Baking Recipes
261 recipes. Page 10 of 11
Baking transforms flour, butter, sugar, and eggs into breads, cookies, cakes, muffins, and more. The aroma of something freshly baked is one of the great pleasures of cooking at home.
Sacher Torte (Viennese Dark Chocolate Apricot Cake)
Sacher torte is Vienna's most celebrated cake - a dense, intensely chocolatey sponge split horizontally and filled with a thin layer of apricot jam, then enrobed in a glossy dark chocolate glaze. The batter contains a higher ratio of melted chocolate and butter than a typical chocolate cake, which makes the crumb rich and moist rather than light and airy. Whipped egg whites folded into the chocolate base introduce just enough lift to keep the texture from becoming leaden, while the apricot jam provides a tart, fruity counterpoint that prevents the chocolate from overwhelming the palate. The glaze is made by heating heavy cream and pouring it over chopped dark chocolate, stirring until smooth, then pouring it over the cake in a single motion for a mirror-like finish. Warming the jam slightly before spreading ensures an even, thin coat that does not tear the delicate sponge. Once the glaze has set completely, slicing with a knife dipped in hot water produces the cleanest cross-section, revealing the dark cake, the amber jam line, and the shiny chocolate shell.
Salmon in Puff Pastry
Salmon en croute wraps a salmon fillet spread with a mixture of cream cheese, wilted spinach, dill, and lemon zest inside puff pastry and bakes it until golden. Patting the salmon completely dry with paper towels is crucial - any surface moisture will make the pastry soggy. The spinach must also be squeezed thoroughly to prevent a wet filling. Cream cheese and Dijon mustard form a barrier between the fish and the dough, blocking the salmon's moisture from softening the pastry. Baking at 200 degrees Celsius for twenty-five to thirty minutes puffs the pastry into flaky, crisp layers while the salmon inside stays tender and moist, delivering both textures in every slice. Chilling the assembled package for ten minutes before baking re-firms the butter in the pastry, producing sharper layers after baking.
Salted Doenjang Caramel Cookies
These unique cookies combine the rich umami of Korean fermented soybean paste, doenjang, with the sweetness of a brown sugar caramel dough. To prepare them, white sugar and heavy cream are heated to create a smooth caramel glaze. This mixture is cooled and combined with creamed butter, brown sugar, egg, and a small portion of strained doenjang, keeping the paste to about one or two percent of the total dough weight to ensure a subtle flavor. The dry ingredients are gently folded in before the dough is portioned into small balls and chilled for twenty minutes to control spreading during baking. Baking at 180 degrees Celsius results in cookies with crisp, toffee-like rims and soft, chewy centers. Pressing the centers slightly after baking enhances the texture. These treats offer a complex balance of sweet, salty, and savory notes that pair exceptionally well with espresso.
Sausage Roll
Sausage roll is a British bakery snack made by wrapping seasoned sausage meat in puff pastry, brushing with egg wash, and baking until golden. Mixing the meat with finely minced onion, breadcrumbs, and Dijon mustard adds moisture and flavor that keep the filling juicy after baking. Rolling the pastry around a log of filling and placing the seam side down prevents the roll from opening in the oven. Scoring the top allows steam to escape, which helps the pastry puff into crisp, distinct layers. Baking at 200 degrees Celsius for twenty to twenty-five minutes produces a deep golden shell with flaky, butter-rich layers encasing the savory meat inside. It works equally well as a snack, light meal, or picnic food.
Semla (Swedish Cardamom Bun with Almond Cream)
Semla is a Swedish cardamom-scented bun that is baked, cooled, and then hollowed out to make room for a filling of almond paste mixed with the scooped crumb, topped with a generous mound of whipped cream. The bun itself is soft and fragrant, with cardamom lending an exotic warmth that distinguishes it from ordinary sweet rolls. The almond filling is dense and intensely nutty, providing a rich base layer that the light, billowy cream offsets with its cool freshness. The removed cap of the bun is placed back on top like a lid, and a final dusting of powdered sugar completes the presentation. Timing is important: the bun must cool completely before any cream goes in, or the heat will melt it into a flat puddle. If the cardamom flavor feels too subtle after baking, increasing the spice by half a teaspoon in the dough brings it to the forefront. In Sweden, semla appears in bakeries from January through Easter, and the best versions balance the three components - bread, nut paste, and cream - so that no single element dominates.
