Login

Mise en Place: The Secret to Baking Success

Mise en Place: The Secret to Baking Success

Mise en Place: The Secret to Baking Success

Whether it’s your first time baking or your thousandth, you never lose when you practice mise en place (meez-on-plahss).

Mise en place—a French term meaning “everything in its place”—is the practice of preparing and organizing all ingredients and tools before beginning a recipe. It ensures a smooth baking process and prevents common mishaps like missing ingredients, improper preparation, or rushed adjustments that can affect the final product.

Are you thinking, “Putting everything in place will take too much time?” Do you have young bakers practically levitating with excitement to get started? The good news is, having them help “get everything in its place” is a key part of their involvement and sets them up for success.

Imagine the frustration of having to pause mid-recipe to run to the store for an ingredient you forgot. Or the disappointment when your muffins turn out flat because your batter sat too long while you prepped ingredients that should have been ready beforehand. Worse yet, discovering too late that your dough needs to rest or chill for “30 minutes to overnight” before baking! Even young bakers quickly understand the benefits of mise en place when they see how it contributes to a recipe’s success.

This mise en place photo showcases the setup for Buttermilk Banana Bread—a beginner-friendly, five-star recipe on our website. Feel free to amend the recipe with chocolate chips, nuts, or anything else you’d like to experience in your banana bread.

Mise en Place Checklist

Read the recipe from start to finish.

Gather the correct bakeware and prepare it (greased, floured, or lined with parchment).

Check your oven: Is it empty? Are the racks positioned correctly (bottom, middle, or top ⅓)?

Understand all the instructions. (Do you know how to cream, blend, mix, knead, or cut in?) Visit our Baking Glossary or watch how-to videos from our member and partner test kitchens.

Confirm you have all ingredients. Read the directions carefully—some ingredients are mentioned in the preparation steps!

Check ingredient temperatures and Use a food thermometer. Does anything need to be room temperature, chilled, toasted, melted and cooled, or browned? Measuring temperature is critical to success in baking. Chef Martin Earl demonstrates!

Prep ingredients as needed. (Eggs separated, fruit or veggies chopped, zested, juiced, yeast proofed, frosting made.)

Plan for resting or chilling time. Does your dough need refrigeration or warming before shaping?

Preheat the oven at the right time. Ensure it has 5-15 minutes to heat before baking begins.

Have oven mitts and cooling racks ready. Keep a clean counter for your freshly baked goods.

Ensure a clean workspace. Wash your hands, clean tools, and organize your equipment before starting. View our Baking Food Safety Resources.

Our Final Thoughts on Mise en Place

Learn more about mise en place from professional baker and chef Kristin Hoffman, aka Baker Bettie. She considers mise en place her #1 Baking Fundamental.

Nothing convinces like success—so give mise en place a try and see the difference it makes!

Share your baking wins with us! Tag us using #HomeBaking, #TeachHomeBaking, @HomeBaking, and join the conversation on Instagram.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Comments are closed.