How to tell when it's done

Cues by bake

• Cakes: a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, the top springs back and the edges pull from the pan
• Cookies: edges set and golden, centers still look slightly underdone
• Brownies: moist crumbs on a toothpick, never wet batter
• Bread: deep golden crust; about 190°F inside for enriched loaves, 200–210°F for lean loaves
• Stirred custards: about 170–175°F, thick enough to coat a spoon

Carryover cooking

Heat keeps moving into the center for several minutes after baking. Pulling cookies and brownies when they look a touch underdone gives you chewy, fudgy results instead of dry ones.

Let it cool

Cool cakes in the pan 10–15 minutes, then on a rack. Bread needs about an hour before slicing; it's still setting inside.