If you’re a fan of cooking shows like “Top Chef,” you know that baking challenges generally send the cheftestants into fits of panic.  While savory cooking allows for a pinch of this and a dash of that, baking is an exact science that requires precise measurements.  In addition, you don’t know until the pie comes out of the oven if it’s any good or not, which of course by then, is too late.

The good news is that with a little advanced planning and patience, baking can not only be easy, but fun as well.   

The first thing you want to do is make sure you have the right equipment.  Measuring spoons, cups, scales, mixing bowls and cooling racks are essential to the success of any baking project as well as wooden spoons and rubber spatulas (especially for non-stick pots and pans).  Non-stick baking pans are good for things like cheesecakes, while aluminum works best for cakes as it is a better heat conductor and won’t be as likely to give your cake a crunchy texture on the outside that you didn’t plan on. 

When it comes to ingredients, buy the best you can afford.  This extends to good vanilla (vanilla beans if you can swing it), chocolate, fresh spices and fruit.  The fresher, more high-quality your ingredients are, the better your recipe will come out.  You will notice a marked difference in taste and texture.  Also, invest in real butter, not margarine or other butter substitutes.  All baking contains an element of science and the molecular structure of margarine can drastically change the dynamics of your recipe.  In addition, stick with unsalted butter.  Salted butter can influence the leavening of your muffins or cookies as well as the taste.  Finally, forgo regular sugar and invest in superfine sugar, as it dissolves quickly and eliminates grainy textures.

When it comes time to prepare your tart or pastry, read through the recipe first to make sure you have all your ingredients (lest you discover midway through you need four eggs and you only have two).  Take out your butter and eggs a good two hours ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature.  Warm butter and eggs make for easier mixing. The lone exception to room temperature butter would be for pastry for a pie or tart, as you want your ingredients to be super-cold.

Always sift your dry ingredients first to avoid lumps and always add a dash of salt, which brings out the sweetness of your recipe.   Always mix your dry ingredients first before adding your wet ingredients.  Do so gently to keep your batter light and airy as well as to avoid the end result being tough. 

Be sure to always grease your pans (and in the case of cakes, lightly flour your pans as well.  If it’s a chocolate cake, use cocoa so you don’t end up with patches of white all over your nice dark cake.)  You can use butter or Pam.  Make sure to have paper liners for muffins and cupcakes and rolls of parchment and wax paper on hand. 

In addition, don’t forget to preheat your oven and put your oven rack as close to the center as possible so that your cakes and cookies get proper air circulation, which makes them rise. Set your timer to avoid overcooking (in fact, set your timer a few minutes before the suggested time on the recipe, as cooking times do vary.)  To check the doneness of cakes, insert a clean toothpick in the center.  If it comes out clean, it’s ready.  Always allow your baked goods to cool on wire racks.  With cakes, cupcakes or cookies, frosting will slide right off if they’re still warm and other goods, like pies will need to set a bit before you cut into them.  Otherwise, they’ll fall apart.

Don’t be intimidated by baking!  Once you get the hang of it, it can be lot of fun.

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