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

Baklava 
(Eastern Mediterranean nut and phyllo sweet pastry)

Scones 
(Scottish quick teacakes)

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Focaccia Genovese 
(Italian olive oil bread with sea salt and rosemary)

Pâte Brisée 
(French pastry crust for savory tarts and pies)

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

Blitzkuchen mit Obst 
(German quick and easy coffeecake with fruit)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

Malva Pudding 
(South African apricot-flavored baked pudding)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Apple Pie 
(American apple tart)

Torta Pasqualina 
(Italian Easter spinach, ricotta and egg torte)

Socca Niçoise au Four 
(French Provencal chickpea bread)

Naan 
(Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

Pie Crust 
(American dessert pastry crust)

Lekach 
(Israeli Jewish honey cake)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Basboosa 
(Egyptian semolina cake)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Semita de Piña 
(Salvadoran jam-filled pastry)

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Quesadilla Salvadoreña 
(Salvadoran sweet cheese poundcake)

Tarte Tatin 
(French caramelized apple tart)

Bauernbrot 
(German farmer-style rye bread)

Coca-Cola Cake 
(American cocoa-cola cake)

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