Sure, baking is a fun and relaxing activity, but at the same time, mastering the art of baking can take years. Most people seem to forget that baking is a science and requires patience, expertise, and a willingness to learn. Anyone can become a mediocre home baker, but what if you want to take things to the next level? Luckily, unless you want to start a professional venture, tips from a few professionals can help you avoid common mistakes. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common baking mistakes from professional bakers and pastry chefs so you can avoid making them in your kitchen.
#1: Just Keep Going
We get it—creaming together butter and sugar is really simple, but most people fail to do it correctly. With desserts, you will spend more time combining these two ingredients than you do baking, so it is critical to get it right. Instead of stopping halfway through, make sure you do the full beat.
Creaming is not as complicated as it sounds, even for beginners. Always start with room-temperature ingredients. You don’t want melted or hard butter. Your sugar should also be at room temperature and free from lumps. As you beat them together, keep going until you have a mixture that is light, fluffy, and almost free from visible sugar grains.