10 Tips for the Annual Bake-Off, by Suzy Crocker
Today is the annual bake-off for all the teachers and staff at the school where I teach. I'm new. So, like, I figured I'd show a bit of team spirit since I skipped the mannequin challenge. The rules were: Select a celebrity chef. Find a recipe. Bake enough for 52 people, and we'll have a grand old time eating everything on Thursday, December 16.
So: Some tips to keep in mind for next year:
So: Some tips to keep in mind for next year:
Today's colossal fail from the new music teacher. |
- Sometimes it is better NOT to start baking at 3:37 a.m. the night before the bake-off with a recipe you've never tried before.
- Sometimes, it is best to try the recipe first, period.
- Recipes made to be cooked by chefs are sometimes best left to chefs. Pre-toast the walnuts? Pulverize the oatmeal?
- When the recipe says, "Place dough balls 3 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet," it does actually mean 3".
- When the recipe says, "Bake at 325F," do consider NOT baking at something close to 350, even if your oven is from 1961 and all temperatures are approximate anyway.
- Ideally, do not cool cookie sheets on back deck to speed the cooling process, especially when it's windy.
- When the art teacher says, "Oh yeah, the bakeoff. I never do that," heed her words more carefully. Be less cynical of cynical people. Sometimes they are right.
- When asked to make enough for 52 people, consider baking something that only requires one oven insertion, not something that gets divided and baked in 12-piece increments.
- Consider the role of "taster," rather than "baker."
- Duncan Hines is a fabulous chef.
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