Well I baked twice this weekend, so there.
Do you ever start reading a book you thought was going to be great and halfway through it turns out to be not but you force yourself to finish it anyways? Why do I do that? That's what I was thinking last night. So you know what? I put it down. Half finished! Gasp! But what was I wasting my time for? And then I started reading Harry Potter again. For the fourth or fifth time. Hmm.
The buzz of a new school year is building. I can feel the excitement and anxiety gently nudging at my brain. Somewhere in there I am conscious that my friends are gradually returning to school, unpacking, gearing up for another term. Soon it will be my turn, but for now I remain detached, on another planet, somewhere called home. When I am home I never really realize it's time to go until the last minute.
The last three years have felt like some sort of dream. Some part of me wonders if I will wake up after graduation and go right back to high school, my mother's cooking, and the trivial, refreshingly unimportant worries of a seventeen-year-old.
But I know that this fancy is completely false, and that reality is closer than it ever has been. Something is different about this, my last school year. Instead of pure excitement for it to begin, I feel the weight of hesitancy for it to start. I want this eight months of my life to drag on forever. This year a new dimension of emotions has been added to my usual back-to-school fluster - I am scared. Frightened, because for once in my life I have no plan for what lies ahead.
Now that I have bored you with yet another philosophical rant, let's talk about Breakfast Tea and chocolate covered biscuits!!
My piano teacher came by for tea this morning around eleven. I made a very easy breakfast bread to go with it. Only took 15 mins to prepare! And fairly healthy, since there were only a few tablespoons of sugar and I used margarine instead of butter. Super tasty with a bit of raspberry or blueberry jam and a cuppa!
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Whole Wheat Breakfast Soda Bread*
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp margarine
1/2 cup dried currants
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven 375F. Lightly grease baking sheet and set aside. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Add dried currents. Stir in buttermilk with fork until just combined.
Knead dough ten times with floured hands on lightly floured surface. Shape into ball and press onto baking tray. Sprinkle with flour and cut 1/2-inch deep cross on top. Bake for 35 minutes or until tester comes out clean.
*Adapted from Canadian Living: Mealtimes Made Easy, 2001.
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And earlier in the week, I fancied one of these, so I made these. Minus the cranberries, plus the chocolate.
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Petit Écolier-Inspired Shortbread*
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
3 tbsp heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside. Mix first five ingredients until combined but not too creamy (you may use your hands for this part, but be careful not to over mix as the oils from your skin will affect the dough). Roll out on floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into shapes with cookie cutter. Add more flour as needed. When arranging on tray there is no need to leave too much space as the biscuits will not spread. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
Heat chocolate and cream in heat-proof bowl over saucepan of simmering water until melted, stirring often. Let cool for a few minutes before spreading over shortbread. Store at room temperature in airtight container.
*Adapted from Martha Stewart.
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Apparently this game will help you rediscover your youth. I'm not convinced. It did help me rediscover Paris though.
I have now spent an inordinate amount of time writing about baked goods so I think I will leave it here.
Many happy days to those returning to school for another year - enjoy the experience as much as you can!!
Cheers,
Nicola ♡
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