Tag / bakery

by colleen xie

Earl Grey Cream Puffs

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(Posting late but now that I’m done exams (cue cheering) I can finish this entry-)

Arghghasdhgashgh not that it’s any excuse but this post has been sitting in my draft folder for way too long and it can only mean one thing……..

….exams are making me go a bit insane. and ive been listening to a lot of drake.

exam season = fluctuation between caffeinated highs (+ the consequential insomniac study sesh), the slumps of apathy and the eternal question of what all this means in the end, if it means anything at all……….

let’s face it, the best part about exam season are those hilarious articles that start popping up highlighting everyone’s shared pain

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by colleen xie

Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

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Daylight savings was last week, but I’m still mourning the loss of our hour of daytime. The days got so cold and so dark, so fast, and those red cups just popped out of nowhere (who else is disappointed with the lack of design??) and the thought of winter now is very, very real.

But to me it’s all about summer still, and we’re planning for them now, putting in our preferences for where we’d like to be sent off for our rotations. Of course I’d like to stay within the lower mainland (the most cost-effective choice), but I wouldn’t mind if I got sent somewhere random either. Make life an adventure, why not. There’s so many small towns in BC that are unheard of to me, and there’s not really a reason to visit either unless it was for something specific, like our rotations.

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by colleen xie

Red Bean Matcha Cream Puffs

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I know lately on my blog everything has been matcha-this-matcha-that when really it should be pumpkin-this-pumpkin-that, but let’s say we’re going through a matcha “module”?

At school we’ve just started our respiratory module, and judging from the schedule it’s more intense than anything we’ve done (lots of prereading and prep and assessments) but at the same time it’s exciting to have everything be all integrated and fit together.

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by colleen xie

Red Bean Challah

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I’ve been baking as a hobby for a long time now, since I was eight or so. And it never ceases to amaze me– the transformation that takes place in the oven. My heart still beats a little faster from the excitement as I turn on the oven light to check in on whatever I’m baking. Sometimes I get panicky if I see that something’s overflowing, like a bubbling pie that I forgot to put a tray under, or muffin cups that I’ve eagerly overfilled. Most of the time I can tell that something’s almost done baking… its scent starts to waft through the house.

This challah is a perfect example of that. It came together so fast that I was disappointed it was over already. Literally less than 10 minutes to measure out and combine the ingredients. After that, all the work is done by the mixer to knead the dough, and by the yeast to perform its magic to aerate the dough.

Then you weave and shape the challah– therapeutic, really– and after a transformation in the oven, you’ll quickly be rewarded with a tender, soft, light bread.

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by colleen xie

Whole Wheat Kanelbullar (Swedish Cinnamon Buns)

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Kanelbullar has always been something I’ve admired from afar, primarily for its beautiful twist. Aren’t they like the more understated, simple-but-elegant version of its American cinnamon roll cousin? In this recipe, the primary spice is cardamom instead of cinnamon, and it perfumes the dough subtly. It’s glazed twice, once before and once after baking, with a sticky runny spiced-glaze.

Be warned though, these are definitely not like cinnamon rolls in its ooey-gooey sweet goodness. I’d like to imagine these are a lot more breakfast friendly; they’re made with whole wheat flour and a modest amount of butter, they lack frosting, and are less sweet, and so overall it’s no longer a dessert masquerading as breakfast. I like that its primary focus is the spices– there’s no cream cheese frosting or icing that masks the true taste of cardamom or cinnamon, and you just get a very earthy, fragrant experience. Paired with a cuppa chai, and it’s like a warm hug from the inside.

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