5 essential baking tips and tricks you need to know
Baking is a fantastic way to learn new skills in the kitchen, while also creating something incredibly delicious.
Though with all things, learning how to bake takes time and effort. You may stumble at the start, but if you find yourself covered head-to-toe in flour or baking a vanilla cream tart with a soggy bottom, we can relate. That’s why we’ve compiled our top five baking tips and tricks to help you nail your next bake.
1. Use dental floss for even cakes
We know how this sounds odd, but trust us. When you bake two cakes in an oven at the same time and need to stack them, the one that’s underneath will often end up flat, while the one on top will end up a bit rounded. Once the cakes are baked and cooled, use unflavoured dental floss to cleanly cut the top of the rounded cake so it’s levelled out and the same height as the flat one. This makes stacking and icing much easier, as both cakes are the same height and are nice and flat.
But if you have a NEFF oven with Circo Therm®, you can save the floss for when you brush your teeth. Why? Well, the Circo Therm® allows for an even cook across multiple dishes – including multiple pans of Victoria sponge cake. But if (and it’s a big if) one cake looks slightly taller than the rest, pull out your trusty dental floss and even it up.
2. Know your oven
No two ovens are the same – some ovens run a little hot, while others can operate on the cooler side. Investing in a thermometer can go a long way with your baking, as you can easily check the temperature while you cook and adjust as required.
The ovens in the NEFF Flex Design range all clearly show the settings being used along with the temperature on the oven’s touchscreen display (with some models having a 6.8 inch display!). The temperature of these ovens is also easy to adjust – just press a button or use the Twist Pad Flex. So whether you’re baking orange shortbread or a loaf of brioche, temperature is key for a consistent, even bake.
3. Invest in a good steam oven
If you find that your bakes are dry or cracked on top, it boils down to a lack of moisture. Budding bakers can get a no-fail solution by investing in a steam oven that can help them to bake anything their heart desires – from banana bread to passionfruit puddings and beyond. The NEFF Flex Design range includes steam ovens that have the Full Steam, Added Steam or Steam Inject functions, which can help you take your bakes to the next level.
Plus, the various steam ovens in the Flex Design range also feature the Slide & Hide® full disappearing door – this can help you check the progress on your bakes (and take them out of the oven) once they’re baked to perfection.
So Investing in a NEFF steam oven is a great tool for any baker who wants exceptional results every time while retaining maximum flavour.
4. Avoid a soggy bottom with a metal pie pan
When baking pies that have a soft and juicy filling, like a nectarine frangipane or banoffee tart, there’s always a risk of having a soggy bottom. But one easy kitchen hack is to place the pie pan on a pre-heated surface, like a pizza stone. By using these pre-heated bases, you can bake your base quicker so that the liquids of your pie don’t soak the bottom.
You can, of course, invest in a NEFF oven that has the Circo Therm® Intensive feature. This feature uses a combination of the patented Circo Therm® fan technology and bottom heat, which helps crisp up the base of certain foods, such as a berry galette all without risking the infamous soggy bottom.
5. Multitask like a pro
Whether you’re baking an elaborate cake or a loaf of bread, more often than not you’re juggling multiple things at once. And having a kitchen that caters to your baking needs can truly make a difference. The NEFF Slide & Hide® oven allows you to easily access your bakes and see how they’re going – allowing you to balance whipping up cream with checking your bakes without risking the dreaded door burn. The door seamlessly glides under the oven, so you can get nice and close, while the telescopic rails slide your dish right out so you don’t have to awkwardly reach into the oven.
Planning to upgrade your kitchen appliances or replace an old oven? Book a free demonstration with a NEFF Cooking expert to learn more about the right appliance for you.
About NEFF
NEFF is a German-engineered kitchen appliance brand, with a product range that includes ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, coffee machines and dishwashers designed to make life in the kitchen a daily pleasure. For people who love to cook, NEFF gives you the tools to create meaningful connections, express your creativity and make memories. Because real life happens in the kitchen.
