Anyone who has spent more than an hour in the kitchen knows that there can be pitfalls to even the most well-thought out recipe. One mismeasure, or one minute too long when mixing, and the once perfect product can quickly fall flat. Whether your objective is to make a simple dinner for your family or cater to a dining room full of culinary experts, know from the first crack of the egg that even if there are errors made, it doesn't necessarily mean all is lost.

Just like any other career in life, baking can lead to some of either the greatest achievements or the most monumental mistakes. Of course, this is linked directly to the steps you take to get to your end goal, the care with which you follow your plan, and your ability to adapt to any challenges that arise. As a baker, mistakes can (and will) happen; here are five tips to help you avoid the biggest baking school blunders that can be made in baking and pastry arts.

The Measure of a Chef

Whatever area of cooking you pursue, knowing how to make accurate measurements and mix properly is a must. As a baker, precision in measurement is key to success—for example, if you use too much flour, expect to get a dried-out cake, or if you have too low of an oven temperature, you will most likely notice that your end product is underdone in the center. The instructions used in a recipe are not randomly chosen, but applied after testing and trying until the ratios are determined to be perfect for creating an amazing product. Even the slightest variation in mix and measure can change the whole taste or appearance of a dish.

Equip Yourself for Success

Knowing the equipment you are working with is critically important. Before you even start executing a recipe, it would be good to review a checklist of do's and don'ts about your equipment. For instance: Is the oven temperature accurate and even throughout? Will your blender mix your ingredients to the consistency you need without extra work on your part? Can you consider every piece of equipment reliable and able to produce the high-quality food products that you strive to create? These and other questions should be on your mind as you prepare for a day of baking.

It's What's Inside That Counts

A basic understanding of your ingredients will get you a basic rendition of the dish you envision. For the smart baker and pastry artist, a deeper familiarity of each component will enable you to make more sophisticated, complex creations. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true; if you are a baker who doesn't take time to familiarize yourself with the ingredients, this will show in your final dish and will make you more vulnerable to creating blunder after blunder in the kitchen. The bottom line? Take the time to know as much as you can about the components of the recipe you are attempting to perfect. Your diligence should pay off!

• Quality Matters: You should note that the quality of your product matters. Always. Certainly, you want to try to save money and stay within your given budget, but never should that be done at the expense of using the freshest, best quality ingredients. Low-quality in the mixing bowl can often mean mediocre out of the oven.
• Substitutions Welcome: As a baker, you will have occasion to substitute one ingredient for another. Unless you are experimenting on your friends and family, it is best to stick with those substitutions you know will work properly. Replacing ingredient A with the wrong ingredient b could lead to a great catastrophe in the kitchen.

When Good Enough Is Great

Sometimes, we think that if we do something more than what the recipe calls for, it will guarantee greatness. Mix it a little longer. Shake it a little harder. Bake it five more minutes. The truth, though, is to know when to say 'enough is enough'; stop mixing at just the right moment, shake evenly and consistently, and never ever overbake. It may be your want for forging a path that gets in the way, but don't be tripped up by being more creative than is necessary. When it's time to be done, be done and watch the beautiful results of doing just enough (but not too much!) work.

Keep it Clean

This one is a no-brainer and is best kept simple. A clean kitchen is an effective kitchen. Don't cut corners, but DO keep them clean.

Master the Fundamentals in Baking School!

If you are considering a career in the field of baking and pastry, contact ECPI University today about earning a Baking & Pastry Arts Diploma in as little as 11 months. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

#tbt day before I started my first culinary class, to a year later on my last day at ecpi... Can't… http://t.co/jGDdmI8IOe

— Hunter Gibson (@Hunterrr12) February 7, 2014

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