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Starting to Bake is all about Mis en Place!

Starting to Bake is all about Mis en Place!

Starting to Bake is all about Mis en Place!

Whether its your first time baking or your thousandth, you never lose when you mis en place (meez-on-plahss).

Are you thinking “putting everything in place” will take too much time? Do you have young bakers almost levitating to get started? Having them help “get everything in its place” is part of them helping. Its fundamental to success. 

Mis en place is getting your baking ducks in a row

Imagine the delay if you have to run to the store to get an ingredient you didn’t know you needed?  Or the disappointment when it takes 20 minutes to toast, chop, juice or zest ingredients while the batter stands and loses it’s leavening power. (Oops. Flat muffins or cookies). Or, you need to refrigerate your dough or batter for “30 minutes to overnight” for best results! Even young bakers will “get it” as they see the recipe come together and succeed.

This photo (and/or video) shows the mis en place for Buttermilk Banana Bread —a beginner 5-star recipe on our web-site.  Because we love them, I’ve added 3/4 cup chopped black walnuts for crunch and their rich flavor. Learn more Information here!

Here’s a mis en place checklist:

  • Read recipe top to bottom
  • Have the correct bakeware(s) and it’s prepared (greased, floured or lined with parchment)
  • Check the oven (is it empty?); set oven racks correctly (bottom, middle, or top 1/3?)
  • Do I know how to do all the instructions?  (Ex: Cream, blend, mix, knead, cut-in…)        
  • Visit our Baking Glossary, view how-to videos at homebaking.org or member and associate members’ test kitchens for help.
  • Do I have all the ingredients? Be sure to read the directions too—some ingredients can be hidden in the preparation steps!
  • What temperatures do ingredients need to be? (Room temperature? Chilled? Toasted or melted and cooled? Browned? Chef Martin Earl demonstrates! https://www.homebaking.org/measuring-temperature/)
  • Do any ingredients need prep steps? (Eggs separated, beaten or whipped; fruit or veggies peeled, chopped, diced, zested, juiced; yeast proofed or pre-ferment or tang zhong made)
  • Will I need to add time to refrigerate/freeze the dough or batter before baking or bring batter to room temperature to shape?
  • When in the recipe and to what temperature should I pre-heat the oven so it has 5 to 15 minutes to heat before baking begins? 
  • Do I have a food thermometer to check the internal temperature so I know its done? See our Temperature Guide.
  • Do I have clean dry oven mitts and cooling rack ready on a clean counter?
  • Are my hands, tools, apron/chef jacket, counter clean and equipment in place? 

Need one more push for mis en place?  Baker and chef Kristin Hoffman, aka Baker Bettie, makes Mis en Place her #1 Baking Fundamental.

Mis en place. Nothing convinces like success.  Share yours at #HomeBAking, #TeachHomeBaking,  @HomeBaking, and on Instagram

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