What does baking mean to you?

Eviledna

I'm sitting here watching the great british bake off and it got me to thinking how much my hobby of baking means to me.

It's the first thing I think to do when I'm stressed out, it's a creative outlet and it gives a lovely (and tasty:)) sense of achievement. It gives me great joy to bake something special for friends and family and watch them enjoy it.

I look up new recipes when I'm bored, I love finding new techniques to make what i'd consider challenging things (french macaroons anyone?:eek:). I'm a divil for the food porn too, nigella is the goddess and I'd happily stare at the joy of baking all day.

It reminds me of baking with my mam when I was a child, and I've never lost my wonder and awe when I see a perfect cake or cookie.

No other hobby has hit the Mark like it for me. So I was wondering...what does baking mean to you? Where did you get your love for it? Do you have a go-to recipe that never fails to comfort?

Sigma Force

Exactly the same here, love when everyone is settled ..(in which I mean..out of my way).. on a winters evening (when it's dark out so I don't feel guilty for staying in) and having all the ingredients I need to get baking.

It's usually relaxing but if I get something really wrong it ruins my evening lol.

Best thing is when people actually eat the food, I usually make too much.

Sadly don't get a good signal here but when I do I'm the same will watch Nigellas prog. for hours..and no not for the reason guys do.. because she explains things so clearly and most of her recipes are not very fussy when it comes to decoration (which is my weak point in baking).
Plus I usually have the main ingredients in which normally include cream and chocolate hehe.

It's such a relaxing past time, I could spend an hour just looking in one bakery section of a store. Downside..eat too much of what I make.

Eviledna

Sigma Force wrote: »

Exactly the same here, love when everyone is settled ..(in which I mean..out of my way).. on a winters evening (when it's dark out so I don't feel guilty for staying in) and having all the ingredients I need to get baking.

I know exactly what you mean! I bake so much more in the winter, it's cozy and feels like you're providing for yourself/loved ones.

It's usually relaxing but if I get something really wrong it ruins my evening lol.

Best thing is when people actually eat the food, I usually make too much.

Sadly don't get a good signal here but when I do I'm the same will watch Nigellas prog. for hours..and no not for the reason guys do.. because she explains things so clearly and most of her recipes are not very fussy when it comes to decoration (which is my weak point in baking).
Plus I usually have the main ingredients in which normally include cream and chocolate hehe.

Lol I think I've a girl crush on nigella, but for completely food-related reasons. I know her life is a fantasy, but when you're baking it feels like you can tap into that just a little!

It's such a relaxing past time, I could spend an hour just looking in one bakery section of a store. Downside..eat too much of what I make.

Oh sigma, I know what you mean. I too eat far too much of what I make! And I've spend hours just eyeing up baking accessories in tkmax, to the extent that my kitchen is now full of items that I rarely use! But knowing it's there for when I get to use it (pastry scraper!?) even for just a second, makes it worth it. I've a bud that gets to go to the international trade shows as she's in the industry, I reckon if I went I'd need to sell a kidney to cover the cost of the splurge!

I know what you mean about when it goes wrong, I recently made some chocolate mini-buns as an emergency we've-no-bikkies fix, and in my fluster I forgot to add any sugar. Twas an epic buntastrophe. I almost cried when they came out all crackled and bitter. After some thought I lamped some super-sweet buttercream on top and they went down a treat!:)

There's nothing else in this world that I'd react that way for!