A freshly baked, flaky croissant paired with a perfectly brewed cup of coffee in the soft morning light, a wholesome muffin as a post-dinner sweet treat, or a quick bite of a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate chip cookie—let’s admit it, baked goods have a way of making even the most ordinary days feel a little better, one bite at a time.
With side quests becoming the new norm and more people looking to spend time away from their screens—touching grass, sipping coffee, or simply enjoying the smell of a fresh loaf of sourdough, analogue hobbies are making a strong comeback. Baking, in particular, has emerged as a favourite. Whether it’s to learn something new, decompress after a hectic week, or just enjoy pottering around the kitchen and tinkering with recipes, more and more people are turning to it.
But baking is far from just mixing flour, eggs, yeast and popping it into the oven. It’s equal parts science and art, where precision and technique can make or break your final result. So if you’re a beginner trying to avoid burnt loaves and underwhelming muffins, we spoke to Chef Pooja Dhingra, Founder, Pardon Our French, Chef Nikhil Menon, Chef de Cuisine at Mizu Izakaya and Chef Shannen Alexandra, Head Baker, Mag St. Bread Co. From mastering the fundamentals to understanding ingredients, here’s everything you need to know before you preheat that oven.
If you’re just starting out, both experts agree that your foundation matters more than anything else. For Dhingra, the first step is simple: follow the recipe exactly. “Baking is precise and small changes affect the outcome,” she explains. Before you start experimenting, it’s crucial to understand how recipes work.
Alexandra says as beginners, it is important to understand why certain ingredients are mentioned in certain recipes. “You may be tempted to swap out ingredients that you don’t have, but it doesn’t necessarily work that way. You have to understand each ingredient and adjust recipes accordingly.”
Menon adds a layer of preparation. “Before you begin, have everything ready, ingredients measured, equipment in place, and prep done. A lot of the work happens before you even start the recipe.”
Both emphasise understanding ingredients. Knowing what flour, eggs, butter, and sugar actually do in a recipe helps you troubleshoot and improve over time. Techniques like creaming, whipping, and folding are equally important, they form the backbone of most baked goods.
2. Precision Is Everything
If there’s one recurring theme in baking, it’s accuracy.“Measure by weight, not volume,” says Menon. Cups and spoons can vary, but weight ensures consistency every single time. Dhingra agrees, highlighting that accurate measurement—especially for dry ingredients—is one of the most important fundamentals beginners should master. Alexandra agrees and recommends learning to measure the ingredients by grammage every single time.
Temperature also plays a critical role. From ingredient temperature to oven heat, even small variations can drastically change your results. As Dhingra points out, “Both ingredients and the oven matter more than expected.”
3. Invest in the Right Tools
You don’t need a fancy kitchen to start baking, but a few essential tools can make a world of difference. All three experts strongly recommend a digital weighing scale as a non-negotiable. Alongside that, Menon suggests adding a bench scraper or silicone spatula while Dhingra keeps it simple, “A whisk, spatula, mixing bowls, and a couple of sturdy cake tins” are enough to get started.
“A well-sized mixing bowl, ideally one that’s not too wide at the base, helps even mixing,” adds Alexandra.
4. Don’t Underestimate The Power of a good Thermometer
If there’s one tool both experts feel doesn’t get enough attention, it’s the thermometer. “An oven thermometer is the most underrated tool,” says Dhingra, pointing out that most home ovens aren’t as accurate as they claim.
“It removes guesswork. Whether you’re checking sugar syrup, dough temperature, or doneness, it helps you stay precise and consistent,” explains Menon.
5. Small Techniques, Big Impact
Sometimes, it’s the simplest adjustments that elevate your baking. Bringing ingredients like butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature can dramatically improve texture and consistency. Menon also suggests separating eggs while cold and letting them rest before use for better results.
Dhingra adds that overmixing is a common mistake. “Not overmixing the batter and lining tins properly makes a noticeable difference,” she says.
6. Understand Your Oven
Your oven can make or break your bake. “Oven temperature is crucial because too hot can cause a cake to rise too quickly and collapse while too low prevents proper rising, so beginners should use an oven thermometer, preheat properly, and avoid opening the oven door frequently,” says Dhingra.
“In smaller home ovens, the temperature tends to drop quickly when the door is opened. Preheating slightly above the required temperature is a good hack (for example, pre-heat to 200°C if the recipe asks for 180°C),” adds Alexandra.
7. Practice With the Right Recipes
When starting out, choosing the right recipes can build both skill and confidence. Dhingra recommends beginning with classics like a vanilla sponge cake, chocolate chip cookies, or a simple banana bread. These recipes are forgiving and help you understand texture and structure.
Alexandra says it is best to start with ingredients that you can easily get at home or at a nearest story. “My first ‘bake’ was a rum ball (without rum obviously, because I was only 10 years old). It’s basically crushed digestive biscuits mixed with chocolate and condensed milk, and then chilled in the freezer. No-bake cheesecakes are easy too. Once you’re brave enough with the oven, brownies should be the next thing you can get creative with, and learn from.”
Menon suggests experimenting with a range of textures instead—“a fluffy sponge, a gooey brownie, a basic bread, and something crunchy like lavash or pita.” This helps you understand how the same ingredients can create entirely different results.
8. Read, Prep, and Trust Your Senses
Preparation doesn’t stop at measuring ingredients. “Read the entire recipe before starting. Prepping everything in advance to avoid rushing mid-recipe, and trust your senses like texture, smell, and visual cues along with timing. It helps avoid mistakes and ensures you’re not scrambling mid-process,” says Dhingra.
9. Practice Makes Perfect
Some aspects of baking can’t be rushed, they come with practice. For Dhingra, the biggest lesson has been that “consistency comes from systems, not talent.” Even the same recipe can yield different results if your measurements or techniques vary.
“Some techniques take time to master. Lamination, for example, can be tricky at first. It’s all about controlling the temperature of the dough and butter. It takes practice, trial, and patience to get it right,” says Menon.
10. Learn Different Techniques for Different Bakes
Baking isn’t just about following instructions, it’s about understanding technique. Menon breaks it down into two broad categories: cakes and breads. For cakes, it’s all about incorporating air through techniques like creaming and folding. For bread, the focus shifts to gluten—how it develops, when to knead, and when to let the dough rest.
He also shares two pro tips: “If you’re making a sponge with meringue, slightly chilled egg whites help maintain stability. For bread, try mixing flour and water and letting it rest before kneading. This hydrates the flour, improves gluten development, and gives you better texture.”
While perfecting your baked goods may take time, it is not entirely impossible. All you have to do is be patient and follow the rules. “Respect the recipe before trying to reinvent it. Once you understand the rules, you can start breaking them,” says Dhingra.
“Trust the process. The same ingredients can give you completely different results depending on how you handle them. And most importantly, treat time as an ingredient,” concludes Menon.
