Baking: Method and Recipes

Ingredients for baking
Image by Markus Spiske

Baking is a way of cooking sweet or savory items in the dry heat of an oven. Although baking itself is a relatively easy process, it is good to have some knowledge of the role each ingredient plays in creating the final dish.

Different ingredients strengthen, bind, thicken, sweeten, leaven and add moisture. Some ingredients, like milk and sugar, perform multiple roles. And others will only carry out their duties under very specific conditions. For this reason baking is often compared to the science of chemistry.

You shouldn’t be intimidated by baking though. A reasonable knowledge of basic methods and ingredient functions opens up a world of variety and creativity that is the raison de faire cuire au four of the typical pastry chef.

International Baking Recipes

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Lavash 
(Southwest Asian thin flatbread)

Pão de Queijo 
(Brazilian cheese buns)

Blitzkuchen mit Obst 
(German quick and easy coffeecake with fruit)

Barmbrack 
(Irish fruit bread)

Bauernbrot 
(German farmer-style rye bread)

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Koulourakia 
(Greek Easter butter cookies)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Sweet Potato Pie 
(American, Southern-Soul sweet potato open-faced tart)

Socca Niçoise au Four 
(French Provencal chickpea bread)

Acharuli Khachapuri 
(Georgian boat-shaped cheesebread with egg and butter)

Lokshen Kugel 
(Israeli Jewish sweet noodle pudding)

Irish Soda Bread 
(Irish soda-leavened bread)

Torta de Plátano 
(Colombian plantain bread)

Coca-Cola Cake 
(American cocoa-cola cake)

Apple Pie 
(American apple tart)

Hamantaschen 
(Israeli Jewish filled tricorner Purim pastries)

Pâte Brisée 
(French pastry crust for savory tarts and pies)

Naan 
(Indian, Pakistani tandoor-baked bread)

Makový Koláč 
(Czech poppy seed torte)

Bichak 
(Afghan stuffed savory and sweet pastries)

Strawberry Shortcake 
(American strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Banana Bread 
(Caribbean sweet quickbread)

Semita de Piña 
(Salvadoran jam-filled pastry)

Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies 
(American cinnamon-scented baked treat)

Torta Maria Luisa 
(Latin marmalade-filled layer cake)

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo 
(Ethiopian spiced honey bread)

Challah 
(Israeli Jewish braided Sabbath bread)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

Torta di Mele 
(Italian apple torte)

Torta Rustica di Mele 
(Italian rustic apple cake)

Basboosa 
(Egyptian semolina cake)

Tarte Tatin 
(French caramelized apple tart)

Malva Pudding 
(South African apricot-flavored baked pudding)

Pasta per Torte Salate 
(Italian olive oil dough for savory tortes)

Empanadas 
(Latin savory stuffed pastries)

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Focaccia Genovese 
(Italian olive oil bread with sea salt and rosemary)

Papaya Pie 
(Caribbean papaya-filled tart)

Blueberry Pie 
(American blueberry-filled double-crust tart)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Broa de Milho 
(Portuguese yeast-leavened cornbread)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Pan de Jamón 
(Venezuelan ham, raisin and olive bread)

Whats4eats is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.