There's a window of time when something is perfectly cooked and that window is different for everything you cook. One of my instructors at culinary school loved to teach first year students. He would always begin by demonstrating a perfectly cooked chicken breast. He would have us taste them straight from the pan and then after a 10 minute rest so we could really understand the magic of the resting period. We talk about resting periods for meat all the time, and resting periods for breads and cakes and pastries are equally important. While we are easily lulled by the idea of warm bread or doughnuts, in reality, the time spent cooling off is vital to the finished texture and flavor of any pastry. It allows the crumb to reabsorb fats, it cools the temperature so flavors can bloom, and it allows for evaporation so that you get a crispy crust or a crunchy topping. Never underestimate the importance of a resting period in baking. It is the difference between experiencing something amazing and something that just doesn't live up to the hype.
Years Past
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