c/bakers

Baker's percentages blew my mind - found out my bread recipe was way off after 6 years

My first real sourdough starter finally took after 14 days

I tried 3 times before with different flours and it always went moldy. An older baker at the farmers market told me to just use plain bread flour and be patient. He said "stop babying it, leave it on the counter and feed it once a day no matter what." Day 12 it finally doubled in size and smelled like yogurt instead of nail polish. Anyone else have a starter that took way longer than the blogs say?

Swapped my old metal loaf pans for glass and I'm never going back

I used to get burnt bottoms on my sandwich bread every single time with those dark metal pans. After ruining three loaves in a row last month I grabbed a Pyrex loaf pan at the grocery store and the difference in even browning is night and day. Has anyone else had better luck switching pan materials for basic white bread?

Changed my mind on buying a dough sheeter after trying one

I spent $400 on a countertop dough sheeter from a local restaurant supply shop in Portland last fall. Hated the idea of spending that much for croissants, but after fighting with lumpy butter layers for 6 months straight, I bit the bullet. First batch came out even and flaky without any cold spots. Anyone else find a tool they swore they'd never buy actually worth it?

Butter vs shortening in pie crust: I picked wrong for 3 years

I used to think butter was the only way to go for pie crust. Everyone says butter gives better flavor so I stuck with it. But my crusts always came out a little tough and they never stayed flaky the next day. Last Thanksgiving I got fed up and tried half shortening half butter on a whim. The difference was shocking. That crust was tender and held its shape even after sitting out for 2 days. I still use a little butter for taste but now I do at least 50 percent shortening. Has anyone else had better luck with a blend?

I finally figured out why my sourdough was always dense

Kept getting these bricks instead of airy loaves until I realized I was adding the salt at the wrong time. Mixed it in with the starter and water instead of after the autolyse, and it was killing the gas production. Anyone else had the same issue with salt timing?

Had to choose between butter and shortening for pie crust last Thanksgiving

I was making 4 pies for Thanksgiving dinner and ran out of butter halfway through. Had to decide between using all shortening or a mix. I went with half and half because I was too lazy to go to the store. The crust came out flakier than usual but didn't have that rich butter taste. Anyone else play around with mixing fats in pie dough?

I switched from metal cake pans to glass 3 months ago and my sponge cakes keep sinking in the middle

I used to get perfect rise with my old aluminum pans (you know, the cheap ones from the dollar store) but after reading some blog post about glass being better for even heat I made the switch and now every single vanilla cake I bake has a crater in the center, has anyone else dealt with this texture thing?

Vent: My sous chef told me my croissants were too dense and she was right

Been baking croissants for almost two years now, thought I had them dialed in. Last week my sous chef took one bite and said they taste like bread rolls, not pastry. She showed me that I was overworking the dough and not letting it rest enough between folds. Anyone else get a reality check from a coworker that actually made them better?

I finally figured out why my sourdough was falling flat every time

Been baking sourdough for about 8 years now and last week I realized my starter was too acidic because I was feeding it on a 12 hour schedule instead of every 24. Used tap water from my kitchen sink in Phoenix and the chlorine was killing the wild yeast slowly over time. Anybody else had weird problems with city water messing up their loaves?

My sourdough starter needed 14 days to finally triple in size

I started my first sourdough starter back in January and for the first 10 days it barely bubbled at all. I was feeding it every 24 hours with equal parts flour and water but nothing seemed to happen. On day 11 I switched from tap water to filtered water and also started keeping it on top of my fridge where it's warmer. By day 14 it had tripled in volume within 6 hours of feeding and smelled like ripe fruit instead of acetone. The difference was wild - I think the chlorine in my tap water was killing off the good bacteria slowly. Has anyone else had their starter act totally dead until you changed your water source?

Spent $80 on a fancy silicone brioche pan and it melted in the oven at 350

I bought this supposedly high-temp silicone pan from a well-known baking supply website last month. First time using it for brioche dough at 350 degrees and the bottom just sagged and warped into a sticky mess. Anyone else had luck with silicone pans or should I just stick with metal?

Finally got my sourdough starter right after 3 failed batches

I was in my tiny apartment kitchen in Denver at 2am feeding the thing again and I guess the temp finally hit that sweet spot. It doubled in 6 hours flat and I actually got a good oven spring on my first loaf this morning. Anyone else struggle with keeping a starter alive in a cold climate?

