Baking ~ Foodies Wanted

aishah · 03-25-2012, 01:52 PM

i love baking! and cooking in general. i know enough about working for myself at this point that i'm pretty sure i'd never want to do either as a job, though.

i tend to go off of recipes when i bake and adapt things, whereas i'm comfortable cooking things from scratch without a recipe at this point. so i'm still getting comfortable with baking. i just started baking my own bread in the last year, but i love trying different recipes for cookies, cakes, brownies/blondies, etc. i don't make pie very often - i prefer to bake cobbler or souffle instead. but i might bite the bullet one of these days and work on my pie skills.

LaneyDoll · 03-25-2012, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aishah

i love baking! and cooking in general. i know enough about working for myself at this point that i'm pretty sure i'd never want to do either as a job, though.

i tend to go off of recipes when i bake and adapt things, whereas i'm comfortable cooking things from scratch without a recipe at this point. so i'm still getting comfortable with baking. i just started baking my own bread in the last year, but i love trying different recipes for cookies, cakes, brownies/blondies, etc. i don't make pie very often - i prefer to bake cobbler or souffle instead. but i might bite the bullet one of these days and work on my pie skills.

Use my recipe! It was amazing!!!

Nadeest · 03-25-2012, 02:06 PM

I would recommend the book "On Baking" to you, if you wish to learn more about the art and science of baking. It is used in the Baking and Pastry department at my college for their standard textbook. This book helps teach you the theory behind things, which is something that you will need to know, if you open your own business.
I'm studying Culinary Arts at a local community college, and they offer culinary arts degrees and also baking and pastry degrees. If you would like to learn more about the science of food in general, I would recommend "On Cooking", as that teaches you the theories on how things work.
"On Baking" has recipes in it, but "On Cooking" doesn't. They both are extremely useful books, however, to my mind. Both of these books are used as textbooks at my college.

spritzerJ · 03-25-2012, 02:56 PM

What is more beautiful than baking? I am just not sure... in the world of beautiful things I find it is hard to resist the warmth, smell, rise and family traditions of baking. Oh happy sigh...

I am a dabbler in baking. Letting the desire come and go. When I am weekend mom my daughter and I bake together even something small. The closeness is next to heaven. Cupcakes this weekend. And cupcakes make things better.

My current kick is muffins. Since it is just my daughter and I and our tastes are very different (and she is a strong minded girl) I enjoy recipes that have a basic ingredient we can both enjoy and then I can add to for our differences. Like banana then banana nut for me. I use a small muffin pan for hers and larger one for mine so I can tell them apart in the morning rush. Next I hook her on scones.

I adore pie. Persnickety and messy but fun. Homemade crust.. I know I don't have it down yet but love it anyway. Mom used to make pie squares growing up. I call them portable pie. Flatter made with a thin layer of filling baked on a raised edge cookie sheet. She usually did this before making her pies. Kept 4 kids and their busy hands out of her way. We could grab and go... She was the master of fast good food.

Finally giving in to getting a pastry cloth has done wonders for my baking mood.

Metro · 03-25-2012, 03:19 PM

This is one of my favorite *easy* bread recipes (fr allrecipes.com) -- along with a great video (watch and learn -- no verbal instructions whatsoever). Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 Tbsp warm water
1 Cup mashed, cooked butternut squash
1/2 Cup warm milk
1/4 Cup butter or margerine, softened
1 egg
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 Cups all-purpose flour
GLAZE: 1 egg, beaten plus 1 Tbsp water

METHOD:
In small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a mixing bowl, combine squash, milk, butter, egg, brown sugar and salt; mix well. Add yeast mixture and 1-1/2 Cups flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (NOTE: Do not over knead or bread will not properly rise and will be too dense.) Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide into thirds; roll each third into a 18-in rope. Place on greased baking sheet. Braid ropes together (see video); pinch ends. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over braid. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

Truly Scrumptious · 03-25-2012, 03:28 PM

I love baking. There’s almost nothing I can’t bake except for pie crust which I couldn’t bake to save my life. I love the process of baking . . . measuring the ingredients, blending, mixing, there’s something so therapeutic about it to me. Sometimes I bake something just to see if I can bake it. I have that cupcake shop fantasy too, on and off.

