Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also like to learn how to make a pie crust and dough for pizza. No matter what I do, I can't seem to work with dough properly!

I made like 5 different pie crusts over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can get all butter crusts to turn out, but shortening ones are much harder. Pizza dough has been super easy for me. Try this one; I get requests for it all the time.

https://natashaskitchen.com/pizza-dough-recipe/

Thank you, will try it and report back!

Sauces

I'm not sure where to start with sauces, but I think they may be the main thing that distinguishes my very good home cooking from a stellar restaurant meal.

Anonymous wrote:Fudge

I’m still researching all the different recipes and techniques. It’s really vexing because they are all contradictory.

Funny you mention fudge because I want to learn too. I made a fudge recipe for the first time this Christmas and I thought it was too simple and easy. I want a classic fudge recipe. The one I used had condensed milk and chocolate chips. It felt like cheating.

What technique I would like to learn this year is to make Stella’s Bakery quality style cakes. Specifically the grand Marnier and the fruit cake.

Fudge

I’m still researching all the different recipes and techniques. It’s really vexing because they are all contradictory.

I want to learn how to make buttermilk biscuits. Mine just me every urn out right now

I also want to learn how to make bakery style chocolate chip cookies. Mine always look flat.

Anonymous wrote:I would also like to learn how to make a pie crust and dough for pizza. No matter what I do, I can't seem to work with dough properly!

I made like 5 different pie crusts over Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can get all butter crusts to turn out, but shortening ones are much harder. Pizza dough has been super easy for me. Try this one; I get requests for it all the time.

https://natashaskitchen.com/pizza-dough-recipe/

If you haven't already, you can try making various types of frosting. The non-American ones can be fairly technical, and those same skills can translate to other things. Or puff pastry and pie crust. Macarons. Or pasta from scratch. Or noodles.

My personal nemesis is brioche. My hand is injured at the moment, but I really want to conquer this one. I have tried twice and failed (the butter split from the dough; I think I know why), so it's a challenge for me.

I recently did a croissant class. So fun and now I don’t want to pay for expensive ones at the bakery.

I would also like to learn how to make a pie crust and dough for pizza. No matter what I do, I can't seem to work with dough properly!

I'm learning how to make a pie crust by following directions I found in Sally's Baking Addiction here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/baking-basics-homemade-buttery-flaky-pie-crust/

I have been to lots of classes (knife skills, desserts, sushi, dumplings ,etc) and I always learn some new technique that I find super helpful in general. I was thinking it may be fun to compile a list of 'how tos' to tackle in 2025. I don't usually do resolutions, but like to get better at stuff. My today year's old technique; I tried and actually worked was emulsifying egg yolk into a soup I was making. I had never had it come up in a recipe nor heard of it, but it did really improve the flavor of the soup.

I figured I'd crowd source a list to get me through.