Baking – Emerald Thunder

Blood Orange Chiffon Cake

February 10, 2018February 10, 2018 Emerald Thunder

Happy Birthday to me! I don’t know why everyone is always so perplexed when I tell them I *like* making my own birthday cake. It’s a chance for me to try out a new technique or flavor and to splurge a bit on ingredients.

I think I went through three or four cake options over the past few weeks. Did I want chocolate? Lavender and matcha? Peanut butter? Nope, nope, and nope! This Blood Orange Chiffon Cake paired with this Whipped Frosting snuck up and blew the other contenders out of the water.

The blood oranges took forever and a day to candy, and I was a bit terrified of accidentally deflating the egg whites, but I’m quite pleased with the final results! The cake has a nice orange fragrance, and I cut the sugar by a half cup so the frosting isn’t overly sweet.

And not only do I have a cute 7″ cake for myself (Yes, I know the recipe called for 9″ pans, but I’m a rebel in my new age), but I also baked up a 9″ layer and cut it in half for a cake to bring to work on Monday. Part two of birthday extravaganza baking was a success!

Baking

Round Two: Rustic White Bread

February 10, 2018February 10, 2018 Emerald Thunder

I read Robin Sloane’s Sourdough this week, and, just like after watching The Great British Bake-Off, I desperately wanted to make bread. I figured I would turn my weekend birthday into a baking extravaganza, and round two with Rustic White Bread was part one of about five!

This loaf is definitely less rustic-looking than the last, but it wafted the same amazing fragrance around the apartment. I proofed it for a bit less time and made a smoother ball (and purposely scored it) before popping it in the oven.

Topped with some Kerrygold, I’m in for some delicious toast over the next few days. No sharing! 😉

Baking

Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies

January 18, 2018January 20, 2018 Emerald Thunder

You want a cookie whose aroma will waft throughout your apartment building? This is your cookie! These Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies came together super quickly, and I eventually got the hang of baking them.

At first, I didn’t roll the dough into balls before baking, which caused some frustration in not being able to get a decent cross-hatch on top. But by the last four, I rolled the dough into balls and got a lovely little design on each. These last ones also cooked and browned more evenly. So, note to self, don’t just plop the peanut butter cookie dough onto the sheet. Take another minute to get a smooth, evenly browned, cross-hatch-having cookie!

I didn’t have any sanding sugar like the recipe called for, but I did sprinkle some raw/Turbinado sugar over top each cookie before baking.

Baking, Uncategorized

Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins

January 7, 2018 Emerald Thunder

I’m trying to keep the momentum going on doing at least one semi-productive thing each weekend day now that I’m not consistently at work until all hours. Today’s productivity resulted in temporarily being the epitome of a “basic white girl” and making PSL muffins.

We definitely didn’t have a true Fall this past year, which means that all of my candle scents have shifted by a few months, hence the Pumpkin Banana Muffin in the background. How rude of the weather to not abide by candle season!

In even sadder news, the sugar/butter rule applies to these little delights, which means that I have to share them with my coworkers. At least they can safely go in tupperware containers in a tote bag to get them to work!

Baking

New Year, New Bread

January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 Emerald Thunder

Is this a New Year’s Resolution? Who knows? Maybe this lasts, maybe it doesn’t. All I know right now is that I made my best loaf of bread ever today! And I want to celebrate that personal achievement.

Coming off of watching 40 episodes of The Great British Baking Show over the holidays, I needed to make *something,* but a sugar-overload during the latter half of the year has put me off sweet baked goods for a bit. It also seems more reasonable to eat an entire loaf of bread than to eat an entire cake. That’s how it works, right? It doesn’t have a mountain of sugar or butter, so I can eat it all myself?

I used this Rustic White Bread recipe, and I’m quite pleased with this little loaf! Paul Hollywood was in the back of my head the whole time–knead well, don’t over-prove, have steam in the oven for a good crust! Using a Dutch oven didn’t hurt, either. When I brought it out of the oven and gave it a good knock on the bottom, there was a lovely hollow sound. Music to my ears!

All in all, not a bad start to the year!