Ready to upgrade your baking? The future of pastry might just be found in the past — and these old-school ingredients will take your next bake to another dimension.
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00:00Ready to upgrade your baking? The future of pastry might just be found in the past,
00:05and these old-school ingredients will take your next bake to another dimension.
00:10When it comes to old-school baking ingredients, molasses tops the list. This thick, dark syrup was
00:16a common commodity for baking in the United States before it was eventually overshadowed
00:20by refined sugar after World War I. Despite this decline in popularity, molasses remains a
00:26delicious and uniquely flavored sweetener just waiting to be incorporated into your baked goods.
00:32Dark molasses lends a rich caramel-like flavor and can be utilized when making goodies like muffins,
00:38chewy spice cookies, gingerbread cupcakes, and much more. But be careful not to substitute
00:44molasses for refined sugar without understanding the effects. Molasses is strong and has a very
00:49distinct flavor, so you'll need to use it wisely to prevent it from overpowering your dishes.
00:55Its use in cooking dates back to at least the 1700s, though cream of tartar first became popular
01:01among the French in the 1800s. As food blogger Jessie Sierra Ross explains,
01:07Made from the byproducts of winemaking, cream of tartar is often used to stabilize airy confections
01:12like meringue and macarons. Cream of tartar also works to create structure between the small air
01:18bubbles of the egg whites in these desserts. Snickerdoodle cookies are another treat that
01:23can benefit from this ingredient by making them delightfully tangy and chewy. And in case you're
01:28wondering, cream of tartar isn't actually a cream. Instead, it's an odorless white powder
01:34that's added to dry ingredients when baking. Before commercial yeasts came into existence,
01:40all bread was essentially sourdough. Maybe you've already hopped on the sourdough train
01:45as it's recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. Sourdough scrap, also known as
01:50sourdough discard, is the portion of the starter that's left unfed during the maintenance process.
01:55This sourdough starter went over the organ trail in 1847.
02:00In order to get yourself some sourdough discard, you'll of course first need to make a sourdough
02:04starter. This requires only two ingredients — flour and water, plus plenty of time. Just
02:11measure the ingredients and follow a simple strategy that involves feeding the starter
02:15with more flour and water over multiple days. Most bakers discard part of the starter before
02:20adding to it, which refreshes its acidity. The unfed portion of the discard is what you can
02:26use to make a variety of baked goods. According to Jesse Sierra Ross, the sourdough starter adds
02:32a lovely tang to cookies, pancakes, and quick breads. It keeps them nice and moist, too.
02:38Roast water was a very common ingredient back in the 19th century, and even today,
02:44Middle Eastern culture still include it in a host of dishes. Turkish Delight utilizes
02:48rose water in much the same way that vanilla extract is used in American culture.
02:53As Jesse Sierra Ross explains,
02:55In the days of dried spices and not much else, bakers delighted in the classic yet exotic flavor
03:01of rose water. Delicately floral and used in everything from sweet desserts to hand creams,
03:06rose water is a lovely way to bring the scent and taste of roses to your baking.
03:11Rose water is best made with organic rose petals that haven't been exposed to pesticides.
03:16They're steeped in water before being put to use. Baklava, French madeleines, and macarons are all
03:22often made with rose water, although more casual items like cakes and muffins can also benefit
03:27from this uncanny ingredient. Still commonly used in Southern cooking, buttermilk is a cultured
03:34milk similar to yogurt that has a distinct flavor profile perfect for certain needs.
03:39As chef and food blogger Jessica Rondhawa notes,
03:42It adds a beautiful tang and moisture to baked goods, making pancakes, biscuits,
03:47and cakes incredibly tender. I often use it as a substitute for regular milk in recipes
03:52to enhance the flavor and texture. You can usually find buttermilk in the dairy aisle
03:57at most grocery stores. Because it's typically sold in jugs or cartons, you may find yourself
04:02with too much of it left over after one use. But because it has so many potential creative
04:07culinary possibilities, it just makes sense to always have it on hand.