Sfogliatella (Neapolitan Layered Shell Pastry with Ricotta)
Sfogliatella is a Neapolitan pastry built from a lean flour-and-water dough that is stretched paper-thin, brushed with butter, and rolled into a tight cylinder to create hundreds of distinct layers. Slices of this cylinder are opened into a shell shape, filled with a mixture of ricotta cheese, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest, then baked at high heat. In the oven, the butter between each layer turns to steam and forces the sheets apart, producing an exterior that shatters audibly at the first bite. Inside, the ricotta filling softens to a warm, fragrant cream with citrus and spice notes that contrast beautifully with the crisp shell. The thinner the dough is stretched before rolling, the more pronounced the layered effect becomes - professional bakers aim for near-transparency. Overfilling is the most common cause of failure, as excess moisture from the ricotta can burst through the delicate layers during baking. The ideal sfogliatella emerges from a 200-degree oven deeply golden on every ridge, with a filling that is just set and still slightly creamy in the center.
Shortbread Cookies
These shortbread cookies use 150 g of unsalted butter with powdered sugar, cake flour, rice flour, salt, and vanilla. The butter stays cold while any visible lumps in 220 g of cake flour and 30 g of rice flour are loosened. The cold butter is mixed briefly with 70 g of powdered sugar, stopping before its surface turns melted, glossy, or greasy. One teaspoon of vanilla is blended in at that point. The cake flour, rice flour, and one-quarter teaspoon of salt are then added with a cutting motion rather than prolonged beating. When almost no dry flour remains, the dough is pressed together by hand once and mixing stops. This handling keeps the dough from being repeatedly kneaded after it has already formed. It is rolled to an even thickness and cut into the chosen shapes. Cracked edges are joined with light fingertip pressure, and a fork makes shallow holes across the surface. The cut pieces chill for 20 minutes before baking. A firm surface and pieces that do not bend when lifted indicate that they are cold enough to move to the oven. They bake at 170°C for 18-20 minutes. Only the edges should be pale golden at the removal point; the whole cookie does not need a deep brown color. Freshly baked shortbread is fragile while hot, so the pieces remain undisturbed until they have cooled completely and can be lifted without breaking at the edges.
Shu Cream Ppang (Korean Custard Cream Bun)
Shu cream ppang is a soft yeast bun filled before baking with chilled custard, so both dough development and a tight seal matter. Combine 250 g bread flour, 40 g sugar, 4 g salt, and 5 g dry yeast in a large bowl. Distribute the dry ingredients broadly rather than leaving the salt and yeast piled together, then add 140 ml warm milk and half of the beaten 1 egg. Mix until a rough dough forms. Work in 30 g unsalted butter and knead for 15 minutes, until the surface is smooth and the dough stretches with elasticity instead of tearing immediately. Cover it and leave it in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it expands to twice its original size. Press out the large gas pockets gently, divide the dough into 6 equal portions, round each one, and rest them for 15 minutes. This intermediate rest relaxes the dough so it can be flattened without springing back. Keep 300 g custard cream refrigerated until filling time; cold custard is firmer and easier to enclose. Flatten each portion, divide the cream among the centers, and bring the dough edges together over the filling. Pinch the seam meticulously so no opening remains, then set each bun seam-side down on a baking sheet. Allow 40 minutes for the second rise. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining beaten egg and bake at 180 C for 12 to 15 minutes, until the surfaces are evenly golden. Transfer the buns to a rack and cool them completely. Because they contain custard, seal and refrigerate them within 2 hours after cooling and eat them within 2 days.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodle cookies are formed from a butter dough, rolled completely in cinnamon sugar, and baked with space between each ball. The process begins by creaming 115 g of room-temperature unsalted butter with 150 g of sugar for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should look paler, lighter, and slightly increased in volume before one egg and one teaspoon of vanilla are added. The bowl is scraped and mixing continues only until the butter mixture looks even again. Next, 200 g of all-purpose flour, one teaspoon of cream of tartar, and one-half teaspoon of baking soda are sifted in. Mixing stops as soon as no dry flour remains. In a separate wide dish, 30 g of coating sugar is combined evenly with two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. If the dough feels too soft to handle, it stands briefly only until it can be rolled without losing its shape. Portions are made into balls about 2 cm across and turned through the cinnamon sugar until no bare areas remain. The balls are arranged with enough room for them to spread without joining. They bake at 175°C for 10-12 minutes. Set edges and centers that remain soft, rather than visibly raw, are the removal cues. A short rest on the baking sheet lets the centers continue setting before the cookies are moved. This timing is part of the recipe: transferring the soft cookies immediately would put pressure on their centers before the structure has settled.
