Mary Berry has shared a ‘crucial’ tip for baking perfect cakes – and it’s all about the butter. The former Great British Bake Off judge has a wealth of experience in the kitchen
Baking legend Mary Berry, a true icon in the culinary world, has dished out some priceless wisdom for home bakers everywhere.
From kitchen novices to seasoned pastry professionals, the 90 year old cooking sensation warns against using particular types of butter when whipping up cakes.
Armed with decades of expertise from her Le Cordon Bleu training and having penned 70 cookbooks, Berry understands exactly what can make or ruin a homemade birthday treat or her famous Victoria sponge.
A crucial element, she emphasised, lies in selecting the right butter, which can dramatically affect your pudding’s final result.
Stressing the vital importance of examining ingredients long before putting on your apron, Mary revealed in a Good Food piece: “I always aim at over 75 per cent. The problem with lower fat spreads and butters is they have a higher water content.”, reports the Express.
“When it evaporates it causes layers bind together in your mix. In the UK we tend to always have high fat content so it’s not usually a problem, but it’s always worth checking your ingredients.”
The standard of butter proves essential for creating a bake that’s airy, tender, and soft.
Choose butter containing higher fat levels (above 75 per cent) to guarantee minimal moisture remains, enabling air pockets to stay undamaged.
And don’t forget, patience proves vital – let the butter reach room temperature before starting.
During baking, it’s simple to forget about taking an essential component out of the refrigerator, with butter being a frequent oversight that needs additional time to reach the proper consistency. A handy tip for dealing with butter is to chop it into cubes straight from the fridge and dunk them in a bowl of tepid water.
Let it sit for ten minutes while you get the rest of your ingredients ready, allowing the butter to reach the ideal softness.
However, it’s vital to measure out the needed amount of butter beforehand, rather than chopping up the whole block. This is because “melting” the butter and then chilling the leftovers can change its taste for future use.
By following this simple advice from Mary Berry, you can ensure that your next Victoria sponge – or any cake you decide to bake – comes out as creamy and tender as ever. The higher the fat content, the richer, moister, and fluffier the results will be.
If you’re giving this a go for the first time, rest assured it won’t be the last.