The Craft

Baking questions, answered

The questions that come up most, each with the cause and the fix.

• Can I freeze cookie dough?

  Yes — scoop cookie dough into balls, freeze, and bake straight from frozen with a minute or two more. It even holds its shape better.

• Can I make this dairy-free?

  Many bakes go dairy-free with block plant butter, plant milk and dairy-free chocolate — a slightly softer result. See our tested dairy-free bakes.

• Do I really need to age the egg whites?

  Ageing egg whites gives a slightly more stable macaron meringue, but weighing and technique matter more. Here's what it does and when to skip it.

• How do I get a clean chocolate drip?

  A clean chocolate drip needs a chilled, smooth cake and a ganache cooled to just-pourable. Test one drip first, then work around the edge.

• How do I get a smooth ganache finish?

  A smooth ganache finish comes from a well-emulsified ganache, a crumb coat, and cooling it to the right consistency before it goes on.

• How do I get soft-centred cookies?

  For soft-centred cookies, underbake slightly and let them finish on the hot tray — carryover heat sets the middle without drying it.

• How do I stop cheesecake being runny without gelatine?

  No-bake cheesecake sets without gelatine if you use full-fat cream cheese, keep it cold, don't overwhip, and chill it overnight.

• How do I store macarons?

  Store macarons in an airtight tin in the fridge and let them mature overnight — better on day two. Serve at room temperature within a few days.

• Why are my cookies cakey rather than chewy?

  Cakey cookies usually mean too much flour or egg, or too much air. Weigh your flour and go easy on the creaming for a proper chew.

• Why are my cookies flat?

  Flat cookies usually mean melted butter, no chill, or a warm tray. The fixes for cookies with proper height.

• Why are my macarons hollow?

  Hollow macarons usually mean overfolding or too hot an oven. Fold only to flowing lava, and try a lower temperature for a bit longer.

• Why are my macarons lopsided?

  Lopsided macarons usually mean uneven piping, oven hot spots, or an unlevel tray. Pipe vertically, rotate the tray, and check your shelf is level.

• Why did my cookies spread too much?

  Cookies spread when the butter melts before they set — usually warm dough, over-creaming, or too much raising agent. Here's how to fix it.

• Why did my macarons crack?

  Cracked macarons usually mean too little resting or trapped air. Rest until a skin forms, tap out bubbles, and check your oven temperature.

• Why do my blueberries sink to the bottom?

  Berries sink when the batter's too thin or their surface too slick. Toss them in a little flour and fold in last to keep them suspended.

• Why does my meringue weep?

  Weeping meringue usually means undissolved sugar, humidity, or a cold filling. Add sugar gradually, whisk to glossy, and avoid damp days.

• Why don't my macarons have feet?

  No macaron feet usually means undermixed batter, no skin before baking, or humidity. Fold to flowing lava and rest until dry to the touch.

• Why is my cobbler filling runny?

  Runny cobbler means the fruit wasn't thickened or didn't bake long enough. Toss fruit in cornflour and bake until it's properly bubbling.

• Why is my cream cheese frosting runny?

  Runny cream cheese frosting usually means low-fat cheese, warm ingredients or overbeating. Use full-fat cold cream cheese and mix minimally.

• Why is my sponge dense?

  A dense sponge usually means cold ingredients, under-creaming, over-mixed flour, or a cool oven. The fixes for a light, airy crumb.