the scientist

Whew!  Now that the holidays are over I can start working on my business again.  After all the anxiety and worry about what to do next during the holidays I can finally start.... after I lose 10lbs from stuffing my face every day for the past 3 weeks.  Okay...maybe not... but the thought of recipe testing and development this month gives me a lot of anxiety.  How am I suppose to taste and consume everything I bake and lose weight?  It's stressful... it really is!!!


I know...

I know what your thinking...

"you have a tough job" 

or

"I'll help you with eating your baked goods!" 

- which is great, but can you imagine having to taste about 6-8 different versions of the same product?  It can be daunting AND, wait for it... wait for it......

I get a bit sick of sugar. 

Whhhhhhaaaa??? How can that be when I {heart}sugar!!!???  But how many times can you eat coconut cream pie or cinnamon buns or cookies?  Sometimes I can't even look at a bake good (poor things...).  But alas, I know it comes with the territory and when I open, I'll never have to eat a tested recipe ever again (... mmmm hmmmmm....).

So over the holidays, I was busy baking my butt off with a few orders from friends.  My "almost famous" peanut butter pie went to a entrepreneur buddy of mine who was off sugar, for like, 3 months (?? I know!!  O. M. G - she must have been bouncing off the walls after that sugar shock).  And then I made some mini black and white cupcakes for another friend's Christmas staff party.... See??? How pretty they are????

Devils Food and Vanilla Yellow Cake with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream and Luscious Chocolate Buttercream (and yes, I always use real butter!!!).  I even sprinkled on iridescent glitter (if you can see it!). 

Anyhoo.... opening up a bakery + cafe is always conversation starter with new people I meet.  They always tell me how they can't bake but can cook and go on about the differences between the two.  I can see it because I can't cook (that's what my man's for!) but because I'm coming from the baking side... it's hard for me to see because I do it.  But then a couple of my Australian friends (who are leaving me to go back home before my bakery + cafe opening.... sniff) reminded me of what a science baking is (which is weird because I hated science and almost failed chemistry in high school!).  There is a lot to think about including not to  over beat or over whip or over crowd your precious cookies or cakes.  The tender loving care I do put in is to ensure the best product created... because as a good reminder if I don't, my cookies would turn out like this:

So yes, my friends, here is a sad example of a science experiment gone all wrong.  Over burnt, over crowded and over mixed Anzac Cookies.  Makes me shake my head in shame.  

Thanks James for reminding me that I really am a scientist at heart (take that Chem 11!)