We know you will discover something you’re really good at and gonna love!
As with any hobby you pick up and try for the first time, it is easy to get frustrated if the results seem lacking or progress isn’t going fast enough. And after a disappointing result you move on to the next recipe, because this one wasn’t working.
If this happens a few times, you might, want to give up and start a new hobby. But we know from experience you would be missing out on the joy of baking.
Imagine if you got to a point where you could not wait to start your next bake, paddling home like mad, to the preferment that’s bubbling away in your fridge!
Our baking motivational words for you!
1. You will discover something you’re really good at
When baking there’s always something that comes naturally to you. Maybe it’s the art of folding or shaping dough, decorating cookies, making pizza, working with chocolate, shaping croissants or baguettes. Whatever it is, you’ll discover your strengths over time, and that sense of mastery will fuel your love of baking.
Some bakers find joy in simple no-knead recipes and are happy to stick with that, while others delve into the world of sourdough, master intricate pastry techniques or baking bigger batches. Maybe you will go as far as starting your own Micro Bakery. Whatever path you choose, carve out your own baking journey!
And do not worry about mistakes, every baker makes them. We have many, forgetting salt in the baguettes and making croissants that looked like brioche for instance. All part of the process, you bake and learn!
2. You will feel the joy of using all your senses when baking
Baking is an art that involves all senses: Touch, sight, smell, taste, and sound. Each of these senses offers you clues and satisfaction along the way. If you are a person that’s all about the visual, focus on that. Decoratie cookies or make intricate patterns on loaves. If you are all about the taste, focus on the best ingredients and techniques to develop this further.
– Smell: The smell of yeasty dough, a happy active sourdough starter, freshly ground spices or your own homemade spice blends or zesting lemons and oranges. All part of baking’s magic.
– Touch: There’s a unique joy in feeling dough come together in your hands. In handling wet dough and not getting stuck. Whether it’s the satisfaction of kneading or the texture of a dough that’s just the right consistency, the tactile experience of baking is central to understanding its appeal. Picking up a loaf and feeling its weight gives you insight into how well it has turned out.
– Sound: You can tell a lot by listening to the sound of your standing mixer, the sounds your oven makes, the timers that indicate where you are in the process. But also the joy of sounds like the crackling of the crust of your loaves when just out of the oven. We also have different baking playlists with ‘baking’ music to accompany certain recipes. It gets you in the right mood and mindset to both focus on and enjoy your baking. If you like the sound of silence for concentration, that’s perfect too.
– Sight: The color and consistency of your dough, batter or butter tells you whether you are on the right path. With experience and baking certain recipes more often, you will know exactly what to look out for. And with your end result, there’s the gratification of looking at the golden-brown crust of your loaf or the glossy finish on your pie.
– Taste: Maybe the most important and rewarding. Tasting the ‘bakes of your labor’. We are still marveling at the fact that we produce so much and complex tastes and fantastic mouthfeel with so few ingredients. And when something taste really, really good, you maybe will even catch yourself in the act of giggling when you take a bite.
Tip: Surround yourself with things that inspire you to bake, like baking books from bakers you admire or a photo of your Granny who baked with you when you were little.
3.You will feel content in your baking bubble
Baking can be your safe haven when the world is too much for whatever reason (there can be many!). We saw baking explode when everything stopped several years ago and people where searching for comfort and a way to forget about the outside world for a bit. Lots of people discovered the wonderful feeling of being in the baking moment with the added bonus of not being empty handed at the end of the process. So, nothing wrong with retreating into your bubble to stay sane, enjoying yourself and having something to share when you’re crawling out again.
4. You will get to sin and feel good about it
Maybe it is a step too far to state that ‘you can eat anything, as long as you make it yourself’. But we found that there’s a truth in there for us. You bake with better and less ingredients compared to store bought stuff. Plus, you somehow eat less of your own bakes and are more fulfilled.
There’s an undeniable joy in creating something with the ideal balance of fat and sugar that hits the right spot for us humans. Whether it’s a buttery, flaky pastry or a rich chocolate cake, we find the sweet and savory indulgence of baking can be just as fulfilling as any other part of the process.
The Joy of Baking in short
- Baking brings joy because you made your own…from scratch!
- Baking brings joy because you can do it and keep doing it at any age
- Baking brings joy when you do it together
- Baking brings joy to others when you share your bakes with familie and friends
- And joy because you feel part of a great baking community filled with rather nice people :))
Baking for us has proven to be much more than just following recipes. It’s about exploring flavor combinations, perfecting techniques, anticipation and indulging. Enjoy the process, embrace the imperfections, and savor the sweet rewards baking will bring you!
Check out some classic baking recipes that brought us much joy and even comfort in the first 10 years of our Weekend Bakery journey.
Happy Baking!
Ed & Marieke
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