Alright guys I’ve been scouring through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and google for the five most common questions when it comes to baking. Now I’ve shared some of these tips prior with friends and in certain groups but I want to share with you as well. Now let’s get started.

1. Why don’t my baked goods come out right?

There are honestly so many reasons your desserts don’t come out right. It could be that you didn’t measure correctly, an ingredient was expired or that the recipe wasn’t a good one.

2. What is the difference between between dry measuring cups and liquid measuring cups?

You would be surprised how many people know that there is a difference. So while it doesn’t look like a major difference, they measurements are off. Infant not all cups are exactly the same. Every company seems to have its own measurement when it comes to the cup system. Best way to measure is using the measuring scale.

3. Can you be good at baking and bad at decorating or vice versa?

Absolutely, there are bakers, there are cake or cookie decorators and many more positions. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Practice. Plus theres so much to learn about decorating that it takes a lot, even for the best to get there.

4. Can I make this Gluten free or Vegan?

Yes however its not as simple as doing substitutes. Now some recipes can absolutely be an easy switch however, thats not always the case. I suggest trying with tried and true recipes that fit the criteria and learn the tips and tricks before attempting to just do a DIY on a recipe, which will not always go right.

5. How do I become a pastry chef, baker or cake decorator?

There are a few ways to go about it. You can go to school for pastry and baking arts. You don’t necessarily need to go to a culinary school but a college with a culinary program. You can find a bakery, cafe shop or something in the area you want to work and learn on the job. And the third is practice, practice, practice at home and be a home baker.

There are tips and tricks you will need to be the best you can be. I will absolutely be doing a second article for it all but heres my top bits of advice.

• Put yourself together and keep your uniform clean
• Keep your station clean
• Listen carefully, most chefs will only tell you once
• Be enthusiastic and ask what you can do next if your twiddling thumbs
• Know the basic terms and equipment
• Know how to hold, double, triple or change calculations based on sizes for products, Math in pastry is more than just measuring.
• Be organized.
• Have your gear in place
• Know how many days your products last, store them properly and mark them with dates
• Continuing practicing, try new recipes, keep up with trends. You can join Facebook groups or Pinterest for ideas and you can do a google trends alert
• Learn from more than just one chef. In fact minimum 3 if your serious.

There are many more tips i can give in different areas so stay tuned.