The difference between baking and cooking is widely observable as a theme of the kitchen. In fact, there is nothing that can be compared to the tastes that each of this style of cooking produces in the various kinds of food which there are. Their differences are often decided by human preferences. While some people love their food cooked, many love foods that are baked more than food that are either cooked or fried.
Many people cook for fun, many cook for the profit because cooking provides the professional platform for any skilled hand in the kitchen to make a highly lucrative career.
The same thing goes for baking. In Nigeria today, there are several services provided by bakers by making cakes, bread, etc.
Knowing that there are many features that make each style of cooking distinctive or distinguishable, this article will be taking you through some of the differences between baking and cooking which you must know about.
The Difference Between Baking and Cooking.
Firstly, the definitive difference between baking and cooking is found in cooking as a system of preparing food with water which also involves the use of some metal pots, kettles, ladles, etc. placed on fire that is emitted through stove or gas, while baking is another method of preparing food which only involves the use of heat from oven. Below are those possible distinctive traits of the two systems of food preparation:
1. Cooking
- Cooking predates baking to around 2 million years and is a much older form of making food.
- Cooking is a broad term that refers to all the methods of making food.
- Cooking is more popular and practiced all around the world in various forms.
- Cooking utilizes tools and equipment such as pans, pots, knives, tongs, a grill, a stove, and even an oven.
- Cooking can be done on an open fire or a stove or grill and uses mediums such as oil and water to provide heat to the uncooked meat and vegetables.
- cooking requires much fat such as oil
- Cooking is considered a less healthy method of preparing food.
- Cooking is considered a form of art because it allows improvisation and to change the recipe according to your preference.
2. Baking
- Baking is a relatively new method dating back to around only 6500 years.
- Baking uses dry, indirect heat, particularly in an oven, to prepare food.
- Baking is considered a much quicker and healthier method of preparing food.
- baking generally requires less fat such as oil.
- Baking is considered a science because it requires precision and accuracy when it comes to the ingredients and their measurements.
- Baking is more of a niche and is common in only certain parts of the world.
- Baking utilizes tools and equipment such as measuring cups, a whisk, a stand or hand mixer, and of course, an oven.
- Baking is a subset and specialized type of cooking that uses dry heat to make food, particularly in an oven.
In Conclusion
The only major difference between baking and cooking is the human preferences for food and food taste.