If there’s one good thing that the pandemic has brought us, it is the chance and the drive to discover different passions. Some people decided they want to add to their skill set by finishing online courses while others gave their green thumbs a chance by turning into “plant parents.” Whatever your choice of new hobby is, the current lifestyle situation has indeed pushed us to find new passions in these trying times.
Baking is another activity that has received so much love lately. For some, they’ve even turned it into a form of additional income after some practice! Contrary to what others think, making baked goods is as easy as it gets since you only need to follow the right measurements and, of course, use the right ingredients. And unlike other hobbies, you can always easily share your goodies after with your family and the special people in your life.
If you’ve been thinking of giving baking a try but do not know where to start, then you’ve read the right piece. Here are some of the easiest (and yummiest) recipes that you can practice without breaking a sweat.
Fluffy Yellow Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 ½ cups of Joy of Baking Cake Flour
1 ¼ tsp of baking powder
¼ tsp of baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of buttermilk
10 tbsp of unsalted butter
3 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 tsp of vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
A pinch of cream tartar
For the frosting:
20 tbsp of unsalted butter
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
¾ cup of dutch-processed cocoa
¾ cup of light corn syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
8 oz of milk, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. FOR THE FROSTING: Process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape down the bowl, then add chocolate and process until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds (Frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours before frosting cake or refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.)
2. Line edges of the cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep the platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on the prepared platter. Place about 1 ½ cups of frosting in the center of the cake layer right to the edge of cake. Place the second cake layer on top, making sure layers are aligned, then frost top in the same manner as the first layer, this time spreading frosting until slightly over edge. Gather more frosting on top of spatula and gently spread icing onto the side of the cake. Smooth frosting by gently running edge of spatula around cake and leveling ridge that forms around top edge or create billows by pressing back of spoon into frosting and twirling spoon as you lift away. Carefully pull-out pieces of parchment from beneath the cake before serving. (Assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
Marbled Chocolate Brioche Loaf
Ingredients:
For the dough:
3 tbsp of Joy of Baking Bread flour
½ cup of milk
2 ½ tsp of active or instant yeast
2 ½ cup of bread flour
7 tbsp of unsalted butter
¼ cup of sugar
½ tsp of salt
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2 tsp of finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp dark rum
For the chocolate enrichment:
1 tbsp water
½ tsp baking soda
A pinch of ground cinnamon
1/12 oz of bittersweet chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS:
You will need one 9 x 5 x 3-inch (23 x 13 x 7 cm) loaf pan buttered and the bottom lined with a rectangle of parchment of buttered wax paper cut to fit.
1. To make the brioche dough, heat the milk in a small saucepan until just lukewarm, about 11o F (45 C). Pour the milk into a small rubber spatula to stir in 1 cup of Joy of Baking Bread Flour thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes. The mixture will become bubbly and somewhat risen.
2. Combine the butter, sugar, salt, egg, egg yolk, lemon zest, and rum in a mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook attachment. Knead until the butter is evenly distributed through-out the resulting liquid. At this point the mixture may appear separated – it will come together soon as some of the flour is added.
3. Add the remaining flour and knead again until the flour is completely incorporated, and the mixture is smooth. Use a thin-bladed metal spatula to scrape down the inside of the bowl. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
4. Invert the bowl over a floured work surface to turn out the dough. Use a bench scraper to fold the dough over on itself 5 to 6 times, adding pinches of flour if necessary, until it is slightly more elastic. Use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 3 equal pieces.
5. Return one piece of the dough to the bowl. Cover the remaining pieces of dough with a dish towel or plastic wrap.
6. To prepare the Chocolate Enrichment, combine the water, baking soda, and cooled chocolate. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the food processor bowl and pulse 3 to 4 times to incorporate. Add the flour and pulse continuously for 10 seconds or until the dough is smooth. Invert the food processor bowl over a floured work surface to turn out the dough. Carefully remove the blade and transfer any dough on it to the surface. Use a bench scraper to fold the chocolate dough over on itself 5 to 6 times, adding pinches of flour if necessary until it is slightly more elastic.
7. Flour a cutting board and set it aside. Press one of the pieces of the plain dough into a 5-inch square and place it on the cutting board. Repeat with the remaining piece of plain dough. The square and the stacking do not need to be perfectly precise.
8. Use a knife or a bench scraper to cut the stacked dough into 3 strips each about 1 ¾ inches wide. Then cut across one of the strips making ten ½ inch pieces. Slide the cut pieces of dough into a bowl. Repeat the remaining strip of dough.
9. Slide your hands, palms upward, under the pieces of dough in the bowl and toss them gently a few times like a salad.
10. Sprinkle the pieces of dough in the bowl with 1 tsp of water to make them slightly sticky. Gently press and squeeze the dough together into a cohesive ball. Inver the dough onto a floured work surface and press it into a thick 4 x 8-inch rectangle. Place the rectangle of dough in the prepared pan and gently press it to fill the pan completely.
11. Cover the pan with buttered plastic wrap and let the dough rise about 1 inch over the top of the pan, for 1 to 2 hours. Depending on the temperature of the room.
12. About 20 minutes before the loaf is fully risen, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F (180 C).
13. Bake the loaf until it is well risen and deep golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the loaf in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes then unmold it and finish cooling it on its side to prevent it from compressing and becoming heavy.
Sounds so easy, right? There’s even better news. You can easily make these recipes with Joy of Baking’s Cake and Bread Flour. A brand under the Agri Pacific Corporation, which is under the Rebisco Group of Companies, Joy of Baking has been one of the leaders in the market since 2015 thanks to its use of Swiss and German milling technology to produce products that can make baking easier and tastier for its consumers.
The Bread Flour is ideal for warm treats and other bread-type products like loaves and buns while the Cake Flour is perfect for creating moist batter-type cakes. Other products of Joy of Baking include the All-Purpose Flour which can be used for banana bread and chocolate chip cookies and the Complete Breadmix which can be used for pandesal, Spanish bread, and ensaymada because of its all-in-one formula and free pack of yeast.
Joy of Baking products are widely available from its many resellers, Lazada , and Shopee . Everyone can also check out their official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JoyofBakingPH for more information.
Time to go out of your comfort zone and start a new passion! Bake a treat or two now to make up for the joy and fun you have been used to doing before. At the end of the day, it is about making the most out of what we currently have that is the most important of all.
