Cooking guides
Practical answers to the measuring, mixing and baking questions that come up mid-recipe.
How to measure flour without a scale
A spoon, a straight edge and a lighter hand can make the next batch of biscuits more consistent.
Cold, softened or melted butter for baking
Cold pieces, pliable butter and melted butter each do a different job in the mixing bowl.
How to cream butter and sugar for baking
Judge softened butter by touch and watch how the mixture changes as you beat.
How to rub butter into flour for a crumb topping
Start with small pieces of cold butter and stop when the crumbs have the size your recipe needs.
How to mix muffin batter without overworking it
Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately, then use a few broad strokes to bring the batter together.
How to portion cookie dough evenly
Weigh one portion first, then use that piece to check the size of the rest.