Baking: Method and Recipes

Ingredients for baking
Image by Markus Spiske

Baking is a way of cooking sweet or savory items in the dry heat of an oven. Although baking itself is a relatively easy process, it is good to have some knowledge of the role each ingredient plays in creating the final dish.

Different ingredients strengthen, bind, thicken, sweeten, leaven and add moisture. Some ingredients, like milk and sugar, perform multiple roles. And others will only carry out their duties under very specific conditions. For this reason baking is often compared to the science of chemistry.

You shouldn’t be intimidated by baking though. A reasonable knowledge of basic methods and ingredient functions opens up a world of variety and creativity that is the raison de faire cuire au four of the typical pastry chef.

International Baking Recipes

Torta Rustica di Mele 
(Italian rustic apple cake)

Naan 
(Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

Blueberry Pie 
(American blueberry-filled double-crust tart)

Sweet Potato Pie 
(American, Southern-Soul sweet potato open-faced tart)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Socca Niçoise au Four 
(French Provencal chickpea bread)

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Pan de Jamón 
(Venezuelan ham, raisin and olive bread)

Pan de Muerto 
(Mexican anise-scented bread for the Day of the Dead)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Hamantaschen 
(Israeli Jewish filled tricorner Purim pastries)

Broa de Milho 
(Portuguese yeast-leavened cornbread)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

Pita 
(Mediterranean pocket bread)

Challah 
(Israeli Jewish braided Sabbath bread)

Empanadas 
(Latin savory stuffed pastries)

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Lokshen Kugel 
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Acharuli Khachapuri 
(Georgian boat-shaped cheesebread with egg and butter)

Apfelstrudel 
(Austrian apple strudel pastry)

Cornbread 
(American cornmeal bread)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

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