When I was leaving for college, my mom gave me her Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1980s. It’s this big red binder full of classic American recipes and bright colored photos of picture-perfect dinners fit for any domestic family. Oddly enough, my mother wasn’t much of a cook growing up, so it was hardly used. But I always wanted to use it, so once COVID-19 forced us all into our homes, I cracked it open and started baking.
I’ve always had an affinity for baking. I like the technique and delicacy of piping a cake and measuring out just the right amount of flour. I like the precision in separating eggs, because even if there is just a little amount of yolk the meringue won’t rise. Since The Great British Baking Show dropped on Netflix, I’ve been a loyal fan of the show. Every Friday when the new episode came out, I would get the things for a new baking recipe and bake right along with the contestants. It was calming for me. Controlling all of those elements and creating something, something delicious too, gave me a sense of purpose and safety when the world was so out of control.
Baking is creative, yet petite and fanciful. I prefer recipes that take skill and expertise, truly gaining skills rather than making trendy bakes. Classic French desserts and English goodies are my favorites to perfect. Plus, it’s really helpful. It’s a lot cheaper to bake these things than buy them in a store, and usually healthier too. So now that I’m in college, I use that Betty Crocker cookbook and those timeless recipes and try to perfect them in my tiny apartment kitchen.
It’s funny because I rarely eat my baked goods. I prefer to give them away. Before the pandemic limiting in-class interactions, I used to make goodies and give them to classmates to make friends, and it usually worked. I like to see how people’s faces light up when they eat my bakes. It’s amazing what a hearty slice of pie or a delicate piece of cake can do to light up a person’s day. Bakes also make great gifts. Fun fact, I one time made some English thumbprint cookies with homemade strawberry jam as an apology to a professor I had offended in class. While the pandemic made it practically impossible to make tangible connections with others, the gesture of baking something beautiful and tasty and giving it to someone else forges a connection without actually being close. It shows people that you care.
I get most of my recipes from Pinterest, however my staples, like my pie crust and chocolate chip cookies, I get from my tried-and-true cookbooks. Here are some of my best and most popular bakes. My Pinterest board has all my favorite recipes, even some of my secret ones so *shhh* don’t spread them around.
French Macarons
Most know these petite and delicate little French cookies and think they are difficult and unattainable for an amateur baker. Well, I’m here to tell you that they’re not nearly as difficult as you think they are. They’re one of my all-time favorite things to bake. Plus, French macarons are usually naturally gluten-free because they call for almond flour rather than regular flour. My love of macarons is clear from my board, for I have some funky flavors on my board that I’ve been meaning to try.
This is my regular macaron recipe. This one is great because it’s standard. You can use it with any filling and add any flavorings you want with it and any colors that suit your fancy. This was the first recipe I tried when quarantine happened. I wanted something complicated enough to distract me for a while, and these macarons were just the trick.
These aren’t the nicest looking macarons, but I thought they were not bad for a first attempt. I made these strawberries flavored and filled them with strawberry buttercream frosting. Some helpful tips if you’re going to try them out; sift the flour and confectioners’ sugar really well to avoid lumps, and don’t be afraid to overmix the macaron cookie mixture. I always undermix mine and they don’t rise like they should when that happens.
Almost a year after this initial attempt, I’ve made them multiple times. But recently, I tried a chocolate macaron recipe. These are decedent for any chocolate lover. The great part about these is you can choose whatever chocolate you want for the filling. I use semi-sweet cause it’s not too sweet but not too dark, but you can use any chocolate you desire.
These, I think, turned out much better. And even though we are toward the end (I hope) of the pandemic, baking macarons still has the same therapeutic effect for me as it did a year ago when I started making them. These chocolate macarons are so addictive that the first time I made them, my friend and I ate all of them in one night and I had to bake another batch so my roommate could have some, they’re that good.
American pies
At every holiday, my go-to thing to bring is a pie. Not some store-bought pie (although I do enjoy a good Publix apple pie), but a homemade, fresh pie. Luckily, here in Florida, there is always an abundance of fresh fruit to choose from. I’ve made lots of pies, but by far the most popular is my blueberry pie. This is a good blueberry pie filling I use, but the filling isn’t necessarily the most important part, the crust is. I use a Crisco crust, so it’s dairy-free. I find it’s crispier than a butter crust and easier to make.
Although it’s not the prettiest slice of pie (it usually falls apart as soon as I cut into it), it’s a crowd-pleaser. I usually do a lattice top crust, but it’s not necessary, so don’t get too frustrated if you can’t manage it. Sometimes the crust doesn’t want to cooperate, so I just put a crumble or some strips on top and call it a day. It might not look the best, but it sure will taste great.
Savory quiche
Although I mostly bake sweets, I’ve been getting more into some savory bakes to mix it up a little. I am a dairy freak, in that I love anything with cheese and cream, and this quiche recipe has a whole lot of dairy. The crust is made of potatoes and parmesan cheese, baked to a golden brown and filled with eggs, cream and gruyere cheese. It’s great for breakfast, lunch or even midnight snaking, which is when I usually eat it.
The recipe I use is originally in French, so the measurements are in metric. But don’t worry if you don’t have a kitchen scale, there are some good conversion tables online you can use.
I’m not sure what I would do while this pandemic raged on if I didn’t have baking to pour my energy into. If you too need something to take your mind off of the craziness and uncertainty of COVID-19, give baking a go and try these recipes out for yourself.