International Recipes and Cooking Around the World

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.

Baking Recipes

Alfajores

Alfajores (South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)

(South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)

Naan

Naan (Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

(Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

Tah Chin

Tah Chin (Persian layered rice and chicken dish)

(Persian layered rice and chicken dish)

Kulich

Kulich (Eastern Orthodox sweet Easter bread)

(Eastern Orthodox sweet Easter bread)

Pita

Pita (Mediterranean pocket bread)

(Mediterranean pocket bread)

Baklava

Baklava (Greek, Turkish nut and phyllo sweet pastry)

(Eastern Mediterranean nut and phyllo sweet pastry)

ANZAC Biscuits

Fresh baked ANZAC biscuits

(Australian, New Zealand oatmeal and coconut cookies)