Low-Temperature Packaging Reducing staling, oxidation, and microbial growth using packaging that is compatible with low temperatures is increasing. In fact, low temperatures stall deteriorative reactions sufficiently so that preservatives are unnecessary. As consumer interest in clean label products increases, packaging that is compatible with freezing temperatures is becoming more common for baked goods. In many instances, baked goods are frozen during distribution and sold at ambient conditions. This allows for an expanded distribution network, little or no product preservatives, and a fresh appearance at retail. For example, donuts by Wenner Bakery have a three-day shelf life after thawing. Extending the shelf life of baked goods such as donuts via cold chain is an effective method of extending shelf life since staling occurs most rapidly at temperatures of 50°F–77°F. Packaging for foodservice bakery products often relies on a cold chain and minimal packaging to extend product...
MEASURINGMeasuring Cups and Spoons: Proportions are key for any baking recipe, so measuring cups and spoons are invaluable for amateur and professional bakers alike. Glass cups are great for reading liquid amounts, and metal spoons and cups are ideal for scooping and leveling dry ingredients.
Digital Scale: When it comes to dry ingredients, a digital scale is the most-accurate way to measure. The amount of flour in one cup can actually vary by up to 30 percent depending on whether or not it's been sifted, how you actually got the flour into the measuring cup and how humid the air is that day. Precise measuring can make the difference between airy treats and heavy bricks.
When I tried using measuring cups on five separate occasions. I got five totally different weights. This! Is! Not! Okay! We all measure flour differently. Some of us dip-and-sweep, others fluff-and-spoon, a few of us live on the edge and simply tilt the bag over the measuring cup, hoping for the best, and there are those who shall not be named who use liquid measuring cups (please don’t). With a baking scale, however, 125 grams of flour (the generally accepted standard weight of 1 cup all-purpose flour) remains 125 grams no matter where and who in the world you are.
Why am I so focused on flour? Because every crumbly cookie, sunken cake, or leaden bread that made you believe you’re a bad baker can almost always be traced back to too much or too little flour. Flour has a structural purpose in baking; given enough moisture and heat it forms a protein network that lends physical shape to your treats. Measuring cups absolutely suck at measuring flour—and when you mismeasure flour, things get weird.
Consider this 2015 hamantaschen recipe in our archives—it’s perfectly lovely on paper, but the reviews were kind of harsh. Readers repeatedly complained of a dry, crumbly dough that wouldn’t come together. When tasked with retesting the recipe, the first thing I did was bake the cookies in their original version with the given volume measurements. It was not great. Definitely crumbly.
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