Everyone has to start from somewhere. We are not born knowing how to do everything, right? We have to work at things and learn through our successes and our failures.
I am a self-taught baker. From an early age, I LOVED to bake. I am one of nine children. Yes, you read that correctly. Nine! My mother is basically a saint. She is the exact kind of person that can handle having that many children. She made everything from scratch and ALWAYS made dinner. Every night. I can count on my hand how many times we ate out.
One summer, my mom gave me baking lessons. We started with a boxed cake mix. My mom always had a good supply on hand in the pantry. Once I mastered the cake mix, I was on fire. I felt so proud of myself and everyone seemed to love my semi-homemade cake. It was such a feeling of satisfaction for me. I continued to make cake after cake that summer. I think I probably made one every three days or so. Looking back now, I realize how much joy it gave me to make something that made people happy. It ignited in me a love for baking that grew even more when I became a mother.
When I decided to start baking bread for my own family years ago, I researched, experimented, and researched and experimented some more. I threw away countless batches of bread that were more like bricks than anything edible. After time, my failures became less frequent and my baking ability increased more and more. I started to bake things people really loved! There’s nothing like being responsible for putting smiles on faces!
I want to share just three important tips for you as you begin your baking journey. I’m keeping it super basic here:
- Try.
Lots of people think they can’t bake. “I’m not a baker.” I hear that a lot. Well, guess what? I was not a baker either, until… I started baking. I did not start out a great baker. I don’t have “baking DNA”. Baking is just an art of trying and learning…just like any skill we want to acquire. Don’t let your feelings of intimidation keep you from trying.
My favorite quote is, “You have not failed until you quit trying.” This can be applied to so many things in our lives. In baking, it’s no exception. You will fail. I can guarantee that. Even the most experienced, talented bakers fail every once in a while. Don’t get discouraged. Just keep trying. You’ll get better and better. Over time, your confidence will increase. You’ll make something that puts smiles on faces. That feeling is great and so satisfying.
- Research.
When you’ve decided there is something you want to learn how to make, research different methods, recipes and authors. Try one recipe and then try another. Explore different techniques. You’ll get a good idea of what styles you like. After time, you’ll be able to easily look at a new recipe and be able to gauge whether it’s a good recipe or not. You will find what works for you. I have tried so many different recipes throughout the years. Researching and experimenting will give you more experience in the kitchen and will really play to your benefit as you try out new things. I promise, you’ll get better at troubleshooting when something goes wrong.
- Commit.
If baking is something you decide you love and want to devote time to, invest in the things that will help you get the results you are looking for. My life changed one Christmas, when my husband gave me a Bosch mixer for a gift. I know not many women would be excited about getting a mixer from their husband for Christmas, but I was over the moon! I had been trying to make breads with a small stand mixer and it just wasn’t getting the job done. Investing in a better mixer, opened up a whole new world of possibilities for something I wanted to spend a lot of my time doing.
Now, I’m not telling you to go out and spend a bunch of money on equipment and gadgets. What I do want to encourage you to do is to decide what your level of commitment is and what you want to accomplish by learning the art of baking. Invest in the things that will help you accomplish your goals. Little by little, you can acquire the things that will help you do something you absolutely find joy in doing. It is also an investment in your family as well, as they will be enjoying the fruits of your labor!
I hope you join me on this baking journey. My years of trying, studying, researching and doing have given me so much joy and taught me a lot. I am so passionate about sharing all I’ve learned to help others create baking success in their own homes, because really, it’s such a great feeling when you get to share something you made that puts a smile on someone’s face.
Love,
Heather