Do you know if the temperature of your baking ingredients matters? Actually, temperature plays an important part for the structure of your baked goods. Temperature matters in your ingredients because using room-temperature eggs, fat, and liquid will give you a smoother batter.
Why Does Temperature Matter in Butter?
For fat, butter in most baking recipes, is a key ingredient to have at room temperature.
When you beat room temp butter with sugar, your mixture becomes light and fluffy. If your recipe asks you to cream your butter and sugar, this is what they are referring to. Technically, the sugar can create tiny pockets of air in the room temp butter to give you an even texture and much more volume.
Your cookies will stay a little thicker and spread less. Your cakes will be lighter and fluffier.
What if You Use Butter From the Refrigerator?
The temperature of butter as a baking ingredient straight from the refrigerator is important. Your butter will be stiff and hard to beat. You will find pieces of butter in your dough or batter. If your pie crust recipe wants cold butter, it does not want the butter too cold. Confusing, huh?
What if You Use Butter that is too Soft?
Soft or melted butter will not hold any air. This means your cookies and cakes will be flatter. Sometimes you want this effect as in a crispy, flat cookie.
Melted butter whips into frothy air bubbles. They then collapse, leaving behind a heavier batter. This is because using too soft butter or butter not at the right temperature as a baking ingredient means your batter will not stay fluffy.
If your butter has been sitting out and you think it may be too soft, check to see what it looks like. As a rule of thumb, if the butter is quite shiny…it is too soft. If you can touch it and leave a small fingerprint…it is the right temperature.
How Can I Soften Butter to the Right Temperature?
Try using your microwave, but only in very short amounts of time to get your butter to the correct baking ingredient temperature. Start with five seconds. Then another five. You might want to move the butter around on the plate or bowl so it does not always sit in the middle. Watch it closely.
You could cut it in thin slices or small cubes before you start measuring your ingredients. The temperature of the butter will be closer to room temp after a few minutes if it is in smaller pieces.
Why Does Temperature Matter in Eggs?
The correct temperature for eggs as a baking ingredient is as important as for butter. Using cold eggs, or ones right from the refrigerator, can cause your batter to curdle. This gives you a lumpy batter. Your cake probably will not rise as it should, making your cake denser.
What Can I do if I Need to Use Eggs Now?
Remove your eggs from the refrigerator and place them in a bowl of hot tap water. They should be good to use within a couple of minutes.
What is Considered Room Temperature When Baking? Room temperature is considered to be around 70 degrees. Keep this in mind, especially if your kitchen is warm or cold.
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