If there is one colloquialism that sums up baking, it would be “the devil is in the details.” Baking is a very specific, exact science with each kitchen adventure serving as one big chemistry project. I remember vividly the day I learned this and fell even deeper in love with baking. I was 11 years old and, as I would anytime I wasn’t in school or gymnastics, I was making cookies (shocking, right?). We were out of baking soda, but I thought to myself, “Eh, it’s only a teaspoon; it can’t be that important.”
Well, I quickly realized how wrong I was! My cookies were a disaster. So, I asked my mom, and she explained leavening agents to me. Baking was delicious, fun, and science? I was hooked! So began my fascination with experimenting with different ingredients and processes and seeing their effect on the final product. Even the order in which the ingredients were combined made a difference. So cool!
To help you visualize the difference, here are some cookies that were made just as the recipe stated. And here are cookies that were made without baking soda. As you can see, big difference!
In my shop, we have a mantra that “every gram matters,” and that is what I want to leave you with. When you are baking anything, make sure you take your time and measure precisely, and follow the recipe exactly. There’s a reason for everything. And, if you make a mistake or leave an ingredient out, you will learn something and just might stumble upon your own unique recipe.
