This is the page where I will share tips and tricks that may be of use to you.  I have learned so much from so many people, and it is joy to be able to share this with you.

FIRST THINGS FIRST … BEING IN THE “MOMENT”

This is the best advice I can offer you … when doing Anneka’s course last year (see here) this is the advice she gave all of her participants.  So often we are in a hurry when in the kitchen, and that is understandable when trying to juggle many responsibilities.  But when you are attempting a recipe for the first time, it is best to just stop for a moment, read the recipe properly right to the end, ensure you have all ingredients and equipment ready, then start.  It is amazing how things can go astray when you are not fully concentrating on what you are doing.  This one piece of advice has made a huge difference to my enjoyment of baking, and doing what I love doing in the kitchen.  And if for some reason something doesn’t quite work out, I have usually been aware enough to work out what I need to do next time.

BASIC INGREDIENTS USED

I’ll only cover some basic essentials that you may wonder what I prefer to use … after having done a Jude Blereau Wholefood Course in 2013 (see here) I was very keen to use organics as much as possible, and was very particular about the companies or ingredients that I preferred to use.  However, over time as my personal situation changed (having retired), and with the amount of baking I do, I came to realise that I couldn’t afford or justify the cost of some of these ingredients, and have finally settled on the following:

(a)  Bakers Flour

When making bread you need to have a good strong flour … for this I like to use Wallaby Bakers Flour (see here) … it is made in Australia (comes from South Australia), is unbleached, is available at most supermarkets, and comes in 5kg bags which is so helpful.  I have been using this flour for such a long time and never been disappointed in its performance.

(b)  Butter

I love Lurpak butter … it is rich, creamy, lightly salted, and cultured which is an added bonus.  But the cost has risen to the point that I rarely use it unless I can get it on special.  So the butter I use now is Western Star Chef’s Choice Unsalted Cultured Butter (see here) … it is made in Australia, and is available in a 500g pack which is what I buy as it is more affordable to purchase it that way.  It regularly comes on special and when it does I buy quite a few packs which keeps me going until it comes back up on special again.  Bakers generally prefer using unsalted butter because you can control the amount of salt in recipes by adding your own.

(c)  Dairy

I will always opt to use full fat dairy, unless otherwise indicated in a recipe.  This goes for milk, sour cream, cream, and yoghurt (I like to use Greek yoghurt most of the time).

(d)  Salt / Pepper

I love salt flakes … I like the crunchy texture of them, and use them liberally.  They are half the “salt” strength of fine sea salt because of their flaky texture.  The only time I use fine sea salt is when making dough, as you need the fine texture to be disbursed evenly throughout the mixture, which you can’t really do with flakes.  The two brands I like to use are Murray River Salt Flakes (see here) or SAXA Sea Salt Flakes (see here).

For a fine sea salt I use Herbamare (see here) … I have used this since I did Jude’s course, and if for some reason I can’t get it then I will use a SAXA fine sea salt.

In terms of pepper, apart from when I use a pepper mill at the table, I use course milled black pepper (see here), unless I specify ground black or white pepper in a recipe.

(e)  Sugar

Now … this a biggie … because I know so many would like to reduce their sugar intake for a whole range of reasons.

But I would like to say … what I have learned over many years is that sugar is not used in baking purely for sweetness … it has so many other roles to ensure success of your bakes which I won’t go into here:  but put simply, yes sugar does provide sweetness and therefore flavour, but it also helps to keep moisture in your baked goodies (it is hygroscopic – see here – which means it is attracted to and retains moisture – which is why a pavlova, which has loads of sugar in it, can be affected when baked on or served on a humid day), extends their keeping quality, provides air when beaten with butter which in turn provides lightness to your bakes, and also helps to provide colour.

My philosophy when it comes to sugar, is that I want my bakes to be really yummy and delicious … I don’t just make them for myself, but share them with all those I love and care about.  I want others to enjoy what I offer them.  So I will always use the amount of sugar suggested in a recipe, knowing I am making the recipe as it is meant to be.  You don’t need to eat a lot of it (wish I could listen to myself here!), but I feel sure you would wish others to enjoy what you choose to share with them.

I used to always buy Billington Sugars (see here) which is a lovely product, but they have become harder to come by, and also the cost has risen so high.  So now I go local and use CSR sugars (see here):  raw castor sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, golden syrup (not the one using a squeeze bottle), and treacle.  I also use a local raw honey which is fabulous.

