well here's an interesting duo.

 

It’s been a long time since I reviewed a bakery cookbook, and for good reason. I am the worst baker ever. I like to dabble here and there when the mood strikes, and when the recipe is designed for a fifth grader. The thing I loved about The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl and Griffith Day is that every treat I attempted came out good. I can’t say great because this is me we are talking about, but pretty darn good if you ask me, and my dad.

Number one, the homemade jam is the easiest recipe ever. It was an instant crowd pleaser since I come from a family where toast is a major food group. I really enjoyed the six key areas to look at when baking and cooking titled “Making the Magic” which I will share with you:

1. Get It Together- look at the recipe and make sure you understand it and have all the ingredients.
2. Temperature Matters- Eggs should be at room temperature, which I knew, The eye opener for me is that to provide the best creaming of butter and sugar, is to have the butter not cold, not too soft, but take it out of the fridge half an hour before use. You want the butter to be a little cool, but it will indent with your fingertip. This makes the nest of creaming the ingredients.
3. The Ingredients Are Key- why eggs are needed and what they contain, the use of baking soda and powder.
4. Measuring Flour- why you should always loosen up the flour before measuring.
5. Creaming Butter- we covered most of this and more.
6. The Extra Step-moving the batter from mixing bowl to another bowl and why.

 

If you follow this advice all of your recipes will turn out fabulous.