Baking Resources

Welcome to Pastry Chef Online’s Baking Resources Center!

Consider this section your culinary school in blog form.

First and foremost, I want you to achieve your goals in baking and pastry.

Whether you want to bake professionally or are a passionate home baker who wants to really understand the hows and whys behind all the recipes you find, I am here to help.

This section of the site will grow and change with your direction. You and your needs are a vital part of Pastry Chef Online and what makes us a community. Please ask questions so I can provide you the answers you need.

Right now, I have several categories dedicated to pastry basics and fundamentals, and there is a lot of overlap among them.

A few resources you may appreciate before you dive in:

I’d suggest you start in this order:

Pastry Ingredients

Frequently used baking staples: what they are and how to make them do what you want them to. A good place to start is to familiarize yourself with the ingredients you’ll be working with.

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Ingredient Function

Deep dives into staple baking ingredients: not only what they are, but also what they do in recipes. This sort of information is invaluable if you want to develop your own recipes.

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Then move to

Pastry
Methods

Once you learn the function of the main ingredients in baking and pastry recipes, it’s time to learn how to mix them together to achieve your desired results. This category has deep dives into the main mixing methods such as the creaming method and the biscuit method, posts that contain deep dives into how I formulate some of my recipes, and other basic methods such as tempering eggs, browning butter, and how to make mousse that doesn’t get grainy.

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Pastry Techniques

In this section, you’ll find tutorials for some easier techniques like whipping cream, browning butter, and tempering eggs. You’ll also find comprehensive tutorials on making puff pastry, different types of water baths and their uses, and how to make pie crust.




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Baking Fundamentals

This category houses posts that cover deep dives on lots of topics from salting to taste, pairing flavors, and the (subjective) difference between pies and tarts. You’ll also find some answers to questions such as “Do I Have to Sift Flour?” and “How Do I Scald Milk?”



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And last but not least…

Pastry Questions Answered

All the posts in this category are answers from questions that readers have asked, either on the Facebook page or via email. You’ll find discussions of making cinnamon bread with layers that don’t separate, the difference between butterscotch and caramel, an indepth look at custards and puddings, and more. If you have a specific question you’d like me to address, by all means, get in touch.

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Pastry Tips & Tricks

Most of these posts are quick lists I’ve made to help you get your creative juices flowing. You’ll find posts on quickie dessert ideas for when last-minute company shows up, ways to use ice in the pastry kitchen, and 7 ideas for Cool Whip substitutes.

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