CAKE GOOP

Some time ago I came across the website for The Boy who Bakes, and on there I found an article and recipe for Ed’s Cake Goop.  His recipe has changed slightly since I first came across it, but here is his most recent suggestion for ensuring that your cake does not stick to your cake tin, especially a Bundt tin (see here):

Originally Ed recommended you mix by volume equal amounts of vegetable oil (I use a light olive oil) and plain flour and this is what I do (I don’t like shortening which he also now uses).  Place the mix into a jar, and store in the fridge.  This works so well, and I not only use it on Bundt tins, but also the sides of tins where I don’t wish to use baking paper (say on a sponge where I use baking paper on the base but not on the sides) but need to know that my cake will release neatly from the tin.  It works every time.

I make enough to fill a 250g jar, and when I am going to use it I take it out of the fridge the night before and place it on my bench.  Before using I mix it together thoroughly (it will separate into flour and oil on standing), then brush it onto the surface of the tin I am going to use.  The only thing to be mindful of, is not to overdo it because the mix contains flour, and can leave a slight flour residue on the outside of your cake when baked if you have too thick a layer (once, to ensure my cake would release from my old bundt tin, I was a little nervous so put a double coat of cake goop on, but I did notice it left a slight dryness on the exterior of the cake from the flour in the goop.

As Ed says in his post, it will store in the fridge for months, and it is such a wonderful tip.  Thank you Ed!

OVEN TEMPERATURES

I generally always use a fan forced oven, and that is noted in the temperatures given in my recipes.

When a conventional setting (non fan forced) is used, that has been noted in the recipe too.

Fan forced ovens usually run 20 degrees hotter, so if using a conventional setting then increase the temperature stated in the recipe by 20 degrees.

There are advocates for using one setting more so that the other, but use what you are most comfortable with, and how you feel your oven works best.  I have a basic Neff oven and it bakes brilliantly on a fan setting so that is what I like to use most of the time.

Please note that many ovens don’t run to temperature, so if you suspect this is the case (you will become aware as you bake a variety of recipes, and find that they either cook too quickly, or too slowly, from what is suggested in the recipe), then I would recommended you buy an oven thermometer (very inexpensive) and hang it off one of the racks in your oven to help you monitor your oven temperature as you bake.  You can then adjust temperatures with some confidence.  If you are seriously “out” of range, then you may wish to have your oven serviced as there is nothing more disappointing than getting inconsistent bakes, and poor results

Just be aware too of the spoon measurements used in cooking books … most of them will specify what they use either towards the back of the book, or in the front area where they may give an overview of their recipes and processes.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

This is a tricky one … for some years I had a variety of paid subscriptions to “foodie” websites … but as my circumstances changed with “retirement” I knew I had to start considering what was honestly giving me value in an area of great interest to me.  It was when Anneka Manning set up her BakeClub & Co membership that I decided to evaluate my subscriptions, and ended up with just two:

(a)  BakeClub & Co (see here)

Anneka Manning created her website BakeClub years ago (see here), and I have been receiving her emails ever since with free baking information and advice, recipes, and details of her paid online courses, many of which I have done over the past few years.

In December 2023 Anneka created BakeClub & Co (see link above), which is a yearly paid subscription for those interested in being part of what she calls an “inner circle”, where your baking knowledge is taken to the next level with monthly masterclasses on subjects such as making caramel, as well as monthly Q&A’s where members have the opportunity of asking any baking question they may have.  These sessions are videoed so they can be viewed by those who are unable to be present at the time, and can be viewed as many times as desired.

(b)  Savour School (see here)

Many years ago when visiting Melbourne, I attended a chocolate course at Kirsten Tibballs’ Savour School.

I am not sure if Kirsten needs any introduction to you, but if you are not sure of her background, you will find it here.

Kirsten is known as the “Chocolate Queen” for good reason … her recipes are amazing, and the online subscription she offers is fabulous.

Since I was involved in her chocolate course I have subscribed to her membership … the recipes offered are videoed, and you get a PDF of the recipe itself to follow whilst Kirsten (or in some cases guest chefs) prepare the recipe in front of you.  Again, you can view these videos has many times as you like which I have found to be so incredibly useful.

Kirsten has a wonderful way of expressing herself, and really cares about the quality of the knowledge she shares with you.  Yes, this is also a great subscription to consider if you are a baking “nerd” like me.