avatarDavid C. Wyld

Summary

Inga Lam of BuzzFeed's Tasty shares essential baking tips for creating the perfect holiday cookies, emphasizing the importance of temperature control, baking precision, decoration techniques, photography, and presentation.

Abstract

The article "A Tasty Guide to the Perfect Holiday Cookies" provides valuable baking advice from Inga Lam, a Tasty Creator known for her expertise in crafting viral recipes. Lam stresses that room temperature ingredients like butter and eggs are crucial for achieving the desired texture and spread in cookies. She also suggests letting the oven sit at the desired temperature for a while after preheating to ensure consistent baking, and recommends LG ProBake Convection ovens for even heat distribution. The guide advises on letting cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to maintain their shape and integrity. For decoration, Lam encourages starting with simple designs and building up, using sprinkles to hide imperfections. When photographing the cookies, natural light is preferred, and flash should be avoided. For social media posts, Lam suggests a 45° angle shot to capture the full scope of the cookies, keeping the background clutter-free, and using hands and props to add life to the image. Readers are invited to join the LG | Tasty Cookie Club for hands-on experience.

Opinions

  • Room temperature ingredients are essential for proper cookie texture and spread.
  • Preheating the oven beyond the required temperature ensures a perfect baking environment.
  • LG ProBake Convection ovens are endorsed for their reliable convection technology.
  • Cookies should be allowed to cool on the baking sheet to prevent breakage.
  • Cookie decoration should start simply and can be progressively embellished, with sprinkles serving as a clever cover-up for any mishaps.
  • Smartphones are sufficient for capturing high-quality images of cookies; professional cameras are not necessary.
  • Natural lighting is key for food photography, and the use of flash should be avoided.
  • A 45° angle is preferred for showcasing cookies on social media, adding a personal touch with hands and props in the shot.
  • The LG | Tasty Cookie Club is promoted as a way to engage with Tasty's recipes and baking techniques.

A Tasty Guide to the Perfect Holiday Cookies

Here’s some great baking tips from Tasty’s Inga Lam!

Inga Lam of BuzzFeed’s Tasty

Want a little help in baking cookies this holiday season — or any time of year? Here’s some great tips from Inga Lam of BuzzFeed’s Tasty!

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Photo by Mollie Sivaram on Unsplash

(BPT) — When Inga Lam of BuzzFeed’s Tasty, the world’s largest social food network, gets going in the kitchen, she makes sure to consider all aspects of her baking process when creating the perfect treat. As a Tasty Creator, Inga is known for showing budding chefs how to sharpen their skills and live out their top-chef dreams by creating viral recipes that are easy to recreate at home. Below, you’ll find her tips to make holiday cookies that will stun this holiday season.

Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash

1. Check Your Temperature

To ensure top-quality results when baking, precise temperature is paramount. During prep, eggs and butter must be room temperature (unless the recipe calls for your butter to be melted) as this will guarantee proper spread and texture.

Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash

2. Tender Love and Cookie Care

Once the oven is preheated to the desired temperature, let it continue to sit a while longer to ensure that your treats are being cooked in the perfect baking environment. As the Official Oven of the Tasty Kitchen, LG ProBake Convection ovens make this task foolproof thanks to convection technology that evenly distributes heat on every rack. When finished baking, let your cookies rest on the baking sheet even before transferring them to a cooling rack. While warm cookies are tempting, let them properly cool to prevent breakage and loss of shape — perfection cannot be rushed!

Photo by Lydia Matzal on Unsplash

3. The Art of Cookie Decór

While there’s no right or wrong way to decorate your cookies, start small and gradually build onto your designs — remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take away! Piping designs with icing is a fun and easy way to create a mix of textures and designs. Fun fact: sprinkles hide everything; so if you ever mess up, just add more sprinkles!

Photo by Food Photographer | Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash

4. Capturing Your Cookie Candids

You’ve worked so hard on your one-of-a-kind holiday cookies, and now it’s time to capture your masterpiece. No professional camera needed; just whip out your smartphone and find the best spot in the house for natural light. Never use flash!

Photo by William Bayreuther on Unsplash

5. The Perfect Post

Everyone knows it’s all about the angles. Top-down is Tasty’s signature style, but shooting at a 45° angle is my personal favorite for showing the full scope of what I’ve made. Feel free to be playful, but always make sure the background is clear of obstructions. Showing your hands is a great way to show how you engage with your food, and don’t be afraid to stage a few props to create a fitting atmosphere for your dish!

To make your own Tasty cookies at home, visit lgtastycookieclub.com and receive your first LG | Tasty Cookie Club kit.

Originally published on The Idea Publishing at http://www.theideapublishing.com/foodideas/a-tasty-guide-to-the-perfect-holiday-cookies.

Recipe
Cooking
Holidays
Kitchen
Family
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