Chefs share their best-kept baking secrets.

Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be here and for many that means baking,
and if you plan on doing some baking this holiday season, here are four tips from
top chefs.

The tips:
Making the perfect crust, cheesecake and a sweet drizzle for your favorite
bundt cake.

The Pro Tips:
a) Measuring Flour-
Tired of dense and dry sweet treats? Try this- Gently spoon
the flour into the cup until it’s overfilled, then sweep off the
excess using a straight edge. Doing it this way ensures the
flour stays light and airy–and all of your baked goods will too.

b) Sugar For a Sweet Treat-
Oh no, you’re ready to add a drizzle of sweetness onto your cake,
but you have a problem, what is it? No powdered sugar.
Don’t despair, use this tip: Combine granulated sugar with a little
cornstarch (about 1 Tbs. per cup of sugar) in your food processor
until it’s light and fluffy. It may take a few mins. so keep an eye on it.
After that, mix with water and drizzle over muffins, scones or cake.

c) Creamy Cheesecake-
A lot of people would rather buy a cheesecake than make one, and
for many it seems too difficult, but it isn’t. If the foil wrapping tears,
letting water leak into the pan, do this: Use an oven bag
(the ones you use for turkeys). Put the bag in a baking dish, then place
the filled pan in the bag, leaving the top open. Fill the dish halfway with
water and bake as usual.

d) A Non-Soggy Crust-
You would love to bake an apple pie, but you’re afraid the
crust will come out soggy. To prevent a soggy bottom,
do this: Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with 3 to 4 Tbs. of
crushed graham crackers or shortbread cookies just before filling.
The crumbs will help absorb excess liquid, plus add an extra layer
of flavor.

e) A Recipe For Cake Lovers-
Now that you know a few “pro-chef” secrets, it’s time to go one
step further and make a dessert. The Dessert: Spiced Nut Bundt Cake!
Ingredients:
1 box of spice cake mix
3 Eggs
1/3 cup of oil (canola or vegetable)
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4″ pieces
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts, roasted
2 cups of confectioners’ sugar (see recipe at top, tip B)
Apple slices and extra walnut halves (for garnish) optional
To make:
Preheat the oven to 325*F. Coat a Bundt pan with cooking spray
and lightly dust with flour. Prepare the cake mix according to
the directions on the box, add slices and chopped nuts.
Pour into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center
comes out clean, about 40 to 45 mins. Remove the cake
from the oven and leave it alone for 20 to 30 mins.
In a bowl, mix the sugar with 2 Tbs. of warm water, adding more water,
1 tsp. at a time, if it’s too thick. Spoon over cake if desired, garnish with
apple slices and walnut halves, if desired.
Another tip: If calories are a concern, don’t make the sugar drizzle.
Calories per slice- 270, without the sugar drizzle-240, Prot-3g. Carbs-42g.

Sources:
* Taste of Home Magazine
* Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, Food Network Star
* Martha Stewart, Chef, Businesswoman and Television Personality

Please pass these tips on to family and friends who love to bake
during the holidays and after the holidays.
Share these tips over at Facebook, Snapchat. Instagram, Reddit,
Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tik-Tok, and Twitter.

Need more baking (and cooking) tips for the holidays? Head on over to
Amazon.co/kindle and type The Cooking & Cleaning Rxs Just For The Holidays,
in the search bar and download a copy for yourself and a copy for a friend or
family member.
Thank-You!