Enjoying the things I don't actually do.

26 July 2010

Dud.

{my misadventures in baking, vol. 1}

I enjoy cooking. I'm pretty good at it, maybe a little rusty after a year of illness from a really difficult pregnancy, and having a newborn, but still, I manage. Baking, though... ugh. I just can't seem to get it!

Well, as is typical for me, I think I'm super fantastic enough to just make any old thing. But I don't really love following recipes. Baking is a problem, naturally, because as I'm told, you have to follow baking recipes and not just wing it.

See, I feel cooking is a creative expression. Which is partially what I enjoy. But to bake something - I feel like I'm in chemistry class again. Which, was a short-lived venture... I barely squeaked by high school chem. My dad is a chemist... I hope he wasn't disappointed. He never showed that he was let-down, if he was. What a sport.

Lately, I've been really enjoying being the homemaker I am, so have wanted to get a handle of baking. I've tried. I've not succeeded

I will share my dud.

Strawberry Cobbler. Seemed simple enough. This recipe isn't complicated, so I thought even I could handle it. I Hulled the strawberries and was feeling fine, just look at these berries! .

































Emmett is better at this than I am.

You'll notice there's no picture of the cobbler.

It was gummy, flat and the tips of the strawberries - which should have been enveloped by the tender cobbler - burned.

Any tips, friends?



**Edited July 27th by Angie:

Hi, friends! I figured out what I did wrong! I sub'd cake flour for all purpose, and had "self-rising" in mind, so omitted the baking soda and salt. This is what caused my flat, gummy no-good cobbler. Thanks to everyone!

6 comments:

  1. Hey Ang! Well, I'm the opposite - I like to bake, not cook. Partly because I'd much rather eat a baked good than anything with real substance. ;) So...at once glance at your recipe, I must ask - did you use SELF-RISING flour? I ask because I just tried one of Sallie Deeble's yummy recipes (something I already knew was a delicious recipe)...and I didn't read carefully - used all purpose flour - and BAM...awful. So disappointed. It took my mom to point out that I used the wrong kind of flour (moms are the best, aren't they?!). If you did use the right kind of flour...I dunno. It does look awfully simple - which cobbler usually is. Sorry you didn't get to enjoy those delicious-looking strawberries!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The poor Strawberries!
    You know I am in the same boat as you when it comes to baking.

    My suggestion, next time make Apple Crisp!

    http://www.momswhothink.com/easy-recipes/easy-apple-crisp-recipe.html

    Couldn't be easier for us non-bakers to feel like real champs.

    Add some of your homemade ice-cream on top and watch out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. no tips on cobbler cause i have never attempted one...i like to do a "dump cake" - you will love this! so easy!!

    just take your fruit (either home-made with fruit boiled with some simple syrup or the canned kind you find in the baking aisle) and dump it in a pyrex. in a bowl mix together 1/2 box cake mix and about 4 tablespoons melted butter. pour the cake butter mix over the fruit - bake at 350 for like 20-30 minutes - holy crap - awesome! kinda cobbler-ish, but without a lot of steps...

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Miss Me, Whit, and Carlee - thanks ladies. I will try Carlee's yummy recipe, and Miss Me's apple crisp. Sounds super yummy for summer-time dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Those berries were beautiful! Baking is an exact science, but cobblers are not so critical!!!
    Let's make some together!! Great try Angie..... And Emmett!

    ReplyDelete