Authors in Bloom Blog Hop!

Welcome to the 4th annual Authors in Bloom blog hop!

This unique blog hop is where authors share their gardening tips or favorite recipes. To celebrate the launch of my latest project, the SHADES OF DESIRE bundle, (and because I have such a weakness for sweets) I'm featuring 10 great baking tips from professional bakers, food bloggers and recipe developers to help you make very yummy desserts!

Ten titillating tales from USA Today, bestselling and award-winning authors. Step into the world of some of the freshest voices in romance. From spicy secrets to sweet second chances. Come find your perfect shade of desire.

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10 Secret Baking Tips
1. “The most important choice a baker can make is to use unsalted butter. Even better, use European-style unsalted butter.”— Christina Tosi, Pastry chef at Momofuku, from Baking Tips From Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi

2. “I do not go cheap with ingredients I use for baking. The better the ingredients, the better the end result. It might be more expensive, but the end result is so worth it.”— Andrea Harris Merrigan, baker and blogger, from 10 Basic Baking Tips

3. “If you don’t bake frequently, make sure to throw out old baking powder, yeast and spices. They all lose efficacy over time.”— Agnes Chin, pastry chef at Palena Restaurant, as told to the Washington Post in Baking Tips from D.C. Pastry Chefs

4. “All-purpose flour isn’t really made for every purpose. For the best results when baking a cake, you need to use cake flour. With a lower content of gluten-producing proteins than in all-purpose flour … cake flour yields baked goods with a fine, soft texture.”— Ben Mims, recipe developer and food writer, from 4 Cake Tips

5. “Eggs vary greatly in size and also in proportion of yolk to white. Either use weight or volume especially when a recipe calls for all yolks. A recipe requiring 4 yolks may need as many as 7 if the yolks are very small.”— Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Cake Bible, from Rose’s Tips for Cake Baking

6. “I sift the flour and baking powder together two or three times when making a cake (never for pastry or bread making). Though this isn’t essential, it will give your cakes a very light, even texture and stop those pea-sized air pockets forming in the crumb.”— Dan Lepard for Delicious Magazine, from Dan Lepard’s Top Baking Tips

7. “For light and fluffy baked goods, it’s important not to over stir. First, make sure your dry ingredients are completely mixed together before you get them wet. Next, instead of stirring vigorously like a cartoon chef, gently scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl and mix with a folding motion, constantly incorporating a new section of batter.”— Christine Frazier, food blogger, from Best Baking Tips

8. “Spend time creaming your butter and sugar together... If you cream the butter and sugar correctly (about 10 minutes), you’ll get evenly baked, fluffy cookies.”— Megan Willett, lifestyle reporter, from Best Cookie Baking Tips

9. “Let the batter sit for a few minutes before pouring it into the pan. This allows the flour and other dry ingredients to fully combine with the moist ingredients. It really does make a difference in the way the cake bakes and the texture of the crumb.”— Gina de Palma for O Magazine, from Bake a Perfect Cake: 5 Tips From the Experts

10. “Make sure your oven racks are in the center of the oven. If you are baking more than one sheet of cookies in the oven at once, rotate positions halfway through baking.”— Sommer Collier, recipe developer and food writer, from Cookie Baking Tips

What is your secret baking tip or which baking tip have you tried?
Leave a comment and enter in a chance to win a $10 gift card to either Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, or All Romance eBooks.
Also, be sure to enter the Grand Prize giveaway!

And don't forget to visit other Authors in Bloom for more amazing prizes! Linky Tools subscription expired. List not available.