Self-Taught Lesson #11: What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

We'll look at the nuances in baking, why it's considered a more feminine craft compared to cooking, and the standard formula for making a great dessert.

When I walked into this, I thought that this week would just be about desserts you stick in an oven. In contrast to yeasted breads, this would be about “things you bake with flour that don’t rise.”

I underestimated how much of a world there is to desserts.

This could be its own series, breaking down pastries from cupcakes from custards from cheesecakes.

So like any good student ahead of a big test on a tight deadline, we’re going to skim it, looking at:

• baking essentials to pack your kitchen

• the types of desserts and their definitions

• the basic process of making a dessert like this (knowing that recipes should be precisely and carefully followed)

What do you need in the kitchen to start baking?

EQUIPMENT

HAND TOOLS

• Measuring cups and spoons for both liquid and dry ingredients

  • Yes, there’s a difference between how milk or flour sits in a measuring cup!

  • Wet measuring cups have a spout and are designed for bakers to read the bottom of the meniscus, and a dry measuring cup

  • The alternative is …