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 Rustica di Mele 
(Italian rustic apple cake)

Scones 
(Scottish quick teacakes)

Banana Bread 
(Caribbean sweet quickbread)

Pita 
(Mediterranean pocket bread)

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo 
(Ethiopian spiced honey bread)

Makroud el Louse 
(Makroud el Louse)

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

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

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Torta di Noci 
(Italian walnut cake)

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

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

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Makový Koláč 
(Czech poppy seed torte)

Barmbrack 
(Irish fruit bread)

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

Cherniy Hleb 
(Russian black bread)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Pan de Muerto 
(Mexican anise-scented bread for the Day of the Dead)

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

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

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

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

Malva Pudding 
(South African apricot-flavored baked pudding)

Tah Chin 
(Persian layered rice and chicken dish)

Broa de Milho 
(Portuguese yeast-leavened cornbread)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Torta Maria Luisa 
(Latin marmalade-filled layer cake)

Irish Soda Bread 
(Irish soda-leavened bread)

Apfelstrudel 
(Austrian apple strudel pastry)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Pie Crust 
(American dessert pastry crust)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

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

Lekach 
(Israeli Jewish honey cake)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Bauernbrot 
(German farmer-style rye bread)

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

Kulich 
(Eastern Orthodox sweet Easter bread)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

Semita de Piña 
(Salvadoran jam-filled pastry)

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