What qualities should a good baker possess?

[True2marie]

What qualities should a good baker possess?

To me, the main quality is patience. Doing anything homemade takes time. Also, you have to be careful on how you blend your ingredients. So, a person who struggles in the area of patience probably won't enjoy baking or do it well.

 

[Bella]

I agree patience and blending are big qualities you need to possess, as a baker. I had been ruining my biscuits for a long time and I could not figure out why. Then I realized it was because I was not blending the butter in properly!

I think you also have to have the love for baking. It gives your final product a little something extra, if you have baked it with love.

 

[Christine Mlinek]

I think the ability to have fun while baking is a good quality as well as patience..... A good baker will always have fun - too much competition will ruin a good baker!

 

[Bella]

Yes, you are right! When you get to caught up in competition, you tend to not be mindful of what you are doing. A little competition is healthy, though, just be careful.

 

[Christine Mlinek]

Yes, you are right! When you get to caught up in competition, you tend to not be mindful of what you are doing. A little competition is healthy, though, just be careful.

exactly!
I only enter a few contests with baking, and with the thought of not winning because I am a backyard baker, and not a professional, keeps my ego intact! ha ha

 

[kammy]

Patience is a definite must however i think being a good baker calls for great creativity and innovation...stepping away from the norm and trying new things is when i start having fun in the kitchen.

 

[JessiFox]

I definitely agree with the majority that patience is far up there...I think creativity and the ability to adapt is helpful as well, but patience is probably the key attribute.

 

[Winterybella]

What qualities should a good baker possess?

To me, the main quality is patience. Doing anything homemade takes time. Also, you have to be careful on how you blend your ingredients. So, a person who struggles in the area of patience probably won't enjoy baking or do it well.

I am going to be working harder at this. I have some challenges in this area and it happens because I am always rushing. To develop more patience, I am going to have to slow it down a notch.

 

[Mara]

Besides patience, being organized and intuitive are important. Knowing if something needs more liquid or if it's been beaten enough or how to remedy things. I always forget to preheat the oven, but find it's important, so timing is key when baking and also cool hands when making pastry.

 

[DancingLady]

Patience and a willingness to experiment and try again and again. Most of the best recipes were developed by people who just kept trying new things and making adjustments until at some point they felt they had got something really, really good. I think that is what sets a good baker apart from someone who just uses an oven now and then.

 

[ACSAPA]

I agree with patience but I also think a baker needs to be able to follow directions, because certain things, like the amount of baking powder that the recipe calls for, are an exact science.

 

[Winterybella]

I agree with patience but I also think a baker needs to be able to follow directions, because certain things, like the amount of baking powder that the recipe calls for, are an exact science.

You are quite right about this and I think that's why I didn't do as well as I should have way back when I was trying to bake from scratch. With my cooking I am always playing around with the recipe almost never doing exactly as directed.

With baking you can't really do that. Like you said it seems to be an exact science when it comes to measurements and the like.