For those of us who love to bake, transitioning from a full or at least partial kitchen from home to a communal half kitchen/half lounge can be tricky. Space is shared and sometimes loud. Staples (such as milk, eggs, vanilla) are now luxuries bought on your own dime, and many of the kitchen utensils you may have taken for granted at home have suddenly left a hole in your heart (I never realized how much I loved our dingy, old sifter until I had to live without it). But never fear, here are some tips on how to bake in a dorm:
· Stick to the basics
I used to love experimenting with crème brûlée; it’s one of my favorite desserts to work with in terms of technique and flavor. However, it also requires ramekins and butane torches which isn’t feasible in a dorm kitchen. The remedy? Cupcakes! Cupcakes are one of the most basic desserts and only require common ingredients that are easy to find and keep stocked. Moreover, just because they’re basic doesn’t mean they have to be boring: there are so many ways to experiment and flavor and tweak a cupcake recipe. For example, this ginger ale cupcake recipe puts red velvet to shame.
· Stay stocked
My makeshift pantry is never without flour, baking soda, baking powder, or powdered sugar. These crucial ingredients are generally super affordable, especially when you don’t have to buy them all at once every time you find a new recipe to try. By having the foundation of most baked goods already on hand, I can limit my shopping trips to ingredients unique to whatever recipe I want to try. But if you’re still missing something…
· Ask around
Living in a dorm is a unique social experience, and one of the last times many people experience such a close living community. Take advantage of that and ask around for ingredients you may be missing. Chances are, someone has a stick of butter or an egg, and chances are they’ll be more than happy to hand it over in exchange for a sweet treat.
· Share
There is a great satisfaction that comes from making something delicious and then sharing it with your floor. It allows you to test out those bigger recipes that you’ll never be able to eat by yourself. If you’re like me and eat while you bake, then it saves you from having tons of extras because you’re too full to finish anything off. Your dorm community will love you for it, and they’ll be much more forgiving when you’re taking over the scanty counter space. However, if that space still isn’t enough…
· Spread out and clean up
I usually mix ingredients in my room, and then I bake and decorate in the dorm kitchen. This gives me just a bit more space to get everything done, and keeps the mess manageable. It’s also a good idea to continuously clean up after yourself; wipe up the flour once you’re finished mixing dry ingredients, wash bowls while the pastries are baking. Ultimately, it makes the final cleanup so much easier and allows you to partake in your delicious creations much sooner.
Baking in a dorm is hard, but definitely doable. Just be mindful of communal spaces and always bake a little extra for your neighbors.