Bread Workshop
A Proofing Basket Shapes the Loaf Before It Reaches the Oven
Learn what a proofing basket contributes to bread shaping, how to prepare its surface and why the basket normally stays out of the oven.
From the baking notebook
Explore all →
Baking Technique
Resting Cookie Dough Changes the Baking Schedule as Well as the Texture
Plan a cookie-dough rest without losing track of portion size, storage or the starting temperature specified by your recipe.
Pastry Skills
A Letter Fold Builds Pastry Layers Only While the Butter Stays Separate
Learn what a letter fold does in laminated pastry and how to recognise when the dough needs a rest before its next turn.
Bread skills
Scoring Bread Gives an Expanding Loaf a Planned Opening
Learn what a bread score does, how an expansion cut differs from decoration, and what to record when the loaf opens somewhere unexpected.
Bread skills
Adding Butter to Brioche Is a Stage of Mixing, Not a Race
Learn what to watch as butter enters brioche dough, why temperature matters and when to follow your recipe instead of adding flour.
Baking Basics
Check Baking Powder Before Blaming the Cake Recipe
A quick baking-powder check helps separate an old leavener from mixing, oven, or recipe problems when a cake fails to rise.