The Bakers Guide

ingredient equivalents
A common baking quandarya recipe calls for 1 cup chopped hazelnuts, but your grocery store only sells them whole. How much to buy? This chart gives you the answer, as well as weight and volume equivalents for common baking ingredients like flour and sugar. Ingredient Almonds, slivered Almonds, whole & shelled Butter Chocolate Chips Chocolate, chopped Cocoa Powder Cornmeal, fine Cornmeal, stone-ground Cornstarch Cream Cheese Eggs Flour, all-purpose (unsifted) Flour, bread (unsifted) Flour, cake (unsifted) Flour, whole-wheat (unsifted) Hazelnuts, whole & shelled Kosher Salt Lemon Lime Orange, navel Parmigiano Reggiano Peanuts, whole & shelled Pecan Halves Sugar, confectioners Sugar, granulated Sugar, light brown Vegetable Shortening Walnut Halves Yeast, active dry 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup (firmly packed) 1/2 cup 1 cup 2-1/4 tsp. (1 package) Volume or Count 1 cup 1 cup 1/2 cup (1 stick) 2/3 cup 3/4 to 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 3 Tbs. 2 oz. 1 large 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 Tbs. 1 medium 1 medium 1 medium Weight 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 oz. 5 to 5-1/2 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 3 oz. 4-1/2 oz. 5 oz. 1 oz. 1/4 cup 2 oz. 4-1/2 oz. (4-1/4 oz. sifted) 4-1/3 oz. 4 oz. (3-3/4 oz. sifted) 5 oz. 5 to 5-1/2 oz. 1/4 oz. (Diamond Crystal Brand) or 1/2 oz. (Morton Brand) 5 oz. 4 oz. 10 oz. 1 oz. 5 to 5-1/2 oz. 4 oz. 3-3/4 oz. 7 oz. 6-1/2 oz. 4 oz. 4 oz. 1/4 oz.
* Finely grated, lightly packed
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Approximate Yield 1 cup coarsely chopped; 1 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely chopped, 1-1/4 cups ground

1 Tbs. yolk, 2-1/4 Tbs. white

1 cup coarsely chopped; 1 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely chopped, 1-1/4 cups ground

4 to 5 Tbs. unstrained juice; 2 Tbs. lightly packed zest** 3 to 4 Tbs. unstrained juice; 4 tsp. lightly packed zest** 6 to 7 Tbs. unstrained juice; 2 Tbs. lightly packed zest** 1 cup (rasp grater); 1/2 cup (box grater); 1/4 cup (food processor)* 1 cup coarsely chopped; 1 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely chopped, 1-1/4 cups ground 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped; 1 cup finely chopped; 1 cup ground

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped; 1 cup finely chopped; 1 cup ground
** When grated with a rasp-style grater.

The Bakers Guide

emergency substitutions
Ingredient Baking Powder (1 tsp.) Buttermilk (1 cup) Cottage cheese Chocolate, semisweet (1 oz.) Chocolate, unsweetened (1 oz.) Cornstarch (1 Tbs.) Corn Syrup, light (1 cup) Corn Syrup, dark (1 cup) Cream, heavy (1 cup) Crme Frache (1 cup) Currants Eggs (1 large egg) Flour, cake (1 cup) Flour, self-rising (1 cup) Lemon juice Mascarpone Milk (1 cup) Salt, table (1 tsp.) Sour cream Sugar, granulated (1-1/4 cups) Sugar, brown Sugar, superfine Vanilla Bean (2-inch piece) Yeast, active dry (1 tsp.) Substitution 1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar OR 1/4 tsp. baking soda plus 1/2 cup sour milk, buttermilk, or yogurt 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt OR 1 cup minus 1 Tbs. milk plus 1 Tbs. lemon juice or white vinegar ricotta or farmer cheese 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate plus 1 Tbs. sugar 3 Tbs. natural cocoa powder plus 1 Tbs. melted butter 2 Tbs. flour or 4 tsp. quick-cooking tapioca 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup water 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses 3/4 cup milk plus 1/4 cup melted butter (if not using to make whipped cream) 1/2 cup sour cream plus 1/2 cup heavy cream dark raisins 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg product 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 Tbs. 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt white wine vinegar or lime juice (though if large amounts of lemon juice are called for, taste will be significantly affected) cream cheese 1/2 cup evaporated milk mixed with 1/2 cup water OR 1 cup water mixed with 3 Tbs. powdered milk 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt plain yogurt 1 cup honey plus 1/2 tsp. baking soda (reduce other liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup and reduce the baking temperature by 25F) light and dark can be used interchangeably OR 1 cup white sugar plus 3 to 4 Tbs. molasses (pulse together in food processor) equal amount of granulated sugar pulsed in a food processor 30 to 60 seconds 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 tsp. instant yeast OR 2 tsp. fresh (cake) yeast

baking pan substitutions

You can substitute a different pan than the recipe calls for, as long as the capacities are the same. Just make sure your substitute pan has sides of a similar height. Avoid substitutions for angel food cakes; the tube pan is critical for proper baking.

