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

Torta Maria Luisa 
(Latin marmalade-filled layer cake)

Broa de Milho 
(Portuguese yeast-leavened cornbread)

Torta Rustica di Mele 
(Italian rustic apple cake)

Hamantaschen 
(Israeli Jewish filled tricorner Purim pastries)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Lokshen Kugel 
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)

Barmbrack 
(Irish fruit bread)

Pastel de Tres Leches 
(Central American cake of three milks)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Lekach 
(Israeli Jewish honey cake)

Kulich 
(Eastern Orthodox sweet Easter bread)

Tah Chin 
(Persian layered rice and chicken dish)

Blueberry Pie 
(American blueberry-filled double-crust tart)

New York Cheesecake 
(American Mid-Atlantic cream cheese dessert)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Naan 
(Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

Lavash 
(Southwest Asian thin flatbread)

Peach Cobbler 
(American peaches baked with pastry)

Blitzkuchen mit Obst 
(German quick and easy coffeecake with fruit)

Socca Niçoise au Four 
(French Provencal chickpea bread)

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

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Irish Soda Bread 
(Irish soda-leavened bread)

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)

ANZAC Biscuits 
(Australian, New Zealand oatmeal and coconut cookies)

Cherniy Hleb 
(Russian black bread)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

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

Pita 
(Mediterranean pocket bread)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Empanadas 
(Latin savory stuffed pastries)

Scones 
(Scottish quick teacakes)

Cornbread 
(American cornmeal bread)

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo 
(Ethiopian spiced honey bread)

Apple Cake 
(American tender cake with apples)

Baklava 
(Eastern Mediterranean nut and phyllo sweet pastry)

Makový Koláč 
(Czech poppy seed torte)

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)

Pâte Brisée 
(French pastry crust for savory tarts and pies)

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

Malva Pudding 
(South African apricot-flavored baked pudding)

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