How to Check the Doneness of Baked Goods — Bakers Say They Don't Trust the Toothpick Method 0 5

Professional bakers warned in a comment to Allrecipes that this method often leads to over-drying baked goods.

When a toothpick comes out of the batter completely dry, the internal temperature of the baked good reaches about 100 °C. At this point, the moisture has already evaporated, meaning the crumb has lost its juiciness.

How to Determine the Doneness of Baked Goods

The optimal internal temperature for most flour-based desserts is 93–99 °C. Professionals more often use a culinary thermometer to determine doneness rather than a toothpick.

If you don’t have a thermometer, rely on a combination of signs:

the edges of the item slightly pull away from the shape;
the surface springs back when lightly pressed;
a characteristic aroma appears.

It is important to remember that baked goods continue to cook due to residual heat even after you have taken them out of the oven.

How to Revive Stale Baked Goods — Unfortunately, Not All

Stale baked goods made from puff pastry do not need to be thrown straight into the trash. British chef Paul Hollywood previously suggested a simple way to restore their flavor and softness.

The chef advised cutting the dried-out item in half, spreading almond cream on the halves, optionally adding some jam, reassembling, and sprinkling with almond flakes. Then place it in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 °C. The baked good will become softer and turn into a new dessert.

Users in the comments also suggested their options: for example, you can lightly spray the buns with water and warm them in an air fryer for 3–4 minutes.