What is the Difference between Cooking and Baking?

Some people have this question on their mind that, what is the difference between cooking and baking. In this article, you will learn the difference between cooking and baking.

In Simple Words,

Cooking is a general term for preparing food with heat, it includes boiling, stewing, or frying. Baking is a more specific term for cooking involving an oven. It is still cooking when it is baking.

Most people think of bread when they think of baking. But there are also other baked goods like pies and cookies.

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What is Cooking?

In its most basic form, cooking means applying heat to food. Whether the food is baked, fried, sautéed, boiled, or grilled, it all gets cooked. Evidence suggests that our ancestors began cooking over an open fire more than 2 million years ago.

People still cook some foods over an open flame, in addition to using tools like microwaves, toasters, and stovetops.

In scientific terms, cooking is transferring energy from a heat source to food. It is as much about the ways ​heat changes the food as it is about the heat itself. That’s because heating food does more than just make it hotter.

What is baking?

Baking, the process of cooking by dry heat, especially in some type of oven. It is probably the oldest cooking method.

Bakery products, which include bread, rolls, cookies, pies, cakes, and muffins, are generally made from flour or meal derived from some form of grain.

Bread, which was already a common staple in prehistoric times, provides many nutrients in the human diet.

What is the difference between Cooking and Baking?

Maybe you have heard your mother while trying to bake a cake, saying that she is cooking, but you are probably holding your head and wondering; isn’t there a difference between cooking and baking? 

Well, these two methods of food preparation are not really the same, and no great chef will tell you the difference.

1. Cooking Vs Baking

Without a critical look at the two methods of food preparation, one might think that they are synonymous, but the truth is that these two methods are technically different.

They are methods that often produce really tasty and good things to eat, but the methods used to get to this stage require different processes.

2. Precision

Cooking:

Cooking is a method that allows many substitutions and improvisations.

You may not need a general note on the specific amount of spices to add to make a pot of soup, as all that is required is a general idea unless in some special cases where top culinary skills are required.

Baking:

Baking is a method that requires precision in applying the recipe.

There is usually a standard measure of substances that you need to gather to achieve a desirable result and it requires full mastery of temperature and how it might affect the interaction between ingredients.

3. Science Vs Art

Cooking:

Cooking is a form of art where you are not bounded by limitations, but you can express your skills as much as you like by combining and substituting different edibles.

You are allowed to turn mistakes into something different and also to introduce variations on a typical dish to enhance flavor and taste.

Baking:

Baking, on the other hand, is a science; you are bound by its law.

It is almost like you are following a set of the experimental protocol where attention must be given to measurement, temperature, and quality of the required items and failure to adhere to the full recipes involved leads to a totally undesirable result.

Why should you learn how to cook?

Cooking food correctly helps prevent food poisoning. Most raw foods contain food-borne pathogens such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses that can seriously injure and kill a human being.

Cooking ensures that all microorganisms are destroyed, making food safe for human consumption.

1. It Beats Stress

Cooking is a fun way to relieve stress after a hard day at school or work.

2. Expand your mind

Learning to cook will help you understand the cultures, customs, and flavors of the world.

You will also learn life skills like eating healthy, budgeting your money, and cleaning.

3. Save some cash

Cooking is less expensive than eating at restaurants, fast food restaurants, and school cafeterias.

Spending money on pre-packaged meals becomes too expensive for a young person and families on a budget.

4. Eat the foods you like

You have full control over your menu and can choose exactly what you want to eat for each meal.

5. Boost your health and wellness

Preparing fresh foods will put much-needed nutrition into your diet and increase your energy and quality of health in both, short and long run.

6. Be more amazing

Cooking will boost your self-esteem.

You will learn the proper planning and preparation skills to carry out a task from start to finish while contributing positively to the health of your family and friends.

7. Spread the love

Cooking creates a culture of giving and receiving positive energy from the people around you.

8. Hanging out with friends

Cooking helps create time to hang out with family and friends, have fun, and create memories that you will keep for the rest of your life.

9. Express yourself

Cooking activities are a great way to express your creativity. You are the master of the canvas. Try new things! You can always eat your mistakes.

10. Helps your brain to think more

Cooking will help you practice subjects like science, reading, and math, and increase your critical thinking. Cooking is a great way to use the skills you learned in school!

Wrap Up…

Cooking is relatively easy. You can follow a recipe, but you can afford to take shortcuts. While the baking is very precise and well defined.

In addition, there is quite a lot of technique in baking. And yes, these are the difference between Cooking and Baking…

This is why good cooks may not be good bakers and vice versa because the two methods are just different.

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