Doing what you love is the best therapy

The last ten days have been pretty chaotic; I’m a high school teacher and it was that time of the month I had to grade a bunch of written tests and other stuff; I didn’t have time to do more than work work work, I was feeling very stressful and because of that I got sick. After a couple of days on sick leave I decided to do one of my most favorite activities: Baking

Some people will think that baking is not a very relaxing activity but for me, preparing any type of baked goodie fill my heart and obviously my stomach with joy. baking is about more than creating something sweet to eat. Baking when it’s done for others, makes you feel better about yourself

For this lately baking therapy I decide to bake 2 different things: cupcakes, cookies and brownie. I used basic recipes because I couldn´t go out to buy some extra ingredient

Vanilla/carrot cupcakes(10-12 cupcakes)

• ½ cup softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup buttercream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon rum

Cream the butter, sugars and eggs (12minutes)

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt

Mix just to integrate

Separate the batter in two parts, one only with the vanilla flavor and the other one add:

• small carrot
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

In this particular case, I used a cupcake maker. I have never tried one before and it was easy , the only thing I was not sure about the cupcake maker was the color of my cupcake, they turn out a little pale and I baked them for 20 minutes

Brownie

• 125g dark chocolate
• 1 ½ tablespoon butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup of flour
• a pinch of salt
• ¼ cup expresso coffee (liquid expresso coffee)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 50 g chocolate chips

Melt the dark chocolate and butter. Mix the egg, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and add to the melted chocolate until it is well integrated. Add the coffee and then flour and salt. At the end add the chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 °f for 20 minutes

After spending my time baking I feel better, I don’t know if the extra sugar in my veins but it was just what I needed to start to feel like myself again. The smell of warm sugar and vanilla in the air is so comforting and I think offering food to somebody you love is just as much a comfort to the person receiving as to the person who´s serving the offering