oakers Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Ok, so here goes the 'baking' thread after a suggestion by Matzoball! Who here likes baking and what are your favourite things to make? I'm quite into baking and try to do some most weekends. I make stuff mostly for my family but other willing victims are often found at mine, my brother's or his gf's workplaces. I have a bit of a thing for making sweet things as you can try and decorate them nicely and the one time I made quiches (on request) I was obsessed with making symmetrical patterns with their fillings. I quite like making lamingtons as they are one of my favourite things to eat myself, but cupcakes are fun because you can have fun decorating them. I have started toying with making cookies and decorating those now though so have bought a book and plan to immerse myself in this over the next few weekends. Mostly, I bake because I enjoy it and find it therapeutic but not so if I don't like how the things have turned out!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sa Skimrande Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Baking, yeah, I do a lot of that, usually when I have forgotten I have put something in the oven to warm through. Got some bread mix I hope to have a go at at some point when my kitchen is tidy enough as I love bread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Baking, yeah, I do a lot of that, usually when I have forgotten I have put something in the oven to warm through. Got some bread mix I hope to have a go at at some point when my kitchen is tidy enough as I love bread. Oh dear!!! I'd love to do some more bread type stuff, but I am not so great at kneading. I have made my own pizza dough and cinnamon buns before though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 26, 2013 I bake semi-professionally but mostly because I love it! Favourite thing to bake is oreo cupcakes and banana poppyseed muffins Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 26, 2013 I bake semi-professionally but mostly because I love it! Favourite thing to bake is oreo cupcakes and banana poppyseed muffins Ooh... how exciting!! I'd love to do that, but alas, not really a consideration for me right now. Oreo cupcakes sound a little exciting!?! Banana muffins and loaves are one of my favourites to eat, as long as they have plenty of coconut in them as well! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Well mine didn't use oven I used the job for lunch. I made butternut squash carrot and tomato soup and for dinner I had salmon and vegetables Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 26, 2013 Ooh... how exciting!! I'd love to do that, but alas, not really a consideration for me right now. Oreo cupcakes sound a little exciting!?! Banana muffins and loaves are one of my favourites to eat, as long as they have plenty of coconut in them as well! They are so easy to make - just a chocolate sponge with a whole oreo in the bottom, with vanilla buttercream that has the biscuit part ground up finely into it and a mini oreo to decorate on top Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isobel Report post Posted January 27, 2013 I think baking is very therapeutic, biscuits are my favourite right now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 27, 2013 They are so easy to make - just a chocolate sponge with a whole oreo in the bottom, with vanilla buttercream that has the biscuit part ground up finely into it and a mini oreo to decorate on top. Oooh, now that sounds rather nice I might have to try those out one day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 27, 2013 I think baking is very therapeutic, biscuits are my favourite right now. I made cookies for my nephew the other day but they weren't that exciting, just cinnamon and vanilla based. I'm going to be cheating a bit later and use ready roll pastry to make custard / cream horns, at the request of the family and my bro's colleagues. Ah well, some therapy a bit later on for me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 27, 2013 Oh would you share the recipe for those cookies? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 27, 2013 Oh would you share the recipe for those cookies? Me? Sure, it's just a basic cookie dough though I think... it's for using in a cookie press so might be a bit too wet if you're not using one. I had never used one of these things but my nephew got it me ages ago and wanted me to make him all different shapes. I'll dig it out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mooni Report post Posted January 29, 2013 I love baking and making sweets. My repertoire includes: croissants, cupcakes, blueberry sponges, korvapuusti (a Finnish cinnamon/cardamom bun), chokladbollar (oaty chocolatey truffle-like things from Sweden), and I enjoy making fudge and coconut ice. At Christmas I make Finnish gingerbread and joulutorttu, a pastry star with jam filling Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 30, 2013 Ooh they sound lovely - I reckon we should all swap our favourite recipes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt - The Autistic Life Report post Posted January 30, 2013 http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chocolatechipcookies_72335 Perfect doughy crisp cookies, and you can cook a batch of 3 or 4 at a time and keep the rest rolled up in the fridge! