faq & baking tips
Some of you ask movita questions. Here are the answers movita likes to give:
What is 2.0′s real name?
That is his real name, doofus.
Do you have kids?
No. We don’t particularly like children. Deal. 2.0 and I have gone to great measures to child-proof our home (read: make it perilous to children). We hope this means people won’t bring their kids to our house. So far, so good.
I found a typo on your blog.
Okay, that’s not a question. But I’ll fix thatt tipo if yu tell me wear it is. I’m no genius, people. And I appreciate you pointing it out.
Can I share one of your recipes?
Of course! Most of the recipes on this site have been inspired by others, though I’ve been developing some of my own recipes as well. If I haven’t adapted or significantly changed the recipe, I’ll let you know, and if possible, link you back to the original source. I do my best to give credit to the geniuses who have inspired me. There is very little prepared in a kitchen nowadays that is totally unique, so I believe in giving credit when credit is due. Maybe you could do the same. Imitation is, after all, the weirdest form of flattery.
Many of the recipes I post on this site have been passed down to me by family members or friends. Many were basically ingredient lists written on old index cards with extremely vague procedures. That does not, in my mind, make a recipe – it makes a shopping list. Thus, I have adapted them to modern times. Because people nowadays like more information than: bake in a hot oven until done, or keep adding flour until it feels right. In theory, this adapting kind of makes the recipes mine. But because the inspiration and love put into that recipe was handed on to me by another, I’ll always try to tell you where I found it. In many cases, the original author of the recipe is unknown. In some cases, the original recipe was lost at sea. That’s just the way it is with recipes from the days of yore.
Can I post one of your pictures?
Ew. Why? I mean, I guess you can use one of my crappy photos, but please ask me for permission first, and then give a photo credit linking back to movitabeaucoup.com.
And just so you know, re-blogging isn’t cool with me.
I tried one of your recipes and it blew/didn’t work.
Totally possible. Just because I like something doesn’t mean you will. Also, there are a lot of variables. Like, I might have been drunk when I typed the recipe. (Just sayin’.) Now, I’m no expert, but I have learned loads of stuff in recent years. For example, underwear should almost always be worn under your pants. And also…
Always read the entire recipe before beginning. Trust me. Make sure you know what’s coming up. I also recommend measuring out all of your ingredients before you begin. Then double check everything. That’s mise en place, baby.
Prep your ingredients and equipment before you start.
Trying a new recipe out for a big/important event is risky. I recommend sticking to something you’ve had success with before.
When seasoning “to taste,” go easy. Just a little at a time. Give the seasonings time to get in there. Then taste. Then adjust. Then taste.
Baking is a chemical reaction. That’s science, people! Experimentation with a recipe can cause a recipe to fail or turn out differently than originally intended. If you change an ingredient, a quantity, or a method, it will also change the results. That being said – experimentation is the bomb! But you’ve got to be okay with mixed results.
Switching out ingredients can change the outcome of a recipe. For example self‐raising flour is different than all-purpose flour. Know your key ingredients. Subbing low-fat ingredients will also affect your final product, and sometimes won’t work at all.
Use ingredients you trust. Don’t be trying a whole new set of brands and ingredients on that birthday cake that means so much to you. Once you’ve found a brand you like, you might want to stick with it.
Make sure that your ingredients have not passed their best-before date.
Don’t rush when measuring out ingredients. Be organized. Measure accurately.
If a recipe calls for ingredients such as butter and eggs to be at room temperature, don’t ignore it. There is a big difference in the way cold and warm ingredients get incorporated into your baked goods.
When creaming butter and sugar together, take your time – when a recipe asks you to cream something until the mixture is light and fluffy, it can take up to 10 minutes. When adding flour to a mixture, the opposite rule often applies – don’t overbeat, as this will overwork the flour and can make the final product heavy.
Don’t worry if a batter looks runnier or thicker than you’re used to. You live once, people. Give it a try.
Ovens vary greatly, so suggested cooking times in any recipe are just that – a suggestion. Use cooking times as a rough guide. If you want to check your oven for accuracy, you can get an oven thermometer. When baking, I always refer to the shorter cooking time, and then keep an eye on it until finished. Be prepared to adapt your cooking times when using a new or different stove.
Cakes, cupcakes, muffins and the like, are ready when a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. They are not automatically ready when the suggested baking time is up.
Use the recommended sized baking tins. That sentence was way awkward. Anyhoo, if you jam the batter into a tin that is too small, you could have an overflow situation. Generally, filling a tin no more than 2/3 full is a good rule of thumb.
Cakes and cupcakes will flop in the middle if you take them out of the oven too early.
Don’t be opening your oven door over and over again to check on your baked goods. All that cold air getting in there can make your baked goods sad. Wait until you’re getting close to the minimum recommended baking time before taking a peek.
If your treats don’t look exactly like mine, don’t fret. Odds are, yours will look better. Embrace your own style. Also, if it tastes good, you’ve done your job. Ultimately, it’s all gunna look the same in your belly...
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