Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Baking Day Lessons


 

 





The other morning I got into the kitchen and started making a batch of scones for breakfast. Before I got too far along I got distracted with some messages that were coming in, questions that needed answers. 

With her new found baking confidence firmly in place, my girl stepped in to finish up were I left off. 

In the end the dough looked a bit different but in the oven they went. 

As they baked I noticed they were browning a bit more than usual. I placed my trusty bit of foil over the top to slow that down a bit.

Once they came out and cooled I took a little nibble and noticed that they were extremely salty. And something else was not quite right but I could not quite place it.

After a few questions we discovered the lesson learned in her first somewhat solo foray into baking:

:: Even though they are both sweet honey is not a straight away substitute for maple syrup.

:: Using a measuring cup as a scoop is not going to get you accurate measurements, especially when measuring something as fine as arrowroot powder.

:: Baking soda and baking powder are indeed different.

:: Rounded teaspoons for cinnamon or cacoa powder can be good in some recipes, rounded teaspoons of salt - not so good. 

So the next day, after a trip to the store, a second batch was made with grand success and lessons were learned and yummy breakfast treats were eaten! 

Have you had any funny baking experiences? 
What lessons did you and yours learn?


12 comments:

  1. I adore these kitchen close ups! the egg and the measuring spoons are really lovely!

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  2. every baker goes through these lessons! :)

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  3. oh your photos are so delicious! I wish I could pull up a chair and eat them straight off the page!
    Kitchen lessons are the best. My youngest and I often "make up recipes" that we then bake. Sometimes they are edible...sometimes not so much. I love that you gave your daughter complete control...if only I could lure my oldest into the kitchen more often. xo

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    1. Thanks Rebecca!
      She loved to make up things to put in the oven when she was younger. When I was making homemade muffins and bread from regular flour every week it was fun to give her some dough to mess with... Her chocolate mint muffins were pretty yummy :-)
      Now that the price of ingredients (like balanced almond flour) has increased I think we got away from that... Happy I can let go a bit more now.

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  4. This is great! I love that your girl decided to take over for you and learned some great lessons about baking. I don't know if I would have been so easy-going in letting my boys just take over - I may have made sure they used the soda instead of the powder or whatever was called for. But your way created valuable lessons by letting go and letting her do it on her own.

    This makes me think I should make some of our baking ingredients more accessible to the boys! They love to bake, especially Xman but he needs me around to reach things.

    They love to wash the floors for me (which I absolutely love as well!) and I think if I let them bake something themselves they would jump at the chance as well. Perhaps the paleo brownies would be a good place to start as they are wanting some chocolate! ;)

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    1. Oh, yes! The paleo brownies are so forgiving. That would be a great recipe to let them loose on! :-)

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  5. I think it's great that you are teaching cooking lessons to your babies. I have taught all five of my children to cook, [my daughter is now a culinary arts teacher], but am always surprised at how many of their friends can't cook, or some who aren't even interested. Since we don't eat out, knowing how to cook is an important skill to know.

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    1. Yes. It is so important! That is exciting that your daughter is a culinary arts teacher. While I am not the most creative and wonderful cook, I do okay. I always thought it would be fun to take a cooking class. My mom took cooking classes when we lived in Japan and it was so fun to eat all of her amazing Japanese culinary creations.
      We don't eat out *much* either. ;-)

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  6. My most memorable lesson was well before children. I made a sweet and sour chicken that was delicious. One time I tested it and gagged. It was horrible. I soon realized I had used baking soda instead of corn starch - both came in orange-ish boxes. ooops! So glad she is having the space and time to learn the delicacies of baking.

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    1. LOL that is funny! What a difference that would make!
      She is having a wonderful time in the kitchen and finding recipes!

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