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Therapies of Baking

Stress is a common occurrence and with the spa prices, my hair would be grey by the time I was 25! But alas, baking has become my way to de-stress.

By Hailey PurdonPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Baking has always been somewhat therapeutic for me. Something about punching a perfectly risen bread dough or putting all your stress into whipping perfectly fluffy egg whites. Not to mention the prices at spas! My hair would be grey before I turned 25! Baking has been the cheaper and more economically friendly option. And not to mention, everyone somehow benefits from baking.

So to relieve some of that stress you might have, try some of these tasty little morsels of deliciousness.

Chocolate Almond Thumbprint Cookie

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, separated
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely almonds

Caramel Fillings

  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons (90g) salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Drizzle

  • 1 cup dark chocolate
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Cookie Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until light and fluffy
  2. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture
  3. Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until firm enough to roll into balls
  4. While the dough is chilling, in a small bowl, lightly beat egg white until frothy. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; dip in egg white, then roll in almonds
  5. Place on greased baking sheets. Make an indentation with thumb in center of each cookie
  6. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until center is set
  7. Let the cookies sit until slightly warm, then press your thumb into the centre of the cookie. Careful to not press all the way down to the pan!
  8. Once cool, add a small amount of caramel to the centre and drizzle with chocolate
  9. Carefully remove from baking sheet to wire racks to cool

Caramel Centre

  1. Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly
  2. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid
  3. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added
  4. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted
  5. Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the cream is colder than the caramel, the sugar/butter mixture will splatter
  6. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute
  7. Remove from heat and allow to cool down before using

Chocolate Drizzle

  1. Heat cream over low heat for about 5 minutes or until warm. Be careful not to scorch the cream
  2. In a medium size bowl, add the chocolate
  3. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let this for 5 minutes without touching
  4. After 5 minutes stir the cream and chocolate together. This should create a thick chocolate sauce
  5. Pour into a piping bag and drizzle over cookies

No Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups of graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup margarine
  • 2 package cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2/3 cups boiling water
  • 1 package (85g) unflavoured gelatin
  • 2 cups whipped cream

Cheesecake

  1. Melt butter and add to graham cracker crumbs. Press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until creamy and set aside
  3. Activate gelatin according to package directions
  4. Gradually add gelatin to cream cheese, beating well after each addition
  5. Whip the cream until stiff peaks appear. Add gently into cream cheese mixture
  6. Pour over crust and smooth the top
  7. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set
  8. Rim the pan with a hot knife before releasing to ensure a perfect edge

Flavour Suggestions

  • Try adding citrus into the mix
  • How about Douce De Leche and chopped hazelnuts
  • Or how about the classic Strawberry

I hope you like these recipes as much as me!

Happy Baking

XOXO

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About the Creator

Hailey Purdon

Big plans with a very indecisive mind

Culinary aficionado

Elephant enthusiast

Lover of all things colourful

Photographer

Travel enthusiast

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