A:Sugar!  Think of sugar as a liquid ingredient; when you add heat to it, it liquifies.  Try cutting the sugar by a few tablespoons at a time and you should notice a difference.  I also like spooning out my dough (with one of my favorite tools, a portion scooper)! onto the cookie sheet and placing the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking.

A: Oh, this is a great question! Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is used in recipes that already have an acidic ingredients (think: buttermilk, sour cream, lemon, et al). During the baking process, baking soda will reacte with the acid in the batter or dough and release carbon dioxide, which in turn 'lifts' the yummies in your oven to create a rise.

Baking powder, on the other hand, is made for batters without (or with very litte) acidity. Baking powder is made of baking soda plus an activating agent in order to create the appropriate release of carbon dioxide. The acid most often combined with baking soda is cream of tartar, or tartaric acid (a byproduct of the wine-making process).

Don't have baking powder in the house? No worries! Make your own by mixing 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tsps cream of tartar and a teaspoon of cornstarch. And to answer the last question, mmmm- not really, unless you like garlic-scented chocolate chip cookies!

A: I'm a metric girl at heart (let me preface by saying that I hate math- sorry, Mrs. Smith)! My first cookbooks were French ones, where cups and teaspoons were non-existent, but a scale was mandatory. Though using a scale may seem daunting, it's actually quite liberating. If often receive questions about recipes coming out differently each time they are made, or why the flour at the bottom of the bag yields less in the cup; it's all in the measurement.

SO- I recommend every home baker purchase a scale. Why? You'll get the exact same results from your recipe every single time and there is NO COUNTING. Hasve you ever measured out 5 cups of flour and had to start over when you lost count? All you have to do with a scale is read the numbers, press tare/zero and weigh out the next ingredient, all in the same bowl! My favorite one was a simple Weight Watchers scale from Target, $12.99. If you're ready to take this step, make sure that the scale weighs in both grams and ounces and that it is battery operated (much easier when you aren't tethered to a plug).

A: The most common issue with consistency is in the measurements (see question re: scale). When using cups, we run the risk of adding too much or too little flour, brown sugar, fruit, etc. The flour at the bottom of the bag is usually denser than at the top and brown sugar can have more or less humidity (and might be mroe difficult to pack).

If you have any kind of small scale at home, try this test: Fluff up, or 'sift' the flour at the top of the bag. Scoop out one cup of the flour, level off and weigh (in grams). Now shake the bag a bit from side to side (to allow the flour to settle down into the bottom), scoop out another cup, shake it down in the cup, level and weigh. You should see a dramatic difference in weight though you used the same volume-measuring cup.

The best way to ensure that you get the recipe right from now on is to measure and weigh your ingredients, recording them and seeing which recipe turned out best. From then on, weigh! Feel free to email me with scale recommendations, they don't cost much but can really be lifesavers.

A:t's simple; a flaky texture comes from the many layers of cold butter, air, flour and dough. The secret? Stay cold, handle less!

1) Be sure to use very cold ingredients; I measure mine out and freeze the butter and water for 10 minutes before getting started.
2) Use a food processor! Using your hands will melt the butter, which will make your dough both less flaky and cause shrinkage in the oven. You'll want to pulse it just so the dough barely resembles a uniform mass. You'll WANT to see little pebbles of butter in there.
3) Once your dough comes together, wrap it in the shape of a flat disc and refrigerate for at least one hour (or freeze if you're in a hurry)!
4) Use a low-gluten flour, such as pastry flour.
5) Work the dough as little as possible! Remember, the minute the butter begins to soften, you'll lose flakiness.
6) Bake according to your recipe. If you like a shiny look on your crust, make an egg wash using one yolk and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk those together with a pinch of salt and brush (with your fingers or a pastry brush) onto your crust. Sprinkle with sugar for an even yummier look!.

A:Don't worry!  All you need to do is to place the cupcake pan (or muffin pan) over a cookie sheet in the oven.  This helps to distribute the heat more evenly and prevents the bottom of your little cakes from developing that dreaded dry and overly browned base.  Stick with light-colored aluminum pans, too; the darker ones tend to brown the cakes more quickly.

A:Bringing all your ingredients to room temperature before baking is important in most baking recipes, but you don't have to leave the ingredients out the night before- or nuke them!  Simple place your whole, uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and open and cut your butter into small pieces and wait 10-15 minutes.  Milk can also be brought to temperature by placing desired amount in a saucepot and heating it- just barely on low- until you've taken the chill off.

A:Gianduja is chocolate, most often Milk, that is made with a Hazelnut Paste.  This chocolate tends to be very soft, so keep it cold before shaving.  If you don't have this chocolate handy, substitute with any other chocolate and if you like, add  finely chopped, toasted Hazelnuts.

A:A vegetable peeler works best!  For small shave pieces, use the chocolate cold or at room temperature.  For larger curls, rub the piece of chocolate with the palm of your hand and use more pressure as you 'peel' the curls away!

A:Nut flours are usually found in natural food stores and chef's supply stores.  They can sometimes be costly, so I recommed either buying in bulk (http://www.surfasonline.com) or making your own!  Simply place your almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts or any other nut in a food processor and pulse until you reach a fine crumb.  Store any remaining nut flour in the freezer.

Don't worry!  The gray color on your chips doesn't mean they went bad.  When chocolate is kept in an environment that's too warm or humid, the cocoa fat in the chocolate 'rises' to the top, creating what is called a bloom.  Keep your chocolate tightly sealed in a cool, dark place.  Cabinets that are furthest away from sinks and your stove are best.

Silicone pans tend to brown your baked goods more than the average aluminum pans.  If you like the shape and easy clean-up of these flexible molds, I would suggest doubling up on the cookie sheets that the molds rest on in the oven.

You have two options:  Pour your marshmallow mixture in a half-sheet pan (coated with granulated or powdered sugar) and cut out with a cookie cutter (dipping the cookie cutter in canola oil will help).  Your other option works just as easily- spray silicone molds with canola oil spray and coat generously with your favorite sugar.  Pour your marshmallow mixture into the molds, wait to set and unmold!