c/baking-fails-and-wins

TIL my cousin's award winning brownies used a box mix base

My cousin won a local bake-off with brownies she passed off as fully from scratch. She told me later she started with a store bought mix and just added extra chocolate. Is it cheating to use a mix as a base in a contest that says all homemade?

1 comments

jade_brown18•9h ago

My lemon bars were a brick at the block party

Took my lemon bars to the neighborhood gathering, thinking they'd be a hit. They came out so dense you could barely bite them, and my neighbor's kid asked if they were building blocks. Ever have a bake go so wrong it made a whole crowd quiet?

1 comments

benr34•1d ago

PSA: Ditching my old guesswork method for cookie dough saved my batch

I used to just eyeball the butter and sugar ratios, which led to flat, greasy cookies every time. Started weighing everything with a scale last month, and boom, chewy centers with crisp edges. My family actually asked for seconds this week. What habits have you guys changed that fixed your bakes?

2 comments

uma151•2d ago

Ngl, my pie crusts were always overdone on the bottom until I tried this simple trick

Honestly, I started putting a baking sheet on the rack below my pie. Tbh, it shields the direct heat from the oven element. Now my crusts bake evenly without getting too dark. I use an old aluminum sheet pan, and it works like a charm.

2 comments

wells.morgan•4d ago

Unpopular opinion: Letting bread dough rise in the microwave with a cup of hot water is a game-changer.

Honestly, it creates the perfect warm, draft-free spot and cuts rise time in half.

3 comments