Baking is one of my absolute favorite things to do. Whether I'm bored, upset, or I just want to make something beautiful and delicious, baking is always my go-to. It's incredibly therapeutic and the math behind it makes me really happy. Realizing that the right ratio is what makes the difference between a cookie dough and a cake batter is a great thing.
Here are 13 things I've found that every novice baker knows to be true.. and sometimes annoying.
1. Baking supplies. Baking supplies everywhere.
You can NEVER have enough. NEVER. You will always want that extra muffin tin or another measuring cup, or my favorite, more food coloring. Food coloring is always the answer. Beautiful pastels and bright neons make my life a whole lot happier. Getting more decorations is next: more sprinkles, edible glitter, edible pearls, ready-to-use fondant in primary colors, all of it, all of the decorations. You need everything that Wilton sells just because. Plus you need ANOTHER candy thermometer because yours broke the last time you tried to make caramel. Hell, even another cake stand (that you don't really need). It's almost worse than the people who can't stop buying makeup, but I'm one of those, too. So it's not surprising that I'm always broke.
2. The ability to want to eat what you make is like having a superpower.
Everyone I've met who I can talk to about baking or cooking always mentions how they can't eat what they make, at least for a little while. It's like this inevitable disease. It's truly terrible. That being said:
3. You are your biggest critic, period.
By the time you do get around to eating it (if you do), it may be a little bland or it tastes like something else, but to others it could be the best thing that's ever attacked their taste buds. Which brings me to...
4. We're always looking for validation.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS. Validation feels so good coming from your family and your peers. It means you did well. It means that the smile and the moans of ecstasy from your delicious food was worth waiting for dough to rise TWICE for the perfect cinnamon rolls. That's twice. Meaning about two hours apart from baking time. Let me put this into perspective for you. If brunch is at 10 a.m. and cinnamon rolls are on the menu, homemade cinnamon rolls, you would easily have to wake up at 6 a.m to do everything and look presentable. I'm pretty sure that requires validation. You can't just tell yourself it's worth it, so that happiness and the look on someone's face when they dive into a warm, flaky cinnamon roll that you made feels great.
5. "Where did you buys these? They're AMAZING!" *Mental-self five*
Going back to the aforementioned 6 a.m scenario, that validation is amazing. People assuming that you bought something and then getting to tell them you actually made it, demands a mental-self five. I feel like an every-day Barney Stinson. Even though we have a different set of skills, we're both still getting complimented on the great things we do.
6. Memorizing your favorite recipe feels better than any "A" you could ever receive.
Ah, I still remember the day when my grandma sent me to college with her sheet cake recipe and one of her sheet pans. It was a good day. Even though I only made it once in my dorms and have yet to make it in my apartment, it's still one of my favorite recipes. I have a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, a sugar cookie recipe, and a basic yellow cake recipe memorized, but this sheet cake is next on my list. And when I get there, it'll feel so damn good.
7. Being in college, there is a career goal in mind, but plan B will always be pastry school.
I may not be able to speak for everyone on this, but I know that if psychology doesn't work out for me, for one reason or another, I'd love to find myself in France learning all I can. If psychology does work out though, I'd still love to be the mom on the block with the BEST chocolate chip cookies.
8. Gel food coloring will change your life. Completely.
Gel food coloring is the best way to keep the same consistency in your batter or dough AND you don't have to add 20 drops of it for it to be bright. If you're looking for something to invest in, a whole rainbow of gel food coloring is my first and only recommendation. My favorite are the AmeriColor brand because they come in these cute, little squeezable bottles instead of just the containers like Wilton.
9. Talking about your favorite baker is like speaking a foreign language.
I LOVE Duff Goldman. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Ace of Cakes is my religion. Is that possible? He does such amazing things with fondant and gum paste and his team is awesome. I cried when they canceled it. Thank God for Netflix, though. They only have Season 1, so I'm just casually waiting for the other 9 seasons while I cry in the corner over it being canceled.
10. Ace of Cakes to bakers can only be compared to football for normal Americans.
It's intense and exciting and crazy as hell. It's Duff and his teams against the cake. Will the fondant stick to the Styrofoam? Probably not. Can we make a working DeLorean? Yes, yes we can. Can we make a working roller coaster? You betchya. Is this cake going to fall? It's going to wobble a bit and make you think it's going to fall, and give me a heart attack in the process, but no, it's fine. AND they fix their cakes in the car if they have to. Their cakes. In the car. A moving vehicle. That's impressive.
11. Your Instagram is FULL, FULL I TELL YOU, of incredibly beautiful cakes and pastries.
If this is something that you really love, then you find every way to make yourself better, even without proper training. Seeing people on Instagram, that are either trained or untrained like yourself, make these amazing things that are edible is really inspiring and helpful. My favorites are probably @RosiesDessertSpot , pictured below, @RosannaPansino , and @Yolanda_Gampp . All of whom I subscribe to on YouTube as well. They put so much effort into what they love, and they teach me new things every day.
12. Letting your chocolate seize feels like getting shot in the chest.
If you're melting your chocolate in a double boiler, then you know, all too well, how it feels when your chocolate seizes. I, personally, prefer a microwave because its easier to avoid that terrible, terrible issue. However, if you prefer a double boiler, you know that the problem is that moisture gets inside the chocolate and causes it to harden up and not melt anymore. When you do that, whether it's your first time melting chocolate or your 85th time, it still hurts. It's like, "Oh my goodness, I can't even melt chocolate correctly," and that really sucks.
13. Your first attempt at something new can go very, very wrong.
The first time I made macaroons, they didn't rise like they were supposed to. They didn't have the little foot on the bottom like they were supposed to and they were dense and tasted gross. The first time I tried to do buttercream transfers, just little hearts, they looked like testicles. It was hilarious, but it also hurt because I was really trying, and I messed it up.
If baking is something you love, never let anyone tell you that you can't do it, because practices makes perfect. It's something I will always love, and always be a part of. Happy baking!