I’m not sure you could choose two more different possible occupations than accounting and baking. Both have lots of opportunity, so I guess the decision comes down to what you enjoy more and what you want/need from your career. Pastry chefs are in demand right now, at least in Montreal. And it doesn’t even seem to matter how many shops there are, you pretty much can’t flip your hair without hitting a patisserie here.

My goddaughter is a pastry chef, and has had her pick of jobs since she graduated a few years ago. The possibilities are endless . . . restaurants, hotels, grocery chains, private label bakers . . . the list goes on and on. She started her career working at a private label that supplies major grocery stores across Canada, developed her own recipes (and reputation), and recently left after 3 years to work for herself. Her business is still in its infancy so her future is uncertain, but I know one thing for sure: she loves what she does, and that is the most important thing to her.

WolfyOne · 03-25-2012, 03:48 PM

I could and would be a taste tester in my area.
As much as I like cooking and baking, I also enjoy tasting the food others make.

So, if anyone is ever OK bound and baking, remember I inquired and applied for taste tester job.

Lastly, some things ship well and care packages are always welcome

Tommi · 03-25-2012, 03:27 PM

I thought it said "Banking" , and am more pleased that it is "Baking"

If you need a West Coast taste tester, I am here--->

So, baking on your way to banking would be a good thing. I have a virgin like oven, being a non-cook, but I am a foodie eater, and LOVE baked foodie goodies. Cupcakes here in Southern California are the rage.

http://www.sprinkles.com/

03-25-2012, 03:19 PM	#5
Metro Senior Member How Do You Identify?: • Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: • Posts: 1,606 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,476 Thanked 2,911 Times in 730 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	How to Braid Bread \| Recipe for Butternut Squash Bread This is one of my favorite easy bread recipes (fr allrecipes.com) -- along with a great video (watch and learn -- no verbal instructions whatsoever). Enjoy! INGREDIENTS: 1 pkg active dry yeast 2 Tbsp warm water 1 Cup mashed, cooked butternut squash 1/2 Cup warm milk 1/4 Cup butter or margerine, softened 1 egg 3 Tbsp brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt 3 Cups all-purpose flour GLAZE: 1 egg, beaten plus 1 Tbsp water METHOD: In small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a mixing bowl, combine squash, milk, butter, egg, brown sugar and salt; mix well. Add yeast mixture and 1-1/2 Cups flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. (NOTE: Do not over knead or bread will not properly rise and will be too dense.) Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide into thirds; roll each third into a 18-in rope. Place on greased baking sheet. Braid ropes together (see video); pinch ends. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over braid. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.

03-25-2012, 03:48 PM	#7
WolfyOne Magically Delicious How Do You Identify?: Gentle Butch Relationship Status: Single and content Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 6,558 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 22,052 Thanked 15,391 Times in 4,138 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	I could and would be a taste tester in my area. As much as I like cooking and baking, I also enjoy tasting the food others make. So, if anyone is ever OK bound and baking, remember I inquired and applied for taste tester job. Lastly, some things ship well and care packages are always welcome __________________ Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage --- Lao Tzo

03-25-2012, 03:27 PM	#8
Tommi Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Usually "Hello" Relationship Status: Married and Bound to Tommi's kaijira (Ts_kaijira ) Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Suthun.... California that is. Across the ridge from Laguna Beach. Posts: 8,151 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,621 Thanked 21,337 Times in 5,970 Posts Rep Power: 21474860	Red Velvet Banking I thought it said "Banking" , and am more pleased that it is "Baking" If you need a West Coast taste tester, I am here---> So, baking on your way to banking would be a good thing. I have a virgin like oven, being a non-cook, but I am a foodie eater, and LOVE baked foodie goodies. Cupcakes here in Southern California are the rage. http://www.sprinkles.com/

03-25-2012, 01:52 PM	#1
aishah Member How Do You Identify?: queer stone femme shark baby girl Preferred Pronoun?: she, her, little one Relationship Status: dating myself. Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: dallas, tx Posts: 1,495 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,823 Thanked 6,440 Times in 1,288 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	i love baking! and cooking in general. i know enough about working for myself at this point that i'm pretty sure i'd never want to do either as a job, though. i tend to go off of recipes when i bake and adapt things, whereas i'm comfortable cooking things from scratch without a recipe at this point. so i'm still getting comfortable with baking. i just started baking my own bread in the last year, but i love trying different recipes for cookies, cakes, brownies/blondies, etc. i don't make pie very often - i prefer to bake cobbler or souffle instead. but i might bite the bullet one of these days and work on my pie skills.

