I have this new thing in my life where I fall fast asleep before my head even hits the pillow only to wake up an hour later nauseated, heart racing in a state of panic. It's mildly frustrating so I was hoping there might be some easy solution. My doctor suggests that this is my body ignoring all the anxiety and stress I feel at work so that it can rear its angry head at inopportune times, such as when I finally get to rest. She threw out meditation as an option but I'm hoping for 2 weeks at Canyon Ranch. Until that becomes plausible, I was finally able to turn to a tried and true stress reliever, baking. I never realized that people generally find baking relaxing. Sometimes it's even more anxiety inducing as a I fear that I did something wrong or my yeast won't activate or that I've over or under mixed ingredients. Thoughts run through my head...Did I just ruin my flaky crust? Will this be too dense? - as I write I realize that my "analysis paralysis" or perfectionist tendencies at work that stress me out might be more of a global personality issue.
Scones have been one of my favorite things to make when I have time. My King Arthur baking companion is my best friend in the kitchen and with my trusty Nordic Ware Scone Pan, they pretty much always come out looking nearly perfect (for an amateur). Historically, I dreaded cutting in butter but ever since I've discovered my food processor method, I haven't been disappointed. Adding the butter in different sizes and quickly pulsing in the food processor provides different sized pieces of butter and I can adjust to whatever final consistency I'm aiming for. These cranberry orange scones are perfected by what is labeled as "sparkling white sugar" giving them that true bakery feel.
The dough consistency is what I fear the most, but getting it right is always the most rewarding. Another King Arthur must have is my dough whisk which seems to make it magically easy to mix the dough. It helps me to combine until everything just sticks together so I can begin folding (see below). After squishing them into my pan and baking for only 20 min or so I have fresh scones - and the chance to add to my quarantine weight goal.
When these come out well, I realize that I love the precision in baking, maybe aligning with how I feel about algebra and the true joy I get in narrowing done to one variable and solving for x. I can solve for this, I can control this...(flaky crust anxiety aside). Is this my accidental attempt at mindfulness? Is this my "behavioral activation" therapy? (first world problems and first world solutions at their finest.) I'll indulge in mint tea and a delicious scone to contemplate that and forget that another work day is right around the corner. Here's to hoping this contributes to sweet dreams.
Scones have been one of my favorite things to make when I have time. My King Arthur baking companion is my best friend in the kitchen and with my trusty Nordic Ware Scone Pan, they pretty much always come out looking nearly perfect (for an amateur). Historically, I dreaded cutting in butter but ever since I've discovered my food processor method, I haven't been disappointed. Adding the butter in different sizes and quickly pulsing in the food processor provides different sized pieces of butter and I can adjust to whatever final consistency I'm aiming for. These cranberry orange scones are perfected by what is labeled as "sparkling white sugar" giving them that true bakery feel.
The dough consistency is what I fear the most, but getting it right is always the most rewarding. Another King Arthur must have is my dough whisk which seems to make it magically easy to mix the dough. It helps me to combine until everything just sticks together so I can begin folding (see below). After squishing them into my pan and baking for only 20 min or so I have fresh scones - and the chance to add to my quarantine weight goal.
When these come out well, I realize that I love the precision in baking, maybe aligning with how I feel about algebra and the true joy I get in narrowing done to one variable and solving for x. I can solve for this, I can control this...(flaky crust anxiety aside). Is this my accidental attempt at mindfulness? Is this my "behavioral activation" therapy? (first world problems and first world solutions at their finest.) I'll indulge in mint tea and a delicious scone to contemplate that and forget that another work day is right around the corner. Here's to hoping this contributes to sweet dreams.
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