Are you a fan of baking? Maybe your passion originally started as a casual hobby–baking cookies for holidays or decorating cakes for friends–but now you’re looking for new ways to branch out and challenge yourself. Here are some realistic ways that you can improve your skills.
Learn to Use a New Tool
Mastering tools is essential to perfecting your art, from something as simple as measuring cups or mixers to as complicated as the special tools used for blowing sugar-glass art for more complex cake decor. The more knowledge and experience you have with a wide range of tools, the more recipes you’ll be able to make. Here are some tools you should familiarize yourself with if you want to become a more impressive baker:
Whip Cream Chargers
You might not have heard much about whip cream charges before, but they’re quite popular with professional and semi-professional bakers, who would much rather top their desserts with homemade whipped cream instead of something from a can. Brands like Exotic Whip make easy-to-use whip cream chargers that allow you to have control over variables like pressure and flavor so that you can make the perfect whipped cream. You might think an investment like this isn’t worth it, but consider how many of your dishes are topped with whipped cream and how many could benefit from a product like this. When you think of it in terms of use rather than the up-front cost, it seems almost like a no-brainer to work this tool into your skillset.
Airbrushes
When you think of airbrushes, you might picture the little stands at amusement parks that make t-shirts or mesh-backed trucker caps with designs of your name along with flowers, dolphins, or some other–usually tropical for some reason–art. The airbrushes used in baking are quite similar to this, though they are used for decorating cakes or other desserts instead of souvenir apparel. If you are looking to get good at decorating cakes, then you must learn how to use an airbrush. This tool can help you create more realistic designs and shading on fondant so that you can create some truly over-the-top cakes.
Mastering Technique
While having the right tools for the job is important, it’s even more crucial that you have the proper training to be able to use them well. Here are some ways that you can perfect your technique:
Practice
If your goal is to become an expert at decorating, then you must practice your piping. There are so many different piping techniques that can be used to create intricate designs, and you must have a steady hand and a strong sense of focus to be able to do them well. If you find yourself struggling with certain techniques, you should put more practice into them. Some people have to pipe dozens of flowers before they finally end up with a decent-looking rose. There’s no shame in having to keep trying to achieve success, only in quitting.
Taking Classes
If you’re struggling to learn new techniques on your own, then you should sign up for classes with a teacher that can give you the proper guidance that you need. It would be ideal to sign up for a local baking class so that you can get one-on-one help from an instructor. However, if there are no baking classes near you, no worries! Thanks to the growing popularity of things like remote instruction, there are plenty of online offerings for baking classes, so you’re sure to be able to find the help you need.
Trying New Recipes
If you want to get better at baking, you need to branch out and try new recipes that might seem intimidating to you. This is the only way that you can challenge yourself and put your skills into practice. Some desserts that hold a reputation for being notoriously difficult to make include:
● French Macarons
● Baked Alaska
● Eclairs
● Croquembouche
● Souffle
● Creme Brulee
● Napoleon
● Baklava
Some of these desserts are difficult because of how finicky their requirements are for preparation or baking, while others are known for being especially time-consuming, taking hours if not days to prepare correctly. Some of these deserts could be a cause for grief for even some of the most experienced bakers.
Conclusion
Becoming a better baker is an entirely achievable goal, especially if you are dedicated to your craft and willing to put in the work to hone your skills. With enough education and training, you can master the techniques required to make some of the most challenging desserts, and you’ll get the chance to experience the sweet taste of victory.