Lori Sims of Woodland Bakery in Chatham, New Jersey makes sure you stay merry and bright during holiday baking this year

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but when it comes time to turn out the holiday baked goods, even the jolliest of bakers can turn into the Grinch. Between the gift giving, hectic schedules, and endless expenses that come with the holidays, the fun can quickly be sucked out of baking. This likely results in lopsided cakes, failed pies, and sad-looking sugar cookies. That is until massage therapist turned professional baker Lori Sims swoops in to save you - and your cookies – from the stresses of holiday baking.

Since 2014, Sims has owned and operated Woodland Bakery in Chatham, New Jersey. A self-taught baker, Sims learned everything she could about running a commercial bakery before rolling up her sleeves and diving right in – into the holiday season no less. We figured that if Sims managed to take over an entire bakery in the thick of the holiday season, then she’d be an expert on getting the average baker through it too. Below, Sims shares five secrets for seamless baking this the holiday season.

#5 Read the Recipe

Planning is the key to successful baking, so sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and read your recipe like you would a book. Pay attention to details and any special cooking tools you may need. If it is a new recipe that you got off the Internet, read the reviews! Other cooks are so helpful in giving special hints to make the recipe go smoothly and without error. Lots of times they even have great ideas for tweaks that can add to the recipe.

#4 Room Temperature is Your Friend

Baking is a science and cold ingredients don’t incorporate evenly to affectively bond to the other ingredients. This creates dense, clumpy, hard mixes that don’t allow the batters to come together smoothly enough to create a successful product. If a recipe does not specifically call for a cold item, you will have much more success if you take out your eggs, butter, and milk at least a half hour before baking.

#3 Keep It Simple

We all love variety, but when it comes to baking, this can be a challenge, so keep it simple. When making holiday cookies, you can take your favorite sugar or chocolate chip cookie dough recipe and make hundreds of different kinds. You can change it up by adding sprinkles, dipping them in chocolate, filling them with jelly, or changing their shape. The best part is that you can make your plain dough ahead of time and freeze it. Then, when you are ready to bake, just divide up the dough and add what you want before you bake.

#2 Use More Salt

The secret to bringing out the most of your flavors is finishing salt. When you have prepared your cookies, pies, or cakes and are getting ready to bake, reach for the kosher salt. Just like when you cook, finishing off with a dash of salt will help elevate the flavors of your dish. Use only Kosher or table salt and make sure you hold your hand at least 12” above the item you are salting in order for it to coat evenly. Never use sea salt unless you want to taste salt, as this kind will not dissolve.

#1 Relax and Enjoy!

The key to a successful baking day is planning. As in tip #5, make sure you have read your recipes through, done all your shopping, and have all your ingredients and baking supplies on hand. Then, schedule a baking day. Unless you are baking with the kids and/or your other half, make arrangements for a fun filled day for them away from the house. Interruptions can quickly derail the best-laid plans and all your hard work can easily end up in the garbage. With that said, TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF. Baking needs focus. Put on your comfy clothes, your favorite music, and pour yourself a glass of wine so ensure an enjoyable day of baking.

 Happy Baking and Happy Holidays from Everyone at Woodland Bakery!