Soboro Bread
Soboro bread combines a milk-and-egg yeast bun with a separate crumble made from cake flour, almond flour, sugar, and cold butter. The recipe divides both the 70 g of sugar and the 70 g of unsalted butter between those two components. For the bread dough, 280 g of bread flour is mixed with 5 g of dry yeast and 30 g of the sugar. The 160 ml of milk and one egg are added before 20 g of the butter is kneaded into the gathered dough. Kneading continues until the surface becomes smooth. The topping uses the remaining 40 g of sugar and 50 g of cold butter with 90 g of cake flour and 30 g of almond flour. These ingredients are rubbed together with fingertips only until a mixture of coarse and smaller crumbs forms, then chilled so the butter remains firm. After the first proof, the bread dough is pressed gently to release excess gas, divided into six equal portions, and rounded with a slightly taut surface. The portions begin a second proof on the tray. Before they become over-expanded, the cold soboro is pressed lightly onto each top. Enough pressure is needed for the crumbs to attach, but not enough to flatten the risen dough. Baking takes place at 180°C until the topping has cracked and turned golden. Moving the buns to a rack after baking lets steam leave the bottoms instead of collecting beneath them. The finished cross-section therefore shows two separately prepared elements: the bread made with the egg and milk, and the almond-flour crumble attached across the top.
Socca Niçoise
Socca nicoise is a chickpea-flour flatbread from Nice, France, made by whisking chickpea flour with water, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary, then baking the thin batter in a preheated oven-safe pan at 220 degrees Celsius for twelve to fifteen minutes. Resting the batter for ten minutes allows the flour to hydrate fully, which produces the characteristic texture - crisp and almost shatteringly crunchy at the edges, soft and slightly custardy in the center. The pan must be fully preheated and generously oiled so the batter sizzles on contact and releases cleanly. Sliced red onion and halved cherry tomatoes placed on top before baking lose their moisture in the oven and concentrate into sweet, slightly charred toppings. A final grind of coarse black pepper emphasizes the nutty, earthy flavor of the chickpea base.
Soft Pretzel
Soft pretzels are made by forming a yeasted dough into long ropes, twisting them into loops, dipping each shape briefly in a baking-soda bath, and baking at high heat. The dough starts with 350 g of bread flour, 15 g of sugar, 6 g of salt, and 5 g of instant yeast. After 210 ml of water and 25 g of melted unsalted butter are added, it is kneaded for 8 minutes until the surface becomes smooth and elastic. The covered dough proofs in a warm place for about 1 hour. Nearly doubled volume and a fingertip mark that returns slowly show that it is ready to divide. Six equal pieces are each rolled to a 60 cm rope and shaped without tearing the center section. For the bath, 60 g of baking soda is added gradually to 1 L of boiling water so the pot does not foam over. The heat is reduced to a gentle boil before the pretzels enter one at a time for no more than 30 seconds. Each pretzel is drained and moved to the tray. While the surface is still damp, one tablespoon of coarse salt is divided across the six pieces and pressed lightly so the crystals attach before baking. At 220°C, the pretzels need 12-15 minutes in the oven. A deep reddish-brown surface and a firm bottom are the removal cues. They rest for 5 minutes after leaving the oven before being moved from the hot tray.
