Baking is a popular hobby or passion for many people. It is a perfect way to share something you enjoy with friends or family and to release your creativity. As well as being a hobby, baking also has many unexpected benefits.
Why Start Baking More
Mindfulness and stress relief: The step-by-step, peaceful process of baking turns it into a perfect mindfulness exercise, allowing your mind and body to benefit from the relaxation that comes from baking.
Social Connection: Baking for others or with others is a perfect way to bring people together, from sharing a warm chocolate brownie to sparking up a conversation together.
Achievement: It can be fulfilling to create something by yourself, and baking creates a tangible result that you can be proud of.
Exercise: Although it may not seem like it, baking encourages movement, being on your feet and completing tasks such as kneading dough, promoting healthy habits.
Baking Brings People Together
The fun, joy and passion involved in baking are perfect for a social activity, and the resulting cakes and cookies are perfect for sharing with friends and family, which makes baking a perfect way to connect with more people.
Did You Know? The oldest oven was created 6500 BC. Although it didn’t look like today’s ovens, it was still able to cook meats.
There’s nothing more comforting than the warmth of a fresh chocolate chip cookie- why not give this recipe a go?
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
- 110g/3¾oz unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
- 110g/3¾oz light brown sugar
- 110g/3¾oz caster sugar
- 1 large free-range egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 250g/9oz chocolate
Method
To make the cookie dough, whisk together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Put the butter and sugars in a separate bowl. Using an electric hand-held mixer, beat together for about 4–5 minutes until fluffy and light. Add the egg, beating until fully combined, then briefly mix in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and mix until a dough is formed. Add the chocolate and mix until evenly distributed.
Chill the dough for 24–48 hours before baking (optional). This process helps the flour to hydrate and makes for a better tasting cookie that is more likely to caramelise as it bakes.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Use your hands or an ice cream scoop to form balls of dough (about 60–70g/2¼–2½oz per cookie). Sprinkle with a little sea salt and place on the prepared baking trays, leaving 2.5–5cm/1–2in between each cookie.
Bake for about 16–18 minutes or until golden around the edges but still slightly pale in the middle. Leave to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve immediately or keep in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
At Inspire Catering we love bringing people together through food. Whether it’s sharing chocolate chip cookies or having an afternoon picnic, food is one of the best ways to connect with each other.