Self-Isolation Baking Bucket List

Baking Bucket List – 7 Things to Bake during Self-Isolation

In light of the recent developments surrounding Coronavirus (COVID-19), more and more of us around the world are being asked to self-isolate. Schools and universities have shut, where possible we have been asked to work from home. But being home ALL THE TIME gets boring SO quickly! So, I have come up with a list of 7 things to improve your baking skills over the next few weeks, a self-isolation baking bucket list, so to speak.

Let´s make these times fun and interactive by sharing pictures and experiences of completing an item on the baking bucket list!

Let´s focus on improving our baking skills and techniques!

This self-isolation baking bucket list doesn´t require making specific recipes, instead, it focuses more on different areas or baking and putting different pastries, doughs and techniques to the test.

What I have done, however, is include a few suggestions of bakes you could make using the different techniques! But feel free to use different recipes and the ingredients that are available to you! With everyone panic-buying not just toilet paper but also baking ingredients, it can sometimes be hard to come by certain things!

At this point, I should probably say: Everybody stop panic-buying! We will all be fine, there is enough for everyone (like there usually is) if we only buy things in reasonable amounts. There is no need to stockpile! At the moment we have been ensured that the delivery of goods will still be possible during this health crisis. For more information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how to stay safe, check out the information on the NHS website.

Anyway – this post is all about how to have fun during this period of self-isolation, so without further ado, let´s get into this self-isolation baking bucket list!

1) Cake

I know what you are thinking… Why is cake the first item on the self-isolation baking bucket list? Cakes are such a baking basic – everyone knows how to make those!

Well, have you thought about all the different methods there are to cake making? Have you heard of the all-in-one, creaming, whisking or rubbing-in methods?

Or do you know about all the different types of sponges that exist? Genoise sponge? Jaconde sponge? Victoria sponge? Fatless sponge?
Also, why not try to make your favourite cake, vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free?

You could also think about trying to make different shapes and sizes of cakes. Why not try and make a really large showstopper of a cake, or try making small, dainty cakes for afternoon tea. Make a square cake, round cake, a bundt cake!
I think I´ve made my point.🤣

There is so much to learn about making cakes!

There are so many different things to learn about how to make cakes and all the different types of sponges and their uses! I´d definitely recommend reading about that online or in your baking books! Something I would really like to try during this period of self-isolation is a chiffon cake, I have never made one of those before!

Here are a few different cake recipes using different methods to get you started:

Cakes using the…

… “all-in-one” method: Best-ever Carrot Cake Traybake, Vanilla Cupcakes, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Chocolate Easter Cupcakes

… “creaming” method: Mary Berry´s Frosted Walnut Layer Cake

… “whisking” method: Swiss Roll Cake filled with Strawberry Jam and Cream, German Black Forest Gâteau

… “melting” method: Mini Chocolate and Raspberry Sandwich Cakes, Mary Berry´s Fraisier Cake (Genoise Sponge)

… “folding” in method: Lemon Yoghurt Cake

2) Bread

What is better than the smell of freshly baked bread? I absolutely LOVE baking bread, and this is possibly the most “useful” thing to make during this period of self-isolation! If you have always thought to yourself that you don´t have time to learn how to make bread – now you no longer have that excuse!
Here is a bit of inspiration to get you started:

Yeasted Bread:

• German Wholemeal Seeded Loaf
• Italian Rosemary Focaccia Bread
• Tomato and Mozzarella Focaccia Bread

Bread without Yeast / No-Knead Bread:

In case you´re out of yeast, here are a few good recipes for you:

Scones (Are they bread? Are they biscuits? I don´t really care, they taste great and are easy to make)

• Zesty orange and fruit scones (A British Afternoon Tea Classic)
• Cheese and Chive Scones

Soda Bread (An Irish classic, leavened with bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk. The best thing is that you can add any flavour you like!):

• Classic Irish Soda Bread
• Cheddar Cheese and Chive Soda Bread

Sourdough Bread

Again, there couldn´t be a better time to start your own homemade sourdough starter! Use your own sourdough starter to make the best breads ever!
– How to Make a Sourdough Starter | Baking Basics #4
– Crusty Sourdough Loaf (Best Bread Ever!)
– Rye Sourdough Bread

3) Try your hand on some pastry: Shortcrust, Choux, Hot Water Crust, Puff Pastry…

Pastry can be a very difficult thing to master. There are so many different types of pastry – and many things that can go wrong when making it!

With some, you need to be very delicate and work the pastry as little as possible. Others, like hot water crust pastry, are a lot easier (and more fun!) to work with! I have a few baking basics posts on different pastry types, so why not check those out before you get into making pastry!