04:12Sure, you may turn away from me now, but as long as I keep drinking my buttermilk.
04:17Lard is 100% animal fat that is often derived from pork. A little over a century ago,
04:23it was the preferred baking fat of its time. Butter has since taken its place,
04:27but that doesn't mean that it doesn't still deserve a place in your kitchen.
04:31As Jessica Rondhawa explains,
04:33Using lard might sound old-fashioned, but it can make pie crusts and pastries
04:37exceptionally flaky and tender. Unlike butter, lard has a higher melting point,
04:42which helps create those lovely layers in your dough. It's definitely worth trying
04:46if you want to achieve the perfect crust. In addition to pie crusts and pastries,
04:51lard also works well in biscuits, although it may be rare that you'll actually find a
04:55modern biscuit recipe that includes lard. So when you come across one,
04:59it's definitely worth giving it a go.
05:01Like buttermilk, sour cream is often considered an old-fashioned ingredient in baked goods that
05:07boasts some surprising advantages. As classically trained chef Dennis Litley raves,
05:12Sour cream is fantastic in cakes and muffins. It adds moisture and a slight tang that
05:17complements the sweetness. How much sour cream you should add will of course depend on the recipe,
05:22though it could typically range from about half a cup to a full cup.
05:26In addition to cakes and muffins, cookies can also benefit from the tanginess of sour cream.
05:31Baking with sour cream works because of its high fat content,
05:34which shortens gluten strands and makes for a more tender bite. And this isn't true only
05:39with sour cream, as the concept also applies when adding fat in any form, including lard and butter.
05:45Because of this, it may be wise to skip non-fat versions of sour cream when baking.
05:50Though low-fat versions could still work, they probably won't yield the same results.
05:55Nuts and dried fruits are classic additions to baking,
05:58though not all of them would necessarily be considered old school. Almonds, for example,
06:03have taken the stage as an integral part of modern-day baking, while other nuts like pecans
06:08are more likely to remind us of baked goods of the past. This doesn't mean that an old-fashioned
06:13pecan pie recipe is no longer valid. In fact, there are plenty of updated versions of this
06:18classic, including chocolate pecan pie. If pecans aren't your thing, there are fortunately some
06:24other options. As Dennis Litley recommends,
06:27keep a variety of nuts and dried fruits on hand. They add texture, flavor, and nutrition to your
06:32baking.
06:33It's a bit nutty.
06:36Other recipes that work well with dried fruit and nuts include granola bars and oatmeal raisin
06:40cookies. Shredded coconut also serves to add texture and taste, imparting a buttery and
06:46distinct tropical flavor to traditional baked goods. It might be tempting to buy lower-priced
06:52ingredients for your baking needs, but when it comes to vanilla flavoring, cheap isn't exactly
06:57ideal. As Dennis Litley implores,
07:00Invest in good quality vanilla extract. It makes a huge difference in the flavor of your
07:04baked goods compared to the imitation stuff. Pure vanilla extract is made from real vanilla beans,
07:09while imitation vanilla extract is either synthesized in a lab or made from wood pulp.
07:14The imitation version is often less expensive, but also is weaker in flavor.
07:19Because it contains only synthetic vanillin, it isn't as robust as pure vanilla extract.
07:25If you're worried about your budget, then consider reserving pure vanilla
07:28extract for baked goods that truly will benefit from it, like classic New York cheesecake.
07:33Cornmeal has deep roots in Native American and African cultures and has since graced our
07:38breakfast and dinner plates in a variety of forms. It's no longer as widely used as it once was,
07:44although it can still definitely be utilized for plenty of baked goods.
07:48For one thing, it can impart a welcome texture when added to cakes and cookies.
07:52Is it good? It certainly is.
07:55But the textural difference is something worth noting when baking with cornmeal,
07:59especially if you've never utilized it before. When using it to make cookies,
08:03consider opting for half cornmeal and half flour rather than omitting the flour altogether.
08:09While cornmeal on its own might technically make your baked goods gluten-free,
08:12using it as a one-to-one replacement could result in strangely gritty and unappetizing cookies.
08:19If you're a chocoholic, then you absolutely need to make baking chocolate a part of your
08:23regular repertoire. As Dennis Litley advises,
08:27Keep both unsweetened and semi-sweet baking chocolate in your pantry.
08:31Real chocolate gives a much richer flavor than cocoa powder alone.
08:35Now, you might be wondering exactly how baking chocolate is any different than the regular sort.
08:40Baking chocolate comes in several forms, including unsweetened and semi-sweet,
08:44and the difference lies in the amount of cocoa contained in each. Moreover,
08:48baking chocolate tends to be sold in large chunky solid bars that are meant to be chopped up and
08:53added to recipes, whereas candy bar-style chocolate will typically be in another
08:57section of the grocery store entirely and marketed as a thinner and easier-to-eat snack.
09:03It's also important to note that the unsweetened variety of baking chocolate is indeed unsweetened.
09:08This means that you're going to get a very bitter chocolate that contains no added flavors,
09:13milk, stabilizers, or sugar. It should be added only to recipes that call for it,
09:18as they typically contain enough sugar to counteract the chocolate's bitterness.
09:22Spelt, rye, and barley are ancient grains that can absolutely be incorporated into baking,
09:28though with some caveats. Ancient grains are usually less processed than modern ones
09:33and haven't undergone any genetic engineering or hybridization,
09:36although they may bring a different element to baking than you're used to.
09:40Not all of it is bad, as long as you know what to expect. As Jessica Rondewa notes,
09:45these grains were commonly used in the past and bring a nutty, robust flavor to bread,
09:49muffins, and cookies. They also offer more nutritional value than refined white flour,
09:54adding fiber and protein to your baked goods.
09:57Each ancient grain has its own unique characteristics. Spelt, for example,
10:01is sensitive to over-kneading, which can yield crumbly results. Rye flour,
10:06on the other hand, contains very little gluten and works wonderfully in cookies,
10:09cakes, and biscuits. For beginners, it might be best to stick with proven recipes already
10:15containing these grains until you get the hang of how they behave.
10:19While milk continues to be a staple in most baked goods, dry milk isn't quite as popular.
10:24Developed in the 1800s, dry milk is known for its easy-to-store properties.
10:28It makes for a convenient emergency food staple,
10:31and it's also an excellent replacement for liquid milk.
10:34"...the meal replacement formula with fresh milk flavor."
10:38So why should you be baking with milk powder? The answer lies not only in its longevity,
10:43but also in terms of taste and texture. Shockingly enough, milk powder might stand
10:48to add even more flavor to your baked goods than regular milk. This is because it's more
10:52concentrated, as it contains no liquid. As a result, you'll get all the flavor in a more
10:57robust way, which can make a noticeable difference in your baked goods. Additionally, milk powder
11:03can enhance texture, leading to chewier cookies and more tender bread.
11:07Last, but certainly not least, try enhancing your baked goods with some warming spices.
11:13Cinnamon is a modern-day favorite that can be found in many recipes.
11:17But for something old-fashioned that still packs tons of flavor,
11:20you can try nutmeg, ginger, or anise, just to name a few.
11:24As Reena Awada, owner and head chef at Healthy Fitness Meals, explains,
11:29Some classic spices that have been used in baking for generations add warmth,
11:33sweetness, or nutty flavor. Spices add layers of flavor, and are essential in baking because
11:38they work as flavor enhancers, add aroma, and improve appearance. Certain spices work best
11:44for certain recipes. Nutmeg, for example, performs well in spice cakes, donuts, and pumpkin pie.
11:50It can also seriously elevate the flavor profile of chocolate chip cookies.
11:55Awada also recommends using cloves when baking, but only in small amounts due to its potency.
12:01It works best in treats like gingerbread, fruit cakes, and spice cookies.
12:05And then there's cardamom, which adds a sweet and floral taste to cookies, cakes, and holiday bakes.