Tips and Techniques Posts

Sourdough Chocolate Chunk Cookies

What’s the best chocolate for chocolate chip cookies?

Chopped or chunks? Bittersweet or semisweet? How do I decide?!

May 6, 2025
Folding cake batter in red mixing bowl

Things bakers know: Never fold cake batter in this type of bowl

Shorter is better — here's why.

May 5, 2025
Crunchy granola clusters in a cereal bowl with milk

We tested: One surprising ingredient is the best way to get granola clusters

It's probably already in your pantry!

Apr 29, 2025
Dimpling focaccia dough in a focaccia pan

Baking trials: What’s the best pan to bake focaccia?

For the crispiest focaccia crust, choose wisely.

Apr 23, 2025
Pasta being pushed through a chitarra pasta cutter

A pasta tool to bring out your inner Italian granny

Why your kitchen needs a chitarra.

Apr 21, 2025
Chocolate Ermine Frosting

How much frosting do I need for a cake?

Here's your complete cake frosting guide.

Apr 17, 2025
Hands zesting a lemon with a microplane zester

Things bakers know: The right way to zest a lemon

Our Test Kitchen wizards swear by this wand.

Apr 16, 2025
Silky frosting being applied to a cake with an offset spatula

My new secret to great frosting? This powerful mixer.

It’s the key to silky, ultra-smooth buttercream.

Apr 8, 2025
Knife being used to cut a round cake

How to cut a round cake, according to the pros

Borrow a trick from professional pastry chefs.

Apr 7, 2025
Sliced fruit bars on a cutting board next to a knife

Things bakers know: Sniff your equipment!

Prevent unwanted flavors with a single sniff.

Mar 24, 2025
Pretzel Buns

Convection oven baking: Why this baker is a fan

For your best bakes, consider convection mode.

Mar 19, 2025
Three freshly fed starters, at different ratios

Baking trials: Testing different sourdough feeding ratios

What difference does your feeding ratio make?

Mar 13, 2025
Nests of fresh pasta on a sheet pan

How to make homemade pasta without a machine

Homemade pasta doesn’t have to be complicated.

Mar 10, 2025
Bag of bread flour behind a sliced loaf of oatmeal sandwich bread

What is bread flour?

Higher protein unlocks great bread.

Mar 5, 2025
Round cake pans, lined with parchment, being sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray.

Wait, do you really have to grease parchment paper?

It’s not overkill, we promise.

Feb 27, 2025
Biscuits baked in surrounding dough

Things bakers know: Break this biscuit rule before baking

The secret to ultra-soft biscuits.

Feb 26, 2025
Four different types of fresh pasta noodles next to each other

A guide to different ribbon-cut pasta shapes

Everything from lasagna to linguine.

Feb 21, 2025
Coiling hand-rolled pasta into nests on baking sheet

The tools you need to start making homemade pasta

My pasta-making starter pack.

Feb 7, 2025
A baker adding seed chocolate to melted chocolate over a double boiler

Things bakers know: Yes, you can mix chocolate and water (!)

Myth-busting, one drop of water at a time.

Feb 6, 2025
Cranking a pasta maker to cut noodles

How to use a pasta machine

It's easier than a trip to Italy.

Jan 29, 2025
Measuring cups with light and dark brown sugar

Light vs. dark brown sugar: What's the difference?

And can I substitute one brown sugar for another?

Jan 22, 2025
assembling a grilled cheese

For the best focaccia sandwich, turn things inside out

Make the most of your leftovers.

Jan 17, 2025
Glass sourdough crock next to measuring cup full of flour

Why is my sourdough starter not rising?

Sluggish starter? Here's what might be causing it — and how to fix it.

Jan 10, 2025
Overnight Baguettes

Winter is here. Make these 5 changes to your bread baking.

Your bread baking evolves along with the seasons.

Dec 23, 2024