Chef's Notes Plus

Bakers’ Percentage

Buckle up, foodies. We’re doing math! Artisan bread requires just a few key ingredients, but it is the ratio of those ingredients and the way they are handled that produce a wide array of finished loaves. Proper execution comes from a detailed understanding of each step in the process—what needs […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How to Measure Half an Egg

At the CIA, each kitchen classroom is equipped with several scales for measuring ingredients, and we are firm believers in scales for home cooking and baking. Not only are weight measures more accurate, but they can make for quick and efficient measuring (not to mention less dirty dishes to clean […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Scaling Baking Recipes Up and Down

Doubling or tripling recipes or cutting them in half successfully requires more than simple multiplication. Recipes for baked goods rely upon a number of “sensitive” ingredients, such as leaveners, flavorings, seasonings, and thickeners. These ingredients don’t scale up or down directly in proportion with other ingredients. If you are planning […]