Taste.com.au’s guide for Christmas baking basics

Christmas baking just got a lot easier thanks to the crew at Taste.com.au. Follow their six baking basics to make sure your December 25 celebrations are as delicious as possible.

2 min read

November 28, 2023 - 5:00AM

Baking for family and friends is one of the many joys of Christmas time, but before you begin it’s important to check a few basics

Fresh is best

Make sure all your ingredients are fresh and of good quality. Check the expiry dates of all pantry items as old or stale flour, spices and dried fruit can affect the end result. Storing nuts in the fridge or freezer is an excellent way to maintain freshness.

Stick to the quantities and instructions and avoid substituting one item for another at least until you become familiar with it.

Bind that butter

Any opened packets of butter should be firmly sealed in foil or cling wrap and preferably stored in an airtight container away from strong smelling food. Nobody wants garlic-infused butter in their mince pies, right?

Weigh in

Because baking is a science, it’s imperative that ingredients are weighed accurately on a good set of digital scales. If you’re using measuring cups, ensure that they are clearly marked. Metric tablespoons should be 20ml, not 15ml.

Christmas rocky road. See below for recipe.

Follow the recipe

Stick to the quantities and instructions the first time you bake something and avoid substituting one item for another at least until you become familiar with it.

Buy best

The preferred choice for all home and professional bakers is usually unsalted butter – try Western Star Chef’s Choice or Western Star Unsalted Butter. However, some baking recipes benefit from the addition of a little salt. Try Western Star Original or Western Star Salt Reduced Butter in some chocolate and caramel recipes, savoury biscuits and pastries.

Kit out with tools

Overwhelmed by the range of different baking materials on offer? If you are wondering whether to buy an expensive silicon mat for baking, remember that baking paper in a tin works perfectly well most of the time. Silicon works very well for particularly sticky or delicate items. Cakes cooked in silicon pans often don’t form a golden crust like those cooked in a traditional tin lined with butter and baking paper. Black non-stick tins will often overheat and burn the outside crust – it often helps to lower the oven temperature and shorten the cooking time when cooking in a black tin.