but you will get a familiarity that will make it easier.

  4. When entertaining for friends or family, organize your menu. If you are picking a dessert that needs to be made at the last minute (like crepes with oranges and walnuts) select a main course that can be done in advance. Similarly if you are making a last minute main course select a dessert that can be made ahead, like a layer cake or pie.

  5. Always set the oven timer for 5 minutes less than the recipe calls for. You can always bake it a few minutes more but sometimes your oven could be a bit off or other things could cause something to cook faster.

  6. Keep various size ice cream scoops in the kitchen. Use one for scooping out cookie dough or muffin batter, it’s quicker, cleaner and you get more even sizes in each batch.

  7. Use parchment paper to line cookie sheets. When you pull cookies out of the oven and need to use the cookie sheets again, you can slide the parchment paper (and cookies) onto the counter and you are ready to make the next batch. It saves on clean up time, too.

  8. When using soft butter for recipes, you do not want it so soft it is greasy or shiny looking. You should just be able to make an imprint with your finger in the butter.

  9. Use good quality bittersweet chocolate in your baking. Anything between 52-68% can universally be used in recipes. Semisweet doesn’t give enough chocolate flavor. If you can’t find bittersweet chocolate in the baking aisle of your grocery store look in the candy aisle. Do not use anything with flavoring or nuts already added. Do not melt chocolate chips to use in recipes, unless called for.

  10. When using fresh fruit in desserts where the fruit is not baked (shortcakes, on top of cakes, etc.) taste the fruit before adding sugar. The amount of natural sugar in fruit varies. If you add too much it will take away from the fruit’s natural flavors and taste too sweet.