03-25-2012, 02:06 PM	#3
Nadeest Member How Do You Identify?: as myself Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Leesburg, FL Posts: 595 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,876 Thanked 2,118 Times in 501 Posts Rep Power: 17077998	I would recommend the book "On Baking" to you, if you wish to learn more about the art and science of baking. It is used in the Baking and Pastry department at my college for their standard textbook. This book helps teach you the theory behind things, which is something that you will need to know, if you open your own business. I'm studying Culinary Arts at a local community college, and they offer culinary arts degrees and also baking and pastry degrees. If you would like to learn more about the science of food in general, I would recommend "On Cooking", as that teaches you the theories on how things work. "On Baking" has recipes in it, but "On Cooking" doesn't. They both are extremely useful books, however, to my mind. Both of these books are used as textbooks at my college.

03-25-2012, 02:56 PM	#4
spritzerJ Timed Out - Permanent How Do You Identify?: Queer (gender), female (biological marker) Preferred Pronoun?: she will work as a default. Relationship Status: engaged to jac until 8/10/14 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Maine Posts: 3,154 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 30,307 Thanked 15,802 Times in 2,905 Posts Rep Power: 0	What is more beautiful than baking? I am just not sure... in the world of beautiful things I find it is hard to resist the warmth, smell, rise and family traditions of baking. Oh happy sigh... I am a dabbler in baking. Letting the desire come and go. When I am weekend mom my daughter and I bake together even something small. The closeness is next to heaven. Cupcakes this weekend. And cupcakes make things better. My current kick is muffins. Since it is just my daughter and I and our tastes are very different (and she is a strong minded girl) I enjoy recipes that have a basic ingredient we can both enjoy and then I can add to for our differences. Like banana then banana nut for me. I use a small muffin pan for hers and larger one for mine so I can tell them apart in the morning rush. Next I hook her on scones. I adore pie. Persnickety and messy but fun. Homemade crust.. I know I don't have it down yet but love it anyway. Mom used to make pie squares growing up. I call them portable pie. Flatter made with a thin layer of filling baked on a raised edge cookie sheet. She usually did this before making her pies. Kept 4 kids and their busy hands out of her way. We could grab and go... She was the master of fast good food. Finally giving in to getting a pastry cloth has done wonders for my baking mood.

03-25-2012, 03:28 PM	#6
Truly Scrumptious Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Relationship Status: She's my mirror twin, my next of kin Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Entre Lajeunesse et la sagesse Posts: 667 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,047 Thanked 1,757 Times in 548 Posts Rep Power: 21474851	I love baking. There’s almost nothing I can’t bake except for pie crust which I couldn’t bake to save my life. I love the process of baking . . . measuring the ingredients, blending, mixing, there’s something so therapeutic about it to me. Sometimes I bake something just to see if I can bake it. I have that cupcake shop fantasy too, on and off. I’m not sure you could choose two more different possible occupations than accounting and baking. Both have lots of opportunity, so I guess the decision comes down to what you enjoy more and what you want/need from your career. Pastry chefs are in demand right now, at least in Montreal. And it doesn’t even seem to matter how many shops there are, you pretty much can’t flip your hair without hitting a patisserie here. My goddaughter is a pastry chef, and has had her pick of jobs since she graduated a few years ago. The possibilities are endless . . . restaurants, hotels, grocery chains, private label bakers . . . the list goes on and on. She started her career working at a private label that supplies major grocery stores across Canada, developed her own recipes (and reputation), and recently left after 3 years to work for herself. Her business is still in its infancy so her future is uncertain, but I know one thing for sure: she loves what she does, and that is the most important thing to her.