Secrets to Better Holiday Baking

Always bring eggs to room temperature before baking. Fresh-from-the-fridge eggs do not properly disperse into batters and dough. To bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm—not hot—water for 5 to 10 minutes before adding them to the mixing bowl.

Take baking times with a grain of salt. Recipes are developed using a wide range of ovens, all of which bake differently. For perfect results, set your kitchen timer a few minutes BEFORE the shortest baking time listed in the recipe, and check at that point.

Let melted chocolate cool before adding it to other ingredients. Pouring melted chocolate directly into batters tends to make baked goods dry. Place a tiny dab of the chocolate on the inside of your wrist—if it feels just lukewarm it’s okay to stir in.

Chop chocolate with a serrated knife. A serrated blade is safer because it bites into brittle chocolates better than a flat knife. It also cuts the chocolate into smaller pieces that are easier to melt.

Add a tiny bit more salt than your recipe calls for. Salt has an amazing power to bring out flavor while balancing out sweetness. The tiniest amount—no more than a 16th of a teaspoon—works wonders, creating the best-ever baked goods.

Forget sifting. Only in the most complex recipes—such as airy chiffon cakes—require sifting flour. Instead, fluff flour up with a spoon; dip in the measuring cup, filling it just over the top; and use a flat blade to sweep off excess flour.

Reduce oven temperature by 25° any time you bake in a glass pan or use the convection setting on your oven.

Choose the correct oven rack. The heat is different in the upper, middle and lower parts of your oven, and every item you bake has a rack preference. 

Allow yeast dough to make its first rise slowly—in the refrigerator and overnight if possible—for the most robust flavor. Place dough in a zip-top plastic bag at least three times its size, squeeze bag to release excess air, and place in fridge. When doubled in bulk, remove and proceed with the rest of the recipe, allowing about twice the normal time for the second rise.

Bake cookies on shiny, heavy aluminum baking sheets. Dark baking sheets absorb too much heat, causing cookies to over brown on their bottoms. Nonstick baking sheets work well if they are not too dark. Insulated baking sheets are fine, but require additional baking time.