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted January 30, 2013 I make regular fat- and sugar-free banana cakes. I slice them up and put the pieces in the freezer and have one slice a day. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merry Report post Posted January 30, 2013 I hate sweet foods. Even fruit. I bake things like quiche, pasties, saussage rolls.... I have tried making cakes for people's birthdays etc in the past, okay if you like eating rocks! Will probably never try it again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted January 30, 2013 I am tempting on making a gluten free/dairy free crumble. I have decided im allowed 1 treat a week Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted January 30, 2013 They are so easy to make - just a chocolate sponge with a whole oreo in the bottom, with vanilla buttercream that has the biscuit part ground up finely into it and a mini oreo to decorate on top Buttercream is hard work to make and get consistency right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 31, 2013 If you let the butter come to room temperature, and cut it into pieces, it mixes better. Also a hand mixer can really make the job a lot easier - you can get ones for about 5 pounds in asda and tesco Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted January 31, 2013 I forgot that blender doesnt mix the mix together so broke the blender - next time get a electric whisk. Okay. I let it be out the fridge for a while, but u put icing sugar. have u got tip because i always end up making too much from what the recipe i read online Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 31, 2013 Well usually I use one block of butter, which is 250 grams. Then combine that with 1 1/2 - 2 cups of icing sugar - what I tend to do is drape a kitchen towel over the bowl and the hand mixer so the sugar doesn't go everywhere. Failing that, slowly mix in the icing sugar by hand for about 30 seconds, so that when you switch to the hand mixer it's not so messy! That should make enough buttercream for 12-14 cupcakes, or just enough to cover a small cake. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 31, 2013 Don't forget the vanilla! Or you can use whatever flavouring you would like - usually 1-2 teaspoons are enough. If you want to make chocolate buttercream , substitute half a cup of icing sugar for cocoa. If you don't have cocoa, if you have a chocolate bar on hand - break it into small pieces, and microwave in a bowl for 10 second intervals until it melts and mix in a little milk or cream(cream is better). Then you can mix that into the buttercream Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Isobel Report post Posted January 31, 2013 I just buy buttercream in tubs, its easier. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted February 3, 2013 I resort to pre-made as a last resort - apart from chocolate I feel they taste too much like chemicals! Chocolate always tastes good I'm making chocolate cookies for some people tomorrow as a wee thank you - shaped like totoro! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted February 3, 2013 I make ,mine because im lactose and gluten intolerant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted February 3, 2013 I make a lot of gluten free stuff if you want recipes special! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted February 4, 2013 Very rough first attempt at Totoro chocolate cookies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted February 4, 2013 Looks fabulous and yummy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mooni Report post Posted February 16, 2013 Wow They look great! I had to bake on Friday at work with my year 7s. There was flour everywhere, and it wasn't the most successful. They had fun though, and I started half term with 18 cupcakes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aeolienne Report post Posted March 31, 2014 Some years back when I was signed up to a veggie box order scheme, I learnt from this book that mashed swede can be subsituted for pumpkin. As I was always on the lookout for new and interesting things to do with the swedes that were a regular feature of my veg box, I googled a recipe for pumpkin muffins and made it with swede. These were a contribution to a Comic Relief cake stall at work. Just to add intrigue, I labelled them "rutabaga muffins", to use the North American name for swede. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FloobyFloob Report post Posted October 7, 2014 I recently made some spinach and feta parcels for my uni lunches. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mihaela Report post Posted October 7, 2014 I immediately pictured these tasty parcels, neatly wrapped up in gift wrapping - complete with tags and ribbon. Hmm... I suppose it's my Aspie literalism at work again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Livelife Report post Posted May 30, 2015 I don't cook unfortunately it takes planning and timing both of which I struggle with and judging when things are cooked is also hard for me to do. I can also lose track of time or become distracted so forget to check what I've left cooking. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aeolienne Report post Posted August 3, 2015 This initiative sounds interesting - I wonder if they have any plans to expand beyond London? Bake For Good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites