There is nothing better than the sweet smell and delicious flavor of fresh homemade pies, cakes, and cookies...especially during the holidays.
Baking for the holidays should be both rewarding and fun. Get your kids involved. Have them go with you when purchasing the ingredients...make a day out of it and go for lunch. It will make the day more meaningful and also will get your children interested in actually helping to prepare your family favorite treats.
Baking for the holidays should be both rewarding and fun. Get your kids involved. Have them go with you when purchasing the ingredients...make a day out of it and go for lunch. It will make the day more meaningful and also will get your children interested in actually helping to prepare your family favorite treats.
You can always take the easy way out and purchase Mrs. Smith or Sara Lee ready-made desserts. But of course, it's just not the same as made from scratch and certainly not as much fun. If you're like me...you want everything festive, special, and homemade. The aroma of homemade delights baking in the house gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
There are a lot of helpful tips to sweeten your holiday baking experience. And with the added tasks of gift buying, decorating, and planning your holiday events, some useful tips will come in handy...especially if it saves you some time in the kitchen.
Below are a few time-saving baking tips
Unfrosted cakes can be frozen for up to 4 months, but no longer. To freeze layered cakes, place the cooled layers on baking sheets, and then freeze until firm. Transport the layers to large freezer bags and then seal them in freezer wrap.
Angel food and chiffon cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. The fragile sponge-texture may crumble and deteriorate if stored in freezer longer. Loosen wrap and thaw cakes at room temperature for 3 hours before frosting and serving.
Homemade fruit pies can be frozen for up to 4 months. For baked pies...let them cool completely. Store them in freezer bags and then seal them in freezer wrap. Thaw them at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
For unbaked pies...it is best not to cut slits in the crust tops or brush with egg white until thawing. Before assembling pies, treat light-color fruit with ascorbic acid color-keeper. Assemble pies in metal pans. Store in large freezing bag and then seal them in freezer wrap.
To bake a frozen pie...unwrap, and cover with foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Cookie dough can also freeze well for 4 to 5 weeks. For sugar and butter cookies...divide dough into small sections and form into logs. Double wrap the logs with plastic wrap. When you're ready to bake the cookies, slice the dough log in 1/4 inch slices with a sharp knife. An electric knife works really well for this.
For drop cookie dough...here is a great idea. And remember, you can do this 4 to 5 weeks ahead of time. Roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on cookie sheets lined with waxed paper and put the sheets in the freezer for about an hour. Then place the dough balls into a large resealable freezer bag. When ready to use, you can then bake the frozen dough balls at the normal temperature without thawing. Just make for sure you add just a few minutes to the baking time.
Important Note: Always make for sure you label everything before storing in the freezer.
Some helpful reminder baking tips
Frozen Desserts: To make serving frozen desserts easier, dip knife in warm water before slicing
Cookie Tip: Allow cookie sheets to cool slightly between baking each batch to preven cookies from flattening and not hold shape.
Glass Baking Pans: For best results, when using glass baking pans, always reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Golden Crust: Give partially baked pies a golden crust by brushing the edges with a lightly beaten egg white.
Pumpkin Pie Tip: For real homemade pumpkin pies, picking the right sized pumpkin is important. A 6 pound pumpkin makes about 2 cups pulp. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin equals approximately 1 and 3/4 cups pulp.
Crust Tip: Too much flour or water will make a crust tough, while too much shortening will make it too crumbly.
Cinnamon Sticks: They just have a pleasant aroma and can also infuse festive holiday treats with appealing taste. For a spiced drink, simmer with cider. A cinnamon stick can also be used as a stirrer for hot cocoa, coffee...or any of your favorite drinks.
Just a few simple tips such as these can ease the stress a bit from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
There are a lot of helpful tips to sweeten your holiday baking experience. And with the added tasks of gift buying, decorating, and planning your holiday events, some useful tips will come in handy...especially if it saves you some time in the kitchen.
Below are a few time-saving baking tips
Unfrosted cakes can be frozen for up to 4 months, but no longer. To freeze layered cakes, place the cooled layers on baking sheets, and then freeze until firm. Transport the layers to large freezer bags and then seal them in freezer wrap.
Angel food and chiffon cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. The fragile sponge-texture may crumble and deteriorate if stored in freezer longer. Loosen wrap and thaw cakes at room temperature for 3 hours before frosting and serving.
Homemade fruit pies can be frozen for up to 4 months. For baked pies...let them cool completely. Store them in freezer bags and then seal them in freezer wrap. Thaw them at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
For unbaked pies...it is best not to cut slits in the crust tops or brush with egg white until thawing. Before assembling pies, treat light-color fruit with ascorbic acid color-keeper. Assemble pies in metal pans. Store in large freezing bag and then seal them in freezer wrap.
To bake a frozen pie...unwrap, and cover with foil. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
Cookie dough can also freeze well for 4 to 5 weeks. For sugar and butter cookies...divide dough into small sections and form into logs. Double wrap the logs with plastic wrap. When you're ready to bake the cookies, slice the dough log in 1/4 inch slices with a sharp knife. An electric knife works really well for this.
For drop cookie dough...here is a great idea. And remember, you can do this 4 to 5 weeks ahead of time. Roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls and place on cookie sheets lined with waxed paper and put the sheets in the freezer for about an hour. Then place the dough balls into a large resealable freezer bag. When ready to use, you can then bake the frozen dough balls at the normal temperature without thawing. Just make for sure you add just a few minutes to the baking time.
Important Note: Always make for sure you label everything before storing in the freezer.
Some helpful reminder baking tips
Frozen Desserts: To make serving frozen desserts easier, dip knife in warm water before slicing
Cookie Tip: Allow cookie sheets to cool slightly between baking each batch to preven cookies from flattening and not hold shape.
Glass Baking Pans: For best results, when using glass baking pans, always reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Golden Crust: Give partially baked pies a golden crust by brushing the edges with a lightly beaten egg white.
Pumpkin Pie Tip: For real homemade pumpkin pies, picking the right sized pumpkin is important. A 6 pound pumpkin makes about 2 cups pulp. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin equals approximately 1 and 3/4 cups pulp.
Crust Tip: Too much flour or water will make a crust tough, while too much shortening will make it too crumbly.
Cinnamon Sticks: They just have a pleasant aroma and can also infuse festive holiday treats with appealing taste. For a spiced drink, simmer with cider. A cinnamon stick can also be used as a stirrer for hot cocoa, coffee...or any of your favorite drinks.
Just a few simple tips such as these can ease the stress a bit from the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
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