Quarantine Baking Recipes for Stress Relief with The Maya Kitchen

What’s more comforting than stirring together a bowl of brown, beige and white ingredients, sliding it into the oven and watching as it transforms into something golden and spectacular? I totally love the smell of freshly baked cookies, muffins, cakes, or even a simple bread wafting through my kitchen. Regardless if you're a newbie in baking or an experienced one, you're sure to find different ideas to help pass the time during quarantine with delicious results.

And when it comes to baking goodies, I only trust one brand to accompany me in my baking journey-a brand my family has long trusted for years--Maya. Most of us have been staying home for the past months since the lockdown and quarantine and either we have picked up a new skill or two as we try to make ourselves more productive at home. As for me, since working from home, I have started to go back to my first love--baking. 

Baking has proven to be a therapeutic way of managing our fears and anxieties. And it isn't just about enjoying something warm and delicious. Baking involves our full attention, forcing us to focus on a particular recipe and quiet down our own inner dialogues. Unlike with cooking where you can easily adjust the recipe if you feel the taste is a little bit salty or bland, baking requires more calculated portions in order to create that perfectly baked goodie. 

Baking gives us a little semblance of control during these times of uncertainties. The Maya Kitchen encourages everyone to keep our newfound baking habit alive even as we gradually emerge from quarantine. Baking is not only meditative, it also allows us to be more creative, an expression of one's self as well as troubleshooting when baking problems arise which may also be useful in our daily lives. 

Baking can be a good therapy

One thing about baking, it teaches us that patience is indeed a virtue. We patiently wait for the dough to rise or the cake to bake perfectly in the oven. We can also use baking time to bond with our family members over some delicious treats. 

Allow me to share with you some exciting baking recipes you can easily do at the comfort of your home regardless if it's your first time to bake or you're like me who knew how to bake find hardly had the time to do so prior to quarantine. 

Check these recipes out:

PANDESAL

INGREDIENTS:

 2 teaspoons yeast

 1 ½ cups warm water

 2 tablespoons sugar

 1 teaspoon salt

 2 tablespoons shortening

 4 ½ – 5 cups sifted MAYA All-Purpose Flour

 breadcrumbs, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup of water. In a bowl, combine the remaining water, sugar, salt, and shortening. Add 4 cups of the flour and the yeast mixture. Mix well then transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Use the remaining flour for dusting the table and your hands if the dough gets sticky.

Place dough on a greased bowl, cover and let it rise until double in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Place risen dough on a floured surface. Flatten with your hands to form a rectangle about 16 x 3 inches. Starting at one end, roll up the dough with the right hand while sealing with the left hand to form a cylindrical strip of dough. Roll in bread crumbs. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Cut dough into pieces about 1 ½-inch thick. Place in baking sheet cut side up. Let the dough pieces rise until light, for approximately 1 hour. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

YIELD

2-3 dozens

Coffee Hotcakes

Coffee Hotcakes are great for breakfast

INGREDIENTS:

 1 pack MAYA Fluffy n’ Tasty Original Hotcake mix 200 grams

 1 piece egg

 2 tablespoons oil

 ½ cup brewed coffee cooled (or dissolve 1-2 tablespoons instant coffee powder in ½ cup water)

 unsalted butter maple syrup as needed

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until slightly lumpy (do not over mix).

2. Pour ¼ cup hotcake batter mix onto pre-heated, lightly greased pan or flat skillet. (as much as possible, try to make your pancake round)

3. Cook until bubbly then turn to cook the other side.

4. Serve with butter and syrup.

Yield: 5 to 6 hotcakes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

CARAMEL CHOCO FUDGE BROWNIES

Caramel Choco Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

 1 pack MAYA Chocolate Fudge Brownies prepared

according to package directions

Caramel layer:

 ½ cup butter

 1 cup light brown sugar

 ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk

 ½ cup light corn syrup

 1 pinch salt

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate ganache:

 ½ cup heavy cream

 ½ cup dark chocolate chopped

 Assorted nuts chocolate chips, for topping

Instructions:

1. Bake brownies according to package directions. Set aside.

2. In a nonstick pan, heat up caramel ingredients until thick (Softball stage 200-220°C). Pour this over the prepared brownie.

3. In a microwavable bowl, heat up cream for about 30 seconds. Add in chocolate. Microwave in 20-second bursts until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth. Spread top caramel layer. Top with desired nuts, chocolate chips and other toppings.

via GIPHY

Feel free to add on any toppings you want and taste dictate. Just make sure to read through the recipe before you begin and make sure you have everything you need. 

Good luck and have fun baking!

'Till next time,

Feel free to jump between categories as ambition and taste dictate. Just be sure to read through the recipe before you begin to make sure you have everything you need.

Image

Image