The Sunday brunch group members are back in Honesdale, having spent the last of the winter in fairer climes. In a crazed mood, I decided to bake something, carelessly disregarding the fact that the group is composed of fairly experienced bakers and my efforts are never quite successful nor enthusiastic 🙂
I think baking is an art. Of course, I’m still on stick figures and cone shaped trees 🙂 I’ve seen some beautiful creations on other blogs and at my friend Trix’s restaurant. I don’t have the gift nor the patience, but I found a recipe on the internet that sounded pretty good and like something I could do, though I thought the sugar amount was exaggerated.
At the start, when I set out all the ingredients, I felt pretty cheerful and confident with the bright colored boxes and lemons.
But then, with the STEPS which were not intuitive, involving numerous bowls, measuring cups, spoons, juicing and zesting, creaming and electric hand mixing, I was annoyed. There is nothing “approximate” in baking or “the kingdom is lost.” I tell you, I was horrified when they mentioned greasing AND flouring 2 loaf pans! I took it as a personal affront and, in retaliation, greased and floured 3 loaf pans of a size I thought would be equivalent. Mistake and flour was everywhere.
Of course the pans where too full and they overflowed in the oven, creating shards of charcoal on the racks and the oven bottom. The smoke alarm in the hallway could not be appeased until I had closed the hall door, turned on the exhaust fan and opened both outside doors from the kitchen.
The spillover from the pans also created brittle overhangs on each pan and made it fiddly to remove the loaves.
The glaze, at least, was easy to make. The ladies at brunch, who are the epitome of politesse, said that the lemon poppy seed loaves were good and, the recipe does read well. (See the link above). Baking and the needed precision is just not my forte. I’ll leave it for others.