Baking Basic Posts:

How to Make Shortcrust Pastry | Baking Basics #1
How to line a Tart/Flan Tin | Baking Skills and Techniques #1
How to Make Puff Pastry | Baking Basics #3

Some recipes to get you started:

Shortcrust Pastry: Mary Berry´s Bakewell Tart with Feathered Icing, Lemon Meringue Pie, Mini Custard Tarts

Puff Pastry: Mini Caramelised Onion and Thyme Sausage Rolls, Parma Ham and Parmesan Palmiers

Choux Pastry: French Éclairs with Chocolate and Whipped Cream

4) Biscuits

Next up on this self-isolation baking bucket list: biscuits! Or cookies, as they are known in the US. To me, cookies are a specific type of biscuit. One that is round, maybe larger, and has a soft and chewy texture. Everything else, I consider to be a biscuit.

Biscuits are great for practicing different baking techniques, too! Some involve melting ingredients together, like gingerbread, others require the rubbing-in method, creaming method, or even the folding-in of egg whites! If you have kids at home, biscuits are also great for baking with children!

Here are some of my recipes you could try:

• Gingerbread Men (uses the creaming method)
• Easy Iced Biscuits (great for baking with kids!)
• German Vanilla Crescents (“Vanillekipferl”) (One of the most popular recipes on my blog!)
• German “Haselnussbrot” (Biscuits with hazelnuts, dipped in chocolate – one of my favourites!)
• Traditional Scottish Shortbread (uses the rubbing-in method)
• Coconut Macarons (uses the folding-in method)
• Piped, melt-in-the-mouth Biscuits with Chocolate (AMAZING!)
• Best-ever, versatile Chocolate Chip Cookies

5) Meringue

Meringue, another baking classic than can be difficult to master. The trick is, to very gradually add the sugar to the egg whites whilst beating them! Don´t be tempted to add too much at once, or the meringue will collapse.

Also, meringues need to be baked slowly at a low temperature to dry them out completely! Then, you should leave them to cool in the oven to prevent them from cracking! I find it best to leave them to cool in the oven over-night! Luckily, you have all the time in the world to do so at the moment, due to the lovely coronavirus keeping us all inside!

Browse around the web to find some great recipes using meringue, for example, pavlovas, dacquoise cakes, an Eaton mess or even to top a pie! Here are some of my meringue recipes:

• Chocolate Pavlova topped with Bailey´s Cream (A crowd-pleaser!)
• Meringue Roulade filled with Raspberries and Cream
• Lemon Meringue Pie

6) Pudding or Dessert

Ah, don´t we all just LOVE a good pudding or dessert (depending on where you come from and what you call it) after dinner!!! I think my top three puddings are crumbles, trifle and sticky toffee pudding! My mouth is watering at the mere thought of that!

For this recipe on your self-isolation baking bucket list, treat your family to a fantastic dessert after dinner! We all need a little pick-me-up in these uncertain times…

• Italian Tiramisu
• Classic Easy British Trifle (The most popular recipe on my blog to date!)
• Chocolate Orange Trifle with Bailey´s
• Meringue Roulade
• No-bake Lemon Cheesecake
• Lemon Meringue Pie

7) Try something from a different country/completely new!

I always find it exciting to try recipes from different countries. There are so many recipes out there that you will have never heard of! I definitely hope to make more recipes from around the world in the future, so feel free to leave some of your own in the comments below for me to try! As I am half German, I have quite a few German recipes on my blog (among others). So why not give those a try?

• German Baked Cheesecake
• German Black Forest Gâteau
• Swedish Kanelbullar (Cinnamon Rolls)
• German “Nusszopf” or “Nussschnecken” (Nut-plaits or rolls)
• French Éclairs
• German “Donauwellen” Cake
• Italian Tomato and Mozzarella Focaccia Bread
• American Baked Blueberry Cheesecake

So many things to bake!

Wow, this post has really got me thinking about all the things I want to try baking over the next few weeks (ingredients-permitting…). It has also reminded me of all the things I have made that I still want to create blog posts for!
In case you are wondering, I think my coronavirus self-isolation baking bucket list looks something like this (to name one from each category):

• Cakes: Lemon and Poppy Seed (or some other) Bundt Cake, Battenburg Cake, Chiffon Cake
• Bread: Brioche Bread (does anyone have a good recipe?)
• Pastry: Rough Puff Pastry (maybe to top a pie?), Choux Pastry (to make profiteroles, or a Paris-Brest)
• Biscuits: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding
• Something from a different country: Chocolate Babka, Naan Breads

I really hope you enjoy this self-isolation baking bucket list! Please send/post pictures of all your lovely creations and recipes either in the comments below or on my Facebook page!
In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and happy baking!!!