We'd dip our hands into this aluminum treasure trove and extract a flaky treat. I think we especially prized this holiday offering because no one else in the family knew how to make pastry. The days when apron-clad grandmothers and aunts regularly clustered over cookie sheets and pastry boards may be gone, but there's something about the holidays that compels even those folks who do little baking throughout the year to scrub out their cake pans and dust off their candy thermometers. Yet the thought of baking can send cold shivers down the spine of even the most proficient of cooks. Some bakeries, such as Healdsburg's Downtown Bakery and Creamery, understand the dilemma of yearning to bake but feeling incapable.
Pies can be a bit daunting.
According to DeFors, even many inexperienced bakers have a problem making pie crust. And if your crust has droopy edges, make a little foil collar for the sides and fix it on with paper clips, then remove it later to finish browning. Those special apple cakes, pies, and streusels played a big part in our holiday traditions. She advises that once you get more accomplished in the baking world, you can experiment a little. If you're making Christmas cookies, you don't need to keep peeking in the oven, she adds.