In previous years I've made a lot of cookies to give away to friends and family around the holidays. This year I'd like to do something a little different, but still make it a gift of food. [more inside]
posted by sararah on Nov 5, 2009 - 42 answers

Has anyone had experience baking with Truvia, which is a granulated sweetener that looks and tastes like cane sugar but is made from stevia? I like it in iced tea and on plain yogurt and fruit, but I would like to use it in muffins and maybe cookies and don't know how it would work.
posted by Jenna Brown on Oct 31, 2009 - 7 answers

Quick! Help me continue my snickerdoodle baking extravaganza now that I'm out of cream of tartar! [more inside]
posted by padraigin on Oct 28, 2009 - 8 answers

Help me make a zombie wedding cake. [more inside]
posted by elvissa on Oct 26, 2009 - 15 answers

I recently started working with fondant and have made 2 practice cakes now in preparation for making my son's groom's cake for his wedding at the end of this month. I pretty much have the whole rolling it out and draping it over the cake part down, but I can't get it to look smooth & glossy like it does in the pictures and videos I have studied. [more inside]
posted by PrettyGeekAtx on Oct 19, 2009 - 8 answers

I'm thinking of going to culinary school for baking and pastry. Right now Johnson & Wales in RI is the front runner. My question: is JWU worth it, or should I be looking elsewhere? [more inside]
posted by firei on Oct 18, 2009 - 4 answers

Fresh Lemon Zest - so yummy yet so annoying to grate. There must be an easier solution! [more inside]
posted by wiretap on Oct 16, 2009 - 29 answers

Punching down risen dough (and slicing it with a dough scraper). Cooking garlic in sizzling hot butter. Putting potatoes through a ricer. Help me find more incredibly satisfying things to do in the kitchen! [more inside]
posted by ORthey on Oct 13, 2009 - 72 answers

I'm looking for a poster showing the weights of various commonly used ingredients. [more inside]
posted by The corpse in the library on Oct 13, 2009 - 7 answers

My no-knead bread dough isn't rising. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by lunasol on Oct 9, 2009 - 18 answers

Sourdough baking and time management: Did I start my sponge at the wrong time? I have a nice looking sponge, but I won't be able to bake until after work tomorrow (20 hours or so). What should I do with it, at this point? [more inside]
posted by chowflap on Oct 4, 2009 - 11 answers

I'm participating in a baked goods/confectionary exchange. What are some things I can make that can be easily packed and that won't spoil/stale during shipping?
posted by Mayhembob on Oct 2, 2009 - 7 answers

Why are my cakes always too dense? [more inside]
posted by at the crossroads on Oct 2, 2009 - 21 answers

My lovely castle cake pan is sadly suffering from disuse. Help me out with your favorite bundt cake recipes and glazes. [more inside]
posted by misha on Sep 28, 2009 - 13 answers

Best way to clean bowl in which you've mixed bread dough?
posted by markcmyers on Sep 24, 2009 - 20 answers

I just made a huge batch of zucchini/apple muffins and they look beautiful. Unfortunately, they taste well, not horrible, but very, very baking soda-y. What should I do with them? [more inside]
posted by munichmaiden on Sep 11, 2009 - 17 answers

CookieFilter! I have this cookie press with the standard lot of holiday themed dies that came with it. I am either looking for a particular set of dies, or a way to create them myself. [more inside]
posted by Gonestarfishing on Sep 11, 2009 - 5 answers

What's the difference between good buttercream icing and old fashioned birthday cake icing? [more inside]
posted by kdern on Sep 10, 2009 - 19 answers

Muffin Filter: I want a moist oatmeal muffin to start my morning with. Other muffin recipes gladly accepted too. [more inside]
posted by Phalene on Sep 10, 2009 - 12 answers

What great baked goods would make a coffee shop/cafe AMAZING for you? [more inside]
posted by disillusioned on Sep 9, 2009 - 83 answers

Skim Milk: Useless or mostly useless? [more inside]
posted by EatTheWeak on Sep 7, 2009 - 26 answers

I just made a chocolate birthday cake that fell apart when I took it out of the pan. What now? [more inside]
posted by zinfandel on Sep 7, 2009 - 13 answers

Perfect Gingerbread: Strong flavour, soft, but can be cut into pretty shapes and decorated. What have you got? [more inside]
posted by Phalene on Aug 27, 2009 - 9 answers

I have always really enjoyed baking, and have been making cakes, cookies, and candies for my friends and family for years. I have been a little disenchanted with my current job, lately, and have been wondering whether I could turn this hobby into something more. I don't have any sense of what it's actually like to do full time, though, so I was considering contacting one of my local bakeries (there are at least a half dozen) and volunteering my services. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 25, 2009 - 20 answers

I just had a Pyrex dish explode in my oven. (It happens, apparently.) I’ve removed all the pieces I can see, but undoubtedly there are shards that fell into cracks below. Is it okay to use the oven with those remnants in there? I don’t think I’ll be able to lift the oven over my head and shake it until everything falls out, so if it’s not okay to leave those shards in there, what can I do short of buying a new oven?
posted by ericc on Aug 25, 2009 - 8 answers

