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

Focaccia Genovese 
(Italian olive oil bread with sea salt and rosemary)

Apfelstrudel 
(Austrian apple strudel pastry)

Pflaumenkuchen 
(German plum tart)

Socca Niçoise au Four 
(French Provencal chickpea bread)

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

Cornbread 
(American cornmeal bread)

Pasta per Torte Salate 
(Italian olive oil dough for savory tortes)

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Barmbrack 
(Irish fruit bread)

Lekach 
(Israeli Jewish honey cake)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Lokshen Kugel 
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)

Lavash 
(Southwest Asian thin flatbread)

Tarte Tatin 
(French caramelized apple tart)

Scones 
(Scottish quick teacakes)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Challah 
(Israeli Jewish braided Sabbath bread)

Torta Rustica di Mele 
(Italian rustic apple cake)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

Tah Chin 
(Persian layered rice and chicken dish)

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo 
(Ethiopian spiced honey bread)

Torta Pasqualina 
(Italian Easter spinach, ricotta and egg torte)

Acharuli Khachapuri 
(Georgian boat-shaped cheesebread with egg and butter)

Bauernbrot 
(German farmer-style rye bread)

Pizza Napoletana 
(Italian traditional pizzas from Naples)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Apple Cake 
(American tender cake with apples)

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

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Torta Maria Luisa 
(Latin marmalade-filled layer cake)

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Broa de Milho 
(Portuguese yeast-leavened cornbread)

Peach Cobbler 
(American peaches baked with pastry)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

Semita de Piña 
(Salvadoran jam-filled pastry)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

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

Basboosa 
(Egyptian semolina cake)

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

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

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)

Banana Bread 
(Caribbean sweet quickbread)

Clafoutis 
(French cherry flan)

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