8-cup pans = =

8 x 8 x 2 square

9 x 2 round

11 x 7 x 2 rectangular

10-cup pans

9 x 9 x 2 square

10 x 2 round

9 x 2.5 springform

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The Bakers Guide

troubleshooting guide

cakes
Problem Cake batter looks curdled. Possible Cause Either the ingredients werent the same temperature or they were too cold. The most common reason is an overfilled pan: if the batter reaches the top of the pan and still needs to rise, it will collapse. Stale leavening may also be a cause. Either the ingredients were too cold, or enough air wasnt incorporated during mixing. The usual culprit is either undermixing while creaming the fat and sugar, or overmixing once the flour goes in. Fix It Now Dont worry too much: the cake may not rise as much, but it should turn out fine. Fix It Next Time Generally, all ingredients should be at the same temperature for the best volume. Never fill layer cake pans more than half full and leave an inch at the top of loaf pans. Always start with fresh leavening (6 months for baking soda and 1 year for baking powder). Start with room temperature ingredients, cream the fat and sugar for the time specified, and beat in the eggs one at a time. The creamed mixture should look light and fluffy, and if all ingredients are at room temperature, when the eggs are added slowly the batter will not curdle. Add dry and wet ingredients alternately, always beginning with dry. The fat coats the flour first, preventing too much gluten from forming once liquid is in the mix. When the last ingredients have been added and the batter looks relatively homogenous, stop mixing. If the recipe calls for cake flour, dont substitute allpurpose and certainly avoid bread flour. Top the cheesecake with glazed fruit to cover the crack. Remove the cheesecake from the oven while it still has a good amount of jiggle in the center. It will continue to cook after its out of the oven. Be sure your measurements are accurate and dont skip draining carrots if the recipe says to. If you still get a gummy texture, either reduce the fruit or dairy, or add more egg and flour to compensate. A quick chill in the refrigerator should slove the problem, since cold cake is firmer and easier to slice and frost. You can look for a recipe that uses a higher proportion of flour or eggs, but the crumb will not be as moist or delicate.

Layer cake falls.

Cake has poor volume.

Cake texture is grainy and coarse-crumbed.

Cake has tunnels.

Either the batter was overmixed after wet ingredients were added or the flour was too high in protein. In either case, too much gluten has formed. It is overcooked.

Cheesecake forms cracks in the top. Cake is gummy or has a rubbery layer at the bottom.

Too much buttermilk, fruit pure, sour cream, or yogurt can all make a cake gummy. Inadequately drained carrots or zucchini can also be the cause. The cake is still too warm to cut. Layer cakes often have more sugar, liquid and fat and less flour and eggs than sturdier cakes, like pound cake. This makes them more delicate.

Layer cake is too fragile to cut or assemble.

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The Bakers Guide

troubleshooting guide

pies
Problem Pie dough is still dry even after adding all the water specified. Possible Cause Pieces of fat cut into the flour were left too large OR flour required more hydration because of dry environment. Fix It Now First try mixing the fat into the dough with your fingertips. If its still dry and crumbly, add more cold water, 1 Tbs. at a time. When it starts to come together, knead briefly to form a cohesive mass. Small pieces of fat should still be visible. If there are many cracks and the edges seem dry, gather into a ball, chill for 20 minutes, and try again. One or two cracks can be fixed by brushing with water and rolling the edges together to seal. Let the dough warm up slightly before rolling out. Fix It Next Time

Chilled pie dough cracks when rolled out.

Dough is too cold or not kneaded enough, making the edges of the disk ragged and dry.

Baked pie crust is tough. Baked pie crust is crumbly and mealy.

Dough was needed too much after the water was added. Fat and flour were overmixed in the dough.

Stop mixing as soon as the dough just begins to come together after the water is added. Stop cutting in the fat when most of the pieces are pea size. When baked, these pieces will melt, leaving air pockets behind, which makes the crust flaky. Let the dough rest after rolling and before fitting into the pan; this relaxes the gluten and prevents shrinking. Gently push the dough into all corners of the panif it stretches, it will contract during baking. Line the cold pie shell with dried beans to give the crust support until its structure sets. Cover the edges of the piecrust with foil to prevent burning. Let ice-cold fillings warm a little before adding them to the pie shell. For crisp crusts, bake pies and tarts on a preheated baking sheet. Dont let the fruit and sugar mixture sit for more than 15 minutes before baking. Prebake (blind bake) the crust for custard pies whenever possible. Cover the crack with whipped cream or other garnishes. Remove the pie from the oven while it still has a good amount of jiggle in the center. If it still cracks, reduce the starch in the filling by one quarter.

Blind-baked pie shell is misshapen, puffed on the bottom, or the sides have caved in.

Dough was not allowed to relax before being fitted into the pan, or was stretched when fitted into the pan. Or the crust was not weighted during initial blind baking.

Pie is getting too brown on the crust but the filling is not fully cooked. Bottom crust is soggy and pale.

