Colin Cadle Photography
Embrace the idea
The lovely bakery down the street from my house turns out far more luxurious and professional pastries, muffins and loaves than I ever will, yet I still enjoy making the effort to bake at home from time to time. If you give baking a go, you will likely find your own reasons to love it – for me, it’s all about the process: putting the kitchen to good use, getting my hands coated in flour, measuring, stirring, kneading and (best of all) sitting back while the intoxicating scent of baking bread fills the entire house. It’s a deeply satisfying feeling that screen-based entertainment simply cannot match.
The lovely bakery down the street from my house turns out far more luxurious and professional pastries, muffins and loaves than I ever will, yet I still enjoy making the effort to bake at home from time to time. If you give baking a go, you will likely find your own reasons to love it – for me, it’s all about the process: putting the kitchen to good use, getting my hands coated in flour, measuring, stirring, kneading and (best of all) sitting back while the intoxicating scent of baking bread fills the entire house. It’s a deeply satisfying feeling that screen-based entertainment simply cannot match.
Corynne Pless
Conquer your fear
I’ll admit it: baking is a little intimidating if you haven’t done much of it before, especially baking with yeast. It might be helpful for your first attempts to think of it not as a cooking project, but as an experiment. Don’t worry about the end product; instead, focus on enjoying a new experience. Of course, there’s no need to ever bake yeast bread at home if that’s not your cup of tea. Try muffins, biscuits or quick breads instead – they make the house smell just as good, and they are beginner friendly.
I’ll admit it: baking is a little intimidating if you haven’t done much of it before, especially baking with yeast. It might be helpful for your first attempts to think of it not as a cooking project, but as an experiment. Don’t worry about the end product; instead, focus on enjoying a new experience. Of course, there’s no need to ever bake yeast bread at home if that’s not your cup of tea. Try muffins, biscuits or quick breads instead – they make the house smell just as good, and they are beginner friendly.
The Cousins
Seek out recipes to inspire you
Finding delightful recipes to use on baking day can become a fun activity in its own right. You could set out to master some of the classics (white bread, a country loaf, tender biscuits) or just pick recipes that strike your fancy. You can also use your baking-day creation to round out a simple dinner, such as homemade bread or savoury scones with soup, or homemade bread sticks with a big salad. If you prefer sweets, there is a whole world of cakes, cupcakes and chocolate confections to explore.
Finding delightful recipes to use on baking day can become a fun activity in its own right. You could set out to master some of the classics (white bread, a country loaf, tender biscuits) or just pick recipes that strike your fancy. You can also use your baking-day creation to round out a simple dinner, such as homemade bread or savoury scones with soup, or homemade bread sticks with a big salad. If you prefer sweets, there is a whole world of cakes, cupcakes and chocolate confections to explore.
Apt 2B Baking Co.
Set up your kitchen for baking
It doesn’t take much equipment to bake at home, no matter what the magazines may claim. People have been baking all sorts of goodies since time immemorial without the aid of a mixer or food processor. That said, if you do own these items, by all means dust them off and put them to work! The essentials, though, include liquid and dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, wooden spoons, a cutting board, a bowl scraper, a pastry cutter and a few baking sheets and pans. Anything else is icing.
It doesn’t take much equipment to bake at home, no matter what the magazines may claim. People have been baking all sorts of goodies since time immemorial without the aid of a mixer or food processor. That said, if you do own these items, by all means dust them off and put them to work! The essentials, though, include liquid and dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, wooden spoons, a cutting board, a bowl scraper, a pastry cutter and a few baking sheets and pans. Anything else is icing.
Celeste Lewis Architecture
Try a little mise en place action
This French term simply means to ‘put in place’ – in other words, get everything you will need for your cooking project prepped and ready before you begin. Scrub your counters, empty your sink, check the recipe, gather ingredients and pull out all of the necessary tools and measuring devices. A bit of preparation can prevent catastrophe – you don’t want to realise halfway into the recipe that you are out of eggs.
Check out tips for keeping your kitchen organised
This French term simply means to ‘put in place’ – in other words, get everything you will need for your cooking project prepped and ready before you begin. Scrub your counters, empty your sink, check the recipe, gather ingredients and pull out all of the necessary tools and measuring devices. A bit of preparation can prevent catastrophe – you don’t want to realise halfway into the recipe that you are out of eggs.
Check out tips for keeping your kitchen organised
Rafe Churchill: Traditional Houses
Enjoy a pause while the bread rises
Ah, this is the best part. The bread (or whatever you decide to bake) is in the oven, you’ve made a start on the dishes, and heavenly smells are beginning to drift from the kitchen. Now is the time to pour yourself a cup of something delicious to drink, and recline in a comfortable chair while you congratulate yourself for your baking successes. An armchair in the kitchen would make an ideal spot, but any comfortable chair within smelling distance of the oven will do nicely.
Ah, this is the best part. The bread (or whatever you decide to bake) is in the oven, you’ve made a start on the dishes, and heavenly smells are beginning to drift from the kitchen. Now is the time to pour yourself a cup of something delicious to drink, and recline in a comfortable chair while you congratulate yourself for your baking successes. An armchair in the kitchen would make an ideal spot, but any comfortable chair within smelling distance of the oven will do nicely.
The Cousins
Share with friends and neighbours
There’s little better than freshly baked bread, except perhaps sharing it with someone dear to you. Invite friends and family over to sample your latest creation, or hand deliver a freshly baked basket of goodness to a neighbour, friend or relative who could use cheering up.
See tricks for becoming the perfect host
There’s little better than freshly baked bread, except perhaps sharing it with someone dear to you. Invite friends and family over to sample your latest creation, or hand deliver a freshly baked basket of goodness to a neighbour, friend or relative who could use cheering up.
See tricks for becoming the perfect host
Rafe Churchill: Traditional Houses
Finding time to bake
If you think of baking as a recreational activity, rather than a chore, it’s much easier to find opportunities to bring out the flour. Take advantage of a rainy Saturday by baking a few loaves of bread or trays of muffins – it’s so much more satisfying than zoning out in front of the TV.
Do you bake? Would you like to start? Share your tips, recipes and baking disaster stories in the Comments section below.
If you think of baking as a recreational activity, rather than a chore, it’s much easier to find opportunities to bring out the flour. Take advantage of a rainy Saturday by baking a few loaves of bread or trays of muffins – it’s so much more satisfying than zoning out in front of the TV.
Do you bake? Would you like to start? Share your tips, recipes and baking disaster stories in the Comments section below.
http://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/kitchen
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