Betty Crocker's Altar
The staff is to bring fattening, sugary goodies to work on Monday in appreciation of our volunteer Board of Directors. Plus a birthday party for Jesus with the kids I teach at church on Sunday night, to which I am to bring a dozen cupcakes. Which means Saturday afternoon will be packed full with baking.
I love baking. It has to be so specific, the carefully measured ingredients adding up to form a chemical reaction that can have devastating effects if measured wrong. Making dinner is much less structured, and many wonderful meals can be created by throwing a mish-mash of ingredients and spices together. But not baking. Baking cannot be improvised. Baking has rules that must be followed.
How a scientist cannot love baking I will never know.
Because we moved over Thanksgiving and work has been busy busy busy, I haven't had time for Christmas this year. This time last year the presents were bought and in the mail. The personalized cards were printed, signed, and mailed. The decorations were up and twinkling. But this year? Nothing more than humming the tail end of some carol I caught on the radio.
I haven't even made so much as a pie, much to my husband's disappointment, so this weekend will be served at the altar of Betty Crocker. I'll probably make the standard Christmas-y goodies like chocolate peanut butter balls and fudge, maybe even some hard candy now that I bought a candy thermometer that actually works, but it would also be fun to make something new.
Russian tea cakes? Speculaas? One of everything from the Joy of Baking?
I can already see my weight chart start moving in the opposite direction.
4 Comments
I don't know what a speculaa is, but it doesn't sound like something you should be putting in your mouth.
If you make one of everything from the JoyofBaking site, mail me a Tuile.
Ah, but the true joy of baking occurs when you understand what reactions you're actually performing, and can then adjust the ingredient amounts appropriately. For instance, I change the type of sugar I use for chocolate chips increasing the amount of acid meaning fluffier,lighter cookies with far less needed sugar and fat, and since the sugar is still semi-crystalized they're still DAMN tasty.
Still, I prefer cooking. It's more an art and I spend too much time thinking at work. Plus cooking == pie and I loves me some pie.
The sushi ettiquette video was hysterical! Just enough truth mixed with the exageration. Thanks for the laugh!
mmmmmm....fattening and sugary....my favorite!!