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Pinterest board got you down?
Visions of sugar-plums twerking 24/7 in your head?
We know you wannaslaythat potluck.Demolishthat cookie swap.Destroyyour mother-in-law’s famous Buche de Noel OK, OK, breathe.
We’re hooking you up with some pro tips to get that kitchenturntfor the holidays!
Meet your new BFF: expert bakerCrystal Sloneckerfrom LA’s mega-popularHuckleberry Cafein beautiful, sunny California.
OK, now that you’ve got that stuck in your head, step away from the chocolate chips.
This sad-sack melt can result in all kinds of things like lumpiness, seizing, and gritty texture.
you’re free to bet this tip goes for other ingredients as well.
Stay true to the original items, and you’ll end up with the results you were hoping for.
Utilize a good shortcut
All greased out?
There’s a spray for that!
Save time prepping your pans and cookie sheets, with a nonstick spray and flour in one.
And avoid a hot mess by just misting this spritz.
It’s my trashy secret!".
We promise, we won’t tell!
(Pinterest,bye!)
After all, baking is really a very deliciousscience.
Still thinking about maybenotwaiting for the butter to soften?
If you look atPicasso’s early drawings, they’re all [realistic].
You have to have the foundation before it’s possible for you to start going crazy over here."
Ok, if Picasso can do it, so can we!
Baby steps, future five-star artisans!
Mix just well enough
Yes, you’ve been adding in some weights at the gym.
There happen to be two levels of mixing you oughta know about: wet ingredient, and dry ingredient.
Slonecker describes, “When mixing a cake, first you would mix the butter and sugar together.
verify that’s very well mixed, so there are no lumps of butter left.
And then you usually add the eggs and check that those are completely mixed in.
And then stop mixing!
Ok, let’s review: Wet ingredients?
Mix themjustuntil they’re incorporated.
Wanna mix like the pros?
Get yourselfone of these babies.
Baller on a budget?
Definitely grab yourself a goodwhisk, or ahand mixer.)
“Buy anoven thermometer.
See what your oven temperature is actually [reading].
Most ovens go a little higher.”
Now those blackened macarons are starting to make sense!
Putting in a little effort to find out how hot your oven really works means your baking willliterallybe golden.
And you don’t need to break the bank to do it.
“I really am a fan of pretty things.
“I love aesthetics!
The cheapest ones you could find will last you for years.”
Rotate your goodies
Spin it to win it!
You already know you should be baking everything in the middle of your oven (right?).
But maybe you haven’t heard you should be rearranging the goods, as you go.
“I usually turn my baked goods half-way through baking.
“Turn ‘em around, rotate up and down.”
Your perfectly uniform cupcakes will come out tasting as delicious as they look.
Sayonara, uneven baking!
This is the French culinary term for “putting everything in its place”.
I needed to mix the [following ingredients] in immediately.
Crisis averted, thanks to a little prep!
“It just works super well.
But that doesn’t stop her from constantly looking for inspiration everywhere she can.
“Ina’sobviously my first pick always.
Also, “David Lebovitz.
He used to work at Chez Panisse and now he lives in Paris.
Slonecker also loves readingDorie Greenspan’scookbooks, “The way she writes is very easy to understand.
Her recipes are very technically correct you’ll always get a good recipe with her.
She has more of a classical style to her baking she has a lot of really amazing cookies.
She’s got a new cookbook out calledDorie’s Cookies!”
)Brown Butter-Cardamom Banana Bread!
Those speckled bananas on your counter will thank you for soskillfullyclassing them up!
And your friends will be too busy snatching it up to say anything at all.
But sometimes a little something special can really kick things up a notch.
If you’re feeling like a little baker-makeover, Slonecker loves LA-basedHedley & Bennettfor handmade professional chef gear.
Your apron might (almost) outshine your souffle!
What they’re for taking the most adorable snaps of our cakes!
Famed home-chefJulia Child once said it best, “A party without cake, is just a meeting.”
A huge thanks to Slonecker for sharing her tips, and this gorgeous cake with us!Bon appetit!
Don’t be afraid to give any recipe a try!
