Cheaper, Better, Faster by Mary Hunt Page A

sides and top, and then pull out the spaghetti once the icing sets.
    Baking—cake plate drips and smears
    To prevent frosting drippings and smears on the cake plate, slip several strips of waxed paper just slightly under the edge of the cake all the way around it. Once the frosting is set, gently remove the paper to reveal the clean plate.
    Baking—cookie cutters, no sticking
    A thin coat of cooking spray will prevent dough from sticking to cookie cutters. This also works with your children’s play dough.
    Baking—cookie sheets
    If the cookie sheet you are baking cookies on is half or less than half full of cookies, it may absorb too much heat. Place an inverted baking pan on the empty half.
    Baking—cookie dough, storage
    An 8-ounce juice can is just right for storing homemade cookie dough. Cover the open end with foil or plastic wrap and either refrigerate for a few days or freeze for later. When you’re ready to bake a batch, push the can at the bottom and squeeze out the dough. Cut it into slices and bake, following the recipe directions.
    Baking—cookies, avoid burning
    If you have trouble with cookies burning in your oven, bake them with a second cookie sheet under the first one.
    Baking—cookies, peanut butter
    When making the traditional fork marks on peanut butter cookies, first dip the tines in cinnamon, allspice, or ginger, then press down. This is effective, and tasty.
    Baking—don’t peek in oven
    Don’t open the oven when something is baking. Each peek can reduce oven temperature by as much as 25 degrees, will affect the baking quality, and can change the baking time. Watch the clock instead.
    Baking—don’t use whipped butter
    Whipped butter contains more than 30 percent air, so it should never be used in baked goods.
    Baking—freeze your rolling pin
    Chill the rolling pin in the freezer so the dough won’t stick to it. This prevents more flour from being added to the dough.
    Baking—fruit for pies
    Always taste the fruit before making a fruit pie filling. If the fruit isn’t sweet enough, slice it very thinly so there’ll be more surfaces to absorb the sugar.
    Baking—glaze and butter brushing
    A new paintbrush is perfect for brushing glaze on bread and pastry dough before cooking or melted butter on corn or dinner rolls.
    Baking—location in oven
    Bake pies, tarts, and quiches in the lower third of the oven. The bottom crust will be crisp, and the edges or top crust won’t overbrown.
    Baking—maple frosting
    For a quick, easy, and delicious frosting, add maple syrup to confectioners’ sugar and stir until rich and thick. Spread on cakes, cookies, and buns.
    Baking—multiples in the oven
    When baking more than one item at a time, make sure there’s plenty of room between the pans, walls, and racks of the oven for air to circulate.
    Baking—no cupcake batter spills
    A spill-proof way to pour cupcake batter into muffin tins or pancake batter onto a griddle is to transfer it to a clean milk carton, using a funnel. The carton’s spout lets you pour with precision and provides an excellent container for storage in the refrigerator.
    Baking—quick-bread muffins instead of loaves
    When it’s too hot to crank up the oven for an hour, bake your favorite quick bread as muffins rather than loaves. Baking time is only 15 to 20 minutes, and the muffins are great take-alongs for summertime picnics and potlucks.
    Baking—quick bread, measure ingredients carefully
    Too much baking powder or baking soda gives quick bread a crumbly, dry texture and a bitter aftertaste. It can also make the batter overrise, causing the bread to fall.
    Baking—toasted oats
    To give your homemade cakes, cookies, and breads a crunchy texture and nutty flavor, place uncooked oats on a cookie sheet in your oven and toast until they’re golden brown. Mix the toasted oats into the dough or batter.
    Baking—use nonfat dry