Many of us have been told to stay home during these times and a lot of us end up with lots of extra time on our hands. With the popularity of Dalgona coffee and DIY bread, here are some of my top recipes that I’ve baked multiple times over the years.
1. Two Peas in a Pod’s Chocolate Banana Bread
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆
This recipe is extremely easy and can be made with just a couple of overripe bananas and basic ingredients. Personally, I like the moistness of banana bread but I can’t stand the banana taste. Therefore, this recipe is perfect for people like me because this banana bread tastes nothing like banana at all. It tastes like a rich chocolate cake with gooey chocolate chips on top. During winter, I like to add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice to give it a taste of the holidays.
2. Kamran Siddiqi’s Heartbreak Truffle Cookies Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
These cookies have been with me through thick and thin. They are the ultimate pick-me-up when you’re feeling down, frustrated, anxious, or all of the above. Filled with chocolate, these cookies are rich with the right mix of sweet and bitter. These make 12 cookies, perfect for getting through a break-up or an ending of a tv show.
3. Honeysuckle’s Green Tea Baked Matcha Donuts
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
These matcha donuts are also super easy to make. Since they are baked, the texture of the donut is more cake-like and moist than a regular fried donut. Adding matcha powder gives it a beautiful light green color with a faint tea taste. When making the icing, add the milk half a teaspoon at a time in order to make sure the consistency is correct. If you add too much liquid, simply add more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency.
4. Dessert for Two’s Red Velvet Cupcakes
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ This recipe produces just 4 cupcakes, so feel free to double if you want to bake more. It’s perfect for yourself during the quarantine. Red velvet is actually a light chocolate flavor with red food coloring. While this recipe calls for buttermilk, feel free to use regular milk or milk substitute. These cupcakes are perfect with the cheesecake frosting. To add an extra boujee touch, adding a bit of a vanilla pod or vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract to the frosting will give it a signature black speckled white vanilla topping.
5. Just One Cookbook’s Earl Grey Chiffon Cake Difficulty: ★★★★☆
I personally love earl grey, and I think earl grey is perfect in baked confectionaries. This earl grey chiffon cake is light, airy, and perfect for an early summer’s day. With the addition of meringue, this recipe may pose a challenge to beginner bakers who might not have the right equipment. Meringue is made up of beaten egg whites, whisked at high speeds to create an airy, fluffy white mixture that is used in chiffon cake, souffle, and macarons. While meringue can be made by hand, it is easier to use a hand or stand mixer. While adding the meringue to the batter, remember to slowly fold the meringue in order to keep the airiness. I also like to add a couple of drops of citrus extract or zest a bit of lemon to add an extra kick to the cake, since earl grey is a citrus-based tea.
During a time of sadness and confusion, I hope these recipes will keep you grounded. Stay home and stay safe!