I need to bake something, but it's hot (and getting hotter) and humid, and I don't want to raise the temperature in here any further. Any suggestions for no-bake (or toaster-oven?) treats? [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu on Aug 11, 2009 - 27 answers

Where can I buy a notebook/journal intended to let me record the meals I cook? [more inside]
posted by Maia on Aug 9, 2009 - 7 answers

Get a PhD by 50, or go to pastry school? I'm having a midlife crisis and am considering returning to school instead of launching another business. (Launching another business is already in the planning stages, but no hard commitments have been made.) I've been accepted to a graduate program for neuroscience that will let me do masters work and doctorate work at the same time. On the other hand...culinary school is calling to me...daring me to become a pastry chef. [more inside]
posted by dejah420 on Aug 8, 2009 - 45 answers

In Jude the Obscure, Jude turns to creating and selling Christminster Cakes, pastry representations of Chrstminster, Hardy’s stand-in for Oxford. What would one of these cakes actually look like? How can I make one? [more inside]
posted by Doug on Aug 5, 2009 - 9 answers

Since London's fickle summer is in full swing, I need recipes for dishes that can be eaten either hot or cold. [more inside]
posted by Mutant on Aug 4, 2009 - 18 answers

Looking to jazz up my plain-jane homemade chocolate fudge. What are some creative and delicious ideas for fudge flavors and additives? [more inside]
posted by Bardolph on Jul 28, 2009 - 29 answers

Looking for Websites or Recipes for Sugarfree and Low sugar desserts (especially brownies)! Would be awesome if these websites show reviews of people who have tried them! [more inside]
posted by royalsong on Jul 28, 2009 - 4 answers

Please help me identify this yummy Armenian treat. [more inside]
posted by contessa on Jul 14, 2009 - 11 answers

I've been bitten by the baking bug! I need help figuring out what combination of 2 different recipes (1 savory, 1 sweet) would be perfect for a morning office meeting of 5-6 people that will survive not being refridgerated. Also, simplicity is best since I've only just started to foray into baking. (More details inside.) [more inside]
posted by sperose on Jul 14, 2009 - 19 answers

Are there some tasty dessert recipes I can make that don't require baking or any of the things I have trouble getting in Ghana? [more inside]
posted by BusyBusyBusy on Jul 10, 2009 - 22 answers

I'm looking for fat-free (or super low-fat, like under a gram per reasonably-sized serving) recipes for baked goods that you've personally made and enjoyed. Cookies, cakes, quick breads, etc. are all fair game. Bonus points for chocolate stuff. [more inside]
posted by vytae on Jul 9, 2009 - 17 answers

I have never baked in my entire life. Now I must bake an amazing cake. Halp plz n thnks! [more inside]
posted by DeltaForce on Jul 6, 2009 - 40 answers

How can I make perfect baked potatoes while roasting other meats? [more inside]
posted by Fairchild on Jun 27, 2009 - 8 answers

I've made four cakes, and two of them have fallen. Enough with all the plates of beans -- please help me overthink (and correct) my cakes. [more inside]
posted by Ms. Saint on Jun 26, 2009 - 11 answers

Please suggest me some snacks, light or portable dishes that are both healthy and involve baking or cooking. [more inside]
posted by schmoo on Jun 21, 2009 - 10 answers

How do I prevent pizza dough from forming big gas bubbles in the oven?
posted by markcmyers on Jun 20, 2009 - 16 answers

What am I doing wrong when I make meringue? [more inside]
posted by pluckemin on Jun 14, 2009 - 16 answers

How can I include Mountain Dew as an ingredient in baked goods? [more inside]
posted by santojulieta on Jun 13, 2009 - 15 answers

What is the strangest, yet most delicious, cookie recipe you know? [more inside]
posted by santojulieta on Jun 1, 2009 - 30 answers

Chocolate-loving bakers: What can I do with five pounds of bittersweet chocolate baking squares? [more inside]
posted by MonkeyToes on May 31, 2009 - 17 answers

Vanilla extract tastes of vanilla bean... Mint extract is minty... Why are hazelnut and almond extracts so unlike hazelnuts and almonds? [more inside]
posted by for_serious on May 12, 2009 - 16 answers

I have a Wilton Panda cake pan, similar to this. However, the two sides don't appear to directly fit together (ie. with no gaps between the two). How can I make sure batter doesn't leak out of the pan? And what about other 3-D pans like this - I imagine greaseproof paper won't work in the same way a springform tin will.
posted by mippy on Apr 29, 2009 - 8 answers

How do I get caffeine into my cookies? [more inside]
posted by rachaelfaith on Apr 18, 2009 - 20 answers

I ran out of crackers the other day and decided to try making my own. I can't say the finished product was exactly what I had in mind when the cracker craving struck, but tasty they were, and now I'm on a quest. Anyone here have a crispy, savory cracker recipe to share? [more inside]
posted by maryh on Apr 5, 2009 - 12 answers

What's the best baking sheet to use in making croissants? [more inside]
posted by mizrachi on Apr 3, 2009 - 10 answers