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

Challah 
(Israeli Jewish braided Sabbath bread)

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

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Papaya Pie 
(Caribbean papaya-filled tart)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Pie Crust 
(American dessert pastry crust)

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

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Apple Pie 
(American apple tart)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

Pizza Napoletana 
(Italian traditional pizza from Naples)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Hamantaschen 
(Israeli Jewish filled tricorner Purim pastries)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

Makový Koláč 
(Czech poppy seed torte)

Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies 
(American cinnamon-scented baked treat)

Lokshen Kugel 
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)

Barmbrack 
(Irish fruit bread)

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)

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

Lekach 
(Israeli Jewish honey cake)

Quesadilla Salvadoreña 
(Salvadoran sweet cheese poundcake)

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