A few weeks ago, I ordered pizzas from our local joint, a nothing-special strip mall spot. With a few additional toppings and delivery added in, our casual dinner for four set me back about $60. What’s worse, the pizza wasn’t even very good.   The post The best (and most affordable) pizza is the one you make yourself : Homemade pizza is economical, low-effort, and better than delivery. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

In this article:   What is sourdough discard?  Why do you discard sourdough starter? What to do with sourdough discard How to add sourdough discard to any recipe  How to s The post What is sourdough discard? And what should I do with it?: You can’t have sourdough without sourdough discard. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

Parchment paper makes baking easier. That’s just a fact. There’s simpler prep, less cleaning, and crucially, no sticking. And helpfully, it can often be reused. I’ve had sheets of parchment paper that I’ve stretched across multiple batches of cookies, simply giving it a wipe and baking on it again. The post These pan liners are basically no-waste parchment: What if you never had to throw your parchment paper away? appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

Spring baking can be hard — we’re craving bright, fresh flavors, but not much is in season just yet. That’s where stalwarts like citrus and pantry heroes like dried coconut and canned pineapple come in, adding warm weather flair without resorting to out-of-season produce. And because spring is also a time to spend outside, not in the kitchen, we’ve compiled some of our quickest, easiest desserts so you can bake all season without missing out on picnics and parties.  The post 11 super-fast, super-easy spring desserts: These impressive bakes come together in a snap. appeared first on the K ..read more

A few months ago, Test Kitchen Manager Sarah Jampel sent me an Instagram link, with an all-caps message imploring me to check it out. The link in question was a reel from baker Dan Langan, who demonstrated an unconventional way to cut cake: from the outside in, rather than the top down. The post Things bakers know: You might be cutting cake the wrong way: Switch up your angle, clean up your slices. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

You’re bringing your favorite cream tea scones to an office breakfast, and you’d like to jazz them up a bit. Or maybe blackberries are on sale and you’re wondering what to bake with them. The good news? Adding fresh fruit to scones makes delicious sense.   The post How can I incorporate fresh fruit into scones? : Tips for perfect fruit scones. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

This month, we’re fully embracing the mashup. From churro cupcakes to cannoli cheesecake, we’ve got creative recipes you didn't even know you needed. But don’t worry, we have tried-and-true classics too, like the only soufflé recipe you’ll ever need and a back-pocket vanilla cake to whip up at a moment’s notice. Here, we’re sharing a baker’s dozen recipes to bake all month long and beyond.  The post The 13 best recipes to bake in April : A mashup cannoli cheesecake, a mind-blowing churro cupcake, and more. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

Bakers often liken their sourdough starter to a pet. They give it a cute name (“Doughy Parton”), express slight exasperation about feeding schedules, and brag about a bond strengthened by time. Having a sourdough starter that’s years — sometimes decades! — old instills a sense of accomplishment and pride, and some bakers love to share their starter origin stories. But does an older starter actually make better bread? The post Does sourdough starter get better with age?: Bakers boast about starter that’s years — decades! — old. But does the age of your starter actually impact your baking? appe ..read more

A good crust is the foundation of great homemade pizza, whether you’re making your favorite basic crust, a bubbly Neapolitan-style, a flavorful sourdough, or even a crispy gluten-free crust. The post Can you freeze pizza dough? : Yes. Here’s how to do it. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more

It’s carrot cake season. And maybe you think that means just one thing: literal carrot cake. But here’s a secret. Carrot cake is not a single recipe. It’s a state of mind. A template. A gateway to a variety of forms and incarnations, some of which you may not have known existed until right now. And you can pick whichever one you want this spring, whether that’s a traditional cake or something else entirely. The post This Easter, carrot cake enters the multiverse: A classic dessert that can take many different forms. appeared first on the King Arthur Blog ..read more