Baking as an Art

Croissants

For those who know me, you already understand how important baking is in my life.  No matter where I am- an apartment in NYC, a small dorm with gas ovens in Ghana, out in the woods of the Yukon, or at home with my parents- I will find a way to do it.  Baking is not only a means of getting through the day (although some days it is the only thing), but to me it has always been the means of bringing people together.  Many recipes I go back to time and again are ones that I associate with particular people or events, and the biggest motivation to actually cook or bake is to see the reactions of others as they enjoy the results.  Of course much of what I choose to make is for selfish purposes- I tend to bake whatever I am in the mood for on a particular day or whatever new challenge I want to conquer.

Vanilla macarons

Nutella crepes

But I have to say I am most proud of the creations that are produced solely for a particular person or event, because those are the ones that allow me to be the most creative.

 From left to right: Bailey's Chocolate chip cheesecake for St. Paddy's day, Vanilla web cake with candied ginger spider, Chocolate peanut butter cake with Hunger Games fondant decorations for a friend's birthday.

In the future I will share the recipes along with my creations for those who want to tackle them or who are just interested in the process I go through.  I have a tendency to use whatever ingredients and materials I have on hand, so be warned that I have no professional experience and merely do all of this just for my own amusement.  To me, baking is definitely an art- The mixing of simple ingredients in the correct amounts in order to create something so beautiful and delicious.  And if one decides to add more decoration, it becomes even more appetizing to the eyes and taste buds.  I can't say it's not work, but I absolutely love the entire process.   Especially since the reward- eating and sharing the finished product- is so worth it.

 

 

Secret Pie Party in the back of the "pedo-van" in the Yukon