It has been a very stressful week for me. We capped last weekend with H not feeling well, my woggy in tantrums and there has been a recent hurdle in getting the house of our dreams. On occasions in life that are trying, I somehow manage to be calm, collected and alert but my stresses somehow manifest in binge eating and lately, binge cooking and baking.
To keep myself busy today, I made the following for lunch: grilled sirloin burgers, mashed potatoes, grilled saba bananas (just shove the bananas in a turbo broiler), cut-sliced and served watermelon for a refreshing dessert. Not much huh? Add to that the following: Ginataang talangka with sigarilas, strawberry tarts (gone within the hour after I chilled it), Nora Daza's version of banana cream pie. I also made my favorite soup, which started out as my attempt to make seafood bisque but ended up as a glorious squash soup which I topped with cream and enjoyed with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Then I bought, marinated and shaped more burgers which I prepared and placed in the freezer just in case H and the kids would like some tomorrow.
Oh, I also attempted to make ensaymadas :)
For the ensaymada recipe, I used three references: Nora Daza's cookbook, Market Manila's post on Hinayupac na Ensaimada and called my mom. The experience has been painless, quite exciting actually- as I somehow sense that I will be able to come up with a good batch. However, It has been a loooOooong process. In fact, I started a little after lunch (about 1 PM this afternoon) and I am still final proofing the swirled dough and about to bake when it decides to increase in volume. Its already 1:39AM Manila Time.
I do not understand why this dough is not cooperating with me; it was such a hot day so I was expecting the dough to rise faster than what the great Ms Nora Daza wrote in her cookbook. But it took more than 20 minutes for the dough to double in volume on the first and second and third phases and now after I rolled, spread the cheese, made swirls and placed the dough in the molds- I am still waiting for it to puff up, 1 hour after the prescribed 20 minutes. I could be doing something wrong- maybe I should have placed a kitchen towel over the dough? Perhaps I should have placed a thermometer to gauge the temp?
This is what makes cooking and baking very interesting for me. I describe it as a very good application of chemistry, physics and yes, psychology. I love the fact that its a very unpredictable process; one that has to be adjusted depending on the weather, the altitude, availability of ingredients, condition of your cookware, tools that is used and even your mood for the day. The beauty of cooking and baking is not only in enjoying the final product but in the steps taken to achieve the desired result. It's like answering a crossword puzzle; you marvel at the beauty of a completed puzzle after you spend countless of hours filling in the damn blocks.
Needless to say, my binge cooking and baking has kept me busy and more patient today. H is feeling so much better and there has been progress with Operation Crib. I enjoyed my multiple long phone calls to Mom. To top it all, I was able to come up with food that the family enjoyed and if I am lucky, they will have great ensaymadas tomorrow for breakfast.
Keeping my fingers crossed,
MrsA
