I figured it would be fun to have a thread specifically for us bakers. Share what yummy things you have been baking. I have some cookies to make, and possibly a chocolate cake for good measure.
Do you do a lot of baking? I bake bread every week, but don't do much else in the way of baking. I used to, but not for a long time. I've kinda lost my touch.
I go through phases of creative outlets. Sometimes it's writing, then photography, card making, sewing etc. But I have been feeling the baking itch for a while now. I do make the occasional loaf of bread. I should do another actually, as that lasts me a few days. I am looking into the idea of doing a bake sale for a great local charity. So, it would be a good time for me to get my baking muscles into shape if that happens. I do gather recipes on a site called baking mad. That can get a bit like pinterest for me though, and I can get lost in the recipes and pictures.
What kinds of stuff do you bake? Cookies and plain cakes? Or do you go for fancy stuff? How are you on ...pie? OMG. I live in Scotland now, and damn. I miss pie. Good old American Pie. They're not big on it here at all.
I did a brioche couronne last weekend, kinda like this but filled with roasted veggies and mozzarella: https://www.kitchencraft.co.uk/articles/paul_hollywoods_savoury_brioche_couronne.htm It did not last long
I'm not an incredibly adventurous baker to date. I've done cookies, cakes, bread, cheese straws, fudge, flapjack, bread and butter pudding and banana bread. I did make a simple apple crumble which was lovely too. I did make some kind of sweet pie...but I can't recall what I put inside. It was probably apples, knowing me. I want to try gingerbread, a chocolate yule log and mince pies for Christmas. Not all in the same year though!
Haven't got anything baked yet, but when I do... I just make things I fancy eating, generally. If I see a good looking recipe, then I give it a try if it's not too fussy. I don't like being in the kitchen for hours assembling masterpieces and such. You won't catch me with a chef's blowtorch, that's for sure.
I think when it comes to baking, there is nothing wrong with a little cheating from time to time. One of my favourite cakes is “russischer Zupfkuchen” (a kind of cheesecake with dark and light dough) and I always use the baking mix because I simply like the result and taste. Anyway, I also like “real” homemade baking after recipes. My favourites are a marble cake with melted chocolate in the dark dough, a nut cake (no flour, only grated nuts, sugar and a lot of eggs) banana bread and when it comes to cookies a thing called “dark as the night” (basically cocoa and again a lot of sugar and butter). I also like to try new recipes, but prefer the ones that aren’t too complicated, too. When I had my last day at my old job, I baked four cakes in a row. It was a bit tricky to get them to my workplace because I got there by train, but it was also fun. Since then I’m dreaming of doing a whole cake and cookie buffet .
Funny you should mention cheesecake. That is one of my standard makes. The recipe I do has no actual baking in it though, and it comes out best if left in the fridge overnight to fully set. Digestive biscuits ground down, with some melted butter. Then mix your regular store bought cream cheese with sugar (I recommend icing sugar or caster sugar-it folds in better), and any flavouring you fancy. Or you can add something like lemon curd as your topping. Et voila! I do lemon curd or strawberry cheesecake (with milkshake mix) usually. I did one with cinnamon in, which was pretty damn tasty too. Play around with it, and see what works best for you.
It was! And not as fiddly as the recipe makes it sound. As long as you've got a mixer for the heavy lifting (because seriously, fuck kneading brioche by hand) it's not a hard loaf to make.
I planned to do a diet but after I read this I got inspired and this Spoiler is the result. I guess the diet will have to wait . Thanks for the tip with the milkshake mix .
We've got a 400lb standup Hobart mixer at work. Makes 8 sheetpans of cheesecake in under an hour. Of course, we also buy sugar in 50lb bags and cream cheese by the pallet, which killed all the joy of baking for me many years ago.
I finally made the chocolate cake guys! It's pretty good. I used up the last of the cocoa powder, and it's kinda moist. I don't put eggs in it. Just self raising flour, cocoa powder, sugar, butter and milk. I guess all the ingredients. Then stick in the fan oven at 200C for about an hour.
It looks delicious . All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. - Charles M. Schulz
When I bake, it's usually bread. Pumpernickel is generally my favorite, but I bake other kinds as well. However, I do very little baking during the summer months here in the Northern Hemisphere. I will occasionally bake a (dessert) pie, and sometimes even a cake for a family birthday. But I really don't load up on sweets.
