It happens to the best of bakers. It’s holiday time—baking time—and we have visions of pastry perfection dancing in our heads. And then, for some reason or another, that perfection slips right through our floury hands. We asked expert bakers to rescue us from baking disasters and put us back on that path to perfection. Here are our questions and their answers.

Q: As I was rolling my cookie dough, the dough cracked and fell apart. What should I do?

A: Try pressing the cracks together, and if the dough seems too dry, roll it between two pieces of plastic wrap. If this does not help, break the dough into walnut-size pieces and place them on the countertop. Sprinkle a few drops of water on each piece; then gather the dough pieces together and knead them until smooth and supple.

Q: I was melting chocolate and it turned into a lumpy, grainy mess. Is there any way to save it?

A: Your chocolate has seized. If the chocolate smells burned or the bottom of the pan is scorched, discard the chocolate and try again. You may be able to save your chocolate by adding a few drops of canola oil (not butter) and stirring the mixture over very low heat until it smoothes out.

Q: My yeast bread looked absolutely perfect when I removed it from the oven, but when I sliced into the loaf, it was doughy in the middle. What can I do?

A: Unfortunately, once the loaf has cooled and has been sliced, it is impossible to return it to the oven to complete its baking. Consider halving the loaf, scooping out the gooey dough and using the hollowed halves as containers for party dips or stews. Next time, when your bread looks and smells done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. When bread is done, the thermometer will read 200°F. If your loaf is already browned but not fully baked inside, simply cover the loaf with foil, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and continue baking until you get a 200°F reading.

Q: My cheesecake looked perfectly puffed and golden when I removed it from the oven, but as it cooled, it developed a Grand Canyon-size crack in its top. Now what?

A: This happens to everybody. There are a ton of tips that may help prevent cheesecake cracks, but they’re not fail-proof and they’re of no help at all when your cheesecake is already baked. Try these tricks: If the surface of your

cheesecake must be perfect for its final garnish, carefully fill the crack with canned frosting, smoothing it with an icing spatula. If you intended to serve the cheesecake plain, consider topping it with a can of pie filling, whipped cream or chocolate ganache. Nobody will be the wiser.

Q: Even though I greased and floured my cake pans, my baked cake layers will not come out of their pans. What should I do?

A: Make sure you wait 10 minutes before attempting to remove a cake from its baking pan. Loosen the cake from the edge of the pan by running a thin knife all around the edges. Now, place the cake (still in the pan) on a wire rack. Place another wire rack on top of the cake, holding it over the pan’s rim. Flip the cake “sandwich” over. Hold the cake pan no more than ¼ inch from the rack and give it a gentle jiggle. It should pop right out. If not, tap the bottom of the pan with a metal measuring cup. This should encourage the cake to release. If it’s still stuck, wait a few more minutes and try again.

Try Making Lemon Blueberry Bread, Rosemary Focaccia Bread, and Mini Cherry Cheesecake