The heat is not penetrating to the center of the pie before the edges are set. Not enough heat is getting to the bottom crust. Fruit and sugar are releasing juices onto crust before baking. For custard pies, the shell was not adequately prebaked. The filling was overbaked or contained too much starch.

Pumpkin pie cracks while cooling.

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The Bakers Guide

troubleshooting guide

cookies
Problem Cookie dough is sticky and difficult to roll and cut. Possible Cause The dough is too warm. In particular, doughs rich in butter and egg are difficult to handle if not kept very, very cold. The dough is too warm going into the oven. Fix It Now A quick chill in the refrigerator or freezer should help. For ease of handling, roll the dough between sheets of parchment, then chill. As a last resort, add more flour to the dough. Pop the cookie sheet, cut-out dough and all, into the refrigerator or freezer until chilled. The edges of cold dough will set in the oven before the center warms, keeping the shapes well defined. Use a lighter-colored baking sheet for the next round, or stack an extra pan underneath to better insulate the dough. If the oven has hot spots, rotate the pans from the top to bottom rack (and back to front) halfway through baking. Chill the dough before baking the next round. As a last resort, stir a small amount of flour into the dough (though this will change the texture). Get an oven thermometer to check your ovens temperature. Fix It Next Time

Rolled cut-outs spread while baking, blurring their shape. Cookies are pale on top and burnt on bottom.

The culprit is one or a combination of the following: an oven that runs too hot; dark heavy baking sheets, baking on the bottom rack of the oven. The classic Toll House recipe is rich in butter, sugar, and egg, all of which contribute to spreading. A different brand of flour can alter spread, and a too-hot oven or too-warm dough can also be a culprit. The recipe is rich in butter and sugar, but lean on egg and leavening. Did you leave out leavening or use a smaller egg than specified? Too much flour or egg is the likely cause either measuring flour with a heavy hand or using larger eggs than called for.

Chocolate chip cookies spread too much.

Chocolate chip cookies are too crisp and thin.

Try chilling the dough to slow down the spread. If this doesnt work, beat in half an egg and 2 Tbs. of flour. Bake a test cookie before adding more flour. Try reducing the oven temperature by 25F on the next sheet of cookies. Be sure to use large eggs rather than extra-large or jumbo (unless the recipe specifically calls for them, which is unusual). When measuring flour, spoon it lightly into the measuring cup and use a knife to level the top. To be sure your cookies arent cakey, hold back a few tablespoons of flour and bake a test cookie before adding the rest. If reducing the temperature doesnt help, next time substitute some lighter ingredients, like bleached flour or granulated sugar, or reduce the amount of liquid sugars (molasses, honey, corn syrup) in the recipe.

Chocolate chip cookies are too cakey and dry.

Cookies brown too much but are not overbaked.

An overly hot oven can make cookies brown before they are baked through, but ingredients often play a role: molasses, honey, corn syrup, dark brown sugar, milk products, and baking powder all encourage browning.

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The Bakers Guide

troubleshooting guide

breads
Problem Dough is taking too long to rise, or doesnt rise very much. Possible Cause If the dough is rising, albeit slowly, the room temperature is probably on the cool side. If the dough isnt rising at all or stopped before it doubled in size, the yeast was either insufficient or killed in hot water. Pan is too small, dough was allowed to rise for too long, or too much yeast added to the recipe. Fix It Now For slowly rising dough, move it to a warm, humid location such as near the pilot light of the stove. Fix It Next Time Be sure to bloom your yeast in water between 110 and 120F; water at 140F or higher will kill it.

Dough overflows pan either during second rise or during baking.

If it hasnt gone into the oven yet, divide the dough in half, reshape for two smaller pans, and yet it rise again. Be aware that the texture and flavor may be compromised.

Fill the pan only half full to ensure maximum rise and stability. Keep a close eye on the bread during the second rise: it should increase from 1-1/2 to 2 times in size, hold a dent when pressed lightly with a finger, but have enough spring to bounce back slightly without collapsing or tearing.

Dough is too springy to shape. Shaped loaf falls during the final rise or loaf caves in while or immediately after baking. Baked artisan loafs crust is too soft.

The dough hasnt been allowed to rest long enough after kneading for the gluten to relax. The loaf may have gone too long during the second rise, or too much yeast may have been used. Adequate heat and steam are needed for a crisp yet chewy artisan crust.

Shape roughly, cover, and walk away for 5 to 10 minutes. Handling the dough will be much easier when you return. Sorry, not even the shaped loaf is salvageable. Let the loaf rise at a lower temperature or for a shorter time period. Check the loaf more frequently during the final rise. Use a baking stone, preheat the stone with the oven, and start the bread at a high temperature (425 to 500F) for the first 10 minutes. Use a spray bottle filled with water to create steam in the oven during the initial 5 to 10 minutes of baking time. Refrigerate the shaped loaves overnight. This allows lactic acids to develop in the dough, which contribute greatly to flavor. Or increase salt by at least 1/2 tsp. per loaf.

Bread tastes bland.

The dough was allowed to rise too quickly at too high a temperature, or it contains insufficient salt.

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