Salt Bread
Salt bread is made by wrapping cold butter inside milk dough, rolling each piece from a wide base to a narrow tip, and baking the shaped rolls with flaky salt on top. Stir 4 g instant yeast and 20 g sugar into 180 ml milk and wait 5 minutes before adding 300 g bread flour and 5 g salt. Once the dough has formed, knead in 25 g unsalted butter for 10 minutes. The first proof lasts 60 minutes at 24 to 26°C and begins only after the dough has become smooth and can stretch thinly. Divide the proofed dough into 8 pieces, round them, cover them, and allow a 10 minute bench rest. Keep the separate 40 g portion of filling butter cold and cut it into 8 pieces. Roll each portion of dough into a long triangle, place one piece of butter at the wide end, enclose it with the first turn, and continue rolling to the tip without loose gaps. Arrange the rolls seam side down and proof them for 35 minutes. A light finger mark that returns slowly is the cue to brush the surface with beaten egg and distribute 4 g flaky sea salt over the tops. Keep the tray at 190°C for 16 to 18 minutes, remove the rolls when they are deep golden, and cool them on a rack for 10 minutes before serving them warm.
Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is leavened entirely by a natural starter - a living culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria maintained through regular feedings of flour and water - without any commercial yeast. The extended fermentation produces organic acids that give the bread its characteristic tangy flavor, a thick, blistered crust, and an open, irregular crumb structure. The process begins with an autolyse, where flour and water rest together before the starter and salt are incorporated. Four rounds of stretch-and-fold during a four-hour bulk fermentation develop gluten without intensive kneading. After shaping, the dough is cold-proofed in the refrigerator for twelve to sixteen hours, during which flavor compounds deepen and the structure firms for easier scoring. Baking in a preheated Dutch oven at 250 degrees Celsius traps steam around the loaf, allowing the crust to expand fully before setting into a thick, crackly shell. Removing the lid partway through finishes the crust to a deep, caramelized brown. The starter must be at peak activity - risen to its highest point and just beginning to dome - when mixed into the dough, or the loaf will not achieve adequate rise.
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach and Feta Phyllo Pie)
Spanakopita is a Greek savory pie where spinach is sauteed with onion to drive off moisture, then combined with crumbled feta cheese, beaten eggs, and fresh dill to make a filling that is layered between sheets of buttered phyllo dough and baked at 190 degrees Celsius for thirty-five to forty minutes. Removing as much water from the spinach as possible is the single most important step - any residual moisture soaks through the thin pastry and prevents it from crisping. Phyllo sheets dry out within minutes of being exposed to air, so they must be kept under a damp towel and worked one at a time, each brushed with melted butter before stacking. Four layers on the bottom and four on top provide enough structure and crunch. Scoring the surface before baking allows steam to escape and helps the layers puff and separate into distinct, flaky sheets.
Rice Flour Walnut Biscuit Bars
These biscuit bars are built on rice flour and almond flour rather than wheat, producing a crumb that is tender and crumbly with minimal gluten development. Chopped walnuts folded into the dough contribute a firm, nutty crunch that punctuates the otherwise delicate texture. Brown sugar provides a caramel-like depth of sweetness, and vanilla extract ties the flavors together with a gentle warmth. Toasting the walnuts before adding them to the batter intensifies their flavor significantly - the roasted oils become more fragrant and the nuts take on a slightly bitter edge that balances the sugar. Pressing the dough evenly into the pan is important for uniform baking; uneven thickness means burnt corners and pale centers. The bars must cool completely in the pan before slicing, or they will crumble apart at the cut. Stored in an airtight container, they maintain their snap for several days. The near-absence of gluten makes these bars lighter than a traditional shortbread while still delivering the satisfying richness that butter and nuts provide.