Tried cold fermenting my croissant dough for 48 hours and ended up with flat greasy puddles instead of layers

Left my laminated dough in the fridge way too long on a recommendation from a blog and the butter completely broke down into the dough, so has anyone else ruined a batch by over-fermenting or did I just mess up my lamination technique?

Finally figured out why my pie crust kept shrinking...

Been baking for about 3 years now and my apple pies always had this crust that would pull away from the edge after baking. Drove me nuts. Last week I watched a video from a baker in Portland who pointed out that resting the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before rolling lets the gluten relax. I tried it and the crust stayed put. No more gap between the filling and the edge. Has anyone else found a trick that fixed a basic thing they were messing up for way too long?

Rant: Why I think cold butter pie crust is overrated

I made two pies last weekend for a family dinner in Portland. One with the standard ice cold butter method everyone swears by, one with melted butter mixed into the flour. The cold butter crust was a nightmare to roll out and still came out tough in spots. The melted butter crust came together in 5 minutes and was flaky and tender. Has anyone else had better luck breaking the cold butter rule?

Found a simple way to fix dense gluten-free bread that changed my results

I've been baking gluten free for about two years now, trying to get a loaf that doesn't come out like a brick. Last month I was making a batch of sandwich bread and forgot to add the xanthan gum before mixing. I realized my mistake after the dough was already in the bowl sticky and wet. On a whim I let it sit for 20 minutes before baking instead of the usual 10 minute rest. That little extra time let the rice flour and tapioca starch really hydrate and relax. The loaf came out lighter and less crumbly than any batch I'd made before. Now I let every gluten free dough rest for at least 30 minutes before shaping and baking. Has anyone else tried a longer rest period for gluten free dough or found another trick that helps with texture?

PSA: Stop blind trusting your oven temp dial

I ruined 3 batches of croissants last month before I finally stuck an oven thermometer in there. My dial said 375 but it was actually bouncing between 340 and 410. Has anyone else found a huge swing in their home oven?

My sourdough starter died after I left it in the fridge for 3 weeks on vacation

Came back from a trip to the coast last month and my starter had this weird pink layer on top. Tried to scrape it off and feed it but it never recovered. Had to trash the whole jar and start over from scratch. Been babying this new batch for 10 days now and it's still barely bubbling. Anyone else had a starter go bad from just sitting too long?

I chose butter over shortening for pie crust and I'm sticking with it

Everyone in my baking group swears by shortening for flaky crusts, but I used butter in my apple pie last weekend and it turned out amazing. The flavor was so much better, even if the crust wasn't as perfect looking. Anybody else prefer butter even if it's more finicky?

Why does nobody talk about how overworking your sourdough starter makes the whole loaf taste bitter?

I've seen three bakers in my town this month feed their starter and then bake with it only 4 hours later, which is way too fast and gives that harsh, sour aftertaste you can't fix, so has anyone else found that a full 12-hour rest after feeding makes all the difference?

PSA: My old sourdough starter from a 2019 farmers market in Boise finally gave out last week.

I tried everything, from feeding it with different flours to keeping it in a warmer spot, but after five years, it just wouldn't bubble anymore, so has anyone got a reliable backup method for when your starter quits?

My sourdough starter went flat after a move to Portland

Last week I moved from a dry climate to Portland. My starter, Betty, was a beast for 3 years. Always doubled in 4 hours. Got here, fed her as usual with 100 grams each of flour and water. Nothing. Just a few bubbles. Tried different tap water, even bought some bottled. Still sluggish. My friend here said the humidity change can really mess with them. She's not dead, but she's not right. Anyone in a wet area have tricks for this? Do I just keep feeding and wait it out?

Rant: I just read a baking book that said most home ovens run 25 degrees hot.

I checked mine with a separate oven thermometer, and it was actually 30 degrees over. No wonder my cookies kept spreading. Has anyone else found a big difference with their own oven?

Hot take: I thought putting mayo in cake batter was a prank until my grandma's recipe proved me wrong

My grandma from Phoenix swore by adding a cup of mayo to her chocolate cake mix, and I thought she was messing with me. I tried it last week, just to humor her, and the cake came out super moist and rich, way better than my usual oil and eggs. She said it's an old trick from her diner days to make box mix taste homemade. Has anyone else used a weird ingredient that actually worked?