If you like your pizza to have a crispy base, one little trick will guarantee the perfect crunch. Just par cook your pizza dough!

A simple white sauce is a delicious addition to many dishes, from lasagne to moussaka to fish pies. When preparing, you’ll need slightly more fat than flour. If you don’t add enough fat, your roux – the basis of your sauce – will be dry and crumbly. Also, you’ll keep the sauce sauce – will be dry and crumbly. Also, you’ll keep the sauce from browning, make sure you melt the fat gently and remove it from the stove plate before it starts to sizzle.

When making bread, kneading your dough is an important step that you can’t afford to skip. Kneading evenly distributes the by-products of the yeast. Before you get started sprinkle some flour onto the flat surface you’re kneading on – this will keep the dough from sticking. A wooden surface helps to reduce sticking too.

Like any cooking, you can taste the difference when you use the freshest ingredients. The same goes for the flour you add to your mixture. If you’re storing white flour, take it out of its packaging and keep it in an airtight container. Not only will it stay fresh but it’ll also keep any unwanted bugs out. If you’re storing whole wheat flour, we suggest storing it in the fridge. This is because it contains germ and bran and these cause the flour to age quicker.

One of the best ways to get the best result when you bake? Sift your flour! It is a small detail but it will make a big difference. Sifting gets rid of clumps so, when you’re measuring your flour, the measurements are more accurate. No clumps also means that your mixture will be smoother. The smoother the mixture, the better the cake, biscuits or bread!

Whether you want soft- or stiff peaks, there are a few things you can do to ensure your egg white consistency is just right. Make sure there is absolutely no grease on any of the utensils or appliances that come in contact with the eggs – the fat causes the white to rise to a third the volume it should. When you start beating, begin at a slow speed and then beat faster once an even foam forms. Beating too fast initially makes large air pockets that can collapse easily.