Mugwort Red Bean Muffin (Korean Herbal Sweet Bean Muffin)
This muffin combines mugwort powder and cooked sweet red beans in a soft, fluffy batter that bridges Korean traditional flavors with Western baking technique. Mugwort contributes a distinctive herbal fragrance - faintly bitter, grassy, and deeply aromatic - that permeates the entire crumb and gives it a muted green hue. The red beans, folded in whole, add pockets of grainy sweetness that burst with each bite. Cake flour and baking powder keep the rise gentle and the texture light, while melted butter adds moisture without heaviness. The combination of mugwort and red bean is deeply familiar from Korean rice cakes, but baking it as a muffin introduces a crisp top and a pillowy interior that the steamed rice cake format cannot offer. Mixing the batter in no more than ten to twelve strokes prevents toughness - visible streaks of flour are acceptable and even preferred over a smooth, overworked batter. The beans should be folded in last with a gentle spatula motion to preserve their shape. These muffins pair naturally with grain-based lattes, where the roasted notes in the drink echo the earthy quality of the mugwort.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sticky toffee pudding is a British dessert consisting of a moist date sponge cake drenched in a warm, buttery toffee sauce. Chopped dates are soaked in hot water with baking soda, which softens the fruit into a near-puree that distributes through the batter, providing natural sweetness and exceptional moisture. Brown sugar in the batter deepens the caramel character, and eggs give the sponge just enough structure to hold together under the weight of the sauce. The toffee sauce is made by simmering heavy cream with additional brown sugar and butter until it thickens to a pourable consistency that coats a spoon. Poured over the warm cake, the sauce seeps into the crumb and pools around the edges, creating a sticky, glossy finish. Reheating the sauce just before serving ensures it flows freely and releases its full butterscotch aroma. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side provides a cold, clean contrast that prevents the richness from becoming overwhelming. The dates must be thoroughly soaked - under-softened pieces leave gritty pockets in an otherwise uniformly tender cake.
Stollen
Stollen is a traditional German Christmas bread loaded with mixed dried fruits, almonds, and a generous amount of butter kneaded into a yeasted dough. The loaf is shaped into a distinctive oval, baked until golden, and then brushed with melted butter while still hot to seal in moisture. A thick coating of powdered sugar applied over the butter layer gives the finished bread its signature snow-white appearance. The interior is dense and rich, with pockets of rum-soaked raisins and candied peel appearing at every slice. Soaking the dried fruits overnight in rum or fruit juice before mixing them into the dough ensures they remain plump and soft after baking rather than turning hard and chewy. The bread improves with age - resting for at least a day after baking allows the butter, spice, and fruit flavors to meld and permeate the crumb, which is why many German families bake their stollen weeks before Christmas. Wrapped tightly, it keeps for well over a week without losing quality, making it an ideal gift or make-ahead holiday preparation.
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is a Japanese style layer cake made with a round egg foam sponge, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries. Warm 4 eggs and 90 g sugar over a water bath to 40°C, then whip until batter falling from the beater leaves a ribbon on the surface for 2 to 3 seconds. Sift in 90 g cake flour and fold from the bottom with a spatula. Add 30 ml milk and 20 g melted unsalted butter around the edge of the bowl and continue folding without pressing the air from the batter. Pour the mixture into an 18 cm round pan and leave it in the 170°C oven for 28 to 30 minutes. A top that springs back after a light touch signals that the sponge is ready. Cool it completely before cutting it horizontally into 3 level layers. Whip 400 ml heavy cream with 35 g sugar to about 80 percent stiffness, stopping when visible lines remain and the tips of the peaks still bend softly. Reserve some of the 300 g strawberries for the top and slice the rest. Spread cream and arrange the sliced berries evenly between the sponge layers, coat the outside with the remaining cream, and finish with the reserved strawberries. Chill the assembled cake until its layers have settled before slicing.
Sweet Potato Cinnamon Muffins
Sweet potato cinnamon muffins combine mashed steamed sweet potato with a neutral oil batter seasoned with ground cinnamon. Let 180 g steamed sweet potato release its excess steam, mash it until no firm lumps remain, and loosen it into a thick puree with part of the measured 90 ml milk. In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg, 80 g sugar, and 60 ml neutral oil until the sugar is evenly moistened, then blend in the sweet potato puree. Sift together 170 g cake flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 g salt over the wet mixture. Fold only until the dry flour disappears. If the batter is too stiff to fall from the spatula, add the reserved milk in 10 ml increments and stop when the batter drops slowly. Fill the lined muffin cups to about 80 percent of their height and place them in the 180°C oven for 20 to 22 minutes. The muffins are ready when the tops have risen and a skewer shows no wet batter. Leave them in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Preparing the oven and lined tray before mixing allows the finished batter to be portioned and baked without waiting.
Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Galette
The success of a rustic galette depends on maintaining cold temperatures during the pastry preparation. By rubbing cold butter into flour to create coarse crumbs, the dough bakes into a crisp, laminated shell with distinct layers. This flat pastry base holds a filling of mashed sweet potato combined with cream cheese, honey, and ground cinnamon. The sweet potato offers a mellow sweetness, while the cream cheese introduces a sharp acidity that balances the overall profile. Honey serves as the binding agent that pulls these components into a unified mixture. Cinnamon provides a warm aromatic element that enhances the autumnal quality of the bake. It is essential to handle the dough quickly; if the butter begins to soften, returning the pastry to the refrigerator immediately preserves the flaky texture. When assembling, leaving a clear four-centimeter border around the filling ensures a clean folding process and prevents leakage in the oven. Using a drier variety of sweet potato, such as the chestnut-type, is effective in preventing a soggy bottom as it contains less moisture. For the best experience, the galette should be served while still warm to enjoy the contrast between the brittle crust and the soft, creamy center. Small amounts of ginger or cardamom can be substituted for cinnamon to create different aromatic profiles.
Sweet Potato Mochi Bread Rings
Sweet potato mochi bread rings are made by scalding tapioca starch with hot milk and butter, then working in mashed sweet potato, egg, and grated Parmesan before shaping the dough into rings. Mash 120 g steamed sweet potato until no large pieces remain and preheat the oven to 190°C. Warm 90 ml milk, 30 g unsalted butter, 22 g sugar, and 2 g salt over medium low heat. Turn off the heat when the butter has melted and small bubbles appear at the edge of the pot. Add all 140 g tapioca starch while the liquid is still hot and stir quickly until no dry white starch remains, then let the mixture cool for 2 minutes. Knead in the mashed sweet potato and 1 egg. The dough should remain sticky but hold its shape. If it is loose enough to run, add tapioca starch in 5 g increments until it can be handled. Mix in 25 g grated Parmesan last, divide the dough into 8 portions, and roll each portion into a rope. Join the ends firmly and arrange the rings with space between them on a lined tray. Move the tray to the 190°C oven and cook the rings for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove them when the surfaces are golden and lightly cracked, rest them on the tray for 3 minutes, and serve warm.
Sweet Potato Streusel Loaf
Sweet potato streusel loaf is baked with a batter of sweet potato puree, brown sugar, eggs, and neutral oil under a layer of butter crumble. Use 70 ml milk when the 220 g sweet potato puree is thick. If the puree looks unusually wet, measure 60 ml instead so the batter does not become too loose. Make the streusel first by rubbing 35 g cold butter with 40 g flour and 30 g sugar until coarse, pea sized pieces form, then keep it cool while mixing the loaf. Whisk the puree with 120 g brown sugar, 2 eggs, 80 ml neutral oil, and the measured milk until no sugar lumps remain. Sift in 210 g all purpose flour, 7 g baking powder, 2 g ground cinnamon, and 2 g salt, and fold only until no dry pockets remain. Transfer the batter to a parchment lined loaf pan, level the surface, and scatter the streusel evenly without pressing it down. Leave the loaf in the 175°C oven for 48 to 50 minutes. Loosely cover the top with foil if it browns too quickly. The loaf is ready when a skewer inserted into the center shows no wet batter. Rest it in the pan for 10 minutes, move it to a rack, and cool it completely before cutting with a sawing motion.
About Baking
Precise measurements are the key to successful baking. Each recipe here includes detailed ingredient ratios and oven temperatures, so even beginners can achieve consistent results. From simple scones to layered cakes, this collection covers a wide range of baking projects.