I will start a mini-series of suggestions for dessert making. It is based on my experiences and I hope you enjoy it and find it useful.

 

1. Leave the eggs get to room temperature before using them. This way, you will be able to beat them stiff for meringues and creams and mix them more easily into éclair or profiterole batter.

2. Coffee brings out the flavour of chocolate. Add a teaspoon of ground coffee to desserts rich in chocolate.

3. For any recipe that requires baking, keep in mind a ±20°C margin. Test your oven well!

4. Use butter instead of sunflower oil [the 1:1 ratio works just fine]. Even in non-vegan recipes, I like using coconut oil. It’s my favourite oil. 

5. To beat the whipping cream stiff, cool the bowl and/or the mixer blades that you are using in the freezer.

6. Semolina makes the filling stiff. For instance, if you decide to bake a cassata al forno (its filling resembles the one used for the cassata in the picture), make sure to add some tablespoons of semolina to the ricotta filling.  

7. For extra-crunchy bakes, oil or butter your baking pan; for extra-fluffy bakes, sprinkle semolina onto the baking pan. 

8. When you’re preparing your puff pastry dough by adding eggs one at a time, use a mixer. It will turn out fluffier.