mistressofmuses (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mistressofmuses) wrote2023-12-23 10:22 pm
mistressofmuses) wrote2023-12-23 10:22 pm
Baking!
I wound up not doing the cranberry-orange shortbread. It sounded so very good, but the more I looked at it the more complicated it seemed. I don't mind doing a step "the hard way" if I lack a gadget to make it easier (like... I didn't have an electric mixer until a couple years ago, so I am used to mixing e v e r y t h i n g by hand.) But this one would require *three* "the hard way" steps, which just seemed like way too much. Maybe someday!
However, I did get the other two things baked!
Yule log cookies! These I baked yesterday.
I actually succeeded in NOT giving in to the temptation to make a double batch, which I am very glad for. Every year, I read the note I left for myself on the recipe that says "The temptation to double the recipe is a lie, just say no!" and every year I go "...but surely it's worth it for more cookies?" LIKE AN IDIOT. This year I listened to myself, and just did a single batch. I upped the spices again, though I *still* think more wouldn't hurt.
I did oops and poured in more rum than I meant to when I made the frosting, so it didn't set very well. Tastes good, though.
Alex was happy with them - they're apparently still his favorites.
Kolaches!
This year I made them with peach and blackberry fillings. I *mostly* succeeded in rolling the dough thinner, which prevents them from unfolding. I got impatient on the last tray and rolled the dough a bit too thick (though "too thick" is 1/4 inch, which is what the recipe calls for and calls "thin." Something closer to 1/8 or 1/6 honestly works a lot better.) About half of those unrolled, but shhh. I got enough nice ones to gift, lol.
The dough did fortunately work out fine, despite the issues I had yesterday. I'm guessing I miscounted the flour. (It wanted 2 1/2 cups, and so I was adding in 1/2 cup increments... I must have thought I'd done five while I was actually on four.)
-
Tomorrow I have a half day at work, which I am VERY MUCH hoping will be very slow. We have no classes and all of our instructors took the day off, so I will be the only one in the office at all. I hope everyone thinks we're closed and so the phones are quiet. I'll do corporate training videos for four hours, lol.
(Today was better than yesterday, though still a mess. So many people have taken the last few days off, it's hard to keep up with stuff. Especially when I'm the only one doing the online support, the main inbox, the voicemails, and the new validation task. Overwhelming, but it could have been worse. We also had a class close, but with only 10 students, it went easily and smoothly.)
I'll go over to my mom and Taylor's after work tomorrow, where we'll probably bake more. And maybe finish Usher. And maybe play more FFXIV.
It may be another day or two before I have a chance to get caught up on DW. Holiday baking always takes me forever, and I run out of time for anything else, even with fairly simple recipes... maybe it'd help to invest in a second cookie sheet so that I can do more than one at a time, haha.
In case time gets away from me tomorrow, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas if they celebrate it. If not, I hope it's a rad Monday anyway.
However, I did get the other two things baked!
Yule log cookies! These I baked yesterday.
I actually succeeded in NOT giving in to the temptation to make a double batch, which I am very glad for. Every year, I read the note I left for myself on the recipe that says "The temptation to double the recipe is a lie, just say no!" and every year I go "...but surely it's worth it for more cookies?" LIKE AN IDIOT. This year I listened to myself, and just did a single batch. I upped the spices again, though I *still* think more wouldn't hurt.
I did oops and poured in more rum than I meant to when I made the frosting, so it didn't set very well. Tastes good, though.
Alex was happy with them - they're apparently still his favorites.
Kolaches!
This year I made them with peach and blackberry fillings. I *mostly* succeeded in rolling the dough thinner, which prevents them from unfolding. I got impatient on the last tray and rolled the dough a bit too thick (though "too thick" is 1/4 inch, which is what the recipe calls for and calls "thin." Something closer to 1/8 or 1/6 honestly works a lot better.) About half of those unrolled, but shhh. I got enough nice ones to gift, lol.
The dough did fortunately work out fine, despite the issues I had yesterday. I'm guessing I miscounted the flour. (It wanted 2 1/2 cups, and so I was adding in 1/2 cup increments... I must have thought I'd done five while I was actually on four.)
-
Tomorrow I have a half day at work, which I am VERY MUCH hoping will be very slow. We have no classes and all of our instructors took the day off, so I will be the only one in the office at all. I hope everyone thinks we're closed and so the phones are quiet. I'll do corporate training videos for four hours, lol.
(Today was better than yesterday, though still a mess. So many people have taken the last few days off, it's hard to keep up with stuff. Especially when I'm the only one doing the online support, the main inbox, the voicemails, and the new validation task. Overwhelming, but it could have been worse. We also had a class close, but with only 10 students, it went easily and smoothly.)
I'll go over to my mom and Taylor's after work tomorrow, where we'll probably bake more. And maybe finish Usher. And maybe play more FFXIV.
It may be another day or two before I have a chance to get caught up on DW. Holiday baking always takes me forever, and I run out of time for anything else, even with fairly simple recipes... maybe it'd help to invest in a second cookie sheet so that I can do more than one at a time, haha.
In case time gets away from me tomorrow, I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas if they celebrate it. If not, I hope it's a rad Monday anyway.
a fairly inexpensive electric mixer
My chief problem with getting one before we bought this house was lack of storage space in the kitchen. There still isn't room to keep it in this new kitchan. BUT! There is a lot! of storage space in the basement, and we're already keeping some kitchen things down there, stuff we do use but just not very often. This is making me think about said electric mixer.
If we get one, it'll be totally your fault.
Re: a fairly inexpensive electric mixer
Re: a fairly inexpensive electric mixer