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40 Hacks to Help You Bake Like a Pro

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Gourmandize
Use Fresh, Room Temperature Eggs for Whipping 17/40

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Use Fresh, Room Temperature Eggs for Whipping

When you need to whip or beat egg whites for a recipe, make sure you use fresh eggs, as they have more acidity and will get better volume than old eggs. To check for freshness, place your eggs in a cup of water. Fresh eggs will stay on the bottom of the glass, while older ones tend to float. Also, make sure your eggs are room temperature before beating them. To get them as airy as possible, begin beating them gently and pick up the speed as you go along—more specifically, when they start to become frothy.


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Ingredients

  • 2 large water or soda bottles (empty)
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Ready 2 large plastic bottles, cleaned and dried.
  3. Add 1 cup of flour to each bottle.
  4. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to each.
  5. Melt butter, then add equal halves to each bottle.
  6. Add 6 eggs, 3 in each.
  7. Add 1/2 tbsp of baking powder to each.
  8. Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream to each.
  9. Shake the bottles thoroughly until the contents are well mixed.
  10. In one of the bottles only, add the cocoa powder.
  11. Beginning with the cocoa powder mixture, add a dolop of batter to the center of a circular
  12. baking tin. Do the same with the other mixture, placing the dolop directly in the center of the previous one.
  13. Continue with alternating additions of each mixture until all batter is used and the tin is full.
  14. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  15. Serve and enjoy!