Last December, I made a seemingly simple resolution: learn to bake. I decided (quite arbitrarily) that I needed to make a cake, a pie crust, and something else before I decided it was done.
Since then, I’ve made a (quite good) cake, (kinda horrible) frosting, and a pie (bad filling but good crust).
To consider this resolution complete, I need to bake one more thing. Something that’s not a cake and not a pie; something that makes people go “ooh, nice!” when you bring it out from the kitchen. But what? I don’t know… a clafoutis? tarte tatin? some kind of quick bread?
Ideas?
Cinnamon Buns.
I’ve always wanted to make them. But I’m scared. This recipe:
http://www.thepioneerwomancooks.com/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_.html
I’ve been drooling over forever.
The basic baking triple play includes cakes, pies and…bread!!
However, bread may get you respect, it may not get folks to go “Oooo.. Nice!”
I find a tart (which I know, I know, is in the pie family) generally gets a crowd going. Most think they’re fancier than pies, even though the principle is the same.
However, a good cheesecake will impress nearly everyone. But getting out a good cheesecake is a pain in the rump. One a scale of difficulty, cheesecake falls in at between a 5 or 6, with ten being an impossible recipe.
Jennifer: Oh, that is a good idea, although making 7 pans worth seems excessive. [I seem to remember Lisa having a good recipe for that. I'll have to ask her about it.] Maybe something similar, though, like a yeasted coffee cake.
Kate: It’s funny — I think of bread baking as being such a easy, forgiving process (unlike the perils of pie crust making), I almost don’t even think of it as baking.
Tarts and cheesecake… I’ll think that over.
Bread, I would say. Bread, bread, bread. And not a quick bread. (Why? Are you in a hurry?) A nice loaf of yeast bread. Take a look at this post.
Chocolate eclairs come to mind. I know several people who are intimidated by them!
I love banana and pumpkin breads – they’re so easy (and my banana bread recipe has hardly any butter/fat, so I can pretend it is healthy).
But I would be impressed by the home baked version just about anything.
A good cinnamon roll in your arsenal will guarantee you popularity at all gatherings, with your kid’s friends, your sig other, etc.
The rolls you asked about today were requested last month for a wedding brunch my sisters-in-law and I were catering for Jim’s cousin and her new husband. I made 4 pans and they were gone in 15 minutes.
One thing – use whole milk. Other types of milk will work, but you won’t get the heft that makes you think, I just ate real food!
Call me if you need help.
Leisureguy: I’m really pretty comfortable with baking yeasted bread. Like I mentioned earlier, I find bread baking to be pretty forgiving — more flour, less flour, etc. — as opposed to something fussier like a pastry dough.
Fen Tiger: Oh, that is a good idea. Or, maybe a choux pastry, like for cream puffs. Good thinking!
Alyce: I have been meaning to really perfect a banana bread recipe for those times when you want to something bake something up quickly…
Lisa BK: Girl, you know me — whole milk or no milk!
Definitely bread. Some sort of nice looking “craft” bread. I’d say go with the NYTimes, Bittman, no-knead boule. Can’t fail, and the result is wonderful.
No no no no no no no no NO!
People! Don’t fear the kneader! Kneading is the very best part of baking bread!
Okay, eating it with good butter is the very best part, but kneading a dough into silky, warm pliability is one of the greatest cooking experiences there is.
One of these: http://www.joyofbaking.com/FruitTart.html
I made one over the summer. I didn’t think it was hard, just time consuming (and vanilla beans are expensive!) In the end, it looked very impressive, and was extremely tasty.
creme brulee.
Only so you can buy a little blowtorch, if you don’t already own one.
The great thing about the recipe is not the absence of kneading it is the goodness (and beauty) of the result. I can’t knead a loaf as wet as the one in the recipe – it’s just too sticky. But, the bread is wonderfully moist. And, backing it in a hot covered pot gives it a great look and texture.
Just try it. If you feel an irresistible need to knead, work on your beloved’s back for a bit.
How about some nice scones? They are trickier than you’d think.
I vote for the cheesecake. I know cheesecake can be a pain in the a**, but it’s definitely a show stopper. I did a step by step recipe for it at my site – http://deglazing.com/2007/02/10/white-chocolate-raspberry-cheesecake-a-photo-tour/. Another thing that really gets people is flans or custards (minimal work, but very impressive).
Wow, some of these suggestions are a bit steep for a novice baker! But hey, its all about the challenge, I suppose. (Personally, I bake a lot and never make bread…what a pain in the…)
I was going to suggest Buttermilk Biscuits.
They are so dreamy…
Really good and really interesting post. I expect (and other readers maybe :)) new useful posts from you!
Good luck and successes in blogging!