Even if you rarely bake the rest of the year, the holidays have a way of bringing out your inner Betty Crocker. Suddenly you find yourself in the kitchen with your counters covered in gluten-free flour and sprinkles. But all the extra mixing, baking and frosting that come with holiday recipes can quickly dampen your spirit.
Here are tips for saving time and effort in the kitchen with the goal of helping preserve your holiday good mood.
1. Gather ingredients and tools before you begin
In professional kitchens, chefs get everything in place for a recipe before they begin.
Putting this time-saving professional technique into practice at home is easy. Read recipes all the way through before you begin. Note everything, from ingredients and kitchen tools to the time required. Many holiday recipes require you to chill dough before baking and it’s good to know that in advance.
Familiarizing yourself with the recipe before baking allows time to shop for any needed ingredients. When you have everything, measure all the non-perishable ingredients into containers and mark each with a slip of paper so you don’t mix up ingredients that look similar. This saves time if you aren’t using premixed gluten-free flour since most gluten-free recipes call for several flours and starches. Next, gather your tools.
On baking day, you only need to measure perishable ingredients, like eggs, and mix the dough. Not having to measure, mix and bake everything at once breaks the process into smaller more manageable steps.
