Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Humidity And Baking Don't Mix

Humidity isn't exclusively your hair's worst enemy.It's also bad for baking, hence one of the reasons why there aren't too many home made cakes and cookies during the summer months. It can play havoc with everything from ingredients to finishing looks. Unfortunately , unlike with hair there's not much you can do about it. There are no special serums to lotions to help you. You have to rely on nature and cleverness to produce a fine looking cake or cookie.

Humidity is nothing more than water vapor in the atmosphere. It usually is an indication of fog rain or even snow and can occur during any season and any month. However it's more prevalent in the summer however and can turn a lovely July day into a sauna. This can ruin such ingredients as flour an d baking powder, giving them more moisture. It also results in cakes and cupcakes that won;t rise or even less of a designated number of cookies. Humidity also ruins breads and biscuits. Humidity can rob them of a nice brown finish and crustiness. They'll be damp and soggy and a little too moist.

If you must bake during these hot humid days,. then consider some baker's tips. I've found a few on the Internet that will be helpful to you. Many people swear by refrigerating their dry ingredients. store flour in a cool dry place like the fridge or the pantry. Another tip is to reduce liquids by bit. Use maybe three quarter s of a cup instead of a cup or one tablespoon instead of two. Others swear by glass baking dishes and double insulated cookie sheets. Some also recommend using food thermometers to gauge the oven's temp.

Humidity is not a baker's best friend. If you must make cakes and cookies or breads and biscuits now, proceed with caution . Keep in mind you won't be producing the best right now. You may have to put extra effort and work a little harder to create the perfect treat.

No comments: